Trump may have trouble collecting on $5 million orangutan bet

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A comedian, a millionaire and an orangutan. It may sound like the beginning of a screwball joke, but Donald Trump isn't laughing.

The famously outspoken real estate magnate has sued famously outspoken television host Bill Maher, demanding the $5 million Maher offered to give to charity if Trump could prove his father is not an orangutan.

But legal experts say Trump is unlikely to get a dime from Maher, the host of the HBO series Real Time With Bill Maher, because his offer was clearly made in jest.

"It's parody," said Bryan Sullivan, a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer. "You know Bill Maher is a comedian and a satirist. The offer is so ridiculous."

Trump, however, has taken the comic at his word.

"Attached hereto is a copy of Mr. Trump's birth certificate, demonstrating that he is the son of Fred Trump, not an orangutan," Trump's lawyer, Scott Balber, wrote to Maher last month.

When Maher did not respond, Trump filed a breach of contract lawsuit last week in Los Angeles Superior Court.

A Maher spokeswoman referred to his show Friday, in which he ridiculed Trump's lawsuit.

"It's never a joke when someone reneges on a commitment that benefits worthy charities," said Michael Cohen, special counsel to Trump, in response. "The tone of Mr. Maher's diatribe on Friday evening suggests he is far more concerned with the lawsuit than he wants the public to believe."

Last year, during the presidential campaign, Trump offered to give $5 million to charity if President Barack Obama would release his college records. Trump, who flirted with a possible White House run, previously questioned Obama's citizenship and boasted that he prompted Obama to release his birth certificate.

As a guest on NBC's The Tonight Show last month, Maher offered to give $5 million to charity if Trump could prove he was not the son of an orangutan, since the ape's orange fur matches the color of Trump's trademark gravity-defying coiffure.

"He can donate to a charity of his choice," Maher said. "Hair Club for Men; the Institute for Incorrigible Douchebaggery. Whatever charity."

Under contract law, a verbal offer can create a contractual obligation. But courts make exceptions for obviously satirical offers.

In a New York federal case, Leonard vs. Pepsico, a man sued the soft drink maker after it refused to honor a TV advertisement "offer" of a fighter jet for redeemable Pepsi Points.

District Judge Kimba Wood in Manhattan said an offer made "evidently in jest" is not a contract and noted the commercial featured a teenager using the jet to get to school.

"This fantasy is, of course, extremely unrealistic," Wood wrote.

Trump's lawsuit alleges that Maher's show is political commentary, not comedy. In a Fox News appearance last week, Trump said he was certain Maher's offer was not a joke.

"That was venom," Trump said. "That wasn't a joke."

(Reporting by Joseph Ax. Editing by Andre Grenon)

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"Midnight Express" editor Gerry Hambling dead at 86

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Gerry Hambling, the British film editor whose credits include "Midnight Express," "Pink Floyd: The Wall" and "Mississippi Burning," died February 5 in England. He was 86.

Hambling, who entered the film industry at 16 as an editor's apprentice, was a longtime collaborator of director Alan Parker, editing 14 of his films.

"He was undoubtedly one of the finest film editors that the British film industry has produced," Parker remembered.

John Grover, vice chairman of the Guild of British Film Editors, which Hambling helped found in 1966, remembered Hambling as a man of "warmth and understanding."

"He was a hard working technician who loved loud music and fast action sequences; he was rather hard on equipment but never got used to editing electronically as he preferred to handle film, something he could 'see and feel,'" Grover said. "He will be missed by friends and colleagues for his warmth and understanding. It was an honor to have known him."

Hambling won three BAFTA Awards, and received the Career Achievement Award from the American Cinema Editors in 1998. He had also been nominated for six Oscars.

Hambling's last editing job was on the 2003 Parker drama "The Life of David Gale," starring Kate Winslet and Kevin Spacey.

Hambling died in Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

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Beyonce wants slumber parties, normal childhood for baby Blue Ivy

LOS ANGELES, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Singer Beyonce says she wants to give her baby daughter a normal childhood with "sprinklers and ... slumber parties."

In a Vogue magazine interview released on Monday she also teased her next, as yet untitled, album saying the music is "a lot more sensual ... empowering" thanks to motherhood.

The Grammy-winning singer, 31, who is married to rapper Jay-Z, took a year off her music career to care for her first child, Blue Ivy Carter, who was born in January 2012.

"At some point it's very important to me that my daughter is able to experience life and run through the sprinklers and have slumber parties and trust and live and do all the things that any child should be able to do ... School visits and lemonade stands and all that stuff. It's very important for me," she told Vogue in an interview for its March issue.

The singer, who is making a comeback with a world tour starting in April, talked about bringing her daughter to work, saying, "She's my road dog. She's my homey, my best friend."

The Vogue interview was conducted in late 2012 before Beyonce's controversial lip-synced performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at President Barack Obama's inauguration in January.

Two weeks later she silenced her critics with a live performance at the Super Bowl halftime show.

On Saturday, her HBO documentary "Life is But A Dream" gets a first airing, giving viewers a glimpse of her life outside the spotlight. An interview with Oprah Winfrey on the OWN cable channel airs the same day.

Beyonce called media gossip last year that she had faked her pregnancy "very odd" and spoke in detail about giving birth for the first time.

"I felt like when I was having contractions. I envisioned my child pushing through a very heavy door. And I imagined this tiny infant doing all the work, so I couldn't think about my own pain...We were talking. I know it sounds crazy, but I felt a communication," she told Vogue.

((The full interview with Beyonce can be seen on Vogue.com at http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/beyonce-knowles-the-queen-b/ ))

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Lisa Shumaker)

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Dave Clark Five bassist Rick Huxley dies aged 72

(Reuters) - Rick Huxley, the bassist for the 1960s British Invasion pop-rock group the Dave Clark Five, has died, the band's leader said on Tuesday. He was 72.

Huxley died unexpectedly at his home in the English countryside on Monday, Dave Clark told Reuters.

The band scored No. 1 hits on both sides of the Atlantic during its decade-long run from 1960-1970.

"Glad All Over" holds the honor of knocking the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" out of the top spot on the UK chart in 1964, while "Over and Over" topped the U.S. chart in 1965.

The cause of death was not immediately known, said Clark, who added that Huxley had been "sprightly and in good shape" despite suffering from emphysema for several years.

"I spoke to him on Friday and he was in great spirits," Clark said in a telephone call. "He went through a recent doctor's check and had a good, clean bill of health. This came totally out of the blue, and I'm just devastated."

Clark remembered Huxley for his modest demeanor and humor.

"He always made me smile and I'll miss that immensely," Clark said. "He was never arrogant and flashy. He was a gentleman and very low key. He was a very, very talented musician and a great friend."

The Dave Clark Five was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

Huxley was born in Dartford, England, east of London, the same town that is home to the Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards.

Huxley is survived by two sons and a daughter.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey in Los Angeles; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Mohammad Zargham)

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Magazine promises pregnant Kate photos, angering UK royals

LONDON (Reuters) - An Italian magazine said on Tuesday it will publish pictures of a pregnant Duchess of Cambridge wearing a bikini on holiday in the Caribbean, angering the British royal family and reigniting a debate over privacy and freedom of the press.

Photographs of the former Kate Middleton, walking with her husband Prince William on a beach on the island of Mustique are expected to be published in the Italian gossip magazine Chi on Wednesday.

The same publication ran pictures last September of the princess sunbathing topless on holiday in France, raising questions about media intrusion into the lives of one of the world's most famous couples.

Chi's owner The Mondadori group published a picture of the magazine's front page on its website. It appeared to show the 31-year-old princess wading into the sea in a blue bikini in one picture and another where she was strolling arm in arm with William, 30, second in line to the British throne.

The headline read: "Kate & William in Mustique: The belly grows".

A St James's Palace spokesman said the decision was "a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy".

"We are disappointed that photographs of the Duke and Duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas," he said.

The magazine's publication of the topless pictures last year against the couple's wishes was condemned by British Prime Minister David Cameron. It stirred memories of the world media's relentless pursuit of William's mother, Princess Diana who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 as she was being chased by paparazzi.

While magazines and websites in Europe have printed long-lens shots of the couple, Britain's tabloid newspapers have so far held back.

The newspapers are fighting stricter regulation recommended by a judge-led inquiry into their tactics that uncovered illegal payments to public officials and phone-hacking to get stories.

The couple are expecting their first baby in July. The duchess was admitted to hospital in December suffering from an acute form of morning sickness.

(Additional reporting by Paola Arosio in Milan; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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Lady Gaga suffering from joint inflammation, postpones shows

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop star Lady Gaga said on Tuesday she was suffering from a severe inflammation of the joints that left her temporarily unable to walk, forcing her to postpone a handful of upcoming shows on the North American leg of her world tour.

"I am completely devastated and heartsick. I've been hiding this injury and pain from my staff for a month, praying it would heal, but after last night's performance, I could not walk," the singer said in a statement.

Her condition is called synovitis, an inflammation that sometimes follows a sprain, strain or injury.

Gaga posted a similar message in a series of tweets to her 34 million Twitter followers.

"I will hopefully heal as soon as possible and be at 500 percent again, which is what you deserve," she said.

"The Edge of Glory" singer postponed shows in Chicago on Wednesday and Thursday, in Detroit on Saturday and in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday.

Lady Gaga, 26, has been on the road for two years on her "Born This Way Ball" world tour. Her website showed tour dates through March 20.

The 200-plus date tour has taken the singer across six continents and was ranked as the sixth top-grossing tour of 2012 by Billboard magazine.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Cynthia Osterman)

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"30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin expecting child with new wife

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Alec Baldwin and his new wife Hilaria Thomas Baldwin are expecting their first child together, a representative for the "30 Rock" star said on Tuesday.

"If I really shared with you how I felt, I would probably burst out crying," Baldwin told U.S. television program "Extra."

Baldwin, 54, married the yoga teacher, who is 26 years his junior, in a July 2012 wedding in New York.

The child is expected in the summer, the spokesman said, but gave no other details.

"It was a surprise, a wonderful surprise," said his wife, who also works as a correspondent for the TV show.

"Now I'm showing and it's getting to be much more, like, 'Oh, my God, this is actually going to happen'."

The award-winning actor most recently played egotistical television executive Jack Donaghy on the NBC comedy "30 Rock," which broadcast its last episode in January.

Baldwin was married to actress Kim Basinger from 1993-2002. The couple has one daughter, Ireland, who was born in 1995.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Todd Eastham)

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Chelsea's Frank Lampard signs new deal: writing children's books

LONDON (Reuters) - English soccer player Frank Lampard is using his experiences on the field and at home with his own family to carve out a new career - writing children's books.

The 34-year-old midfielder, whose contract with London club Chelsea expires in June, has signed a deal with publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers to write five books for children aged 5 and over.

The first book in the series of "Frankie's Magic Football" about a schoolboy called Frankie, his football-loving friends, and pet dog Max will be called "Frankie versus the Pirate Pillagers" and released in June 2013.

Lampard said in a statement on Tuesday that he first had the idea for the books when reading to his own children at home.

"Sport and reading are two essentials for us at home, so I decided to make up my own football stories and adventures," said the England international, who joined Chelsea in 2001 and is the Premier League club's second highest goal-scorer.

"The characters are loosely based on friends and team mates I've played with over the years."

Two more titles, "Frankie versus the Rowdy Romans" and "Frankie versus the Mummy's Menace," are scheduled for 2013, and two more are slated for early 2014, according to The Bookseller, a book industry publication.

Lampard has two daughters with his former fiancee, Spanish model Elen Rivas, and is currently engaged to British TV presenter Christine Bleakley.

The publishing deal was handled by Neil Blair and Zoe King, who also represent "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling.

(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Mohammad Zargham)

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Sarah Palin jabs Washington Post over fake Al Jazeera story

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Sarah Palin, ever-eager to skewer the "lamestream media," took Washington Post blogger Suzi Parker to task Tuesday after the writer mistakenly claimed the former Alaska governor was hired by the TV network Al Jazeera America.

Parker, who writes for the She The People blog, cited the satirical news site the Daily Currant in a story that claimed Palin had joined the Qatari-owned network as a talking head.

"Hey @washingtonpost, I'm having coffee with Elvis this week," Palin quipped on Twitter, claiming she was meeting with the long-dead King of Rock. "He works at the Mocha Moose in Wasilla. #suziparkerscoopers #idiotmedia."

Earlier on Tuesday, Parker had reported that Al Jazeera America hired the former vice-presidential candidate and former Fox News contributor in a post titled "Sarah Palin's plan to reach 'millions of devoutly religious people' through al-Jazeera."

In her original post, Parker called it "a cautionary tale about what can happen when politics and celebrity meet."

Kris Coratti, a Post spokeswoman, pointed TheWrap to a correction on the post, which acknowledged the error. And Al Jazeera said "no discussions have taken place" to hire Palin, whose most recent employer, Fox News, called Al Jazeera "an anti-American terror mouthpiece."

Palin parted ways with the News Corporation-owned network after three years. She had a roughly $1 million contract per year and made more than 150 appearance on air.

But Palin hadn't finished with Parker just yet.

"A @washingtonpost writer once promised not to write about me for a month," Palin tweeted. "That was a good month for me. #idiotmedia."

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Kate Upton says body shut down after Antarctic bikini shoot

(Reuters) - Swimsuit model Kate Upton said on Tuesday her body shut down after she posed in a skimpy bikini in Antarctica for Sports Illustrated magazine.

Upton, wearing only a white bikini bottom and an unzipped white parka, was picked as the cover girl for the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, unveiled on Monday, for the second consecutive year.

"It was freezing," Upton, 20, told NBC's morning TV show "Today" on Tuesday. "I'm from Florida, so it wasn't easy for me.

"When I came back, I was losing my hearing and eyesight. My body was shutting down because it was working so hard to keep me warm."

Upton joins celebrity models including Elle Macpherson, Christie Brinkley and Tyra Banks to appear more than once on the swimsuit issue's cover.

M.J. Day, a senior editor for Sports Illustrated, told Reuters that Upton braved temperatures as low as 24 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 Celsius) and wind chills as low as -20 Fahrenheit (-29 Celsius).

"We should name a passageway after her down there," said Day, who accompanied Upton on the frigid shoot. "She braved six days in a bikini while we were head-to-toe in jackets ... No one will ever accuse her of being a whiny model, ever."

This year's 17 models were part of photo shoots that stretched across all seven continents.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey in Los Angeles; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Mohammad Zargham)

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