Paris Hilton got into a minor fender-bender in Los Angeles Thursday after doing some shopping, The Associated Press reports. After video of the accident surfaced online, Hilton's publicist confirmed to AP Friday (June 9) that the heiress had backed her Range Rover into a parked car the day before. The publicist denied that Hilton left the scene without leaving her contact information, saying she instructed one of the parking attendants to "pass along" her info to the owner of the other car. "Paris is a very responsible and a very good driver," the publicist said. "She takes her driving seriously." No injures were reported. ...

The Chicago judge presiding over R. Kelly's child-pornography case admonished both sides at a Thursday hearing, during which he ruled that the sex tape at the heart of the charges against the singer could be shown in open court. Judge Vincent Gaughan has been pressing the defense and prosecution to commit to a summer trial date for the case -- which has been in the pretrial stage for four years -- but lawyers on both sides asked for more time to prepare and contact experts. "This is getting a little frustrating," Gaughan said. "The work isn't getting done." Gaughan also said he decided to allow the viewing of the tape, in which Kelly allegedly has sex with an underage girl, because "if there was no tape, we wouldn't have a case." Gaughan's ruling was surprising since both the prosecution and defense asked to limit the viewing of the tape to the judge, lawyers, jury and press, so as not to embarrass or further victimize the girl in the video (who is alleged to be 14 on the tape and is now 21). Meanwhile, a separate case involving that same tape is also moving forward, as Kelly gave a deposition last week in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit from an of-age woman who sued the singer, alleging that he videotaped her without permission. ...

Madonna is facing yet another lawsuit, this time from a stagehand who was injured during her Re-Invention Tour stop at California's HP Pavilion at San Jose in 2004. Max Garcia claims in a suit filed Wednesday in Santa Clara County Court that a member of Madonna's crew rushed while loading equipment and failed to secure it properly, causing it to fall on him as they broke down the set after the show. Garcia's lawyer told MTV News that his client has been disabled for the past two years, unable to work because of back and spinal injuries, so they're seeking seven-figure monetary damages for lost wages (past and future) as well as medical costs. The case is scheduled for an October 17 management conference. At the same time, Madonna's got one less lawsuit to worry about. She and her Maverick Film Company were sued a year ago by two venture capitalists, Jim McClay and Barry Kohout, who claimed the Material Girl's company defaulted on a $100,000 loan. McClay and Kohout's lawyers at Jacobs Law Group just told MTV News that they've reached a "favorable" settlement that was "mutually acceptable." ...

Former Detroit Pistons forward Derrick Coleman is upset that he wasn't the only one promoting a Super Bowl weekend party featuring Nelly -- so he's suing a couple of Detroit promoters who claimed they would also have the rapper at a February 4 event. Coleman's company, Beyond the Arc Entertainment, filed suit this week in Detroit federal court against the Motown Music Festival and Strather and Associates (a real estate firm involved with promoting the competing party). Coleman claims that the promoters created confusion in the marketplace and he sold fewer tickets as a consequence. Coleman's Platinum Party event -- which Nelly's own Derrty Entertainment was also hosting -- took place at the Detroit Opera House, while the Motown Music Fest show was at the Masonic Temple that same night. Nelly made the first party, but was a no-show at the competing event. Coleman is accusing the other promoters of false advertising, and he's seeking $500,000 in damages, according to his rep. Strather and Associates had no comment. ...

She's addressed those wedding rumors and let you take a peek at her new baby, but now Angelina Jolie wants to put the focus back on what she's passionate about. The goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees is asking people to take time out on June 20 to think about those who've had the courage to persevere despite having to leave their homes behind. "For the millions of displaced persons around the world, please help keep their hope alive and remember World Refugee Day," Jolie said in an appeal recorded in Namibia in May. For more on World Refugee Day's message of hope, visit UNHCR.org. ... Ten years ago, Weezer released what would eventually be heralded as their emo classic, Pinkerton. Around that same time, singer Rivers Cuomo enrolled at Harvard. Cuomo finally received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday, with PBS "NewsHour" anchor Jim Lehrer delivering the commencement speech. Topping off the excitement, Cuomo is getting married in 10 days. ...

Brittany Murphy might guest star on "Faster Kill Pussycat," the first single from Oakenfold's just-released A Lively Mind, but the "8 Mile"-er told Cosmopolitan magazine that the song isn't her recording debut. She's been making secret guest appearances on records for years, apparently, in addition to plugging away on her own debut, which she hopes to have out this fall. "I've worked on a lot of other people's albums anonymously -- a lot of rap, hip-hop and R&B stuff -- and I hear myself on the radio all the time," she told the magazine for its cover story. "I've just always kept it a secret and never taken credit because I wanted to learn how to work behind the microphone in a recording studio, and some of the singers don't even know it was me recording on their albums." That's because Murphy sang backup when they weren't in the studio and, as she points out, "My singing voice isn't like my speaking voice." ...

Pete Doherty is back in rehab, according to AP. After a bizarre incident in Germany involving a bloody syringe, the Babyshambles singer checked himself into a detox clinic in Portugal, his lawyer said in court Friday. Doherty was scheduled to appear at a hearing on the progress of his rehab treatment, which the court had ordered after he was arrested for drug possession. ... Stevie Wonder will participate in a 40-day observance of the Detroit riots, which broke out in the city 40 years ago, AP reports. Wonder will sing at Ford Field on July 26, 2007, along with gospel artist Kirk Franklin and other to-be-named performers. The five-day riots claimed 43 lives in 1967. And sadly, Wonder's mother, Lula Mae Hardaway, passed away in Los Angeles earlier this week. She was 76. ... Slayer have announced Christ Illusion as the title of their forthcoming record, which has bumped around a bit but is now slated for release on August 8. Expect to find "Consfearacy," "Jihad" and "Flesh Storm." ...

Canadian indie-rockers Broken Social Scene have shot a clip for their latest single, "Fire Eye'd Boy." While the video showcases their wacky side with a workout-based theme, more notably, the clip features Rush singer and Canuck icon Geddy Lee as one of the "American Idol"-like judges of their workout presentation (perhaps another dig at "Canadian Idol," which BSS slammed at the Juno Awards). The video also features singer Kevin Drew's grandmother. ... Lillix's second album, Inside the Hollow, is set to hit stores in August. Co-produced by Jeff Saltzman (the Killers) and James Michael (Alanis Morissette), the follow-up to Falling Uphill features "Blackout," "Sweet Temptation (Hollow)," "Wishing Well" and "Got Off Easy."

06.08.2006

Beyoncé may have given up her girls in Destiny's Child, but she wants new ones to back her up -- with instruments in hand. The singer is searching for an all-female band to tour in support of her second solo album, B'Day, so she's holding open auditions for keyboard players, bassists, guitarists, horn players, percussionists and drummers around the country on Monday. Musicians have to be at least 18, should have a "look," be prepared to re-create "Work It Out" as performed on the "Beyoncé: Live at Wembley" DVD and be able to pull off at least a one-minute solo. Think you've got what it takes? Bring a headshot and résumé to auditions at New Jersey's SST; Atlanta's Crossover Entertainment Studios; Burbank, California's Center Staging; Chicago's Pressure Point Recording Studios; or Houston's VT2 Studios. Finalists from local auditions must be available to fly to New York to perform for Beyoncé later in the week and must be available to begin working by June 20. ...

After rumors surfaced last week that Madonna would be posing for H&M, the company announced Thursday (June 8) that it will supply a complete offstage wardrobe for the singer and her entire touring troupe (including her band, dancers and crew members). In exchange, Madonna and her dancers will pose in an advertising campaign for the retail chain. "Partnering up with H&M feels like a perfect fit," Madonna said. "We'll all get to express ourselves in our own individual ways. The dancers and I are excited to go shopping together." H&M will also produce a specially designed Madonna tracksuit, which will be in stores in mid-August. ...

In a strange twist of fate, a woman who worked for the prosecution during the Michael Jackson child molestation trial is now suing the Santa Barbara district attorney's office -- and she's represented by one of the singer's lawyers. Annette Reichert was hired to develop a searchable computer database of documents, images and other evidence during the trial, and in a federal lawsuit filed Friday, she claims she wasn't compensated for her work. Her lawyer, Brian Oxman -- who also represented Jackson during part of the trial and often represents the Jackson family -- says Reichert is due $40,000 for the work and another $100,000 for giving up other work to create the database in the first place. Her former boss, Tom Sneddon, however, counters that Reichert never completed her task and disappeared during the middle of the trial. ...

Taylor Hicks will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales of his single "Do I Make You Proud" to the American Red Cross. The single is due June 13. ... JC Chasez has finished recording his second solo album, according to a post on his MySpace page. The former 'NSYNCer leaked one track already called "I'm Not Sleeping Alone." ... Beth Orton will support her recently released Comfort of Strangers with a second North American trek, kicking off July 7 in Burlington, Vermont. The outing ends July 31 in Los Angeles. ... Sonic Youth are playing a private Los Angeles show on July 8 for fans who purchase their new album at certain retailers (listed on their Web site). The band's Rather Ripped is due June 13. ...

A Catholic seminary located in Yonkers, New York, was desecrated on Tuesday by vandals who apparently took the National Day of Slayer a bit too far. According to a St. Joseph's Seminary staffer who asked not to be named, workers discovered early Wednesday morning that the building has been defiled with spray-painted pentagrams, upside-down crosses and Slayer-related messages, including "Reign in Blood," the title of the metal band's classic 1986 album. The phrases "Better to Reign in Hell" and "Than To Serve In Heaven" were spray-painted across two columns near the building's main entrance. A statue of Jesus was also marred with pentagrams. About a month before the advent of June 6, a Web site was launched calling on Slayer fans to honor the National Day of Slayer by listening to the band's music, killing a "neighbor's dog" and spray-painting "Slayer logos on churches, synagogues or cemeteries." The site is registered to someone affiliated with the American Nihilist Underground Society. ...

Blame Janet. The House overwhelmingly approved legislation on Wednesday to increase fines on indecent programming tenfold, from $32,500 per incident to $325,000. President Bush praised the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act and vowed to sign it into law, saying in a statement, "I believe that government has a responsibility to help strengthen families. This legislation will make television and radio more family-friendly by allowing the FCC to impose stiffer fines on broadcasters who air obscene or indecent programming." After approval in the Senate last month, the legislation passed in the House by a 379-35 vote. ... Petra Haden, who is touring as a violinist with the Foo Fighters this summer, has recorded an a cappella rendition of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" as a quasi-sequel to her acclaimed Petra Sings: The Who Sell Out album. The song is available for free download at PetraHadenMusic.com. ...

Fans of Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society who anticipated grabbing a copy of the band's forthcoming album, Shot to Hell, on July 3 will now need to wait until September 19, according to a spokesperson for the Society's label. No explanation for the rescheduled release date was offered. ... Double-disc reissues of classic Cure albums The Top, The Head on the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me are due in stores August 8. The deluxe editions of the band's 1984-1987 LPs will feature unreleased music, including live performances as well as home and studio demos. Rhino Records, the label releasing the discs, will reissue a double-disc version of Blue Sunshine, the only album from Cure frontman Robert Smith's side project, The Glove, on August 8 as well. ...

Teddy Geiger has added some more stops to his summer tour, which is now set to begin Saturday with a show on Pier 17 at New York's South Street Seaport and wrap up September 23 at Washington's Puyallup Fair. Dirtie Blonde will open for Geiger for much of the tour, including stops in St. Louis (July 13), Dallas (July 18), New Orleans (July 22) and Chicago (August 16). ... Nebraskan indie rockers Cursive are hitting the road July 5 for a nine-date tour that's set to run through July 15. The band will be previewing fresh material from its forthcoming album Happy Hollow, which lands in stores August 22. The trek, which kicks off in Champaign, Illinois, will make stops in Lansing, Michigan; Cleveland; Pittsburgh; New York; Norfolk, Virginia; Newport, Kentucky; Des Moines, Iowa; and the final destination on the tour, Omaha, Nebraska. Cursive will be performing August 4 as part of this year's Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago.

[This story was originally published at 1:59 pm E.T. on 06.09.2006]