CELEBRITY ROUNDUP
Jennifer Garner's stalker scare
Jennifer Garner has obtained a permanent restraining order against a man she believes is terrorizing her family. Steven Burky has been ordered to stay clear of Garner, according to TMZ.com.
In her declaration, Garner says ''Mr. Burky has been stalking and harassing me,'' sending ``packages and letters containing delusional and paranoid thoughts and following me around the country.''
Garner says Burky has been harassing her since 2002, but in the past year, ``his obsessive and harassing behavior has escalated to the point of becoming dangerous and threatening.''
It gets weirder: Garner says Burky has shown up at her home, and said, ``God has sent him a vision of her being persecuted in some manner that may result in her death.''
Garner says she fears for herself, husband Ben Affleck and daughter Violet. She also says ``I am currently pregnant and fear for the safety of my second child once born.''
LAPD sources say Burky is currently under a 5150 psychiatric hold.
BEN BACK IN CONGO
In more uplifting news from the Bennifer camp, Ben Affleck is talking to children and aid officials in refugee camps in war-torn eastern Congo in an effort to raise awareness of the conflict that has displaced nearly 300,000 people.
The actor has visited the Central African country four times since 2007 and also has made a documentary about its problems.
''I'm not an expert in international affairs or diplomacy, but it doesn't take that to see the tremendous suffering here,'' he told the AP Thursday in Goma, the regional capital. ''It's not something that we as human beings can, in good conscience, ignore.'' Read more, 14A
DROP THE CHALUPA, MAN
Rapper 50 Cent is facing a challenge to his street cred -- from Taco Bell.
Lawyers for the fast-food chain are calling his federal lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, another attempt to ``burnish his gangsta rapper persona by distorting beyond all recognition a bona fide, good faith offer.''
The squabble is over a fake letter sent out by Taco Bell Corp. asking 50 Cent to change his name for one day to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent to help publicize its value menu.
In return, the company offered to donate $10,000 to the charity of his choice.
The rapper, real name Curtis Jackson, has sued for trademark infringement.
STAR SEARCH
If you're lucky enough to find yourself at the Miami Gala: La Fiesta Española fundraiser Friday night, you'll likely be rubbing elbows with luminaries including Vivica A. Fox, Linda Gray, Kelly Hu, Vanessa Hudgens, Carl Lewis and Verne Troyer, while R&B-funk legends Earth, Wind & Fire lay down some serious grooves.
The fete, which benefits Best Buddies International, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at a secret location on Watson Island (visit www.bestbuddiesmiamigala.org for RSVP details and directions).
THIS IS THE END
Madonna and Guy Ritchie are set to get a preliminary divorce decree in London Friday. Guess Guy won't be at Madge's show Wednesday at Dolphin Stadium.
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