Rosie says ‘View’ producers threatened lawsuit

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

Rosie O’Donnell and Howard Stern ended their long feud on June 3 when O’Donnell called in to the Stern’s radio show. Among the topics they discussed were her final days of “The View,” which O’Donnell remembers differently from ABC insiders who were there.

O’Donnell started out by telling Stern she left because she wasn’t enjoying the work anymore — that she was paying people to raise her kids. O’Donnell then added that when she told the show of her decision, producers threatened to sue O’Donnell if she left.

“That is completely inaccurate,” said an ABC insider. “It just not true that the producers wanted to sue her.” (The producers, by the way, would be Barbara Walters — who didn’t get a very fair shake in O’Donnell’s memoir “Celebrity Detox: The Fame Game” — and Bill Geddie.)

Another source within the network said that O’Donnell’s version of her departure wasn’t as contentious as she recalls. “Rosie had been rocking the boat for a while. She didn’t have much time left in her contract — there was less drama in having her go than keeping her there.”

That wasn’t the only hot topic discussed. O’Donnell also maintained her stance on a possible Sept. 11 conspiracy theory. She believes the towers could not have fallen without the help of explosives. We might be in store for more of this type of discussion. O’Donnell also said that she’s been listening more to radio, and is interested in taking over the hour after Stern’s broadcast. Stern offered her an audition.

Think it was staged? O’Donnell responded to speculation in a favorite mode of communication, free-verse poetry-ish blogging: “no / we spoke once / at nobu restaurant / a year ago / that’s it.”

Richards tries to catch a glimpse of Sheen’s pics
Denise Richards might say she’s over her ex Charlie Sheen, but she seems pretty desperate for details about his wedding, which took place May 30 in L.A.

Slide show   Richards revealed From Bond girl to Playboy; motherhood to messy divorce, check out Denise Richards' life in pictures.  more photos

A source who knows Richards reports that the former Mrs. Sheen personally phoned the OK! magazine offices in New York in an attempt to track down an advance copy of this week’s issue, which features Sheen’s wedding on the cover.

“She was feverishly trying to get her hands on a copy. She wanted to prepare herself for what she was going to see on the newsstands,” said the source. Richards did photo shoots with OK! both during and after her marriage to Sheen, and that is partially why she felt comfortable making the call. “She feels like she knows them and can ask a favor, I guess,” said the source.

Did OK! acquiesce? “We’re still printing” was all a rep for the magazine had to say when asked.

Brad Pitt’s Dubai project
Rumors that Brad Pitt was buying an island off Dubai might not have been true, but the folks behind the buzz might have been onto something. Dubai-based developer Zabeel Properties announced that Brad Pitt will be the “lead designer” for its flagship green project, an 800-room hotel.

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According to the company, Brad Pitt explained his involvement, saying, “Whilst acting is my career, architecture is my passion. Selecting this development as my first major construction project has been a simple decision. It will underpin not only my values for environmentally friendly architecture, but also embrace my career in entertainment.”

A request to verify Pitt’s use of the word “whilst” and his involvement in the project were not confirmed by press time.

Emmy committee, are you listening? Part 2
Today’s plea to the Emmy nominating committee is centered around “Mad Men.” The show seems a shoo-in for a nomination in the drama category, but what about nominations in the acting categories?

Although it’s a tough category, Jon Hamm’s nuanced portrayal of the philandering family man Don Draper is worthy of nod in the lead actor in a drama series category. Also, how about January Jones? Actresses with far less screen time have received nominations in the supporting actress category, and in Jones’ case, any perceived risk in nominating will pay off this season when Betty Draper’s character really comes into her own.

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