Washington ? Falco urges health care overhaul at Capitol rally

Washington — Award-winning actress Edie Falco, cable television’s no-nonsense “Nurse Jackie,” delivered a stern message to lawmakers Thursday: fix health care.

“I’m here because I’ve traveled through the health care system and there are some holes,” Falco, a breast cancer survivor, told a Capitol Hill rally for health care overhaul. “I’m here because I care about the people in this country and I know that we can do better, that we must do better.”

Falco, who stars in the Showtime series “Nurse Jackie,” said she went without health care coverage for many years. Nearly 50 million Americans are without coverage and President Barack Obama’s goal is to provide health benefits for all.

Before taking on the role of a New York City nurse, Falco was nominated for a best actress Emmy six times for her role as mob wife Carmela Soprano in HBO’s “The Sopranos.” She won three times.

Perez Hilton apologizes for using gay slur

Los Angeles — Perez Hilton is saying he’s sorry for using a gay slur.

The openly gay gossip blogger apologized Thursday for unleashing the word during a nightclub altercation Monday with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am that resulted in the band’s tour manager being charged with assault for allegedly punching Hilton.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation had been pressing Hilton to apologize.

“I am sorry,” Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, posted Thursday. “And I mean it. No one is forcing me to write this. I am not feeling pressured to say this. I am speaking out because I realize that the last few days have been more hurtful to me — and many others — than the repeated blows I suffered to my head in Toronto this past weekend.”

Hilton originally said he called will.i.am the gay slur at a Toronto nightclub after the musician told the gossip blogger not to write about his band on his Web site.

Peas’ tour manager Alfred Molina was arrested after he allegedly punched Hilton following the argument.