UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 01.31.08

Britney Spears hospitalized again.

Britney Spears is in the hospital again. The pop star was taken to an L.A. hospital early this morning for evaluation. Spears mother Lynne and her two friends were apparently at her house when police arrived to escort the singer to the hospital. There's no confirmation on what sparked the visit, but sources say she refused to take prescribed medication and was acting erratically.

Ethan Hawke is going to be a dad once again. The actor's rep says his girlfriend Ryan Shawhughes is pregnant. Shawhughes is also apparently the former nanny for his kids. No other details were given but Hawke's rep did say the two are thrilled. The actor already has two children with his ex-wife Uma Thurman...9 year old maya and 5 year old Levon.

The soundtrack for the film "Juno" is topping the album charts. The CD from the comedy starring Ellen Page and Michael Cera is number one on the Billboard top 200 list. Last week's chart topper, Alicia Key's "As I am" dropped down to number two. In the third spot is Natasha Bedingfield's release "Pocketful of Sunshine."

Montel Williams is saying goodbye to daytime talk. The host is reportedly ending the "Montel Williams" show after 17 years on air. But fans don't have to bid a final farewell quite yet. CBS will air the best shows of his career next fall. In a statement Williams thanks his fans and says it's been a "honor and joy." There's no word on what he plans to do next.

The Giants and the Patriots are getting all fired up for Super Bowl Sunday. The players turned up for media day at the University of Phoenix stadium earlier this week. The crowd included star players like Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Even former American Idol contestant Kelly Pickler was there looking to interview some of the players for "The Tonight Show." The two teams will face off this weekend in Arizona.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 01.29.08

Britney Spears seeking help.

Britney Spears is apparently now seeking treatment. On ABC's "The View" yesterday, Barbara Walters recounted a conversation she had with Spears' friend Sam Lutfi. Walters said Lutfi told her the pop star suffers from "mental issues which are treatable." Walters says Spears is now seeing a psychiatrist and is reunited with her mother Lynne. The singer has reportedly been having mood swings and trouble sleeping.

Michelle Williams' film is being postponed for now as she copes with the death of Heath Ledger. The actress and Ledger dated for about 3 years before separating last summer. They also have a two-year old daughter Matilda together. Williams was supposed to start working on the film "Blue Valentine" next month, but it's reportedly been put on hold until she's ready to return to work.

Led Zeppelin is considering getting back on the road. The British rock band is reportedly talking about reuniting for a world tour. This comes after they had an extremely successful one night show in London last month. Guitarist Jimmy Page says that performance got him geared up for a full tour with singer Robert Plant and bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones. But because of busy schedules, the band would likely not hit the stage until next fall at the earliest.

The Writer's Guild of America have reached an agreement with Grammy producers. The deal allows striking to work on the upcoming Grammy Award ceremony on February 10. This comes following an earlier decision from the WGA, choosing not to picket in front of the event. The WGZ has been on strike against TV and film producers since early November.


The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is recognizing those who've made an impact on the entertainment world. Soap opera star Susan Lucci was honored a ceremony last night for her years on television and contributions to the community. Veteran journalist Sam Donaldson was also given an award for his 40 years covering the news. And singer Maureen McGovern was recognized for her years on Broadway, recording hit CDs and work in TV and radio.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 01.03.08

Britney Spears' lawyers quit custody case.

Court papers say Britney Spears' lawyers want to quit. The law firm Trope and Trope apparently filed a request yesterday to withdraw from the pop star's custody case. The papers say the singer and law firm had a "breakdown in communications." Spears has also had two other failed relationships with previous lawyers. She and Federline have been battling it out for months for custody of their sons, 2 year old Sean Preston and 1 year old Jayden James.

The Late Night Kings of comedy are back. David Letterman returned with "The Late Show" last night...hosting comedian Robin Williams. Letterman struck a deal with the Writer's guild allowing him to return on air with his writers. Jay Leno, who had Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee on "The Tonight Show," returned without writers. Conan O'Brien was also without writers, but he did sport a new red beard, saying it was a "strike beard." The WGA strike has been going on for two months now.

TV host Elizabeth Hasselbeck is returning to her spot on "The View." She'll reportedly be back on the ABC show on Monday after 2 and a half months of maternity leave. She and husband, football star Tim Hasselbeck welcomed a baby boy named Taylor Thomas in November. ABC says her comeback show will include a surprise guest.

Jessica Simpson is now working on a country album. The pop star, who grew up in Texas, says she's a true country girl and has always wanted to return to her roots. Simpson added that she'll even write some of the songs on the album. She says writing is a good way for her to tell her story. The singer has recently made headlines for her new romance with NFL football star Tony Romo.

Anne Hathaway is signing on to be Lancome's leading lady. The cosmetic company says the actress will be the newest ambassador for the brand. Hathaway will be a part of Lancome's ad campaign for a new fragrance...set to be released next September. She'll also likely appear in other print and TV ads for the company.