Madonna settles divorce for $76M

London — Madonna has settled her divorce with ex-husband Guy Ritchie by also parting with at least $76 million, the singer’s spokeswoman said Monday.

Liz Rosenberg told The Associated Press the settlement was in the range of $76 million to $92 million as part of their divorce agreement, a figure she said included the value of the couple’s country home, Ashcombe House in western England, which Ritchie will keep.

Rosenberg said the couple’s west London pub — the Punchbowl — would also remain with Ritchie.

A representative for the British filmmaker declined comment.

The couple were reportedly worth some $525 million, the vast majority of which belonged to Madonna. Ritchie had an estimated $35 million fortune.

N.Y. gov. says ‘SNL’ mocked the disabled

Albany, N.Y. — Legally blind New York Gov. David Paterson lambasted a “Saturday Night Live” skit for portraying him as an aimless bumbler. But those who have watched the sharp-witted Paterson over his two decades in public service know how he might have deadpanned in the past: I didn’t see it.

The skit that aired Saturday featured “SNL” cast member Fred Armisen as Paterson, who must appoint someone to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Armisen said he has three criteria for filling the job: economic experience, upstate influence and someone who is disabled and unprepared for the job — like himself. He held up a chart illustrating the state’s job losses upside down.

“I don’t mind that they make fun of me, but I thought it was important of me to stand up for people who don’t have a voice and don’t have a job,” Paterson said.

Marc Liepis, a spokesman for NBC, which broadcasts “Saturday Night Live,” said the network would not comment.

Report: McCartney was the political Beatle

London — Paul McCartney claims that he was the real politicized figure in The Beatles, not John Lennon, according to an interview published Sunday.

McCartney was quoted as saying it was he who first raised concerns over the Vietnam war within the group and advocated their anti-war stance.

Fans have long regarded Lennon, who wrote songs such as “Revolution” and — in later years — “Give Peace a Chance,” as the group’s authentic political voice.

But McCartney claimed that his meeting with philosopher Bertrand Russell in the mid-1960s sparked his own — and eventually Lennon’s — curiosity about world affairs.

The Sunday Times said McCartney was interviewed in Britain’s Prospect magazine, which is published on Wednesday. McCartney’s publicist Stuart Bell was not immediately available to confirm the comments.

Dennis Quaid, wife settle with hospital

Los Angeles — Documents show Dennis Quaid and his wife have agreed to a a $750,000 settlement with a hospital that gave his newborn twins an overdose of blood thinner.

A petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday shows the Quaids and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have agreed on the parents’ damages, but can still pursue claims for their children.

The documents state Cedars-Sinai is not admitting wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

Documents show the Quaids sued drug maker Baxter Healthcare Corp. in Illinois over the drug’s packaging, but that case has been dismissed. The petition filed Monday indicates Baxter may also sue Cedars-Sinai, which administered too much Heparin to several patients in November 2007, including the Quaids’ twins.

Cruise says he regrets outburst on ‘Today’

New York — It took a few years, but Tom Cruise says he regrets the tongue-lashing he gave Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” show the last time he was on.

An apologetic Cruise returned to the morning program Monday to sit for his first interview with Lauer since criticizing Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants in 2005.

“It’s not what I had intended,” Cruise said. “In looking at myself, I thought, ‘Man, that came across as arrogant.’ … That’s one of those things you go, OK, I could have absolutely handled that better.”

That now-infamous conversation grew heated when the star told Lauer he was glib and didn’t know about psychiatry.

Cruise, who has been a Scientologist for 25 years, agrees with the religion’s long-running campaign against psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry.

Lauer also took a moment to clear something up: He and Cruise remained friendly following their TV debate.

Cruise is making the rounds on talk-shows to promote his new movie, “Valkyrie.”

He stars as a would-be assassin of Adolf Hitler in “Valkyrie,” which is to be released Dec. 25.

Report: Naomi Watts, Schreiber welcome son

New York — It’s another boy for Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber.

A representative for Watts tells People magazine the couple welcomed their second son on Saturday.

The Australian actress and her actor boyfriend are also parents to Alexander Pete Schreiber, born in July 2007.

They have been dating three years and co-starred in the 2006 drama “The Painted Veil.”

Representatives for Watts and Schreiber did not immediately return phone and e-mail messages.