Alec Baldwin has joined the cast of My Sister's Keeper, the movie adaptation of the best-selling Jodi Picoult novel of the same name. Baldwin will team up with Cameron Diaz and Dakota Fanning in the upcoming film.

Oprah's relationship with longtime love Stedman Graham is on the rocks because of the other man in her life -- presidential hopeful, Barack Obama. The National Enquirer is reporting that the couple is seeking counseling from a clergyman who is helping them cope with Stedman's jealousy and Oprah's "less than loving" feelings. Stedman reportedly is worried that Oprah, who has been working on Obama's presidential campaign, no longer finds him interesting.

A private investigator has dropped a fraud and breach-of-contract lawsuit against Joe Pesci a day before the Goodfella's star's lawyer was scheduled to appear in court to argue for a dismissal. John Perry was suing for $103,000 for services performed after Pesci's ex-wife was accused of hiring a hit man. "He's happy he doesn't have to deal with it anymore," attorney Caryn Brottman Sanders said of Pesci. Perry claims that Pesci hired him after Pesci's former wife, Claudia Haro, was accused of hiring someone to shoot her then-husband, Garrett Warren. Warren was shot four times in 2000 but survived. Haro was arrested two years ago and is awaiting trial in Los Angeles County on charges of conspiracy and attempted murder.

Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has signed on as executive producer of The Hobbit, the upcoming prequel to his award-winning trilogy. Despite a strained relationship with New Line Cinema over the profits to Lord of the Rings, Jackson and the studio were able to reach a deal that will see the two-part prequel in theaters by 2010 and 2011.

High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale apologized to fans for missing concert performances in Miami and Philadelphia over the weekend because of ongoing pain from her recent rhinoplasty surgery. "When my surgery was scheduled, we didn't think it would be necessary to cancel the shows because my doctor thought I would heal in time," Tisdale wrote on her website. "Unfortunately, the deviated septum was more significant than we originally thought so the healing process is taking longer."

David Hasselhoff and his soon-to-be ex-wife Pamela Bach have reached a deal on the financial issues and division of assets in their divorce. TMZ.com reports that their lawyers reached a settlement on Friday (December 14th), which gives the couple 50/50 custody of their two daughters. Financial details on child and spousal support were not released.

William Shatner will not be making a cameo appearance in JJ Abram's upcoming Star Trek movie. Although the former Captain Kirk is admittedly unhappy about being left out, the film's co-writer, Roberto Orci, said, "One of the difficulties that was brought up and discussed with Shatner when we all met him and pitched him ideas is that Trek fans are sticklers for their canon. And, unfortunately, Shatner's Capt. Kirk was killed in Star Trek VII ."

A woman who accused Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley of sexual assault has been ordered by a Los Angeles judge to pay him $11 million. A judge found that Tyna Marie Robertson defamed and inflicted emotional distress upon Flatley by falsely accusing him of rape. Flatley, who admitted to having consensual sex with Robertson, became the victim of attempted extortion after she filed a $33 million lawsuit claiming sexual assault, which was later dismissed. He countered with his own successful lawsuit, the results of which were made public on December 17th. Flatley says he will donate his winnings to charity.

NBC Universal announced plans to air original USA Network programs Monk and Psych on NBC. Ben Silverman, NBC's Entertainment co-chair, said beginning in January, USA will air six new episodes of the shows, which will be repeated Sunday nights on NBC.

Perezhilton.com is reporting that a gladiator hired to work on NBC's upcoming revival of American Gladiators was employed by gay pornography producers before landing his new job. It was revealed that Alex Castro worked under the name Elian Cortez for Colt Studios.

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