Morning Buzz: Jamie Spears Gets a Raise

WENN

Britney Spears' father Jamie is getting a raise. The courts have ruled that the elder Spears, who was receiving $10,000 a month from Britney's money for his conservatorship role, will now be receiving $16,125 for his services. He will also be allowed to have an office, for which rent will cost $1,200 a month, according to TMZ. In addition, Britney's brother Bryan will receive $200,000 for services rendered before the conservatorship kicked in.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, the subject of recent marital strife rumors due to being photographed without their wedding rings, have reportedly been having issues in their relationship for quite some time now. Page Six reports that Lopez allegedly sent an assistant on Anthony's last tour while she was home with their twins. "She wanted reports back so he didn't cheat on her," a source said. The couple are also selling the $8.5 million Bel Air estate they were married at in 2004. Reps for Lopez had no comment.

Jeremy Piven's abrupt departure from Broadway's Speed-the-Plow due to an alleged case of mercury poisoning has caused the loss of thousands of dollars in ticket sales. TMZ reports that the play grossed only $326K last week, which was down $160,000 from the week before, and the house at the Ethel Barrymore Theater was only half full. William H. Macy will replace Piven on Jan. 11.

Former Sopranos actor Lillo Brancato Jr. was acquitted of second degree murder in the shooting death of an off-duty police officer on Monday. Brancato was convicted of attempted robbery and was sentenced to three years in prison, some of which will be considered time served. Brancato, 32, and an accomplice broke into a basement apartment in NYC to steal prescription drugs in December 2005. Officer Daniel Enchautegui lived next door and came to investigate when Brancato Jr's accomplice shot him to death during a gun battle, reports the New York Post. Brancato rose to fame in Robert DeNiro's A Bronx Tale, and played a wannabe mobster who was killed on The Sopranos.

Bon Jovi's tour was the highest grossing in the period between Nov. 14, 2007 and Nov. 11 of this year. It grossed $210.6 million and sold nearly 2.2 million tickets, according to MSNBC. Bruce Springsteen came in second ($204.5 million gross) and then Madonna with $162 million in ticket sales.