Last week was not a good one for celebrity romance. Lots of people were breaking up, or cheating, or concluding their painfully long child custody cases. But Izzie Stevens is still alive. And so is David Lee Roth, so all is not lost.

IZZIE'S STILL WITH US: Looks like rumors of Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens' demise were greatly exaggerated. The rumors making the rounds last week had it that the writers of TV's "Grey's Anatomy" were about to kill off the character played by Katherine Heigl. This was in response to the outspoken actress's stunning disclosure that she had refused to be considered for an Emmy nomination because the show hadn't afforded her character enough good material. E! Online reported that the show's writers "want Izzie dead" and were leaning toward brain cancer as the ticket out. But late in the week, "Grey's" creator Shonda Rhimes denied the reports. "I didn't feel insulted," Rhimes told reporters Thursday. "I love and respect Katie as an actress. But she is outspoken." Rhimes and ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson insisted Heigl will be back and that a juicy story line is waiting for her.

Yeah, like maybe a 5-inch wart growing out of her nose.

COUPLINGS AND UNCOUPLINGS: Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman, one of Hollywood's more charming and well-suited couples, have broken up. No reason was given, although all reports suggest

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the parting was mutual.

Kimmel told Howard Stern last week he felt like he had "lost his best friend."

There was some good news for Silverman, however: She was nominated for an outstanding original music and lyrics Emmy for the raunchy ode to infidelity she composed titled "I'm (bleeping) Matt Damon." In other couples news:

  • Ten months after they welcomed a baby daughter, Valentina Paloma, actress/producer Salma Hayek and French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault have broken off their engagement. Hayek's rep confirmed the "canceled" engagement, but offered no details as to why, the status of their relationship (are they kaput or just cooling things off?) or the custody status of their daughter.

  • The long-running Britney Spears/Kevin Federline custody case is over, leaving the pair pretty much where they have been for the past several months. Federline keeps custody of the couple's two sons, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1; and Spears keeps her visitation rights — three visits and two overnights per week — with the door open for increasing her contact with the lads in the future. According to Web site TMZ.com, K-Fed's child support will increase from $15,000 to $20,000 a month.

  • Remember the good old days, when Sienna Miller was the ravishing wronged woman as her fiance Jude Law was over-tipping (if you catch our drift) his kids' nanny? Now, it's Sienna who's playing the part of home wrecker, as photos of her frolicking topless with married TV actor Balthazar Getty on the Amalfi coast flooded the Internet.

    Relax, a pal of Getty's told People magazine. Getty and his wife, Rosetta, have been separated for months. It's no big deal. If that's so, someone should tell Rosetta. Friends describe her as humiliated and devastated by the photos, and trying to protect the couple's four children from the publicity.

    BROLIN BUSTED IN BAR FRACAS: So, didya hear the one about George Bush and Colin Powell walking into a Louisiana bar and duking it out with a bunch a sodden locals? Well, sort of. And not the real Bush and Powell, of course, just the actors playing them in a new movie. That would be Josh Brolin (Bush) and Jeffrey Wright, who were among several cast and crew members of Oliver Stone's movie "W" arrested on misdemeanor charges after a brawl at the Stray Cat Club in Shreveport, La. Both Brolin (that's his police mug pictured) and Wright were charged with interfering with police and freed after posting bail. Five crew members were also arrested. Details were scarce, but reports said that one crew member got into a fight with a local bar patron and things spiraled out of control. Police are also said to be reviewing a video of the fight that allegedly shows an officer uttering a racial slur at Wright. Police and prosecutors in Shreveport are not commenting on the case, other than to say that no decision has been made on whether to file formal charges against anyone involved in the fight. "W" is Stone's biographical film about President Bush.

    Today's People Week in Review was compiled by Randy McMullen from staff and wire service reports. Questions? Comments? Reach him at 925-943-8262 or rmcmullen@bayareanewsgroup.com.

    MILESTONES

    Birthdays: Actress-singer Sally Ann Howes (78), rockabilly singer Sleepy LaBeef (73), actress Diana Rigg (70), rock musician John Lodge of the Moody Blues (65), country singer T.G. Sheppard (64), singer Kim Carnes (63), Bay Area rock guitar legend Carlos Santana (61), rock musician Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols and Man Raze (52), actress Donna Dixon (51), rock musician Mick McNeil of Simple Minds (50), country singer Radney Foster (49), actor Frank Whaley (45), rock singer Chris Cornell (44), rock musician Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam (42), actor Reed Diamond (41), actor Josh Holloway (39), singer Vitamin C (39), actor Simon Rex (34), actress Judy Greer (33), actor Charlie Korsmo (30), ainger Elliott Yamin (30), actor John Francis Daley (23), country singer-professional dancer Julianne Hough (20), actress Billi Bruno (12).