Actress Deborah Raffin dead at 59
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Actress Deborah Raffin has died of leukemia at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, her family said. She was 59.
She was diagnosed with the disease about a year ago, her brother, William, told the Chicago Tribune.
The California native appeared in the films "40 Carats" and "Once is Not Enough," as well as the TV miniseries "Haywire" and "Noble House."
She and her then-husband, music producer Michael Viner, also started the successful Dove Books on Tape company in 1985. They later expanded into book publishing, and movie and television production, then sold Dove in 1997, the Tribune noted.
"I've never been driven to just act," Raffin told the Riverside Press-Enterprise in 1996. "I've always had a desire to produce, to be in control of my own destiny, to be able to find material and develop it."
Viner and Raffin met in 1974 and divorced in 2005. Viner died in 2009, the Tribune said.
Raffin is survived by her sister, Judy Holston, and a daughter, Taylor Rose Viner, both of Brentwood, Calif.
Halle Berry's ex charged with assault
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A family Thanksgiving turned ugly at Halle Berry's Los Angeles home when the movie star's ex-boyfriend was charged with assaulting her new one, police said.
Gabriel Aubry, 37, was arrested at Berry's home in the Hollywood Hills during the afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reported. Police Officer Julie Boyer said Aubry was treated for injuries to his face at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and was released on $20,000 bond.
Aubry and Berry have a child together. Boyer described Berry's current boyfriend as a "private victim" and would not release his identity, the Times said. Berry announced her engagement to Olivier Martinez earlier this year.
TMZ reported the fight began when Aubry came to Berry's house to drop their daughter off.
Discovery cancels 'Dirty Jobs'
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- "Dirty Jobs" host Mike Rowe says Discovery Channel has canceled his U.S. reality series, "Dirty Jobs," after eight seasons.
Rowe has starred on the show since 2003.
"A few weeks ago, I was officially informed that 'Dirty Jobs' had entered into a new phase," Rowe wrote in a blog post.
"One I like to call, 'permanent hiatus.' Or in the more popular industry vernacular, canceled," he wrote. "'Dirty Jobs' is a very personal show, and it's difficult for me to imagine a future that does not involve exploding toilets, venomous snakes, misadventures in animal husbandry, and feces from every species. ...
"I can't say that 'Dirty Jobs' never jumped the shark [since I literally leaped over one in Season 2] but I'm proud to say it's still the same hatchet. The last episode looked pretty much like the first. We didn't become something we weren't. We never shared the sewer with Paris Hilton, and we never invited you to 'tune in next week for a very special "Dirty Jobs."' We stuck to the mission statement. We stayed small. We worked hard. And we had a hell of a good time. It was, as they say, a very good run."
EW.com said Wednesday declining ratings were to blame for the show's demise.
Rowe will continue in his job as narrator of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch," EW.com said.
Spears reunites with will.i.am for duet
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- The video for Britney Spears and will.i.am's "Scream & Shout" is to debut on "The X Factor" in Los Angeles, Interscope Records said.
The clip will air for the first time on Wednesday's edition of the FOX singing competition show. Directed by Ben Mor, it will be available for viewing on VEVO immediately following the broadcast.
"Scream & Shout," produced by Lazy Jay, was released to radio last Monday and is currently available digitally.
"To be able to work with Britney again was amazing. Working with an artist like Britney is the reason I love making music. She loves music as much as I do. And I am so proud of this new song 'Scream & Shout.' This is the most exciting song I've worked on in a long time," said will.i.am in a statement.
"There are few people on the planet who inspire me like will.i.am does," said Spears. "I couldn't be more excited to work with him again. I can't wait for people to hear the song and see the video."
The pair previously collaborated on the song "Big Fat Bass."
