Chris Brown is starting to make good on his debt to Rihanna society.

The 20-year-old began serving out the community labor portion of his assault sentence in Virginia today, picking up trash and otherwise cleaning the grounds of an apparently paparazzi-infested police horse stable.

Not that they had to scrounge around for a tip-off on his whereabouts: “on my way to community service…” he helpfully tweeted this morning.

Guess unlike the Richmond Police Department, Brown, who donned the traditional reflective orange vest and a red cap for the first of his 180-day sentence, isn’t overly concerned with his privacy.

Thankfully, there’s more to recommend the film than that.

Besides Brown, Takers features a dazzling array of hardworking, if not totally A-list, actors we like: Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Zoe Saldana, Hayden Christensen, Michael Ealy, T.I. and Idris Elba, who’s been great in The Wire, The Office and even Obsessed.

Happily, the film ditched its earlier, porn-sounding title, Bone Deep, which makes it easier to see that it has what we like in a movie: precision heists, double-crosses, explosions and lots of guys jumping through stuff while discharging firearms.

We’re in. How about you?

If there’s one person you don’t want on your bad side, it’s Oprah Winfrey.

David Letterman knows that. James Frey knows that. Even the beef industry knows that.

Chris Brown apparently doesn’t know that.

The apologetic and memory-fritzing R&B star had not so much incendiary as ill-advised words for the one-woman empire during the first leg of his I’m Sorry media tour this week. He told People he didn’t exactly care for Oprah’s Rihanna-inspired episode on domestic abuse last spring.

“I commend Oprah on being like, ‘This is a problem,’ but it was a slap in my face,” he said.

Well, he’s the expert.

Chris Brown was—and still is—in love with Rihanna, he says. But though they had “a pretty sturdy and great relationship,” he apparently wasn’t emotionally equipped to deal with the rough patches.

“I’m not saying domestic violence is a part of relationships,” he said when asked by Larry King last week why he thinks he got violent with his then-girlfriend back in February.

“We’re both young, nobody taught us how to love one another. No one taught us a book on how to control our emotions, our anger.”

“I’m not trying to fall on the fact that I’m young,” the 20-year-old singer added, his soft tone and blue bowtie only serving to emphasize his boyishness. “There’s a lot of stuff I wish I could have changed that night.”

But seeing as how that’s impossible, all he can do is hope for a bunch of better tomorrows.

Chris Brown is not taking the blind-rage route after all.

Contrary to what we saw in CNN’s sneak preview of Larry King Live’s exclusive interview with the repentant singer, Brown insists that he “just misspoke” when he indicates that he doesn’t remember violently attacking Rihanna in February.

“That 30 seconds of the interview they used of me was taken from a one hour interview during which that same question was asked something like 4 or 5 times—and when you look at the entire interview you will see it is not representative of what I said,” Brown said in a statement issued by his rep.

It certainly isn’t a stretch to picture King pressing that point—and Brown doing his best to duck it.

When things like this happen, we wonder: Where are the parents?

Chris Brown’s mother, for one, has been right by his side.

Joyce Hawkins, whose 20-year-old son has just been sentenced to probation and community labor for beating up his girlfriend, has posted a statement on one of Brown’s fan sites in which she thanks her boy’s fans for their undying support and pleads with her fellow parents to stick by their kids through thick and thin.

“I just want to say from the bottom of my heart thank you for your continued support. I’m sorry I wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone as this case was ongoing,” Hawkins wrote on TheChrisBrownFanClub.com.

“I can now say this has been the most painful moment in my entire life, but knowing that you were still standing by Chris’ side in his time of need made this a little easier for us.”

“Because of all your prayers, God brought him through,” Hawkins continued. “I just want to say God has never failed me and never will. All moms and dads please stand by your children and pray for their goodness each and every day.”

Perhaps knowing where he’s most welcome for the time being, Brown is planning to complete his 180 days of labor in his native Virginia, where both his mom and dad still live.

Before being busted in February (which wasn’t the first time he lost his temper with Rihanna), the “Kiss Kiss” singer had talked about suffering abuse at the hands of his stepfather growing up.

He told his probation officer in an interview in June that he didn’t want to “carry on that cycle.”

“I made a promise,” Hawkins’ statement continued. “I would never be ashamed of him no matter where I am or who I talk to. You see this whole thing isn’t about Chris, it’s about God. He wants to show all of you the goodness of him through Chris. Chris will be addressing all of his fans very soon. We love you so much and so does God.”

Brown, along with Hawkins and attorney Mark Geragos, taped an interview with Larry King Live last night—which we heard was a no-restrictions sit-down during which Brown answered every question that King asked.

We doubt there’s anything that Brown can offer up that’ll clear his name or come close to making it all better (especially if he keeps up the postcourt partying), but we’ll listen to what he’s got to say on Sept. 2.

This would have been some trial.

In the days after Chris Brown was arrested for hitting and choking Rihanna in the wee hours of Feb. 8, word spread that it wasn’t the first time the “Run It” artist had gotten rough with his pop-star girlfriend.

Sure enough, Brown was involved in two previous incidents “related to domestic violence” before he was busted this year, according to a probation officer’s report filed today for the singer’s sentencing and obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

As if we didn’t already know that the 20-year-old R&B hitmaker has quite the temper…

If these two really were “Kiss Kiss”-ing, that doesn’t make Rihanna a Good Girl Gone Bad. (Oh, come on. You read entertainment news. You know you love a good music pun.)

Several reports insist that both members of the former (or possibly current) couple were spotted at the Trump International Hotel over the weekend—despite a restraining order barring Chris Brown from approaching Rihanna.

But don’t believe everything you’ve read about the Brown case. Much of the media coverage has been quite misleading, particularly when it comes to that “mutual” restraining order…

Here’s what we know as fact.

Brown has pleaded guilty to assault in connection to a face-smashing Rihanna took in a rented Lamborghini back in February. As part of the deal, the judge issued a stay-away order against Brown; he cannot approach Rihanna within 50 yards, unless they both appear at an industry event, in which case the distance shrinks to air-kissing distance.

After Brown left the courtroom on the day of his plea deal, Rihanna entered said courtroom and was told by the judge that the restraining order is “really two ways,” which has led to all kinds of speculation in the press.

But according to attorneys I’ve interviewed, judges rarely issue legally binding two-way restraining orders—and then, usually only in family law cases, not criminal ones. So the statement to Rihanna was likely more advice than command. (In fact, legal blogger and law professor Colin Miller says Rihanna’s attorney, Donald Etra, confirmed to him that the court has no jurisdiction over Rihanna and that she is taking the judge’s statement as a guideline only.)

So where does that leave each of them? Well, if Rihanna did decide to complain, Brown could get arrested, dragged to contempt court, and then jailed or fined, attorney Dan Clifford of the law firm Weber Gallagher tells me.

But only if—and let me repeat, if—Rihanna calls the cops and makes a case that she felt threatened. That’s what restraining orders are all about: making a victim feel safe.

“Someone would need to file a complaint that the restraining order was broken,” former prosecutor and current Air America radio host Michael “Lionel” Lebron says. “Someone needs to call the police, and who’s going to call the police if the meeting was mutual?”

In fact, the meeting may not have happened at all. E! News has learned that, yes, the two stayed at the same hotel but never crossed paths.

“This was a coincidence,” Rihanna’s rep told us. Echoing that statement, Brown’s rep said, “It was “purely a coincidence…they were not together.”

In other words, Brown dodges jail. Again.

More than five months after his alleged assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown is finally speaking out.

“Since February, my attorney has advised me not to speak out, even though, ever since the incident, I wanted to publicly express my deepest regret and accept full responsibility,” he says in a video posted on his YouTube page. “I felt it was time that you heard directly from me that I am sorry.”

The 20-year-old star, who scored a plea deal last month and avoided jail time for the pre-Grammys incident, admits he will be speaking about that fateful evening further, but wanted to express his sorrows now.

“I wish I had the chance to live those few moments again, but unfortunately I can’t,” he says. “What I did was inexcusable. I am very sad and very ashamed at what I’ve done. My mother and my spiritual leaders taught me better than that…No one is more disappointed in me than I am.”

Apparently, he has a plan of action to mend his ways.

“I have sought and I am continuing to seek help to ensure that what occurred in February can never happen again,” he says. “What I did was unacceptable. 100 percent. I can only ask and pray that you forgive me please. I hope that others learn from my mistake. I intend to live my life so that I am truly worthy of the term role model.”

What say you—is Brown worthy of a second chance, or is it too little, too late?

Legal documents have been filed asking a judge to hold a reporter in the Chris Brown case in contempt of court.

According to docs filed with the court, Russell Alan Wetanson runs a website that posted video of interviews in the hallway outside the courtroom where Chris Brown pled guilty to felony assault — court rules prohibit such taping.Wetanson, who is a lawyer, was notified by the public information officer of the court of the violation and the videos were removed from his website.

But now a contempt hearing could be set, which raises the possibility that Wetanson could be sent to the pokey.

Rihanna’s courtroom showdown with ex Chris Brown is Monday, but is the R&B star nervous?

Not one bit, according to her lawyer.

“She’s fine,” attorney Donald Etra tells E! News. “She’s fully expecting she’ll be required to testify. She will answer all questions asked of her truthfully.”

Rihanna was spotted in New York as recently as Thursday evening, but Etra says, “She will be here in time for the hearing.”

Monday’s preliminary hearing will feature prosecutors outlining their evidence against Brown, who has pleaded not guilty to assaulting and threatening Rihanna. She was subpoenaed back in May to testify. At the end of the hearing, Los Angeles Superior Judge Patricia Schnegg will determine if the case is solid enough to proceed to trial.

While it promises to be dramatic, the Brown-Rihanna face-off will not be televised. On Thursday, the judge announced she had banned media outlets from bringing cameras inside the courtroom.

Chris Brown is secretly knee-deep in a campaign to resurrect his image and his target is a certain group of 12 people who will judge his fate. And guess what — it’s working.

We’ve been talking to people in Brown’s world and here’s what we know. Brown — who hired Sitrick and Company, the crisis management firm for which he more than qualifies as a client — has been calculating every public move he’s made over the last 6 weeks. From the NBA final game last Sunday …

to the “I’m-not-a-monster” video…. to the antics with Omarion — Sitrick and others have tried to make the images of Rihanna’s bruised and battered face disappear — or at least recede into the background.

One source says Brown has been told going out clubbing could kill his chances with a jury — it’s just too flip. For the most part, he’s obeyed them, although they weren’t happy when Brown hit a club with the Kardashian sisters and Bow Wow.

Ironically, Rihanna has actually helped Brown by resurrecting her glamorous self and getting on with her life.

Short story: We’re told the Sitrick and Company game plan is the opposite of what many lawyers would urge — going underground until the trial. They want Brown out and about, resuming life within limits.

Rihanna takes the stand next Monday to kick off Brown’s preliminary hearing. Should be interesting.

Forget about the match-up on the floor.

Rihanna and Chris Brown were both in the stands to watch the nail-biting fourth game of the NBA Finals in Orlando. A source told People that the two had asked to sit together, but that did not appear to be the case.

When ABC showed the celebrities in attendance, she was shown on camera, Brown was not. Both attended earlier games in the series separately.

If the two had indeed attended the game together, the timing would have been strange, considering Rihanna has been subpoenaed to testify against Brown at a preliminary hearing on June 22 and her attorney has said she will appear.

Rihanna’s representative declined to comment.

Chris Brown may have just gained a collaborator, but despite his attorney’s best efforts, has not yet managed to do away with his court case.

Seeking to have the singer’s felony assault charges thrown out, Brown attorney Mark Geragos requested, and was subsequently denied, a postponement of his upcoming make-or-break preliminary hearing.

Geragos wanted a hold on the case, claiming the the leaked police photo of Rihanna’s bruised face would compromise Brown’s defense. He had requested access to records of the police’s internal investigation, arguing that a pending California Supreme Court case could prevent him from obtaining them in the future (per current law, Geragos will only be allowed access to the records after the preliminary hearing he’s trying his best to delay).

The California appeals court shot down Geragos’ request without giving a reason, and the prelim, which will determine whether the case goes to trial and at which Rihanna has been subpoenaed to testify, is still on for June 22.

“If the preliminary hearing indeed goes forward, she is now legally required to be there, she will be there, and will answer all questions truthfully,” Rihanna’s attorney, Donald Etra, told People.

Meanwhile, Brown is keeping focused on his day job.

Could Chris Brown be keeping up with Khloe Kardashian?

Sort of. The two both partied at LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau Hotel, but with a big group that included Bow Wow, Mario and Omarion.

“They were not there together,” a source tells E! News.

The 20-year-old Brown has been spotted chatting up girls poolside at
the posh hotel, where Khloe’s filming her new E! reality show Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami.

This isn’t the first time the two have been linked. Khloe was supposedly seen with him before in South Beach, but it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Don’t believe tabloid claims that Eve has taken to her Twitter page to bash Chris Brown.

Reports surfaced earlier today that the rapper-actress has been blasting the alleged Rihanna-beater with some emotionally charged and strongly worded tweets.

“He’s guilty until proven innocent and no man should ever raise a hand to a woman,” one of the tweets says. “I’m so sick of people kissin’ his ass.”

Problem is Eve isn’t a member of Twitter Nation.

“Eve doesn’t Twitter—ever!” her rep tells me. “It is not her who tweeted about Chris Brown.”
Eve’s camp is currently working on trying to get the fake Twitter page taken down.

Chris Brown is ”a mess” and has turned to alcohol.

The 19-year-old singer – who has pleaded not guilty to felony assault and making criminal threats in relation to his alleged attack on Rihanna – is believed to be struggling to cope with the fallout from his court case.

A source told gossip website X17Online: “Chris is a mess. He lost a lot of weight, about 15 lbs.”

“I do know that Chris is also in a depression and is drinking a lot. He almost got his butt kicked about a week ago.”

While Chris is becoming increasingly reclusive, Rihanna, 21, is determined to put the incident behind her and move on with her life.

Although the pair briefly reunited after the incident, they are now said to be spending time apart to contemplate the future of their relationship.

The source explained: “Rihanna is doing great. She is trying to put Chris on the back burner.”

“They still have joint business assets so they are still keeping in touch indirectly. She is focusing on her new album.”

“She has a lot of creative control so she is doing it her way. This is the first time she has been able to do that.”

Chris is accused of punching, biting and choking Rihanna until she was unconscious during an altercation in his rented silver Lamborghini on February 8.

If convicted he faces over four years in prison, although he is expected to broker a plea bargain for lesser charges which would see him gain a reduced jail sentence or probation.

Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty.

The 19-year-old singer appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom yesterday (April 6, 2009) to answer charges of felony assault and making criminal threats in relation to his alleged attack on Rihanna in February.

Wearing a black sweater, tie and trousers, Chris was joined in the courtroom by his mother and lawyer Mark Geragos.

Chris waived the right to have a preliminary hearing within 10 days, with the judge setting the next hearing – which Chris is not required to attend – for April 29.

Geragos said “more discovery was needed” in the case, meaning there is more evidence to review.

Chris is accused of punching, biting and choking Rihanna until she was unconscious in his rented silver Lamborghini on February 8.

If convicted, he could be sent to prison for over four years.

Rihanna, 21, did not attend the hearing, but her lawyer Donald Etra confirmed she is co-operating with proceedings.

Etra said outside the courtroom: “Nothing’s changed with regard to Rihanna’s stance toward this case. She will testify if subpoenaed and will do everything that’s required of her to do.”

It is believed Chris will eventually accept a plea bargain for lesser charges, which could lead to him gaining a reduced jail sentence or probation.

Asked about the likelihood of a plea deal, Etra said: “I believe there are efforts by all parties involved to resolve this case expeditiously. That would be beneficial to everyone. Rihanna would be pleased if this case were resolved quickly and fairly.”

Rihanna’s father Ronald Fenty has expressed his concern at Chris’ not guilty plea, claiming the teenager should take responsibility for his actions.

He said: “Chris needs to stop being in denial. So what happened? Somebody else did this to Rihanna then? I would like to see justice go in the right direction.”

“Who did it – that’s the question now. If he’s not guilty, who did it? He should say ‘guilty’ and let the court be leaning into him and try himself to the mercy of the court, see if he gets a fine.”

“I think he’s a talented guy, but everybody should have to pay. When you do the crime, you do the time.”

Rihanna and Chris Brown have reportedly made a sex tape.

The “Umbrella” singer and her 19-year-old boyfriend – who has been charged with felony assault and making criminal threats following his alleged assault on her last month – are said to have filmed themselves engaging in a series of “kinky” acts.

A source told America’s Star magazine: “Chris and Rihanna enjoy an aggressive love life that would shock many people. Rihanna loves dressing up – including as a dominatrix – and role playing. They both have kinky sides.”

Rihanna – who reconciled with Chris shortly after their altercation, but is now said to be taking time away from him to contemplate their relationship – has become increasingly concerned the footage could be made public and is desperate to keep it under wraps.

The source added: “Rihanna has no issues with her sexuality. She can be really out there. But she’d be mortified if her friends and family found this out.”

“Rihanna isn’t always the little goody-two-shoes everyone thinks she is, and Chris doesn’t want or need another scandal.”

Chris is accused of hitting, biting and choking Rihanna until she was unconscious in his rented silver Lamborghini.

The pair are not the first famous faces to film their bedroom antics, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s homemade video was famously made public when their home was burgled.

Paris Hilton, Colin Farrell and Tom Sizemore have all also appeared in sex tapes.

Meanwhile, Rihanna has been spotted cozying up to “That 70s Show” actor Wilmer Valderrama at Los Angeles nightspot Les Deux.

An onlooker said: “I couldn’t tell whether they were kissing or just talking really close together, but something was definitely going on there.”

Rihanna and Chris Brown have reportedly split.

The pair – who were believed to have reunited following Chris’ alleged assault of the “Umbrella” singer last month – have decided to spend time apart to re-evaluate their turbulent relationship.

A source said: “Chris and Rihanna are on opposite coasts right now. They are taking a break.”

Last week, Rihanna flew to New York where she enjoyed a meal out with her mentor Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce Knowles at the Spotted Pig restaurant.

She was also spotted having dinner with friends at eatery Da Silvano.

Chris remained in Los Angeles, where he has been working on his new album.

A source said: “He’s just putting ideas down for some songs he wrote. He needs to feel like he’s moving forward.”

Chris has been charged with felony assault and making criminal threats following his altercation with Rihanna in his rented silver Lamborghini.

Despite splitting in the wake of the alleged attack, the pair reunited after holding crisis talks at Diddy’s Miami mansion and were even reported to have married.