PICKED: American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler signing a record deal with country label BNA Records and 19 Recordings. The blond belle is set to release her first single in September and her debut album drops Nov. 14--the same day as albums from Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee. Seriously, does it even matter who actually wins the show?
SURI LIVES! (MAYBE) Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' fellow Scientologist Leah Remini telling Us Weekly that she met baby Suri weeks ago. Perhaps she's only visible to disciples of L. Ron Hubbard?
ANATOMY OF A BREAKUP: Diana Bianchi, a 19-year-old former employee of Christie Brinkley's recently estranged husband, Peter Cook, telling the New York Post that Cook hired her and seduced her with lavish gifts, then tried to woo her back after she broke off their affair. Brinkley and Cook announced their separation last week--we're guessing this latest development probably won't help their chances of reconciling.
GET REAL: Fox Reality ordering 10 half-hour episodes of The Rob and Amber Project, a docudrama that follows former Survivor and Amazing Race participants Rob and Amber Mariano as they continue their mission to stay in front of the camera, Daily Variety reports. The show will reportedly chronicle the couple's move to Las Vegas, where Rob will try to become a professional attention whore, er, gambler.
WEDDING BELLS: Pamela Anderson announcing plans to wed Kid Rock on her official Website. "Yes. I'm finally getting remarried...it's been a whirlwind...spontaneous but well thought through," the curvaceous actress wrote. Maybe this time they'll actually make it down the aisle.
HER TOO: Jeri Ryan announcing her engagement to Christophe Emé at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, where she was promoting her new CBS series, Shark.
OOPS: The National Enquirer apologizing to Britney Spears in its British edition for publishing two stories indicating that her marriage to Kevin Federline was over. The tab also secretly expressing its sincerest regrets that the marriage is still on.
KEEP AWAY: John Cusack obtaining a restraining order against Los Angeles resident Emily Leatherman, whom he complained had repeatedly tried to contact him. Leatherman was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the actor.
NOISE POLLUTION: Neighbors of a Sydney, Australia park where police blast Barry Manilow music from 9 p.m. to midnight every Friday, Saturday and Sunday to drive away would-be revelers complaining that the tactic is driving them crazy. Buck up--it could be Meat Loaf.
TARDY SLIP: Mindy McCready found in contempt of court after arriving 10 minutes late for her DUI trial on Monday. The troubled country singer could face punishment ranging from a verbal rebuke to 10 days in jail. Really, though, that's the least of her problems.
BACKING DOWN: A man who accused Eminem of punching him in the face at a Detroit strip club last week dropping the charges, police said Monday.
THE MTV CURSE: Following in the footsteps of fellow MTV reality alums Nick and Jessica, Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro splitting "amicably" after almost three years of marriage, a rep confirmed. Look out, Sharon and Ozzy!
NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT: In an article in the August issue of O magazine, Oprah Winfrey clarifying that, despite rumors to the contrary, she and best bud Gayle King are not gay, though she can see why people might think they are. "I understand why people think we're gay," Winfrey wrote. "There isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women."
FRIENDS FOREVER: Jennifer Aniston telling reporters in London that she would consider playing Rachel again for a Friends reunion show, particularly if it were a Thanksgiving episode. Funny, we weren't aware that she had ever really stopped playing Rachel.
TELLING IT LIKE IT IS: Justin Timberlake telling London's Guardian that he would never want to be President of the United States because he's "done way too many drugs already." That kind of honesty would never get him elected.