HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (9-01-09)

PUNKY IS BACK!!

33-year-old SOLEIL MOON FRYE just amassed 1 MILLION followers on Twitter. And to celebrate, she shot a video of herself in a Punky Brewster costume. (--You can check it out, here . . .) http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2082412

JOE JACKSON IS NOT ANGRY . . . HE'S MAD . . .

JOE JACKSON was on the "Today" show yesterday to tell the world that he's not ANGRY over MICHAEL'S death . . . he's MAD. That's exactly what he said . . . quote, "I'm not angry. I'm mad."

Much of this madness that contains no anger (???) springs from the fact that Joe had no idea Michael was using drugs the way he was. And he claims he'd never even heard of propofol before it was named as the primary cause of Michael's death.

He said, quote, "I didn't know all this was going on. That's what I'm mad about." --He's also sticking to his guns about FOUL PLAY being involved. But he's not putting all the heat on the media's favorite fall guy, DR. CONRAD MURRAY.

He said, quote, "More [needs] to be investigated to see what is behind all of this stuff, not just [Dr. Murray] . . . Someone should pay. Not just someone but all of them should pay that's involved."--Dr. Murray hasn't been charged with anything yet, but the LAPD has made it clear that manslaughter IS a possibility. (--Here's video of Joe Jackson's "Today" interview . . .)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/32625004#32625004

-- The latest on Michael Jackson's burial is that it will reportedly take place this FRIDAY at sunset, at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. It's a private ceremony, and the public won't be allowed anywhere near the gravesite. --"Entertainment Tonight" says ARETHA FRANKLIN will sing at the ceremony.


DISNEY NOW OWNS SPIDER-MAN, HULK AND THE X-MEN:

Disney is buying Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. That means that Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Captain America and Thor all belong to Mickey Mouse now. --In all, Disney now owns some 5,000 Marvel characters . . . and, of course, the right to do anything with them that it pleases. (--Don't worry too much about it, though. Disney has been making more "adult" movies for years, via its subsidiary companies like Touchstone. So it's not like all these superhero flicks are going to be G-rated from now on.)

And I have a feeling Spider-Man won't be showing up on "Hannah Montana" anytime soon . . . hopefully. One would expect Disney to be respectful to these characters' core audiences. Although I wouldn't be surprised if, say, a Hulk doll ended up with a bit part in "Toy Story 3".

Warner Brothers has owned the rival DC Comics since 1969. DC's characters include Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Green Lantern . . . who's getting his own movie starring RYAN REYNOLDS.

"AMERICAN IDOL" INSANITY

PAULA ABDUL'S DECISION TO LEAVE "AMERICAN IDOL" HAD *NOTHING* TO DO WITH MONEY . . . OR SO SHE SAYS:

In her first real interview since she suddenly decided to leave "American Idol", PAULA ABDUL says that her decision had NOTHING to do with money. -She tells "TV Guide", quote, "It's never [about the money]. I stand on principle where many people stand on money. I'm a hard-working artist. I've lasted in this business for 23 years. And you can't do that unless you are good at what you do.

"I believe in myself and you have to have your own self respect. --"And sometimes decisions are very difficult to make, but I've always believed that at the core I'm a survivor. There's not one thing I've done that I've really set my mind to that I've failed at."

So Paula says it was about the PRINCIPLE and not the money. She also tossed in the phrase "self respect". So in other words, her PRINCIPLES wouldn't allow her to return to the show for so little MONEY, because she has too much SELF RESPECT.

In other words, it's about the money OTHER PEOPLE were making in comparison to her. Which, in essence, means IT WAS ABOUT THE MONEY. Regardless, "TV Guide" does ask Paula if there was ANYTHING the show could do to bring her back . . . and she gives them a pretty noncommittal response. --She says, quote, "That's a hard question to answer right now. I mean, I don't think I can answer that right now."

KARA DIOGUARDI SINGING "NO BOUNDARIES":

Remember "No Boundaries"? It's the song that KARA DIOGUARDI wrote for "American Idol" this year . . . that kinda stunk. In fact, it was so unpopular that KRIS ALLEN dropped it from his set list on the "Idol" tour earlier this summer.

Well since nobody else wanted to sing it, Kara recorded HER OWN version. Some people say it sounds better. What do you think? (--Here it is . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDng1zxoLd4