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Robbie Williams was “dying” three years ago.

The ‘Bodies’ singer admits his spiral into addiction had got so bad that he was close to death in 2007, and didn’t care about it.

He said, “I was not in a good place. I was dying. I got to a point where I really, genuinely didn’t care.

“I’d just got fat and depressed before. Then this one was like, you might die, now. Cool!”

Robbie, 36, claims his addiction to drugs began in 1993, when he first took cocaine given to him by an unnamed 80s pop star.

He said, “I’d already tried speed, ecstasy and acid but never cocaine. I think it was a symptom of a problem personally for me, for my own make-up. And also professionally for me where I was, with the people that I was with and how we were being looked after.”

However since a trip to rehab in 2007 Robbie, who is engaged to actress Ayda Field, has been getting his life back on track, although he admits he did pile on the pounds last year because his overuse of the drug cannabis, known as weed, made him constantly hungry.

He told Radio Times magazine, “Did you see me last year? Have a look at last year. Year of the munchie, 2009. Weed, it’s such a lovely drug. It is such a lovely drug. But it doesn’t mix well with me – at all. It doesn’t take much to trigger- I mean, I’ll get psychosis from a cup of tea! Seriously. The caffeine in that is enough!”

Tim Burton returns to the big screen in his first 3D feature, and Burton fans won’t be disappointed with his whimsical take on the Lewis Carroll classic.

Returning some of Burton’s favorite actors to the screen together, Alice offers all the favorite flares of Burton’s movie making: rich visuals, zany characters, and strong CGI, delivering a treat that can be enjoyed by young and old.

Already set to become the second highest grossing movie of the year (after Avatar,) Alice has come in to mixed reviews. The often repeated criticism comes down to narrative, or specifically a claimed lack there of. But this is an unfair criticism, particularly among critics who praised Avatar for its Pocohantas with Aliens storyline.

The original Alice in Wonderland tale is one of pure fantasy, a story for the ages that some would argue defined the genre. The movie reflects this, be it with Burton’s own take.

The core of the story sees a grown Alice return to Wonderland to take on the Red Queen, and revisit the world from her childhood she recalls only as a dream.

The movie introduces the classic characters over various scenes, building to the climax at the end (no spoilers from me.)

To argue that the movie suffers from narrative is to ignore the very nature of the story, and shows a failure to appreciate it for what it is: this is a movie with waist coated rabbits, cards with swords, and other bizarre creatures. It is a pure flight of fantasy, and should be appreciated as such.

Australian actress Mia Wasikowska shines as Alice, bringing a haunting beauty and Victorian subtlety to the screen. Johnny Depp was made to play the Mad Hatter, and delivers the part strongly. Most other characters are rendered in CGI, but are so seamless the blend of people and computer animation truly has you believing you are in Wonderland.

The 3D isn’t Avatar spectacular, but very few movies in the years to come ever will be. The 3D though adds a vibrant depth to the visuals, and is in the most part used effectively.

If you prefer your movies with strong political statements and naked blue aliens, stick to Avatar. If you want a movie to enjoy for its richness without being preached to, one that delivers enjoyable escapism, you’ll love Alice in Wonderland

3 1/2 out of 4 stars.

Despite the best efforts of Fox to kill the show, sci-fi TV series Fringe has been renewed for a third season.

Fringe has struggled in the ratings since Fox moved it to Thursday nights, running it against The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, and CSI.

As EW.com explains:

Though the show isn’t exactly blowing the roof off of Nielsen — it’s been averaging just 7.6 million viewers and is ranked No. 50 in the all-important adults 18-49 demographic this season — it managed to survive in a tough new time period on Thursdays.

Created by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Fringe stars the stunning Australian actress Anna Torv.

Comedienne Roseanne Barr took to her blog to blast the Mormon church for its anti-gay rhetoric, speculating that the pressure drove Marie Osmond’s son Michael Blosil to commit suicide in Los Angeles last week.

Barr doesn’t attack Osmond (much) directly, instead blaming the institutionalized homophobia in the Mormon church for driving Michael to suicide:

because he had been told how wrong and how sick he was every day of his life by his church and the people in it. Calling that “depression” is a lie!

Gerald Lund one of the ex church apostles has three gay kids himself.

Yet, even though the people they say they love the most in all of their public displays and speeches (THEIR KIDS AND FAMILY!!) are gay,– their own children,for crying out loud- these people cannot find the christian decency and compassion within themselves to stop their hypocritical gay bashing!!

Barr goes on to take a minor swipe at Osmond, urging her to advocate for kids like Michael in the same way she advocates for

Marie please don’t talk about how your faith in your church has helped you get through this one! Please get some integrity and tell that church of yours that you will leave it and stop giving it ten percent of your money if they don’t stop trying to destroy your kids’ and all gay people’s civil rights and dreams and hopes!!

G-d is trying to use you for something good and this is your opportunity! Your church is wrong and on the wrong wrong wrong side of things! Get as vocal about that as you are about your diet. G-d bless you too, Marie.

Osmond has not commented on the issue.

[via]

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher played dominoes for charity last night, March 4.

The pair were taking part in the third annual Pre-Oscar Hollywood Domino Gala charity event alongside a number of celebrities including Eva Longoria Parker, Kelly Brook, Jamie Foxx and Nicky Hilton.

The event, which took place at Bar 210 at the Beverly Hilton hotel, was not a comfortable one for British actress Kelly, whose ex-boyfriend Jason Statham was also in attendance.

A source told the MailOnline website, “She looked stunning and Jason was there with his girlfriend – he didn’t want the pair meeting.

“Rather than risk an awkward encounter, he didn’t sit down for dinner straight away.

“It was a pretty awkward situation. Kelly’s name is a no-go with Jason’s friends – no reference was made to her being there all night.”

Jason and Kelly dated for seven years before she ended the relationship after falling for ‘Titanic’ actor Billy Zane. She is now in a relationship with England rugby player Danny Cipriani.

Money from the charity game, which involves two tables of eight players fighting it out to lose all of their dominoes, is going towards children living in the earthquake-stricken nation of Haiti.

Megan Fox says sparks flew the first time Brian Austin Green touched her.

The ‘Transformers’ beauty, who rekindled her long-term romance with the former ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ actor last year after a brief split, was instantly attracted to him and knew he was the one for her as soon as they had their first physical contact.

Talking about Brian making a guest appearance in 2004 on US sitcom ‘Hope and Faith’, in which Megan had one of the main roles, she said, “I didn’t know who Brian was, but I liked him right away. Everyone was around the monitor watching a scene, and Brian accidentally touched my leg. I remember literal electricity shooting through me and out of me from every direction. It was like magic.”

The 23-year-old actress says Brian, 36, is her “rock” and gives her the stability she craves.

She told Harper’s Bazaar magazine, “Since I was 18, I’ve been a lot of different people. I’ve grown up, I’ve regressed, it’s been difficult. But Brian makes me happy. I feel safe and he is my sense of home. My rock. I need that when all is unstable.”

In a not-so-shocking American Idol twist, the show’s producers are still milking Crystal Bowersox’s illness for “is she or isn’t she coming back?” speculation, just hours ahead of the competition.

Bowersox, the bohemian contestant with dreadlocks and a husky-sexy voice, prompted a last minute Idol lineup switch last night. Also known on the show for being mom to a little boy, Bowersox was pronounced too ill to perform on last night’s show. Due to her illness, said to be related to Type 1 Diabetes, the male contestants replaced the female ones on Tuesday night’s show. (At this point, I’m kind of almost expecting some Vince McMahon style on-show drama, even though I’m not doubting Bowersox is really sick.)

Surprisingly, however, Idol officials say that Bowersox may be eliminated to night if she fails to get clearance to perform. (It wouldn’t be this season’s first totally unfair dismissal, fellow heartstring-tugging contestant Chris Golightly was wrongly booted from the Top 24 when a former manager misinformed Idol flack that Golightly was still under contract. Golightly was replaced with Tim Urban.)

USA Today quoted American Idol executive producer Ken Warwick on the possible elimination of Crystal Bowersox due to her illness:

Warwick said he was hoping to get an update on Crystal’s status mid-day today, but he also indicated that, should Crystal be unable to perform on tonight’s show, Idol would likely disqualify her and eliminate only one of tonight’s performing contestants.

“If you’re in the Olympics and you’re going for the semi-final, for the final, if you don’t turn up, you don’t get straight through to the final,” Warwick said.

Okay, but one is a competition gathering the world’s top athletes and one is a Karaoke contest. Below, the clip of Warwick discussing Bowersox’s future on the show and under that, a clip of Bowersox performing Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” prior to her Idol stint.

Lindsay Lohan thinks her dad is “nuts” and should be in rehab.

The ‘Mean Girls’ actress has blasted Michael Lohan’s claims that she needs to seek help for alleged problems with substance abuse, insisting he only speaks out about her because he is desperate for attention.

She said, “I’m not really speaking to him. Him saying those things is the last thing that’s going to get me to speak to him and I’ve told him that.

“He’s nuts. He is someone who is crying out for help and attention. He is the one who should be in rehab. He has been on and off like this my whole life.

“The real issue here? I don’t condone that he has never paid child support. He has never stepped up. It’s not fair, my mom has been such a great mother and has done such a great job raising us.”

Despite her unhappiness with her father’s behavior, Lindsay insists she is “grateful” to him because he brought her family, including her mother Dina, sister Ali and brothers Michael Jr. and Cody, closer together.

She added to Britain’s OK! magazine, “I’m very tight with my siblings and mom and my grandmother, so I’m lucky.

“In a way, I’m grateful for how he has behaved, because it’s brought us closer together. We’re very protective of each other.”

TV presenter Kristian Digby, of the BBC show To Buy or Not to Buy, was found dead in his East London flat.

Digby, 32, was found at 7:45am when police responded to a report that a body had been found. Calling the circumstances under which Digby died “unexplained,” Scotland Yard said that Newham CID are investigating his death and that an autopsy would be performed. During his career, Digby appeared on TV’s Nightlife, BBC shows That Gay Show and The Holiday Show, and was series director on The Million Pound Property Experiment.

A spokesman for the BBC released the following statement:

“Kristian was a much-loved and talented presenter for BBC Daytime.

“He brought a real sense of energy and warmth to all the shows he presented for us and will be sorely missed.

“Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.”

Digby’s agent Jo Wander also commented on Digby’s death:

“I am devastated by the loss. He was a lovely guy and a very talented presenter and director. I will miss him hugely and my thoughts at this time are with his family and his many friends. He will be sorely missed.”

[Image: BBC]

Sean Penn saved two lives in Haiti yesterday, February 25.

The Oscar-winning actor was on a rescue mission in the earthquake hit Caribbean nation when he discovered an orphaned child and a woman badly injured in a collapsed building.

The pair are believed to have been trapped after a small aftershock, and the 49-year-old actor, who runs the Jenkins-Penn Haitian Relief Organization, drove with his 19-year-old daughter Dylan to rescue them.

Sean managed to free the pair before personally driving them to the University of Miami hospital camp in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.

The ‘Milk’ star then waited for both the woman and child to be treated for their injuries before taking them back to his home as they had nowhere else to go.

Sean recently returned to Haiti following a three-week stint helping survivors.

He said, “We have to save Haiti. Relocation is, right now, the primary focus.”

He also admitted he may pull out of the ‘Three Stooges’ movie as he’s “not in a very funny state of mind right now”.

A number of celebrities have gone to Haiti to help with rescue efforts, including ‘Bad Boys’ singer Alexandra Burke and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.