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Bill Zwecker biography

From the top stars of Hollywood to Chicago's best-known celebrities like Michael Jordan and Oprah Winfrey, Bill Zwecker is the expert when it comes to …Read More

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Rod Stewart’s gender bender

Proven ladies’ man Rod Stewart, who has fathered eight children with five women, told Howard Stern he once seduced a man — thinking it was a woman. The rocker said he was set up for the practical joke by his former Faces bandmates in Australia …

Why Angelina Jolie went public with her double mastectomy

BILL ZWECKER: After getting tests and treatment to ease her risk of breast cancer, the star hopes to help others do the same.

Bill Hader to exit ‘SNL’

No word yet about Fred Armisen or Jason Sudeikis, but Bill Hader has confirmed he is ending his eight-season run on “Saturday Night Live” after this weekend’s season finale. Among Hader’s best-known characters: his bizarre “Weekend Update” city correspondent, Stefon. — B.Z. …

Beyonce postpones concert, blames exhaustion

Citing dehydration and exhaustion, Beyonce missed a show in “The Mrs. Carter Show” tour in Belgium Tuesday — just as her camp was trying to quash stories alleging the pop diva and husband Jay-Z were expecting their second child. The tour comes to Chicago’s United …

Is Beyonce pregnant? Probably not, but soon she’d like to be

BILL ZWECKER: Since Beyonce’s mention that “my daughter needs company,” curious observers have been looking for signs of a baby bump. But insiders doubt the superstar would want to be expecting while on the road.

‘Today’ anchor Savannah Guthrie plans wedding

NBC’s Savannah Guthrie announced Monday she’s engaged to media consultant Mike Feldman. It’s the second marriage for the “Today” co-host, 41, who got engaged to Feldman over the weekend in Turks & Caicos. The couple have dated for four years. — B.Z. …

Angie Everhart battling cancer

Model and actress Angie Everhart will undergo surgery for thyroid cancer Thursday. Since rumors about Everhart’s health have been circulating, her rep told “Extra,” she wanted to set the record straight — confirming the cancer but adding “the prognosis is very good.” — B.Z. …

Gillian Anderson, Dermot Mulroney, Christian Slater doing TV shows in Chicago

BILL ZWECKER: To the delight of local film crews and celebrity watchers, NBC and ABC order four series that will be shot in Our Town.

‘Crisis,’ new NBC drama, to shoot in Chicago

BILL ZWECKER: Sources tell me NBC’s green-lighted conspiracy drama “Crisis,” starring Gillian Anderson and Dermot Mulroney, will be shot in Chicago. The pilot was filmed in Los Angeles, but will head our way this season. …

Chris Brown’s comments prompt an angry call from Rihanna

BILL ZWECKER: “She really blasted him,” says a source close to RiRi. Her ex set her off by telling an interviewer he won’t be “wife-ing” someone as young as her.

After breakup, ‘Vampire Diaries’ star sends biting tweet

First we heard “Vampire Diaries” co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev had ended their real-life, three-year romance. Then Somerhalder tweeted this zinger — actually a quote from playwright Lillian Hellman: “People change and forget to tell each other.” — B.Z. …

Oprah Winfrey stirs Oscar buzz for ‘fantastic’ work in ‘The Butler’

BILL ZWECKER: She plays the wife of a longtime White House servant in the October release.

Seth MacFarlane set to segue to ‘The Simpsons”

“The Family Guy,” “American Dad” and “The Cleveland Show” creator Seth MacFarlane finally will make his debut on “The Simpsons,” Fox’s longest-running animated show, on the 24th season finale on May 19 — voicing Ben, a guy Marge meets on an online swingers site. — …

Piers Morgan to produce tabloid tale for TV

CNN host Piers Morgan, an ex-editor of three British tabloids, will executive produce a Starz cable TV drama chronicling the rise of the tabloid press, the sexual revolution and class conflicts in England in the 1970s — as seen through the eyes of an American …

Tiger Woods’ ‘boozing’ at gala turns off new love Lindsey Vonn

BILL ZWECKER: An associate of the skier says she “doesn’t seem quite as smitten with Tiger” as she was. Even when he was solo at Michael Jordan’s wedding, Tiger looked glum.

Tom Cruise agrees to a fifth ‘Mission Impossible’

The “Mission Impossible” movie franchise has grossed more than $2 billion worldwide, so it’s no surprise Tom Cruise is slated to reprise the role of Ethan Hunt for a fifth film. Deadline.com reports the director likely will be frequent Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie. — B.Z. …

‘Suburgatory’ star’s secret marriage to end soon

“Suburgatory” actress Jane Levy, who never revealed her March 3, 2011, marriage to Jaime Freitas, has filed for divorce from the actor. The couple reportedly separated after only seven months — splitting on Halloween 2011. No word on who was spooked by the marriage. — …