Hasselhoff ordered to stay away from estranged wife

Los Angeles – A judge has issued a temporary restraining order requiring David Hasselhoff to stay away from his estranged wife, according to court papers unsealed this week.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark A. Juhas signed the order March 6 ordering the former “Baywatch” star to stay at least 100 yards from actress Pamela Bach except for “peaceful contacts related to court ordered visitation” of one their two teenage daughters.

Bach, 42, has custody of one daughter while Hasselhoff, 53, has custody of the other.

Juhas scheduled a hearing for April 4 to decide whether to extend the order to three years.

In her request for the order, Bach claimed instances of domestic violence in December and February. In one incident, police officers were summoned but didn’t give Bach an emergency protective order, according to court documents.

Hasselhoff’s publicist said the actor “categorically denies” Bach’s allegations but declined to elaborate.

Hasselhoff filed for divorce Jan. 12, citing irreconcilable differences after 16 years of marriage. Bach filed her own divorce papers a day later, also citing irreconcilable differences.

Hasselhoff played lifeguard Mitch Buchannon on “Baywatch” from 1989 to 2000. He also starred in the 1980s TV series “Knight Rider,” in which his character, Michael Knight, teamed with a talking Pontiac Trans Am sports car to fight crime.

Bach appeared in the soap opera “The Young and the Restless” and in numerous episodes of “Baywatch” and “Knight Rider.”

Guitarist seeks joint custody of daughter with Locklear

Los Angeles – Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora is seeking joint custody of his 8-year-old daughter with Heather Locklear, who filed for divorce last month after 11 years of marriage.

In papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 17, Sambora asks for joint physical and legal custody of the estranged couple’s daughter, Ava Elizabeth, and requests the pair’s premarital agreement be enforced.

Attorneys for Locklear, 44, and Sambora, 46, declined to comment on the matter Friday.

Locklear filed for divorce Feb. 2, citing irreconcilable differences. The two have been separated since Dec. 26, according to the divorce filing.

Locklear gained fame in 1981 as sexy Sammy Jo Dean Carrington on the TV series “Dynasty.”

In the 1990s, she took on the role of cold-hearted Amanda Woodward on TV’s “Melrose Place” and played mayoral love interest Caitlin Moore on “Spin City.”

She was previously married to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.

Leno wins round in court over use of woman’s photo

Rochester, N.Y. – Jay Leno has won a round in court with a ruling that comedy deserves a break.

A state appeals court ruled that a lower court should have dismissed a lawsuit that a woman filed against the “Tonight Show” host and NBC.

The lawsuit by Claire Walter, 40, of Irondequoit, claimed Leno violated the state’s Civil Rights Law by commercially using an unflattering photo of her in an on-air joke without her permission in 2003. The photo was taken for internal use at her former employer, Dorschel Automotive Group Inc.

According to the lawsuit, Leno said “a customer would not want to have their car serviced by someone like Ms. Walter. There were comments about (the) plaintiff being scary looking, being big.”

The appeals court cited an exception to the law regarding use of photos for comedic purposes.

Walter’s attorney protested the ruling.

“Just because you’re a comic doesn’t give you the right to take someone who is an obscure person and make fun of the way someone looks,” attorney Nira Kermisch said.

Christopher Thomas, a Rochester attorney representing Leno and NBC, declined to comment.

Actor Chris O’Donnell a dad -to a baby boy – again

Los Angeles – It’s a boy – again – for actor Chris O’Donnell.

O’Donnell’s wife, Caroline Fentress, gave birth Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Us Magazine reported. They haven’t decided on a name yet, the magazine said.

The couple, who married in 1997, have three other children: two boys and a girl.

O’Donnell gained fame playing the Boy Wonder in the 1995 film “Batman Forever.” He will appear on the TV show “Grey’s Anatomy” beginning April 2.

Knee replacement allows Lansbury to dance again

Los Angeles – Angela Lansbury is thrilled with knee replacement surgery, saying it has allowed her to dance again.

“I’m not going to be dancing with the stars at this stage in my life,” the four-time Tony Award winner said. “But I want to dance and bop around, and I did, and I can.”

The 80-year-old actress, who is seeking to educate women about the procedure, says she had been “crippled” by intolerable knee pain for years.

“I want to tell women: Don’t put it off,” Lansbury said.

She said she waited until July to have the surgery – which replaces deteriorating cartilage of the knee joint with metal and plastic – because she feared it would be too painful.

In addition to her role as crime novelist Jessica Fletcher in the long-running TV series “Murder She Wrote,” and starring roles on Broadway, Lansbury’s credits include the 1962 movie “The Manchurian Candidate.”