MORGAN FREEMAN BLASTS REPORTS HE'S MARRYING STEP-GRANDDAUGHTER

Morgan Freeman denies reports he's about to marry his 27-year-old step-granddaughter E'Dena Hines. In a statement, the actor says, "The recent reports of any pending marriage or romantic relationship of me to anyone are defamatory fabrications from the tabloid media designed to sell papers. What is even more alarming is that these fabrications are now being picked up by the legitimate press as well."

E'Dena, who is the granddaughter of Morgan's first wife, also denies the stories. She and the star are not related by blood.


IDOL USES SAVE

Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler used their once-a-season Judges' Save to spare Jessica Sanchez on last night's (Thursday's) American Idol... The fact that Sanchez, the presumed frontrunner, got the fewest votes was a bit of a shocker. Adding to the upset, the judges' favorites Joshua Ledet and Elise Testone joined Sanchez in the Bottom Three. The judges scolded America for its opinion. Randy Jackson shouted, "This is a ridiculous Bottom Three, America!"

After hearing the vote, Steven Tyler revealed, "We are going to use our Judges' Save tonight, especially with an outcome like this." J-Lo jumped in with, "Gimme that mic! This is crazy! Of course we are using the Save!"

SCARJO STILL SCARRED OVER DIVORCE

Scarlett Johansson is still hurting from her breakup with husband Ryan Reynolds.

In an interview with Vogue, the Avengers star says the divorce has been "comically amicable," but insists that it was still "horrible... Of course it's horrible. It was devastating. It really throws you. You think that your life is going to be one way, and then, for various reasons or whatever, it doesn't work out."

Since the 2010 split, Scarlett has dated Sean Penn and, currently, ad exec Nate Naylor.


SCREENWRITER CLAIMS HE HAS TAPES OF MEL GIBSON'S RANTS

Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas says he has proof of Mel Gibson's latest wacko rants -- because his teenage son secretly taped the star on his iPhone. Joe didn't say exactly what was recorded, but among the things Mel supposedly said were that he was "glad" that John Lennon's dead... "He deserved to be shot"; and that he was planning to kill his ex Oksana Grigorieva.

Mel denies the allegations.

Joe and Mel's feud is apparently over Gibson's movie about Jewish warrior Judah Maccabee. Joe's script for the movie was reportedly rejected.


ANDERSON COOPER APOLOGIZES AFTER GIGGLING 

Anderson Cooper's recent giggling fit has forced the talk-show host to apologize.

The Silver Fox got hysterical while discussing the Polish holiday of Dyngus Day Tuesday, which includes girls striking boys with pussy willow branches. "It's really so stupid," Anderson said during his fit. An organization that promotes cultural exchange between the U.S. and Poland thought he was bashing their beloved holiday. So Anderson headed to Twitter and wrote, "Just learned some groups believe I called Dyngus Day 'so stupid' in RidicuList. I didn't. I was saying my giggling fit was 'so stupid.' Genuinely sorry if I offended anyone.'"


MARC ANTHONY FILES DIVORCE

Marc Anthony has filed for divorce from Jennifer Lopez, nearly nine months after the couple publicly called it quits. He cited "irreconcilable differences" and asked for joint legal and physical custody of their four-year-old twins.


CELEB QUICKIES

  • We have details about Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's first adult book. It's called The Casual Vacancy and is set "in a seemingly idyllic English town where things are not as they seen." Publisher Little, Brown says it will be "blackly comic." The Casual Vacancy will be out on September 27th.

  • Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may be teaming up on the big screen again. The couple, who starred in the 2005 action flick Mr. and Mrs. Smith, are reportedly in talks to appear together in The Counselor, to be directed by Ridley Scott.

  • Webster star and former Detroit Lions star Alex Karras is suing the NFL, along with hundreds of other ex players, claiming the league is to blame for his dementia. Alex says the NFL did not properly protect him from concussions during his playing days.


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