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New and Noteworthy Briefings

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

The leader of the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party’s youth wing says that Mariah — whose trademark look includes long hair, low necklines, short skirts and high stiletto heels — is “not an appropriate role model for young Malaysians.” At least, not for young Malaysians whose fashion sense has evolved past, say, 1989.

Now you?ll be able to see the Saw Doctors ? up close and personal ?- anytime you want. The Galway rockers, one of the greatest music acts to come out of Ireland in the last decade ?- will release their first-ever DVD, ?The Saw Doctors Live from Galway,? on March 16. The disc includes a full-length concert and a documentary about the band. The group will also be promoting a new live CD of the same name. Full review in next week?s paper. (See Page 18 for the band?s US tour schedule.)

This will come as a shock to some of our readers, but here it is: “Dawson’s Creek” actress Katie Holmes — who replaced Jennifer Love Hewitt as a college dorm pin-up — is engaged to be married. The fresh-faced brunette will tie the knot with “American Pie” actor Chris Klein. Which, according to one of our besotted colleagues, meant that she’d marry anyone. (Sure, it’s just the jealousy talking.)

It’s official: when Tom Cruise asks a woman to get married, the smart money is that she’ll say yes. No, the Hollywood superstar isn’t getting hitched himself (sorry, Penelope). The actor did pop the question on Portugese television to a woman named Sonia — but it was on behalf of her fiance, TV cameraman Joao Martins. “Sonia, you have to marry Joao,” Cruise said earnestly. “Please marry Joao. He is crying behind the camera.” Despite that last, rather emasculating, bit, Sonia said yes. Or make that, sim.

Apparently, ?I quit? was NOT Regis Philbin?s final answer. The talk show star, who became an unlikely fashion trendsetter a few years back with his jewel-toned shirts and matching neckties on the set of ?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?? has agreed to host a revamped version of the show. This time out, the stakes are much higher — contestants will compete for a top prize of $10 million. And producers have promised not to tear the arse out of the show the way they did before, by broadcasting it every 10 minutes. No, really ?- they promised.

By the time you read this, Irish pop star Samantha Mumba will have turned 21. But while she marked the actual day with just a handful of near and dear ones, the singer is still collecting RSVPs for her official birthday bash, which takes place at Dublin?s Four Seasons Hotel this weekend. The crowd will be strictly P-list (for ?pop star,? silly), with Westlife, Girls Aloud and Ronan Keating on hand to help Sam blow out the candles. Exclusive snaps have been sold to Hello! magazine for $140,000, which means if you?re going, leave the camera phone at home.

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When he?s not making wickedly clever documentaries like ?Bowling for Columbine? or stumping for presidential candidates, director Michael Moore apparently spends his time tasting bottled waters. The New York Post reports that the firebrand filmmaker insists that his dressing room be stocked with Evian ?- and only Evian -? when he makes personal appearances.

Kerry McFadden may look as though she has the world by the tail, but it seems like the former Atomic Kitten singer?s fur is easily ruffled. Though she?s a TV star in her own right, the wife (of Westlife singer Bryan McFadden) and mother of two (Molly and Lily-Sue) suffered a severe panic attack just before she began work on her new reality show. Granted, the show is ?I?m a Celebrity — Get Me Out of Here!? which would be filmed in the Australian Outback, and her costars would include ex-Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten, but come on. Kerry said that in addition to missing her family, she fretted that her outspoken ways would make her ?the most hated woman in Britain.? She told reporters, ?I don?t want anyone thinking I?m a stuck-up cow or something.?

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