• After Sharon Osbourne accused NBC of discrimination for not hiring her son Jack to star on a new show because he was recently diagnosed with MS, the network's Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt released a statement, saying: "Although we did not ask Jack to participate in the competition, we were able to offer him two substantial alternative roles on the show, both of which he declined, This network does not discriminate on any basis."

• Legendary composer Marvin Hamlisch died Monday at age 68 after collapsing following a brief illness. Throughout his career, Hamlisch won three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, three Golden Globes, a Tony and the Pulitzer Prize.

• DreamWorks Animation and its Chinese joint venture partners plan to open a theme park in Shanghai by 2016, with a total investment amount of 20 billion yuan ($3.14 billion), the companies announced Tuesday.

• Sneak peek: see what Natalie Portman's white Rodarte-designed wedding gown looked like here.

• Like father, like son. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took his "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress girlfriend Cheryl Hines for some beach time at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port shortly after his son, Conor, entertained Taylor Swift at the same estate.

• HBO and Tina Brown are teaming up to make a fim about Norman Mailer's relationship with imprisoned murderer Jack Abbott, who assisted the author with the 1980 Pulitzer-winning nonfiction work "The Executioner's Song." Stephen Schiff (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps) will pen teh script and Tina Brown will executive produce—a first for the editrix.

• "Bachelor" host Chris Harrison officiated the weekend wedding of two of the show's producers, Cassie Lambert and Pete Scalettar, who met while working on the ABC series. Famous "Bachelor" alums Ali Fedotowsky, Courtney Robertson and Ben Flajnik, newlyweds DeAnna Pappas and Stephen Stagliano, Emily Maynard and new fiancé Jef Holm were all in attendance.

• After hitting Disney World with dad Tom Cruise, six-year-old Suri played in the interactive Material Lab at the Museum of Modern Art  with mom Katie Holmes in New York City Monday.

• Meow: In a new interview with Australia’s Channel 7, Elton John says Madonna "looks like a stripper." Watch below.

SEE ALSO: Lady Gaga announces new album title by tattooing it on her body >

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Business Insider needs your help.

We are putting together a list of the most powerful publicists in the entertainment industry, and we want to know who you think makes the cut.

From New York to Los Angeles, which celebrity or studio publicists have had a great year and an overall impressive career?

We are looking for people who can make or break a celeb's career, expertly manage scandalous situations, have an extensive Rolodex of media contacts, can get a meeting with anyone in town and have put their own lives on hold to babysit celebrities and promote their latest projects.

Here's the drill:

• If you are nominating someone from your own company, we ask you to ALSO nominate two other publicists from different or competing companies, to ensure that your nominations aren't self-serving and to make sure our list isn't too fluffy. Those last two nominations will be treated in complete confidence -- no one will know who you named from other companies. We promise.
• Then send an email to aweisman@businessinsider.com explaining why you believe the publicist should be on the list. Consider client roster, achievements and relationships.
• Lastly, if you have a nice big photo of the publicist, please attach that to your email along with photo credit information and confirmation that we can publish it should the executive make the list.
• Deadline for nominations: Aug. 14.

We'll combine all your nominations with our own research and contacts in the industry, and when we feel our data is sufficiently complete, we'll publish a ranking of the most powerful publicists in Hollywood.

Now forward this along and get to work!

Related:

• Meet the 25 most creative people in Advertising >

• The PR 50: The Best Communications Pros in Technology >

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Most people in Hollywood—arguably the most image-conscious place on the planet—have reportedly had some nips and tucks. Even icons like Marilyn Monroe reportedly had a little work done.

But some stars have taken going under the knife way to the extreme and the results aren't pretty. 

These 17 celebrities paid up to $1 million dollars for puffy lips and stretched-out faces. We found some compilation videos on YouTube that showcase the worst of the worst. 

There's one model who's so puffy from Botox you'll barely recognize her. Plus, a rock star who barely looks human. 

Amanda Lepore is a 44-year-old transgender model and recording artist. Her repeated anti-aging attempts left her looking like this.

Guns N' Roses' 50-year-old frontman Axl Rose reportedly got cheek implants and a facelift.

Former French First Lady Carla Bruni's puffy face is reportedly the result of Botox.

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Comedian and roaster Jeff Ross showed up to the taping of Comedy Central's Roseanne Barr roast dressed as the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, with two young men wearing nothing but football helmets and towels by his side.

And that wasn't the most offensive thing he did. 

During the roast, Ross turned to actor Seth Green and said, "Congratulations. This is actually a great night for you. You haven’t gotten this much attention since you shot all those people in Aurora," referring to his red hair similar to James Holmes. 

Ross continued, "I'm kidding. You are not like James Holmes. At least he did something in a movie theater that people remember!”

Hoping to avoid any controversy, a Comedy Central spokesperson announced that the joke will not appear in the broadcast next week. 

The roast airs on Comedy Central August 12. 

SEE ALSO: Was it worse than Dane Cook's joke? >

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• Jennifer Lopez has filed a $20 million extortion suit against her former driver, claiming he demanded $2.8 million or else he'd tell the media and authorities secrets he overheard while driving the star. Lopez is suing for damages in excess of $20 million.

• After the massive success of "The Avengers," the film's writer/director Joss Whedon will return to pen and direct the sequel. Disney executives announced the good news Tuesday on a shareholders call.

• NBC has purchased a "Freakonomics"-inspired drama project titled "Pariah" from Lionsgate Television and Kelsey Grammer’s Grammnet Prods. In the show, the Mayor of San Diego appoints a rogue academic with no law enforcement background to run a task force using Freakonomics-inspired alternative methods of policing. Clearly, chaos ensues.

• For the first time since news of the cheating scandal broke, Kristen Stewart's "Snow White" director Rupert Sanders has publicly reunited with his model-wife Liberty Ross at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. Meanwhile, Robert Pattinson will break his silence Monday when he appears on "The Daily Show."

• After Costco banned her Joan Rivers' new book "I Hate Everything ... Starting with Me" because of several racy jokes on the back cover, the comedian protested by handcuffing herself to a shopping cart at an L.A. store, saying "Costco should not be like Nazi Germany. Next thing they'll be burning the bible."
• Production has commenced on the revived comedy "Arrested Development." Show star Jason Bateman, who plays Michael Bluth, gave his twitter followers a sneak peek from set, writing "First day. Away we go... pic.twitter.com/ci8rXy78,"

SEE ALSO: Jennifer Lawrence negotiating $10M paycheck for "Hunger Games" sequel >

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Russell Simmons may be worth an estimated $325 million, but that doesn't mean his two daughters have unlimited spending power.

On a recent back-to-school shopping spree at J.Crew in East Hampton, the music and Phat Farm clothing mogul treated his daughters to some new threads.

But Ming Lee, 12, and Aoki Lee, 9, were each given a budget ... $750, a source told the New York Post.

At around $40 for a girls shirt at the preppy retailer, that's roughly 19 brightly-colored, striped, graphic long-sleeved shirts each.

After dad gave the go-ahead, the girls then went and grabbed items as Simmons sat in a comfy chair and talked on his cellphone, according to the Post source.

Simmons confirmed the report to Page Six, saying “School shopping can get expensive.”

SEE ALSO: The 14 most famous kids in college this semester >

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Well, this is awkward.

If Rob Kardashian is going to attend the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law, he might want to let them know.

The reality TV fixture tweeted Monday that he would soon be heading back to his undergraduate alma mater.

But on Wednesday, USC Law responded by claiming Kardashian is far from attending any classes.

The reality star didn't take to Twitter to clear up the confusion, but rather maintain his allegiance to his alma mater.

So to sum it up, Rob Kardashian was, and still is, not a law student. But he is a socktrapreneur.

SEE ALSO: How to cook for the Kardashians >

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"Girls" creator Lena Dunham is helping usher The New Yorker into the digital age by creating a quirky short film to promote the mag's new iPhone app.

The video stars Jon Hamm as a talk show host and Dunham's "Girls" co-star Alex Karpovsky as her assistant.

Watch below.

SEE ALSO: 80s alien sitcom star "ALF" is returning—to the big screen >

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Aviva Nash, CEO of Drum Cafe, is suing Fox News, its commentators Bill O'Reilly, Greta Van Susteren, and network reporter Juliet Huddy for alleged defamation and infliction of emotional distress.

The suit comes after comments in which she alleges the Fox News personalities accused her of being a con artist and stealing taxpayers' money. The comments were made on a July 19 episode of "On the Record With Greta Van Susteren" and a July 24 episode of "The O'Reilly Factor."

• See the video below.

Fox News spent that week covering a report that the inspector general for the General Services Administration was looking into the cost of the agency's 2010 awards ceremony, which cost $270,000. One of the expenses was $21,000 for 4,000 drumsticks for attendees to participate in a drumming presentation.

Huddy referred to the woman leading the presentation in the clip on "O'Reilly" as "this little hippy-dippy chick," which Nash said was humiliating. 

On Van Susteren's show, she said it was "unbelievably insane to take taxpayer money to do something like that."

The shows made it unclear whether the Drum Cafe provided the drumsticks or if the clips used were just stock footage. When asked to clarify, Nash's attorney RIchard Ancowitz told The Hollywood Reporter "the drums belonged to Drum Cafe," and the comments made were "negligent, reckless, malicious, and irresponsible behavior."

Nash told THR she is not insane, and has been falsely accused of engaging in a criminal enterprise. 

Drum Cafe's website describes itself as "building teams… one beat at a time." It also says they opened the 2008 Beijing Olympics and have performed for Nelson Mandela, Elton John, Will Smith, and Oprah Winfrey, among others. 

Check out the "O'Reilly Factor" clip mentioned in the lawsuit below: 

SEE ALSO: Colbert Slams Fox News For Olympic Comments >

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The MTV audience may love Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jennifer "JWoww" Farley, but New Jersey? Not so much. 

The Point Pleasant Beach Council unanimously voted against a request from 495 Productions to tape "Jersey Shore" spinoff "Snooki & JWoww" in their town. 

"It's not what the town needs at this point," said Councilman William Mayer to the Asbury Park Press.

Toms River also turned down the series.  

The rejection comes just a week after the production decided not to film in Morristown, after initially planning to shoot there from August 9 to mid-October.

Between filming, pregnant Polizzi lives with her fiancé Jionni LaValle in East Hanover, which, like Morristown, is in Morris County, NJ.

No word yet if the company will reconsider the area—popular for its bar scene and American Revolution history—now that they are behind schedule on season two without a location. 

The first season of "Snooki & JWoww" premiered in June and filmed in Jersey City after being denied by Hoboken. 

SEE ALSO: 'Jersey Shore' cast tells voters to 'flex' their political muscles in 2012 election >

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• Good news, "Hangover" fans. Heather Graham may have sat out the super successful film's sequel, but the actress will resume her role as lovable stripper Jade for the franchise's third installment. The movie, which shoots this fall, also reunites Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms.

• Billy Crystal is set to receive a whopping $4 million from publisher Henry Holt and Co. to pen a book on aging, just in time for Crystal's 65th birthday. We'll leave the snarky irony of this to Vulture.
  

• Sean Penn is getting back into the director's chair with "Crazy for the Storm," based on Norman Ollestad's memoir about his "relationship [as an 11-year-old] with his father and how the skills his father instilled in him helped him survive after a plane crash stranded him on a mountaintop." Didn't Penn already direct "Into the Wild"?
• Amy Winehouse's ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil is in a coma after a reported drug and alcohol binge. Amy's father, Mitch Winehouse, tweeted Thursday: "Terrible news about Blake this morning. Remember Amy loved him. Let’s pray for his recovery."
• Joe Simpson, Jessica's pastor father, was arrested for DUI in Los Angeles after officers got the feeling he was intoxicated.
• Bobbi Kristina honored her late mother Whitney Houston, who would have turned 49 yesterday, by having the singer's initials tattooed on her wrist.
• Meet Alan Ritchson, who, it was just announced, will play Gloss in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." Ritchson, who is best known for his roles on FX’s “Blue Mountain State” and “Smallville,” joins a cast that includes fellow newcomers Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jena Malone.

SEE ALSO: 15 movie quotes you're saying wrong >

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It took just 158 backers to reach the Kickstarter funding goal for Mark Staufer's ebook, thanks in large part to friend Russell Crowe.

The actor donated $25,000 of the $75,000 needed so Staufer could create "The Numinous Place" which, according to the Kickstarter pitch:

"has the visual impact of a Hollywood blockbuster, and the pace, depth and intrigue of an irresistible work of fiction... We artfully merge video, audio, images and text to reveal the greatest conspiracy of all time… It's like if The Da Vinci Code came to life in your hands showing you actual video footage of the clues and interviews with suspects, presented the real life historical documents and artifacts, and played you recordings of crucial pieces of evidence." 

"The Numinous Place is going to change the way you experience books," Staufer tells M2Woman magazine. "And much of the narrative takes place in New Zealand where Russell and I both grew up. I think that's one of the reasons he's been so supportive. He and I both get homesick, and the book with its audio and video components answers a call of the heart when we can't get back to our country of birth."

The funding launched on July 10 and ran for one month, reaching its goal with hours remaining, which would not have been possible without Crowe's substantial contribution. 

Staufer told M2Woman that he and Crowe are currently working on a biopic of comedian Bill Hicks, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1994 at age 32. Crowe is set to direct. 

SEE ALSO: The future of 3D gaming also just reached its funding goal on Kickstarter >

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Deborah Ann Woll plays the young vampire Jessica Hamby on HBO's sexy hit, "True Blood." Now in season five, Woll's a veteran on the show. 

But what else do we know about the young redhead who has heated up Bon Temps?

For one thing, she's not a real redhead. 

Before life as a fiery vampire, Woll had minor roles on big television shows, and starred in a few films.

She's starred alongside A-list actors and Oscar winners including Bruce Willis and Robert Duvall.  

If "True Blood" doesn't last much longer on HBO, Woll has a career in film ahead of herself. 

Woll is a Brooklyn native.

The Irish and German actress doesn't come from a family of actors.

Woll's father is an architect and her mother is a teacher. 

She wasn't interested in acting until high school.

According to askmen.com, Woll grew up dancing to swing and Latin music and playing the piano. 

She later performed in school plays. 

From there, Woll studied in a plethora of acting venues. She graduated from USC's School of Theatre with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting.  

She also completed time in a Shakespeare program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. 

She grew up loving scary films.

Woll shared her favorite horror movies with H magazine in August 2009: 

"… Growing up I always loved 'Alien,' 'The Exorcist,' and the original 'Haunting' with Julie Harris," said Woll. "'The Haunting' would keep me up at night."

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• Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are engaged!  Theroux's rep confirmed the news that the actor/screenwriter popped the question, “Justin Theroux had an amazing birthday on Friday, receiving an extraordinary gift when his girlfriend, Jennifer Aniston, accepted his proposal of marriage."
• Here's what happened inside Warner Bros. CEO Barry Meyers' Obama fundraiser in Los Angeles with Michelle Obama and Chelsea Handler.

• Miley Cyrus chopped her hair off into an edgy, bleach blonde 'do Sunday night, tweeting, "Never felt more me in my whole life. LOVE my hair. feel so happy, pretty, and free.” During a past interview with ABC, Cyrus foreshadowed the cut: “One day I’m going to cut my hair like [Twiggy], I know I am” she said, referencing a photo of the British model framed in her dressing room. “I will one day.”

• See Beyoncé's personal pics of Jay-Z and baby Blue Ivy she just posted on her Tumblr account.

• John Mayer and Katy Perry are officially dating and not trying to hide it during their Los Angeles rendezvous.
• Five things you didn't see on TV from Comedy Central's Roseanne roast.

• The Spice Girls gave fans what they wanted, what they really, really wanted on Sunday with a fantastic performance at the London Olympics’ Closing Ceremony. Watch the group perform “Wannabe” and “Spice Up Your Life" here.

SEE ALSO: Meet the real actress who plays the sexy, red-headed vampire on "True Blood" >

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Add it to the list of things NBC could have done better during their Olympics coverage.

During Sunday's coverage of the USA vs. Spain gold medal basketball game, NBC cameras found actor Jesse Eisenberg sitting in the audience and commentators quickly made note of his presence.

The only problem?

They mistook Eisenberg for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg—the character he played (and received an Oscar nomination for) in 2010's "The Social Network."

One com mentor then stated, “Every executive of note it seems worldwide is attending these games.”

Don't worry NBC (or Numbskull Broadcasting Company, as some call the network) only 215 million people have been watching the Olympics coverage.

Watch video of the snafu HERE.

SEE ALSO: Here's Everything You Missed From The Crazy Olympic Closing Ceremony >

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Marilyn Hagerty, the 86-year-old newspaper columnist whose review of the opening of an Olive Garden in Grand Forks, North Dakota, became an ironic global sensation in March, has won the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence, for lifetime achievement.

A typical line from her review: "My first visit to Olive Garden was during midafternoon, so I could be sure to get in."

Neuharth is the founder of USA Today, and Hagerty was his first editor—65 years ago.

Hagerty got the award for being "a model journalist dedicated to serving local communities through consistently fair, truthful and relevant coverage."

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Well that didn't take long.

Just days after revealing that late Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch's will forbid use of his music in any advertisements, the Beastie Boys are suing Monster Energy Drink for just that

Monster used the Beastie Boys' music and images without permission in a web ad for their "Ruckus in the Rockies" event which occurred on May 5. Yauch died of Cancer on May 4.

The suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in New York on Tuesday, says:

Monster caused a link to a downloadable audio recording (the "MP3") embodying a 23-minute medley of excerpts from the Beastie Boys Sound Recordings, the Beastie Boys Musical Compositions and the sound recordings and musical compositions comprising the additional Beastie Boys MP3 Copyrights … in conjunction with the Video, together with an offer that the MP3 was available for free download.

The songs in the "medley" included "Pass the Mic" and "So Whatcha Want."

The suit says that Yauch's estate, as well as remaining Boys Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz, are suing for copyright infringement and violation of the Latham act—which protects trademark and endorsement, seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction. 

They are also seeking damages of $150,000 for each individual infringement, which could end up being very costly since Monster allegedly sampled a mix tape. 

SEE ALSO: Yauch's will forbids use of his music and image in ads > 

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Ryan Seacrest wants to acquire Dick Clark Productions, the Golden Globes producers, according to Reuters.  

The "Idol" host is among bidders that have moved on to a second round including Colony Capital (Miramax owners), Guggenheim Partners, Core Media Group, and reportedly, CBS Corp.  

In addition to the Golden Globes, DCP also produces the American Music Awards, the Miss Universe Pageant, Fox's reality series, "So You Think You Can Dance," and the "Dick Clarks' New Year's Rockin' Eve."

It's no surprise the "American Idol" veteran wants in on DC Productions; after all, he cites the late Clark as a great source of inspiration. 

Seacrest joined the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" broadcast in 2006, working with Clark for six years and speaking fondly of his mentor after his passing.  

"I learned a great deal from him, and I’ll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me," said Seacrest. "He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world." 

Bidders have until August 31 to make an offer. 

SEE ALSO: The Insane Clown Posse is suing the FBI >

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Former Cosmopolitan editor, Helen Gurley Brown passed away today at a New York City hospital at the age of 90, according to a press release from Hearst.

An American author and publisher, Brown published the 1962 best-selling book "Sex and the Single Girl" before taking over at Cosmo, owned by Hearst, three years later in 1965.  

Brown remained editor for more than 30 years until 1997. She was married to the late David Brown, producer of "Jaws," "The Sting," and "Driving Miss Daisy."  

In 1995, Brown received the Henry Johnston Fisher Award from the Magazine Publishers of America and the ASME (American Society of Magazine Editors) Hall of Fame Award the following year in 1996. 

This past January, Brown donated $30m to Columbia and Stanford to create the David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation that will connect journalism programs on both coasts.  

The funds will be used to improve upon journalism technology available to both schools, with $6m going toward updates that will include a "state-of-the-art high-tech newsroom." 

"David and I have long supported and encouraged bright young people to follow their passions and to create original content,” said Brown in an announcement at the end of January. “Great content needs useable technology. Sharing a language is where the magic happens. It’s time for two great American institutions on the East and West Coasts to build a bridge. 

CEO of Hearst, Fran Bennack released the following statement:  

“Helen Gurley Brown was an icon. Her formula for honest and straightforward advice about relationships, career and beauty revolutionized the magazine industry. She lived every day of her life to the fullest and will always be remembered as the quintessential ‘Cosmo girl.’ She will be greatly missed.”

SEE ALSO: How the Beastie Boys Will Honor Adam Yauch's Will >

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Martha Stewart travels with three iPads, reports Mashable in an interview with the domestic icon.

What is each one for? The context is a little unclear from the interview, but it sounds like one is just for magazines, one is for watching movies, and one is for writing and emailing.

We're unsure why she wouldn't use a single iPad for all of these activities.

Also in her electronics arsenal:

• Two BlackBerrys -- one for phone calls, one for emails and Twitter

• An iPhone for taking pictures when she's forgotten her camera

• Two Canon cameras for taking pictures for her blog

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