ARE WHITNEY HOUSTON'S BODY AND JEWELS PROTECTED BY CONCRETE???: The latest question surrounding WHITNEY HOUSTON'S death is how is her casket is being guarded. As we told you last week, Houston was supposedly buried in $500,000 worth of jewels, although the funeral home denies the report.

So E! Online did some digging to find out how her body and jewels were being protected from grave robbery concerns, especially since the location, tombstone and value have all been published in public forums.

Staff at the New Jersey cemetary where Houston is buried, however, refused to speak with them.  So E! instead spoke to a burial specialist at a Hollywood cemetery where many celebrities are buried, and he seems to think that Houston's below-ground burial is an effective tool against grave robbery.

Its also possible Whitney's family took the addes measure of enclosing the casket in concrete. Many other celebrities, including Michael Jackson, have their caskets enclosed in concrete as protection from theft or vandals.

RELATIONSHIP REPORT: Looks like ASHTON KUTCHER has a new girlfriend. The 'Two and a Half Men' star attended Madonna’s Academy Awards after- party Sunday night with Lorene Scafaria, the woman who was with him on his recent trip to Europe.

Although Ashton insists they are just friends, witnesses at the party say they looked like much more than that. “They were affectionate,” one source told 'Us Weekly'. “They held hands, and she rubbed his back and neck.”

'Us Weekly' is also reporting that EDDIE MURPHY and singer/reality show star TONI BRAXTON are dating. According to their un-named source, Braxton and Murphy have been quietly dating for four months and “are very into it.”

The source adds that the couple’s “kids have met and everything.” A rep for Braxton, however, insists that, “Toni and Eddie are just friends" and "fans of each other’s work."

SNAPSHOT: Check out this hella funny picture of SOFIA VERGARA not coping as she comes down  Splash Mountain. Love the TMZ headline, too:"Sofia VergaraaAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" ...

COULD BE TRUE COULD BE CRAP - BRITNEY SPEARS' WEDDING DELAYED DUE TO LAWSUIT: Radar Online claims BRITNEY SPEARS' wedding to Jason Trawick will be delayed because her attorneys want to settle the lawsuit Sam Lutfi has filed against her and her parents first.

Lutfi, who worked as Britney's manager at the height of her very public meltdown, is suing her for breach of contract, and her parents for libel and defamation.


Spears and Lufti circa 2007

A trial date of September 11, 2012 has been formally set and the trial is expected to last about 12 days. Unless a settlement is reached before the trial date, the wedding will take place after the lawsuit is resolved.

IN DENIAL - KIM KARDASHIAN DID NOT DISS DEMI MOORE: KIM KARDASHIAN'S rep is denying a report that her client dissed DEMI MOORE at ELTON JOHN'S Oscar party.

Janet Charlton reported on her gossip site that Kim was at Elton John's Oscar party and laughingly requested Devo's song "Whip It, then joked to her friends that it was dedicated to Demi, who reportedly inhaled whip it's on the night she was rushed to the hospital.

BABY POOP: After weeks of denying it, it's being reported that SNOOKI is indeed pregnant! So why has Snooki been lying about her pregnancy?

TMZ says Snooki previously denied the rumor when asked about it on ‘Good Morning America’ last month because she "didn't want to jinx anything prior to being three months pregnant." But now that she's reached the milestone, an official announcement is expected soon.

The "New York Post" adds that the father is her boyfriend Jionni LaValle.

Snooki, however, is denying the new rumor. She said on ‘The Insider’ last night that she has not been fetused and that all this talk that she is makes her feel like she's getting fat.

2. The suspense is over. BEN AFFLECK hit up Facebook to reveal his newborn son's name. Quote: "We are happy to announce on February 27, Jennifer gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Samuel Garner Affleck."

RIP - DAVY JONES: The Monkees' Davy Jones died yesterday from a massive heart attack at age 66. Aside from the Monkees, Davy's biggest career highlight was probably appearing on "The Brady Bunch"in 1971.