By Mark Gray
6:30pm PDT, Jul 11, 2023
Health crisis
Madonna was found unresponsive over the weekend of JUne 24 and subsequently rushed to a New York City hospital. According to Page Six, she was reportedly intubated "for at least one night before having the tube removed." Even after the pop star was alert, responding and no longer in the ICU, her massive 84-date global tour was postponed. In a June 28 Instagram statement, Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary, confirmed the hospitalization. "On Saturday June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which lead to a several day stay in the ICU," he said in an Instagram post. "Her health is improving however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected." Her impacted tour dates will be rescheduled.
According to reports, she was "strenuously rehearsing" for the tour in the weeks leading to the medical emergency. TMZ said she battled a low-grade fever for a month and "mostly ignored her symptoms and never got checked out by a doctor because she was laser focused on rehearsing for her upcoming tour."
On July 9, Madonna was seen walking in her Upper East Side neighborhood with a friend, though as Page Six reported, she appeared to lean heavily against a lamppost as she waited to cross the street. Though she had no trouble walking, Page Six added, she did seem to be taking her time. A TikTok user posted video confirming the Material Girl is on the mend.
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Tragic conclusion
Julian Sands — a British actor known for roles in "Leaving Las Vegas," "Dexter," and "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" — went missing in January after going on a hike. The case had a sad, but expected conclusion this week. Human remains found in the mountainous area where the actor was last seen were confirmed to be his. Julian went hiking in the Mt. Baldy area of Southern California during a snow storm on Jan. 13, but he never returned to his car and didn't return from the hike. Severe weather had hampered the search efforts at the time of his disappearance in January — his snow-covered car was found in California's San Gabriel Mountains a few days after his last contact. According to Entertainment Tonight, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department reported that the remains were found by hikers at Mt. Baldy.
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Pals with a murderer
Hot take! Rosie O'Donnell is arguing for infamous imprisoned murderers Lyle and Erik Menéndez to be released from prison immediately. The men were convicted of murdering their parents, José and Mary Louise Menéndez, in 1989. They never denied the slaying, but argued they did so out of self defense following years of sexual abuse, largely at the hands of their father. In a TikTok video, Rosie said she's been in contact with Lyle for a while, and the two have grown "very close." The former daytime talk show host said the men have more than served their time. After watching the "Menéndez & Menudo: Boys Betrayed" documentary, in which former boy bander Roy Rosselló claims Jose molested him, Rosie connected with Lyle. "So, we believe them now because of Roy from Menudo? Do we believe now because of the letter Erik sent his cousin eight months before the murder?" she asked. "It's time. I believe them." She added, "They were horribly abused by their parents, they did the unthinkable, which had been done to them day after day after day, and they paid the price for that. Free the Menéndez brothers."
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Wheeling and dealing part 1
The "Wheel of Fortune" puzzle has been solved: Ryan Seacrest will be the next host of the game show, beating out Vanna White and Maggie Sajak. The "American Idol" figurehead will take over for longtime host Pat Sajack on September 2024. "I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it's been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them," Ryan said in a statement on June 27. "Pat, I love the way you've always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition." He added, "Many people probably don't know this but one of my first jobs was hosting a little game show called Click for Merv Griffin 25 years ago so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I'm grateful to Sony for the opportunity. I can't wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White."
Wheeling and dealing part 2
Vanna White is drawing a line in the sand and has asked for a huge pay increase. TMZ reports that she wants half of what Pat makes, which is believed to be about $15 million a year. Vanna is arguing that she and Pat are introduced as equals on the show and she wants to be paid as such. Stunningly, TMZ said the hostess has a salary of about $3 million a year, and it's remained that way for 18 years. She's never received a pay increase in nearly two decades. "After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer," a source said. "Wheel" producers may not see it that way, as negotiations are said to be "very difficult." Vanna doesn't want to leave the show, but she will consider it if she doesn't get what she believes is "a minimum of what is fair." In asking to right the pay discrepancy, a source said Vanna "feels like it's a statement for all women." Vanna has put "Wheel" showrunners in a bad spot, as they want some continuity after Ryan Seacrest takes over for Pat Sajak.
Rehab stint
Pete Davison has checked into rehab for borderline personality disorder and PTSD — a move that comes just a few weeks after leaving a vitriolic message for a PETA executive and being charged in a Los Angeles car crash. "Anyone who knows Pete knows that he will always step up and get help when he knows he needs it," a source told Page Six on June 28. "He has a lot of people in his corner who love him and support him, and are proud of him." The source insisted that the "Saturday Night Live" funnyman is "taking a well deserved break so he can focus on himself and learn to better deal with his PTSD issues." The comedian is reportedly being treated at the same Pennsylvania facility where pal John Mulaney for addiction issues. "Pete regularly goes to rehab for 'tune ups' and to take a mental break, so that's what's happening," a close pal said. Pete's girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, is said to be standing by him as he works on his issues.
What's in the bag?
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down. At London's Hyde Park on June 25, Pink stopped singing mid-show when a concertgoer threw a baggie full of light-colored powder onstage. It was apparently the cremated remains of the person's mother. Video footage on social media shows Pink crouching down on the floor by the baggie. Looking bewildered, she picked it up, barely holding one corner, and asked the person in the crowd, "Is this your mom?" It's unclear from the footage why the singer was clued in about the specific contents of the bag, but she seemed to be told that it was, indeed, the person's mom's ashes. Walking slowly toward the edge of the stage, Pink then bent down again and put the baggie behind a speaker. "I don't know how I feel about this," she said into the mic before catching back up to the song's lyrics –and moving toward the other side of the stage.
Growing family
Chrissy Teigen stunned her Instagram followers on June 28, after revealing that she and her husband, John Legend, welcomed a fourth child via a surrogate. The baby boy, named Wren Alexander Stephens, was born just five months after the couple welcomed daughter Esti. "For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted four children," the model said in a lengthy Instagram post, revealing she and John pursued surrogacy as an option in 2021. They eventually found their "perfect match" in a woman named Alexandra, who Chrissy called the "most incredible, loving, compassionate surrogate we could ever imagine." The boy's middle name is a sweet nod to Alexandra. Wren was secretly born just before midnight on June 19.
Ring thing
Former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and her rugby-player beau Thom Evans shared their engagement news on Instagram on June 27. "I said yes," she captioned a series of photos from the beach-side proposal. The couple — who have been together for three years — met on the set of "The X Factor: Celebrity" in 2019 where she served as a judge and he competed.
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Adam Rich — the former child star who's best known as Nicholas Bradford, the youngest son on the '70s and '80s ABC show "Eight Is Enough" — passed away at his home at 54 on Jan. 7. More than five months later, on June 25, the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner's office confirmed that an autopsy determined the actor died from the effects of fentanyl and that his death was accidental.
