Dr. Dre’s 20-year-old son found dead in LA

Los Angeles – Dr. Dre’s 20-year-old son has died, the rapper’s publicist said Tuesday.

“Dr. Dre is mourning the loss of his son Andre Young Jr.,” publicist Lori Earl said in a statement.

Young Jr., who was named after his father, was found dead Saturday by his mother at their home in suburban Woodland Hills, county coroner’s Lt. John Kades said.

An autopsy was performed Monday, but the cause of death wasn’t likely to be determined for eight weeks while toxicology tests are done, Kades said.

Spears not slated to perform on VMAs

Los Angeles – Britney Spears won’t perform on this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, her manager said.

“Contrary to media reports, Britney was never slated to perform on this year’s VMAs,” Larry Rudolph, Spears’ manager at Jive Records, said in a statement. “She’s in the middle of recording her next album, which is going amazingly well, and her focus remains on the studio.”

Spears’ “Gimme More” comeback performance during last year’s VMAs was one of the most-talked-about moments of 2007. The tabloid queen is currently appearing in spots promoting this year’s ceremony.

The rebounding pop queen is nominated for video of the year for “Piece of Me.”

This VMAs will air live Sept. 7 from Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles. Previously announced award show performers include Kid Rock, Lil Wayne, Pink, Rihanna, Paramore, T.I. and the Jonas Brothers.

Clooney, Pitt arrive in Venice for film festival

Venice, Italy – George Clooney hosted a charity event Tuesday night to raise money for victims in Darfur.

Clooney, who’s in Venice for the premiere today at the Venice Film Festival of the Coen brothers’ film “Burn After Reading,” swept past reporters as he arrived for the fundraiser for his Not On Our Watch charity.

The event was expected to raise $2 million, said Manuele Malenotti, the executive director of the Italian clothing company Belstaff, which sponsored the event.

Not On Our Watch has raised more than $7 million to help victims both of the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan and the cyclone in Myanmar, according to executive director Alex Wagner.

The charity, which was started last year by Clooney, Brad Pitt and some of their “Ocean’s Thirteen” colleagues, uses their celebrity appeal to bring attention to human rights abuses, but it isn’t so easy to get even two of the founders together because of filming and family demands, Wagner conceded.

Pitt, who arrived in Venice earlier with sons Maddox and Pax, was expected at the event, but hadn’t arrived by the time cocktail hour was over. He also appears in the Coen brothers’ film.

Sheridan, Bolton end engagement

Los Angeles – Nicollette Sheridan and Michael Bolton have ended their engagement.

The split was amicable, said Nicole Perna, a publicist for the pair.

The 44-year-old actress and 55-year-old singer have been engaged since March 2006. They first started dating in 1992 and spent five years together, Perna said, then rekindled their romance in 2005.

Sheridan plays Edie Britt on ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.” Bolton won Grammy awards in 1989 and 1991 for male pop vocal performance.

The couple’s split was first reported by People.com.

Haley Joel Osment to make B’way debut

New York – David Mamet’s “American Buffalo,” a robbery tale set in a Chicago junk shop, has found its third partner in crime – Haley Joel Osment, who will be making his Broadway debut in the production.

The 20-year-old Osment, who was an Academy Award nominee for “The Sixth Sense,” joins John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer in the revival that opens Nov. 17 at the Belasco Theatre. Preview performances begin Oct. 31. “American Buffalo” will be directed by Robert Falls of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.

Among Osment’s other movies are “Forrest Gump,” “Secondhand Lion” and “A.I.”

‘Idol’ alum tackles Broadway role

New York – Another “American Idol” alum is heading to “Grease” on Broadway.

Ace Young, who competed on season five of the Fox show, joins the cast Sept. 9, playing Kenickie in the revival of the popular musical.

The 27-year-old singer-songwriter – known for his looks and falsetto vocals – will make his debut two days after fellow “Idol” Taylor Hicks completes a two-month stint as Teen Angel. Hicks took home the “Idol” title in 2006. Young will perform through Jan. 18.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I had a lot of things kind of open up for me and when the role of Kenickie was offered, it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do as a kid. That’s always been my favorite role from ‘Grease.'”

Young likes that Danny Zuko’s right hand man is a guy’s guy.

“That’s a big side of me that a lot of people don’t know,” he said. “They didn’t get to see that on ‘Idol.’ You know, I have four older brothers. I was never trying to even care about what I was wearing. I was just trying to survive at the household.”