UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News

'Jon & Kate' series finale airs

WERNERSVILLE, Pa., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. reality television series "Jon & Kate Plus 8" ended its five-season run Monday amid the titular couple's sensational divorce.

Jon and Kate Gosselin, the parents of eight young children, became the focus of a media firestorm last summer after announcing plans to divorce.

Although Kate initially was criticized for her controlling demeanor and sharp tongue, she was seen in a more positive light during her separation from Jon as she stayed home to care for her kids, while Jon was frequently seen partying at night clubs and out on dates.

When TLC announced it planned to limit his role on the show, he sued to halt production, claiming it was detrimental to his kids.

Attempts to resume work on the show were unsuccessful and the couple were interviewed separately for the last edition of "Jon & Kate Plus 8."

"This is a very bittersweet goodbye for me because the kids are already missing it," Kate explained. "I don't like endings. I don't like goodbyes unless it's finishing a term paper or finishing a book."

Asked how she feels about wrapping up the show, she confessed: "It's sad. It's needless. It's useless. It was totally avoidable."

She said the show gave her children the opportunity to travel, paid for their educations and allowed them to be with their parents, who essentially worked at home for the series.

Jon said the last few months helped him be more introspective.

"I think I've become more educated about myself," he noted. "I never really took blame and now I'm taking blame and I can own up to it. I've gotta stop being a kid. I've gotta grow up one day and take initiative and be a man."

He said he regressed after the breakup because he had so much responsibility at such a young age -- marrying at 22, having twins at 23 and becoming the father of sextuplets at 27. "Maybe I reverted back to 23.

"I had kids my whole 20s and our marriage fell apart and I felt like I was free," he said. "I kinda took advantage of it for awhile and didn't really think about my actions until I started getting paparazzi and written about. That's maturing. That's growing up. ... We're going to strive to be the best parents we can, not for our sake, but for our kids' sakes."

-0-

Regis Philbin to undergo hip surgery

NEW YORK, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. television personality Regis Philbin says he is scheduled to have hip-replacement surgery and will not be working on "Live with Regis & Kelly" next month.

The New York Post said the 78-year-old entertainer made the announcement Monday in Las Vegas where he and co-host Kelly Ripa are taping their New York-based chat show this week. Philbin said he plans to have the operation Tuesday and will then take off several weeks from work to recuperate.

"I'm allowed to announce I'm going into hip surgery. I'm going to have my hip replaced. I've been limping around here. It's really painful," he said Monday. "We're going to get that done on that Tuesday, and I'll be back next year."

The Post said guest hosts, such as Howie Mandel, Michael Buble, Anderson Cooper and Christian Slater, are expected to fill in for Philbin.

-0-

Rep: Jackson's doctor back to work

HOUSTON, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The physician who treated pop star Michael Jackson in the weeks before his death in Los Angeles has returned to work at his Houston clinic.

Jackson died June 25 at the age of 50. His death was ruled a homicide after lethal levels of the anesthetic propofol and sedatives were found in his system.

Dr. Conrad Murray, who police said admitted he administered the drugs to Jackson shortly before he died, is under investigation for his role in Jackson's death.

Although Murray has not been charged with any crime and officials said his medical license is in good standing, the police and media attention reportedly have made it difficult for him to practice medicine in recent months.

"He had been hiding in his home in Las Vegas, but he needs to earn a living," Murray's lawyer Edward Chernoff told the Houston Chronicle. "He's under siege from creditors, has enormous legal fees and doesn't know whether he'll be able to support his family."

Murray's attorney spokeswoman Miranda Sevick said the cardiologist began seeing patients again Monday.

"He hasn't lost a patient in Houston or Las Vegas," Sevick told ABCNews.com. "He's just thrilled to be back. The greatest joy of his life is working as a doctor. After being in exile and being able to hug his patients and shake their hands, he's never been so rejuvenated. He looks relaxed and happy."

-0-

Paula Deen smacked in face with ham

ATLANTA, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- TV chef and author Paula Deen was startled, but not injured when someone accidentally hit her in the face with a ham at a charity event in Atlanta Monday.

"(Deen was) startled at first, but quickly regained focus and kept her humor," her representative told Usmagazine.com. "She's OK now and is icing her face."

The publicist told the magazine the 62-year-old Food Network star had been helping unload a truck-load of hams at the Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless event when someone tossed a ham, missed a storage bin and hit Deen in the head and nose.

"I think it might have hit maybe just right where, I thought it busted my lip, but it didn't," CBS' Atlanta affiliate WGCL-TV quoted Deen as saying on its Web site.

"I just got hit with a hog so what do I expect," she reportedly added with a laugh. "Ran head on to a hog."