Kobe Bryant's NBA Bash -- Not All VIPs Welcome

Kobe Bryant is hosting an ULTRA-exclusive Hollywood party during All-Star weekend -- but TMZ has learned everyone in the VIP section must pass a "screening process" before they'll be allowed near the NBA superstar Saturday night.



The party is supposed to be INSANE -- with organizers dropping roughly $50,000 to give Boulevard 3 nightclub an Asian-themed makeover in honor of Kobe enshrining his hands and feet at Grauman's Chinese Theater earlier that day. 

But not just any schmuck with a wad of cash will be allowed to get all schmoozy with Kobe -- party organizers tell us they will have a vigorous screening process for anyone who wants to purchase a VIP table near Kobe's private section.

And for the fans who can't cross the VIP rope ... we're told there will be plenty of other cool stuff at the party -- including a 15-foot custom made dragon. 

How Lindsay Could Go To Jail Without a Trial

Lindsay Lohan could go to jail for more than a year for allegedly stealing that necklace ... and it could happen without a jury, without a trial .... without grand theft charges even being pursued.



After doing some investigating, we discovered the D.A. could drop the felony grand theft case completely.  But that wouldn't end Lindsay's legal woes -- not by a long shot.

Prosecutor Danette Meyers could go back to court and ask the judge to violate Lindsay's DUI probation ... on grounds she stole the necklace.

The judge in the probation case could then hold a hearing -- without a jury -- to determine if Lindsay did indeed pilfer the jewelry. 

Now here's the big problem for Lindsay.  In a criminal case, the D.A. must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt -- in other words, convincing a jury that there's a 98 to 99% chance that she did the deed.

But in a probation violation case, all the judge has to decide is that it's more likely than not that she stole the jewelry -- in other words, that there's a 50.1% chance she did it.

Sources connected with the D.A.'s office tell us ... prosecutors believe they could ask for more than 1 year in jail if the judge decides Lindsay violated her probation.

And one final piece of bad news. It's very possible if the D.A. dismissed the grand theft case, the probation violation matter would go back to Judge Elden Fox in Beverly Hills, who has totally lost patience with Lindsay.

Tab Poops on Matt Damon

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According to the National Enquirer, while Scarlett Johansson and Matt Damon playfully wrestled over a water bottle during a break from shooting We Bought a Zoo, ”an orangutan who’s co-starring with them suddenly went BANANAS!”

The tab goes on to claim that “the grouchy gorilla, who’s apparently taken quite a monkey-shine to Scarlett since filming began, got jealous and angry when Matt started grabbing at her,” and pelted the Oscar winner with “APE DOO-DOO!”

If the supermarket rag had simply spent as much time fact-checking as it did coming up with primate puns, it wouldn’t have printed this – to borrow a phrase – “poop.”

This monkey business never happened.

In addition to not even having an orangutan in the movie, a rep for the film tells Gossip Cop, “No such event occurred on the set of We BoughTweett A Zoo.”

These kind of fabricated stories makes us go ape s**t!

Appeals Court Allows No Doubt To Pursue 'Band Hero' Lawsuit Against Activision

Activision

This week is shaping up to be a big one in the ongoing struggle to figure out the difference between commercial and expressive speech, the times when entertainment companies can show public figures in the name of the First Amendment and the times when they can't due to violations of a celebrity's right to control their own publicity.

Just as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was hearing an important case involving former NCAA athletes fighting Electronic Arts over use of their image in sports video games, the California Court of Appeals was weighing in on a similar dispute involving the band No Doubt and Activision Blizzard, makers of the game, "Band Hero." A panel of justices has given the go-ahead to the band to proceed with its lawsuit against Activision alleging publicity rights violations and breach of contract. 

No Doubt originally sued Activision in 2009 after it was shocked to learn that "Band Hero" allowed game-players to "unlock" special features of the game and manipulate avatars to engage in unapproved acts, from having a Gwen Stefani virtual character perform the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman" in a male voice to making band members do unrealistic dance moves. No Doubt asserted that its agreement with Activision granting publicity rights didn't cover these unanticipated features.

Activision countersued with an anti-SLAPP motion that argued No Doubt's lawsuit amounted to a chill of free speech.

As usual in these sorts of disputes, the question becomes whether the speech -- in this case, the game -- amounted to a "transformative use" of the celebrity's image, in which case it falls under First Amendment protection. The California Appeals Court says that Activision's use of No Doubt isn't sufficiently transformative, finding that the images in the game were nothing "more than literal, fungible reproductions of their likenesses."

Here's the decision.

The case may proceed to trial unless it is appealed further, which very may well depend on the outcome of those former NCAA athletes fighting Electronic Arts.

Yesterday, the justices at the Ninth Circuit heard arguments from the attorneys.

Kelli Sager, who is representing Electronic Arts, told the Ninth Circuit that courts should focus on works as a whole, not just individual elements, when examining the issue of what's transformative. She argued that video games are constitutionally protected works of expression. 

"The First Amendment protects all kinds of expressive work," she said. "Video games, particularly one like this that have all these different elements, are also expressive work, and you're allowed to use names and people's likenesses in expressive work."

Steve Berman is representing the class of plaintiffs in the dispute and wants the Ninth Circuit to see video games as commercial items and focus on the nitty gritty when examining the exploitation of a celebrity in a video game.

"If you're using that person's identity to make money, that's not protected, that's theft of likeness," he told the panel. "If you're using the name Ghandi in an expressive film about the revolution there, that's protected, that's expressive...This game is not expressive. It's like the Wheaties box. They've taken the images from head to toe ...and put it in their game for commercial purposes."

Bruno Mars Cuts Deal in Coke Possession Case

Bruno Mars just formally pled guilty today to possession of a controlled substance.



Mars was in a Las Vegas courtroom with his lawyer, Blair Berk, when Mars pled guilty to felony cocaine possession, but if he stays out of trouble for 12 months, the charge will be dismissed -- as if it never happened.

Mars is also required to do 8 hours of private counseling and 200 hours of community service with a charitable organization.  He must also pay a $2,000 fine -- which he's paying today ... because he has Bruno Mars money.

Berk tells TMZ, "We are very pleased  that the prosecution has agreed to dismiss the charge."

As we previously reported, Bruno was arrested in September at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino after a bathroom attendant told security a man was doing coke in the bathroom.

Lindsay Lohan Letterman Appearance: Not Actually Happening, Booked By Impostor!

Cody Horn to Join “The Office”

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The Office has a new staffer.

Cody Horn will fill one of the new roles created after Steve Carell’s iconic Michael Scott character leaves the hit series later this season.

“We’re very excited to have found Cody,” says executive producer Paul Lieberstein, who also plays Toby Flenderson on the show.

“We’ve been searching for a love interest for Creed for a long time,” Lieberstein jokes to TVLine. “So just sit back and get ready to be disgusted.”

Model-turned-actress Horn has appeared on “Rescue Me,” and in movies like Flipped.

As Gossip Cop reported last month, Will Ferrell will do a four-episode arc to help smooth Carell’s exit from the show.

Crawford and Hudgens take in a runway show during New York Fashion Week. Plus: Rihanna, Jessica & Honor, Eva Longoria and more

'Destroyed' Billy Ray & Tish Cyrus Reunite

Even though Billy Ray Cyrus revealed that his daughter Miley's Disney Channel show Hannah Montana 'destroyed' his family, Billy courageously met up with Mommy Tish at the Hipic Center on February 15. Hopefully, Noah is okay with the fallout of today's dramatic news. Miley is staying strong.

CLAIM: Tori Spelling Sporting a “Baby Bump”

(HollywoodLife)

“Hey, Tori Spelling! Is That A Baby Bump?” asks HollywoodLife, a site known for childishly posing many questions, yet rarely knowing the answers.

The blog notes Spelling was spotted yesterday at her new Los Angeles store InvenTORI “sporting what appears to be a baby bump!”

HollywoodLife then muddies the water with older quotes from Spelling and husband Dean McDermott, saying how they would one day like to expand their family.

The couple currently have two children together, Liam and Stella.

So, is Spelling now expecting a third child?

Nope.

A rep for the star tells Gossip Cop that reports claiming she’s pregnant are “not true.”

Incredibly, the female-oriented HollywoodLife knows little about women, having wrongly and repeatedly reported that Jessica Simpson, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Garner were pregnant.