Table of contents for April 1, 2019 in Globe

HELICOPTER moms Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are in legal hot water after being charged by the FBI for paying bribes to get their teenage daughters’ into top colleges! Desperate Housewives star Felicity, 56, and the Full House beauty, 54, were among more than 40 people indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Operation Varsity Blues, the feds’ name for a nationwide college entrance exam scam. The actresses were charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in March 12 indictments and face up to five years in the slammer if convicted. A Tinseltown insider says the cheating “is as much about Felicity and Lori’s own need to succeed as it is about their daughters. They’d do anything for their daughters, who are extensions of themselves and their own…

WEALTHY tennis queens Serena and Venus Williams are tangled in a shameful scandal involving their stroke-crippled dad, Richard, amid charges he was swindled out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and his Florida home. At the center of the Palm Beach County court battle is the players’ stepmom, Lakeisha Williams, 77-year-old Richard’s estranged 39-year-old third wife. Richard charges she hired someone to impersonate him and then forged his signature on a deed so she could borrow nearly $300,000 from moneyman David Simon, using Richard’s home as equity so she could start a trucking business. In court documents, Richard, who uses a wheelchair and needs his son Chavoita LeSane to interpret his speech after suffering two devastating strokes, charges Lakeisha with “manipulating and exploiting a vulnerable and easily confused adult.” He…

FUNNYLADY Whoopi Goldberg turned serious to admit she nearly died after suffering from pneumonia — weeks after GLOBE broke the news of her frantic fight for life! The recovering co-host of The View made her confession in a prerecorded video that aired on the daytime talk show nearly a month after her last set appearance. But GLOBE had the scoop in our March 18 issue, revealing the 63-year-old Ghost star was fading fast before docs brought her back from the brink!…

MORE than 700 “severely neglected” dogs were rescued from “out of control and inhumane” conditions at a vile puppy mill in Georgia, say police who plan to make the filthy facility’s owner feel the bite of the law! Nashville native Reason Craig Gray, 58, was booked on charges of animal cruelty and obstruction, according to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office. His pet-breeding business, Georgia Puppies, specialized in miniature canines, including toy poodles and teacup Yorkies — with the petite pooches selling for as much as $600 each! But the Atlanta Humane Society charges the helpless hounds were stuffed into crates for “their whole lives” and were “covered in feces and have never been held or walked.” “They were living outside in homemade sheds, and the crates were stacked on top…

CUTTING comic Roseanne Barr blames Michelle Obama for getting her sacked from her ABC show! The brash Roseanne star — who was axed last year after her racist Twitter rant likened black woman and Obama pal Valerie Jarrett to an ape — claims the former first lady told then-network president Channing Dungey to send her packing! “She said, ‘This tweet is unforgivable.’ That’s what I was told,” insists the 66-year-old loudmouth. “I tend to believe it because the woman who fired me is now working with the Obamas at Netflix,” Barr adds. Dungey resigned from ABC in November 2018 and weeks later signed with the streaming service as vice president of original content — six months after Netflix made their blockbuster production deal with Michelle and former President Barack, which…

SCANDAL-scarred Michael Jackson denied he brutally beat his pet chimp Bubbles, but workers at the animal haven where the critter lives say he goes ape if he sees a picture of the singer. Bubbles, now 35, was given to a trainer after he became “too big and aggressive” for Michael in 2003. Two years later, he went to his current home, Florida’s Center for Great Apes. Four years ago, monkey expert Dr. Jane Goodall irked Jackson’s kin and fans by charging the Beat It singer abused Bubbles. She claims the singer also denied hurting the chimp when she confronted him before his 2009 death. But Jack Gordon, exhubby of Michael’s sister La Toya, says the Thriller star was cruel. “I saw Michael punch Bubbles in the face and kick him…

HAGGARD George Clooney is being tortured by blinding headaches and searing back pain, say insiders who fear the sickly star may not live to see his babies grow up! The frighteningly thin 57-year-old — who became a first-time father on June 6, 2017, when wife Amal gave birth to twins Ella and Alexander — experienced a devastating spinal injury while shooting 2005’s Syriana, which left him in so much agony, he considered suicide! Though George eventually got back on his feet, an insider says the actor’s back was re-injured — and his suffering intensified last July, after he was struck by a car while riding a scooter in Italy. “His body has taken a lot of punches over the years, but this is horrible pain and there are some days…

After two years of togetherness, ALEX RODRIGUEZ popped the question to JENNIFER LOPEZ with a monster sparkler for her finger. She said yes. But A-Rod’s baseball rival JOSE CANSECO is already stirring the pot — claiming the groom-to-be is cheating! Alex’s lips are sealed. Glee gal LEA MICHELE, 32, wed her designing man ZANDY REICH, 36, head honcho of AYR clothing company. KYLIE JENNER and estranged pal JORDYN WOODS were spotted breakfasting together at Calabasas’ Pedalers Fork. The gals fell out over Jordyn’s cheating scandal with the baby daddy of Kylie’s half sister KHLOÉ KARDASHIAN. Jeopardy! host ALEX TREBEK is facing long odds as he battles stage 4 pancreatic cancer. ANGELINA JOLIE is quashing buzz she’s set to wed a British billionaire in France. The Tomb Raider’s still wed to…

1 Born Michael Douglas, he’s the youngest of seven children and was raised in Pennsylvania. 2 He attended Kent State University for two years before dropping out. 3 He first appeared on public television programs, including an early role as one of the Flying Zookeeni Brothers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, where he also served as a full-time production assistant. 4 He performed stand-up comedy in the ’70s to supplement his income. 5 He took the stage name Keaton to avoid being confused with two other more famous Michael Douglases — the daytime talk show host and The China Syndrome actor. 6 In the ’80s, Keaton bought a ranch in Montana, which he still owns. 7 A longtime fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates, he negotiated a break in his Batman contract…

JOHNNY DEPP says angry Amber Heard socked him in the face and left him with a shiner — echoing a report first published in the Aug. 27, 2018, issue of GLOBE! The Blow star, 55, is using a 2016 photo of his black eye to bolster his claim — first reported in GLOBE — he was battered during their short-lived marriage. He’s filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against his 32-year-old ex for accusing him of being a wife-beater. But Heard’s lawyers call the movie pirate’s allegations “totally false.”…

JILTED Khloe Kardashian has soured on men after being betrayed by her current baby daddy Tristan Thompson and her hoopster ex-hubby Lamar Odom, who had a string of flings. “It’s going to take so long for her to rebuild trust with anyone,” tattles a source. After the 34-year-old reality babe finally divorced Lamar in 2016, she was two-timed by bad boy Tristan, 27, dad of her 11-month-old daughter, True. The Cleveland Cavaliers star was caught canoodling with Jordyn Woods — best pal of Khloe’s half-sister Kylie Jenner. “It will take a long time before she dates again,” says the source.…

ABC executives were terrified viewers would think The Odd Couple — starring TONY RANDALL as fussy photographer Felix Unger and JACK KLUGMAN as slob sportswriter Oscar Madison — was about two gay men shacking up in New York. Network brass went out of their way to announce the guys were “divorced” in the weekly opening sequence — so jokesters Randall and Klugman would ad-lib homoerotic lines during shooting. It was the 1970s and producers didn’t find it funny — so the scenes were always cut.…

SILVER fox Richard Gere’s celebrity lovers are spilling the beans about sizzling trysts with the Pretty Woman hunk — and his decades-younger bride is hopping mad, insiders say. The 69-year-old’s third missus, Alejandra Silva — who’s half his age and delivered their first child, Alexander, in February — is furious old flames are suddenly tattling about their affairs with the man she wed last April, sources say. The latest shocker comes from 72-year-old fashion queen bee Diane von Furstenberg, who boasted about their steamy hook-ups during a TV interview. “Alejandra was fit to be tied,” says a source close to Gere, who attended the University of Massachusetts on a gymnastic scholarship. “She was very upset by Diane von Furstenberg’s revelations.” She’s so furious, she even issued her hubby an ultimatum…

ASHTON’S GALS MAKE PEACE Wives and ex-wives usually don’t mix but MILA KUNIS and DEMI MOORE have buried the hatchet after years of bad blood. And the dude-in-the-middle, Mila’s hubby and Demi’s ex, ASHTON KUTCHER, is overjoyed because now he can reconnect with his beloved stepdaughters. Demi’s three girls — RUMER, 30, SCOUT, 27, and TALLULAH, 25 — pretty much grew up with 41-year-old Ashton as their stepdad during his eight-year marriage to their mom, which ended in 2013. Demi and Mila reportedly made peace while attending the post–Oscars bash hosted by MADONNA and her manager GUY OSEARY. SMUG MUG Talk show host STEVE HARVEY keeps his lips zipped — for once — as he exits Craig’s in West Hollywood SAM ELLIOTT’S MARRIAGE SECRET Gruff screen cowpoke SAM ELLIOTT and…

BLOND ice pick Nicole Kidman is actually a “maniac in the bed!” That’s how her hubby of 13 years, country music star Keith Urban, describes the actress in his new song Gemini! The full verse goes: “She’s a maniac in the bed/But a brainiac in her head/And I know that everybody knows/Ooh, that she’s both.” Keith confesses Nicole “loves” the song — which also reveals: “She’s waking to make love in the middle of the night!”…

ARIES March 21 - April 20 Avoid the neighborhood argument over parking, trash cans or kids playing while Pluto and Venus battle, Ram. When the dust settles, you’ll still be everyone’s friend! You’re impatient to get plans off the ground, but take time before making major decisions! A pal’s hobby idea beats boredom Saturday! TAURUS April 21 - May 21 You’re convinced someone is out to deceive you, Bull, but when Mercury joins Neptune, you’ll learn exactly what’s going on! It could mean financial changes or a move! Thursday brings a chance to try new cuisine! Be open to friendship on Saturday, when an unusual person comes into your life. GEMINI May 22 - June 21 Exercise is the key to stopping Twins getting antsy Monday, so get moving —…

ACTRESS Beanie Feldstein quietly slipped out of the closet and confessed she’s gay while talking about her new movie Booksmart. In the film, which debuts May 24, the 25-year-old plays one of two brainy high school nerd girls who go on a wild spree the night before graduation. While her co-star Kaitlyn Dever’s character is a lesbian in the feel-good flick, Beanie slipped that she’s gay in real life, saying the film meant a lot to her because “my partner is a woman.” Don’t cry over someone who wouldn’t cry over you.— Lauren Conrad…

WILDLIFE biologist Jeannette Parker was bitten by a stray cat near Florida’s Everglades National Park — and got a $48,512 bill from privately owned Mariners Hospital in Tavernier for a rabies shot and exam that didn’t even require a doctor. The hospital stands by its billing, which included a $46,422 fee for rabies vaccine, which costs about $361 a milliliter! “My funeral would’ve been cheaper,” Jeannette says. A FIVE-bedroom, six-bath Las Vegas home — complete with a guest house, pool, spa, manicured lawn and trees — has been listed for sale at $18 million. But there’s a catch: the property was built underground in a 1960s bomb shelter. The complex has artificial lighting mimicking sunrise and sunset. HOWARD MATTHEW WEBB had been facing 15 years in the slammer for dunking…