Grief-stricken John Travolta spoke for the first time Sunday about the sudden death of his 16-year-old son Jett, saying his family is “heartbroken.”

“Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for,” the actor said in a statement. “We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time we had with him for the rest of our lives,” he wrote.

His tribute came as the star opened his family photo album to show touching images with his son - pictures that reflected how deeply Travolta, his wife, Kelly Preston, and Jett’s 8-year-old sister Ella Bleu cared for the teenager.

Travolta’s statement did not comment on a possible cause of death or his son’s medical history.

Lawyer and close friend Michael McDermott revealed that Jett for years had suffered from “frequent and extremely serious” grand mal seizures.

Jett was found on the bathroom floor of the family’s posh condo at the Grand Bahama Resort on Friday. Authorities believe he died of a head injury after suffering a seizure and falling. An autopsy is scheduled for today at Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport.

“Each seizure was like a death,” McDermott told celebrity Web site TMZ.com. Jett lost consciousness and went into convulsions about four days a week when he was unmedicated, he said.

Jett took Depakote, an anti-seizure and mood-stabilizing medication, for several years until it apparently lost its effectiveness. The Travoltas had also become concerned about the drug’s possible side effects, which include liver damage, McDermott said, and took him off Depakote some time ago.

There has long been speculation that Jett suffered from autism, but the Travoltas have maintained his health problems were a result of Kawasaki disease, a rare inflammatory ailment affecting the blood vessels that most often occurs in early childhood.

Advocates for autistic kids, including other Hollywood stars, have accused Travolta, a Scientologist, of denying his son’s condition because it would have required Jett to see a psychiatrist, which his religion forbids.

Jett was under 24-hour supervision and audited with a baby monitor, McDermott said. There were chimes on his bathroom door at the condo to alert his nannies when he woke up in the night.

Doctors say that 30% of adolescents with autism also suffer from epilepsy - the clinical name for frequent seizures - and that parents need to be aware of the risks.

“It’s very important for people to know that if you have a child with autism that the child is at higher risk for seizures, and you need to monitor it closely,” said Dr. Geri Dawson, chief scientist at Autism Speaks, a research and advocacy organization. Dawson cited a recent study that showed death among autistic teens is double that of others their age because of seizures.

Dr. Isabelle Rapin, an autism and epilepsy expert at Albert Einstein Medical Center in the Bronx, said Depakote is very useful for seizures. Its most common side effects are weight gain and drowsiness. Liver damage is rare, she said.

Meanwhile, the Travoltas and Bahamian police were at odds over when exactly Jett died. The Travolta camp maintains that Jett suffered the fatal fall Friday morning, before his nanny, Jeff Kathrein, found him on the floor, but investigators say it happened the night before.

“The police left the impression that the boy was unsupervised,” said McDermott. “There were two nannies with him for the entire evening.
“They made it seem like he was sent to the condo and nobody checked in on him until the next morning,” he said.

Police officials stood by their time line Sunday, telling TMZ.com the Travoltas were too traumatized to understand the truth.

(source)

Libyan strongman Moammar Khadafy’s son Saif insists on the best. We hear Saif paid Mariah Carey a small fortune to perform at his New Year’s Eve party on St. Bart’s.

One spy says Carey’s three or four songs at the Nikki Beach Club set Saif back about $1 million. Moammar’s second son is used to writing big checks. Having criticized his father’s regime in 2006, he has been involved in Libya’s compensation of victims of past acts of terrorism.

Carey’s rep said she didn’t know whether Khadafy paid Carey. But the “Glitter” star who gave bigtime to charity this Christmas, seemed to be having fun with hubby Nick Cannon. Continuing to contradict pregnancy rumors, Carey wore a tight dress that didn’t give a hint of a bulge. She also downed one glass after another of Champagne, having gobbled a dozen raw oysters - a prenatal no-no - a few days earlier.

After counting down the seconds to midnight, Carey turned over the mike to Timbaland, who did some impromptu rapping with party guest Jay-Z, there with the lovely Beyoncé.

“I’ve never seen Jay and Beyoncé having such a good time,” says a spy. “They were hugging and waving their arms. It was out of control.” (Beyoncé, too, was drinking Champagne, tummy-watchers.)

Also partying hard was Mr. 007, Daniel Craig, who worked up a mighty sweat dancing with girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell at the art dealer Larry Gagosian’s party earlier in the week. Go-Go flew in the Kings of Leon for the bash.

Among those making the rounds were Eddie Murphy (with a well-upholstered brunette girlfriend), Marc Jacobs (holding a rose between his teeth at one fete), Jon Bon Jovi (taking a break with wife Dorothea from the documentary he’s making about his band), Ron Perelman (all over his psychiatrist girlfriend Anna Chapman), Amy Smart, Russell Simmons, Jeff Gordon, Andre Balazs and L.A. Reid.

The financial meltdown showed its ripples at seaside restaurants where tables were easier to come by. Meanwhile, on Mustique, there was no sign of hedge fund head Walter Noel, the single biggest victim of scammer Bernard Madoff. Could be that Noel and his family didn’t want to face Mustique pals whom they’d given the “privilege” of investing with Madoff.

“People who got burned are mad,” says an insider.

While Noel rented out his Mustique villa, Yemanja, next to Tommy Hilfiger’s, the buzz is that he’ll soon put it on the market.

(source)

The former New York Ranger showed up at Bungalow 8 New Year’s Eve on the arm of - his brother. A spy at the club said that Avery and his girlfriend of several months, Kelly Klein, have split - “They’re no longer together.” Avery was dumped by the Dallas Stars last month after he made a nasty comment about his ex, Elisha Cuthbert. He tried to make up for lost time at Bungalow 8, flirting with women and hanging with former teammates Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Nigel Dawes and Marcus Nasland.

(source)

The sex-mad hypochondriac, who’s in Thailand recovering from “mercury poisoning” after eating too much sushi, apparently can’t get enough of Mansion NYC employees, either. Not only did he hook up with waitress Ashley Chontos, he’s also been seeing hostess Brandi Harper. Harper, an African-American stunner who is studying cosmetology, met Piven backstage through friends after seeing him in “Speed-the-Plow.” A source said, “They went out several times, and she saw him the day before he became sick and had to leave the play. He was fine with her, though.” Piven has since been texting and calling Harper several times a day. “She was surprised when she found out he’d been seeing Ashley - but she didn’t really care,” the friend said. Harper told us, “I know Jeremy, and he is a gentleman.”

(source)

MADONNA and BRITNEY SPEARS are planning an explosive dance routine to ensure her forthcoming comeback world tour kicks off with a bang.
The Queen of Pop is expected to appear as a surprise guest on Spears’ upcoming Circus tour later this year.

The Toxic hitmaker joined her mentor Madonna on-stage in Los Angeles in November 2008 during the U.S. leg of her Sticky + Sweet tour, and the Material Girl is reportedly desperate to return the favour.

Spears has reportedly hired Jamie King, the choreographer of Madonna’s last three tours, to create a high-energy routine the duo can perform together.
A source tells Britain’s Daily Mail, “When Britney joined Madonna on stage for her Sticky + Sweet tour it was very sedate.

“This is going to be a high-energy dance routine - getting back to what they are both good at: Performing.”

Madonna and Spears shocked fans when they puckered up for an on-stage kiss during their performance at the MTV VMAs in 2003. They also teamed up on a track, Me Against the Music, the same year.

(source)

The final note of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign may very well be sung by Jon Bon Jovi.

The musician is performing at a fundraiser for the former presidential candidate as she tries to close out her campaign debt, which stood at $6.3 million as of last month.

The Jan. 15 performance at Manhattan’s Town Hall is being billed as “a final evening in support of Hillary Clinton for President Debt Relief.” Ticket prices range from $75 to $1,000.

The former first lady and New York senator has been working to pay down her debt to clear the way for confirmation as President-elect Barack Obama’s secretary of state. Federal ethics rules prohibit Cabinet officials from actively soliciting campaign contributions.

Clinton wrote off $13.1 million in personal loans to the campaign.

R&B sensation Rihanna fuelled reports she is engaged to her singer boyfriend Chris Brown, after she was spotted flashing a huge diamond ring on her wedding finger.

The pair have been dating since 2007, but in the tradition of fellow urban supercouple Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z, refuse to acknowledge their relationship.

Pictured out together in London on New Year’s Eve, Rihanna’s fingerless leather gloves revealed a weighty diamond encrusted ring.

The 20-year-old Umbrella singer was sporting her new hand accessory as she left the swish Movida nightclub in Soho in the early hours of New Year’s Day, prompting speculation her 19-year-old beau may have popped the question that night.

Whatever joy Rihanna was feeling about her personal life and the coming of the new year, she was giving nothing away as left the nightclub with a straight face.

Perhaps it was the winter chill that was keeping the Barbados-born star from smiling.

Dressed in a checked coat, Rihanna was quickly followed by Chris as they entered their chaffeur-driven car to return to their hotel.

Rihanna and Chris were first linked in 2007 when he re-worked her megahit track Umbrella as Cinderella Under The Umbrella.

They collaborated again on Rihanna’s single Disturbia, which reached number three in the British singles charts.

He originally wrote the song for himself, but decided it would sound better with a female voice so naturally, his girlfriend was the first person he offered it to.

When asked about their relationship last May, Rihanna said: ‘We are great actually. We have been friends for three years now.’

When reminded of the photographs of her kissing Chris, a coy Rihanna replied: ‘We are very good friends…

‘People always want to know what it is and what it isn’t. People think they know. They try to guess. Sometimes you just need your privacy. But it comes with the territory. There’s no privacy when you are out in the public.’

(source)

Tara Reid checked into rehab last month and is getting her life back together with the help of her family, a source confirms.

“She’s doing well. The whole family is very positive about this being the new beginning for her,” says the source, who is close to the family.

Reid decided to check herself in to Promises Treatment Center, and though she’s been in treatment less than a month, her family and friends are optimistic about her future.

“They are taking steps to do everything they can to help Tara keep on the right track,” adds the source, who says Reid is expected to check out of the center shortly.

When she entered rehab her rep would not reveal what Reid was being treated for.

In an interview in October, Reid said she was a “social drinker” who enjoyed an occasional glass of wine with friends, but said that her partying days were over.

(source)

John Travolta said Saturday he and his wife Kelly Preston are “heartbroken” over the death of their chronically ill 16-year-old son, who collapsed at the family’s vacation home on Grand Bahama.

Police Superintendent Basil Rahming has said a caretaker found Jett Travolta unconscious in a bathroom late Friday morning and he was later pronounced dead at a Freeport hospital. The youth was last seen entering the bathroom on Thursday, according to Rahming’s police statement.

“We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time we had with him for the rest of our lives,” Travolta and Preston said in their first public statement since Jett’s death.

“Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered,” said a statement posted Sunday on Travolta’s Web site.

“We have received many messages of condolence from around the world and we want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. It has meant so much to us. It is a beautiful reminder of the inherent goodness in the human spirit that gives us hope for a brighter future.”

Preston and Travolta have said that Jett became very sick when he was 2 years old and was diagnosed with Kawasaki Syndrome, an illness that leads to inflamed blood vessels in young children. Preston blamed household cleaners and fertilizers, and said that a detoxification program based on teachings from the Church of Scientology helped improve his health, according to People magazine. Others said Jett was prone to seizures.

Michael McDermott, an attorney for the actor, said Sunday that although Jett was last seen Thursday and found the following day, he doesn’t believe that the teen was in the bathroom for a substantial amount of time.

“The police left the impression that the boy was unsupervised. No. There were two nannies with him for the entire evening,” McDermott told The Associated Press. “They made it seem like he was sent to the condo and nobody checked in on him until the next morning.”

“(Jett) was spectacularly supervised,” said McDermott, who said he has not had the chance to talk to the two nannies himself.

McDermott said he had no knowledge of Jett’s medical history but “understood he had a history of seizures.” It is unclear whether Jett was taking medication for that.

The Bahamas’ health minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis, has said that a second, U.S.-certified pathologist will fly in at dawn Monday to assist with the teenager’s autopsy.

“I have spoken to (Travolta) and informed him that the government is doing everything it can,” Minnis said Sunday, adding he could not disclose further specifics about the autopsy.

About a dozen security guards and Bahamian police officers patrolled Sunday around the luxury Old Bahama Bay resort community where Travolta and Preston remained inside their home. The white-sand beach in front of the suites was closed.

The couple also have an 8-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu.

Travolta, 54, is trying to finish funeral arrangements and hopes to fly his son’s body to Florida by midweek, McDermott said. Travolta and Preston, 46, have a house in Ocala, Florida.

The Church of Scientology, established in 1945 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has attracted numerous celebrity followers, and among its more famed members is Travolta, who has long been one of Hollywood’s biggest names.