OUT AT THE PLATE
Punk'd
Who knew baseball players were so sensitive? Turns out New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez didn't take kindly to Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd crew after the hardball star fell victim to one of the show's candid-camera tricks last December. Rodriguez was dining with his wife at L.A.'s Forbidden City when a waiter posing as a loudmouth Boston Red Sox fan provoked the jock. "The waiter basically called A-Rod a loser who had never been on a winning team," says a source who was on the scene, which quickly became "very dicey." After the gag was exposed, Rodriguez refused to sign a release form; furthermore, he insisted the tape be destroyed. (It was.) "It was a good idea," says Rodriguez of the prank. "It was just bad timing."
SPECS APPEAL
Hiring a new lead attorney isn't the only dramatic change Michael Jackson has made in preparing to defend himself against child-molestation charges. At his April 30 arraignment, a subdued Jackson sported a dark suit and wire-rimmed glasses. According to a source close to the family, the pop star's new eyewear was strictly for show to give him a more conservative look. Apparently the idea was drummed up by Michael's younger brother Randy, his new top advisor. Responds Jackson family lawyer Brian Oxman: "When Michael wants to just be himself, he wears glasses."
BRIDE AND JOY
The plans—and the parties—are in full swing for Tori Spelling's summer wedding to writer-actor Charlie Shanian. Her bridesmaids recently threw the actress a pink-themed wedding shower in Beverly Hills. "I got some fun lingerie tank tops that say 'Bride-to-be' and 'Taken,' " says Spelling, 31, who gave her wedding party pink chenille bathrobes. No expense is being spared for Spelling's wedding gown, which she created herself. "[The design] came to me one night," says the 90210 alum, who asked Badgley Mischka to bring her vision to life. "It's a 1920s-inspired dress." The gown is currently being hand-beaded in India. Price tag: upwards of $50,000.
FAST TAKES
Canadian-born Pamela Anderson is set to become a U.S. citizen. Attorney Barbara Federman will represent the actress at her citizenship interview, scheduled for May 12 in L.A. If she passes, Anderson will be sworn in the same day....
What passion do new parents Debra Messing, Matt LeBlanc and Brooke Shields share with moms-to-be Gwyneth Paltrow and Courteney Cox Arquette? All are fans of Trees Make the Best Mobiles: Simple Ways to Raise Your Child in a Complex World by Jessica Teich and Brandel France de Bravo. "It's a book for new parents, but really it's for anyone who wants to slow down and enjoy life more," says Paltrow....
Paris Hilton and her dog Tinkerbell will star in the video for singer John Oates's new single "It Girl."...
Spotted: Ethan Hawke, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Billy Crudup and Claire Danes, among others, riding atop a double-decker New York City bus to the May 1 wedding reception of actress Catherine Kellner (Pearl Harbor) and musician Shelby Gaines at Cipriani 42nd Street.
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