GOLDEN GLOBES: A giant day for Titanic as nominations for the 55th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced in Hollywood. The most expensive movie ever was on the money, leading all comers in the film categories with eight nominations, including nods for writer-director James Cameron and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
GLOBES ADD: Other notable film nominees today: Matt Damon, the 25-year-old newcomer who scored acting and screenplay nods for his heartfelt drama, Good Will Hunting, and Helen Hunt, a Best Actress hopeful for both TV's Mad About You and the new film, As Good As It Gets.
SNUBBED: Not making the Golden Globes cut today: Quentin Tarantino, not impressing with Jackie Brown; writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, who seemed a lock for the (as it turned out) mostly ignored Boogie Nights; and critical favorite Kevin Spacey, for L.A. Confidential.
THE TUBE DIVISION: The Golden Globes honor TV, as well as film. Noteworthy nominations there: Kevin Anderson, a Best Actor (drama) contender for the boycott-plagued Nothing Sacred; and Ally McBeal, the freshman stand-out series scoring a Best Comedy Series nod (as well as a Best Actress (comedy) plug for star Calista Flockhart). NBC shows led all networks with 23 overall nominations.
SPIELBERG STALKER: The man accused of stalking Steven Spielberg planned to rape the legendary filmmaker, according to court documents released in the under-wraps case. Jonathan Norman was caught lurking near Spielberg's home last July, prosecutors say. Allegedly on the suspect's person: handcuffs, duct tape and a knife. Norman, who has pleaded not guilty to charges facing him, told police the handcuffs were for Spielberg--to serve "this obsession with raping" the mogul, the court documents attest.
SPIELBERG ADD: New details of the Steven Spielberg stalking case come on the famed director's 50th birthday. At least he has one early birthday present: four Golden Globe nominations for his new slave-ship drama, Amistad.
THE JOKEMAN WALKETH: Howard Stern's longtime head writer Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling has walked off the radio personality's syndicated program. The problem apparently is money--as in he doesn't think he's getting enough. Martling's been AWOL since last week. Stern acknowledged his absence on Wednesday's show: "Jackie is going through another one of his contract disputes which I don't think will ever be settled."
RUNG OUT: "Phones are the bane of my life. Alexander damn Graham Bell, I'd shoot him." So said Keith Richards, who told Rolling Stone magazine he only uses phones for information, not chat, and that using a cellular phone is bad for you, "like sticking your head in a microwave oven." Only problem: Sprint Corp. happens to be sponsoring the Rolling Stones' Bridges to Babylon tour. They called the old rocker on his comments, including his revelation that he couldn't get his new Sprint digital cellular to work. No hang up. He apologized. Sprint accepted.
DOOR AJAR: Anyone could be a contender for Charlie Gibson's job. That's according to ABC News Chairman Roone Arledge, who will probably soon have to find a replacement for Gibson, cohost of the struggling Good Morning America. Gibson wants to leave after a decade on the job, and is, reportedly, considering an offer to host Biography on cable's A & E. However, Tom Bergeron and Kevin Newman appear to be top contenders for the morning show which has fallen further in the ratings since Lisa McRee took over from Joan Lunden.
UNUSUAL RULING: Tom Jones has the right to keep details of finances away from strangers, who, according to a Florida appeals court, include the women with whom he fathered a child in l986. The 57-year-old Welsh singer has been paying $2,791 a month to Katherine Berkery, 34, in support of their son, born after a brief relationship. Berkery sued for more money and to see details of his income. He said he makes $89,000, but refused to say any more. The court agreed, overturning a lower court order.
FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE: The McCaughey seven have gone Hollywood. The world's only septuplets signed with an agent Wednesday. The occasion marked the 4-week anniversary of their historic birth. The babes' first gig? Playing themselves in a TV documentary.
WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: The rappers of the Insane Clown Posse aren't taking lightly being called a "joke" in a cartoon in the new issue of Spin. The duo has posted a photo of one of the artists on its Website--and vowed revenge.
BAD TRIP: Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro--exhibiting, er, interesting behavior on the recent Jane's Addiction reunion tour--is back on drugs, the Chili Peppers' publicist confirms to USA Today. Navarro isn't an "addict or dying"--the former rehab grad, in fact, insists he's just experimenting, the flack says.
BUSTED: A 69-year-old former Hollywood studio executive has been charged with raping and sodomizing an 11-year-old New York girl who was allegedly rented out for prostitution by her mother. Sidney Kiwitt was once a vice president for Warner Bros.
SICK BAY: Another health scare for rock pioneer Carl Perkins. The man who penned "Blue Suede Shoes" was said to be partially paralyzed, but in stable condition at a Tennessee hospital after suffering another stroke. The 65-year-old Perkins suffered several minor strokes in recent weeks, but had been sent home for rehab.
FIGURING OUT FERGIE: What's up with Fergie? That's what London tabs are scrambling to diagnose with reports rampant that the former Sarah Ferguson has had a "golf-ball sized lump" removed from under an arm and is awaiting biopsy results. The Duchess of York is also described as feeling tired lately. But a Fergie advisor tells the Daily Mail: "If you mention cancer, you would be extremely wide of the mark."
COSBY EXTORTION CASE: A 43-year-old man convicted of helping Autumn Jackson hatch that Bill Cosby extortion scheme has been sentenced to three months in prison. Once that gig is up, Boris Sabas has been ordered to toil an additional three months under home confinement.
SEEING THE LIGHT: Disney's upcoming live-action Mr. Magoo comedy--under fire from sight-challenged activists--will carry a disclaimer at the end of the film, the studio announced Wednesday. No word on what the blurb--described as "more like a public service announcement"--will say exactly, just that it will be a "positive statement," presumably about sight-challenged activists and others.
FEST'S BEST: The lineup for the fourth annual Slamdance Festival--the leading alternative film fest--has been announced. The main attraction: a 1994 flick by Trey Parker, the cocreator of cult cable hit South Park. The film's called, Cannibal! The Musical. Slamdance kicks off next month in Park City, Utah, shadowing Robert Redford's more-established Sundance event.
HANSON TAKES A HOLIDAY: Country superstar Garth Brooks' Sevens was the No. 1 pop album in the nation (again)--but the real news this week was Hanson. The sibling pop trio placed two albums in the top 15, including their new holiday release, Snowed In.
NO GO: Farrah Fawcett says David Letterman's camp keeps "pushing, pushing, pushing" her to do a repeat performance on his late-night talk show, but the ex-Angel says no way. "It's a no-win situation," Fawcett tells USA Today. If she's more staid than her off-the-wall appearance last June, people will say she was on drugs the first time, Fawcett reasons. And if she's just as loopy, "they'll say, 'There she goes again.' "
NURSERY NEWS: Model Paulina Porizkova and rocker hubby Ric Ocasek are expecting their second child--due in June.
FAKE SINATRA: Don't think the Frank Sinatra clan is going to cooperate on that new HBO movie about the Rat Pack. Daughter Tina Sinatra tells gossip maven Liz Smith that if Ray Liotta, cast as Francis Albert, sings in the flick--he won't be singing to real Sinatra tunes.
COVER GIRL: Don't know why this is news anymore, but Pamela Anderson Lee has posed nude (again). This time, she's undercover of the American flag on the January issue of George magazine. Inside, Pam talks about her belief system: "Alcohol should be made illegal." (Wonder if hubby Tommy Lee gets a subscription?)
HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS: Looking for something unique? How about Superman's cape? The one worn by Christopher Reeve in the 1978 film can be yours--if you're willing to part with about $7,000. That's how much the costume piece is expected to fetch at a Sotheby's auction of celeb memorabilia this weekend.