Clooney defends his ex, blasts tabloids

"Gentleman" George Clooney has come to the defense of his former girlfriend, Italian model and TV hostess Elisabetta Canalis, denying a report that she had sent him angry texts about his current flame, Stacy Keibler.

Referring to a story in the current issue of Us Weekly, film star Clooney told the TV program "Access Hollywood" Thursday, "This never happened." He went further with TMZ.com, telling the website that the Us story "was completely fabricated in order to sell magazines. I never comment on my personal life unless it affects others . . . and this lie affects others."

He asked Us for a correction, saying through TMZ, "Since I would be the only actual witness, I ask you to correct your story immediately, but that would assume you cared at all about telling the truth."

A spokeswoman for Us did not immediately respond to a Newsday request for comment.

Canalis, who appeared on "Access Hollywood" Thursday following her elimination from ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" on Tuesday, said of Clooney: "I think he was very nice . . . The fact he stood up for me [by] saying this. That's the press -- you cannot control what the press writes. It just is untrue."

Did she send him any recent texts at all? "No," she said, laughing, "I didn't."

Canalis, 33, began dating Clooney two years ago, and the couple released a joint statement in June confirming their breakup. Shortly afterward, Clooney, 50, began dating model-actress Keibler, 31, a former NFL cheerleader, WWE wrestler and "DWTS" contestant herself.

Calling her ex "a great man and . . . a gentleman," Canalis said, "I wish him to be happy. We've both moved on, of course," adding, in heavily accented English, "I'm just looking for building my future."