[April 18, 2008]

AP Entertainment NewsBrief at 9:50 a.m. EDT

(AP Online Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Eve, Heidi Klum, Nicky Hilton among Us Weekly revelersLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Eve, Heidi Klum and Nicky Hilton were among the beautiful people who turned out for US Weekly magazine's Hot Hollywood party. The annual celebration of young Hollywood style, held Thursday at Eva Longoria's new Beso restaurant in Hollywood, also drew famous faces from MTV's "The Hills" and ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

Clinton is Ms. Fix-It, Obama a media critic on 'Colbert'PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton played up her image as a tireless problem solver _ this time for laughs _ when she visited Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" Thursday night. Not to be outdone, Sen. Barack Obama, her rival for the Democratic nomination, showed up via satellite to poke fun at what he called the media's fixation on gaffes and trivialities.

E Street Band member Danny Federici dies at 58NEW YORK (AP) _ Danny Federici, the longtime keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen whose stylish work helped define the E Street Band's sound on hits from "Hungry Heart" through "The Rising," died Thursday. He was 58. Federici, who had battled melanoma for three years, died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. News of his death was posted late Thursday on Springsteen's official Web site.

Yale: Student's artwork purporting to show abortion a hoaxHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ A Yale University art student's claim that she induced repeated abortions on herself and used the blood for her senior project is false, school officials said after her account was published in the student newspaper. Aliza Shvarts described the project in a story Thursday in the Yale Daily News. She said she artificially inseminated herself "as often as possible" while taking herbal drugs to induce miscarriages, the story said.

Clive Davis replaced by Barry Weiss as BMG headNEW YORK (AP) _ Legendary music executive Clive Davis has been replaced by Barry Weiss as chairman and chief executive officer of the BMG label group. Parent company Sony BMG announced the move Thursday. The 74-year-old Davis will become chief creative officer of Sony BMG. Two other BMG executives also departed in the label shakeup.

Hasselhoff to pay $25,000 a month to ex-wife, daughtersLOS ANGELES (AP) _ David Hasselhoff has agreed to pay $25,000 a month to support his ex-wife and children. Court documents released Thursday show the former "Baywatch" star's divorce settlement calls for him to pay $21,000 a month to ex-wife Pamela Bach and another $4,000 to support their daughters, 17-year-old Taylor and 15-year-old Hayley. Hasselhoff and Bach have joint custody of the children.

Gibson, Stephanopoulos criticized for work on debateNEW YORK (AP) _ ABC News drew both impressive ratings and a heap of complaints about how Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos moderated the Democratic presidential debate, criticism that Stephanopoulos on Thursday called a sign of how much people care. By Thursday evening, more than 16,800 comments were posted on ABC News' Web site, the tone overwhelmingly negative. A prominent TV critic, Tom Shales of The Washington Post, said Gibson and Stephanopoulos "turned in shoddy, despicable performances."

Britney Spears to pay her lawyers at least $372,500LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A court commissioner on Thursday authorized various lawyers representing Britney Spears and her family to be paid more than $372,500 out of Spears' funds. Commissioner Reva Goetz ordered the attorneys paid from Spears' assets, which are under the control of her father, James Spears, and attorney Andrew Wallet. They have had control of the pop star's finances and estate since she was hospitalized twice in January.

Criss Angel show in Las Vegas named after Houdini legendLAS VEGAS (AP) _ The long-hyped Cirque du Soleil-Criss Angel production now has a name. Producers say "Criss Angel Believe" will open Sept. 12 at the Luxor hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Previews begin Sept. 1. Tickets went on sale Thursday for casino VIPs and Angel fan club members.

NBC Universal, ad agency to create product-centered programsBURBANK, Calif. (AP) _ A newly formed NBC Universal production unit is teaming up with an advertising agency to create programs around sponsors' products, the company said. NBC Universal Digital Studio will work with a division of Omnicom Group Inc. to create programs that help advertisers sell their products, the entertainment giant announced in a statement Thursday. The programming will be broadcast on NBC Universal's digital properties, such as Web sites.

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