A Johansson debut
As if she hadn't cemented her status as every indie dude's fantasy, Scarlett Johansson (inset) is working on her debut album with members of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV On The Radio's Dave Sitek. This news comes on the heels of her reported Tom Waits cover album and her Coachella performance with the Jesus and Mary Chain. As reported by the Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, La., the "Lost in Translation" star spent 33 days recording at Dockside Studio. Owner Steve Nails described the album as, "a theater, big screen. Lots of heavy bass tones in it. Without a bass guitar, we used all kind of different instruments to create these sounds. It was a great experiment. Very avant-garde. She sounds like Marilyn Monroe." (VH1.com)
Maybe a Doctor
Queen guitarist Brian May (inset) has handed in his astronomy PhD thesis -- 36 years after abandoning it to join the band. May recently carried out observational work in Tenerife, where he studied the formation of "zodiacal dust clouds." The subject forms the basis of a 48,000-word thesis for Imperial College, London, where 60-year-old May studied before becoming a rock star. "It's been the longest gap year ever," May said. "It was a tough decision back then to leave my studies for music." But the star said that at the time, his "passion for music was stronger." (BBC News)
Murphy confirms he is the father
Eddie Murphy acknowledged he is the father of Melanie Brown's young daughter yesterday, a day after the former Spice Girl took legal action to establish him as the child's parent. Murphy, 46, "always has and will continue to honor his responsibilities as a father," according to a statement released through his publicist, Arnold Robinson. "Mr. Murphy and Ms. Brown dated very briefly and never made any plans of ANY sort," the statement said. "He acknowledges paternity of the child Angel, and has paid child support to Ms. Brown as well as covering the expenses of her pregnancy." Brown, aka Scary Spice, filed a petition Thursday that seeks to legally establish Murphy as the father. "Angel is my baby and Eddie's," said Brown, 32. "She will always know that she was planned and wanted by both of us." (AP)
Dogs kill man at Rhames house
A 40-year-old man was mauled to death by as many as four dogs at the home of Ving Rhames yesterday, authorities said. The victim, who hasn't been identified, had worked at the actor's home for about two years and was responsible for caring for the dogs, said a Los Angeles Police officer. Four mastiffs were seized by animal services. Police got a call at 7:15 a.m. from someone reporting a dead body at the home, where the victim was found on the front lawn. Rhames, 46, who appeared in the "Mission Impossible" series of films, wasn't at home when the attack occurred, police said. (AP)
