Actress Reese Witherspoon has launched a global United Nations campaign to end violence against women. The Walk The Line star, who is cosmetics giant Avon's Global Ambassador to promote women's empowerment, kicked off the beauty company's new partnership with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) on Tuesday. Avon is selling Women's Empowerment Bracelets online for $3 each to benefit UNIFEM. Witherspoon said, "Every purchase of the bracelet will help empower women - 100 percent of the profits will go directly to the Avon Empowerment Fund to support UNIFEM in their work to end violence against women. I hope to see this bracelet on the wrists of women all around the world as a sign of solidarity and hope that one day every woman will be empowered and live a life free from violence."

Actor John Ritter was denied the right to a second opinion on his heart condition, his widow Amy Yasbeck has claimed. Yasbeck and her eldest children are suing two doctors for $67 million for misdiagnosing the torn aorta that killed the comic star in September 2003, at the age of 54. She claims Ritter's heart condition would have been diagnosed properly if hospital staff had carried out an X-ray. Yasbeck returned to Glendale's Superior Court in California on Monday to continue her testimony, during which she recalled how her husband had been told he could not get another doctor's opinion on his illness, reports PageSix.com. She claims that when Ritter asked attending cardiologist Dr. Joseph Lee if he could see another doctor, the medic replied, "No, there is no time for a second opinion. You're in the middle of a heart attack." Ritter died of an aortic dissection shortly afterwards.

Jackass star Steve-O has been charged for vandalism after he was caught causing damage to his Hollywood apartment complex on Monday. The TV prankster - real name Stephen Gilchrist Glover - is alleged to have been found breaking holes in the walls of his home, when one of his neighbors made a citizen's arrest and restrained the star until police arrived. Los Angeles Police Department officer Ana Aguirre confirmed the 33-year-old had been arrested and booked on vandalism charges, but revealed he was also taken into custody at a Hollywood police station for an outstanding traffic warrant and possession of a controlled substance.

Away From Her swept the board at the Canadian film industry's Genie Awards on Monday night, taking home seven of the top prizes including Best Motion Picture. The movie - filmmaker Sarah Polley's adaptation of Alice Munro's short story "The Bear Came Over The Mountain" - chronicles the sad tale of a man gradually losing his wife to Alzheimer's disease, and won awards in most of the major categories at the ceremony in Toronto, Canada, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. Julie Christie, who won a Golden Globe for her performance in the 2006 drama, was named best actress, while Toronto-born Kristen Thomson picked up the Best Supporting Actress honor for her role in the film. David Cronenberg's crime drama Eastern Promises also took home seven awards at the 28th annual awards ceremony, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score.

Cameron Diaz called in to Oprah Winfrey's talk show from a film set in Los Angeles on Monday to pay tribute to her best friend Drew Barrymore's generous $1 million charity donation. Barrymore was on the show to present the cash to the United Nations World Food Program, and her donation and footage of the actress in Africa, helping starving kids, led Diaz to reach for the phone. Calling in to her thrilled pal, Diaz said, "I've been listening to this show and literally I'm choked up because... I'm so proud of this information that she's (Barrymore) giving the world... It's unprecedented. Learning about how our children are living in the world is devastating and the truth that is being spoken there is so important for people to hear and I'm just so proud of you Drew." An obviously moved Barrymore responded, "That's my best friend, man." Barrymore has traveled to Kenya twice with the Wfp organization, who she has worked with since 2005. The 33-year-old told Winfrey, "I have seen with my own eyes what a difference a simple cup of nutritious porridge can make in a child's life. It helps them learn, stay healthy and sets them on track for a bright future."

Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter Dannielynn has been named the late star's sole heir. A Los Angeles judge made the ruling after Smith's boyfriend and executor Howard K. Stern appealed for clarification of the former Playboy model's will, which was drafted in 2001 five years before Dannielynn was born. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff declared that the 18-month-old is the only heir, and established a trust on her behalf, which will be governed by Stern and her biological father Larry Birkhead. The ruling means Dannielynn stands to inherit the estate of Smith's former husband, billionaire J. Howard Marshall. Marshall left Smith much of his fortune, but his family is currently contesting the will. Smith died of an accidental drug overdose in February 2007.

Alison Lohman has been cast in Sam Raimi's latest horror movie, after Juno star Ellen Page was forced to pull out due to scheduling conflicts. Filming on Drag Me To Hell, about a young woman with a supernatural curse, was due to begin on March 17 in an effort to beat the potential Screen Actors Guild strike later this year, but shooting on the project was delayed until a later date, forcing 21-year-old Page to withdraw from the film altogether. But with 28-year-old Lohman in the starring role, Empire Online reports the movie will start shooting on March 31, just two weeks behind schedule.

Sarah Jessica Parker's latest movie may have been scrapped after the finished project failed to find a distributor. The Sex And The City star shot Spinning Into Butter with Miranda Richardson and Beau Bridges, in which she plays a college dean dealing with a race hate crime on campus. The movie wrapped and was due to be released in 2007, but was hit by delay after delay as producers struggled to get it into theaters. And now the actress is resigned to the fact the film may never see the light of day. She says, "It's in that purgatory that many movies find themselves. One enters these endeavors with the best of intentions, but sometimes they don't work out."

TV talent show American Idol has been rocked by another scandal - one of the current batch of pop wannabes has been exposed as a former stripper. Producers have learned singer David Hernandez was once a nude dancer, who performed at Phoenix, Arizona area club Burn for three years. The club's manager came forth with the information. But the naughty finalist won't be kicked off the show, despite his saucy past. Idol executive producer Ken Warwick tells TVGuide.com, "If it were some sort of heavy porn, then maybe we'd have to take action. But certainly not on this. We're never judgmental about what people do to earn a living. They've gotta put food in people's mouths."

A representative for Ashlee Simpson has denied claims the star was drunk during a radio interview on Tuesday - insisting she was "simply just tired." The 23-year-old appeared on Washington D.C.'s Hot 99.5 Kane In The Morning show, but attracted attention because she appeared to have trouble speaking and slurred her words. But her spokesperson is adamant Simpson's behavior was due to her busy promotional schedule. A representative for the star says, "Ashlee was absolutely not intoxicated this morning on Hot 99.5. She has been working extremely hard traveling across the country to promote her upcoming new album by performing at night and waking up very early the next day to do radio interviews in the morning - like any of us would be - she was simply just tired."