HIS BAD: Superstar Michael Jackson apologized Wednesday for dangling his barefoot baby son out of a fourth-floor hotel window in Germany, shocking fans around the world.
“I made a terrible mistake. I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children,” Jackson said in a statement issued in Los Angeles.
The statement confirmed that the baby, whom Jackson held briefly over a metal railing, his head covered in a towel, was the singer’s new son.
NO HARD-KNOCK LIFE: Jay-Z once again proved he has the blueprint for topping the album charts.
The rapper’s latest disc, “The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse,” debuted at No. 1, selling about 545,000 copies during its first week in stores, according to industry figures released Wednesday.
A year ago, his “The Blueprint” debuted on top, staying there for three weeks.
Jay-Z bumped the “8 Mile” soundtrack. The soundtrack sold another 400,000 copies for a total of 1.6 million. Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott debuted at No. 3 with her latest, “Under Construction.” It sold nearly 259,000 copies.
STALKED: TV journalist Maria Shriver has gotten a restraining order against a man she claims is stalking her, a television show reported.
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 47-year-old wife, who’s a correspondent for NBC’s “Dateline,” filed the request July 23 for a restraining order against Bruce Fiorani, “Celebrity Justice” reported.
BOND, JAMES, JAMES AND JAMES BOND: Three former James Bond actors showed up at the world premiere of the 20th movie in the franchise, “Die Another Day,” starring Pierce Brosnan.
“So you’re the modern James Bond, are you?” said Queen Elizabeth, as she was introduced to Brosnan. “I’ve met the other three downstairs.”
She was referring to George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore. Sean Connery, the first Bond, was the only one who wasn’t at Monday night’s event at Royal Albert Hall. He’s currently filming “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” in Prague in the Czech Republic.
THE RIGHT THING: The British film academy will honor Spike Lee on Thursday as “one of the most influential and important filmmakers of our time.”
Lee, director of “Malcolm X” and “The Original Kings of Comedy,” will receive a Special Award, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts said Tuesday.
PRIVATE PARTS: Courtney Love, to People magazine, on exposing her breasts during a 24-hour hosting stint on MTV2: “What can I say? I love my boobs. I had the implants removed a few years ago. I hated those big fake ones. Now, like a lot of women in Hollywood, I just have a small crescent of silicone at the bottom so my boobs don’t sag down to my navel.”
MORE MAHER: He may have been too politically incorrect for network television, but Bill Maher has found a new home on cable.
Maher will host a late-night talk show on HBO starting Feb. 21. The hour-long news and comedy program will air once a week for 20 episodes.
Maher, 46, hosted the late-night roundtable “Politically Incorrect” on ABC from 1997 until May, when it was canceled.
MATERIAL GIRL: Multi-millionaire pop singer Madonna had to borrow money in a London restaurant after finding herself short of cash to buy a slice of cake for her son, a newspaper reported Thursday.
The Sun said Madonna told Mimi and Titi Negussie that she had forgotten her purse. She was with film director husband Guy Ritchie and their children.
Mimi Negussie told the Sun Madonna said, ” ‘Excuse me, but you look like really nice people. Can I borrow some money? We forgot our wallets.’ “
Titi Negussie gave the Material Girl a two-pound coin to cover the shortfall.
A Madonna spokesman told the Sun the sisters would be sent CDs and a check to cover the loan.
