Hip-hop megastar Kanye West, 31, and a companion – described as his road manager (by the Los Angeles Times) or his bodyguard (Associated Press) – were arrested Thursday at L.A. International Airport after they reportedly had a confrontation with a photographer.
Police say West, who was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism, and his unnamed friend (felony vandalism and battery) faced off with a number of paparazzi at the American Airlines terminal and had an altercation with one (unnamed) photographer, allegedly smashing his camera, which is valued at more than $10,000.
Meanwhile, TMZ.com reports that when one of its cameramen began shooting the incident as it was occurring, West grabbed his equipment and threw it to the ground.
As of Thursday afternoon, police were continuing to interview witnesses and were expected to book West later in the day.
SQUEEZING OUT MORE BLOOD
No doubt eager to reap another gazillion dollars in profits from the Batman epic “The Dark Knight,â€Â which has earned the studio a mere $512 million since its July release (making it the second-highest-grossing movie of all time in the U.S.), Warner Bros. will rerelease the picture in early January.
The Hollywood Reporter says money is not Warner̢۪s only craven motive: The studio hopes to inspire members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to nominate Christopher Nolan̢۪s flick for an Oscar, or a dozen. (Odds are the late Heath Ledger will garner a supporting-actor nod.)
HOTTEST SONGS EVER
According to Billboard, rock pioneer Chubby Checker’s classic tune “The Twist,â€Â which helped inspire a global dance craze, is the single most popular No. 1 hit single of the last half century.
“I’m glad they’ve finally recognized it,â€Â Checker, 66, said of his song, which ruled the charts twice, in 1960 and 1962. C.C. said the tune was as important to history as the creation of the telephone.
Santana’s “Smooth,â€Â featuring Rob Thomas, is the No. 2 most popular, followed by Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife,â€Â LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live,â€Â and the perpetrator of that other dance craze, “The Macarenaâ€Â by Los Del Rio.
THE EGO AND THE BEAUTY
Insufferable, foul-mouthed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and soccer mom extraordinaire Victoria Beckham are reportedly opening an eatery in L.A. E!Online suggests this is the super-svelte Posh Spice̢۪s way to prove that she does, indeed, eat food.
BUFFET-ED BY BUFFETT, WOUK READS
In a charming scene out of the Beat Generation, a barefoot Jimmy Buffett strummed on his guitar Wednesday night at the Library of Congress as Herman Wouk, 93, read from his journals. The event was part of a celebration of Wouk, who has been awarded the library̢۪s first prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Writing of Fiction.
GIVE IT UP, WOUK! LAUREN̢۪S ON THE CASE
Literature is about to have its final reckoning, its bloody apocalypse: Lauren Conrad, charitably described by Gawker.com as “the pleasantly vacant star of scripted reality show ‘The Hills,’â€Â has signed a three-book deal with HarperCollins to pen a series of novels for young adults. The theme will challenge Lauren’s imaginative muscles: As Gawker puts it, it’s “about a girl who moves to Los Angeles and ‘unexpectedly’ ends up starring in a reality show.â€Â