Glitterati Gossip

David Birney Denies Baxter's Accusations of Abuse

Did anyone see actress Meredith Baxter on The Oprah Winfrey Show last week?  If not, Baxter discussed her new book, Untied, where she made accusations that her ex-husband, actor David Birney (the two co-starred together in the 70's romantic comedy series, Bridget Loves Bernie) physically and emotionally abused her.

She also talked somewhat openly about her decision to come out as a late life lesbian, and discussed her trouble with alcoholism, especially during the years she co-starred with Michael J. Fox and David Gross on the hit NBC comedy, Family Ties.

Now, David Birney, 71, is speaking out and calls Baxter's accusations "recovered memories," which he says are based on induced therapy.  He also says her new book is "kind of a fairy tale."

People magazine reports that the divorce included eight years of shared custody of their three children, and Birney said the allegations were part of Baxter's efforts to secure sole custody and were "a mean-spirited process that battered us all, especially the children."

"The court denied her suit on every occasion," he added.

Mark Zuckerberg Wins Restraining Order Against Stalker

 

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook.com, has won his bid for a restraining order against a man who has allegedly used the social networking site to threaten Zuckerberg's safety. 

Zuckerberg  asked a judge to ban Pradeep Manukonda, 31, from being anywhere near him after the man contacted him via messages through Facebook.

In Zuckerberg's legal filing, he accuses Manukonda of attempting to follow, surveil and contact him using language threatening his personal safety, as well as the safety of his girlfriend and sister.

According to TMZ.com, Manukonda has paid more than one visit to the Facebook offices in Palo Alto, California, where he begged Zuckerberg for money for his family. Manukonda has also sent letters to Zuckerbberg's home, and appeared at his door as early as last month. 

The judge has ordered Manukonda to stay at least 300 yards from Zuckerberg, as well as Zuckerberg's girlfriend Priscilla Chan and sister Randi, pending a hearing later this month.

Eddie Furlong Arrested

Actor Eddie Furlong, 33, probably best known for his stint as John Connor in the film, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, was arrested and booked in LA on Tuesday for allegedly violating an order of protection taken out by his estranged wife, actress Rachael Kneeland, last year. 

A spokesman for the LA City Attorney's Office said that Furlong was taken into custody on Tuesday morning while in court to attend a hearing on the order of protection, which Kneeland says the actor violated. 

Furlong is denying the allegations.

According to reports, in 2010, Furlong was ordered to stay at least 100 feet away from  Kneeland for three years, after she filed court documents stating that the actor had grabbed, bruised and pushed her, as well as threatened to have her beaten up with chains and baseball bats. 

At the time, Kneeland also stated that Furlong was a cocaine user and  his behavior was unpredictable.

Look for Furlong this month in The Green Hornet, which premieres in theaters on January 14 nationwide.

Michael Lohan Thinks Lindsay's 90 Day Jail Sentence is Harsh

  

Michael Lohan is desperately trying to overturn daughter Lindsay's "harsh" 90-day jail sentence by writing a letter to Judge Marsha Revel in an attempt to convince Revel to allow Lindsay to serve 6 months in rehab instead. 

During a hearing in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Judge Revel brought the hammer down on Lindsay, ruling that the actress had breached her probation relating to a string of drink-driving offenses by failing to attend court-ordered alcohol education classes and ordered Lindsay to surrender to court no later than July 20, where she will spend 90 days behind bars. Once she's released, Lindsay must commit to another 90 days in a residential rehab facility.

However, Michael Lohan says jail; is the last place his daughter needs to be, and has written a letter to the judge, seeking reconsideration of the sentence, and to allow Lindsay to spend six months in a treatment program instead.

Michael Lohan told Larry King:

"Any time in jail is harsh, especially for a young lady like Lindsay that doesn't need jail. I've been there mys elf, and I know jail didn't do anything for me with my addictions...I'm sorry. I'm just... a little upset...

"This girl needs a rehab. She needs help... If Lindsay's lawyer and Lindsay would have just listened to us, she would have been in a rehab, she would have been on her way to being clean and sober and have her life back. Instead, she got jail and - jail and rehab."

His lawyer, Lisa Bloom, added:

"I don't want there to be misinterpretation that Michael and I think the sentence was appropriate because we don't...and we sent a letter to the court today. We sent one previously, begging the court not to incarcerate her because I'm a pragmatist, Larry. What message does it send to someone if they go to jail for 84 minutes or for a day and a half? Mandated six months or longer in an in-patient treatment facility that knows what they're doing, a facility that will take her off all the drugs, the prescriptions, and otherwise, and then give her life back."

Lohan's mother Dina has also condemned the decision to send the star to jail, telling Popeater.com:

"This is so not fair to do this to my child."

^{photo courtesy: Fame Pictures}

Charlie Sheen Gives Up Custody of His Daughters

  

Charlie Sheen has relinquished legal custody of Sam and Lola, his daughters with his ex-wife, actress Denise Richards, a source told E! News.

The "Two and a Half Men" star reportedly agreed about a month ago to give up the joint custody he and Richards shared of the girls.

The news comes as Sheen and his current wife, Brooke Mueller, have sought treatment for substance abuse. Sheen was also arrested in December after Mueller, the mother of his twin toddler-age sons, claimed he assaulted and threatened her. Sheen has pleaded innocent to the charges, and the couple has said they are working on their marriage.

Richards "was just too nervous leaving the kids with Charlie or letting them go to his house," an insider told E! News. "She told him if he did (fight her over the custody) she was going to have to take him to court."

via www.upi.com

I'm a little suprised at this news.  I thought Charlie would fight tooth and nail to keep joint custody of his girls and would never let a threat of going to court scare him away from keeping a hand in the legal co-parenting of his kids. 

Michael Jackson's Doctor Will Likely Face Charges

The attorney for Dr. Conrad Murray says his client is prepared to go to court if he's implicated in the death of Michael Jackson. 

Murray's defense attorney, J. Michael Flanagan told People. com that the doctor will "be available," however he added that he couldn't confirm reports floating around of late which claim that officials intend to charge Murray with involuntary manslaughter - as early as today. 

Jackson's death was declared a homicide after lethal levels of the anesthesia propofol and sedatives were found in his system.  Murray, who was Jackson's personal physician at the time, has been under investigation since the superstar's sudden death last June. 

Police have said Murray admitted to giving the drugs to Jackson to help him sleep shortly before he died, but has denied being responsible for his death.  

Redmond O'Neal Released from Jail, Heads to Rehab

It looks like a Los Angeles judge has approved Redmond O'Neal's release from jail and his subsequent enrollment in a drug rehab facility for treatment.

Over the years, O'Neal, 25, who is the son of the late actress Farrah Fawcett and actor Ryan O'Neal, has battled a drug addiction and faced numerous charges for drug use and narcotics possession. 

On Tuesday, Judge Michael Tynan told O'Neal:

"The plan for you is severe, and justifiably so. We all want you to do well, but it's up to you."

O'Neal is expected to relocate sometime this week from his jail cell to a rehab facility, where he's expected to spend six to twelve months. Upon completion, he will then be placed in a sober living home. 

No Sexual Assault Charges for David Copperfield

Court documents show that the federal investigation into rape allegations against illusionist David Copperfield has ended and no charges will be filed. 

A Washington state woman accused the entertainer of sexually assaulting her on his private island in the Bahamas in 2007.  She has also filed a civil lawsuit against Copperfield, who has denied any wrongdoing and denounced the woman's claims as extortion for money.

E! News said the decision not to charge the famed entertainer was detailed in documents filed in a Seattle court earlier today.

Ex-Girlfriend Defends Anthony Michael Hall Against Assault Allegations

Anthony Michael Hall's former girlfriend says she doesn't believe the allegations that Hall  assaulted another woman.

Actress Sandy Guerard, who lived with Hall for five years, told the New York Post she doesn't think Hall attacked another ex-girlfriend, Diana Falzone, as the Sirius Radio host recently claimed.

Guerard told the NY Post:

"He has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I know. He is absolutely not violent. These allegations would be laughable if it were not such a serious issue.  Never in over 10 years has this man ever been violent to me. I will stand by him, along with his family, 100 percent. It saddens me to the core that his bipolar disorder, something that is so private, has now become public."

Falzone was recently granted a restraining order against Hall after she filed a police complaint against the 41-year-old, who starred in National Lampoon's Vacation, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club and TV's The Dead Zone.

The radio personality said Hall attempted to kick in the front door of her New York apartment, then smacked her head into a wall.

Ron Wood Arrested for Alleged Assault

British rocker Ronnie Wood was arrested for suspicion of assault in connection with a domestic incident, police in Surrey said.

The 62-year-old member of the Rolling Stones entered a rehab facility last year to be treated for alcohol addiction and Jo, his wife of 24 years, divorced him last month amid reports he had left her for a 20-year-old woman.

Wood's publicist Thursday told BBC News the famed guitarist was arrested after an incident, but no ther details were given. 

Wood has reportedly has been released on bail and is scheduled back in court next month.