Former Cop Allegedly Gave Promotions For Sex

(CBS) LOS ANGELES A former Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief is under investigation for allegedly giving favorable treatment and even promotions to female officers in exchange for sexual favors, officials said Thursday.

The allegations against former Internal Affairs Deputy Chief Michael Berkow were raised in a harassment lawsuit filed in May in Los Angeles Superior Court by Sgt. Ya-May Christle of Arcadia. Berkow is now the police chief in Savannah, Ga.

"We are aware of it and yes, we are investigating," Lt. Paul Vernon of the LAPD's Media Relations Section said. "The allegations alleged in the lawsuit are under investigation. Actually, they have been under investigation for quite some time, but there is really nothing further we can comment on as this is pending litigation.

Asked if there was a relationship between Berkow's leaving the department, Vernon replied, "I don't think so."

Berkow could not be reached for comment.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, LAPD Chief William Bratton confirmed the investigation was being conducted, but he called Berkow "an outstanding police officer, hardworking, dedicated."

Christle was hired by the LAPD in February 1989 and was assigned to Internal Affairs in 2003, which was headed by Berkow, according to her lawsuit.

For the next three years, Christle was advised that some female officers who transferred into her unit were Berkow's "special friends" and to "take care of them," the lawsuit stated.

According to the lawsuit, Berkow's office in the Bradbury Building had an air mattress inside and Christle saw several female officers leave there, followed by Berkow wearing a T-shirt and pajamas.

After one female officer who was trained by Christle had sex with Berkow, she was given a pay raise and a coveted position that made her Christle's boss, the lawsuit states.

Berkow also had sexual affairs with a female sergeant and a female captain, also rewarding them with enhanced or extended positions within the department, the lawsuit alleges.

The suit claims that Berkow told Christle to stop pursuing the most serious internal charges against yet another female officer who was arrested
along with her husband for making criminal threats, resisting arrest and providing false information to a police officer.

Berkow also had an affair with the officer, whom he met while she was posing as a prostitute during an undercover police detail, the lawsuit stated.

Christle eventually filed an internal complaint stating Berkow was trying to influence the investigation involving the troubled female officer, according to the lawsuit.

In August 2005, Christle saw a note on a male officer's desk which read, "If you can get Ya-May's computer off her desk, I will give you a week of free lunches," the suit claims.

She later found her computer missing and learned that information was taken from it regarding her investigation into the 1997 fatal shooting of
rapper Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, the lawsuit states.

Wallace's family members have alleged two Los Angeles police officers conspired to kill him and Christle was unable to provide them with crucial information they needed because her computer was tampered with, according to the lawsuit.

Christle did not have sex with Berkow and so she did not receive the advancements given the other female officers, the lawsuit stated.

Christle also maintains she was discriminated against because she is Asian-American, the lawsuit stated.

Jessica Alba plays football in her bikini

There will be a day when Jessica Alba playing football in her bikini will not bring a single tear of happiness to my eye. But that day is not today. Nor is it tomorrow. Nor is it any other day where Jessica Alba looks as good as she does and the word 'bikini' hasn't been changed to mean 'a swarm of disgusting spiders.'

A gazillion more pictures of Jessica Alba at Miami beach in her bikini after the jump. And when I say gazillion I'm not even rounding. I think it's actually a gazillion.

Staff sergeant relieved from duty after posing for Playboy

SAN ANTONIO — “Drop and give me 20!” is something you might hear Air Force Staff Sgt. Michelle Manhart yell to airmen trainees at Lackland Air Force Base.

Drop her trousers is what Manhart did for Playboy magazine, and now it’s landed her in trouble with the military.

“Of what I did, nothing is wrong so I didn’t anticipate anything of course,” Manhart said Thursday of the pictorial. “I didn’t do anything wrong so I didn’t think it would be a major issue.”

In a six-page spread in February’s issue, hitting newsstands this week, Manhart is photographed in uniform yelling and holding weapons under the headline “Tough Love.” The following pages show her partially clothed wearing her dog tags while working out, as well as completely nude.

Manhart, 30, who is married with two children, has been relieved of her duties pending an investigation, according to Lackland AFB spokesman Oscar Balladares.

“This staff sergeant’s alleged action does not meet the high standards we expect of our airmen, nor does it comply with the Air Force’s core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do. It is not representative of the many thousands of outstanding airmen who serve in the U.S. Air Force today,” Balladares said, reading a statement.


Michelle Manhart


Manhart has modeled since she was younger and joined the Air Force in 1994, spending time in Kuwait in 2002. The California native said she hopes the Playboy photo shoot will pave a way into an acting or modeling career.

The pictorial’s accompanying article mentioned the possibility of trouble for the brunette drill instructor. But when asked in the article whether it might get her in “hot water with Uncle Sam,” Manhart replied: “I’ve been serving for 13 years, fighting for everyone’s rights. Why wouldn’t I be able to stand up for my own rights and participate in the freedoms that make this country what it is?”

Manhart said she didn’t see the magazine as an escape from the military. She also said she is completely committed to her job.

“I’ve proven myself. ... They picked me to train our future airmen of the world,” she said. “They picked me to train these individuals so if they elect to say I don’t have (integrity) then that’s their opinion.”

Playboy magazine spokeswoman Theresa Hennessey said two active-duty women have posed nude in Playboy in the past. Both were in the Navy, she said.

One, Sherry Lynne White, was discharged in July 2000 after posing nude for the magazine. She had been scheduled to be released from duty that October.

Another, Frederica Spilman, received an honorable discharge, which she had sought before posing, and a letter expressing the Navy’s dismay less than a week after the June 1998 issue hit newsstands.

Spilman appeared in the magazine wearing opened flight jackets, camouflage lingerie and dog tags. The six-page pictorial, under the heading “Fly Girl,” also included pictures of Spilman in her Navy uniform and flight suit.

Hennessey added that seven women also were featured in a “Women of the Armed Forces” spread in April 1980.

Manhart said the shoot came about after she went on a casting call and kept getting called back for test shots. The February pictorial was shot last spring, she said.

“The Air Force says go do something amazing, and I think I pretty much did it,” she said.

Tara Conner the Naughtiest Miss USA

Reigning Miss USA Tara Conner’s recent actions at a New York City Club prompted rumors that she may be dethroned. Citing “inappropriate behavior”, the Miss USA organization recently met with NBC to discuss the matter.

Sources tell TMZ that executives from the Miss USA organization and NBC (which broadcasts the pageant) met Tuesday to discuss Conner and alleged incidents of her inappropriate behavior, including her conduct at New York City bars. While no one from the pageant would comment on the rumored troubles, several sources tell TMZ that a big announcement is expected some time Thursday. (TMZ)

However. Donald Trump, who for some reason owns the pageant, has all the deets on this story.

“Reports that Miss USA is being ‘dethroned’ are absolutely not true.” He then said that Conner is “going through some personal problems and difficulties right now which could affect her ability to reign. We are right now looking into what we can do to work with her and what we will do about her reign going forward.” (NL)

If the personal problems are anything like persistently drunk whore and the difficulties are a weakness for jello shooters, then I think I just fell in love. God Bless America.

Brandy Caught Up in New Year Car Crash Fatality

R&B star Brandy started 2007 off with memories of a terrible car crash that left another motorist dead. According to new police reports, obtained by website TMZ.com, the singer was driving her Land Rover on California's 405 freeway on December 30 when she failed to notice cars in front of her were slowing down. Brandy braked late and collided with a Toyota, which in turn hit another car before striking the central divider. The Toyota was then hit by another car. The driver of the Toyota was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in critical condition and later died, according to the website.

Brandy was not injured in the accident and was not arrested. She was not deemed to be speeding. After news of the car crash was published on the internet yesterday morning, the singer's representatives released a short statement acknowledging the accident and the deceased. They wrote, "Brandy was involved in a car accident December 30, 2006 in Los Angeles, where there was a fatality. She wishes to publicly express her condolences to the family of the deceased. Brandy asks that you respect the privacy of everyone involved at this time."

MARIAH POSING FOR PLAYBOY?

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Sexy Tutors: Sex Appeal Sells in Hong Kong's Competitive Tutoring Business

HONG KONG — Angela Yiu and Stella Cheng spent weeks meeting with fashion stylists and photographers before deciding on the mini skirts and high heels to wear in their promotion campaign.

They're not models peddling perfume or sports cars. They're English tutors who earn good money helping secondary school students pass Hong Kong's grueling exams to get into college.

"Their long legs are the most beautiful ones in the tutorial industry," said Ken Ng, head of Modern Education, one of the city's biggest tutoring businesses. "This is our selling point."

Sex appeal has become a hot selling point, just as important as teaching ability and knowledge, in Hong Kong's hypercompetitive world of cram schools — or "bou zap se" in the local Cantonese dialect.

Attractive teachers are marketed like movie stars. Their schools show them off on billboards, full-page newspaper ads and TV screens in railway stations and on buses.

Some tutors have their own teams of stylists, fashion designers and photographers, Ng said. They also have personal Web sites, where potential students can see their photos, read their online journals and download video clips of "gag moments" in class.


It's just the latest twist in the competition to grab the business of students caught up in Hong Kong's make-or-break exam culture. Youngsters take two college exams during their seven years in secondary school and they have to pass both to get into a university.

So hoards of students trek to after-school lectures at tutoring centers.

The Census and Statistics Department says a third of secondary school youngsters sought private tutoring in the 2004-05 school year, spending a total of $18.9 million a month — 25 percent more than five years earlier.

Industry pioneers like Modern Education and King's Glory each have about 10 centers around the city, each offering around 200 lessons a week.

All the companies boast of their ability to give youngsters an edge by predicting what questions will be asked in the exams, employing teams of full-time analysts who study patterns from previous exam papers.

With competition growing fierce on that front, the tutorial centers in recent years have increasingly focused on promoting their teachers as trendy icons consumable by students.

"When our rivals are equally good at predicting the exam questions, we need a new ground to outrun them," Ng said. "And that is the tutor's appearance."

Last summer, Ng hired Yiu, who once won a modeling contest, to teach English along with Cheng, described by Ng as "a gorgeous former lawyer."

Yiu, who has a business degree, said: "Being a model is not a long-term career. I should plan for the future. I know my good appearance has a market."

Indeed, tutoring is one of the most profitable jobs in this Asian city. Top tutors who have more than 4,000 students can earn high salaries.

Elaine Chow, an advertising executive, said tutoring businesses are applying a "star-making" promotion technique in which tutors dress fashionably and are given nicknames like "the Godfather of Science," "Brand-A tutor" or the "Queen of English."

"In the advertisements, going to tutorial centers is portrayed as a trendy after-school activity more than a chance to acquire knowledge," she said. "This is a twisted tutoring market."

Percy Kwok, a former education researcher of the Chinese University of Hong Kong who studied the private tutoring phenomenon in 2003, said tutorial centers closely follow the consumption culture of youths to catch their attention.

"They may even expose tutors' private life if necessary," he said.

But he added that while tutorial centers have become highly commercial, they provide useful techniques in tackling exams, such as predicting question types. Daytime teachers don't have comparable resources or the time to do that, he said.

Tutorial centers will continue, he said, "As long as university certificates and exam results are the best evidence to prove one's competence and guarantee a stable income."

The Girls Next Door

The Girls Next Door

Welcome to the Playboy Mansion.

Hugh Hefner's Three Lovely Ladies Get Candid


Welcome to the Playboy Mansion.

Thanks to 'The Girls Next Door' reality series on E!, everyone finally gets a behind-the-scenes peek into daily life at the Playboy mansion. This show follows the daily lives of Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson -- 80-year-old Hugh Hefner's much younger girlfriends. The season one DVD is out now, and it features commentary from 'The Girls,' deleted scenes and the unaired pilot episode. Season two of 'The Girls Next Door' kicked off this week on E! with Hef's 80th birthday party.

In an exclusive interview with AOL Television editor Sean Doorly, the gals chatted about the good and bad of life at the Playboy mansion, their favorite moments from 'Girls Next Door' and what they like about Hef.

When people meet you for the first time, what do you imagine they are thinking about you?
Holly: I think it depends. I think the person on the street is going to have a different preconceived notion than somebody that I have the occasion to actually sit down and talk to. I like to think they are not thinking what the average person on the street is thinking.
Kendra: India.Arie just came out with a song, 'I Am Not My Hair,' and I totally related to it. Your hair doesn't describe who you are. We are not just blonde bimbos. We have hearts. We are caring. We are humans too.

What is the coolest part of living at the Playboy mansion?
Holly: I think the coolest part is the zoo because we have three different kinds of monkeys and a bunch of different kind of exotic birds. It's just fun hanging out with them.
Bridget: I think just about everything from being able to order [food] whenever you want, to all the perks that we get, to hanging out with Hef all the time. There are just a million reasons why this is the coolest place to live.
Kendra: Everything here is amazing. Being able to do whatever you want, whatever you feel like doing you can do. We have a five star chef. Everything is just made for us here.


Are there any bad things about living at the Playboy mansion?
Kendra: The only thing that kind of sucks is the curfew. I like it, but at the same time I think, “What would I be doing anyways now?” I'm 21 years old. I would probably being getting in so much trouble now. I'm a crazy girl, so this is really good for me. It gets my head together. My friends are having parties and sometimes they want me to go and I say, “Damn, I want to go.” Then you think about it and we are here in paradise.
Bridget: The only real disadvantage for me is being away from my family. I'm really close to them, and I like having them around. They are in Northern California and they come as much as they can and that is fun.
Holly: I wish I had my room that I could decorate however I want.

What is your favorite moment from season one of 'The Girls Next Door’?
Kendra: Thinking the mannequin was a real person.
Holly: I liked the fashion show in Vegas.
Kendra: Going to visit my brother and going home to Lodi.




Holly, you said in an episode that you were the No. 1 girlfriend.
Holly: They made me say that. The hierarchy was established long before I came along. Hef always had a main girlfriend, and there were other girls that lived here that he was dating. Since people who are unfamiliar with Hef or his lifestyle don't really know that, the people writing the show wanted me to say I'm Hef's No.1 girlfriend. And then the next day after the show airs I read on the Internet "Holly says she is Hef's No. 1 girlfriend -- make me barf." I had to say it ... it's not like I'm bragging.

Hugh Hefner's Three Lovely Ladies Get Candid


Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Holly: I want to be married and have kids.
Bridget: I want to be hosting my own show.
Kendra: In five years, I have a couple different roads I want to go, but I don't know which one yet. Sometimes I want to travel and sometimes I think I want to settle down and have kids when I'm young. I want to be a kid with my kids.

What did you think of season one?
Holly: I think the episodes got better as they went. The first two episodes I hated. I hated how we were characterized. They make me look like a conceited bitch.
Bridget: It was fun. I really liked it while it was going and when it was all said and done. Now that I have seen some of the rough cuts of season two -- season two is way better. It blows season one out of the water, and I didn't think anything was wrong with season one.
Kendra: We are more comfortable with ourselves and in front of the camera. We got to know the producers. We are more natural.

What has the show done for you?
Holly: I think it has given us a lot more opportunities. People want to work with us now. People want to listen to our ideas because before people just thought, "Oh, you are just another bunch of girls dating Hef."

If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, how far would you go back and what would the advice be?
Holly: I would go back four years ago and say don't cut your hair because you will be wearing extensions for the rest of your life. It won't grow back.
Bridget: I think I would go back to high school and just tell myself not to give up. I always felt Playboy is where I belonged and there was a lot of times I was told no, and I was going to quit along this path and I'm so glad I didn't. I think I would just give myself encouragement to stick with it.
Kendra: Today what is going on right now in my life is a dream come true. I like now. I don't regret anything in my life because it all led me to here.




Who are some of the celebrities you have met at the mansion?
Holly: I thought it was cool to meet Donald Trump and his daughter and his wife.
Bridget: I think what was cool about meeting Donald Trump is that he is one of those celebrities you wouldn't expect to come to the Playboy mansion. He seems kind of uptight to me. So to see him here, not that he lets loose, but to see him here and meet him in this setting is cool.

Did he have a tie on?
Bridget: (Laughs) Yeah, he was the only one there in a suit.

What do you like about Hef?
Holly: I like his personality, his sense of humor and his confidence.
Bridget: Even though he is 80, he still acts young and plays games and goes out to dinner and bowl. All the things we like to do.
Kendra: He is really down to earth. He is 80, but he seems like he is 25

Pamela Anderson in January 2007 Playboy

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson got busy with a huge photo-shoot for Playboy a few weeks ago.
The photos, which are stunning, appear in the special January 2007 issue of Playboy.
This isn't the first time Pamela Anderson poses for the famous magazine. In late 1989, Pammy decided to model for Playboy magazine, & she appeared on the October 1989 cover.
Then in 2004, she appeared again on the cover of Playboy's May issue.
The thing is, Anderson appeared 12 times on the cover of Playboy magazine (1989-2007), more than anyone else in the magazine's history!

Hilton sues site with her personal items Tue Jan 30

LOS ANGELES - Paris Hilton filed a federal lawsuit Monday, seeking to shut down a Web site that displays personal photos, videos, diaries, and other belongings once kept at a storage facility.

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The Web site was launched last week claiming the items were auctioned off after Hilton neglected to pay the Los Angeles-area storage facility. It also promises visitors who pay a fee of $39.97 access to Hilton's passport, medical records and other legal documents.

In her lawsuit, Hilton said she put her possessions in storage two years ago when she and her sister, Nicky, moved out of a house that had been burglarized.

The 25-year-old heiress said a moving company was supposed to pay the storage fees and was "shocked and surprised" to learn her belongings were sold at a public auction.

"I was appalled to learn that people are exploiting my and my sisters' private personal belongings for commercial gain," Hilton said in a declaration supporting the lawsuit, adding she was concerned the information could be used for identity theft or harassment.

The lawsuit alleges defendants Nabil and Nabila Haniss paid $2,775 for the contents of the storage unit and later sold the items for $10 million to entrepreneur Bardia Persa, who created the site ParisExposed.com.

Phone numbers for Nabil and Nabila Haniss of Culver City could not be located. Persa did not immediately respond to an e-mail Monday seeking comment.

Hilton's publicist Elliot Mintz said that she would like the site shut down and "would like all of these items returned to her."

Anderson Blasts Ex Rock

Pamela Anderson has launched a thinly disguised attack on her estranged husband Kid Rock, apparently branding him self-obsessed and "childish". The former Baywatch star was furious to learn Rock tried to get physical with her other ex Tommy Lee on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas after being taunted by the wild rocker over his split from Anderson. Writing on her website, the actress insists she is "excited about moving on" from Rock and finding a new love, rumored to be actor and former Hell's Angel Chuck Zito.

She says, "I need a man with interests outside of himself, someone with similar beliefs." And apparently alluding to the Lee incident she adds, "A rock star scorned... it's been a hard month - completely childish threats. I'm so disappointed. That's why my friend Chuck Zito has been with me. He's great security." Anderson and Rock, real name Robert Ritchie, split in November after just four months of marriage.

Did Jennifer Aniston Get Some Fake Breasts?

Thursday, January 11th, 2007 After her busty appearance at the People’s Choice Awards, a lot of people are asking if Jennifer Aniston’s breasts are real, or whether she now has implants. These conspiracy theorists cite, as evidence, the following comparison:

Apparently, there are a lot of people online who have never seen breasts before (at least without having to hand over your credit card to the bouncer). Please note three things about the supposedly “fake” breasts at right:

Jennifer is wearing a dress that accentuates them, unlike her outfit at left.
Jennifer is bending over slightly, which (believe it or not) can make breasts appear bigger.
In spite of points 1 & 2, they do not look that much larger than the adjacent image, nor do they appear the slightest bit fake.
Come on people. Not only does the photo evidence fall short, but what has Jennifer Aniston ever done to make you think she’d go buy fake breasts? Get serious.

If you want to see someone who’s had work done, gaze upon these Ashlee Simpson pictures. And hey, if you want the textbook example of giant boobs that have most likely been surgically enhanced, look no further than Posh Spice, a.k.a. Victoria Beckham. Those things are getting their own ZIP code in L.A., we’re told (by liars).

We could also tell you to look at Anna Nicole Smith as an example, but that would be a blatant violation of your civil rights, which protect you from cruel or unusual punishment.

Paula Abdul Interview Raises Eyebrows

Paula Abdul
NEW YORK — A video of an interview with Paula Abdul appears to show the "American Idol" judge slurring her words and rocking back and forth in her seat, but her publicist says any oddities in the tape were due to technical difficulties.

The video clip, which has wound up on the file-sharing Web site YouTube, is of a morning-show interview Abdul did Thursday via satellite from New York with the local FOX affiliate in Seattle.

The very upbeat Abdul seems to be slurring her words during much of the segment, and at times she is moving around so much in her chair that she almost swivels right out of the shot.



Her publicist, Jeff Ballard, told FOXNews.com that the buzz surrounding the clip, which is titled "Paula Abdul — What is she smokin'???" on YouTube, is "much ado about nothing."

"It was a technical problem," he said. "They dropped the sound not once but twice. She's in a little room by herself and could hear people shouting in her mike. She did 20 of those interviews without incident. It was simply a matter of Seattle screwing up."


He denied that Abdul's speech was impaired during the interview.

"She was not slurring her words," said Ballard.

"American Idol," which premieres Tuesday night on FOX, has distanced itself from the incident. A spokeswoman for the popular singing-competition reality show referred all inquiries about Abdul's behavior in the interview to Ballard.

In other "Idol" news, when asked about Bob Dylan's wish to join him as a judge on the series, Simon Cowell told British paper The Guardian, "Bob Dylan bores me to tears.

"I don't believe the Bob Dylans of this world would make 'American Idol' a better show," he told the newspaper.