News Flash: Megan Mullally departs Broadway's 'Lips Together'

NEW YORK(AP) — It's "Lips Together, Actress Departs."Megan Mullally has abruptly left the cast of the upcoming Broadway revival of "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," Terrence McNally's comedy about two married couples sharing a Fourth of July weekend at a Fire Island beach house."We were surprised and disappointed that Megan Mullally had to withdraw from the production immediately in breach of her contract," Todd Haimes, artistic director of the Roundabout Theatre Company, said Wednesday in a statement.Mullally could not immediately be reached for comment, but the Web site Dateline Hollywood reported she was unhappy working with director Joe Mantello, one of the New York theater's most sought-after directors."With the loss of Megan in a four-person ensemble, work has been delayed after only two weeks of rehearsal," Haimes added. "We have wanted Joe Mantello to direct this comedy since he staged a reading for us three years ago."Mullally's replacement is expected to be name shortly, and while the first preview performance will be delayed — it originally was set for April 9 — Haimes said the April 29 opening night date will remain the same.Mullally is best known for playing Karen Walker on the television sitcom "Will & Grace." She was last on Broadway in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein," in 2007.The cast for "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" also includes Patton Oswalt, Lili Taylor and David Wilson Barnes.

MK with Megan in 2000

News Flash: Gaga Scores Billion Web Hits

Lady Gaga's eye-popping music video for Telephone has catapulted her into the record books by making her the first artist in history to snare over a billion video internet hits. Previous videos for Poker Face, Bad Romance and Just Dance each scored some 300 million hits alone. Most of the Gaga hits are on YouTube and Vevo. Competition is snapping at the queen's heels, though, with the Twilight saga boasting 980 million hits and Soulija Boy at 860 million.

News Flash: Republican AG McKenna has Washington State Dems seeing RED!

By Jim Brunner
Seattle Times political reporter

OLYMPIA — Democrats ratcheted up attacks on Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna on Tuesday after he made Washington a party to the 13-state lawsuit challenging the health-care bill signed by President Obama.
Democrats in the Legislature are considering a budget proviso to block McKenna from spending state money on the lawsuit.

"We are looking at that," said Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane. "We're researching it right now, but there is no decision yet." In a letter to McKenna, Brown called his lawsuit "far outside the mainstream interests" of the state and asked him to reconsider.
Meanwhile, the state Democratic Party filed a broad public-records request with McKenna's office, demanding to see all documents related to his decision.

It's unlikely those actions will have any immediate effect on the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in a Florida federal court. The lawsuit challenges the health-care law's requirement that every person buy health insurance, calling it an "unprecedented encroachment" on individual liberty.
Legal experts and other critics have bashed the lawsuit as a cheap political stunt unlikely to succeed. But McKenna denied any political motive in a posting on his Web site, saying "it could just as easily be suggested that those in favor of the legislation are willing to ignore serious legal questions for their own political reasons."

McKenna spokesman Dan Sytman said the lawsuit would cost Washington only a "negligible" amount because Florida is taking the lead. But he did not have a dollar estimate or information about which attorneys in McKenna's office were working on the case.

Democrats' talk of a budget maneuver targeting McKenna is only possible because of the Legislature's ongoing special session.

Lawmakers were supposed to adjourn March 11 but have failed to agree on a package of taxes and spending cuts to close a $2.8 billion budget gap, despite big Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.

McKenna's office has been deluged with phone calls and e-mails, pro and con, since he announced his decision to join the lawsuit Monday.

Twelve of the 13 attorneys general involved in the lawsuit are Republicans. But McKenna stands out as a Republican in a state dominated by Democrats.

Gov. Chris Gregoire and other Democrats were infuriated, and Gregoire said she'll file a legal brief with the court to make it clear McKenna doesn't speak for the whole state.

"He cannot be a Lone Ranger," she told reporters Tuesday, saying the attorney general is supposed to consult with other state officials before taking such a major position in a lawsuit.
Gregoire was attorney general before McKenna, and her highest-profile lawsuit was a multistate assault on tobacco companies, which eventually led to a $206 billion settlement.

While Gregoire was clearly the driving force behind the state's involvement in that case, former Gov. Mike Lowry said Tuesday that Gregoire regularly consulted with him on the matter.
Can McKenna do this?

McKenna's office maintains he has the right to pursue the case as an independently elected official.

"The bottom line is the attorney general is not a member of the governor's cabinet," Sytman said. "He can make these calls."

Sytman likened it to consumer-protection cases, which McKenna pursues all the time without first consulting other state officials.

McKenna's decision to join the Florida lawsuit on his own may be unusual, but it's almost certainly legal, said Hugh Spitzer, adjunct law professor at the University of Washington and co-author of a book on the state constitution.

The state constitution says the attorney general "shall be the legal adviser of the state officers" and can perform other duties "as may be prescribed by law."

State law says the attorney general can represent the state "in all cases in which the state is interested."

"Basically, he does not have the inherent authority (in the constitution) to join a lawsuit like this, but there is a good argument that he has the authority under this statute," Spitzer said.
"If the leadership of the Legislature and the governor really wanted to do something collectively, of course, they could change the statute," he added.

Gregoire said she did not want to diminish the authority of the Attorney General's Office, and declined to say whether she'd support a budget proviso aimed at McKenna.

Meanwhile, state Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser issued a statement taking a shot at Gregoire's intent to file her own legal brief in the health-care case.
"Supporters of the constitution would be more concerned about Gov. Gregoire's brief if we had any confidence that it would be filed on time," Esser said.

That was a reference to a blunder when Gregoire was attorney general in 2000. Attorneys in her office lost track of a case and missed a deadline to appeal a $17.8 million jury verdict.
Gregoire's office said it was still uncertain whether she will hire outside counsel to represent her own position in the health-care lawsuit, or rely on attorneys in McKenna's office.
Seattle Times reporter Andrew Garber contributed to this report.

Jim Brunner: 206-515-5628 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com

News Flash: Gates Makes It Harder to Kick Out Gay Soldiers

(AP) – Discharging a gay person for violating the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy will draw unprecedented scrutiny under new orders from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is already pushing to repeal the ban on gays serving openly in the US military. Guidelines to be announced today call for testimony from third parties to be given under oath, and require all discharges to be cleared by an officer with a rank equivalent to a one-star general or higher, military sources say.

The goal is to ensure that the law is applied fairly and consistently across the military and that flimsy testimony from third parties is eliminated, the officials said. The plan is considered a stopgap measure until Congress decides whether to repeal the 1993 law. Obama and Gates want the ban lifted, though Gates says he wants to move slowly, and has ordered an internal assessment on how best to go about it.

News Flash: Maddow Denies Senate Run

Via MSNBC.com

Sorry, Scott Brown: Rachel Maddow isn’t running against you in 2012. Brown sent a fundraising email to supporters, warning that “the political machine in Massachusetts” was trying to recruit Maddow, based, apparently, on a tweet from Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh that didn’t actually name Maddow, but which some speculated was about her.

“In the world of fundraising, anything about which ‘some’ are talking is presumed to be absolutely true,” deadpanned Maddow’s producer Bill Wolff, who interviewed Maddow last night after she jokingly "recused" herself from hosting. Maddow said that if the machine is seducing her, “it is a silent invisible machine that hasn’t yet contacted me through any means.” She said she wasn't running, and was "bewildered" as to why Brown hadn't just called to ask if the rumor was true.

News Flash: Lesbian Loses Bid to Hold Banned Prom

A high school lesbian who went to court after her school canceled prom rather than let her attend has lost a bid to force the school to reinstate the dance. A judge ruled that Candace McMillen's First Amendment rights were violated, but that she failed to prove that ordering the Mississippi school to hold the dance served a compelling community interest. US District Judge Glen Davidson also ruled that barring McMillen from wearing a tuxedo to the prom violated her rights, reports CNN.

She "intended to express her identity" with the tux and her date, which fell "squarely" within her constitutional rights, he wrote. Yet, he explained that requiring officials to reinstate the dance now "would only confuse and confound the community." Another dance organized by parents and welcoming all students will be held instead. Both sides claimed victory. "It sets a precedent for gay and lesbian students that they have the right to bring a same-sex date to the prom and wear gender-nonconforming clothes," said McMillen's ACLU attorney.

News Flash: With Health Bill, Obama Ends the 'Age of Reagan'

The health care reform bill was the government’s biggest attack on economic inequality in more than 30 years, a period of time that’s seen government policy and market forces consistently push the opposite direction. That’s why Barack Obama fought so hard for it, writes David Leonhardt for the New York Times. “Beyond the health reform’s effect on the medical system, it is the centerpiece of his deliberate effort to end the age of Reagan.”

Since the late '70s, the wealthy have seen their incomes soar as their tax rates fell faster than everyone else’s. But nearly every aspect of the health care bill pushes the other way; it’s largely funded by increased payroll taxes on those making more than $250,000, while primarily benefiting families making less than $88,200. For the first time since 1965, the government has passed a major, historic piece of social legislation, and it may, as Obama said when he signed it, “mark a new season in America.

News Flash: 24% of GOPers Believe Obama's the Antichrist

A recent Harris poll reveals some pretty alarming attitudes regarding our 44th president, especially among GOPers. For starters, 67% of Republicans who responded believe that Obama is a socialist, despite his markedly centrist leanings. Second, over half of Republicans polled (57%) believe that the president is a closet Muslim, a charge he has consistently denied. Perhaps most alarming is the number of Republicans (24%) who believe that Obama "may be the Antichrist."

According to John Avlon of the Daily Beast, all of these GOP ideas stem from "Obama Derangement Syndrome," which is a "pathological hatred of the president posing as patriotism." He believes that this ideology could spell trouble for Obama down the road, because it paints him as a "domestic enemy." Read the full article.

News Flash: Chris Evans to be Captain America

His brother Scott Evans is looking for a job now that One Life to Live has inexplicably written out his storyline. But Chris Evans isn’t waiting for work, according to The Hollywood Reporter.The hunky star of the Fantastic Four films has accepted the role of Captain America.

Evans’ offer would include starring in up to three America movies plus The Avengers movies and appearances in several other Marvel movies. While an offer to star in America may seem like something you don’t have to mull over too long, one possible complication is that Evans is committed to co-starring in the Anna Faris romantic comedy What’s Your Number? Both are scheduled to shoot this summer.The role of Captain America and his alter ego Steve Rogers has been one of the most heavily scrutinized parts by the industry, the media and the comic book fandom in recent memory.Evans wasn’t in the initial round of actors being considered, which for the most part leaned to the newcomer side.

Michael Cassidy, Patrick Flueger, Scott Porter, Wilson Blethel and Mike Vogel, on top of John Krasinski and Chace Crawford, were those testing and reading. Garrett Hedlund was also someone Marvel was interested in.Joe Johnston is directing America which shoots in England.Evans, also repped by 3 Arts Entertainment, has the DC Comics adaptation The Losers in the can and also appears in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the popular Oni Press graphic novel series.

News Flash: Boy George Mulls Reviving Culture Club

Boy George is considering getting the Culture Club together again to mark the band's 30th anniversary. The singer says he's still on good terms with his former bandmates, who last played together for a one-off gig in 2002. "I don't know if it would be a prolonged thing," he tells the BBC. "There's a part of me that thinks I should do it, but we'll see. It's all about my mood at the time."

The singer, who was jailed last year for assaulting a male escort and barred from appearing on a reality show earlier this year because of his parole conditions, declined to discuss his legal troubles. "I'm not going to get into specifics," he said. "Why should I?"

News Flash: Dancing With the Stars’ Premiere Highlights!

If there’s a shortage of sequins and spray tan in Hollywood, blame ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ It’s back. The ABC hit returned for its 10th season, and this time out the recipe for ratings appeared straightforward: shimmer, glitter, glamour, and sex appeal. Indeed, with a Playboy Playmate, a Pussycat Doll, a Hollywood hottie, and the sexiest sports reporter in the land, tonight’s two-hour premiere had nearly enough steam and skin to qualify for a Pay Per View special.

There are noticeable changes this season, starting with a lineup reduction to eleven couples. We’re also missing fan favorites Karina Smirnoff and Lacey Schwimmer, neither of whom was asked to participate (no official explanations were given); and original host Samantha Harris has been replaced by season seven champion Brooke Burke, who seemed stiff and unsure in her own debut. (We give Brooke a 6 and hope for improvement – as well as an explanation for Harris’ departure).All that business aside, there was some dancing to be done – a lot of dancing, actually. There were two full hours to fill up.

The fun of opening night is picking the front runners. Prior to tonight, the favorites appeared to be Olympic skating star Evan Lysacek and Pussycat Doll lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, both of whom have previously shown off some pretty smooth moves in the spotlight.

And the couple to beat after tonight?

Well, if judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s comments are any indication, Scherzinger and her partner, Derek Hough, are going to be tough. “I haven’t seen a routine like that out of the gate ever,” said Inaba. (Lysacek is graceful but needs to overcome some lazy toes.)As for highlights, Pamela Anderson didn’t take off her clothes (though she looked like she wanted to), Len was visibly moved by seeing astronaut Buzz Aldrin in person (he made Cloris Leachman look absolutely nimble), Niecy Nash celebrated her curves with a good sense of humor, and Kate Gosselin didn’t embarrass herself, completely.

Here’s how it all played out:

Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough, Dance: Viennese Waltz

Personally, we think it’s slightly unfair that Nicole already has boat-loads of dance experience as front woman of the Pussycat Dolls. But that aside, she was stunning, graceful, and elegant tonight and deserves mad props. Bruno jumped out of his seat and said it was “a performance of startling finesse. I am astounded.” “Apparently, the bar has just been set,” agreed Carrie Ann. Leave it to Len to bring it down. “Work on your technique!” he criticized.

Score: 25

Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya, Dance: Viennese Waltz

Figure skating and dancing: What’s the difference, right? Well, judging from his first dance, a lot! Carrie Ann might have squealed over his gorgeous lines, but she also warned him to “watch your toes” and “connect more to the audience” instead of just, er, skating by. But it was Len who nailed it: “Just because you can dance on ice doesn’t mean you can dance in a ballroom. However, you had got great artistry.” Bruno said he has the “grace of a swan.” And, let’s not forget, some polls out there have this pair as the frontrunner.

Score: 23

Pamela Anderson and Damian Whitewood, Dance: Cha Cha Cha

Rocking some great bed-head hair and exotic dancer moves, former Playmate/’Baywatch’ babe Pamela Anderson elicited this reaction from Bruno: “I can only think of sex, sex and more sex…”Stripperella’s back home!” Indeed. But, Carrie Ann thought it was “a little much,” while Len gave it to her straight, saying “It was a mess.” Let’s hope next week, Pam can finesse her sex appeal a bit, because tonight was a wee bit more trash than class. The Highlight was when Pam ripped Damian's shirt Off!

Score: 21

Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Dance: Cha Cha Cha

She’s got legs and she knows how to use them. Well, almost. Yes, it was hard not to ogle the ESPN reporters amazing long legs, but her legwork was in question with the judges. Carrie Ann said her legs were “a little soft, but like when you’re hitting your lines you’re not quite hitting it sharp enough,” while Len echoed that sentiment saying, “You gotta work on straightening your forward leg.” Bruno said he wants to see her legs in the air more. But, overall, the judges dug how she strutted her stuff.

Score: 21

Jake Pavelka and Chelsie Hightower, Dance: Viennese Waltz

Jake said that he “doesn’t think I’m a great dancer.” Well, Jake, we’re here to tell you, you are wrong. Light on his feet and handsome as ever, the Bachelor looked like a pro to us. “I thought you moved very well,” said Len, who then criticized his posture and his bum being stuck out. Bruno played around with the way Jake led Chelsie around the floor, saying, “This is the waltz -nice and romantic. Don’t bash her about. What are you going to do with the rumba? Kill her?” No worries, Carrie Ann praised his bravado and thought he did an “excellent job.”

Score: 20

Niecy Nash and Louis Van Amstel, Dance: Cha Cha Cha

‘Reno 911′’s Niecy proved that her self-proclaimed “junk in the trunk” has just as much place on the glamorous stage as a Playboy Playmate does. Her cha cha cha was one of the sexiest and most confident of the evening. “Way to work those jiggly parts,” said host Tom Bergeron. However, Bruno charged that she needed to keep her sassy going and grumpy ol’ Len said it was “uneventful,” but Carrie Ann was feeling it and she she, “loved it.” In the end, Niecy announced, “I am dedicating my performance to big girls everywhere.”

Score: 18

Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke, Dance: Cha Cha Cha

Cheryl might have told Chad “you suck” in rehearsal, but once the NFL star hit the dancefloor, he left any “sucky-ness” he may have had way behind him. The pair kicked the show off with a sizzling cha-cha that had judge Len saying, “You came out like a tiger.” Bruno threw some love his way too with “You have a huge, huge, huge talent.” (Yes, three huges.) Something to work on? Extension and hitting it “a little harder,” suggested Carrie Ann.

Score: 18

Shannen Doherty and Mark Ballas, Dance: Viennese Waltz

The ‘Beverly Hills, 90210′ bad girl admitted to a fierce case of pre-show jitters, so we were expecting a truly uncomfortable performance. Sure, she was a little stiff, but she did not break out into hives nor did she fall on her face. The judges, though, had a different take: Bruno told her she was “swinging your arms around like a primate.” Carrie Ann, on the other hand, was “impressed,” while Len gave her kudos for her “ease and elegance.”

Score: 18

Kate Gosselin and Tony Dovolani, Dance: Viennese Waltz

Clearly the most talked-about (and possibly disliked) competitor this season, Kate didn’t too much to make us love her tonight. The Pepto-Bismol-colored dress was as over the top as her Barbie blonde hair. But onto the dancing: “You looked nervous,” said Len. “The technique was terrible,” said Bruno. “It looked like Tony was pushing a shopping cart around the floor.” Carrie Ann cut her a break saying that said she had a “sweet vulnerable.”

Score: 16

Aiden Turner and Edyta Sliwinska, Dance: Cha Cha Cha

The ‘All My Children’ star had me at that first jump. Wow. Can we say, s-e-x-y? These two emanated sex appeal like no other coupling tonight. Even Tom joked, “We are about one gust of wind away from an FCC fine.” That said, Carrie Ann was not feeling it. Len thought it was “full of everything I don’t like.” And, Bruno, went in for the kill with, “You were stiff as a plant.” Bruno=Brutal! Better luck next week.

Score: 15

Buzz Aldrin and Ashly Costa, Dance: Cha Cha Cha

He was one of the first to walk on the moon, so we would’ve felt robbed if we didn’t see a little moonwalk creep into his performance tonight. It wasn’t enough to please the judges, though. To us, his cha cha cha was cute, cute, cute. The judges didn’t quite agree. Len commended him for his bravery, but said he “wasn’t too good.” Bruno said, “It looked like you still had your moon boots on.” (Ouch! He’s 80 for Christ’s sake. Give an American hero a break!)

Score: 14

News Flash: More Sexual Harassment Claims Being Filed—by Men

A growing number of men are filing sexual harassment claims, probably thanks in part to a recession that has hit men especially hard. Roughly 16.4% of all sexual harassment claims now come from men, compared to 15.4% in 2006, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Most of those claims come from the wide pool of men who’ve just been laid off or fired; in the past, victims may have opted to find new jobs rather than sue, notes one lawyer. With jobs tough to come by, litigation tends to increase.

From September 2008 to January 2010, 4.4 million men were laid off, compared to 2.3 million women, according to the Wall Street Journal. In states with higher unemployment, like Michigan or California, men made up more than 24% of claims. Many say they’ve been groped, or targeted by unwanted sexual advances, but employment lawyers say “locker room” behavior like vulgar talk or horseplay is an increasingly common complaint.

News Flash: Stephen Sondheim To Have Broadway Theater Named For Him

MANHATTAN — Stephen Sondheim, one of musical theater's most renowned composers and lyricists, is getting a Broadway theater named after him.Henry Miller's Theatre, on West 43rd Street between Broadway and Avenue of the Americas, will now be known as the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.The announcement of the change was made during a performance Monday night of "Sondheim on Sondheim" at Studio 54.

The renaming also coincided with Sondheim's 80th birthday.Both Studio 54 and Henry Miller’s Theater are owned by the Roundabout Theater Company, where Sondheim's works including “Assassins” and “Pacific Overtures” had been staged, the New York Times reported.The paper said that a group of Sondheim devotees made a contribution to the Roundabout that led to the renaming. A figure was not disclosed.Sondheim's career has spanned more than 50 years, and he is best known for writing the lyrics to "West Side Story" and the musical adaptation of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

News Flash: Lt. Dan Choi: "HRC Betrayed Me"

According to Ontopmag:

Lt. Dan Choi, the Army linguist arrested outside the White House Thursday protesting the military's ban on open gay service, says he was betrayed by gay rights group the Human Rights Campaign.

Choi, 29, outed himself last year on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. The Army responded with an official discharge, which Choi is fighting.

On Thursday, Choi and Capt. James E. Pietrangelo, who was discharged under “don't ask, don't tell” in 2004, were arrested by Park Police after the men handcuffed themselves to the White House fence. A third activist, Robin McGehee, was also hauled away.

All three activists broke away from an earlier protest hosted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest gay rights advocate, that featured comedian Kathy Griffin and HRC President Joe Solmonese, and led a crowd from Freedom Plaza to the White House chanting “Hey, hey, ho, ho don't ask, don't tell has got to go.”

Choi, who said he wanted to deliver a message to President Obama, told the crowd “We will not disappear” before McGehee helped him handcuff himself to the fence.

Both men spent the night in jail and on Friday pleaded not guilty to the charge of failing to obey an officer. The court has scheduled an April 26 hearing.

In a Newsweek interview posted on the glossy's website Monday, Choi said he was prepared to dedicate himself to repeal of “don't ask, don't tell.”

“Why now?” Choi began. “Because you get tired of talking. [Over the past two years] I've done 50 live interviews, a hundred other interviews, how much more talk am I expected to produce?”
“We all know the political reality now,” he continued. “Obama told us at the HRC dinner last year, you need to put pressure on me. I was there at that dinner, in uniform. So this is my mission; the president said to pressure him and I heard that as a warning order.”

“When I was handcuffed to the gate someone else asked me what's next. I'm standing there with hands lifted skyward and I just told him, 'This is.' I have fully committed my life and all the sacrifices necessary to manifest equality and America's promises.”

“Like I said at court, 'I'm not guilty, I'm not ashamed, and I'm not finished',” he said.
Choi also questioned HRC's resolve on the issue, saying its leader betrayed him when he did not march with him to the White House.

“If [HRC] thinks that having a rally at Freedom Plaza with a comedienne is the right approach, I have to wonder,” he said. “Don't ask, don't tell is not a joking matter to me. To be at Freedom Plaza and not at the White House or Congress? Who are they trying to influence? I felt like they were just trying to speak to themselves. If that's the best the lobbying groups and HRC can do, then I don't know how these powerful groups are supposed to represent our community.”

“Kathy Griffin and [HRC President] Joe Solmonese said they would march with me to the White House but didn't. I feel so betrayed by them,” Choi added

News Flash: For Obama, Health Care a Huge Victory, at a High Price

President Obama won a historic victory last night, David Sanger writes in the New York Times: Now one of a "handful of presidents who found a way to reshape the nation’s social welfare system," he "can lay credible claim, for the first time in his presidency, that he proved willing to risk all to turn his convictions into legislation." But along the way, Obama lost a lot.

With the health bill passing the House without a single GOP vote, "Gone is the promise on which he rode to victory less than a year and a half ago—the promise of a 'postpartisan' Washington in which rationality and calm discourse replaced partisan bickering." And the president's ultimate gamble is that "once Americans discover that they can no longer be rejected for insurance for pre-existing conditions...or that they can keep their children on their own insurance plans longer," public support will solidify behind his reform.

News Flash: Lady Gaga Countersues Ex-Boyfriend

Lady Gaga is fighting back in court against her former boyfriend/mentor/producer. She says Rob Fusari isn't getting any more of her money, arguing that their contract is void because he duped her into signing an unfair deal when she didn't know any better. State laws "protect employees from predatory and financially abusive practices," claims her counter lawsuit.

Their 2006 deal “was structured in such a way to mask its true purpose—to provide the defendants unlawful compensation for their services as unlicensed employment agents.” Fusari claims he made Gaga into who she is today, even inventing her name, and has sued for a 20% cut of her earnings. His lawyer tells Bloomberg that Gaga's suit is "ludicrous."

News Flash: Lawsuit to Reveal Secret Boy Scout Sex Files

The lawyer for a man who was molested by a Boy Scout leader has obtained 1,000 of the Scouts’ secret “perversion files”—which he says prove that they’ve been covering up such abuses for years—and he plans to release some of them at a trial now in progress in Oregon. The Boy Scouts of America have long kept an extensive archive detailing sex abuse by Scout leaders, but they’ve rarely been seen in public, the AP explains.

The case is being brought by a 37-year-old man who was molested in the 1980s by assistant Scoutmaster, and serial molester, Timur Dykes. There have been many similar suits, but either they’ve been settled out of court, or judges have denied access to the files. The Scouts argue that they’re “replete with confidential information,” and say they’re only kept to prevent known abusers from being re-hired elsewhere. “They were trying to do the right thing by trying to track these folks,” their lawyer says.

News Flash: Ex-Boyfriend Sues Lady Gaga for $30M

A former boyfriend of Lady Gaga has sued her for $30 million, alleging that the pop star cut him out of a deal that gave him a 20% stake in her earnings. Songwriter Rob Fusari claims he met the unknown Stefani Germanotta in 2006 and "radically" reshaped her image—even coming up with her stage name. (He sent her a text addressing her as Radio Ga Ga, from the Queen song, and his cell phone's spell check distorted it. She loved the result.)

The pair became romantically involved and also formed a company to handle the business side of Gaga's music, the suit says. They ended their romance when Gaga became "verbally abusive" after an abortive deal with Def Jam records, after which Fusari says he got her a lucrative deal with Interscope. The suit claims that Gaga has stopped sending Fusari checks, reports the New York Post.

News Flash: “Glee” star Matthew Morrison was not happy about having to assert his heterosexuality in Elle interview

Sure, Matthew Morrison is a Broadway veteran who grew up singing and dancing but that doesn’t mean that he’s gay.Still, the handsome Glee star did not feel the need to clarify that he is straight until he was pretty much cornered by a writer late last year during an interview for Elle magazine.“That was, like, the worst interview I’ve ever done, and it kind of turned me off from doing interviews completely, because that guy was such a d**k,” Morrison reveals to Zap2it. “It just turned into like a verbal sparring match and I was trying to be polite to him, but just right off the bat he came out with all these crazy accusations and stuff. So I was like, ‘Ok, buddy… .’ I was completely caught off-guard.”Here is the exchange from that interview:

Elle: So, Matt, you’re a musical theater star who’s been interviewed by The Advocate and much discussed on Manhunt.com, and you star in Glee, a program that’s referred to as “the gayest show on TV.” You must feel particularly proud being the first gay man to grace this page.
Morrison: I’m not gay.

Elle: I had indeed read in various places that you’re straight, but in light of the circumstantial evidence, I wasn’t sure.
Morrison: I grew up singing and dancing, so people have been calling me gay since fifth grade. I’ve heard everything you could possibly hear about it. But I do love gay people, so I’m not going to act like I was insulted or angry about it.

News Flash: Davy Crockett Star Fess Parker Dead at 85

Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone star Fess Parker died today at age 85. Parker died of natural causes at his Santa Ynez home near the Fess Parker Winery, said a family spokeswoman. His death comes on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella. Parker became every baby boomer's idol in the 1950s when he starred as frontiersman Davy Crockett.

Kids grabbed up lunch boxes, toy Old Betsy rifles, buckskin shirts, and trademark fur caps. The series theme song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," became a hit with its line "Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee." Parker also played Daniel Boone in the late '60s television show. He later became a developer along California's central coast and grew grapes for prize-winning wines.