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HOUSTON'S PROBLEM: Whitney Houston checked into an undisclosed rehab center Wednesday. "Whitney Houston has reentered a facility for rehabilitation," rep Nancy Seltzer said in a statement to PEOPLE. This is the second time the 41-year-old singer has sought treatment in just over a year. In March 2004, Houston entered rehab for substance abuse. She checked out just five days later to begin private care. "I'm finally completely me again," Houston told PEOPLE after last year's treatment. "I feel much stronger than ever before."
FALLEN IDOL: Wrong voting phone numbers were flashed onscreen during Tuesday night's American Idol, forcing a re-vote and a rehash on Wednesday. When critics accused the problem of really being a ratings ploy, he FOX talent show's executive producer Ken Warwick shot back: "Why would we contaminate the honesty of one of the top-rated shows in America by fiddling with it?" He called the snafu "regrettable" and blamed unspecified " human error, and we had to address it as best we could."
DUO REDUX?: Lindsay Lohan and Wilmer Valderrama, who split last November, crossed party-hopping paths in New York City last week while out with their respective pals, and a source told PEOPLE that the former couple had a minor makeout session at Marquee on March 18. Lohan's rep denies the canoodling, adding, "They're just friends, but they're happy to see each other." The amicable vibe carried into the next night at two Saturday Night Live afterparties. At the restaurant Docks, Valderrama and Lohan spoke again. But later, at the club Hiro, the two barely acknowledged each other, as Lohan chilled in one room while Valderrama hunkered down at the bar with his buddies.
PARKER'S PRESENT: Sarah Jessica Parker was given a really rotten 40th birthday gift: The Gap, which had paid her $38 million, is dropping her from its advertising campaign, replacing her with British soul singer Joss Stone, who is 17. "While Gap will always seek partnerships with celebrities, musicians and rising stars, we don't have any future plans to sign a single person to a multi-season deal like the unique and special relationship we enjoyed with Sarah Jessica," the company said in a statement earlier this week. Parker, whose birthday was Friday, called the decision mutual.
