Witherspoon files suit over tabloid’s pregnancy rumor

Santa Monica, Calif. – “Walk the Line” star Reese Witherspoon has filed suit against Star magazine, charging that the tabloid made up a story she was pregnant with her third child.

Filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court, the invasion-of-privacy suit is over a story in the June 26 issue suggesting that Reese didn’t want to tell the producers behind her coming films that she was pregnant, and was hiding her body under 1920s-style swimsuits, baggy clothing and empire-waist dresses.

Couric heads on tour before taking CBS anchor seat

New York – CBS said Thursday it is sending incoming evening-news anchor Katie Couric on a tour of several cities to meet informally with viewers this summer and hear what they’re interested in seeing on the news.

One “town hall forum” is set for July 13 in Denver. Another meeting is planned for San Diego; CBS is not identifying other cities because plans are still in the works.

Couric, the former “Today” host named as the first woman sole anchor of a network evening newscast, starts her new job in September.

Rob Lowe gets planner approval for dream estate

Santa Barbara, Calif. – Rob Lowe narrowly won approval from planners for a massive dream estate on his $8.5 million Montecito lot despite a neighbor’s complaint the mansion would spoil his panoramic ocean view.

“I’ve always been a big believer in the process. I’m obviously pleased with the outcome,” the 42-year-old former star of “The West Wing” said after Wednesday’s 3-2 vote by the Montecito Planning Commission.

The vote came after a daylong commission debate on whether the proposed 14,260-square-foot estate would overwhelm the Picacho Lane neighborhood, which also is home to mystery writer Sue Grafton.

Lowe’s proposal calls for a 24-foot-high privacy hedge that would screen the estate from neighbor Fred Gluck, former head of the international consulting firm McKinsey & Co. Gluck said the hedge would partially block views of the Pacific.

Minogue tour to resume

Melbourne, Australia – Kylie Minogue, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, will resume her postponed world tour in November.

Michael Gudinski, managing director of the Frontier Touring Co., popped a champagne cork at a media event Thursday to announce a series of concerts in Australia, saying he had just returned from meetings in London with the 38-year-old singer.

“She’s definitely through the worst of everything, she’s so determined and she can’t wait to see you all,” Gudinski said.

Minogue had completed dates on “The Showgirl Tour” in Europe and was heading to Australia for homecoming concerts when she was diagnosed with cancer in May 2005.