New and Noteworthy: U2 sues former stylist

The band wants the items – including pants and a hat worn by Bono circa the Joshua Tree Tour – back. After all, vintage is in, and these things are at least 17 years old.
The mementoes, which have an estimated value of $6,500, would probably slip beneath the band’s radar, if not for two very important facts. A few years back, Cashman tried to sell them at auction, which they considered a big no-no. And then last year, the stylist wrote a snarky memoir about her time in the inner circle. “Inside the Zoo” was filled with mostly backstage prattle, though Cashman did allege that Bono was obsessed with his physical appearance. The nastiest bits, though, were about the band’s management company, Principle Management, with whom Cashman had a strained relationship . . .

She might have the Voice of an Angel, but Ireland Online reports that Welsh soprano Charlotte Church admits that when it comes to keeping her luxury apartment tidy, she’s the Housekeeper from Hell.
The singer, who has been working overtime to trade her sticky-sweet image for a more rock star vibe, told a British chat show host that when it comes to dealing with dirt devils, she’s hopeless. Or, more precisely, Charlotte said that she “can’t be bothered” waging a war against grime.
So what’s a young millionaire to do? The plebs among you might suggest that she hire a maid, but really, what with the rugby star boyfriend and the pub crawls and public snogs with ex-flames, Charlotte can’t afford to fritter away her time with phone calls and staff interviews. So the teenage singer has found the perfect, temporary solution: she’s taken up residence with her doting granny, of course.
The elder Church is reportedly delighted to have her granddaughter back in the family fold in Cardiff.
“It’s been nice,” Charlotte told the ITV1’s “This Morning” show. “My Nan’s been doing all my washing.”
Nan’s also been cooking up a storm for her famous progeny.
“She rings me up and says, ‘I’ve got cottage pie on love, hurry up and get home,'” laughed the singer.
It’s a good thing that Nan’s a dab hand in the kitchen. Charlotte needs something in her stomach before she heads out on a typical pub session, during which she downs an average of 10 double vodkas. No wonder Oasis hell raiser Liam Gallagher is a fan, and looks upon her as “the next Liam.”

Briefings
It’s not quite as ambitious as Phil Collins boarding the Concorde so he could perform on both the London and Philadelphia stages at Live Aid, but give Elton John some credit for trying. The singer will become a Rocket Man for real this Saturday, when he performs at the Live 8 concert in London’s Hyde Park, then hops a plane and performs at the RDS in Dublin later that night. Parts of his Irish performance will be then be shown as part of the Live 8 telecast.

Attention, single women everywhere: George Clooney is back on the market.
The hunky actor split up with his longtime girlfriend, model Lisa Snowden. Ananova.com quotes a source close to the actor, who said that the couple found it hard to maintain a long distance relationship, with Lisa living in Los Angeles and George in Italy. “They have remained great friends and there is no animosity between them,” said the insider.

Listen up, people: Irish singer Damien Rice says that he’s NOT nursing a broken heart over Renee Zellweger. According to Damien, the two were really never more than just “sweet friends.”
“People would see us hanging out and immediately think – well, you know,” he told Ireland Online. (Yes, we know.) But the pair simply enjoyed one another’s company, and Renee’s recent marriage to country star Kenny Chesney last month didn’t leave a dent in Damien’s heart.
“I’m so happy for her now,” he said. “I’m glad I met her. She’s such a lovely woman.”

In a wagering mood, but tired of the usual office pool? Well, odds makers in Las Vegas are taking bets on who will be the next celebrity to do the perp walk for bad behavior. If you missed what, really, was easy money on Russell Crowe, Tom Sizemore and Christian Slater, take heart. Bookies are offering good odds on Mike Tyson and Charlie Sheen. Irish hottie Colin Farrell is also high on the list, which seems strange. By all reports, the Castleknock cutie is a nice, law-abiding citizen. After all, being a thief of hearts isn’t a crime, is it?
Speaking of Christian Slater: the actor, who’s currently playing Tom in the Broadway revival of “The Glass Menagerie,” has been hired to provide the voice of a germ in an upcoming public service ad. ContactMusic.com reports that they chose him because “He’s got this husky, slightly dark voice.”
Given Christian’s recent shenanigans, which included an arrest on charges that he groped a woman on a Manhattan street, the spokesperson couldn’t help adding, “And of course, there’s a slightly dark side to him.”

Please don’t bother Lindsay Lohan with stories about the plight of oppressed miners in Africa when she’s, like, walking the red carpet. It’s soooo totally distracting.
At a Manhattan gala celebrating the launch of the De Beers jewelry line, the teen queen breezed past activists who were waving signs protesting the company’s poor treatment of miners in Botswana. She then dismissed questions from reporters who asked her about the controversy.
“I don’t get involved in any drama,” she sniffed. Which, somehow, does not bode well for her acting career.

Brooke Shields came under attack last month by the increasingly nutty – um, make that outspoken – actor Tom Cruise over her use of anti-depressants. But after taking a few swipes at him in the press, the actress has now expressed her gratitude to him – for drawing attention to her book, “Down Came the Rain.”

In addition to lecturing NBC’s Matt Lauer on the dangers of mixing psychiatry with erudition – “You’re GLIB, Matt, you’re glib,” he scolded the astonished host on last Friday’s “Today Show” – or increasing Brooke Shields’s book sales – try saying THAT three times fast – Tom Cruise is also doing his bit to promote family values.
The actor, who announced his engagement to starlet Katie Holmes after a ten-minute courtship, has already started working on the guest list for his third wedding. Among those he hopes to see sitting in a pew on the groom’s side is his ex-wife, “Bewitched” star Nicole Kidman.
A source told www.iol.ie, “He wants her to be there to show the world they are on good terms. He also told her it would mean so much to their children.” Well, almost as much as if he hadn’t dumped their mom like a hot potato, anyway.

Last-minute Live 8 news
At an age when most of his peers are have made the transition into nostalgia acts (hello, Rod Stewart) or mounted yet more lucrative farewell tours (The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac) Paul McCartney is still at the top of his game. At 63, the Beatles legend will release a new album in the fall, mount an ambitious (and sold-out) U.S. tour, and headline this weekend’s Live 8 concert.
McCartney will open the show at London’s Hyde Park with a reworded version of the Beatles’ hit, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” dedicated to his pal, Bob Geldof. The Daily Mail reports that Sir Cute One will then perform with U2 (TiVo alert!). Eight hours later, he’ll close the London show with one his most beautiful songs, “The Long and Winding Road.”
Of course, not everyone was happy about ceding the prime slots to McCartney. A source told the newspaper, “Sir Paul’s headline slot had ruffled a few feathers. Some of the more fragile egos are upset.” But a McCartney spokesman explained, “Geldof asked him if he would do it, and he is delighted to be taking part in such an important event.” So plaster on a smile, Elton.
In more Live 8 minutiae, Oasis singer Liam Gallagher says that there are two reasons that he’s annoyed over scheduling conflicts will keep his band from playing at the event.
“First of all, it’s . . . awareness and all that stuff,” he said. But the best part for Liam would be walking offstage after playing some Oasis classics, running into fellow pop star Robbie Williams and barking, “Follow that, you [bad word!”
Sorry to break the news to all you Spice Girls fans, but you won’t get what you want, what you really, really want at the London show. There will be no reunion for the Fab Five – and Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell says that she’s inconsolable. “I’m so sad I won’t be there – or the other girls who really wanted to. Only four of us could make it.”
And finally, just to prove that celebrities are just like you and me – except, of course, with more money and an army of personal assistants – comes word that multi-octave singer Mariah Carey has been dieting like crazy so she’ll look her best on the day.
The singer, who is back at the top of the record charts with a new album, “The Emancipation of Mimi,” told ContactMusic.com that she’s been working hard to get in shape.
“I’ve been working on my voice to make sure it’s in top condition and working on my body too,” she said. “I’ve been dieting and exercising non-stop so I can get into the outfit I want to wear.”