Late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin’s widow Terri denies reports she plans to sell his Australian zoo and return to her native U.S.

Terri says media reports claiming she plans to sell the zoo he founded on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to US-based investors are untrue. She says, “I’ll never leave. I love Australia and I’m doing my best to be a fair dinkum Aussie sheila and honor all of Steve’s work and yeah, I’ll be here the rest of my life. “There have been so many rumors about so many things and I have no idea where they all come from but I can assure everyone that the conservation work that we’re doing in Australia will continue and will certainly have a global impact but we’re not leaving and we love Australia and everybody here.” Irwin also plays down reports she hopes to turn the wildlife conservation site into a theme park.

She adds, “I don’t know about rides but there will sure be a lot more animals, more mega-fun and more hands-on experiences and we’ll remain the unique experience for zoological facilities and wildlife hospitals expanding, everything we’re doing is just going to get bigger and better.” Irwin died in September 2006 when he was stabbed in the heart with a stingray barb.

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“Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” a new Southern Gothic musical by Stephen King, the horror writer, and John Mellencamp, the musician, is to open in April 2009 at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta.

In a recent interview in Rolling Stone, Mr. Mellencamp said that if the musical, about the reverberations of a tragedy in small-town Mississippi, did well in Atlanta, it would head to Broadway.

What a collaboration we never thought we’d see. Hopefully the interesting combination will turn out well.

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Former child star Gary Coleman has gotten married to his fiancee, Shannon Price, after only knowing her for five months. He admits that the ceremony was a very private affair and says, “Nobody was around but the minister, the preacher, the videographers, the photographer, the helicopter pilot and us.”

Wait, Gary Coleman can afford a helicopter? It must be all that eBaying they’re doing.

He insists that the 18 years between them means nothing, even though she had no idea who he was when they first met last year. He adds, “I don’t have issues with age, I have issues with intelligence and she’s more intelligent than I am, and that’s what matters to me.”

His bride, on the other hand, says that she knows she has a testing time ahead of her as the temperamental actor’s young bride: “He lets his anger conquer him sometimes. He throws things around, and sometimes he throws it in my direction. I don’t like the violence.”

I don’t think this union is going to last long, just given what she’s said.

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Australian model Sophie Monk has confirmed that she and Benji Madden have officially split up. Following a month of speculation, Monk’s agent Yoon Kim has revealed that the couple has called off their engagement yesterday.

She said, “Sophie and Benji have officially split. The decision was mutual and they remain amicable.”

The couple’s romance began 18 months ago after they met on the set of a Good Charlotte video. Benji proposed to Sophie last year. The rumors of their split started when she failed to wear her engagement ring at a string of recent high-profile events.

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A back problem has forced Dolly Parton to postpone a concert tour she planned in support of her new CD. Dolly was scheduled to kick off a 13-show tour Feb. 28 in Minneapolis, two days after the release of “Backwoods Barbie”, publicist Marcee Rondan said Monday.

Doctors advised Parton to take up to eight weeks off to recover from the unspecified problem.

Rondan said she had no information on the nature of Parton’s back condition.

“I know I have been breaking my neck and bending over backwards trying to get my new ‘Backwoods Barbie’ CD and world tour together, but I didn’t mean to hurt myself doing it,” Parton, 62, said in a statement.

She said doctors told her she will be “good as new in a few weeks, and I can’t wait to get back out there.”

The tour will be rescheduled for late April through May. Tickets will be honored for the new dates.

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This is too funny!

Sources say that Rachel Zoe was seen screaming and cursing because she wasn’t allowed inside of the Marc Jacobs show. Apparently, she tried to fight her way in through the bouncers, but they pushed her back.

Here, she’s seen at the Marc Jacobs after party. I guess they’re not as selective as to who they let in.

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Two-time Dancing with the Stars champ Cheryl Burke and her boyfriend of a year, actor Matthew Lawrence, have broken up, People has confirmed.

“I can confirm that Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence quietly ended their relationship a few weeks ago,” her rep says.

The couple started dating early last year, though they initially met in 2006 through Joey Lawrence, brother of Matthew and a contestant on the third season of DWTS.

Back in happier days, Burke, 23, did a Celebrity Video Diary for People, focusing on how she and Lawrence, 27, maintained their relationship.

The split was first reported by TV Guide.com’s Michael Ausiello.

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