It’s probably one of the most unlikely friendships ever created in show business: 50 Cent and Bette Midler.

Yes, the hip-hop impresario and the legendary singer-actress are tight. “Little Jewish lady and the great big rapper,” the Divine Miss M tells me. “He’s such a doll. I love him. He’s gorgeous.”

The two originally bonded over gardening. Yeah, gardening…

Midler’s environmental group, the New York Restoration Project, and 50 Cent collaborated on the development of a public garden in his childhood neighborhood in Jamaica, Queens.

Fiddy immediately jumped on board when Midler came calling. “He never asked how much,” she says. “He just said, Where do I sign?”

The rapper will be by Midler’s side once again May 19 for the Restoration Project’s eighth annual spring picnic in New York City’s Fort Tryon Park. Also expected are Dolly Parton and Tim Gunn, among others. Funds from the soiree and an accompanying online auction benefit the Project’s work in revitalizing parks, community gardens and opens spaces in NYC.

A duet with Fiddy and Midler could be next. “I was hoping we’d sing songs from the Depression, but he’s so young that I don’t think he knows any of them,” Midler laughs. “I’m going to have to check things out and see what he feels like singing.”

Check back here tomorrow, when Midler sounds off on Adam Lambert, Susan Boyle and the First Wives Club musical.

Forget da club. 50 Cent is in the clear.

Or is he?

The hip-hopster, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, has announced on his community blog, ThisIs50.com, that he is no longer a suspect in the 2008 blaze that gutted his New York mansion and nearly killed his former girlfriend and their then-10-year-old son.

“The police department and insurance investigators ruled that there is absolutely no proof or evidence suggesting that Curtis Jackson or any affiliated parties were involved,” the statement reads. “Curtis Jackson has just been cleared of all the accusations. The investigation will continue until the guilty party is found.”

Not so fast, say the Long Island cops. A spokesman for the Suffolk County police says the case remains open and no one has been declared beyond suspicion.

50 Cent spent the night with Ciara in an exclusive hotel.

The 33-year-old US rapper and 23-year-old singer recently retired to one of the penthouse suites at New York’s AKA Times Square Hotel and Residences on West 44th Street.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: “There was only one bed in that penthouse.”

This is not the first time the pair have been romantically linked.

They met while working on Ciara’s track “Can’t Leave ‘Em Alone” and rumors they were dating first emerged when they posed topless together for the music promo in 2007.

Ciara said at the time: “Everybody turns everything into something else.”

“They said we have a ranch in Atlanta. I just died laughing. It’s amazing to hear the things people make up. It’s funny.”

Last year, 50 rejected claims he had married the singer in a secret ceremony after he was pictured wearing a wedding ring.

A spokesman for the rapper said: “50 Cent is not engaged or married.”

Actress Alicia Silverstone plans to give singer Alanis Morissette ‘a hard time’ when they run into each other the next time.
As for why she plans to do this, well that’s because the singer ignored Silverstone’s fanmail.

The ‘Clueless’ star shared how she admired Morissette in the letter and felt disappointed when the singer did not respond.

“I wrote Alanis Morissette a fan letter telling her how I loved her music and even mentioning the name of our mutual friend. I never heard back. She could have written or called me,” Contactmusic quoted Silverstone, as telling the New York Daily News.

“Alanis must’ve just lumped me in with her fans or thought I was some stalker. When I see her I plan to give her a hard time,” she added.

Rapper 50 Cent was once a big admirer of American president George W. Bush, but now doesn’t want to be like him.

The 34-year-old insisted that the political leader is not compassionate.

“George Bush has a talent: he has less compassion than the average human,” Contactmusic quoted 50 Cent, as saying.

The hip-hop artist revealed that he does not see the President as his icon and doesn’t ‘aspire’ to follow in his footsteps.

“By all means, I don’t aspire to be like George Bush,” he said.

50 Cent has now joined the host of celebs who have started disliking Bush following wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The rapper was a big fan of the leader earlier, and once expressed his wish to shake hands with Bush.

“I wanna…shake his hand and tell him how much of me I see in him,” he had said.