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Robert Hegyes, who played the lovable schemer Juan Epstein on “Welcome Back, Kotter,” has died.

He was 60.

The actor suffered an apparent heart attack at his Metuchen, New Jersey home on Thursday morning.

By the time emergency personnel transported him to JFK Medical Center, he was in full cardiac arrest and died, a hospital spokesperson confirms to Gossip Cop.

While he co-starred on “Cagney & Lacey” and did guest spots on shows including “NewsRadio,” Hegyes was best known for his starring role alongside John Travolta as one of the rough-edged but sweet high school students known as the Sweathogs on “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

Check out some of his work in the video below.

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John Travolta reportedly got his wings clipped… at a KFC.

The British press says the actor, in England for a Scientology confab, had one of his people call over to one of the chain’s locations to make a reservation for him and his group, but was told he’d have to stand in line at the fast-food restaurant like everyone else.

The employee who received the request explained, “The lady who called didn’t give me her name. She just said it will be for a Mr. Travolta… That threw me a little bit. I thought it might be a load of nonsense.”

A KFC spokesman later said, “In hindsight, of course, we would have reserved a table for him. It’s not every day you get a Hollywood star eating in your restaurant.”

Gossip Cop has reached out to Travolta’s rep for a comment.

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John Travolta‘s 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL was stolen on Sunday while the actor was inside a Jaguar dealership, police officials confirm to Gossip Cop.

The vintage ride was swiped yesterday in Santa Monica, where Travolta left the Benz alone for 10 minutes a couple of blocks from the Jag dealer.

Police took a report, but there were no witnesses to the reported theft.

There are no current suspects.

Gossip Cop has reached out to his rep for comment.

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Joe Pesci is suing the producers of a movie about the Gotti mob family, alleging they cut down his role and paycheck after using him to attract investors.

The actor filed a lawsuit against Fiore Films, the company behind Gotti: In The Shadow Of My Father, for the $3 million he claims to have been originally promised to play John Gotti, Sr.‘s friend and enforcer, Angelo Ruggiero.

According to Pesci, who says he gained 30 pounds for the part, he’s now being offered only $1 million and a lesser role in the movie, which also stars John Travolta, Al Pacino and Kelly Preston.

The Oscar winner’s lawsuit claims Fiore Films “secretly planned to use [his] name and likeness to promote the film and then to later concoct some pretext for terminating the contract so as to avoid paying [Pesci] anything for the substantial publicity and ‘buzz’ that was generated.”

Producers insist there was no agreement for Pesci to play Ruggiero and that he’s “wasting”everybody’s time with the litigation.

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Jeff Conaway has died, Gossip Cop confirms.

He was 60 years old.

The Grease and “Taxi” star passed away today at Encino Hospital in California at 10:30 a.m. PT.

A rep for Conaway told Gossip Cop the family feels “he’s at peace now.”

Conaway became brain dead after he was placed in a medically induced coma due to an apparent drug overdose on May 11, leading his family to make the difficult decision to take him off life support.

Conaway rose to fame in 1978 playing Kenickie in Grease.

The star of that film, John Travolta, has released a statement about today’s sad news, calling Conaway a “wonderful and decent man and we will miss him.”

“My heartfelt thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this very difficult time.”

After Grease, Conaway went on to star in numerous films and television series, such as Sunset Strip, Shadow of a Doubt, “Taxi” and “Babylon 5.”

The actor was once married to Olivia Newton-John‘s sister, Rona Newton-John. He had no children of his own, but has a stepson named Emerson from his marriage to Newton-John.

Conaway had struggled with addiction for years, and recently appeared on “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,” where he was treated for addictions to cocaine, alcohol and painkillers.

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Al Pacino has joined John Travolta, Kelly Preston and Lindsay Lohan in Gotti: Three Generations.

The Godfather himself will portray longtime Mafia consigliere Neil Dellacroce in the film.

“Dellacroce’s the person who kind of brings John Gotti up through the ranks,” explains producer Marc Fiore.

Travolta is set to play Gotti, while his real-life wife Preston will be his on-screen wife Victoria.

Lohan has signed on to portray Kim Gotti, his daughter-in-law.

Pacino, of course, has a long history with mob movies, having played Michael Corleone in all three Godfather films and Tony Montana in Scarface.

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Kelly Preston will join real-life husband John Travolta as his on-screen wife in Gotti: Three Generations.

She will play Victoria Gotti, married to Travolta’s John Gotti, Sr.

Fiore Films has confirmed the news.

The couple’s daughter, Ella Bleu, is slated to play Angel Gotti, their characters’ child.

“The love and passion between John and Kelly… will bring a huge benefit to John Sr. and his wife, and to tell you the truth, they have a lot in common,” producer Marc Fiore explains. “They both lost a child at a young age and they understand what the Gottis when through when the Gottis lost their child.”

Lindsay Lohan, meanwhile, is set to portray Kim Gotti, wife of John Gotti, Jr.

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Kirstie Alley was in need of some help after two straight weeks of mishaps on “Dancing with the Stars,” so she called in the “Dance Doctor” – her good friend John Travolta.

Travolta, known for his famous moves in Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction, showed up during rehearsals to mentor Alley and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Travolta suggested the actress reevaluate her footwear after having lost a shoe mid-waltz last week. “Let’s try a sneaker,” the actor  said. ”Perhaps a high-top.”

He then assessed the pair’s chemistry, asking “What’s going on here – romantically?” to which Alley replied, “Nothing!”

“That’s the problem,” said Travolta, who suggested the partners take care of that immediately.

The Doctor’s advice apparently worked because judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Alley her performance last night was her best dance to date.

Check out Alley’s foxtrot to “American Woman” below!

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Lindsay Lohan appeared at a New York press conference today for the upcoming film Gotti: Three Generations, and although her deal to play the role of Victoria Gotti is not finalized, she certainly looks the part.

John Travolta was on hand to announce officially that he’ll be starring as the late mafioso John Gotti in the movie, but Lohan’s presence garnered its fair share of media attention as well.

The blonde bombshell’s striking resemblance to Victoria, who handpicked Lohan to play her in the movie, was made apparent as the two posed for pictures together.

Gossip Cop will keep you updated as negotiations for Gotti progress.

Check out more photos of Lindsay at the press conference here!

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Lindsay Lohan was selected to play Victoria Gotti by Gotti herself, beating out a number of other actresses rumored for the role.

“I know her,” Lohan tells Gossip Cop.

John Travolta is set to star as mobster John Gotti (Victoria’s father) in an upcoming film about the infamous family.

Sienna Miller and Blake Lively were among the stars supposedly up for the Victoria role before Lohan snagged it.

Nothing has been signed yet, but Gossip Cop will monitor the final casting.

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Kim Kardashian is reportedly in discussions to play mafia boss John Gotti‘s daughter-in-law in a new movie.

It’s expected that John Travolta will have the Gotti role.

Reality star Kardashian would be cast as the mobster’s daughter-in-law Kim Gotti, according to TMZ.

Nothing has been finalized yet.

Gossip Cop has reached out to a rep and will update.

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John Travolta is loving every minute of being a dad again.

The actor told reporters yesterday at the G’Day USA event at the Hollywood Palladium that he often sings to his baby boy Benjamin.

“I make up songs,” said Travolta, adding, “I was changing him the other day, and I wanted to entertain him so he didn’t get upset, so I made something up.” He then sang a few notes of the tune which essentially repeated the boy’s name “Benjamin Hunter” a few times.

And according to wife Kelly Preston, Travolta and Benjamin look “identical.” She notes, ”Maybe there’s me somewhere in there, but he looks so much like his daddy.”

Check out the week’s hottest PHOTOS!

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(People)

Matthew McConaughey & Camila Alves

The couple’s daughter Vida – Portuguese for “life” – was born on January 3, joining big brother Levi.

Sandra Bullock

The Oscar winner secretly adopted baby Louis Bardo in January, announcing the news as she divorced scandal-plagued Jesse James.

Amy Adams & Darren Le Gallo

The Julie & Julia star gave birth to Aviana Olea on May 15.

Mario Lopez & Courtney Mazza

On September 11, the “Extra” host and his girlfriend were “overjoyed” to introduce Gia Francesca to the world.

Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka

The couple’s twins, Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, arrived via surrogate on October 12.

Alicia Keys & Swizz Beatz

Three months after marrying, the musical mates were blessed with son Egypt on October 14.

Matt Damon & Luciana Barroso

The superstar’s fourth kid, Stella Zavala, was “Bourne” on October 20. All four children are girls.

Celine Dion & Rene Angelil

On October 23, the couple added twin boys Eddy and Nelson to their family.

John Travolta & Kelly Preston

Two years after the tragic loss of son Jett, the stars said hello to baby Benjamin.

Vince Vaughn & Kyla Weber

After starting the year with a January wedding, the couple’s daughter Locklyn Kyla was born on December 18.

Ali Larter & Hayes MacArthur

“Heroes” actress Larter got an early Christmas gift when Theodore arrived on December 22.

Whose little bundle of joy do you think most resembles his/her parents?

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(Gawker.com)

Hours before his wife Kelly Preston gave birth to their son Benjamin, John Travolta‘s team shot off a five-page legal letter to Gawker, demanding it remove a post purporting to reveal the actor’s so-called “secret sex life” with other men in Los Angeles spas.

In the blistering missive, obtained by Gossip Cop, Travolta’s attorney, Marty Singer, calls out the site posting “false and outrageous” claims made by Robert Randolph, whose salacious stories Gawker ran in a post called “The Secret Sex Life of John Travolta.”

In a self-published book, Randolph alleges to have seen Travolta on multiple occasions in steam rooms engaging in sexual acts with men.

Singer refers to Randolph’s stories as “blatant defamatory lies” from a “patently unreliable source,” and points out that the “author” acknowledged on his own website that he suffered “permanent brain damage” in 2003.

Also hurting Randolph’s credibility, notes Singer, is that his stories “go back fifteen years, yet inexplicably, he has waited until now to peddle these phony tall tales.”

Furthermore, Travolta’s camp points to what they say is the absurd notion that a world-famous movie star would repeatedly commit adultery in public – casually, and in front of strangers – and that Randolph would bear witness each time.

The idea that Travolta “engaged in multiple adulterous sexual encounters in different public locations in Los Angeles (where he does not live), and that each time, the (nonexistent) events were coincidentally witnessed by [Randolph], is absolutely ridiculous,” asserts Singer.

In repeating the sex claims that the site admits other outlets were “skittish about printing,” Gawker is “significantly compounding the damages” incurred by Travolta, according to his lawyer.

Travolta’s side is demanding the immediate and permanent removal of the Randolph post and “publication of an unequivocal and prominent retraction of the false and defamatory statements.”

Gossip Cop reached out to Gawker, but has yet to hear back.

READ THE FULL LETTER HERE     (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

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John Travolta and Kelly Preston are parents again.

The celebrity couple welcomed their third child, a baby boy named Benjamin, on Tuesday.

Baby Benjamin was born at a Florida hospital, weighing 8 pounds and 3 ounces.

“John, Kelly and their daughter Ella Bleu are ecstatic and very happy about the newest member of the family,” says a family statement, which adds, “Both mother and baby are healthy and doing beautifully.”

A week and a half ago, media outlets wrongly reported that Travolta cut short a trip in Australia to rush home because Preston was in labor.

Two years ago, the family suffered the tragic loss of their first son, Jett.

Gossip Cop wishes the Travolta/Preston family many years of health, happiness and love with baby Benjamin.

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Earlier today, there were reports that John Travolta cut short his trip to Australia because his wife Kelly Preston had gone into labor early.

Gossip Cop noted these reports were unconfirmed.

Now, a rep for Travolta tells us that stories about him rushing back are “100 percent false,” adding, “[Preston's] not in labor.”

“John is in route back to [the] U.S. as was always the plan for him to return this weekend,” says the rep.

The actor, who’s also a pilot for Qantas, was Down Under to celebrate the airline’s 90^th anniversary. On Friday he attended Qantas’ black-tie gala in Sydney.

Travolta and Preston’s baby, a boy named Benjamin, isn’t due until later this month.

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(Star)

Even after everything they’ve been through, John Travolta and Kelly Preston still have to deal with tabloids taking every opportunity to put them through the wringer.

“Last Minute Baby Drama” screams Star‘s cover, referring to the imminent arrival of the couple’s son Benjamin.

Except there is no real “drama” here — just sensationalism.

It turns out Travolta is overseas for Qantas airline’s 90th anniversary celebrations as Preston begins her last weeks of pregnancy, and Star decides to treat the scheduling like it’s a major catastrophe.

Preston’s “baby joy has turned to pain,” announces the magazine, which cites an “insider” who says everyone is “shocked” that Travolta would be away from home right now.

Preston herself supposedly finds the possibility of giving birth without Travolta at her side “scary,” claims the tab.

Except both Preston and Travolta expect that he will be there, with Star admitting that they’re making sure “to stay in close contact.”

The tabloid also raises the issue of Preston’s age, which “complicates matters even more,” since older women are more inclined to have difficult births.

But again — there’s absolutely nothing about Preston’s pregnancy to suggest that there will be any “last minute” medical problems with baby Benjamin.

A rep for Travolta tells Gossip Cop that Star‘s “drama” premise is “100 percent false.”

The couple “couldn’t be happier,” we’re told, and are “excited” about the impending birth.

Given that Travolta and Preston have experienced actual trauma and tragedy with a child, Star‘s b.s. sensationalism is especially bad.

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Oprah said her 25th and final season would be full of surprises, and she didn’t disappoint with her first show, which featured a dancing John Travolta, Don Johnson, and Paul Simon.

The talk show queen, who gave away free cars in 2004, today outdid herself when she announced she was taking her entire studio audience – all 300 members – on a free trip to Australia in December.

“Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure,” as it’s being billed, will consist of an eight-day trip to Sydney, where Oprah will tape two episodes of her show, the first time her talk show will be filmed outside of the United States.

What do you think of Oprah’s big giveaway?

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Tomorrow kicks off the 25th and final season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and the queen of talk will be making a grand entrance on the show’s premiere.

But she won’t be alone.

Joining Oprah on the stage will be her good friend John Travolta – and the two will be dancing hand-in-hand to “Love Train” by the O’Jays.

Other than Travolta, Oprah has been mum about other surprises on the show’s season opener.

Will you be watching?

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At John Travolta‘s request, a judge in the Bahamas has dismissed charges against two people who allegedly tried to extort the actor.

According to the prosecutor, Travolta and wife Kelly Preston no longer wished to pursue an emotionally grueling case that stemmed from their teenage son’s death.

“The Travolta family has said that this matter has caused them unbelievable stress and pain and they wish to put this whole thing behind them,” said prosecutor Neil Braithwaite.

Tarino Lightbourne and Pleasant Bridgewater had been accused of trying to squeeze Travolta for $25 million under threat of releasing private information about son Jett Travolta‘s death at the family vacation home in Grand Bahama in January 2009.

Lightbourne was an ambulance driver who helped treat the boy, and Bridgewater is the attorney and politician accused of helping him in the plot.

After an October 2009 mistrial, a new jury had been convened and proceedings were about to begin again before Travolta’s decision to close the case.

“The long-pending status of this matter continued to take a heavy emotional toll on my family, causing us to conclude that it was finally time to put this matter behind us,” Travolta announced in a statement.

“Therefore, after much reflection I concluded that it was in my family’s best interest for me not to voluntarily return to The Bahamas to testify a second time at trial.”

Travolta and Preston are currently expecting a baby boy.

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Kelly Preston and John Travolta are expecting a baby boy, a rep for the couple confirms to Gossip Cop.

The couple announced Preston’s pregnancy back in May.

They have a 10-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu. Tragically, son Jett died after a seizure at age 16 in January 2009.

People.com first reported the news.

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John Travolta and Kelly Preston have suffered too much actual heartbreak to put up with the manipulative and shameful “reporting” of the National Enquirer.

“Travolta’s wife Miscarriage Drama” blares the tab’s cover over a photo of the couple. Inside, the headline reads, “John & Kelly’s Miscarriage Heartbreak!”

Given that Travolta and Preston lost their teenage son Jett last year, any serious threat to the health of their unborn baby would be especially tragic.

The Enquirer knows this, which is why it cynically trumpets a “miscarriage heartbreak” that’s completely fabricated.

Preston and Travolta “pleaded for the lives of their unborn twins” after a “painful miscarriage scare” in Brazil, according to “insiders” for the Enquirer.

(For the record, Preston is not pregnant with twins, as reported by the Enquirer. She and Travolta are expecting one baby.)

Anyway, the tab reports that the “crisis” occurred in Rio de Janeiro, where Preston “began to experience abdominal discomfort and became woozy” before returning to the Hotel Fasano.

Her ordeal is described as “terrifying” and a “nightmare” that led Preston to “clutch her stomach” and beg, “Please save my baby!”

It’s painful to read. We wonder how painful it was for the Enquirer to write. Because after sounding the “miscarriage heartbreak” alarm on an already grieving couple, the tabloid’s “insider” claims the whole thing was “severe indigestion.”

That’s right, “indigestion.” Fortunately, there was no actual miscarriage scare.

To explain (or rather mask) its sensationalism, the Enquirer trots out medical experts to say that hot weather and Preston’s age can elevate the chances of premature labor and other health risks. Of course, the argument is entirely speculative.

This isn’t the first time the Enquirer has manipulated readers with alarming reports of allegedly threatened pregnancies. Last August, the tab announced Mariah Carey‘s “miscarriage drama,” a (fortunately) misleading story that created tragedy out of thin air.

Gossip Cop is happy to hear that Preston’s pregnancy is okay, and disgusted with the Enquirer‘s continued stains on basic decency.

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Star magazine declares, “It’s Twins,” for John Travolta and Kelly Preston.

According to the tabloid, “This fall the actor and his wife, who are already parents to 10-year-old daughter Ella, are expecting twin boys!”

The mag even has a so-called “insider” quoted as saying, “They were ecstatic when they thought they were having just one baby… Now that there will be two they can barely contain their happiness!”

So, let’s get this straight: They’re having twins?

Still not sure?

Star again quotes the insider: “They are so grateful to be going through the process of becoming parents again. And now they feel twice as lucky.”

Well, Star magazine is WRONG – and WRONG.

Preston is NOT pregnant with twins.

A rep for Travolta tells Gossip Cop, “Totally false, not true. They are not having twins.”

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John Travolta and Kelly Preston have reason to celebrate.

They’re expecting a baby.

When Gossip Cop asked about the rumors, we were directed to Travolta’s official site, where the family posted a very happy message.

“It’s impossible to keep a secret… especially one as wonderful as this.”

“We want to be the first to share this great news with everyone that we are expecting a new addition to our family.”

The couple’s daughter, Ella Bleu, is 10 years old.

In January 2009, their 16-year-old son Jett died of a seizure.

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This news is truly heartbreaking.

A service vehicle accidentally killed two dogs belonging to John Travolta and his family last Thursday at Bangor International Airport in Maine.

Responding to inquiries, the city ultimately issued the following statement:

“At approximately 1 a.m. on Thursday, May 13, 2010 an airplane carrying members of the John Travolta family landed at BIA. While there, two small dogs were taken for a walk by someone who is not a family member.”

“An airport service pickup truck was approaching the airplane to service the airplane and did not see the dogs. Unfortunately, the dogs were struck and killed. The airport is investigating the accident. Out of respect for the family’s privacy the city will make no further comment.”

“The airport takes safety very seriously,” said airport director Rebecca Hupp earlier today. “Clearly, this is an unfortunate accident. Our deepest sympathies are with the family.”

Travolta and wife Kelly Preston own a home on Islesboro off the coast of Maine.

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It was a very emotional evening for John Travolta and his family last night.

Travolta, Kelly Preston and their daughter Ella Bleu made their first public appearance in Ocala – their adopted Florida hometown – since the death of the actor’s son Jett last January.

Greeting hundreds of fans, they attended a sneak preview of “Old Dogs,” which opens Wednesday and stars Travolta, Preston and Ella Bleu.

A choked up Travolta told the crowd, “We know that we are loved… We appreciate it. Jett appreciates it. We love you, Ocala.”

The special screening raised money for The Jett Travolta Foundation and several other charities in the area, including the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council and the Humane Society of Marion County.

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(GettyImages.com)

Thanks to a slow news cycle, back come murmurs that John Travolta plans to leave Scientology. Like John Gosselin and Speidi, the rumor just refuses to go away.

The newest speculation is that Travolta’s testimony last week that his late son, Jett, was autistic, represents a step toward parting with Scientology since it does not recognize the disease. Some observers say his admission is “a sure sign” the actor will break with the Church.

Well, Travolta’s spokesperson may have declined to talk with The Daily Beast, but he was happy to set the record straight with Gossip Cop. “There has been no change,” he told us. It’s a “totally false story,” and Travolta has “no plans to leave the Church of Scientology.”

Gossip Cop hopes this curbs chatter about Travolta’s private life for a while. No matter your thoughts on faith, the man has lost a child, endured baseless divorce rumors, and weathered an extortion plot. Let’s leave him be.

(GettyImages.com)

Swift Response:

Wow, the week started off with a bang, thanks to Kanye West and his ridiculously rude interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards. You’ll recall his outburst: “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you . . . but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time,” leaving Swift speechless and the audience stunned. Well, Gossip Cop found out that he was then tossed, and security was notified not to let him return.

Gossip Cop was way ahead of the curve, reporting that Kanye was still going to perform on the first episode of “The Jay Leno Show,” along with Jay-Z and Rihanna, despite the controversy – and that he was also going to be a last-minute guest. We also had footage of Kanye escaping from New York to California for his Leno appearance. The next day Swift was a guest on “The View,” where she recapped what was going through her mind during the incident. “I think my overall thought process was something like, ‘Wow I can’t believe I won. This is awesome. Don’t trip and fall. I’m going to get to thank the fans, this is so cool—oh, Kanye West is here,” she said, adding, “Kanye West is here, cool haircut, what are you doing there? And then ouch, and then I guess I’m not going to get to thank the fans.” At the time of the morning gabfest, Swift said she hadn’t heard from Kayne, but right after the telecast, he made amends and “The View” released a statement saying, “[Kanye] spoke personally to the country music superstar via telephone and has apologized to the 19-year-old singer. She has accepted Mr. West’s apology.”

Later there was a report that Kanye was possibly suicidal, but that wasn’t true. What is true is that Kanye should steer clear of Pink. The outspoken singer, who tweeted after the VMAs that Kanye is the “biggest piece of [expletive] on earth,” didn’t let go. A couple of days later, while performing in Seattle, she told the audience that she carried a purse with brass knuckles and described the damage she’d have done to Kanye had he tried a similar stunt with her. To quote Swift, “ouch.”

“Sex” Encounters:

There were plenty of “Sex” tapes – and talk. Some of it wrong. A slew of outlets reported that Chris Noth, aka Mr. Big, was engaged. But Noth told Gossip Cop it was “not true.” He later texted us again to say OK! “made up a completely bogus” piece about him. “I have not said I am engaged. Until I do it’s all BS.” (While OK! corrected its error, not surprisingly Perez Hilton later published the original, inaccurate report.) Don’t be surprised, however, if Noth does get engaged in the not too distant future.

We also played Kim Cattrall’s “Sex” encounters on video. OK, it’s not that tawdry but we had great footage of Cattrall signing autographs and posing for pictures with loads of fans in New York, and footage of Sarah Jessica Parker and Cattrall – in a tongue-wagging costume – causing an eruption of excitement among fans and photographers.

Relationship Wrongs:

There were reports that Mischa Barton was dating an aspiring actor named Leo Wyndham for more than a month, but it’s not true that she’s sharing her “Beautiful Life” with him.

The British edition of OK! tried to insinuate that it was Sienna Miller time for Josh Hartnett after the two ran into each in a New York lounge. Somehow the two running into each other and kissing one another hello was turned into them “getting close,” “cosying,” and “canoodling.” The truth, though, is the two are just friends – and that’s it!

In what seems like a desperate attempt to cover their tracks after having incorrectly reported last week that Jessica Simpson was secretly hooking up with John Mayer, this week the tab is beginning to distancing itself from that story – and provide an out – with a pieced called, “John Betrays Jessica Already.” Regardless, both pieces are wrong, since Simpson’s rep told Gossip Cop that the two haven’t seen each other in some time.

Usually we don’t even waste our time with nonsense in the Globe, but there was a story so mean and inaccurate – “Travolta Divorce Shocker!” – that we had to deal with it. The story claimed, “John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s marriage has been so battered in the wake of their beloved son Jett’s tragic death, friends fear they’re headed for divorce!” Well, Travolta’s rep came out swinging, calling the hatchet piece, “100 percent false” and “a very hurtful lie.”

Toward the end of the week was a National Enquirer story titled “‘Braveheart’ & Cold Feet,” alleging that Mel Gibson is having second thoughts about marrying pregnant girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. We found it odd since we didn’t know there were any marriage plans, and his rep also said he had “never even heard of impending nuptials,” let alone his supposed second thoughts.

Berry Clear:

Halle Berry set the record straight this week when she appeared on “The Jay Leno Show.” After the talk show host asked, “How do you always look so good… you always look terrific,” she thanked him and replied that it “must mean all these pregnancies rumors can be, like, put to bed.” The Oscar winner went on to say she was getting a “complex” from all the pregnancy talk, adding that she had begun to think, “I gotta stop with all the burgers or something.” You would have thought that would have ended the pregnancies rumors, but no. Perez Hilton blogged the next day: “Not so fast, Miz Berry. We’re not convinced.” And where’s Fidel buried, Perez?

Daisy Dog:

Shortly after Jessica Simpson’s dog was snatched by a coyote, the star’s rep gave Gossip Cop some heart-wrenching details about how the family “saw it happen” and “tried to go after, but the coyote took [Daisy] and went.” Incredibly, the next day, there were a number of outlets that were not only unsympathetic but also insensitive – and inaccurate, especially when reporting that Simpson contacted dog-finding service FindToto.com to help locate Daisy. “Jessica Calls in Experts to Aid Dog Search,” said TMZ, and Perez Hilton picked up the story and mocked, “Simpleton Calls in Doggy Experts!” In reality, it was the company that called her and offered their services.

And then there was “Daisy-gate.” Janet Charlton’s Hollywood claimed that Daisy was taken six days earlier than reported, when in the care of Tina Simpson, while Jessica was still out of town working on her new reality show. But instead of people blaming her mom, Charlton said, “although Jessica is beyond heartbroken, she is covering up for her mother.” We’re waiting for next week’s angle about how aliens abducted Daisy.

Miscellaneous Mistakes:

Although Perez Hilton has learned how to cut-and-paste, he still doesn’t know how to read. In an article from the Telegraph that he lifted, it stated that Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe were going to be in the Guinness World Records book for being the “highest grossing lead actors of the decade.” But instead of realizing that Radcliffe’s films earned an average of $558 million and Watson’s movies averaged out to $753 million, “Scoop” Hilton reported that they – the actors – earned that amount of money. Nice try.

Then there was that odd Star story that Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne “wear each other’s things all the time” because “Ozzy gets so confused about which clothes are whose, [so] he ends up just putting on the first thing he grabs,” including Sharon’s jackets. Simply, that story just didn’t fit right.

The Star’s sister publication National Enquirer didn’t fare too well either. In a piece about Ellen DeGeneres titled, “‘Idol’ Threat,” the supermarket tab mistakenly claimed “Ellen doesn’t want the seat in the middle,” but rather the talk show host “wants to be the last judge to offer an opinion so her words will be the final thing ‘Idol’ fans hear on contestants.” Simon Cowell is not giving up his perch nor, as the rag wrongly reported, is “she’s planning to make ‘Idol’ a “kinder, gentler show.”

OK! had a superbadly reported story that said Seth Rogen and Cameron Diaz are feuding on the set of “The Green Hornet.” The mag claimed, “There have been occasions where he’s flown off the handle for no reason, leading her to storm off set.” His rep told Gossip Cop that there was “not one iota of truth” to the story.

And the U.K. version of OK! wasn’t that OK either with its story that reported, “Madonna will perform a duet with Janet Jackson as a tribute to Michael Jackson… after bonding over dinner after Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.” After hearing that rumor Cop stepped in. There’s no duet scheduled, and Madonna’s rep told Gossip Cop, “They did not meet at or after [the] VMAs.”

Then there was that vacant Lindsay Lohan rumor that she was kicked out of New York’s Bowery Hotel after a fight with Samantha Ronson. According to Hollyscoop, while in a fight with Ronson, Lohan allegedly “threw a room-service tray at what she thought was her girlfriend’s door.” Must have been a pretty long throw because, at the time of the supposed incident, Lohan was in Austin, TX, working on her movie “Machete,” and Ronson was in L.A. Oops.

Weekly Wins:

Among the “wins” for Gossip Cop this week was the exclusive that Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were given a private tour of the White with their kids Emme and Max, and that while mom and dad spoke to the president inside the Oval Office, Max ran wild around the White House. Later that day the couple went to Capitol Hill, where they discussed education with the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.  And that evening they saw the president again at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s annual awards gala, where backstage before Barack Obama spoke, he led senators and members of congress in singing “Happy Birthday” to Anthony, who was honored at the event with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Gossip Gop was spittin’ mad this week when a site posted “upskirt” shots of Taylor Momsen while on the set of “Gossip Girl.” Taylor is just 16-years-old, a minor, and those paparazzi, who focused their lenses to get an “upskirt” of a minor, should be ashamed of themselves. We can proudly report that after we singled out a particular site for its offensive photos – and sent an accompanying letter urging it to remove the photos because they are invasive and inappropriate – the blog took down the pictures.

‘Twilight’ Highlights:

The week began with a ludicrous story by the Aussie mag NW, which claimed that Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart gave an unnamed U.S. magazine a joint interview about their “steamy relationship.” Among the topics covered: the “shock love triangle” that nearly tore them apart, their “intense sexual chemistry,” and the truth about their marriage plans.  None of it is true other than the fact that they have sat down for interviews to coincide with the release of “Eclipse.” Then we cleared up a little confusion about a showing of “New Moon” in Knoxville, TN on November 17 – three days before the highly anticipated movie opens nationwide. It’s a special, charity screening and just Stewart and Taylor Lautner are slated to attend – no Pattinson.

OK!, for the third week in a row, had a ridiculous “Twilight” tall tale. This week’s cover featured a photo of Pattinson and Stewart with the headline, “Wedding of the Year,” and promised inside to have the “the scoop on the big-screen ceremony, plus what to expect when Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson really tie the knot.” Besides the fact that they are not engaged in real-life, as OK! had previously claimed, the article went on and on describing what the “Twilight Saga” wedding looks like. But the wedding takes place in “Breaking Dawn,” not “Eclipse,” the installment they are currently shooting. So how is it possible that they have the “scoop on the big-screen ceremony?” Wrong again.

Fortunately all these false reports haven’t affected ticket sales. In fact, today is EXACTLY TWO MONTHS before the release of “New Moon,” and not only are online sales brisk, but the L.A. Times reported that the film “is selling out screenings earlier than any other movie to date.”

And then the tweet heard ’round the world. Tweeting on Peter Facinelli’s account, Robert Pattinson typed, “Hi, it’s Rob … My first and last tweet. My dad made me do it.” Shortly after that, Facinelli, through his rep, told Gossip Cop EXCLUSIVELY that Rob “relishes his privacy, but we’re hanging out and he wanted to say hi to the fans.”

On a final note, this week we lost Patrick Swayze, star of such films as “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost.” Swayze, who battled pancreatic cancer, was 57. Gossip Cop remembers Swayze as a guy who, while in the midst of opening his New York restaurant Mulholland Drive Café back in 1990, was gracious and kind to this one-time cub reporter – and throughout the years. He will be greatly missed.

(GossipCop.com)

Gossip Cop generally doesn’t even bother with nonsense from The Globe, but unfortunately there’s a story about John Travolta and Kelly Preston that’s getting picked up, which is so mean and inaccurate that we had to respond.

On its cover this week, The Globe promotes a story titled, “Travolta Divorce Shocker!” and then states inside, “John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s marriage has been so battered in the wake of their beloved son Jett’s tragic death, friends fear they’re headed for divorce!” The article goes on to quote an unidentified “pal” as saying, “We’re really worried the grief and stress of losing Jett is creating such a deep wedge between John and Kelly, it’s put their marriage on the verge of collapse.”

Gossip Cop would like to know who these supposed “friends” are.

Travolta’s rep told Gossip Cop: “This story is 100 percent false and could not be further from the truth. John and Kelly are very happily married. This is a very hurtful lie, concocted by people who are more interested in making a profit and less interested in telling the truth.”

We couldn’t have said it better.