Oscar ratings improve as "Slumdog Millionaire" dominates awards

The graphics shows British director Dan Boyle's rags-to-riches love story "Slumdog Millionaire" which won big at the 81st Academy Awards Sunday night,on Feb.22.2009,in Los Angeles, grabbing eight Oscars including best picture and best director.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23 -- Preliminary numbers released Monday showed that ratings for the 81st Academy Award show overnight climbed about six percent from last year's record low.

The ABC-produced Oscar telecast show, where British director Dan Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" took eight statuettes including best picture, probably had an average viewership of more than 34 million across the United States, according to a market research firm.

Preliminary numbers from Nielsen Media Research, which measure roughly 50 of the biggest markets in the U.S., showed that New York, Chicago and Los Angeles were among the markets where most households tuned in to watch the film industry's annual gala show.

Although total viewer estimates are expected to be issued later in the day, it is a good bet that this year's Oscar show will rise comfortably ahead of last year's all-time low. About 32 million U.S. viewers watched the show last year.

Last year's record-low ratings prompted organizers to change their traditional format to hand out the awards and present more dance-and-song performances during the ceremony hosted by Australian actor Hugh Jackman.

(Agencies)

Rihanna makes first statement since assault

A photo allegedly shows Rihanna's beaten face was post on the TMZ website.

Feb. 24 -- Chart-topping Rihanna, speaking for the first time since being brutally beaten before the Grammy Awards, said Friday she is "strong" and "doing well."
But the Jay-Z protégé, who spent her 21st birthday in private Friday, would not discuss boyfriend Chris Brown's role in the vicious Feb. 8 attack.

"At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown," her two-sentence statement read. "She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time."

Rihanna's remarks came after her father ripped Los Angeles police over the leak of a graphic photo showing her bruised and battered face.

"Sloppy work on their part," Ronald Fenty told People magazine, adding that his daughter had no plans for a birthday celebration as she recovered from the assault.

The "Umbrella" singer, who has remained in seclusion since the incident, was spotted in Los Angeles Thursday night. She had been with family in her native Barbados. Friends there took out a newspaper ad Friday wishing her a happy birthday.

The shocking picture showed Rihanna - her eyes closed tight - with deep bruises on her forehead, black marks around her eyes and dried blood at the corner of her mouth.

Singer Rihanna poses with her awards for favorite female artist in the pop/rock and the soul/R&B categories at the 2008 American Music Awards in Los Angeles Nov. 23, 2008.

Her father, while upset with the LAPD, said the leak of the photo to celebrity Web site TMZ.com did illustrate the brutality inflicted on his daughter.

"It's good and it's bad to see the picture, because there's other people who were thinking differently, that [her injuries] may not be that bad," Fenty told Us Weekly magazine.

Brown, 19, whose hits include "Run It!," missed his scheduled Grammys appearance after his arrest on suspicion of making criminal threats to a woman - although the LAPD never confirmed it was Rihanna.

The pair had attended a pre-Grammy party honoring music mogul Clive Davis prior to their reported altercation. Brown remains free on the 50,000- U.S. dollar- bail.

After the photo was posted Thursday night on TMZ.com, the LAPD called its release a serious violation that could lead to departmental firings.

TMZ declined comment on a blog report that it had paid 62,500 dollars to "a law enforcement insider" for the picture.

(Agencies)

Tom Cruise "flustered" by Penelope Cruz

U.S. actor Tom Cruise waves during a photo call as he presents his movie "Valkyrie" in Rio de Janeiro February 3, 2009.

Feb. 24 -- Tom Cruise was "weird" and "awkward" when he bumped into his ex-girlfriend Penelope Cruz.

The 'Valkyrie' star was "visibly flustered" when Penelope - who he dated for three years before they split in 2004 - approached him at a pre-Oscars party in Beverly Hills on Friday night.

A source said: "Penelope tapped him on the shoulder and timidly asked, 'Tom?'

"Tom turned around, got visibly flustered and awkwardly said, 'Oh, hey. Hi', and gave her a small, distant hug before turning back around to his friends. It was weird."

The 46-year-old actor is now married to actress Katie Holmes, who was absent from the party, hosted by the head of Creative Artists Agency Bryan Lourd.

The source told the New York Post newspaper: "Katie was not there. But he clearly hasn't run into Penelope very often since they split."

Madonna, Sir Elton John, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Ford, Mike Myers, Shirley MacLaine, Meg Ryan, Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio were also at the party.

(Agencies)

Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer split?

Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer (L) have reportedly ended their on/off relationship for good, after the rocker was allegedly spotted kissing another woman.

Feb. 3 -- Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer have reportedly ended their on/off relationship for good, after the rocker was allegedly spotted kissing another woman.

Despite widespread rumors of the split on the internet, an American entertainment magazine reported yesterday that Jennifer Aniston spent the afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday with John Mayer and his friends at a casual get-together just outside Los Angeles.

"She and John were affectionate and shared some hugs during the game," says a source. "They acted like a normal couple spending a casual Sunday together with friends."

The couple has been at the center of growing speculation about the state of their relationship in recent weeks, with internet gossips publishing conflicting reports over whether they have in fact split.

Aniston and Mayer parted ways at the end of last summer after several months of dating, but rekindled their love affair last October, with the actress claiming that they were unable to stay away from each other after the break-up.

(Agencies)