Table of contents for August 10, 2020 in Globe

TODAY show newsgal Savannah Guthrie was so thrilled docs were going to fix her blurry vision, she said she felt it was “like it’s Christmas morning” just before leaving for surgery! The retina in the 48-year-old’s right eye was torn when her three-year-old son, Charley, accidentally threw his toy train at her last November. Following surgery that restored some vision, she developed a cataract, a cloudy spot on her lens. After having to delay surgery due to the pandemic, she went under the knife on July 20.…

LOCKDOWN-weary Gwyneth Paltrow has been hitting the bottle hard, sources say — and now fearful friends are urging the guzzling lifestyle guru to slow down before her boozing becomes a nightmare! “She used to drink as a way to relax,” snitches an insider. “Now it’s to get bombed and escape from the boring routine.” Adds the source: “It’s become part of her Goop brand, which is how she justifies it — showing her fans how hot she can look while still indulging in whiskey and meat.” The tipster says the actress, 47, likes to knock back potent and pricey hooch in the tub, but adds, “She doesn’t just take a shot. She has a tall glass of the stuff!” Gwyneth, who’s a mom of two — Apple, 16, and Moses,…

SCANDAL-TARRED Prince Andrew’s disgrace is complete — pedophile sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s party pal was the invisible man at daughter Beatrice’s secret wedding, where he was shunned and “erased” from family photos, royal insiders dish. Bea, 31, and Italian moneybags beau Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 37, tied the knot at a tiny, hush-hush July 17 ceremony in the Royal Chapel of All Saints at the Royal Lodge in Windsor. While the prince, 60, was allowed to walk his daughter down the aisle, he was shunned by most of the 20 guests, who included his mom and dad, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Bea’s sister, Eugenie, her mom, Sarah Ferguson, and Edoardo’s family also attended the quickie wedding, which insiders say was held in secret to avoid the gruesome spotlight cast by Andrew.…

CHARLIZE THERON is raring to jump in the ring for the WWE! Wrestler Kofi Kingston, 38, complimented the 45-year-old actress’ moves in her new action flick, The Old Guard, during an interview and brought up the idea of her tussling with the pros. “I would love to see you go one-on-one with a Becky Lynch or like a Sasha Banks,” Kofi told her. “Wow, is this an invite?” Charlize asked, and after he nodded, she replied, “Yes! When and where?”…

IT’S a boy for former Southern Charm star THOMAS RAVENEL. The scandalridden reality fixture, 57, fathered baby JONATHAN with HEATHER MASCOE, 39, a registered nurse he briefly dated. Country crooner TUCKER BEATHARD, 25, fathered a two-year-old daughter, SAGE, with an unnamed baby mama in Seattle, Wash. “To say I was scared is an understatement,” reveals the Nashville-native Rock On singer, who now calls the unplanned tot “the greatest blessing.” Rapper NICKI MINAJ confirmed suspicions that she is pregnant with her first child. The 37-year-old, who’s married to KENNETH PETTY, announced the news on Instagram on July 20, with the caption saying: “#Preggers.” After keeping her pregnancy a secret, IGGY AZALEA, 30 — who’s real first name is AMETHYST — has named her newborn son after another semiprecious stone: ONYX. She’s…

SULTRY songbird Tamar Braxton is recovering from the shocking suicide attempt her boyfriend charges was triggered by her fury at the bigwigs running her reality show, Braxton Family Values. The 43-year-old beauty has been “transferred” to another hospital “for further evaluation and treatment” after the July 16 incident, notes her rep. Another source says “she’s focused on her well-being, mental health and the care of her seven-year-old son, Logan.” Boyfriend David Adefeso says she was angry with WE tv kingpins for using her alleged childhood sexual abuse to supercharge ratings. On his 911 call for help, Adefeso is heard crying and saying Tamar was having trouble with WE tv. He says he found her unconscious in their hotel room after she downed booze and antidepression and anxiety pills.…

ANGRY Aussies are hopping mad after Nicole Kidman, 53, and hubby Keith Urban, 52, were spotted strolling on their swanky Down Under estate, saying the A-listers received special treatment by avoiding being cooped up in a quarantine hotel for two weeks! The Tennessee-based couple flew on a private jet into Sydney from the U.S. with daughters Sunday, 12, and Faith, 9, and were granted permission by the government to hole up in their posh mansion. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most international arrivals are forced to stay in state-approved hotels for 14 days, but exemptions can be granted on medical, health or compassionate grounds. However, folks fumed online about different rules for “the rich and powerful,” with one labeling the stars’ exemption “completely unfair and wrong!”…

RAGING redhead Kathy Griffin blasted Bravo honcho Andy Cohen for suggesting she took Joan Rivers’ spot hosting Fashion Police — just hours after the legendary funny lady’s tragic death! Though the caustic comic, 59, briefly helmed the E! show after Joan passed away at 81 in 2014, Kathy recently took to Twitter to tear into the Watch What Happens Live host. “That POS Andy Cohen texted me the day Joan died,” she fumed, “with something like, ‘You should take over Fashion Police.’ “My friend Joan was a person, not a job opportunity.”…

PROMISING new gene research with apes could lead to a cure for heart disease! In the first such experiment, scientists short-circuited two genes in monkeys that raise the risk of heart disease. Key to the research is that humans carry the same genes, and the study has raised hopes that a single injection could lower blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides — for a lifetime! “This could be the cure for heart disease,” says Dr. Michael Davidson, director of the Lipid Clinic at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, who was not involved in the research. It’s too early to know if the strategy will be safe and effective for people, but Dr. Sekar Kathiresan, who led the researchers, hopes in a few years to begin treating human…

MODEL Hailey Bieber is “not nice,” and makeup mogul Kylie Jenner is a terrible tipper, according to a New York City restaurant hostess. In a TikTok video, Julia Carolann says she learned a lot about celebrities while working in a hoitytoity Manhattan eatery. Supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella “are literally so nice,” Julia gushes. “I cannot say enough things about them. They’re super polite and friendly with staff, which, unfortunately, is rare for celebrities.” That includes pop star Justin Bieber’s 23-year-old wife, who has since apologized. “I’ve met [Hailey] a handful of times, and every time she was not nice,” says Julia, 23. But the Kardashian clan’s Kylie, 23, was worst of all — dropping a $20 tip on a $500 dinner tab! “Do with that information what you will,”…

RUSSELL CROWE desperately wants to drop more than a third of his 350 pounds to reprise his Oscar-winning Gladiator role — but it’s shaping up to be a living hell, spies dish. At the moment, the 56-year-old actor is a far cry from the sword-wielding, muscular dreamboat who wowed gals in 2000, and sources doubt he’ll be able to pull it off! “Russell is determined to shed at least 150 pounds and tone up, but it’s been a nightmare and he’s grouchy as hell,” an insider tells GLOBE. “He’s insisting he can do this the old-fashioned way by working out with a trainer seven days a week, consulting a nutritionist and hiring a chef to prepare low-calorie meals for him. “For a guy who’s used to fish and chips and…

A BRAVE six-year-old boy in Wyoming is being hailed as a hero for protecting his little sister from a dog attack that left him bruised and bloody — and needing nearly 90 stitches! On Instagram, proud aunt Nikki Walker shared the story of her nephew, Bridger, who put himself in harm’s way to save the life of his sibling! Nikki says Bridger was badly bitten on his face and head as he protected the girl from the snarling German shepherd and helped her escape. But, she adds, “He’s in great spirits, and his awesome personality is intact.” The little fella’s good deed was noticed by several celebrities tagged in Nikki’s post, including The Avengers’ Mark Ruffalo and Captain America’s Chris Evans. Chris told the boy: “What you did was so…

ANTONIO BANDERAS is one lucky Spanish stallion: His German galpal, Nicole Kimpel, has an identical twin — and the duplicate dolls like to switch places and get up to racy shenanigans! According to a source, 38-year-old blond Nicole and sexy clone Barbara, who run the upmarket handbag and accessory business Baniki, have played their devilish doppelgänger pranks on the 59-year-old Zorro hunk from the start. In one early escapade, Barbara — who hadn’t yet met Antonio — thought it would be fun to show up at a restaurant as Nicole. “Antonio greeted stranger Barbara the way he always greeted Nicole — with a little hug and kiss,” says the source. “And he talked about how eager he was to meet her twin. “He also asked if the girls really looked…

RAGING debate surrounded 1994’s Oliver Stone–directed film Natural Born Killers, which starred WOODY HARRELSON (pictured), Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr. and Tommy Lee Jones. The violence-filled flick followed a couple — Harrelson and Lewis — who, having endured abusive childhoods, become mass murderers. With its graphic scenes — even with four minutes having been cut — the movie was named as one of the ten most controversial of all time and was even blamed for such crimes as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, where the killers code-named their attack with the letters NBK. Acting in the movie, however, did not hinder its main players, who all went on to stellar careers.…

ACTING oddball Mickey Rourke has revived an old feud by slamming Oscar winner Robert De Niro as a “big f**king crybaby” and a “punk ass” on social media! During his rant, the weirdly face-lifted wacko also vowed to “embarrass” the movie Godfather. The white-hot whining apparently stems from the 1987 movie Angel Heart where De Niro played the devil and Rourke a seedy private eye who sold him his soul. Rourke says the two didn’t get along during the filming of the flick and claims De Niro recently blocked him from getting a role in Netflix’s Oscar-nominated The Irishman. Rourke claims De Niro said he “wouldn’t work with me.” Meanwhile, The Irishmen producers say Rourke wasn’t “even thought of” for a role. Ah, beware of snobbery; it is the unwelcome…

ENGLISH hottie Elizabeth Hurley posted a topless photo of herself in the British countryside to reveal the naked truth — she’s loving lockdown! The Bedazzled star, 55, let it all hang out in nothing but a bikini bottom, an open robe and a satisfied smile while sprawling on the grass in the sunshine. Her caption captured what quarantine has been like for her: “The temperature’s rising in our beautiful countryside — fourteen weeks at home and England is blooming!”…

TORI SPELLING’S money woes have taken another ugly turn, according to legal documents! The former 90210 star had more than $88,000 in her bank account targeted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department in April, court papers say. American Express sued the actress, 47, in 2016 after she reportedly failed to pay “months” of credit card bills totaling $88,731.25. Back in 2019, a court ordered Tori — who has five kids with hubby Dean McDermott — to settle the debt. A formal “writ of execution” was ordered in March, which was enforced by lawmen, who did not disclose if they actually got their hands on the cash. It’s not Tori and Dean’s only financial headache. They were sued by City National Bank in December 2016 for “nearly $200,000 after failing…

RAPPER Cardi B says her chest piercing is a bust — because her body is rejecting the bling! In a graphic Instagram video, the former stripper, 27, showed the painful-looking stud popping out of her sternum and hanging from her skin. “This is how my piercing has been for the past four days, ugh, ow,” she whines. Cardi griped about the jewelry in June, complaining on social media: “I got to take this one off because this one is old.” Guess, it’s going now.…

SUNNY Michigan native Ginger Zee has been the chief meteorologist for ABC News since 2013 — in addition to reporting on the nation’s weather for Good Morning America for nearly a decade! She also hosted two seasons of Food Forecast for the network, examining how weather and climate impact food production. Here are ten things you don’t know about the 39-year-old TV mainstay. 1 She was named after Tina Louise’s character Ginger Grant on Gilligan’s Island, which was one of her Dutch dad’s favorite shows. “Ginger taught him English,” she explains. 2 But when it comes to her personality, Zee says she’s “more of a Mary Ann” — referencing Dawn Wells’ bubbly castaway from the ’60s sitcom. 3 She decided to be a meteorologist because “I saw a waterspout on…

A MONSTER mom in Tennessee gunned down her own little girl, cops say — and then tried to pin the crime on her toddler son! Robin Howington, 37, is facing charges of first-degree murder, child neglect, false reporting, tampering with evidence and attempted tampering with evidence after a long investigation into the September 2019 shooting death of her five-year-old daughter, Destiny Oliver. Destiny took a bullet to the chest in her family’s Fountain City home and was later declared dead at a local hospital. According to an indictment, the manipulative mother first tried to blame the murder on two different men — and then on her two-year-old boy! But a neighbor had security footage, the document says, showing her wiping off the weapon and stashing it in a bush! Howington…

ARIES March 21 - April 20 Rams are naturally caring and generous when it comes to helping others, but as Venus moves through Cancer, it’s time to indulge yourself! Want to take a nap, eat chocolates? Do it! Keep an open mind when a new opportunity comes along. Investing a few bucks could lead to wealth down the road! GEMINI May 22 - June 21 The cosmos can be fickle but the stars shine on you with goodwill, Twin! Expect problems to be solved and old pals to reappear with news that benefits you and your family! But that doesn’t mean you can take chances with your health! Stay off ladders and avoid sick people — especially on Saturday! LEO July 23 - Aug. 23 This isn’t the week to…

COMIC Jim Carrey wasn’t laughing in 2018 when he thought he had only ten minutes to live! During a Tonight Show interview, the funnyman relived the harrowing moment folks in Hawaii received a disturbing cellphone alert reading: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.” The rubber-faced funnyman, 58, recalls, “My assistant Linda called me. She was crying. She said, ‘We have ten minutes left.’” Before learning the message was sent in error, Jim says he ultimately decided to spend his last moments looking out at the ocean and going through “a list of gratitudes.” But once he learned the alert was bogus, he tells show host Jimmy Fallon, “I got pissed off and heads rolled!”…

OHIO was not an official state until 1953! Because of an oversight when Ohio was declared the 17th state in 1803, the proper paperwork did not go through, an error that was amended in 1953 when U.S. Rep. George Bender introduced a bill to retroactively admit the Buckeye State into the Union. WHEN it was launched in 1929, the popular soda 7 Up contained a small amount of lithium citrate, a mood stabilizer often used in the treatment of bipolar disorder! The lemon-lime fizz was marketed as a cure for hangovers, despite it being during Prohibition. The chemical was removed in 1948. THERE are no books on the U.S. side of a library built on the international border between Derby Line, Vt., and Stanstead, Quebec! While the entrance and checkout…

PRINCE HARRY’S high-maintenance wife, Meghan, is obsessed with looking picture perfect and blows a hairraising $54,000 a year on her ravishing raven mop, palace sources say. The 38-year-old diva duchess insists on running through a primping checklist before attending events — and she’s just as fussy getting ready for face-to-face Zoom conference calls, spies dish. “She’s very vain and proud of her locks and doles out at least $2,000 a week to maintain them,” tattles an insider. “For Meghan, hair care is a seven-step process that she’s absolutely obsessed about and follows as a ritual.” The routine includes a clarifying shampoo, daily conditioner and cold water rinse to add luster and shine, according to sources, who say she throws in a few drops of organic argan oil to heal damage…

JOHN’S A LEGENDARY LOVER! GRAMMY winner JOHN LEGEND has confessed he was a legendary Lothario, cheating his way through scores of heartbroken women before finally changing his tune and marrying CHRISSY TEIGEN! “At a certain point, you just realize you’re happier being honest,” croons the All of Me singer, who wed the 34-year-old supermodel/social media sweetheart in 2013. “You’re happier being faithful and being in love with one person.… I just decided that person was Chrissy,” he affirms. “I wasn’t gonna mess with somebody else anymore.” Not that the 41-year-old father of two denies relishing female fanfare. “I was younger than everybody in high school and college, and so I just didn’t get a lot of girls. When I started to get that attention, I loved it,” shares the heartbreaker.…

TOM HANKS has revealed the agony of his battle with COVID-19, including the “bone-crushing fatigue” he encountered! The Oscar-winning star, 64, and wife Rita Wilson contracted the virus while filming a movie in Australia in March. While he was ill, his bones “felt like they were made of soda crackers,” Tom told late night host Stephen Colbert. “Every time I moved around I felt like something was cracking inside me,” he said.…

McDONALD’S is not lovin’ this. Yes, rotting human remains wrapped in a plastic bag were found on the roof of a NYC branch of the famed fast-food chain — and the guy was allegedly slain by a teen gal and two men! Cops made the disgusting discovery atop the eatery in the Bronx, N.Y., after receiving a phone tip. Later, an 18-year-old woman, Ayame Stamoulis, was arrested and charged with the murder of Richard Hamlet. Two alleged accomplices were being hunted. Neighbors say they noticed a strong stench in the air in the hours before cops arrived at the scene. “The smell was pouring in through the window and the feet were poking out,” reports one local resident, who says the corpse was surrounded by flies. “He looked like he…

TALK show tyrant Ellen DeGeneres is so obsessed and exacting with her megabucks mansion renovation-and-flipping business she’s got her contractors crying over her perfectionist demands! The 62-year-old TV gabber and real estate guru has turned her home-transformation hobby into a multimillion-dollar business and won’t settle for anything less than the best when overseeing makeovers, says a source. “Ellen’s got this OCD-style fixation on everything that has to do with remodeling, from roof to foundation,” spills an insider. “She bosses and bitches at builders, electricians and plumbers alike, demanding that they bring her vision to life. “She demands the finest craftsmanship and materials, and anything less gets redone. She can be brutal telling people what she thinks of their work.” The source says the comic has been a painstaking perfectionist ever…

TOM CRUISE has found a chilling way to stop stressing and halt the aging of his handsome mug and buff bod — he takes soaks in freezing ice baths! The type-A superstar, 58, has wowed co-workers on his new spy thriller, Mission: Impossible 7, with “his new and improved looks and demeanor” since getting back to action on the film franchise in London, blabs an insider. “Everyone’s noticed how cool and calm Tom is. He looks years younger, boasting a complexion that’s clear and smooth compared to just a few months ago. “He has more energy too, and it’s all thanks to his wacky ice rituals.” The action star’s routine includes sitting in a sauna to sweat out the toxins and then hopping into an ice bath. The Top Gun…

TEENAGE boozehounds are using COVID masks and dressing up as old people as cover to buy hooch — and boasting about their antics online! The social media platform Tik-Tok has been flooded with videos of underage drinkers donning dowdy clothes and face coverings, and then successfully scoring alcohol from unwitting clerks! Some devious delinquents are also using rubber masks or makeup to mimic the appearance of a wrinkled forehead and hobbling around with canes and walkers as they purchase booze. One video — which got more than 1.5 million views before it went private — showed a costumed kid using a walker and wearing a mask, wire-rimmed glasses and a kerchief for her shopping trip. And the poster claims the hoodwinked store owner was even worried the old gal wouldn’t…

DANCING with the Stars is a bloody mess following a firing massacre as ABC bigwigs lopped off the show’s longtime talking heads — Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews — and replaced them with supermodel Tyra Banks! Emmy-winning Bergeron, 65, confirmed he’d been axed after hosting the show since 2005. “Just informed @Dancing-ABC will be continuing without me,” he said on July 13. “It’s been an incredible 15 year run and the most unexpected gift of my career. I’m grateful for that and for the lifelong friendships made.” Network brass also admitted giving the boot to Erin, 42, who was also a contestant in 2010, following six years as co-host. An ABC rep says the pair were canned because the show is embarking “on a new artistic direction.”…