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The Web was everywhere in the story of Michael Jackson's passing. From TMZ.com, a celebrity gossip site that broke the news, to Amazon.com, where Jackson CDs sold out within minutes, the death brought front and center how the Web has transformed the way people get information and act on it. Just as mourners for Princess Diana placed flowers at the gate of Buckingham Palace in 1997, Web users sent out tweets, instant messages, Facebook posts,...

WE DON'T KNOW if Kobe Bryant uttered the traditional words "for better or worse," when he wed soon-to-be ex-wife Vanessa. But if so, he couldn't have imagined "worse" could be this bad. According to the Los Angeles Times, Vanessa Bryant - who filed for divorce from the former Lower Merion star last month - just received three mansions worth more than $18 million as part of a pending settlement. The Times cited experts as saying that's only a small portion of the $75 million - not counting spousal and child support - she is expected to receive when the divorce is final.

Does Lamar Odom blame his wife for ruining a potentially great NBA career? Does Lamar, effectively booted by the Dallas Mavericks, think Khloé Kardashian loves her career as one of the principals in The Kardashian Un-Reality Industry more than her marriage? Does he want to leave her? These questions haunt us at night. Khloé, too, by the sounds of it. The embattled reality star, who this week announced she and Lamar are temporarily benching their reality show, Khloé & Lamar, tells People mag there are bumps in her marriage.

Athletes and Twitter. It's a train wreck waiting to happen. For some reason, sports professionals, both men and women, turn into twits when they tweet. The latest example is ex-NBA star Steve Francis who - according to a police report obtained by TMZ - allegedly groped 20-year-old Shauna Simien in Texas in May of 2010. The police report indicated that Simien filed a complaint immediately after the alleged incident. The woman told TMZ that she is a singer who had signed with Francis' record label and was meeting with him on the day of the alleged assault.

Hollywood titan Gene Hackman , 81, was recovering nicely Friday after being hit by a car while walking his bike. The Oscar-winner, who has been featured in 100 films including The Conversation and Unforgiven , was on a bicycle outing in the Florida Keys when the accident occurred, reports TMZ. "Gene was airlifted to the hospital for routine tests," his rep tells E!News. "Everything is fine and Gene is on his way home now with a few bumps and bruises. "   Paula Deen has diabetes?

OK, here's why you don't flinch when the kid wants those expensive dance lessons. Or voice lessons. Or whatever. See, you may actually get it back someday. Young star Demi Lovato rewarded the fam with a new home to celebrate her 18th birthday. "I just bought a house," the actress and singer/songwriter informs People mag. "For me to give [that] to my family on my birthday, that was the best present. " The Mediterranean-style dwelling is outside L.A. Demi says she plans to live there.

The obvious isn't always the obvious way to go when interpreting a role, movie star and stage sizzler Scarlett Johansson says in a chat about her starring role as the lustful Maggie in a Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams ' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof . Scar-Jo, 28, who could be described as ridiculously sexy and stuff, is playing the role Elizabeth Taylor made famous in the '58 movie version costarring Paul Newman as her hub. She tells USA...

LONDON - Brace yourself, Harry. A prominent British public relations man says he has been approached by two women who claim to have more material on Prince Harry, raising the possibility that the world may soon be seeing more compromising images. Last week, the celebrity gossip website TMZ published photos of Harry romping in the nude during a party at his Las Vegas hotel suite. Many Britons have laughed off the 27-year-old prince's high jinks, but questions have been raised about his publicly funded security detail.

YESTERDAY, when it had become clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger had diddled a member of his household staff, there was some question as to what the then-unnamed woman did. Personal assistant? Nanny? Cook? Nope, Mildred Patty Baena was a maid. As if there was any doubt. The woman who mussed up Maria Shriver 's sheets, also washed them. Here are the other updates to one of the creepiest tales since the Brothers Grimm . The "event," as Arnold referred to it in his statement (not even giving it the dignity of a "special event")

Rege returning, Dave his guest Regis Philbin, six weeks removed from triple heart-bypass surgery, plans to be back at work Thursday morning as cohost of Live With Regis and Kelly. Philbin's first guest will be David Letterman, also a veteran of bypass surgery. "Very appropriate," Philbin's cohost, Kelly Ripa, said as she announced her partner's return yesterday. Philbin, 75, filled in as a guest host on CBS's Late Show after Letterman had his bypass operation in 2000.