An attorney for Hulk Hogan’s wife got into a verbal sparring match with the former professional wrestler outside a courtroom and asked if Hogan was going to wrestle him.

The spat started when lawyer Ray Rafool was answering questions about the divorce case for television cameras. He spoke after a hearing Thursday in which a judge granted the release of $225,000 in frozen assets for Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea.

While Rafool spoke to the media, the towering Hogan tried to interject a comment from behind a row of cameras and reporters.

“Are you gonna to wrestle with me here?” Rafool said loudly. “Are you gonna come across the cameras? Then be quiet.”

“It’s a free world,” Hogan replied.

“No, it’s not a free world,” Rafool said. “It’s called professionalism.”

The attorney, who had recently accepted an autograph from Hogan for his son, then delivered a stinging blow to any World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler: “You’re an actor. You’re acting now.”

“I hope your son enjoys the autograph,” Hogan said. “Thank you Hulkamaniac brother.”

Hogan’s attorney joined in and continued arguing with Rafool. The former wrestler, who was on crutches because of recent back surgery, left a few minutes later.

“I guess I get the feeling of what it’s like to be on the WWE now,” he said.

Rafool had cooled off when The Associated Press reached him by phone Friday.

“It got much more heated than I would have preferred,” Rafool said. “Some of it was a little tongue-in-cheek about the wrestling. He was smiling and laughing. I was, too.”

David Houston, Hogan’s attorney, said his client spoke up because, “He felt that every dime they have was being dissipated by virtue of the divorce proceeding.”

Houston said Hogan worries that when all is done, he won’t be able to help John Graziano, a young man who was like family to the Hogans and was seriously injured in a crash caused by Hogan’s son Nick Bollea. Nick Bollea was sentenced last year to eight months in county jail after he pleaded no contest to causing the crash.

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is moving into “Melrose Place.”

The singer-actress has been tapped as a lead on the CW’s “Melrose” update, returning to series television seven years after landing her breakthrough role on the WB’s “7th Heaven.”

On the CBS Par-produced “Melrose,” Simpson-Wentz will play Melrose Place’s newest resident, Violet, a bright-eyed but shrewd small-town girl and recent L.A. transplant who has come to town with a secret.

Her character draws parallels to the original series’ blond, budding-Southern-belle starlet, Sandy Harling (Amy Locane).

On the new “Melrose,” Simpson-Wentz joins the previously cast Michael Rady and Katie Cassidy.

Simpson-Wentz is returning to television after a four-year hiatus from acting to focus on her music career. She guest-stars on the March 18 episode of “CSI: NY,” also produced by CBS Par. In the episode, she and husband Pete Wentz will play Bonnie-and-Clyde wannabes.

Simpson-Wentz is repped by CAA and her father and manager, Joe Simpson.

Alert the media! Shauna Sand has traded in her trademark well-worn Hollywood Blvd. Lucite hooker heels for a pair of sensible Melrose Ave. KISS/club kid above the knee platform boot things.

Sources connected with Chris Brown and Rihanna tell TMZ Brown’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, wants the judge to give Rihanna a pass from testifying because of leaks in the case.

We’re told Geragos and Rihanna’s lawyer, Donald Etra, believe Rihanna was compromised when her name surfaced as the alleged victim in the beating. They claim this and other leaks violate her privacy rights and therefore she should not have to further put herself out to the public by testifying against Brown in the case.

It’s further proof Rihanna and Brown are back together and in lockstep.

Geragos asked to meet with the judge in chambers, along with the prosecutors, on March 23 to discuss letting Rihanna off the hook. Brown’s arraignment is set for April 6.

Britney Spears performed in Hew York Wednesday night with Madonna in attendance. Britney also debuted her new music video for “If U Seek Amy”. Check out Britney’s new video below.

Supposedly there is controversy because if you say the title of the song fast, it spells the F-word. Now who sits around and has time to think up this stuff?

Anyway check out the video for yourself and tell us your thoughts!

According to an announcement early in the American Idol Top 13 performance round, two contestants will receive the boot during the Results Show on Wednesday.

In addition to top panelist Simon Cowell’s initial announcement, the crafty Brit also teased that possible alteration in the American Idol structure involving the show’s judges would be revealed. Host Ryan Seacrest said it will change “the entire theme and concept of the show.”

Beyond the rhetoric, what does it mean? A euphemistic way of saying “the fix is in”?

Those harboring such suspicions wouldn’t see it as the first steps during Season Eight the show has taken to artificially enhancing it’s slowly slipping year-to-date ratings.

According to E! News, American Idol producer Ken Warwick said “conversations surrounding the possibility of adding a thirteenth finalist only popped up a couple of weeks ago” due to the eighth season’s high talent level. That’s not exactly how Cowell tried to sell the move, having waited until the show’s closing seconds Thursday to offer North Carolina hopeful Anoop Desai an exemption — and admittance to the finals round Tuesday.

Warwick’s thin explanation to USA Today “it’s almost unfair to get rid of two kids if they’re really, really great” begs the question: Since when has that stopped producers in the past? C’mon, be serious. Combined with a premeditated “we discussed it beforehand,” it smacks of a run-n-gun, self-serving way to shape contest rules.

Despite the moves, Fox reality chief Mike Darnell doesn’t believe the alterations will “change what you think of American Idol,” he told TV Week on Thursday. Darnell said the show is “… American, it’s apple pie. We’re not changing the core of the show.”

Huh? Is Darnell watching the same TV series as we are?

No changes? What would you call?
– adding a new show evaluator,
– stretching the semi-finalist field from 24 to 36,
– whacking the early-rounds talent pool at three times the usual rate,
– inserting a judges-vote-only Wild Card round,
– adding a thirteenth contestant to the Finalist group.

Same old, same old — right? Oops, our bad.

How does that impact tonight’s results episode? Don’t be surprised if Idol judges reclaim more voting rights tonight and/or spin another way to shore up the contestant body to 12 — a prime way to neatly fit Idol into May Neilsen Ratings sweeps.

On second thought, that doesn’t sound like change — more like business as usual.

Actor turned hip hop artist Joaquin Phoenix continues to act like a freak! Phoenix jumped off stage to take on a “fan” at his hip-hop show in Miami. See the video of Joaquin confronting the heckler below.

Joaquin Phoenix, 34, got on stage around 1:50 a.m. at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel’s nightclub, LIV.

Near the end of his first song, Phoenix walked to the edge of the right side of the stage and called out an audience member whom he thought was heckling him.

“Bitch,” Phoenix yelled. “This is a $3,000 f—–g suit!”

Joaquin then jumped into the crowd as security rushed after him.

It was unclear whether the two men scuffled, but security dragged Phoenix away as the crowd chanted “Joaquin! Joaquin! Joaquin!’”

His brother-in-law, Casey Affleck — who is making a documentary about Phoenix’s career leap from acting to rapping — filmed the entire incident.

Phoenix’s strange behavior, which includes a bizarre Feb. 11 Late Show With David Letterman appearance could just be part of an elaborate hoax.

But Paul Dobransky — a relationships expert and author of The Secret Psychology of How We Fall in Love — recently told the Los Angeles Times that Phoenix could also be schizophrenic, pointing to his “socially inappropriate behavior”

His rep denied the claims: “How absolutely inappropriate for a doctor who has no personal interaction or relationship with someone to diagnose them.”

So is Joaquin Phoenix crazy or is he fooling us all?

Kim and Khloe Kardashian hoofed their way into a nightclub event to pick up some Old Navy junk! After hob knobbing with the likes of Maria Menounos inside the event for 10 minutes, the two sisters quickly left in a waiting car after posing briefly with fans!

According to new reports from The Daily News, super diva Kimora Lee Simmons and actor Djimon Hounsou were married over the summer in Africa. Kimora and her ex-husband Russell called it quits in March 2006, but the divorce only became official in January 2009. I know what you’re thinking. How could they have gotten hitched an entire six months before Kimora and Russell were even divorced?

That’s a simple one. The “wedding” in Djimon’s native Benin, Africa wasn’t legally binding. It was more of a joining of souls, if you will. Kinda like when Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds exchanged ceremonial vows in Bora Bora, but split just two weeks later. They never did legally become husband and wife.

Now that Kimora is pregnant with Djimon’s baby, will it serve to speed up the process of tying the knot for real this time? Spies for The Daily News did spot the daddy-to-be eyeballing rings at the posh Martin Katz in Beverly Hills last week. It looks like Kimora will have to wait a little longer, as it appears that he left the shop empty handed that day.

Jasmine Murray says goodbye to Idol

American Idol

hopefuls Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez were asking for the following Wednesday during the evening’s elimination round. Oh baby, give me one more chance!

For the pair who came up flat during Tuesday’s top 13 performance round, the answer was no, and Murray and Nuñez were ushered out of American Idol competition Wednesday. They lacked support of call-in voters and a judge intervention alike.

Murray, a 16-year-old high school student, was the first finalist dismissed from the show’s eighth season. The youngster from Starkville, Miss. who packs a potent vocal punch in a smallish 5?2? frame, sang Michael Jackson’s I’ll Be There on Tuesday.

Judges found it a serviceable effort, but lacking personality.

Lead judge Simon Cowell found Murray’s cover “bland…a bit old-fashioned.”

Nunez, a 20-year-old from Carolina, Puerto Rico didn’t fare much better, struggling with the rapid-fire English articulation within Jackson Five hit Never Can Say Goodbye. The effervescent Nuñez saw the song choice as the lesser of evils.

Last week, Nunez, more comfortable with the plodding pace of Elton John classic Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, admitted he “thinks in Spanish” as his anxiety increases.

“I wasn’t going to sing Bad by Michael Jackson,” he told judges Tuesday.

“Well, you kind of did,” Cowell replied.

Wednesday’s episode began with the announcement of a new twist in the singing competition’s structure. Judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Kara DioGuardi and Cowell may elect to save one contestant from being eliminated — from now until the top five finalists are selected. The move would require the four-person panel’s unanimous consent. Upon agreement, an additional contestant would be sent packing the following week.

During the new rule’s first night in effect, judges gave neither singer one more chance.

Jackson gave an apologetic “sorry” to Murray, while Cowell had no problem saying goodbye to Nunez; with an apathetic, stern “no,” a light scoff and a sour look of into the distance.

Anoop Desai survived despite a highly karaoke take on untouchable tune Beat It. Newsday.com writer Jamshid Mousavinez had recently given a bull’s eye analysis of the North Carolina grad student’s disposition, stating that Desai will become a contest force when he “stops messing around, just goes out there and sings…instead of worrying about appealing to the girls.”

Translated: C’mon! Get serious, Dawg!

Guest performers Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson — the original American Idol champion — commanded the stage in front of a packed Nokia concert hall and more than 22.7 million at-home viewers. West and Clarkson offered a premium product that reminded us why American Idol life would’ve sucked (or at least been diminished) without them.