LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Jennifer Hudson, along with celebrity friends, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah, Fantasia Barrino and Missy Elliot gathered in Chicago for a private memorial service for the Academy Award winning actress’ slain mother, brother and nephew.

The service was attended by about 200 people at the Apostolic Church of God on Chicago’s south side.

Hudson’s fellow American Idol alumni, Fantasia Barrino reportedly brought many mourners to tears when she sang “Your Grace and Mercy,” while holding Hudson’s hand.

The Chicago Tribune reports, Hudson took time to quietly say goodbye to each of her relatives during the service. She kneeled in front of each of the three caskets, and leaned over to kiss her mother’s.

A horse-drawn carriage led the funeral procession following the service to Oak Woods Cemetery, where Hudson’s family will be buried.

Darnell Donerson, Hudson’s mother, her brother Jason and nephew Julian King were all shot to death last week.

The investigation into the killings is on-going. While no arrests have yet been made, William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, is in custody and police have called him “a person of interest.”

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) -
Saturday night, X17online spotted the Yankee’s slugger in the high stakes poker section at LA’s Commerce Casino.

A-Rod was playing / No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em at a table where players routinely wager as much as K per session.

“Alex is a good player,” a witness told X17online. “He likes to play in the high stakes games when he’s in town.”

Alex appeared to be having a good time, he was talking with fellow players and signed autographs for fans.

A-Rod’s poker playing has caused some problems in the past. In 2005, Rodriguez was cautioned by the Yankees after he was spotted in an illegal poker club in NYC with poker pro Phil Hellmuth.

CLICK HERE to see all of X17online’s Alex Rodriguez stories

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - A jury has unanimously agreed Keanu Reeves did not cause injuries suffered by a paparazzi.

Photographer Alison Silva sued the actor, saying Reeves drove his Porsche into Silva while he was trying to photograph the him. Reeves denied the allegations.

Reeves says he slowly moved his Porsche forward to get the paparazzo to move out of the way in March 2007, but never hit him.

Alison Silva was suing Reeves for damages and lost wages. He claims the actor knocked him to the ground with his car, injuring his wrist.

The jury of six men and six women had listened to testimony since Tuesday

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Jennifer Aniston is talking about her new film “Marley and Me” and praising her co-star Owen Wilson for battling through a troubled personal life.

“Owen Wilson is so divine in this film,” she tells The LA Times. “I’ve never seen him play a part like this. He was a man; he was a husband; he was a father. And I feel like, how brave of him, to walk through the year that he walked through,” and still show up so wholeheartedly for the film, she adds, delicately referring to Wilson’s apparent suicide attempt in August 2007.

Aniston goes on to say that Wilson has, “no temper, no ego, he’s collaborative and funny and sweet,” and describes the mood on the set as “perfect.”

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Oscar nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix showed up at the premiere for his new film “Two Lovers” with the words “Bye!” and “Good” written on his knuckles.

This follows the actor telling members of the press that he has decided to quit acting.

“I think it’s just moving on. It’s rediscovering something else,” said Phoenix, 34, said in an interview with Associated Press Television News before Saturday’s American Film Institute festival.

“Two Lovers” is his last film, he said. His publicist had disclosed Friday that the actor intended to focus on music.

The actor first talked about quitting with a reporter from Extra! earlier this week while at a fundraiser in San Francisco.

Phoenix was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for his portrayal of singer Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line,” an received a supporting actor nomination for “Gladiator” in 2000.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The Sun reports Britney Spears will perform on Britain’s “The X-Factor,” a talent competition show produced by “American Idol’s” Simon Cowell.

Spears will reportedly perform on the show, November 15th.

“I’m really excited about it, because she’s got her act together now and the new record’s terrific,” Cowell said. “She’s come back from a very dark place and is a great artist.”

The acid-tongued judge had kind words for the troubled pop star. “I think that what’s happened in the last two years has made her more interesting,” he said

“She wants to be the biggest star in the world again—and she’s got a shot.”

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - “Heroes” co-executive producers Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb have been fired by NBC, Variety reports.

The writer-producers lead day-to-day production of the show and had been on the series’ staff since the first season.

“Heroes,” has recently begun to struggle in the ratings. It’s reported that Alexander and Loeb were let go because of NBC’s frustration with the creative direction of the show. NBC was reportedly also upset with the producers’ large budget overruns on the show’s relatively expensive million per episode price tag.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Zac Efron and his “High School Musical 3″ classmates once again took the top spot at the weekend box office, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film brought in an estimated million, bringing its two week take to .8 million.

Industry experts say Halloween activities kept audiences away from the theaters. In all, theater goers spent an estimated million at theaters this weekend, a drop of 37% over the same time last year.

Other films opening this weekend include the R-rated comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” which opened in second place with .7 million. “The Haunting of Holly Hartley,” with “Gossip Girl” star Chace Crawford took in million, reportedly in-line with industry expectations.

Looking ahead, four films open wide this Friday. They include DreamWorks Animation’s “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” Universal’s R-rated comedy “Role Models,” MGM’s “Soul Men,” with Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson and Lionsgate’s rock musical “Repo: The Genetic Opera.”

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Amy Winehouse has been released from the hospital after being treated for a chest infection.

A spokesperson for the troubled singer says Winehouse is “doing fine.”

Meantime, a British couple pleaded guilty Friday to supplying drugs to a number of celebrities, most notably Winehouse, and then selling a video of the Grammy-winning singer smoking crack to a U.K. tabloid.

Johnny Blagrove, 34, and Cara Burton, 22, admitted to providing cocaine and Ecstasy to the 25-year-old Grammy winner and then secretly filming her getting high and selling the footage to The Sun. The newspaper published images of the “Rehab” star using drugs in January.

The video sparked a police raid on the pair’s east London home. There, investigators turned up a purported “hit list” of stars, including the Winehouse, for whom they regularly furnished the illicit substances.

Authorities decided against pressing charges against Winehouse.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Just 3 days before the election, John McCain will appear on “Saturday Night Live,” the long running sketch comedy show that has been a “must stop” for candidates during the campaign.

The Associated Press quotes Aides to the Republican nominee who are confirming the appearance.

Actor Ben Affleck, a supporter of Democratic candidate Barack Obama is hosting this week.

When McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, appeared on the show Oct. 18, “Saturday Night Live” earned its best ratings in 14 years. Former star and head writer Tina Fey, a Palin lookalike, has been at the center of the show’s recent parodies of the campaign.

“SNL” regular Darrell Hammond impersonates McCain on the late-night show, now in its 34th season.

McCain last appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in May, after clinching the nomination and while the Democratic primary continued. The 72-year-old Arizona senator joked about his age, saying: “I ask you, what should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly, someone who is very, very, very old.”