==

It's been a long time since Madonna & Whitney did battle ...

Uber-divas Madonna and Whitney Houston just both happened to wear the same Dolce & Gabbana leopard print dress on the very same night.

At least they weren't attending the same event, or a serious catfight would have likely ensued.

Madonna wore the silver sheath to a dinner with the designers in Milan where she also brought along much younger boy toy Jesus Luz, while Whitney picked the dress for her comeback album debut event in London.

Both ladies look amaaaaazing in their selection, though!

==

Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri have reportedly split after seven years together.

"His friends are telling people it's over," a source tells US Weekly. Dupri, who did not attend Michael Jackson's memorial last week, produced songs on Jackson's last two albums, which may have been a factor in the break-up, according to the source.



Jackson, who's keeping busy looking after Michael's children and working on a new movie, was previously (and secretly) married to Rene Elizondo. They divorced in 2000.

Dupri was due to appear at the MMVA's last month in Toronto but was a last-minute no-show.

==

NBC may dwell in the ratings basement ... but with SIXTY-SEVEN primetime Emmy nominations, the network is clearly doing something right.

Ok, so this is the same network that brought us Knight Rider ... but whatever.



30 Rock, Tina Fey's low-rated Thursday night sitcom, earned 22 nominations - a record for a comedy series. Saturday Night Live also set an Emmys record for the most nominations for a variety series: 13. Helping lead the way to that milestone were Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig (both of whom will vie for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy) and nominated guest stars Tina Fey and Justin Timberlake.

NBC's co-chairman of entertainment says that "Thursdays on NBC are going to be the funniest night on broadcast TV" with 30 Rock, The Office, Parks & Recreation and now SNL Weekend Update - Thursday. Um, that remains to be seen ... but still, that's an astounding number of nominations for a network that often places only one series in the Top 20.

Another major nominee from NBC is SVU's Mariska Hargitay with her fifth nod. She won the Emmy back in '06.

==

So ... did Sara & Grissom NOT get their happy ending after all???

Less than a year after walking off into the sunset jungle with leading man William Petersen, Jorja Fox has signed on to return to CSI as Sara Sidle for multiple episodes - with no Grissom in sight.

According to executive producer Carol Mendelsohn, Jorja Fox will reappear in the September 24th episode when viewers will "discover where life has taken Sara Sidle and what brings her back to the CSI team in Las Vegas."

==

CBS newsman Walter Cronkite, legendarily known as "The Most Trusted Man in America," passed away last night at his home in New York at the age of 92.

He had reportedly been suffering from cerebrovascular disease.

Cronkite began his career in journalism as an AP reporter during WWII and quickly rose through the ranks, going on to become the lead anchor on CBS for years. Cronkite saw America through some of its most influential moments of the 20th century, including the launch of Apollo 11, the death of JFK, and the Vietnam War.



Walter Cronkite retired in 1982, marking an end to the pioneering days of network news. The 80s and 90s saw an increasing emphasis put on "entertainment value" in TV newscasting.

"Anybody who has sat in the (anchor's) chair for the last 40-50 years has had to be measured against Walter Cronkite," said CTV news anchor Lloyd Robertson.

"He was a huge figure, the face of trust," says Peter Mansbridge, anchor of CBC's The National. "He defined what an anchor has to be; not just a presenter, but a journalist. He had the battle scars."

==

Farrah Fawcett received a posthumous Emmy nomination Thursday for the TV special that documented her battle with cancer.

As one of the producers of NBC's documentary Farrah's Story, the Charlie's Angels actress was nominated in the Outstanding Nonfiction Special category. The special aired in May, just weeks before Fawcett's death on June 25.

This is Fawcett's fourth Emmy nomination. She previously received TV-movie acting nods for both The Burning Bed (1984) and Small Sacrifices (1989), and was recognized for a guest spot she did on The Guardian in 2003.

The doc faces some stiff competition - including Michael J. Fox's special Adventures Of An Incurable Optimist.

==

A second worker has died as a result of that tragic stage accident in Marseilles, France.

A British worker died earlier today from injuries sustained in the Thursday accident at the Velodrome. A French worker was killed on the spot. Eight others were injured and remain hospitalized.

Madonna, who was in Italy at the time of the accident, has canceled her Sunday show in Marseilles, which was part of her Sticky & Sweet tour.

==

Almost a year after describing her DUI arrest as "a low point," Mischa Barton – who called police with a health problem Wednesday – may be hitting another rough patch.

The 23-year-old actress was scheduled to attend the premiere of her movie Homecoming last night in New York City but ... she remained at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles under an involuntary psychiatric hold, very similar to the one that Britney found herself under.

Mischa's had a string of problems - and breakups - since leaving The OC a few years back. Just a few weeks ago, we saw images of the apparently hard-partying starlet in which she appeared gauntly thin ... here's hoping she gets it all worked out!

==

The stage for Madonna's concert in Marseille, France collapsed today, killing one person and injuring six.

The collapse occurred at the Velodrome stadium where Madonna was going to perform on July 19. The top of the stage collapsed on a crane -- which, in turn, fell on top of the workers. Fire officials in Marseille tell us two of the injured workers are in critical condition -- one is an American.

French papers say the concert has been canceled.

Madonna has issued the following statement: "I am devastated to have just received this tragic news. My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news."

==

The LA home of Orlando Bloom has been broken into and burgled!

Sources close to the Pirates of the Caribbean star confirm that police were called to the residence and burglars may have made off with personal effects of the actor, who also appeared in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The 32-year old actor is currently filming in New York City and was not at the scene of the crime.

A rep for the actor could not be reached for comment.

==

The 2-year marriage of Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder-Civil came to a formal end in a first floor courtroom in London this morning.

As one of 25 couples seeking to dissolve their marriages, Fielder-Civil, 27, was granted the divorce from Winehouse, 25, in a hearing that lasted all of 75 seconds, as the singer admitted adultery.

Neither she nor Fielder-Civil were at Court Three of the High Court Family Division in London's Holborn area to hear District Judge Michael Segal grant the "quickie" divorce.

The couple married in Miami May 2007. First talk of a divorce surfaced in January, when Blake, a music-video producer, signaled he would start proceedings. Wino initially said she would not let it happen ... but when pics of her infidelity hit the web, her goose was cooked. And coked!

==

And the rest of the nominations be ...



SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Rainn Wilson, The Office

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Kristin Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alan Alda, 30 Rock
Beau Bridges, Desperate Housewives
Jon Hamm, 30 Rock
Steve Martin, 30 Rock
Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, 30 Rock
Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live
Gena Rowlands, Monk
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock
Betty White, My Name Is Earl

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christian Clemenson, Boston Legal
Michael Emerson, Lost
William Hurt, Damages
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Rose Byrne, Damages
Hope Davis, In Treatment
Cherry Jones, In Treatment
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy

(WHERE IS FREAKIN' ELIZABETH MITCHELL FOR LOST!?!?!?!?)

GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Edward Asner, CSI: NY
Ted Danson, Damages
Ernest Borgnine, ER
Michael J. Fox, Rescue Me
Jimmy Smits, Dexter

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Brenda Blethyn, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Carol Burnett, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Ellen Burstyn, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Sharon Lawrence, Grey's Anatomy
CCH Pounder, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

==

So while I wait for the rest of the nominations ... let's run it down so far!

Outstanding Drama Series

Pretty much what you'd expect - really, really happy to see Lost make it in there for a stellar 5th season. I was kind of worried that with all of the "comeback" chatter for Season 4, this brilliant year might get overlooked. Mad Men, of course, is in there to defend its title as Emmy winner - how could the most talked-about but hardly-watched drama NOT be there? Breaking Bad, Damages and Dexter aren't surprises - cable drama really is where it's at. But I'm not sure this was one of House's strongest season.

May I ask, however, about the conspicuous absence of Battlestar Galactica, the final season of The Shield and critics' darling Friday Night Lights. A shaky season of House over all of those ... not to mention the much-loved True Blood ...

Dave gives the edge to: Mad Men. Not quite as much hype as last season ... but with the new season set to premiere while Academy voters are making their choices, it'll be fresh in their minds.




Outstanding Comedy Series

Can I get a BOO-YAW for Family Guy, please & thanks!? Once CANCELLED by Fox, if you can believe it, the show's success story has just gotten freakin' sweeter & sweeter ever since its resurrection three years ago. And now it's the first animated series nominated for Best Comedy since The Flintstones in 1961. Not even The Simpsons, in 20 years, has managed that feat! And how much do we love seeing How I Met Your Mother in there!? Stand-bys like The Office, Entourage and the nomination-leading 30 Rock are in there, too - as well as Weeds, which continues to be one of THE consistently funny shows on TV ... and new arrival Flight of the Conchords, which may find itself jumping from "cult fave" status to mainstream popularity with this nomination.

Dave gives the edge to: 30 Rock. Not the funniest show on TV ... but the Academy LOVES Tina Fey & Alec Baldwin. And really, Emmy wins are about the only thing keeping this low-rated comedy on the air.





Outstanding Lead Actor

Nothing unexpected here at all - exactly who I thought would make it in there. Very sad to see Edward James Olmos overlooked for the astounding final season of Battlestar .. but equally pleased to see James Spader left out for the endgame of Boston Legal. Simon Baker is finally getting some well-deserved attention as The Mentalist, while Bryan Cranston could well see a repeat of last year's win for the brilliant Breaking Bad. We fully expect to see Hugh Laurie & Michael C. Hall in the running ... and both Gabriel Byrne and Jon Hamm are highly deserving.

Dave gives the edge to: Anyone. This is a battle royale, kids! Six very deserving nominees from six very different shows. If, however, *I* was voting, I think I'd tick off Michael C. Hall's name for an amazingly moving season of Dexter. If an actor can make us LOVE a serial killer, he's doing something right!




Outstanding Lead Actress

Have we not seen this exact field before ... y'know, like ... last year ... and the year before? With the notable addition of Elisabeth Moss, of course, whose doe-eyed work on Mad Men brings such a touch of humanity to that cold, ruthless world. She'll face off against a field of serious vets - including past winners like Sally Field and Mariska Hargitay ... plus the holy trinity of Cable Goddesses: Close, Hunter & Sedgwick. Please tell me, however, why I don't see Mary McDonnell's name in here? Or, for that matter, Friday Night Lights' Connie Britton? Wake up folks ... there are more than 6 shows on TV!

Dave gives the edge to: See above re: Battle Royale! It's a crapshoot.




Comedy Categories

What sweet revenge for Christina Applegate - a second consecutive nomination for the now-cancelled Samantha Who? - although it likely doesn't take the edge of losing her job. I, personally, don't care for Sarah Silverman - but her show is something unique on TV right now ... and really, aren't we all totally over Old Christine? As always, my beloved Mary-Louise makes the cut - but will likely walk away empty-handed again, since Emmy voters don't seem to bother with the always-nominated Weeds. Tina Fey, who probably got more attention as Sarah Palin this year ... and newcomer-to-the-field, Oscar-nominee Toni Collette for the Diablo Cody-penned United States Of Tara. The only misstep for me in this whole category is Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Dave gives the edge teo: Toni Collette, as a first-time nominee, is almost sure to clean up here - unless voters are still totally in love with Tina Fey's Palin impersonation. I'd still vote for Mary-Louise ... but we all knew that.



And I don't care about the guys.

==

Ladies & gentlemen ... here they come ... it's EMMY NOMINATION TIME!

Sit back, relax, and read away ... I'm going to give you the list of nominees ... so far ... and then I'll be back, post-green tea, with the rest of the crowd AND my analysis.

Who made the cut? Who got overlooked? Is Emmy in touch? We'll cover it all ...

And the nominees are ...

Outstanding Drama Series

Big Love
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

Outstanding Comedy Series

Entourage
Family Guy
Flight Of The Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
30 Rock
Weeds

Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama

Simon Baker - The Mentalist
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Hugh Laurie - House

Outstanding Lead Actress - Drama

Glenn Close - Damages
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Steve Carrell - The Office
Jermaine Clement - Flight Of The Conchords
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Tony Shalhoub - Monk
Charlie Sheen - Two & A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy

Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
Toni Collette - United States Of Tara
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Julia Louis Dreyfus - Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds
Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program

Outstanding Made For Television Movie

Coco Chanel
Grey Gardens
Into The Storm
Prayers For Bobby
Taking Chance

Outstanding Reality Program - Competition

The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

==

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt is near death, according to a story published by New York's Limerick Leader today.

The story is quoting McCourt's brother, Malachy, saying he may have "days to live."

McCourt, 78, won the Pulitzer for his memoir Angela's Ashes, which details his childhood as a poor Irish Catholic in Limerick.

He has skin cancer and is now, according to the report, in a New York hospital after contracting meningitis."

==

Really? Is this REALLY necessary?

Variety is reporting that Renee Zellweger will reprise her role as a bumbling British publishing exec searching for love ... in yet another installment of the Bridget Jones series.

The project from Working Title is untitled and not expected to go into production until the end of next year.

The movie will likely focus on Bridget's attempt to have a baby in her 40s.

The real question is whether it will suck as hard as Edge Of Reason.

==

Spanish newspapers say a woman who was believed to have become the world’s oldest new mother when she gave birth to twins at age 66 has died.

She was 69.

The newspapers El Mundo and Diario de Cadiz report that Maria del Carmen Bousada died Saturday. She gave birth in December 2006 after undergoing in-vitro fertilization.

Diario de Cadiz says her brother, Ricardo Bousada, refused to disclose the cause of death. The newspaper says Bousada was diagnosed with a tumour shortly after giving birth.

Bousada said in an interview with a British tabloid in 2007 that she lied and said she was 55 in order to skirt the age limit for single women at the California fertility clinic where she got treatment.

I really hope those kids have a guardian somewhere ... who's less, y'know, retired.

==

ER actor Deezer D, who played Nurse Malik McGrath for 15 seasons of the hit medical drama, underwent risky heart surgery this week to replace his aorta and fix a leaking valve.

Deezer, a rapper-turned-actor whose real name is Dearon Thompson, was under the knife for six hours during the procedure. The surgery was done to prevent the same deadly heart problem that took the life of actor John Ritter in 2003.

A friend of Deezer tells RadarOnline that "he'll be in the ICU for the next two days" so that he can be closely monitored. "It's the watch-and-wait period now but if all goes well, he'll be moved to a regular floor for another seven days," the friend says.

==

Whitney Houston wowed a VIP crowd at the London playback of her comeback album last night.

The 45-year-old looked stunning as she entered the intimate gathering at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel on the arm of legendary music guru Clive Davis, wearing a shimmering black dress.



Whitney told the crowd, who included billionaire Sir Phillip Green: "I hope you like it."

I Look To You is due out on September 1st and will be Whit's first new release since 2003.

==

Totally called this one weeks ago, kids!

After weeks of challenges, trips, and photos shoots, 19-year old Meaghan Waller from Winnipeg, outlasted 11 eliminations to become the last model standing and win the title of Canada's Next Top Model.



Although immensely talented in her own right, Linsay from Edmonton was edged out of the #1 spot. While the judges said she's stunning and takes great photos, they didn't think that she had enough international appeal. The judges maintained that Meaghan's look is current, she had fantastic photos throughout the competition, and had a spectacular presence at the final fashion show.

The best part of the whole night, aside from the surprise reappearance of Miss Jay, was watching the potty-mouthed malcontent, Nikita, get the boot before the halfway point of the hour.

Meaghan will be the face of Cover Girl campaigns across the country as she is the proud new owner of a $100,000 beauty contract from P&G Beauty: makers of Cover Girl, Olay, Crest Whitestrips and Perfect 10 by Nice 'n Easy.