Rapper Flavor Flav arrested on outstanding traffic warrants

Flavor Flav -- real name William Jonathan Drayton Jr. -- was arrested in Las Vegas on Friday after a routine traffic stop resulted in police officers finding four warrants out for his arrest. The rapper took to Twitter on Monday to tell his side of the story.

Drayton was pulled over by police at 10:57 p.m. Friday for a routine traffic violation east of the Las Vegas Strip. When an officer ran his name through the system, the warrants came up; he was arrested and taken to jail, where he was booked, got his mug shot taken and was eventually released, TMZ reported.

The 52-year-old Public Enemy alum's four separate misdemeanor traffic warrants include driving without proof of insurance, a parking violation and two cases of driving without a license.

It was unclear when the warrants were issued, the Las Vegas Sun reported. But in 2002, Drayton served nine weeks at Rikers Island jail in New York for various auto-related violations including driving with a suspended license, numerous parking tickets and being late for meetings with his probation officer.

The VH1 reality television star known for wearing quirky sunglasses and a clock around his neck aired his version of events online Monday, tweeting that he was on his way home from Benihana's when he was pulled over.

He also re-tweeted his newest mug shot, above.

"[H]e found out I had a traffic warrant wanted to make a name for himself took me in and now I'm home laying my bed what's the big deal?!" he added.  

Hey, when rapper-actor Ice-T tweeted about a "rookie cop" arresting him after a traffic stop he disagreed with in New York, charges eventually were dropped.

Drayton dropped out of school in 11th grade and did time in jail for robbery and burglary. He dealt with drug addiction in the 1990s and in 1991 spent 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to assaulting then-girlfriend Karen Ross, according to US Magazine.

In 1993, he was charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a neighbor.

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-- Nardine Saad
twitter.com / NardineSaad

Right photo: Rapper Flavor Flav a.k.a. William Jonathan Drayton Jr.'s booking photo. Credit: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police / Getty Images

Left photo: Flavor Flav at his Comedy Central Roast in 2007. Credit: Jason Merritt / FilmMagic

Vince Neil completes DUI sentence; battery charges remain

Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil has completed the sentence requirements stemming from a drunk driving arrest last summer, but charges in a separate domestic violence case still remain.

A Las Vegas judge closed the DUI case Tuesday, Neil attorney David Chesnoff told the Associated Press. In January, Neil pleaded guilty to driving drunk in his Lamborghini last June near the Las Vegas Strip.

Neil, who had been sentenced to 15 days in jail, served 10 days in the Clark County jail last February and another 15 under house arrest. He also paid a $585 fine and completed drunk-driving and victim-impact counseling.

Neil also made a $500 donation to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a court spokeswoman said.

In 1984, he served 20 days and paid $2.6 million in restitution after pleading guilty to drunken driving and manslaughter in connection with a crash in Redondo Beach that killed the drummer of the band Hanoi Rocks and critically injured two people in another car.

The 50-year-old singer did not have to appear in court for the hearing Tuesday.

However, not all of his legal woes are over. The musician is also facing misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct charges in a separate case involving ex-girlfriend Alicia Jacobs. Jacobs filed a criminal complaint last month accusing Neil of poking his finger into her chest during a March 24 altercation in a casino showroom.

He is set to arraigned in Las Vegas on May 2. 

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-- Nardine Saad
twitter.com/NardineSaad

Photo: Vince Neil. Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Motley Crue rocker Vince Neil faces domestic violence charges

Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil is facing domestic violence and disorderly conduct charges in Las Vegas.

His ex-girlfriend Alicia Jacobs filed a criminal complaint Tuesday that accuses Neil, 50, of poking his finger into her chest in addition to cursing at or poking two of her friends in a casino on March 24.

David Chesnoff, the musician's lawyer told, the Associated Press "there are two sides to the story, and that Neil will plead not guilty to the battery and disorderly conduct charges."

Neil allegedly forced "his way into the Shimmer lounge [at the Las Vegas Hilton] while a performance was occurring" .... and poked three people with his right index finger" each time stating an expletive, according to court documents.

Neil claimed he was the real victim in the altercation, claiming that Jacobs scratched him, drawing blood, he told TMZ.

Neil is to appear in court May 2.

The charges come less than six weeks after he was released from the Clark County jail for driving drunk on the Las Vegas strip last summer. Her served 10 days and was released Feb. 25 and is still on probation.

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— Nardine Saad
Twitter.com / NardineSaad

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Vince Neil performs at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany in August. Credit: Axel Heimken / Associated Press

Britney Spears and sons take in 'The Lion King' in Las Vegas

Britney Spears took a break from promoting her seventh album, "Femme Fatale," to take in a performance of Disney's "The Lion King" with her two sons in Las Vegas.

Spears, a former Mouseketeer, and Sean Preston, 5, and Jayden James, 4, watched the musical at Mandalay Bay on Sunday and then tucked backstage to snap photos with the cast, including stars Kissy Simmons (Nala), Niles Rivers (Simba), Derrick Williams (Mufasa) and Ntsepa Pitjeng (Rafiki), pictured here.

Spears was in Sin City the same night the Academy of Country Music Awards honored its winners at the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay arenas, where live performances from Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Carrie Underwood were taking place.

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Twitter.com / NardineSaad

Photo: Britney Spears and her sons with the cast members. Credit: Angela Weiss / Getty Images

Paris Hilton, Cy Waits look at engagement rings -- and she has an app for that

Engagement rumors are swirling around Paris Hilton and boyfriend Cy Waits since they were spotted shopping for engagement rings in New York last Friday.

The lovey-dovey twosome, dating for about a year, have been repeatedly photographed locking lips while Hilton travels to promote her new iPhone app. (The Ministry has discovered that the completely gratuitous app inserts the heiress into photos, tells you if you're "hot or not" and provides news and quizzes about Paris. Not sure if that's fab or frightening.)

Love has been on the celebutante's mind. When David Letterman asked her what was missing in the lives of Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan -- who like Paris have had their share of run-ins with the law -- she said "true love."

Barf. Watch the hilarious full interview after the jump.

She also told the prickly host that she plans to start a family in the next decade that will amount to three or four kids.

It's pretty obvious she's smitten with Waits, 35, who waited (im)patiently for her backstage at the "Late Show" and planned her Moulin Rouge-themed 30th birthday party. He also bought her a Lexus LFA -- and the spending spree didn't stop there.

"They shopped for engagement rings," a source told People. "They were really cute together. Paris was making comments about the rings and joking that her ring has to be at least 24 carats."

But Hilton and Waits left the luxury Jacobs & Co. with a different kind of ring: a $25,000 white gold and black diamond encrusted bauble. Not too shabby, eh?

Her rep told the mag that they were shopping for "something special" for her birthday. We guess the Lexus wasn't enough. Maybe he was trying to make up for the stolen $3,200 absinthe-laced cake?

The tiny-dog-toting Hilton, currently on probation after pleading guilty to obstruction and cocaine possession, celebrated her big day multiple times in multiple cities, including Los Angeles and New York.

But it isn't all Champagne kisses and caviar dreams for these lovebirds.

Waits has an Aug. 22 court date to face felony criminal charges stemming from a traffic stop in which police reported a "vapor trail" of marijuana wafting from the couple's black Cadillac Escalade. That same traffic stop landed Hilton in trouble as well.

He was subsequently dropped as managing partner at Wynn and Encore's Tryst and XS nightclubs because of the charges. No wonder his loving lover plugged his new company on Letterman.

You know what they say: The couple that allegedly breaks the law together stays together. Best wishes, kiddos.

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-- Nardine Saad
twitter.com/NardineSaad

Photo: Paris Hilton and Cy Waits arrive at her 30th birthday party at LAVO in New York on Feb. 17, 2011. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press

 

Charlie Sheen: CBS has 'high level of concern'

Charlie Sheen and his recent porn-star partying may not be directly affecting his work, but his personal life is worrying his "Two and a Half Men" bosses, with a top CBS exec saying Friday that the network has a "high level of concern" about it.

"How could we not?" entertainment chief Nina Tassler told TV journalists. "On a basic human level, there is concern that this man is a father, he has children, he has a family. But you can't look at it simplistically.

"Charlie is a professional, he comes to work, he does his job extremely well. It is very complicated," she said, according to Show Tracker.

Sheen did in fact miss work Wednesday because of a serious ear infection, apparently made worse by his decision to fly home from Las Vegas, where, among other things, he'd been partying with a number of adult film actresses at the Palms. He'd made it to the "Two and a Half Men" set Tuesday as expected and returned Thursday and Friday. A Warner Bros. doctor made a house call Wednesday, TMZ confirmed.

As for the Vegas debauchery, "It looked like porn star auditions ... the girls were all over him, and he just sat back and took it all in," an eyewitness told TMZ. Sheen was spotted shooting vodka at the Palms on Monday.

Among his guests: Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, the tattooed lady who blew up Jesse James' marriage to Sandra Bullock. McGee told TMZ on Thursday that no, she has no plans to party with Charlie again any time soon.

Jay-Z, Coldplay host an army of celebs for New Year's Eve concert

Jay-Z and Coldplay seem to have a few fans between them. You know, like millions of civilians and a few hundred celebrity devotees -- quite a few of whom headed to Las Vegas for a New Year's Eve concert that marked the opening of the Cosmopolitan hotel and casino.

Chris Martin, Coldplay's frontman, was cheered on by wife Gwyneth Paltrow at the performance while Jay-Z's bride, Beyoncé, got hands-on, joining Martin for a rendition of her hit "Halo."

Also on hand at the hotel's event center were John Mayer, who played guitar on Jay-Z's hit "99 Problems," and Kanye West, who offered the crowd "Homecoming." Young mogul Jay-Z even got some vocals from Beyoncé on "Forever Young."

The Ministry pities any single celeb in attendance, as the bash was all about couples -- like Alex Rodriguez and Cameron Diaz, fresh from their holiday in Mexico; Mark Wahlberg and Rhea Durham; Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony; Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan; Ashley Olsen and Justin Bartha; and Ellen Pomepo and Chris Ivery.

After the big show, VIPs headed to the library at the hotel's resident nightclub, Marquee, where music honcho Jimmy Iovine rubbed elbows with Anthony and Lopez, singer Rihanna, Blake Lively, Kelly Slater, Jeremy Piven, Forest and Keisha Whitaker, Dylan Lauren, Oprah's BFF Gayle King and Diddy.

Sound like a starry-enough New Year's Eve? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.

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-- Matt Donnelly
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Photos: Jay-Z, top, pops the cork on 2011 at Marquee at the Cosmopolitan. Right, Rihanna, Jay-Z and Kanye West toast after the big performance. Jimmy Iovine, bottom left, hangs with Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Credits: Ethan Miller / WireImage

 

Beyonce, John Mayer, Blake Lively open Marquee at the Cosmopolitan

Eat your heart out, Snooki -- the whole of Hollywood and other bold names were in Las Vegas to ring in the New Year for the grand opening of the Cosmopolitan hotel and casino. 

While New Year's Eve saw a hotly anticipated concert from Jay-Z and Coldplay, Thursday marked the opening of New York institution nightspot Marquee inside the brand-new Sin City establishment. Beyonce and sister Solange Knowles turned up to catch a christening performance from Florence + the Machine. 

The sisters held court in the club's library, where DJ Samantha Ronson played hits by both Beyonce and her husband, Jay (who eventually came to join his bride and sister-in-law). 

Ronson was occupied with new pal Ellen Pompeo and her husband, Chris Ivery, with whom she became fast friends at Nicole Richie's wedding. Ronson played pool with the duo in between sets. 

Blake Lively made an appearance in festive blue sequined leggings, as did John Mayer, Jared Leto, Taraji Henson, Kellan Lutz, designer Alexander Wang and model Selita Ebanks. 

Do you think the Marquee bash was well attended? Tell us in the comments section below.

-- Matt Donnelly
Twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo (top): Beyonce, left, and Solange Knowles. Credit: Seth Browarnik / Worldredeye.com

Photo (bottom):  Blake Lively, left, and Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. Credit: Seth Browarnik / Worldredcyc.com

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Paris Hilton pleads guilty to drug possession, obstruction [poll]

Paris Hilton pleaded guilty in a Las Vegas court on Monday to misdemeanor charges of possession of cocaine and obstructing an officer and received one year of probation, a $2,000 fine and 200 hours of community service. If she violates that probation, she will serve one year behind bars in the Clark County Detention Center, Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure said.

She confessed to having 0.8 gram of cocaine in her purse the night of Aug. 27, then admitted she'd lied to police about the purse not being hers.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has video of Hilton facing the judge and pleading guilty here.

Hilton is reportedly telling friends she's taking the situation very seriously, TMZ sources say, and is "over being a party girl" and ready to "finally grow up."

The deal, which was announced Friday, reduced the drug charge from a felony to ...

Wynn bans Paris Hilton from resorts, fires Cy Waits [poll]

Paris Hilton is no longer welcome at the Wynn or Encore resorts, a Wynn spokeswoman said Tuesday, and the socialite's nightclub-entrepreneur boyfriend Cy Waits has been ditched as a managing partner at the properties' Tryst and XS nightclubs. 

This comes in the wake of their arrests Friday on the Las Vegas Strip -- Waits on suspicion of DUI and Hilton on suspicion of cocaine possession, a low-grade felony. The two were en route to his home in Henderson, Nev., after partying at XS, and Hilton asked to use the restroom at the nearby Wynn after they were pulled over. It was near Wynn security that a police officer saw 0.8 gram of coke fall from her purse, according to the police report.

Hilton was released on her own recognizance and is due in court Oct. 27, facing the judge who ...