Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen has finally responded to critics of his film. Cohen, who until now has done all publicity for the Borat film in character, told Rolling Stone he's surprised the film has been so misinterpreted, and that rather than promoting racist behavior, it "shows the absurdity of holding any form of racial prejudice."

Courtney Love posed naked one month ago for a British magazine. Love, who's promoting her new book Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love, said she didn't like the outfits Pop magazine had selected for her photo shoot, so she asked to wear only stockings and high heels instead. The Courtney issue of Pop hits newsstands in three weeks.

Tom Cruise's next project will be Lions for Lambs, a drama that Robert Redford will direct and star in. Meryl Streep is also a part of the cast. The movie will be the first movie Cruise will make for United Artists after taking over the production studio with partner Paula Wagner.

Hollywood is beginning to tap into quirkier, cult TV series for direct-to-video spinoffs. Last year 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment scored big with Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, which has sold nearly 3.5 million DVDs since its September 2005 release. Now comes Warner Home Video with plans for a direct to DVD Babylon 5 movie. Debuting in 1993, the sci-fi series drew 13.7 million viewers in the first of its five seasons and has enjoyed nine successful years in rerun syndication, while its TV-DVD releases have generated $44 million in consumer spending.
 

Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz have reportedly purchased a massive compound in Hawaii. The $16.9 million US estate covers one and a half acres of land and 100 feet of beachfront. The estate has twelve bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
 

Along with their prominent placement in Casino Royale, six brands (Heineken, Ford, Smirnoff Vodka, Sony Electronics, Sony Ericsson and Omega watches) have spent more than $100 million on media and other promotional support for the movie.

Garbage singer Shirley Manson is forging ahead with her first solo album and has enlisted the help of some friends. Manson, who began working on the album in March, recently called in Billy Corgan, Jack White and Paul Buchanan of Scottish band The Blue Nile to work on some tracks. Shirley has said she'll take as much time as she wants to complete the album, but she plans to release it next year.

Fall Out Boy will be performing their new single This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race on November 21st at the American Music Awards. The band have also finished working on their sophomore album which will be released on February 6th. The untitled album is the follow-up to their successful debut, From Under The Cork Tree.

Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has said that the band has already written 18 songs for its new album since heading into the studio last month.

Plans for a wedding between the waxed figures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been scrapped. Madame Tussaud's wax museum in Las Vegas was planning the fake ceremony until a rep for Pitt protested saying "I personally find it a little odd that they're recreating a wedding that never really happened." A waxed George Clooney was reportedly ready to step in as the best man.

Justin Timberlake and Timbaland are working with synth-pop veterans Duran Duran on the 80s stars' next record. Three songs have reportedly come of the collaboration so far, including a duet featuring Timberlake. Duran Duran singer Simon LeBon commented "we've got some good stuff happening."

In his latest stunt, magician David Blaine will be shackled to a spinning gyroscope hanging some three stories above Times Square as he tries to escape before a three day deadline.

Brit rockers Bloc Party have canceled the rest of their U.S. tour due to an injury. Last week, drummer Matt Tong suffered a collapsed lung after a playing a show in Atlanta. As a result, doctors have advised Tong not to travel or perform. The band had been on tour with Panic! At The Disco.

South Bronx rapper Fat Joe and Compton based The Game showed some hip-hop unity in New York recently. The two rappers made an appearance together at a record store in Times Square to promote their new albums. As a sign of solidarity, The Game purchased a copy of Fat Joe's album Me, Myself and I and Fat Joe bought The Game's Doctors Advocate.

30 Seconds To Mars will make history when they shoot their next video in China. The video is for the single From Yesterday. It will be the first American rock video shot completely in the region. Front man Jared Leto said "The depth of their history, the beauty of the culture and the passion of the people inspired a story that left us as a band changed forever."