Neil Diamond has great respect for the young wannabes he’s mentoring on American Idol this week - because he wouldn’t have made it past the first round of the TV talent show.

The Sweet Caroline singer has been helping to coach the remaining finalists on the show as part of Idol’s Neil Diamond Week - but he would never have put himself through the audition process for the show.

American Idol judge Paula Abdul was left red-faced after making an embarrassing blunder on the hit reality TV show.

The singer was flummoxed after the series’ producers changed the judging format from the usual pattern of appraising each contest after they had sung to waiting until all five had performed.

When asked to appraise first performer Jason Castro, Abdul gave her opinions on two performances - even though each singer had only sung once.

Amy Winehouse is reportedly planning on leaving her music label Island Records after the release of her next LP.

The Back To Black hitmaker is on a three-album deal with the British-based firm, a subsidiary of Universal Music, and is said to be keen on quitting as soon as she completes her third disc.

And the star is reportedly planning on shunning other music labels in favour of setting up her own company - giving her complete control over her music.

Movie veteran Elliott Gould has designed a new line of Nike bags under his real name, Elliot Goldstein.

The M*A*S*H star has been wearing Nike products for years - and now the sportswear giants have decide to honour his commitment by giving him his very own bag line.

And the thrilled star, who turns 70 this summer decided to use the name he was born with for the honour.

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse is working on a theme song for the forthcoming James Bond film, according to super producer Mark Ronson.

Last month the Back To Black star’s spokesman refuted claims she was secretly writing the title track for the movie.

But Ronson insists the pair has recorded a song and hopes it will be used for the upcoming blockbuster, Quantum Of Solace.

Gwyneth Paltrow refuses to throw out any of her designer clothes - so her three-year-old daughter Apple can wear them when she is older.

Paltrow, 35, has two children with rocker husband Chris Martin, Apple, and one-year-old son Moses.

And the actress admits she has become fanatical about keeping her designer-wear intact - fearing Apple will resent her if she can’t wear the outfits she sees her famous mother in.

Star Trek star William Shatner is determined never to die - as life is “too much fun”.

The actor - who turned 77 last month - insists he never thinks about passing away and is determined to carry on ignoring his own mortality.

He said: “I don’t plan to die. I’m having too much fun. As far as I’m concerned it’s not going to happen.”

Magician David Blaine stunned onlookers at a New York restaurant by smashing a glass - and proceeding to eat it piece by piece.

The renowned illusionist was recently out dining with a group of friends, including professional poker player Phil Ivey, at the Tao eaterie, when Ivey asked Blaine to provide some unusual entertainment - in return for $10,000.

Gwyneth Paltrow has slammed reports she snubbed a party held in her honour, insisting she never intended to attend the event.

Paramount Pictures executives spared no expense in throwing an extravagant bash for the Iron Man star, intended as a thank-you for her hard work on the film’s recent promotional tour.

Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss is joining the cast of next season’s US TV show Celebrity Rehab - and she is looking to get clean and find love.

The 42-year-old is seeking treatment for her dependency to crystal methamphetamines and prescription painkiller Vicodin, but she admits she’s hoping to hook up with a hunky male celebrity addict.

Amy Winehouse’s parents have clashed over the reports of the singer’s romance with new man Alex Haynes - her mother Janis is delighted with the news, while dad Mitch is angry the star has been cheating on her jailed husband Blake Fielder-Civil.

The Rehab hitmaker is alleged to have broken off her 11-month marriage last Monday, after falling for her manager’s assistant, 24-year-old Haynes.

Amy Winehouse’s father Mitch is seeking to have the star committed to a mental institution, because he is convinced it is the only way he can save his daughter from her alleged drug demons.

Taxi driver Mitch Winehouse is desperate for the Grammy-winner to live a clean and sober lifestyle, and has grown increasingly worried over her erratic behaviour - which resulted in her arrest and subsequent police caution over accusations of assault earlier this week.

Law students are furious after learning controversial talkshow host Jerry Springer is to be a guest speaker at their graduation ceremony later this year.

A committee of students at Northwestern University’s Law School in Chicago, Illinois has caused uproar among the graduating class after selecting the risque TV personality, who graduated from the school in 1968, to speak at the upcoming convocation, reports New York gossip column PageSix.

Amy Winehouse has reportedly split from her incarcerated husband Blake Fielder-Civil after finding love with her manager’s aide.

The troubled singer is alleged to have broken off her 11-month marriage during a tearful prison visit on Monday. Fielder-Civil is currently being held on remand at London’s Pentonville Prison, where he will remain until at least 9 June, on charges of perverting the course of justice, relating to a previous charge of grievous bodily harm.

Troubled pop star Amy Winehouse has been cautioned by police after confessing to allegations of assault.

The Rehab hitmaker, 24, is reported to have headbutted a man outside a pub in Camden, north London in the early hours of Wednesday, after a boozy night out.

Winehouse was arrested on suspicion of assault on Friday when she voluntarily turned herself in to authorities at London’s Holborn Police Station to be quizzed about the incident.

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has been arrested by British police on suspicion of assault.

The Rehab hitmaker, 24, is reported to have headbutted a man while out drinking in The Good Mixer public house in Camden, north London in the early hours of Wednesday.

The alleged victim, 38, filed a police complaint against Winehouse on Thursday and authorities then launched a formal investigation into the accusations.

Veteran comedian Mel Brooks is planning on turning his 1974 Western spoof Blazing Saddles into a Broadway musical.

Brooks adapted his 1968 film original The Producers into a hugely successful stage show in 2001, and more recently wrote the score for an adaptation of Young Frankenstein, which opened in New York last year.

And now Brooks is rumoured to be working on adapting Blazing Saddles for the stage.

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has entered the Young Music Millionaires rich list - with a £10m fortune.

The Back to Black hitmaker has earned her first appearance in the list, provided by British newspaper the Sunday Times.

Winehouse ranks tenth in the top 100 richest people in music in Britain aged 30 and under.

Indiana Jones actor Shia LaBeouf has laughed off reports he dated Rihanna earlier this year, insisting he is having too much fun to commit to one woman.

LaBeouf was spotted out and about in Los Angeles with the chart princess, prompting rumours they were an item.

The actor refuses to deny the pair were ever romantically entangled - but insists he is at the peak of his dating prowess, and has no intention of settling down with one girl.

Entourage star Jeremy Piven has signed on to make his Broadway bow in a 2008 production of David Mamet play Speed-The-Plow.

The actor will play one of a pair of warring movie producers in the show, which will debut in New York in November.

The play, which is currently receiving rave reviews in London - where Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum play the leads, last hit Broadway in 1988, when it was nominated for a Tony Award, with Madonna playing the female lead Keren.

Barbra Streisand has denied she cancelled a planned appearance at Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations as a snub to US President George W Bush.

The singer was scheduled to sing at the event, hosted by the country’s president Shimon Peres, in Jerusalem next month, where she was expected to perform a rendition of Hebrew prayer Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father Our King).