People : Urban’s still the king of country
Keith Urban hasn’t been able to do much in the way of promotion for his new album, since he entered alcohol rehab just as the media blitz was about to begin.
But that didn’t stop “Love, Pain, & the whole crazy thing” from debuting at the top of Billboard’s new country album chart, and reaching No. 3 on the pop chart.
It sold 267,000 copies, almost double the first-week sales for his 2004 album, “Be Here.”
Urban, 39, checked himself into rehab last month with his wife of four months, actress Nicole Kidman, by his side.
He had to cancel or postpone several TV appearances, including the Country Music Association awards show, where he won male vocalist of the year for the second straight time.
Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn instead read a letter from Urban thanking his friends and family – which record exec Bill Kennedy believes help boost album sales.
“It was nice to have that, considering that he was not able to perform,” Kennedy says.
Water under the bridge
Oprah Winfrey may not be invited to Saturday’s Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes wedding in Italy, but Brooke Shields apparently is.
Scientologist Cruise publicly criticized Shields’ use of antidepressants following the birth of her first child, but later apologized.
Shields was spotted arriving at the Rome airport Thursday morning, along with Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Guard railing
Angelina Jolie‘s bodyguards are again being accused of unnecessary roughness while she makes her new movie in India.
Witnesses said her security pushed around both parents and students at a school where scenes were being filmed Thursday, with one allegedly calling a parent a “bloody Indian.”
Producers blamed the scuffle on paparazzi who rushed the school to get pictures of Jolie.
Two photographers previously accused the guards of assault in separate incidents, with one claiming he was threatened with a gun.
Lighter and fantastic?
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is hoping an American reality show will make room for a royal.
“I’d quite like to go on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ ” the former Weight Watchers spokeswoman told “Inside Edition” Thursday. “I’d like them to teach me the tango.”
All-time NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smith out-hoofed actor Mario Lopez to win the third edition of the hit ABC show this week.
Her name is ‘vain’
The other Fergie – the female member of the Black Eyed Peas hip-hop group – has a rather theological reply to her critics.
Since “singing is a gift from God,” she tells Vibe magazine, “when people say I can’t sing, it’s kind of like insulting God.”
The birthday bunch
Singer Gordon Lightfoot is 68. Director Martin Scorsese is 64. Actress Lauren Hutton is 63. “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels is 62. Actor-director Danny DeVito is 62. Actor Dylan Walsh (“Nip/Tuck”) is 43. Actress-model Daisy Fuentes is 40. Actress Rachel McAdams (“Wedding Crashers”) is 28. Actor Justin Cooper (“Liar, Liar”) is 18. Actress Raquel Castro (“Jersey Girl”) is 12.