Will Jenny Slate’s SNL ‘F-Bomb’ invite the wrath of the FCC?

New cast member of Saturday Night Live, Jenny Slate made quite an impression during her first sketch on the long running show.

She dropped a very understandable F-Bomb.

It has made Slate an Internet star, but will the Federal Communications Commission rain on her premiere parade?

The answer is ….EXCERPT, FOR MORE CLICK HERE

Joe Francis accused via Twitter of assaulting Playmate of the Year

“Girls Gone Wild” video maker Joe Francis has been accused of committing assault and battery on Playboy 2008 Playmate of the Year Jayde Nicole, allegedly while at a Hollywood club.

Nicole was dating “Bromance” actor Brody Jenner at the time of the alleged incident.

The way in which the accusation was made public was through the social media phenom, Twitter.

The following was posted by Jenner on his Twitter account: “Joe Francis beat up my lady this morning for no reason! Pulled her to the ground, punched & kicked her? What does that say about him?”

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Critical time gap may be key to Michael Jackson homicide case

A critical 81 minute gap between when police indicate that Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, found the singer not breathing and when the doctor called 911 may be a key part of a criminal prosecution for the singer’s death.

According to the LAPD, Murray found Jackson totally unconscious, but then called his office and remained on the phone call for a half-hour.

The timeline in a police affadavit does not bode well for the physician.

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Michael Jackson’s Children and the Custody Question

by James Hirsen

After the touching tribute Paris, daughter of Michael Jackson, gave her daddy at the memorial service, media attention turned to the future of Jackson’s three young children.

Despite the fact that the court gave Michael’s mother, Katherine, guardianship over Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II, the legal tug-of-war over custody continues.

Because the two older children, Prince Michael and Paris, were born to a married couple, under California law there is a presumption that the custody of minors will be granted to the legal parents. That presumption of custody would result in the surviving parent, Debbie Rowe, getting custody.

In the past, pursuant to an arrangement with Jackson, Rowe attempted to give up her status as legal parent, but she later returned to court and had her parental rights restored.

Rowe’s effort to end her parental rights will likely be brought up in the legal discussion, but in the state of California, parents’ rights are not terminated without a judicial investigation and hearing.

Still, the presumption gives Rowe custody of the children, if there is no evidence that refutes the idea the custody is in the best interests of the children. The law allows judges to overrule this presumption based on proof that parental custody would be detrimental to the children.

Everything hinges on the evidence. If evidence is presented that Rowe has little or no relationship with the children, her custody will be denied; if evidence is presented that the children have frequently spent time with her and know her as their mother, she will be given custody.

If Rowe wins custody of the two older children, she may also get custody of the third child, Prince Michael II, despite having no claim as the legal mother, because of the court’s desire to keep all of the siblings together.

Jackson’s will names his mother, Katherine, as guardian and, states that if she were unavailable, the children would go to singer and actress Diana Ross.

However, a will is not normally effective for custody purposes in a case in which one parent’s will deprives another parent of custody.

James Hirsen, J.D., M.A. in media psychology, is a media analyst, teacher of mass media and entertainment law at Biola University, and professor at Trinity Law School.

Rihanna to Be a Witness for the Prosecution

Chris Brown had a bad week.

Rihanna’s former boyfriend released a YouTube video in which he told fans he wasn’t a “monster.”

But then he found out that the upcoming court drama is probably going to tell a very different story.

Prosecutors are going to subpoena Rihanna, and she’ll reportedly testify at a preliminary hearing in the case against Brown.

According to the police report, she’s going to have to give the ugly details of that supposed brutal night.

Brown has pled not guilty to the alleged Rihanna beating, and he’s hired high-profile lawyer Mark Geragos to defend him.

If things go along as expected, Rihanna will be subject to cross-examination by Geragos.

Most celebrity cases end up with plea bargains, but if Brown’s convicted he could end up spending more than four years in the slammer.

There’s no truth to the rumor that Rihanna’s working on a new book: “How I Lost 180 Pounds of Unwanted Fat-By Dumping Chris Brown.”

Tweeting with the Stars

Lately Twitter has been getting a terrabyte’s worth of celebrity buzz.

After a tweeting addiction got pinned with the blame for John Mayer’s breakup with Jennifer Anniston, Mayer opined that posting on the micro blogging social network is “inherently silly and inherently dumb.”

He proceeded to put up a non-silly and fairly astute post on the subject of self-esteem.

“Living by the power of other people’s suggestion will slowly kill you. Genuine self esteem isn’t a roller coaster. It comes from within,” Mayer texted.

Look for esteem or something like it to end up in a new Mayer song.

Meanwhile Demi Moore’s Twitter wits may have helped save a life.

A distressed woman had sent the “Charlie’s Angels” star an ominous Twitter message that read: “Getting a knife, a big one that is sharp. Going to cut my arm down the whole arm so it doesn’t waste time.”

The alert actress and Ashton Kutcher spouse forwarded the terrible tweet to her 350,000 Twitter followers, adding this supplemental message: “Hope you are joking. Everyone I was very torn about responding or retweeting that woman’s post but felt uncomfortable just letting it go.”

Demi’s followers sprang into action and contacted the police who were able to find the woman and prevent the potential suicide.

“Thanks everyone for reaching out to the San Jose PD,” Moore later tweeted. “I am told they are aware and no need to call anymore. I do not know this woman…”

“It is my understanding that the situation was not a joke and that through the collective efforts here action was taken to provide help!” Moore added.

It just goes to show that social networks can be used for more than mere amusement.

They can be twitterly important and at times tweetastic.

BTY, I’m a twitterer, too, and if you’re so inclined please forward me your choicest news twips and H-tweets.

Twanks.

James Hirsen is a media analyst, teacher of mass media and entertainment law at Biola University and professor at Trinity Law School.

Madonna and A-Rod on Adoption Flight to Malawi?

Madonna is reportedly going back to the impoverished nation of Malawi to adopt another child.

This time she’s taking baseball slugger Alex Rodriguez along with her.

Only months after splitting with spouse Guy Ritchie, the material girl has reportedly signed documents for an additional Malawi adoption.

In 2006 Madonna adopted son David Banda, while reports circulated about alleged objections by the birth father and protests by human rights organizations.

The new child is a four-year-old girl named Mercy James. Mercy’s 18-year-old mother apparently died 18 days after she was born.

Earlier reports indicated that Madonna and Ritchie had been interested in adopting the child months ago.

Mercy’s grandfather told Star Magazine, “It breaks our hearts to know she will leave us, but adoption is best for her.”

Probable Actors’ Strike Creates Movie Boom

It’s not a sequel anyone wants to see—another lengthy strike like the writers’ one that caused losses galore for the entertainment industry and the So Cal economy.

Unfortunately, the Screen Actors Guild and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers seem to be light-years away from any agreement, even though the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have stepped out of the picture to allow labor talks.

When it comes to labor negotiations in Hollywood, Tinseltown is the land of acronyms.

SAG, AMPTP, AFTRA…the list goes on.

AFTRA has delayed its talks with AMPTP for a week to give SAG a head start. But the AMPTP studio heads will probably make deals in separate negotiations with AFTRA long before they settle with SAG.

The sticky issue in the actors’ union haggle is the same as it was for the writers—new technology. Workers want in on the cash for films streamed and sold on the Internet, cell phones and portable devices.

SAG sent a mailing to members explaining the importance of the digital battle. The document noted that by 2010, the largest 100 media companies would be bringing in a projected $20.7 billion annually from the Net.

Studios and production companies aren’t waiting around to see what happens. They’re rushing ahead to beat a possible strike.

Feature film shoots in the L.A. area are up 11% for 2008’s first quarter.

And ASAP, PDQ and LHU have become the buzz du jour.

Rob Lowe’s Litigation Woes

When Rob Lowe starred on “The West Wing,” his character had to face many a crisis.

Now the former Brat Packer is going to have to face Gloria Allred’s real life questioning under oath.

Lowe launched a legal preemptive strike when he filed a lawsuit against three former employees, which included a former nanny, Jessica Gibson, against whom Lowe is alleging breach of contract and breach of a confidentiality clause. Lowe claims Gibson demanded $1.5 million in exchange for her silence concerning sexual abuse allegations.

Lowe’s lawyer has dismissed the nanny’s claims as “outrageous” and “untrue.”

Gibson, in turn, has filed a suit of her own, which alleges that during the time period between September 2005 and January 2008, the actor touched her inappropriately on several occasions.

The former nanny’s lawyer is the pervasive Gloria Allred, who immediately took her case on the cable show road.

Allred has reportedly scheduled the sworn videotaped depositions of Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl Berkoff for late May.

“I’m sure some of the questions will make him uncomfortable, but our job is to get to the truth,” Allred told E! News. “They are going to have to sit down, and we are going to have a lot of tough questions for them.”

There appears to be plenty of material for a jury to chew on.

Gibson worked on and off for Rob and Sheryl Lowe for seven years, quit several times but apparently returned to the job.

Greta Van Susteren has gotten hold of copies of two e-mails sent by Gibson to Rob and his wife. One reads: “It was just time for my heart to let go. It’s not fair to you and the boys. I have nothing but love and respect for your family.”

Another, which dealt with the subject of leaving her job, states, “It had nothing to do with you or Rob either.”

These e-mails may be pivotal in the Lowe case because of the absence of any physical proof or witnesses to the alleged harassment.

Lowe already has a character witness in the form of Aaron Sorkin, the writer-producer and creator of “The West Wing.”

Sorkin told People magazine via e-mail, “I’ve only known him to be a gentleman who cares first and most for his family. I’ve worked with Rob twice – for three years on The West Wing and for another six months when he starred in the [London] West End revival of A Few Good Men.”

This isn’t the first time Lowe has had to deal with bad publicity.

While attending the Democratic National Convention in the late 1980s, a videotape surfaced in which Lowe was depicted in a compromising position with a teenage girl.

You can bet Allred is going to try to convince a judge that the twenty-year-old footage is still relevant evidence.

James Hirsen is a media analyst, Trinity Law School professor and teacher of mass media law at Biola University.

George Clooney’s China Challenge

George Clooney is one of several celebrities who deserve credit for bringing attention to the horrific situation in Darfur.

But it appears as though the actor has a sore spot he’d rather not talk about.

Movie stars make piles of cash as spokespersons for products that are sold overseas. Celebs are comfortable with the arrangement because when they give sales of products outside the U.S. an assist, it doesn’t diminish their mystique with American fans.

Curiously, when the subject of Clooney’s hawking of goods for foreign companies comes up, he dodges the issue like a seasoned pol.

While over in Rome promoting his recent box-office disappointment, “Leatherheads,” Clooney told the entertainment reporters, “If someone tries to sell you clothes or watches that are based on me, don’t buy them.”

Clooney has been paid handsomely to be the spokesperson for the Swiss watch company, Omega. The company has even dubbed the star an “Omega Ambassador.”

It just so happens, though, that Omega is one of the major sponsors of the 2008 Olympics, which will take place in China. And the Sudan, the same country that has failed to take action to stop the killing in Darfur, is supported by China.

Clooney may have given us a good idea with his Rome comment after all.

If someone tries to sell us watches that are based on him, let’s not buy them, especially if the timepieces are made by a company whose policies lend a corrupt hand to human rights atrocities.

Someone who keeps his entertainment-related priorities in perspective, believe it or not, is U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Antonin Scalia is a living judicial treasure, an individual who is on the bench of the United States Supreme Court through an act of providence.

Justice Scalia recently turned his formidable rhetorical skills in the direction of those who would like to give courtroom proceedings the Hollywood treatment.

Although Justice Scalia has no problem with the coverage of Supreme Court proceedings on C-SPAN, he is far from ready to accept the idea that TV cameras should be capturing trials in local courthouses.

“To make entertainment out of real people’s legal troubles is quite sick,” Scalia said on C-SPAN’s “Students and Leaders,” adding, “You want to entertain the public? Hire actors and put on Perry Mason or something.”

In trademark wisdom, he explained, “I don’t think it is right to make enjoyment out of litigation, civil or criminal.”

James Hirsen is a media analyst, Trinity Law School professor and teacher of mass media law at Biola University.