Actor Paul Newman reportedly battling cancer

Contra Costa Times - Walnut Creek, CA, USA - Legendary actor and philanthropist Paul Newman is gravely ill with cancer, according to numerous published reports. Newman's neighbor and longtime business partner, writer A.E. Hotchner, told the Associated Press the actor told him about the disease about 18 months ago. Hotchner did not specify what kind of cancer, but said Newman is in active treatment. "I know that it's a form of cancer," Hotchner told the AP. "It's a form of cancer and he's dealing with it."

This is the first time reliable news sources have reported on Newman's illness. Celebrity bloggers such as Perez Hilton have been speculating on it for several weeks. Possibly helping to stir the current concerns about Newman's condition was a photo that appeared last Friday on Martha Stewart's blog, in which, standing beside the domestic expert at a fundraiser for the Newman-launched Hole in the Wall Camp Gang, for kids battling severe diseases, the handsome leading man looked like a shadow of his former self.

The Oscar-winning actor, 83, issued a statement late Tuesday that he's "doing nicely" but didn't specifically address questions about cancer.

After Hotchner's comments hit the wire services Wednesday, he did a 180, contacting Access Hollywood to say "I saw (Paul) last week and he seemed fine. I have no knowledge of any diagnosis or doctors."

None of the other news services were reporting his reversal, and Access Hollywood contacted the AP, which said it stands

by its story.

DEAR MISS MANNERS, HOW TACKY IS THIS?: Mariah Carey's friends and colleagues weren't invited to her impromptu wedding to Nick Cannon, but they can still send a gift. An insider told the New York Post that Carey's assistant sent out over 100 e-mails to her wealthy friends letting them know that she's registered at Bergdorf Goodman if they want to buy her a present. The insider says, "It's odd because she's not even having a big wedding party or anything. It was assumed they'd have a big celebration when they got back, but no. They just want the gifts." On the list are "fine china, very expensive silver stemware" and other items. Carey's rep declined to comment.

IZZY'S A SQUEAKY WHEEL: Katherine Heigl will not be an Emmy contender this year. The "Grey's Anatomy" star, who won best supporting actress at the Emmys last year, has pulled her name from the list of contenders for the 2008 ceremony, blaming her withdrawal on the show's scripts.

"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention," she told the Los Angeles Times.

What, she didn't like Izzy's pathetic attempts to fall in love with a wishy-washy guy who was fooling around on his wife (and who could crush him like a twig)?