Jun 16, 2005 8:07 am US/Central
Billy Bush Denies Riding On President's Coattails
(CBS 2)
"Access Hollywood'' co-anchor
Billy Bush clearly is sick and tired of people assuming his ride to fame and fortune has been on the coattails of his cousin,
President Bush.
''I have been in broadcasting, one way or another, longer than he has been in politics,'' Bush tells the July issue of Esquire magazine. ''Since 1993, I've been working at this. Me. Just me. I've earned my f---ing stripes. ... I've always tried to separate myself [from the other Bushes],'' adds the glib-tongued TV personality, revealing he even has a clause in his contract with NBC that ''states they can't mention the connection [to President Bush] in any publicity.''
Bush, who nightly appears on the popular entertainment show, joins
Howard Stern and
Brian Williams as the three TV stars featured in the magazine's ''Most Extraordinary Men Alive'' cover story, hitting newsstands Friday.
JACKSON UPDATES: Looks as if
Michael Jackson may switch sides -- and become the plaintiff in a lawsuit. Various reports have the just-acquitted singer planning to sue celebrity interviewer
Martin Bashir, who first recorded Jackson admitting he shared his bed with boys. Jackson claims Bashir and his British broadcast outlet broke an agreement giving the pop superstar the right to clear the final content of that now-infamous interview.
*Don't know if it will be as amusing as the Osbourne family's show, but the Jacksons apparently are shopping their own reality series to a number of television outlets. The Hollywood Reporter reports Fox, ABC and A&E are among those who have been pitched.
CHECK IT OUT! That sexy, sleazy and saucy mother-daughter team --
Brittny and
Lisa Gastineau of ''Gastineau Girls'' TV fame -- should have things shakin' at the Cointreau party at Spoon on North Wells on June 23.
STAR TRACKING: Scarlett Johansson's latest romantic conquest reportedly is her hunky ''Black Dahlia'' co-star
Josh Hartnett. ... Original ''Star Wars'' star
Mark Hamill supposedly is on a short list (as is Australian actor
Lachy Hulme and the delightfully creepy
Crispin Glover) to play the Joker in the expected sequel to ''Batman Begins.'' ...
Vin Diesel will add to his action-guy resume -- starring as Agent 47 in the upcoming flick based on the ''Hitman'' video games. ... ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'' interiors expert
Tom Filicia is
Jennifer Lopez's new decorator. The New York Daily News reports Filicia will give J.Lo and hubby
Marc Anthony's Long Island home a new makeover.
SPORTS SHORTS: Cubs manager
Dusty Baker introduced Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop
Royce Clayton to the lively bar scene at Le Colonial. ... Shaw's Crab House has snared its fair share of the sporting crowd recently, including (separately) Fox TV's
Corey McFerrin, the Cubs'
Derrek Lee and White Sox
A.J. Pierzynski and
Aaron Rowand.
GETTING PUMPED: Chicago-based celebrity fitness guru
Jim Karas is flying to Morocco today and will begin a nine-week globe-hopping training program with
Hugh Jackman. After 10 days in North Africa, it's on to seven weeks in London, where Jackman is filming the new
Woody Allen film with above-mentioned Scarlett Johannson.
By the time they get to Vancouver in mid-August, Karas should have bulked-up Jackman from his skinny, Tony-winning ''Boy From Oz'' physique -- he'll be ready to revive his muscular Wolverine character as filming of ''X-Men 3'' begins.
TUNE UP: Ramsey Lewis has put together quite the evening of jazz, gospel and dance music Friday night at Ravinia. Along with the already-announced
Savion Glover,
McCoy Tyner and the
James Memorial Sanctuary Choir, Grammy winner
Smokey Norful and chart-toppers
Donald Lawrence and
Darius Brooks also will be on the bill.
Bill Zwecker appears at 6:55 a.m. and 11:25 a.m. weekdays on CBS 2 News and reports on entertainment and celebrities at 9:10 a.m. Fridays on "The Eric & Kathy Show" on WTMX-FM (101.9).
(MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc., All Rights Reserved.)
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