Photo Credit: Splash News

Madonna is a tornado of ambition and she wants her boyfriend Jesus Luz to be the same way. (He’s always been entirely too fond of lying on the beach.) She’s been making connections for him to get modeling jobs – but that’s not enough. She also wants him moonlighting as a DJ. It’s rumored that she spent $30,000 on DJ equipment for him this summer and now she’s getting him booked at celebrity parties in New York. If SHE’S at the party, Jesus doesn’t play her music because he says she hears it enough at home.

We KNEW that Sony would drop their “two weeks only” release of Michael Jackson’s “This Is It,” but we didn’t think it would happen so FAST. The movie, which was released Tuesday to great reviews, was number one at the box office, earning 32.5 million, but Sony had been hoping for 40 million. Sony immediately extended the release for three more weeks so you still have plenty of time to catch the movie at your local cineplex. Apparently the film wipes out any negative memories viewers had of Michael’s “idiosyncrasies” and they walk out lamenting the loss of his talent. Have YOU seen it yet?

When “Crash” director Paul Haggis defected from Scientology recently it stimulated a well-deserved tornado of publicity, and the story went everywhere. But for some reason, when The Hollywood Reporter’s Roger Friedman wrote about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett’s contributions to Scientology last year, it didn’t get a lot of attention. Remember, Will Smith vehemently DENIED being a Scientologist, but he donated $80,000 to Scientology groups in 2008 according to tax filing. Jada Pinkett Smith, who donated $122,000, DOESN’T deny being a Scientologist, and is outraged by criticism of the cult. Jada said in a 2008 interview “You have people who are attacking and want to fight. And don’t know nothing. How you gonna not know nothing about Scientology and attack somebody? It’s dangerous and it’s ignorant. And as an American I’m not gonna be a part of that.”

Maybe Anne Heche WASN”T exaggerating last year when she claimed she was nearly broke and couldn’t afford to pay $15000 a month to her exhusband Coley Laffoon for spousal and child support. Since then she had a baby named Atlas with her new boyfriend James Tupper and her series “Men in Trees” was cancelled. She started appearing on “Hung” but money problems still haunt her. Recently she tried to purchase a two million dollar house in Hancock Park (where she once lived with Ellen Degeneres) but her loan was not approved and it fell out of escrow. She didn’t come up with the necessary cash for a huge down payment, so she lost it.

The recently arrested Randy (”Brokeback Mountain”) Quaid and his crazy wife Evi seem to be the new Bonnie & Clyde of Hollywood. Besides running up exorbitant bills at expensive hotels and skipping off without paying, they escaped in a Hertz rental car that was reported missing. Not long ago Evi hired a private detective because she believed that “the same people who killed David Carradine” were after her husband. The detective ended up getting a restraining order against the Quaids – she told radaronline.com that Evi kept her drug use and spending hidden from her husband and the shaken detective feared that Evi might kill Randy and/or herself. We predict rehab is dead ahead for these two.

The Jackson family looked perfectly civil at Michael’s funeral but we hear that behind closed doors they’re furiously battling over money. Everybody wants to cash in and the brothers are at each other’s throats- with Jermaine’s ego turning into a huge problem. Shortly after Michael died, Steve Wynn offered the late Danny Gans’ empty Las Vegas showroom to the remaining Jackson brothers and wanted them to prepare a long running show. They could have taken in 80 million dollars just the first year if was a success. The brothers were psyched to do it but Jermaine decided HE should be paid WAY more than the others. Bickering ensued and Jermaine told shocked producers “ I am the next Michael Jackson and I will be paid accordingly!” Producers just laughed and gave up the whole idea. Timing IS important and last we heard the Jackson brothers were pitching their act to the small time lounges in Las Vegas.

Photo Credit: Buzz Foto

It’s SO hot in Los Angeles that Rod Stewart’s usual rooster haircut has fallen flat. But he doesn’t care. Rod just left Koi restaurant in this photo and he looks awfully content. Somebody ELSE must have picked up the check!

Photo Credit: Splash News

First it was Jermaine and now we have ANOTHER Jackson hitting Rodeo Drive with a vengeance! La Toya popped into Chanel and created such a stir among tourists that when she finished shopping she had to be escorted out. As the fees for interviews and appearances keep rolling in, Michael Jackson’s less successful brothers and sisters are suddenly IN THE MONEY and living it up. And this is just the beginning – when the personal appearances and tribute performances begin, the siblings will be on easy street.

Photo Credit: Buzz Foto

Jermaine Jackson was never much of a Rodeo Drive shopper, but ALL OF A SUDDEN – he’s shopping with the best of them on the priciest street in Beverly Hills. Since Michael died, things are certainly looking up financially for his family. Suddenly Jermaine and his brothers are negotiating big money deals to perform and record tributes to Michael. He’d better pay attention because he already blew an opportunity for a European concert because the event was disorganized. Yes, it’s good to be on Rodeo Drive….

Photo Credit: Bauer-Griffin

We don’t. We don’t care WHAT Paula tweets. She moaned “With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to Idol.” Haul out the violins. We think it’s another carefully orchestrated drama and both sides are enjoying the resulting publicity and attention. It’s all about the MONEY! Paula wants 20 million and Idol producers are giving her a hard time, but both sides will give in and reach an agreement. (Can you really imagine the show without unpredictable Paula?) Meanwhile, they’re both thoroughly enjoying the uproar.