The tragic actress/model Anna Nicole Smoth attempted to befriend Britney Spears through a personal video message to the star, according to press reports.

Smith, who died earlier this month, reached out the hand of friendship to the troubled pop princess in September last year when she and Spears were both eight months pregnant – Smith with Dannielynn, and Spears with Jayden James.

In the video message, Smith allegedly says: “If you see this for some oddball reason… and you want to be friends, I would love so much to hang out with you.

“I think you’re totally cool, and I think we’re about to have babies around the same time… I would just love to meet you.

Smith then apparently tells Spears to call her lawyer and then companion Howard K. Stern, adding: “Take cares, and I hope that you do great on your second pregnancy.

“I’m sure you won’t even see this, but if you do, I’d really love to talk to you. Bye.”

However, a source tells American publication US Weekly Smith failed to meet Spears before her death.

‘American Idol’ will be turning the show over to some international idols soon after announcing a lineup of celebrity guest appearances by established artists.

Covering just about every genre of popular music the ‘American Idol’ guest list includes a veritable who’s who of the recording industry. Earlier this week it was announced that Jennifer Lopez would appear on the show. Lopez has sold over 48 million albums world-wide and has five singles that have hit number one in the U.S.Joining J.Lo on the American Idol lineup will be Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross, John Bon Jovi, Barry Gibb, Martina McBride, Lulu and Peter Noone from the 60’s group Herman’s Hermits.

Stefani broke out with No Doubt whose album “Tragic Kingdom” has sold over 15 million albums world-wide. The Grammy Award winning artist has launched an incredible successful solo career as well in which she has mixed alternative with pop and rap to blend her own sound.

Diana Ross is arguably the greatest female performer of all time. She has recorded 18 number one hits, 12 with The Supremes, and 6 solo. She has been called the female entertainer of the century by Billboard magazine,

Jon Bon Jovi will be making an appearance on ‘American Idol’ as well. Jon is the front man for Bon Jovi as well as solo artist was sold over 100 million albums world-wide. He has received recognition at the American Music Awards, the Grammy’s, and the Golden Globes.

Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees has also been announced as a guest on the show. The Bee Gees sold over 180 million records and singles and recorded nine number one hits in the U.S.

Country music star Martin McBride has been scheduled for an ‘American Idol’ date. McBride has been named Female Vocalist of the Year four times by the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music awarded her the same honor on three separate occasions and she has been nominated for a Grammy Award.

Peter Noone from Herman’s Hermits and Lulu will also be appearing on ‘American Idol’. Herman’s Hermits had two US No. 1’s with “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am while Lulu’s single, “To Sir, With Love”, hit number one in the U.S. in 1967.

Dates for when the artists will appear on ‘American Idol’ have not been revealed.

Britney Spears’ manager has denied reports claiming that the troubled pop princess is on suicide watch.

  Larry Rudolph said the stories were “absolutely untrue”.

Spears went into rehab for the third time in a week on Wednesday night, after prompting concern about her health with her erratic behaviour – which included shaving off all her hair.

Estranged husband Kevin Federline has apparently visited her at the luxurious Promises facility in Malibu, where she appears to have managed to stay for more than 24 hours.

Speaking to entertainment news show Extra, Mr Rudolph said of the suicide watch claims: “The story is absolutely untrue.

“She is in rehab, and it is very disappointing that various media outlets are running these false stories about her, as Britney tries to get better.”

Federline, 28, and Spears, 25, are involved in a custody battle over their two young sons, but People reported that the worried wannabe rapper had been to see her as she started a treatment programme.

“He cares a lot about her,” a source told the magazine.

Yesterday Spears’ father, Jamie, said his daughter was a “sick little girl”.

“We’re just trying to take care of her,” he told Fox News.

A planned emergency family law court hearing called by Federline was cancelled after it emerged that Spears had gone back to rehab again.

Before being taken back to Promises – where she spent a day earlier in the week – by her mother, Spears was photographed furiously taking aim at a photographer’s car with an umbrella, reportedly outside the house where Federline is staying.

Last week, she briefly visited Eric Clapton’s Crossroads clinic in Antigua, but after leaving she shocked fans by shaving off her own hair in full view of photographers.

Pop star Michael Jackson is reportedly in talks with the producers of American Idol despite reports earlier this month he would not be appearing on the hit TV show.

Media reports claimed the star was going to have his own “Idol” theme-week and would mentor the remaining contestants.

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest tells American publication Us Weekly: “It’s certainly a possibility. It would definitely make compelling television.”

Seacrest confirms that Jackson met with the show’s creator, Simon Fuller, in Las Vegas a few weeks ago.

A spokesman for Jackson says any plans to appear on American Idol are still “unconfirmed” at this stage.

A source close to the pop star adds: “Michael is in talks.”

Hugh Hefner says he believes Anna Nicole Smith – a former Playboy Playmate – wanted to be buried in the Bahamas next to her late son, Daniel.

  A judge in Florida, where Smith died this month, has awarded custody of her remains to a court-appointed lawyer for Ms Smith’s 5-month-old daughter, Dannielynn, and urged that burial be in the Bahamas.

The lawyer then announced that the Bahamas would be Ms Smith’s final resting place.

“I think she was a dear person,” Mr Hefner, the founder of Playboy, told reporters at an event to announce the line-up of the annual Playboy Jazz Festival.

“We miss her and I think probably that decision was the right one. I think she wanted to be there with her boy, with her son,” the 80-year-old said.

A hearing in Fort Lauderdale ended yesterday with a decision to bury Smith at a Nassau cemetery beside her son, who died last year while visiting her days after she gave birth to Dannielynn.

Ms Smith’s estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, wanted to bury Smith in her native Texas.

Anna Nicole appeared on the cover of Playboy in 1992, and the following year was chosen as Playmate of the Year.

The hearing to determine guardianship of the girl, Dannielynn, is expected to resume in private on Monday, with Ms Arthur and Ms Smith’s partner Howard Stern expected to attend,

A separate hearing at the same court on Monday is to consider a claim from Ben Thompson, a South Carolina developer who once dated Ms Smith, who says he owns the mansion she was living in, according to Mr Thompson’s Bahamian lawyer, Godfrey Pinder.

Mr Pinder said Stern would have to leave the house “immediately” if his client wins the verdict.

“He’s occupying the house illegally,” he said.

Mr Thompson says he loaned Ms Smith money for the house, known as Horizons, but she did not honour an agreement to pay the debt. Ms Smith’s camp has said the house was a gift.

A nanny has been caring for Dannielynn at the mansion during Stern’s time in Florida.

The Kaiser Chiefs admit they feel suicidal after constantly being asked who their hit single ‘Ruby’ is written about.

Drummer Nick Hodgson says the Leeds band have been pushed to breaking point by fans desperate to know who Ruby is.

He said: “It’s like people going up to Paul McCartney and saying, ‘So, Paul. You know your song ‘The Fool On The Hill’? Who’s this fool and where’s this hill?’

“This is what we’re up against. This is what Kurt Cobain had to put up with. And what did he do? He blew his head off?”

Lead singer Ricky Wilson is also being worn down by fans.

The frontman, famed for his energetic stage performances, is repeatedly asked to jump on demand, no matter where he is.

He said: “People keep asking me to jump. One guy got a big bin and asked me to jump over it. You would be amazed.”

R&B star Usher is reportedly engaged to his girlfriend, stylist Tameka Foster.

Friends say the singer proposed recently and presented Foster – who has been dating for more than a year – with a huge engagement ring.

A source tells the New York Post, “It’s 100 percent official.

“She is wearing a beautiful ring and he’s been introducing her as his fiancé.”

The internet company Google is hosting a blog that calls for gay people to be killed.

The weblog, called killbattyman, originates in Jamaica.

The site carries images of last week’s incident in Kingston when a mob surrounded a shop where three allegedly gay men had taken refuge, under the headline: “Bring Out The Gays.”

The site, which has been on Google’s blogger.com service since March 2006, features numerous slurs against gay people, including gay activist Peter Tatchell.

The author also libels numerous heterosexual people, such as actors Christopher Reeve and John Travolta.

A spokeswoman for Google told Pink News:

“We take this very seriously. I cannot comment on individual blogs but this one has been brought to our attention.

“The blogger team will investigate and if it is found to violate our terms and conditions or is illegal we will take appropriate action.”

The site was featured on socialist blog site Harry’s Place, which asked if killbattyman was inciting murder.

“This is not a free speech issue. Incitement to murder shuts down the very exchange of ideas that free speech seeks to promote,” said Harry’s Place.

“In the light of ongoing violent attacks against Jamaica’s gay community – why is Google allowing its services to be used to incite murder by hosting this hate site?”

Much of the content of the site is too offensive to be reproduced on PinkNews.co.uk.

There are numerous slurs against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people on the site.

The author or authors accuse all rappers of being gay and call on Jamaicans to murder all gay people.

The first entry on the blog is a picture of Peter Tatchell with the caption:

“In some countries, when parents want their children to behave, they tell them “THE TATCHELL MAN IS GOING TO COME FOR YOU!”

Mr Tatchell told “Pink News”:

“This website is sick and illegal. Inciting murder is a criminal offence. I am appalled that Google is hosting this site.

“It goes against their policy. Killbattyman fuels homophobic hatred and in Jamaica this hatred kills.”

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said that as the site is not hosted in London, they will not be investigating.

The Association of Chief Police Officers are now examining the site, after PinkNews.co.uk brought it to their attention.

Reaction in the US has been strong. Scott Long, who heads the LGBT Rights programme at Human Rights Watch, told PinkNews.co.uk:

“This website publishes names, photographs, descriptions of specific people, and the message is murder.

“I can’t speak to the legal niceties, but morally and in every other way it’s appalling, and it looks like a compilation of direct threats to me. Blogspot has no business hosting this violent insanity.”

The blog, hosted by Google can be viewed at killbattyman.blogspot.com but please be advised that most of the content is extremely offensive.

The most effective way in which people can register their disapproval of killbattyman is to flag his blog as inappropriate.

They should also visit the forum for discussion:
http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help

Email complains should be sent to press@google.com

Former Sopranos actor Lillo Brancato, who is charged with the real-life murder of a police officer, has said he isn’t a thug or a killer.

“I’m not the monster that they portray me as in newspapers, a cold-blooded killer and all of that. I’m not that person at all,” he told US television in a jail interview.

Brancato and a co-defendant are awaiting trial over the December 2005 shooting of Officer Daniel Enchautegui, who was shot while off duty.

Prosecutors said Mr Enchautegui confronted Brancato and Steven Armento while they were breaking into a Bronx flat in search of prescription drugs. Armento is accused of firing the fatal shot.

“I know in my heart I was in no way responsible for the death of that police officer,” Brancato told WCBS TV. His lawyer banned questions about the shooting, according to the television station.

Mr Brancato made his debut starring opposite Robert De Niro in A Bronx Tale in 1993. He went on to appear in more than a dozen movies and had a recurring role as a would-be mobster on The Sopranos.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reportedly filed papers with the U.S. Citizenship and immigration Services as a precursor to adopting a Vietnamese child. Jolie and Pitt spent their Thanksgiving Day holiday in Ho Chi Minh City where they met the young boy at the Tam Binh orphanage.

The couple have three children together, two of whom are adopted. Jolie adopted five-year-old Maddox from Cambodia while she was married to Billy Bob Thornton. After Jolie, 31, and Pitt, 43, became a couple he filed to be an adoptive parent. The couple then adopted Zahara from Ethiopia in 2005. Jolie and Pitt then had their first child together, Shiloh, nine months ago.