Posted Nov 26th 2009 8:43AM by TMZ Staff
Tyler Perry used too much of the goodness of Jesus in his movie, "Madea Goes to Jail," at least according to a new federal lawsuit obtained by TMZ.
The suit, filed by the personal representative of deceased gospel singer/songwriter Bertha James, claims Perry lifted an entire verse from a song James wrote in 1950 -- "When I Think of the Goodness of Jesus."
The suit claims Perry pilfered the verse and used it in "Madea" -- specifically, "incorporating the entire Chorus in a monologue delivered by the main character in 'Madea" referencing her deliverance from a jail sentence and leniency for repetitive criminal conduct, in a staged court proceeding presided over by 'Judge Mabeline.'"
Bertha's estate, which is also suing Lionsgate Entertainment, wants unspecified damages for copyright infringement.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Movies, Exclusives
Tags: bertha james, BerthaJames, copyright infringement, CopyrightInfringement, jesus, lawsuit, lionsgate, lionsgate entertainment, LionsgateEntertainment, madea goes to jail, MadeaGoesToJail, praise jesus, PraiseJesus, tyler perry, TylerPerry, when i think of the goodness of jesus, WhenIThinkOfTheGoodnessOfJesus
Posted Nov 25th 2009 1:20PM by TMZ Staff
Cops tell TMZ the 17-year-old girl who claimed a rabid "Twilight" fan bit her on the neck while she was leaving a screening of the movie was lying through her teeth ... and now the false claim could end up biting her in the ass.
Erin Westrate initially told cops a male in his 40s bit her on the neck at a movie theater in Norton Shores, Michigan after she saw "New Moon" on Friday night.
Cops say they grilled Westrate after a witness told cops they watched her leave the theater ... and didn't see any biting. We're told Westrate then came clean -- telling cops the alleged culprit was simply kissing her on the neck at the time and she was a "willing participant."
Detective Lieutenant Timothy LaVigne of the Norton Shores Police Department tells us Westrate could now face criminal charges for filing a false police report over the incident.
Filed under: Movies, Twilight, Exclusives
Tags: neck bite, NeckBite, Twilight, Twilight saga, TwilightSaga, vampires
Posted Nov 24th 2009 1:00PM by TMZ Staff
Tom Cruise jumped off a six-story building yesterday -- face first -- and lived.
Cruise launched himself off the building for an upcoming movie he's shooting in Austria -- in which he's doing just about all of his own stunts.
During the shoot, Tom is literally dangling on the side of the building, connected only by a few cables.
Then again, he's not your average SP.
Filed under: Movies, Tom & Katie, Photo Galleries
Tags: austria, doing his own stars, DoingHisOwnStars, gallery, katie holmes, KatieHolmes, photo gallery, PhotoGallery, pictures, stunts, tom cruise, TomCruise
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 2:50PM by TMZ Staff
His big claim to fame is jumping out of a trunk naked -- and his parents couldn't be more proud!
We got a clothed Ken Jeong waiting to pick up his parental units Saturday at LAX -- very cool by the way -- where he said his mom and pops had actually seen "The Hangover" in all its glory ... and were watching it again on the flight.
FYI -- According to Ken, the plane version ... not as genital heavy.
Filed under: Movies
Tags: airplane, airport, community, ken jeong, KenJeong, lax, the hangover, TheHangover
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 1:35PM by TMZ Staff
Here's the kind of "Twilight" merchandise you really don't want your kids getting their hands on -- baggies of heroin with a cartoon of Rob Pattinson's face printed on them.
DEA Special Agent Erin McKenzie-Mulvey tells us the heroin baggies with "Twilight" characters were seized recently in West Hempstead, Long Island. The "Twilight"-themed baggies have been gaining popularity over the last couple of months.
New York Special Agent in Charge John Gilbride tells TMZ a dime bag of heroin in New York is cheaper than a six pack of beer.
Filed under: Movies, Twilight, Exclusives
Tags: DEA, heroin, new york, NewYork, rob pattinson, RobPattinson, twilight
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 8:30AM by TMZ Staff
If you were wise enough to stay through the credits for "The Hangover" you saw the digital camera pics of their lost Vegas weekend -- but here are some you didn't see.
We got our mitts on these never-before-seen pics that didn't make the final cut of the movie. Included in the bunch -- arm wrestling with Carrot Top, dancing with cowboys, and sleeping on a craps table, Sorry, no elevator oral sex pics in the bunch.
Look at these photos one time -- then delete them.
Filed under: Movies, Hot Vegas, Photo Galleries
Tags: dvd, las vegas, LasVegas, never seen, NeverSeen, photos, special feature, SpecialFeature, the hangover, TheHangover
Posted Nov 21st 2009 4:30AM by TMZ Staff
The "Twilight: New Moon" house is getting more attention than the realtor can handle -- except it's mostly from crazed fans who just want to get closer to Rob Pattinson ... you know, by sleeping on the same floors he once walked on.
TMZ spoke with Jason Soprovich, who tells us he's been inundated with emails from "house stalkers" -- mostly female Twi-hards who have no intention of buying the house and just want to stay there for a little while.
Because who knows ... maybe they'll find a strand of RPattz's hair lying around and their lives will be complete.
All the crazy emails aside, Jason's still close to selling the place -- so far, a few serious buyers have already expressed interest.
Filed under: Movies, Twilight, Rob Pattinson, Exclusives
Tags: house, real estate, RealEstate, realtor, robert pattinson, RobertPattinson, stalkers, twilight
Posted Nov 21st 2009 3:00AM by TMZ Staff
With the "Twilight: New Moon" movie flooding your brains, it's difficult to keep these beefcakes organized. So consider these photos your "Twilight" hottie homework.
Filed under: Movies, Photo Galleries, Twilight, Rob Pattinson
Tags: celebrity, gossip, kristen stewart, KristenStewart, movie, new moon, NewMoon, robert pattinson, RobertPattinson, saga, taylor lautner, TaylorLautner, twilight, twilight new moon, TwilightNewMoon
Posted Nov 17th 2009 11:55AM by TMZ Staff
Hell hath no fury like a "Twi-hard" scorned ... fortunately, Kellan Lutz is one talented unscorner.
Amidst the chaos at last night's big Westwood premiere of "New Moon," one extremely passionate mama went off on some of the stars when they wouldn't stop to sign autographs.
But while her daughter wretched with embarrassment, mama's tactics eventually worked -- she somehow got Kellan's attention and the dude actually stopped to take some pics with her extremely lucky daughter!
Forget about the Wolf Pack or the Volturi -- the TwilightMOMS are the ones to watch out for.
Filed under: Movies, Twilight
Tags: edi gathegi, EdiGathegi, kellan lutz, KellanLutz, new moon, NewMoon, robert pattinson, RobertPattinson, twi-hards, twilight, twilightmoms, volturi, wolf pack, WolfPack
Posted Nov 16th 2009 1:00PM by TMZ Staff
"Twilight: New Moon" can drive you to the poor house .... that is, if you spend the $3.3 million asking price to buy the house featured in the flicks.
We've learned the Vancouver "Cullen House" -- three floors, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and with air once breathed by Robert Pattinson -- is now available for purchase ... but don't expect any "Twilight" stars to make another visit because the real estate agent tells us the studio's done with it.
We're also told the last owner is taking all of his "Twilight" memorabilia with him when he moves -- that really sucks.
Filed under: Movies, Photo Galleries, Twilight, Exclusives
Tags: house, movie, new moon, NewMoon, robert pattinson, robertpattinson, sale, twilight
Posted Nov 15th 2009 7:30AM by TMZ Staff
A guy who once won an Emmy for playing a serial killer just got killed off his own movie -- and we hear it got so ugly, cops had to haul his ass off the set.
Sources tell TMZ Pruitt Taylor Vince was starring and directing a movie in Louisiana called "Cameraman," when he got into a war with the movie's producer -- David Newton Cole -- over their artistic visions for the movie.
Our sources say the war went nuclear when Cole finally snapped and fired Vince in front of the entire crew -- and then had cops escort Vince's ass off the set.
We spoke to Cole, who told us: "Neither of us would compromise his artistic vision, and I am the producer so that is that. That's why they call it show business and not show art."
Cole immediately brought in a new director to replace Vince and finish the movie -- but so far nothing's been done to heal the gaping hole in Vince's dignity.
Filed under: Movies, Fights, Exclusives
Tags: cameraman, david newton cole, DavidNewtonCole, louisiana, pruitt taylor vince, PruittTaylorVince
Posted Nov 11th 2009 1:00AM by TMZ Staff
The Good Samaritan who found the script for "Twilight: New Moon" in a St. Louis dumpster -- and then returned it -- says the reward she got from the movie's production company is actually costing her big-time in the end.
Casey Ray tells TMZ she's grateful Summit Entertainment coughed up two tickets to the film's L.A. premiere and after party on November 16 -- but the cost of traveling expenses is biting her in the behind.
Ray says the round-trip tickets for her and her niece cost $1,200 -- plus another bundle to pay for a hotel and whatever other expenses the duo happens to rack up.
We spoke to a rep for Summit who says Ray's complaint comes as a complete surprise. The rep said Ray had no problems with the reward package -- which also includes a walk down the red carpet and a signed copy of the script by the movie's lead actors -- when she agreed on it back in May ... and Summit hasn't heard a peep from Ray since.
So the question is...
Filed under: Movies, Twilight, Exclusives
Tags: new moon, NewMoon, reward, script, summit entertainment, SummitEntertainment, twilight
Posted Nov 11th 2009 12:50AM by TMZ Staff
"Halloween" star Danielle Harris was just thrust into a real-life horror sequel -- when her longtime alleged stalker started following her again ... on Twitter. DUN DUN DUN!
Harris was granted a restraining order on October 28 against Christopher Small -- the same guy who was arrested for stalking her back in 1995.
This time around, Danielle claims he's been Trick-or-Tweeting her with messages like "by now you must realize i AM/was your real life" and "you will ROCK...you always did! ... Stalkr-approved =) ."
According to the restraining order, Small has to stay 200 yards away from Harris until 2012.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Movies, Exclusives
Tags: actress, arrested, danielle harris, DanielleHarris, halloween, restraining order, RestrainingOrder, stalker, twitter
