Susan Boyle Sticks To Natural Look For New Album Cover

Susan Boyle's new album cover features the global superstar as you have seen her before--down-to-earth and natural.

Boyle's handlers are making sure that the "Hairy Angel's" appeal is not diluted by Hollywood gloss. On the cover of the 48-year-old's debut album I Dreamed A Dream, she appears in all her wrinkled glory. 

X Factor judge Amanda Holden said: "She needs to stay exactly as she is because that's the reason we love her. She just looks like anybody who could live on your street.

"The minute we turn her into a glamourpuss is when it's spoilt. For now we'll keep her exactly as she is because that's why we've all fallen in love with her."

Ironically, how she appears on the cover may make no difference. Her album, out November 23, has already topped Amazon's bestsellers list, with tens of thousands of copies sold as pre-orders. It is certain to go straight to the top of the Billboard chart.

I Dreamed A Dream tracklisting:
"Wild Horses"
"I Dreamed A Dream"
"Cry Me A River"
"How Great Thou Art"
"You'll See"
"Daydream Believer"
"Up To The Mountain"
"Amazing Grace"
"Who I Was Born To Be"
"Proud"
"The End Of The World"
"Silent"

The story behind the story is at www.musictoob.com

Chris Pine Set To Play Jack Ryan

Chris Pine has already commanded The USS Enterprise and now he's reportedly about to boldly go where Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck have gone before him - the role of Jack Ryan.

According to Variety, Chris has been tapped to play the CIA analyst in a reboot of the series based on the popular Tom Clancy novels.


"Tom Clancy created an unforgettable character with Jack Ryan. With Chris in this role, we've taken our first step in creating a re-boot that lives up to the successful lineage of the franchise," Paramount said in a statement Tuesday night.

The iconic Jack Ryan was first played by Alec Baldwin in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," Harrison Ford took over in 1992's "Patriot Games" and 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," and Ben Affleck stepped into the role in 2002's "The Sum of All Fears."

Kate Gosselin Called it Split

In a tearful interview on the "Today" show, Kate Gosselin revealed that her estranged husband Jon had removed $230,000 of the $231,000 in their joint bank account. This development comes on the heels of Jon suspending all filming of their TV show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" last week after TLC announced that it would rename it "Kate Plus Eight." While her lawyers move to get Jon to return the money, she is left without a way to feed her children or pay her bills, she said.

Kate added that while she has no money in her account, the funds set up for the separated couple's eight children are still safe. "Financially, the kids are protected. They have the fund that I set up for them," Kate told "Today" host Meredith Vieira. "That was my long-term goal. It is secure and substantial ... and it is safe. I had the presence of mind to start that on my own."

Surprisingly, Kate tempered her words about Jon's increasingly inexplicable actions. "He has gone way far off the trail," she said. "Obviously, I am very upset. I can't sleep at night. I can't pay my bills. I think he's receiving bad advice. I think he's making bad decisions."

Although a representative from TLC confirmed to "Access Hollywood" that Jon did clean out their joint account, Jon tells "The Insider" that Kate's claims are "a total fabrication" and that he "withdrew $22,000 last Thursday" and has "the paper trail to prove it."

A judge reviewing their divorce proceedings had previously warned the couple that neither could remove a significant amount from their shared liquid assets, so it seems likely that Jon will be forced to return a significant portion -- if not all -- of the money. Still, this is another ugly reminder that a divorce is bad enough for a private family. When it lives in national headlines, it's a nightmare.

Jim Carrey Shows Off Fuller Figure For 'Three Stooges'

Watch out, Matt Damon -- Jim Carrey's coming through.

The comedian has promised to gain 40-50 pounds for his role as Curly in "The Three Stooges" -- more than the 30 Matt put on for "The Informant!" -- and he showed off a chubbier figure on Thursday night at UCLA's 2009 Visionary Ball in Beverly Hills.


Weight wasn't the only thing Jim's added to his look -- he wore glasses and had grown a full beard.

Partner Jenny McCarthy, who stood by Jim's side on Thursday, previously told Access Hollywood's Billy Bush that she was looking forward to "dating Curly."


"He said, 'You know, I'm going to have to gain 40-50 pounds for this role.' And I said, 'Oh my God! I get to be dating Curly!' That is the greatest thing ever," she told Billy in April.

"The Three Stooges" is expected in theaters in 2010.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem Are Engaged!

Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem are engaged, a source tells.


"They tried to keep it very private and quiet," the source continues of the couple, who began dating in 2007. (They first met while filming flick Jamon, Jamon in 1992.)


A rep for Cruz, 35, had no comment.

A pal told the New York Daily News, which first reported the story, that Cruz wanted to wed Bardem, 40, to appease Cruz's Catholic parents -- given the persistent rumors that she's pregnant, which she's denied.


Cruz once said she wasn't sure she wanted to be a wife.

"I don't know if I believe in marriage," she told Psychology Today in August. "I believe in family, love and children."

She continued: "When I [have children], I want to do it really well. I want it to be my best project in life."

Usmagazine.com

Michael Bay Orders Megan Fox to the Doctor Before 'Transformers 3'

Director Michael Bay announced a third "Transformers" movie will be hitting theaters on July 1, 2011 -- and not 2012 as originally thought -- on his web site on Thursday. And he also took the opportunity to further his war of words with his star, Megan Fox, by telling her to consult with a doctor before getting on board.

Fox originally drew Bay's ire while promoting this summer's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," when she said that "working with Michael Bay is not about an acting experience." Bay responded, "She says some very ridiculous things because she's 23 years old and she still has a lot of growing to do." Most recently, Fox compared Bay to "Napoleon" and said she and costar Shia LaBeouf "almost die when we make a 'Transformers' movie... He has you do some really insane things that insurance would never let you do."

In this latest blog post, Bay writes, "Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture." He goes on to say, "Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep.

As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you."

Awww snap! And your comeback Megan?

Letterman says wife "horribly hurt" by sex scandal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comedian David Letterman said on Monday his wife has been "horribly hurt" by revelations of his sexual affairs exposed in an extortion plot against him and he apologized to staff of his popular late-night talk show.

The host of "Late Show with David Letterman" said in the taping of his Monday show that he will try to patch things up with Regina, whom he married in March after dating for more than 20 years. The two have a 5-year-old son, Harry.

"She has been horribly hurt by my behavior, and when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it," Letterman told audiences, according to a statement from his company, Worldwide Pants.

"And at that point, there's only two things that can happen: either you're going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed, so let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me."
He said he was "terribly sorry that I put the staff in that position. Inadvertently, I just wasn't thinking ahead ... my thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I've gotten myself involved in."

On Thursday, Letterman told audiences he had been victimized in an extortion plot by a man who threatened to write a screenplay or book about "all the terrible stuff" Letterman had done. The talk show host then admitted to having had sexual affairs with women employed by his show.

One day later, Robert "Joe" Halderman, a producer for CBS news program "48 Hours," was indicted on a charge of grand larceny for seeking $2 million in hush money from Letterman. Halderman faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

On Monday, Halderman's attorney Gerald Shargel took to U.S. morning talk shows to proclaim his client's innocence and say that Letterman's version of the story was only one side.

"David Letterman didn't give his (Halderman's) side of the story, David Letterman gave what he wanted the public to know," Shargel said on NBC's "Today" show.

"He wanted to get out ahead of the story, and that's exactly what he did," Shargel said of Letterman.
Shargel said it was unlikely that Halderman would have sought to extort Letterman by taking a $2 million check, because that is not how extortionists normally operate.

He declined to detail what may be his client's defense, but added that the veteran journalist has reported on crime stories for years. "He knows all about cops and wiretaps. And to suggest that he was trapped in an extortion plot is preposterous," the attorney said.

Shargel said he looked forward to questioning Letterman on the witness stand.

Court documents show Halderman owed an ex-wife $6,800 a month in child and spousal support, and authorities have said he is deep in debt.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Mohammad Zargham)