Table of contents for April 23, 2018 in Globe

BUTTHEAD JOHN ON SHORT LEASH After mending fences with country singer JOHN MELLENCAMP, actress MEG RYAN has one huge fear — the 66-year-old Jack & Diane singer will keel over with a heart attack from his smoking habit. The 56-year-old When Harry Met Sally beauty tried to get the crooning chimney to quit cold turkey, but that bombed, says a mole. Now, she’s made him promise to only puff five a day. But he’s having a hard time with the limit. “He shakes like a leaf and gets all moody,” says the source. “She’s threatened to leave him over his chain-smoking, but she probably won’t. She’s crazy about the guy.” RAPE SCANDAL ROCKS ROYALS PRINCE WILLIAM’s wife, KATE MIDDLETON, is tangled in an explosive child sex scandal linked to her…

TALKING head Rachel Maddow has helped MSNBC score big in the prime-time ratings game, but the 45-year-old liberal firebrand has stiff competition from FOX News Channel’s conservative Sean Hannity, who has brought in greater total audience numbers. Here are ten things you don’t know about The Rachel Maddow Show host. 1 As a freshman at Stanford University, she was outed in a newspaper interview — before she told her parents she was a lesbian. 2 She claims she was a natural blonde but says her hair became darker as she aged. 3 When she was a graduate student, she met her longtime partner, artist Susan Mikula, who hired Maddow to do yard work at her home. 4 She and Susan, now 60, kicked off their 19-year relationship in an unusual…

BOOZE-FUELED Jessica Ann Royall dragged her boyfriend, Ryan Minett, to his death as she furiously drove half a mile through the streets careening off curbs as he clung to the side of her speeding SUV, say cops. Horrified witnesses say the 2005 Buick Rendezvous was zooming with the tires squealing as Minett, 27, desperately hung onto the roof luggage rack while screaming for someone to call 911. Finally, at an intersection, he lost his grip and flew off. His body then slid, tumbled and rolled 53 feet before slamming into a light post. At that point, Royall, 28, stopped and got out of the SUV, say cops. She walked to his body and took a cell phone from his pocket before dropping it, returning to her ride and zooming off,…

PRINCE PHILIP defied his wife of 70 years, Queen Elizabeth, and went ahead with life-threatening hip surgery. But the 96-year-old royal suffered complications from the anesthesia used in the risky operation and spiraled into a twilight world, say palace insiders. “The family is now bracing for the end,” a source tells GLOBE. “Philip was already secretly ravaged by Alzheimer’s and dementia — that’s the real reason he retired from public life last fall after moving into a lowly cottage on the Sandring-ham Estate 115 miles from London where he could be secretly cared for. “But he was in agony from his hip problem and insisted on the surgery ‘no matter what happens.’ “Her Majesty is blaming herself for not stopping him.”…

ARIES March 21 - April 20 A family legacy leads to a dispute over who gets what while Mercury and Saturn face off, but a neutral third party has smart advice on Friday. You’ll feel really good when you finally tackle those “to do” chores midweek. Take long walks around the neighborhood — they lead to fitness and friendship. GEMINI May 22 - June 21 Sleeping in feels glorious, but getting up early feels even better when you realize you have free time to do … well, whatever you want! After Venus enters your sign Tuesday, you’ll be busy adding updated décor to your home. You may even opt for a personal makeover, too — a new hairstyle or color! LEO July 23 - Aug. 23 Get a grip, Lion!…

NOW this really stinks! Canadian teacher Stephanie Moore cheated death when a frozen poop bomb — dropped by a high-flying aircraft — crashed through her mom’s home outside Ottawa! The blue doo-doo left a gigantic hole in the roof and ceiling, before making a melted mess in a hallway. The culprit has not been found — but Stephanie says her students are blaming “aliens.” LIGHTNING does strike twice! Lucky North Carolina Air Force veteran Michael Buinicky won $100,000 in a scratch-off lottery — and $750,000 in another scratch-off only five weeks later! But after state and federal taxes, his windfall from the big wins amounts to a mere $528,760! Still, Michael says that’s more than enough to make a 30-year-old dream come true — buying and restoring a 1966 Corvette.…

SITCOM star Kaley Cuoco’s driving her groom Karl Cook ape by turning their upcoming wedding into a circus with demands that her zoo of pets — including pigs and chickens — be part of the wacky ceremony. “Kaley and Karl have a Noah’s Ark of rescue animals, including dogs, cats, bunnies, horses, pigs, goats and chickens — and Kaley won’t hear of excluding any of them,” says a source. “Kaley is driving Karl crazy with her outlandish wedding demands.” Cook, 27, a horse-jumping competitor and son of software billionaire Scott Cook, promised the 32-yearold Big Bang Theory beauty a “big” wedding. But Kaley’s turned into a bridezilla with her diva demands for 500 guests plus the animals — with the tab for the affair estimated at a staggering $4 million,…

JUST FRIENDS… JENNIFER ANISTON is steaming over ex Justin Theroux stepping out in public with Parks and Recreation cutie Aubrey Plaza so soon after their split! Sources tell GLOBE the tattooed bad boy is getting even with Jen for dumping him — and sending the message he’s just fine without her! “Jen is reeling over this,” spills an insider. “She’s extremely imageconscious — and she’s realizing what a mistake marrying Justin really was. She’s telling friends he’s being heartless and cruel, flaunting another woman in public. “It’s like he’s showing Jen he’s better off!” Justin, 46, guest-starred with Aubrey on four Parks and Rec episodes in 2010 — and as these exclusive pictures reveal, they looked super chummy while strolling around New York City late last month. The former Leftovers…

SASSY comic Chelsea Handler has been a boozer and man-chaser, but she insists she’s kicked at least one bad habit — smoking — with hypnosis. The 43-year-old funnygal says she began puffing as a kid because she thought it “was cool. I finally quit when I got hypnotized by Kerry Gaynor. “If you are trying to quit, look him up. Haven’t smoked one cigarette since.” But the wacky blonde admits she’s still a pothead. She’s even creating her own brand of weed!…

FURIOUS wife Carol Lynn Stone celebrated her wedding anniversary with a big bash — she bashed the heck out of hubby Ronnie William Alexander for forgetting the date, cops charge. Ronnie, 41, ended up bruised while Carol, 35, mom of their three-month-old son, was hauled off to Florida’s Pasco County slammer. The fireworks began when Ronnie called Carol from work and admitted he’d forgotten their anniversary, lawmen say. When he came home with a rose and a promise to whisk her away for a romantic weekend, Carol blew a fuse and “smacked him multiple times” on the head and face, says a police report. Cops add Ronnie managed to record some of the beatdown on his cell phone — and Carol was charged with domestic battery with bond set at $150.…

THE 100 Tues., April 24, The CW, 9 p.m. Returning for a fififth season, this postapocalyptic drama follows Clarke Griffifin (Eliza Taylor), Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley) and Wells Jaha (Eli Goree) — space station survivors returning to Earth. ARCHER Wed., April 25, FXX, 10 p.m. The adult cartoon created by Adam Reed tracks the exploits of bungling secret agents. The series is back for its ninth season. QUANTICO Thurs., April 26, ABC, 10 p.m. American hero Alex Parrish (Priyanka Chopra) gets fifired by the FBI after saving the world — and is recruited by the CIA! THE BEACH HOUSE Sat., April 28, Hallmark, 9 p.m. Minka Kelly, Andie MacDowell and Chad Michael Murray star in a new Hallmark Hall of Fame flflick detailing the adventures of Caretta “Cara” Rutledge, who…

THAT’S ONE FOR THE MONEY! WORLD EXCLUSIVE LISA MARIE PRESLEY’S pals say she’s going to blow her stack when she sees the latest photos of estranged hubby Michael Lockwood out on the town with the pair’s twin daughters: He’s wearing blue suede shoes — a trademark of her dad, Elvis! The 56-year-old musician donned the fancy footwear while stepping out with Lisa Marie’s nine-year-old twins, Harper and Finley — AND a female friend — adding insult to injury! “She won’t be happy to see Michael dredging up her dad’s 1956 hit Blue Suede Shoes that way,” spills an insider. “To be fair, Michael still listens to Elvis’ music all the time — but anything he does is bound to infuriate Lisa Marie!” The pair split in 2016 after ten years…

BRAZEN reality beauty Brandi Glanville blames her frozen face — that forces her to talk out of the side of her mouth — on a bungled cosmetic procedure. The Sharknado 4 actress says botched laser hair removal on her upper lip paralyzed her several years ago. “I got a third-degree burn and my face on the right side doesn’t move the way my face on the left side moves,” she says. The 45-year-old former model and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills hottie is known for her outspokenness and trash talk since ex-hubby Eddie Cibrian, dad of her two sons, dumped her for songbird LeAnn Rimes in 2010. As for her frozen puss, the brash Bicoastal Beauty Unfiltered blogger adds: “If you don’t like it, **** my ****!”…

Stranger Things’ WINONA RYDER has decided to end her bachelorette days. The 46-year-old and fashion designer SCOTT MACKINLAY HAHN are planning an impromptu hitching, pals say. Legal eagle STAR JONES and lawyer RICARDO LUGO sailed down the aisle on a cruise ship. Teen Mom OG star RYAN EDWARDS and wife MACKENZIE STANDIFER are expecting their first kid together. Congrats. Model GIGI HADID and former One Direction bandmate ZAYN MALIK have split after two years. Popster USHER and GRACE MIGUEL, who tied the knot in 2015, are now calling it quits. Magic Mike hunk CHANNING TATUM and wife JENNA have ended their marriage after nearly nine years and a four-year-old daughter, EVERLY. Funnyguy MARTIN LAWRENCE is selling his Big Momma’s House for $8.5 million. The palace sits on 116 acres in…

POP sexpot Christina Aguilera made a shocking confession — the Latin lover who seduced her in her song Infatuation broke her heart — when he turned out to be GAY! The busty 37-year-old blonde dropped the bombshell admission on drag queen RuPaul’s TV show, saying: “It was heartbreaking because I found out he played for your team.” But the hunk had her fooled when he literally swept her off her feet. Christina sings in the 2002 tune the heartthrob “intrigues me with every move … Til’ I’m breathless, I’m helpless … Can’t keep my cool … Big brown eyes can hypnotize … Can’t help my infatuation.” In the song, she’s supposedly explaining how she met her child’s father. In real life, the songbird has a son, Max, 10, with ex-hubby…

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW TV LEGEND Regis Philbin coldly turned his back on his kids, Danny and Amy, from his first marriage — because his second wife wanted nothing to do with them. That’s the shameful charge from legless Danny’s ex-wife, Judy Philbin, who blasts Regis, 86, and his current wife, Joy, as “despicable” for the way they shunned his children from his marriage to Catherine Faylen. “They’re evil,” she tells GLOBE in a world exclusive. “What Joy and him did to those two kids because they were not her children was despicable! “They didn’t want to have the responsibility of caring for a disabled child — so they put Danny in a home for mentally challenged kids!” After twelve years of marriage, Regis divorced Catherine in 1969 and wed Joy a…

IF THE dude on the airplane seat or row next to you is sneezing and coughing — watch out — you’ll probably get sick, too! Shockingly, plane travelers have an 80 percent chance of catching a cold or flu virus if an infected passenger is “within one row or two seats laterally,” according to a study by Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology researchers. The good news is passengers seated farther away have only a three percent likelihood of catching the bug. “This runs counter to traditional thinking that if a person coughs or sneezes anywhere in the cabin, they will infect the entire plane,” say researchers. But the study also stressed that sick flight attendants will infect nearly five passengers during a flight so they should “NOT fly…

EVERY TV show has a hero, but to be a big hit, a program needs colorful, cruel villains viewers love to hate. GLOBE has researched the baddest guys and gals on TV and come up with the five most evil villains of all time. Here are our picks: 5 MEANEST BADDIES IN BOOB TUBE HISTORY! 5. RICHARD HATCH. The first winner of Survivor in 2000 is a real person, not a nasty, made-up character. While backstabbing the other contestants, the West Point graduate, now 57, was described as “evil,” “cocky” and a “snake.” Openly gay Hatch served time for attempting to evade taxes. Last year, he was dumped by fed-up hubby Emiliano Cabral. 4. MR. BURNS. Sure, he’s a cartoon character, but his devilish antics on The Simpsons are no…

KEVIN Daly and his docs thought he had a beer gut — but what he really had was a 30-pound tumor that could’ve killed him! Incredibly, the cancer had been growing inside him for at least 15 years — and no one even had a clue! The 63-year-old Hoboken, N.J., financial planner got suspicious when he lost 34 pounds following heart surgery in 2015 — but his big belly stayed as paunchy as ever. “I thought they literally left stuffing and tools in me from surgery!” says Kevin. His doctors at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital ordered a CAT scan — which his insurance company at first refused to pay for, saying it was not necessary. But luckily, Daly fought and won. When the docs first saw the images on…

THE PROOF! TREASONOUS Bill and Hillary Clinton sold out America by helping Russia gain world nuclear dominance and Iran build and develop an A-bomb — in return for cold, hard cash, a former CIA operative told Congress in shocking testimony! Whistleblower William Douglas Campbell, the CEO of an energy consulting firm and CIA spook, spilled the beans on the Clinton’s dastardly pay-forplay treachery with evil Russian kingpin Vladimir Putin in meetings with U.S. congressmen Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and Ron De-Santis (R-Fla.), as well as the Senate Judiciary and House Intelligence and Oversight committees. “This is the smoking gun we’ve been after to finally prove Bill and Hillary sold out America,” says a Capitol Hill source. Campbell’s courageous covert work for the CIA began after he founded an…