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CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Tom Cruise (actor) is 45
 Ken Russell (director, Tommy) is 80
Tom Stoppard (writer) is 70
Fontella Bass (singer) is 67
Kurtwood Smith (actor, Robocop) is 64
Michael Cole (actor, The Mod Squad) is 62
Dave Barry (writer) is 60
Betty Buckley (actress, "Miss Collins" in Carrie) is 60
Paul Barrere (guitarist, Little Feat) is 59
Jan Smithers (actress, WKRP in Cincinnati) is 58
Montel Williams (talk show host) is 51
Aaron Tippin (country singer) is 49
Vince Clarke (synthesizer player, Erasure) is 47
Thomas Gibson (actor, Dharma and Greg) is 45
Hunter Tylo (actress, The Bold and the Beautiful) is 45
Connie Nielsen (actress, Gladiator) is 43
Yeardley Smith (actress, voice of "Lisa Simpson") is 43
Kevin Hearn (keyboardist-guitarist, Barenaked Ladies) is 38
Tonia Tash (singer, Divine) is 28
Grant Rosenmeyer (actor, The Royal Tenenbaums) is 16

THE EVENTS OF JULY 3rd
In 1965...Singing cowboy Roy Rogers mourned the death of his horse Trigger. The animal was stuffed and put in the Roy Rogers Museum.
In 1967...John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney turned up at a party thrown in The Monkees' honor in London.
In 1969...Brian Jones was found dead in his swimming pool. The Rolling Stones guitarist's death was later ruled to be an accident.
In 1969...John Lennon held a press conference to announce the release of "Give Peace a Chance," but didn't show up as he and Yoko were recovering from a car crash in Scotland. Ringo Starr filled in instead. 
In 1969...Some 78-thousand people showed up for the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island with headliners James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
In 1970...The Atlanta Pop Festival kicked off, featuring headliners Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers Band and Jethro Tull.
In 1971...Jim Morrison died of a heart attack in his Paris hotel room. He was in the bath at the time. Fans wouldn't learn of his passing until six days after it happened, by which time he was quietly buried in the Pére Lachaise cemetery.
In 1973...As The Ziggy Stardust Tour came to a close at London's Hammersmith Odeon, David Bowie announced, "This night will always be special in my memory.  Not only is it the last show of my British tour ... it is the last show I will ever do."  He finished with "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide."
In 1975...Bob Dylan joined Ramblin' Jack Elliott on stage at his show in Greenwich Village's Other End.
In 1981...Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman released the single "(Si Si) Je Suis Un Rock Star" on his own label. It went to number one in Europe, and Wyman became the Stone with the most successful solo career.
In 1981...Robbie Kreiger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore led fans in a graveside memorial for Jim Morrison in Paris - ten years to the day of the singer's death.
In 1995...The Grateful Dead cancelled a second concert in Indianapolis, Indiana after fans rioted the night before.
In 1998...Bob Dylan played the 1000th show on the so-called Neverending Tour at the 32nd Annual Montreux Jazz Festival.
In 2002...Ozzy Osbourne postponed the first two dates of Ozzfest as Sharon Osbourne underwent surgery for cancer.
In 2002...Elton John was awarded a doctorate from London's Royal Academy of Music, the school he dropped out of in the early '60s.
In 2003...The White Stripes' Jack White announced he was producing tracks for country legend Loretta Lynn. The resulting album would go on to win a GRAMMY.
In 2006...Lil' Kim was released from jail where she was serving time for perjury.

MOVIE MINUTE: LICENSE TO WED
License to Wed is about a newly engaged couple and their quest to live happily ever after.  The Office star John Krasinski is "Ben Murphy" and his fiancée, "Sadie Jones," is played by Mandy Moore.  The couple runs into trouble because "Sadie's" family church is run by "Reverend Frank," and he won't bless "Ben" and "Sadie's" union until they pass his patented, "foolproof" marriage-prep course.  Mandy really enjoyed spending time with her Office co-star.  "I've had such a blast with John (Krasinski).  I think we have a really good rapport and we have so much fun and we bust each other's chops the whole time, but hopefully it translates into us really enjoying each other's company on screen."  Robin Williams plays "Reverend Frank" in the film and Krasinski couldn't have been happier to work with him.  (Actuality #6)  "He truly was my hero for so long.  I mean, I was just such a big fan of his and saw all of his movies and before I even wanted to be an actor I just loved watching him work, so to be honest, to work with him now is nothing short of surreal."  License to Wed is in theaters now.

The "black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks" is about to crack the speedometer. Richard Roundtree, best known for his titular role in Shaft, has been added to the cast of the upcoming film adaptation of the popular cartoon Speed Racer. "John Shaft" joins the likes of Matthew Fox, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon and John Goodman in the film, which is currently shooting in Berlin...

The personal physician to WWE wrestler Chris Benoit turned himself into authorities yesterday. According to ESPN.com, Dr. Phil Astin faces charges of improperly prescribing pain killers and other drugs. The seven-count indictment accuses him of dispensing drugs, including Percocet, Xanax, Lorcet and Vicoprofen, between April 2004 and September 2005. A criminal complaint was also filed, but it was kept under seal. A source close to the case spoke on a condition of anonymity and said that the case involves steroids. Astin's office was raided last week after news of the tragic crime broke. Astin saw Benoit hours before the wrestler murdered his wife and son and committed suicide. He prescribed testosterone for Benoit in the past, but would not say what he gave him on that most recent visit. Toxicology tests on the WWE star have not been completed, but anabolic steroids were found in his home, causing some to speculate that the drugs played a role in Benoit's behavior...

Rod Stewart's daughter, Kimberly, has been linked with rocker Tommy Lee. Starpulse.com reports the socialite was photographed leaving an L-A nightclub with the Motley Crue drummer last week. The site quotes a friend of Kimberly's as saying, "Tommy Lee makes Calum Best look like a saint. It won't be long before Rod's on the phone."... 

According to the Associated Press, A&E magician Criss Angel's wife wants a divorce. The star of the T-V show Mindfreak married his wife five years ago, after dating her for about a decade. According to his wife's lawyer, she now wants a divorce because Angel has kept his marriage to her quiet and hasn't shared any of his profits with her.  Angel has recently been tied to movie actress Cameron Diaz; the magician dedicated his last magical stunt to her...

According to the New York Daily News, Lindsay Lohan has been quietly moving her things out of her LA apartment in the famous "party central" apartment complex Sierra Towers. According to some sources, this move is in preparation of Lindsay's departure from rehab and her desire for a quieter lifestyle. She started rehabilitation after a Memorial Day car accident where traces of cocaine and high levels of alcohol were apparently found in her system...

Kelly Clarkson recently signed a management deal with Starstruck Entertainment. Starstruck is the management company run by Reba McEntire's husband, Narvel Blackstock. Blackstock will serve as Kelly's personal manager. Other Starstruck clients include Reba and Blake Shelton...

Avril Lavigne and Joss Stone are the latest artists to get involved in the Spotlight Influence Series. Each CD is a collection of tracks from their favorite artists highlighting the songs that had a significant impact on their own songwriting and career. Avril and Joss handpicked an album's worth of specific songs that they have a strong connection with, and they also wrote liner notes about why they chose the tracks. Joss' Influences include James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Corinne Bailey Rae and Luther Vandross, while Avril named blink-182, Goo Goo Dolls, The Cranberries and Alanis Morissette...

TMZ reported last week that Britney Spears hasn't confirmed that she delivered a letter to her mother requesting that Lynne Spears stay away from her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, if she's on any medication that would "impair her ability to be around them."  But all doesn't sound well with the Spears clan judging by what the singer told People.  According to the magazine's Web site, she said, "I'm praying for her right now.  I hope she gets all the help she needs."  Meanwhile, Lynne Spears predicts a bright future, saying, "I've got a strong family, and everything is going to be fine."... 

Some fans go a little too far when it comes to wanting to see their favorite musician, and one woman went way over the line when she tried to see Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington.  Devon Townsend, a former national laboratory worker, used government computers to access Chester's e-mail account and even hacked into a cell phone company Web site to obtain the singer's phone number.  For her efforts, Townsend was charged with stalking and unlawful access to stored communications, which she pled guilty to last week.  According to the Associated Press, she now faces up to five years in prison and fines up to 250-thousand dollars for each count.  In court, Townsend disclosed that she accessed Chester's family photos, private information, banking records and travel plans.  She explained, "On at least one occasion, knowing that Chester Bennington was in Arizona.  I traveled to Arizona solely for the purpose of trying to see him.  While I was there, I monitored Chester Bennington's voice mails as a means of trying to locate where he might be eating dinner or lunch."  Investigators found tons of Linkin Park merchandise and memorabilia at Townsend's residence.  A sentencing date is yet to be set...

While Slayer performed at the Metaltown festival in Sweden this weekend, a fan got too into the show and jumped off a bridge, inadvertently killing himself.  The 22-year-old man and his friend stripped down to their underwear as the crowd cheered them own.  The two counted down and seemed to be pretending like they were about to jump when the one man actually leapt from the 96-foot high bridge.  The Swedish newspaper GT reports that when the jumper didn't resurface, his friend called for help.  Eventually, the man was found unconscious in the water.  Paramedics performed CPR and he was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.  Earlier in the evening, other people reportedly jumped from the bridge but there is no word on if they were injured.  The Gota Alv Bridge runs over the river of the same name and is located just opposite the Metaltown main stage.  Machine Head, Mastodon and Entombed also played the festival alongside Slayer...

Paris Bennett, Joss Stone, Robbie Williams, Shelby Lynne, Kevin Spacey and others will appear on a duets album with late crooner Dean Martin.  According to MTV News, the songs featured on the album will pair Martin's original vocals with new arrangements.  The album is called Forever Cool and will hit stores August 14th...

Nickelback's single "If Everyone Cared" has raised over 500-thousand dollars for charity.  We caught up with the band some time ago and Chad Kroeger told us how it feels to give so much. "It's nice that everybody has stepped up and really helped out and knows this is all going to a great cause. This is the first time we've done something like this and it just feels fantastic."  Nickelback along with Daughtry and Puddle of Mudd will be playing tomorrow in Toronto... 

A source close to negotiations tells Billboard.com that Universal Music Group has decided not to sign a two-year agreement with iTunes and will instead enter into "flexible" month-to-month deals with the same terms. The new stance comes as the industry awaits Amazon's download service, which could be a legitimate rival to iTunes. According to Nielsen SoundScan, if UMG were to pull their catalogue, iTunes would lose its access to labels that comprise one out of every three releases in the U-S. By the same token, digital sales on iTunes accounted for more than 15 percent of Universal's worldwide revenue in the first quarter of this year...

Alicia Keys is following in the footsteps of P!nk and Christina Aguilera and getting Linda Perry on her team.  "I'm actually really interested in working with the young lady that I've been working with on my album, which is slated for October. I can't explain how excited I am about this music. So in particular this woman is Linda Perry, who's written a tremendous amount of incredible work and us together, us as both being musicians and being writers has really created this incredible music." You heard her.  That new CD will be out in October.  Fans of Alicia Keys can also catch her returning to the big screen in The Nanny Diaries, which hits theatres nationwide on September 7th...

MTV's Making The Band's Dylan, who Dave Chappelle famously made fun of on The Chappelle Show, is working on a new album.  In addition to dropping a DJ Sickamore hosted mixtape called Life After Diddy, his solo project No Regrets, will drop in the near future through indie label Uprising.  Stay up to date on Dylan via his Myspace page at Myspace.com/Dilinjah...

It seems like the weather in Hell was a little too much for Korn to handle.  The band was set to play France's Hellfest last week, but bailed on account of "severe weather" conditions and "a negligent promoter who didn't provide adequate cover for our gear," according to a statement from singer Jonathan Davis.  Hellfest organizers told French site Maville.com that they plan to sue the band, who were paid in full, but did not perform.  While organizers claim conditions were met to ensure Korn's safety, Davis says, "We were advised to cancel the show for risk of the band being electrocuted.  The fans were short-changed and that's what pisses us off.  This was an especially important show for us given my illness last year which prevented me from performing.  I am seriously bummed."...

When Sonic Youth decided to record a track for a Starbucks compilation album, it was expected that fans would react by calling the group sellouts.   However, guitarist Thurston Moore told Billboard that there is no need for that.  He said, "I never thought of it as being more radical than recording for Universal Music.  They're both corporations that have ties to things that people find sort of problematic."  The band will have a track on a record called Hits Are for Squares, that will be available at select Starbucks.  On the album, celebrities such as Michelle Williams and Chloe Sevigny, selected their favorite Sonic Youth songs and explain why in the liner notes.  The group is also recording a new, exclusive track for the record.  Moore went on to say, "I guess, for some, Sonic Youth represents something that they don't really equate with Starbucks.  But I kind of like the absurdity of it.  Sonic Youth has always, in a way, made itself available to the super mainstream.  I thought it would be interesting to have a CD available in a store like Starbucks where the casual consumer can sort of have access to [our music] more readily."  While the band has yet to do the new track, they have gone into the studio to record an unidentified Bob Dylan cover that might be used in an upcoming film.  Meanwhile, Moore's new solo album, Trees Outside the Academy, comes out on September 18th...

Metallica's Lars Ulrich spoke to Studio Brussel before the band played a festival there in Belgium over the weekend.  The drummer said the backing tracks for Metallica's new album were complete and "the band will start laying down vocals and overdubs in August in hopes of finishing the CD by October or November." Ulrich predicted the album, which he said "is probably a little more dynamic, and a little more varied" than their last record, will drop in February 2008...