Anna Nicole Jury Selection Begins: Do You Have What It Takes?

Were you called for jury duty in Los Angeles County this week? And, if so, do you believe that doctors, hospitals and pharmacies should be permitted to use an alias or false name to protect a celebrity's privacy?

That's one of 107 questions being presented to the pool of prospective jurors in the upcoming trial of Anna Nicole Smith's companion, Howard K. Stern, and two of her doctors, all of whom are accused of faciliating the prescription-drug habit that ultimately killed her.

And aside from the usual "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" portion of the questionnaire, both the prosecution and the defense want to know a lot about the 12 men and women (plus three alternates) they ultimately pick to sit on their jury.

View the questionnaire.

For starters (actually, question No. 44), people are being asked where they get most of their news and entertainment and whether they follow celebrity cases in particular ("e.g.: Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan, etc.").

There's also a lengthy section on pretrial publicity, and presuming the potential juror hasn't been living under a rock for four years, he/she could have a lot of explaining to do regarding how much they've heard about Smith's life and death, as well as the death of her son Daniel, her relationship with Stern and Larry Birkhead, and her daughter Dannielynn.

Both sides also want to know whether jurors ever watched The Anna Nicole Show on E! (No. 67) and, if so, how many episodes, and whether they caughter Smith's rather loopy appearance on the American Music Awards (No. 68), where she asked the audience if they liked her TrimSpa-slimmed body and introduced "my boy, Kanye West!"

Then there's the part about doctors, and whether you've ever had any bad experiences with one or more of them, have friends who are doctors, or have ever considered suing one.

"Should doctors be treated differently from others if they break the law?" asks question No. 86. (We're thinking the answer to that one matters.)

Then the potential jurors are asked if they've ever had a prescription drug problem or suffered from conditions such as chronic pain or a psychological or emotional condition.

"Have you, a relative, or friend ever been prescribed, or do you have any familiarity with, any of the following," the questionnaire asks, thereby listing 51 drugs, from Ambien to Xanax.

That's a pretty broad question, but hey, the lawyers have to invade everyone's privacy be thorough, right?

The 14-page form wraps up with a lenghty list of potential witnesses and asks people to indicate whether they personally know a person, saw him/her on TV or the Internet, or don't know of him/her at all.

Among the more recognizable names among the 94 on the list, which includes dozens of doctors, are Larry Birkhead and Dr. Cyril Wecht, the privately hired pathologist who performed autopsies on Smith's son Daniel and, later, on Smith herself.

Opening statements are scheduled to begin Aug. 4 and the trial is expected to last roughly three months.

Stern, psychiatrist Khristine Eroshevich and physician Sandeep Kapoor have pleaded not guilty on all counts.



Read more: http://www.eonline.com/

Oksana: I Didn't Want Mel Gibson's Money

Sources connected with Oksana Grigorieva tell TMZ ... there is one reason and one reason only she ultimately turned down $15 million from Mel Gibson -- she did not want him to have unsupervised visitation with Lucia.

TMZ broke the story ... Oksana agreed during her mediation with Mel in May to a $15 million package. In return, she promised to keep all of the "evidence" confidential -- which included the secret tapes.

As we reported, Oksana and Mel signed a one-page agreement, but when the longer form document was later presented to Oksana, we're told she balked because it included a clause which gave Mel unsupervised visitation.

Our sources say Oksana felt Lucia was in danger and said she would turn down "any amount of money" to keep Mel from unsupervised visitation.

UPDATE: Moments ago, Oksana was asked what she wanted to get out of her battle with Mel ... and she responded, "Just my child. I'm fighting for the life of my child."

From: http://www.tmz.com/

Preen’s Co-Designers to Outfit the Most Fashionable 2-Year-Old Ever

Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi.

Preen co-designers Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi have been working together for almost fifteen years, over which their aesthetic has evolved from British punk to power dresses. Recently the duo has partnered on a slew of collaborations: first with Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes on blazers and trousers for fall 2010 ("something for the Preen girl to go to work in," says Thornton), then on a jewelry collection with Egypt-based designer Azza Fahmy (a line which'll be available online in September). And now, the pair is setting its sights on a smaller clientele — Mini Preen, a children's line — and working on its spring 2011 collection. We chatted with the designers about kids' fashion, rolling with the velvet trend, and what they're currently coveting (a Jeff Koons balloon-dog sculpture, for one).

You've both expressed interest in designing a children's line. How's it developing?
JT: We're taking our time with it. We have a daughter who's nearly two, and Thea would like to literally do tiny versions of our clothes — like Mini Preen, minus the cocktail dresses.
TB: I want to design really cool, practical, easy pieces. Since having Fauve, I realized there is just not that much great children's wear out there.

What kind of person wears your designs?
JT: When we're designing, we generally think of girls we know — it's kind of the cool, modern girl for every occasion.
TB: It's an amalgamation of our friends, really.

How has the label evolved over the years?
JT: When we first started, we were really into recycling and looking at vintage pieces. Now it's almost like we're cutting up and recycling our own designs. There are pieces that travel with us and are reincarnated each season.

Who are your favorite designers?
JT: My all-time favorite is Geoffrey Beene. I just really like his clean lines and modern approach to fashion.
TB: I love the old greats, like Madeleine Vionnet, Coco Chanel, and Cristobal Balenciaga.

What's the first designer item you ever bought?
JT: I know what Thea's is. She spent her whole student grant — a year's worth of money — on a pair of Vivienne Westwood shoes.
TB: Yes, probably either the prostitute shoes or the mini-crini.

Looks from the Preen resort collection.

How would you describe your personal style?
JT: It's quite relaxed, a little bit preppy. I wear a lot of Levi's jeans, button-down shirts, and T-shirts. I also have a really sharply tailored jacket that I throw over everything.

What trends are you appreciating right now?
TB: Longer silhouettes feel modern and cool at the moment.

Any trends you're ready to see retired?
JT: As a designer, when you see something you dislike, you challenge yourself to find something to like in it. I'm not crazy about velvet, but that doesn't mean we won't be using it next winter.
TB: I never say never.

What's one item you're saving up to buy?
JT: I would like a Range Rover Sport — it's my dream car. I'm also saving up to buy Thea a Birkin bag, though that may be one of those things she gets when we retire. We'll see what comes first, the car or the Birkin.
TB: A Jeff Koons balloon dog in pink and a Chanel Chocolat watch in black or white.

What should every woman have in her closet?
TB: Great underwear.
JT: A great white shirt; the same goes for men.

What's something you never leave the house without?
JT: At the moment, it's a pair of vintage tortoise shell sunglasses.
TB: My Smythson Portobello diary.

From: http://nymag.com/

Swedish designer Ulrika Bogö lands in New York

New York, NY – After receiving widespread recognition in the European press (You And Your Wedding, Conde Nast’s Brides, Wedding Day, OK Magazine) Ulrika Bogö has moved to the United States to pursue her career as a designer of premium quality Wedding and Bridesmaid dresses.

A uniquely Scandinavian approach to design, coupled with an eclectic education in France and Italy, have lent Ulrika Bogö dresses an immediately recognizable aesthetic. The chic simplicity of her design is the perfect antidote to the clichéd bows and ribbons associated with run-of-the-mill Wedding and Occasion wear.

Ulrika’s move to Los Angeles in 2008 immediately attracted the attention of the Hollywood glitterati; her dresses winning praise from Rosario Dawson and Rhona Mitra within her first year of production. In 2009, she moved to New York with her husband, rock musician Ed Vallance, and began work on a new collection. This 2010 Winter collection will focus on a range of Wedding and Bridesmaid dresses in organic hemp and silk fabrics.” Ulrika will be opening her new line in a Brooklyn, NY boutique in Winter 2010.

From: http://www.fashionnews.com/

Sandra Bullock's Alleged Stalker Back in Her Life

Here's one familiar face Sandra Bullock isn't anxious to see.

The Oscar winner obtained a temporary restraining order Monday to shore up her defenses against a guy she alleges has been stalking her off and on since 2003.

Thomas James Weldon was permanently ordered to stay away from her in 2003 after repeated attempts to send her messages and gifts and Bullock was granted an extension in 2006, but it expired last year.

And according to the Blind Side star, the 41-year-old Weldon is back to his old tricks.

Per her filing in Los Angeles Superior Court, an unmedicated Weldon showed up in a Wyoming emergency room last month complaining of anxiety and exhaustion and told the staff he'd spent all night driving from Tennessee to get to Bullock's home in Jackson Hole.

This time around, Bullock's adopted son, Louis, is listed as a person who requires protection from Weldon, in addition to the actress, her nanny, housekeeper and assistant.

View the request.

Labeled an "unmedicated schizophrenic" by Bullock's attorney, Weldon voluntarily checked into a Tennessee psychiatric facility in 2003. The actress' production company sued the state's Department of Mental Health three years later to ensure that she was notified when Wheldon was discharged.

A hearing on her latest request is scheduled for Aug. 6.



From: http://www.eonline.com/

Lindsay Lohan -- Out of the Frying Pan ...

Lindsay Lohan's assistant was spotted lugging some major baggage out of the sober living house where Linds has been since last week.

The good news is LiLo won't have to pack nearly as much for the trip to Lynwood Correctional Facility tomorrow.

From: http://www.tmz.com/