King Kong Fails to Live Up to Box Office Hype

Monday, December 26, 2005

'King Kong' nudges 'Narnia' at box office

Prior to release, 'King Kong' was being hailed as the movie that would knock 'Titanic' from the top of the all-time box office record books. The Peter Jackson film starring Naomi Watts is doing very well, but it looks like the hype has exceeded the claims by a wide margin.

Personally I don't think any movie will ever make that kind of money at the box office again. 'Titanic' was released in a time before DVDs were widely available, and I think that the audience that went to see it over and over again is more likely these days to wait for it to come out on DVD instead. Why put up with annoying audiences in uncomfortable theaters when you can wait for six months and own the movie forever?

Traffic Trouble for Eva Longoria

Parker, Longoria in angry traffic stop

According to police, Eva Longoria wasn't exactly the soul of kindness when a bicycle cop asked her boyfriend why he had stopped his car in the middle of traffic.

Although Longoria denies being verbally abusive, her boyfriend Tony Parker was cited for impeding traffic and failing to produce a valid driver's license which tells me there was something to the police report. My guess? She and Parker were having an argument in the car which was why the car was stopped in the middle of traffic. The bicycle cop interrupted their argument and then became the target of both of their anger.

Diva or not...it's not nice to cross the police...

Michael Jackson Top Newsmaker of 2005

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Top 10 newsmakers of 2005

According to Access Hollywood, Michael Jackson was the top newsmaker of 2005. Between his trial and subsequent move out of the country, he couldn't stay out of the news all year long.

Following on his heels at #2 is Eva Longoria. Unlike Jackson, Longoria was a top newsmaker just for being herself - no scandal...just hot.

At #3, Britney Spears found herself in the headlines, primarily because of her pregnancy. However, Spears' freeloading husband and their marital difficulties have made far more headlines since the birth than the baby.

At #4, Tom Cruise. Not for his summer movie, but for his relationship with Katie Holmes and his subsequent shenanigans.

Rounding out the top 5 is Jessica Simpson who made the list as much for her marital problems as her movie.

The question now is: how many of these folks will find themselves on the list next year?

It's Over for Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney

Zellweger-Chesney marriage annulled

The marriage between Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney never happened, and now it's over.

Zellweger sought an annulment back in late summer citing "fraud" on Chesney's part. Evidently the courts agreed with her and have granted it. Despite her statement that it's not a reflection of Kenny Chesney's character, it's hard to see how it isn't. When even the courts say so, it's pretty plain that there's something he wasn't completely honest about before he took his vows...

Secret Sex Tape of Britney Spears?

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Britney sues over sex tape story

There's more than one way to make money from a sex tape: you can sue for $10 million. Britney Spears is suing Us Weekly magazine over a story they printed that said she and Kevin Freeloader made a sex tape and were worried that it would become public.

One way or the other, she's set to make a fortune off the story. If there is a tape, it would likely outsell the Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton tapes by a large margin. If there isn't, she'll have a fat $10 million to figure out how to keep Freeloader's hands off of.

On the other hand, it's hard to argue that Britney's reputation has been harmed by the rumor of such a tape. All the magazine would have to do is point out all the stuff that's verifiably true about how she's conducted herself over the last two years and that might be all the defense they need...

Will There Be Another 'Rich Girl' for Gwen Stefani?

Gwen Stefani pregnant with first child

Congrats to Gwen Stefani and hubby Gavin Rossdale are pregnant with their first child who is due in June.

No report on the baby's gender yet...probably a bit early to tell, but it's entirely possible that there's yet another 'Rich Girl' in her future...

Ashlee Simpson hospitalized after collapse - Celebrity News - MSNBC.com

Friday, December 16, 2005

Ashlee Simpson hospitalized after collapse

Ashlee Simpson collapsed after performing for MTV Japan after complaining that she felt sick.

My guess is that it's probably caused overworking and undereating - a problem suffered by many young female stars. Hopefully that's the case and a simple IV will get her back on her feet quickly.

USATODAY.com - Freeman criticizes black history month

Freeman criticizes black history month

Morgan Freeman has taken a "Bill Cosby-esque" stand on Black History Month which is sure to anger fellow African-Americans but which is actually just plain old common sense that anyone not blinded by their racism can see.

Black History Month is moronic. As Freeman sensibly states, "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history." And what he says is true. The journey of the American blacks - the good, the bad, and the ugly - is a part of American history and singling out a single race when that isn't done for any other race is just breeding resentment with other races - including other minorities - and encouraging members of that race to see themselves as separate from the rest of society.

The way to get rid of racism in America is to stop all programs that show racial preferences and to stop qualifying people as hyphenated Americans such African-American, Italian-American, and so on. My theory for a long time has been that if you refer to yourself as a hyphenated American then you should only be entitled to half the rights of anyone who simply calls themselves an American. After all, if you're only half-American why should you get a full say in how it's run? You want a full vote, then declare yourself full American: it really is that simple...

Either you're an American or you're not. Dividing people into groups by race for any reason has never led to anything good in this country, and especially in this day and age where mixed races are so common it's increasingly meaningless.

Before you get started that blacks should be entitled to a month because of slavery remember that Africans were kidnapping and selling each other into slavery long before Europeans ever arrived on their shores. What Europeans and Americans did was commit the moral crime of participating in their already existing trade. It's a practice that still continues in parts of that continent to this very day. What Americans did was abolish it over 140 years ago.

If you're going to have a "Black History Month" then that's what should be featured front and center...Better yet, let's just follow Morgan Freeman's advice and get rid of it all together and celebrate being Americans.

Britney Spears Still Queen of the Internet

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Spears is most-searched for item on the Internet

After losing out to "American Idol" in 2004, Britney Spears has recaptured the crown for "Most Searched" for on the internet for 2005.

Following Britney were 50 Cent, the Cartoon Network, Mariah Carey, Green Day, Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, Eminem, Ciara and Lindsay Lohan.

Paris Hilton Highlights Creepy Christmas

Friday, December 09, 2005

Man Creates Paris Hilton Christmas Shrine

The guy who was arrested for trespassing on Martha Stewart's property has found another way to get himself into the news by putting up an entire Christmas homage to Paris Hilton.

While I'm sure Paris Hilton is thrilled to have her name in the headlines again, I'm not sure this guy is the one she wants to have put her there. Evidently he has some kind of celebrity obsession, and Paris is his latest target.

Creepy...

Nicole Richie Still Following Paris Hilton's Lead

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Nicole Richie, fiance call off engagement

To almost no one's surprise, Nicole Richie is calling off her engagement to relative nobody, Adam Goldstein. After a $150,000 style makeover, she's not about to take herself off the market any time soon. Besides, Paris Hilton called off her engagement in October, and it's been just long enough that Nicole Richie can claim that the two events aren't related....at all...really...why are you looking at her like that?

Poor Nicole, until she achieves some sort of noteriety of her own - like a successful album release that we've continually been promised, a movie vehicle which doesn't seem forthcoming, or some claim to fame that isn't related to Paris Hilton, she will continue to walk in her shadow. Nicole's smart enough to keep riding that train though...and smart enough to make it look like she isn't even when she is...

Lindsay Lohan's Late Night Makes Her Miss

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Lohan misses 'Regis and Kelly' appearance

Lindsay Lohan was scheduled to appear with Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on Live Tuesday morning....

...umm...yeah...not so much...

Her excuse? Food poisoning...

...umm...yeah...not so much...

She did make it to TRL on Tuesday afternoon where she acknowledged that she was short on sleep. If you've ever had food poisoning, then you know that isn't something you get over in a few hours. Perhaps the fact that she had gone to the King Kong premiere the night before might have more to do with it.

Here's what I believe: She went out for a little partying after the premiere and hit the party too hard. Her plane was delayed for several hours because they couldn't get her to the plane on time because she was sick from partying too hard. By afternoon, she had had time to get herself together and put some fluids back in her system, so she was able to make it to MTV.

Sorry Lindsay, you'll have to make better excuses next time...

Paparazzo Lies About Aniston Photos

Paparazzo Snaps Back at Aniston

This guy is just sleaze. He has the nerve to claim that he was horrified that he had taken pictures of a topless Jennifer Aniston! Just horrified!

He then claims they were "mistakenly" included in other photos he had sent to publications. How stupid are we supposed to be here? Topless pictures of Jennifer Aniston are big money pictures, and any paparazzo worth his weight in cow dung knows it. To believe that his version is anything close to the truth you would have to have the IQ of the same cow dung in which he's worth his weight.

C'mon, guy. These were the money shots you were there to get, and you got them. At least be a man and admit it...The denials just make you look weak...

Eminem Thinks Ex Not So Bad After All

Eminem back together with his ex-wife

So I guess all those hateful things that Eminem had to sing about his ex-wife aren't so true after all. He had millions of his fans thinking this woman was pretty much the devil incarnate after multiple songs in which he demonized her and made her out to be the worst thing this side of Armageddon.

Now he gets clean, and all of a sudden things are hunky dory again. She's now "my wife Kim" and they're probably going to re-marry. If I were her, I'd make him issue one helluva public apology before I even considered walking down the aisle with him again.

Love is supposed to be blind...not deaf, dumb and stupid too...

Daddy Pitt

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Pitt to adopt Jolie's two children

Now this is stupid. Brad Pitt is seeking to adopt Angelina Jolie's two children and change their legal names to Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Jolie-Pitt.

Let me get this straight: he wants to adopt her kids, but they won't even admit publicly that they're involved in a relationship? This is the kind of topsy-turvy reality created by publicists and celebrities seeking a faux-privacy.

Listen up, Brad. If you want to do the right thing by these kids, then at least admit that you care about their mother. You don't have to get married, although it show that you have at least some level of commitment beyond just playing at being a father.

Why Is This News?

Friday, December 02, 2005

Police stop Vaughn and Aniston's car

If it's news that that these two have been spotted together, then someone in the newsroom is a few months behind the curve here. Other than the fact that evidently Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston were in a car together in Arizona, why exactly is this supposed to be news? Evidently he wasn't doing anything wrong as he was tested for sobriety and passed. The officer was wrong. Period.

::yawn:: Must be a slow news day...

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Have a Baby Girl

Garner and Affleck parents to a baby girl

6:26 pm, December 1st. That's the moment that Jennifer Garner>Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck became the proud parents of new baby reportedly named Violet.

As always, our congratulations go out to the happy couple and the best news of all is that both mom and baby are doing fine.

Julia Roberts Brings Home the Bacon

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Julia Roberts again tops the list of highest-paid actresses

Julia Roberts is the highest paid actress in Hollywood at $20 million per picture. Following her closely are Nicole Kidman at $17 million; Reese Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore at $15 million; Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, and Cameron Diaz at $10-15 million; and Jodie Foster, Charlize Theron, and Jennifer Aniston.

That's a powerhouse group of ladies, and the order may surprise some fans. What you have to remember when figuring out why some are paid more and some are paid less is that these actresses' salaries are paid based on their ability to put butts in seats merely by having their name on the marquee. Even having a mediocre movie release can drive down your asking price on the next flick which is why it's very important to choose scripts and projects wisely when you reach this level.

Julia Roberts has been fortunate in her choices and hasn't had any major flops, so she continues to command the high prices, while others on the list have done some films which are - to be kind - forgettable. It's always interesting to see the annual list - who has moved up and who has lost ground. A prime example is Jennifer Lopez who fell off the list after the infamous Gigli and Jersey Girl and Halle Berry whose star dimmed a little with the failure of Catwoman.

With a brand new round of movies for the Christmas season including Aeon Flux from Charlize Theron, and Rumor Has It from Jennifer Aniston, it's very possible that next year's list could look quite different indeed.

The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of....Cameron Diaz?

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Andrews: Diaz would be perfect as Maria

This is why Julie Andrews isn't in charge of casting...At a Q&A, she was asked who should play the role of Maria if Sound of Music is ever re-made. Her answer? Cameron Diaz. Umm...what?

Not that Cameron Diaz can't act, but the fact is that she doesn't sing and if ever there was a role that required singing, the role of Maria would be it. So why was this her choice? You can probably trace it back to Andrews' ongoing complaint that she should have been cast in the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady rather than Audrey Hepburn. In that movie, Andrews did all the singing while Hepburn got the screen time.

The reason that Andrews didn't get cast as Doolittle was simply because Hepburn was simply a more attractive woman. Andrews has always had an overinflated view of her own attractiveness, so it's not terribly surprising she should pick a beautiful ex-model like Diaz to replace her.

All of this is probably moot as there's no reason to ever re-make Sound of Music. And the reality is that Diaz is really too old to play the part of an initiate nun anyway. It just goes to show that there's a reason that actresses act and casting directors cast...

It's Official: Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey Are Over

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Simpson, Lachey officially call it quits

No more denials. No more faking it. Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey have announced that they're going their separate ways.

No matter how many times they tried to put a good face on it, when there are persistent rumors that a separation in the wind you can bet that it's just a matter of time before they have to fess up. She's one of the hottest stars on the market today, and he is...umm...pretty much nobody. How long was that destined to last?

If you ever caught an episode of their reality show, it was plain that he didn't respect her as a person. He pretty much regarded himself as a better person than she was, and it always mystified me as to why she would tolerate a has-been treating her that way. Evidently it was just a matter of time until she figured that out too.

Sorry Nick: you screwed up: you might have been tired of being Mr. Jessica Simpson, but given the fact that you haven't done a thing with yourself since 98 Degrees' last album, you're going to have a lot of time on your hands to think about it wasn't that bad after all...

Welcome back to the market Jessica! It's Thanksgiving for single guys indeed!

Britney Spears Baby Photos Hit Newsstands

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Britney's baby photo hits newsstands

After all the hubbub surrounding the supposed theft of the Britney Spears' baby photos, they've been published on the cover of People magazine.

As they were described earlier, the pictures show a happy couple with baby, but as we know: this isn't necessarily the case. The good news for Britney is that she's got her mother around and plenty of money to hire help with little Sean after she gets fed up with Kevin's partyholic lifestyle.

My Wrap on the AMAs

Lots of double winners at American Music Awards

Everyone's going to have their own take on the AMAs, but here's mine:

1) Lindsay Lohan should either stick to the studio where they can electronically treat her voice as they have done in the past, take some vocal lessons or forget about singing all together. She sounded absolutely awful. Only the backup singers covering up her singing made her performance not actually physically painful. She missed most of the notes and her stage presence really could use some work.

2) Hilary Duff looked great and sounded good, but really needs to have a song with more lyrics than just the single line: "The beat of my heart." Honestly I was tired of the song after 30 seconds.

3) Kenny Chesney lost out on Male Country Singer to Tim McGraw after losing out in the CMAs to Keith Urban. If he doesn't think this is related to his marriage problems with Renee Zellweger, then he really doesn't know anything about country music fans. I said a couple of months that his career would pay a price because country music fans take marriage seriously and Kenny evidently did not. It's too bad because if he had then I guarantee he would have been on the podium for both the CMAs and the AMAs.

4) If you're going to feature Gwen Stefani as a performer, either let her have her own time or give her more than one line to repeat over and over again during Pharrell's performance. It was like they needed a place to stick her, so they could tout her performance in the ads promoting the show. It certainly wasn't the kind of performance that her fans had a right to expect.

5) It was definitely country music's year at the AMAs with Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Keith Urban performing and Sugarland taking the New Artist award. It's a growing part of the music scene, and if you still think country music is about hound dogs and sad drinking songs then you haven't been paying attention.

6) The rap music on display was terrible. I've heard better raps from street kids backed up by nothing more than their buddy beat-boxing. Rap only becomes music when the rhymes actually meet up with the rhythm: otherwise it's just bad grammar school poetry. Run DMC? Hardly...More like Run Away....

7) Cedric the Entertainer was not entertaining. I hope they don't make the mistake of asking him back. Hosting isn't an easy task, but it was evident that he's not really cut out for the job.

8) What was up with Katherine Heigl wearing the overcoat on stage? Yes, I know it was part of the outfit, but if your dress doesn't look good without the overcoat it's time for a new fashion choice.

9) Favorite couples of the evening: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith of course. I liked his attempt to be subtle about the "negativity" in rap: it wasn't subtle but I'm glad he made the point, and Jada - as always - looked incredible. (Tim McGraw also made a subtle dig at the "thug" mentality of too many rappers when he pointed out that he was glad to be a part of country music where the performers showed respect for each other.) Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra having their anniversary moment when they came on to present was nice too.

10) Mariah Carey...Mariah, Mariah, Mariah...someone needs to help her with her fashion choices. She's not the waif she was when she first hit the music scene and trying to squeeze into a dress that's too small isn't an attractive sight. Also, try to wear a bra next time Mariah. I could elaborate, but let's just say that some women look better without them and some women look better with them, and Mariah's one of the latter.

11) The Rolling Stones and The Eurythmics...For a show that's trying to appeal to the 20-somethings, could they have dug any deeper into the past for your show topping acts? You can't be "hip" and "cool" and trot these folks out. Annie Lennox was over the top with her performance - her voice is still great, but it was obvious she was trying too hard and their target audience was on the grade school playground when those songs were hits. And the Rolling Stones? Someone needs to roll them away and let them gather some moss for a change. They may still be touring but they haven't hit the charts in a long, long time. Their fan base is their age. I don't think there are many dorm rooms around the country with Mick Jagger adorning the walls...As a side note, and it's not their fault, but the sound quality was so bad that the performance was barely audible so that didn't help either...

And that's what I think about that...

Warren Beatty Not Likely to Be Governor

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Reiner, Beatty lag in California poll

It just goes to show you that just because you're famous doesn't mean that you're popular. Warren Beatty is viewed, even by his fellow Democrats, in the net negative. In political terms, that's deadly. It's hard enough to get members of another party to vote for you, but if you can't even get your own people to go your direction then you might as well hang it up and go home.

Sorry Warren: no matter what political pretensions you might have had, the people are speaking and they're saying to stick with show business and keep your political opinions to yourself...

Is Felicity Huffman Oscar Material?

Felicity Huffman is sitting pretty

USA Today has a very flattering article on Felicity Huffman and her catapult into stardom after many years of hard work.

I have to confess that she is one of my favorites for two reasons: 1) she's a very talented actress and 2) her awesome relationship with her husband William H. Macy which is the model for what Hollywood marriages should be. Both have been unselfish in their careers, taking turns in the spotlight to keep the relationship strong and take care of their children.

Is her performance in Transamerica Oscar-worthy? I haven't seen the film, but it is the kind of "message" movie that Oscar voters seem to gravitate toward so even though it's likely to have very few rear ends in theaters it's entirely possible that we'll see Huffman up on the stage on Oscar night.

Whether she is or not, she's definitely a talent and you'll be doing yourself a favor to catch up with whatever project she gets involved with....

Christina Aguilera Has What a Girl Wants

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Aguilera, music exec reportedly tie knot

...that is, if girls want a big diamond ring, a designer wedding gown, and a wedding in the Napa Valley...

Christina Aguilera got married this weekend to Jordan Bratman, a music executive whom she has been dating for some time now.

It had been widely rumored that this would be the big weekend for the couple, and it looks like the rumors were right (for a change).

Hopefully the marriage will be a positive influence on Aguilera. Her "X-Tina" days, which turned off many fans, may well be behind her. I, for one, thought it was a distraction from her amazing voice. She might have sold a few records based on the slutted-up image, but her voice is definitely the best of the crop of pop singers that hit the market a few years ago: Britney Spears, Jesica Simpson, and Mandy Moore and, of course, Christina Aguilera. So I thought that trying to compete with them on the sexual side was never going to be her key to long-term fame and fortune.

She's gone back to focusing more on her voice and less on her body, and hopefully that was due, in some way, to the influence of Bratman. If that's the case, this may be a marriage that has some legs...

Shania Twain is Canada's Finest

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Shania Twain receives Order of Canada

Congratulations to Shania Twain!

This is the kind of legacy that every celebrity should be striving for. If you reached the pinnacle of your career, would you rather be known as the one who screwed it up by overindulging or the one who receives your country's highest honor because of the inspiration you provide to young people and your humanitarian work?

That's a pretty easy answer, but yet far too many celebrities choose the first path and not the second...sad but true...

Madonna's 'Frozen' Frozen

Friday, November 18, 2005

Songwriter wins case against Madonna

It's not a good day to be Madonna. She lost a plagiarism case in Belgium where it was determined that the song 'Frozen' was lifted, in large part, from a song written five years earlier by a pretty much unknown songwriter. The judge ordered that the song can no longer be sold or played in Belgium, and that's probably just the first step.

The money in the marketplace is in the U.S., and this is probably the precursor to the filing of a lawsuit here which would impact the sales and play of the song - as well as the 'Ray of Light' album on which it appears.

Madonna has the right to appeal the case though it's unknown whether or not they'll do that, but if the verdict stands she's going to owe this guy a serious amount of cash - not to mention the damage to her reputation.

I wonder what Kaballah has to say about stealing lyrics????

New York City Goes Country

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Lee Ann Womack is queen of CMA awards

The article crowns Lee Ann Womack "Queen of CMA Awards" because of her three wins, but while those awards are nothing to sneeze at the Big Three awards at the show are always: Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year awards and none of her wins were in those categories.

Gretchen Wilson took home the Female Vocalist honors while Keith Urban did the same for the Male Vocalist and the much-coveted Entertainer of the Year.

Urban's win in the Entertainer of the Year category was somewhat of an upset with many expecting Kenny Chesney to take the award, but the biggest disappointment of the evening probably belonged to Brad Paisley who had six nominations but ended up the evening with zero wins.

When Plastic Surgery Becomes Defamation

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Stone settles lawsuit with plastic surgeon

Sharon Stone was so upset at the implication that she had plastic surgery that she was willing to go to court over it. A Beverly Hills surgeon was evidently using a photo of her in his advertisements - with the implication that he had done work on her. But Sharon was having none of it...

I understand being upset with the doctor using your face in his advertisements without your permission - especially if you've never had any work done. But I don't think that in this day and age having plastic surgery done counts as defamatory. Half the actresses have had implants, and a good portion of the other half have had other procedures like lip collagen, botox, liposuction, facelifts, etc. The ones who haven't either will as they get older or are saving up to have it soon, so the mere implication that surgery was done is pretty much meaningless.

I'm glad the suit was settled and that a couple of worthy children will get some free surgery out of the deal, but Sharon really needs to turn down her hypersenstivity chip just a tad. Forcing him to stop using the ad was all that was really necessary, the rest was her being sensitive about the fact that she's approaching 50. Relax, Sharon, we all know it, and for a woman your age, you've definitely got it going on. Suing doctors isn't going to turn back the hands of time....

Mariah Carey Cleans Up

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Mariah Carey wins big at smooth Vibe Awards

To any who doubted if Mariah Carey's comeback had legs only need to check out the results of this year's Vibe awards: Artist of the Year, R&B Voice of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Album of the Year. That doesn't leave a whole lot of territory uncovered and certainly made her the envy of every artist in the room at the ceremony.

Congrats to Mariah for a successful year that has culminated in last night's awards. Good for her...and good for her long-time fans...

Gene Simmons' Bragging May Cost Him

Judge allows lawsuit against KISS' Simmons

KISS lead singer, Gene Simmons, landed himself in some hot water when bragging for VH1 about all the women he's been with. Turns out that one of those women didn't appreciate the way she was portrayed and has sued him for defamation.

Like it or not Gene, you can't talk trash about your groupies, show their picture on TV, and expect to get away with it scot free. Let me say that I don't have a lot of sympathy for any groupie: if you throw your self-respect out the window for the chance to sleep with a rock star, don't come crying to me later that he doesn't respect you. But on the flip side, if you are trying to impress everyone with your sexual conquests, I don't want to hear it when one of those conquests gets upset about it.

If Gene is smart, he'll settle out of court with this woman because the law is on her side. He trashed her reputation and the use of the photo isn't protected when you're using it to do so. Sorry Gene, time to open the wallet and shut your mouth...for a change...

No Celebrities for Ashlee Simpson

Friday, November 11, 2005

Ashlee Simpson: I want an average Joe

So you say you've got yourself a crush on Ashlee Simpson, but figure there's no way she could go for a regular guy like you? Think again.

She says she doesn't want a rock star or actor, she wants someone from outside showbiz to date instead. I'm not sure how she's going to meet that special someone given that she's not exactly accessible to the average person on a personal level, but hey, maybe you can drop her a photo and a little personal note....Who knows?

Sharon Stone....Songwriter?

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Stone cowrites song for Katrina victims

Sharon Stone has taken up a new hobby/career it seems. She has co-written a song titled "Come Together Now" to benefit Habitat for Humanity and a charity for terminally ill children that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Most remarkably, the song has some serious vocal talent giving it voice. No less than the likes of Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean and more than a dozen other singers take part: quite a feat for a fledgling songwriter.

I have to wonder how much of the song was actually written by Stone and how much was done by the other noted songwriters with whom she shares the credit, but it's certainly a noteworthy achievement for worthy causes nonetheless...

Britney Spears Wins One...Finally

Britney Spears Wins Copyright Lawsuit

After a long string of negative press, Britney Spears finally has reason to celebrate seeing her name in the headlines.

It's not a huge deal because the case was suspect from the beginning, but it's much better to be a winner than a loser whenever the courts are involved.

I have a feeling that this may be the best headline she can hope for until she dumps her loser husband: ever since the two of them hooked up, her headlines haven't exactly been the stuff of a pop star's dreams...

Jessica Simpson Sticks to the Script

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Jessica Simpson won't talk about Nick

Want to know the latest about the marriage between Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson? How about her recent confession to seeing a therapist? How about her recent trip to Africa? How about the price of tea in China? Evidently pretty much everything is off limits when you interview Simpson these days unless you want to ask about her latest money-making venture: her line of clothes.

The article gives a pretty good blow by blow of how things are really done in Hollywood with publicists, agents and other handlers tightly scripting "interviews" with celebrities. I'm not really trying to single out Jessica here, I just think it's a good inside look at what happens when you try to get real answers to the day's events from "the horse's mouth" as it were...

Federline Cheated with Britney Spears

Monday, November 07, 2005

Federline ex: He cheated on me with Spears

Given what we know about Kevin Federline, is it really any surprise that when he began dating Britney Spears he was still hooked up with Shar Jackson?

Bottom line: he's a scumbag along for the ride with Britney as long as she's willing to let him stay on...always has been, always will be...

Felicity Huffman Crosses the Line

Big change for Huffman

...the gender line that is...Felicity Huffman's new role is just about as far away from her role on Desperate Housewives as you can get. She's starring in "Transamerica" - the story of a transsexual named (ironically) Bree struggling to raise a child.

Huffman and husband William H. Macy have to be just about the most talented acting couple in America. Both have taken such a variety of roles that I would be hard-pressed to name a more talented pairing today. Any ideas?

Kim Cattrall Get Serious About Sex

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Kim Cattrall is still talking about sex

If you thought Kim Cattrall's sexual escapades ended with Sex and the City then her new book, Sexual Intelligence, is going to be quite a surprise.

She says the book explores sex throughout history including a trip to Cyprus where the Greek goddess Aphrodite is purported to have sprung from the waves. With yet another book in the works, a 26-year old boyfriend, and other plans in the works, Kim Cattrall certainly has to rate as the busiest of the Sex and the City quartet since the HBO series came to an end...

50 Cent Not the Racist Kanye West Is

50 Cent Disagrees With Kanye West

African-American entertainers by and large either have been silent or in support of the racist comments made by Kanye West on a benefit in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but 50 Cent has spoken up to disagree with him.

To refresh your memory, West said that this country was set up to deny black people help in times of crisis and that President Bush hates black people. At last, 50 Cent has spoken up to disagree saying that he believes everyone did his or her best which is a lot closer to the truth than the racist stuff that West was spewing. I won't rehash the multiple levels of ignorance that West displayed about everything related to that disaster, but I'm glad that 50 Cent has at least had the courage to stand up and say it's not true...

Jamie Lee Curtis - Ex-Actress

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Curtis says she's passing on acting work

Jamie Lee Curtis is saying that she is "no longer [accepting] acting work" which will, no doubt, be a disappointment to fans of her work as an actress. She says she's looking to spend more time raising her children and writing children's books instead.

Do I believe that's her entire motivation? Yes and no. The maternal urge is certainly an admirable one: focusing on your children is important once you've made the decision to have them, but...Do I believe that if she were collecting Angelina Jolie-style paychecks for taking those acting roles that she would be making the same decision? My guess is no.

She's at a point in her career where the roles aren't optimal, and she's accumulated enough money that continuing to work as an actress is optional. So her choice is to take secondary roles in secondary films with the attendant small paychecks or do something she enjoys, so it's not exactly the Mt. Everest of decisions to be made if your children are at all a priority in your life.

That being said, everyone deserves the chance to do that at some point in their lives, so I'm glad for her that she has the freedom to do that....Don't be surprised to see her on the screen in the future though if the right role comes around...

Elvis Presley Still the King

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Dead Elvis Still King

Elvis Presley is still "the King" according to Forbes magazine as the top-earning dead celebrity for the last year. Of course, it's his estate - and more specifically Lisa Marie Presley - who's reaping the benefits, but it's his likeness and music that people keep coming back for year after year.

What was surprising to me, until I stopped to think about it, was the second place finish of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz whose Snoopy and Charlie Brown characters will probably be licensed and resold until the end of time. I mean, after all, would it really be Christmas without the Charlie Brown Christmas Special airing on TV?

Some other notable names on the list aren't really surprises: John Lennon, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and Bob Marley are included, just to name a few.

They may not have been able to take it with them, but they sure have been able to keep providing for those they left behind...

Mel Gibson Goes Foreign...Again..

Gibson says new film has "mythic proportions"

Mel Gibson has set yet another daunting challenge for himself: making a film in ancient Mayan. If he hadn't already had the stunning success of "The Passion of the Christ" which was done in the dead language of Arameic, people would probably call him crazy. (Though some have done just that anyway.)

I doubt it will achieve the commercial success of "The Passion of the Christ" simply because it doesn't touch on the raw nerve of religion in the same way, but film critics love subtitled films - it makes them feel very cultured and intelligent - so my guess is that it will be well received when it is finally released.

Once again, he's bankrolling it himself which means he stands to make another bundle of cash if the film proves successful. I have to respect someone who's willing to put his own money on the line to make a project he believes in - no matter how the film turns out...

Sylvester Stallone the Sequel

Stallone to make another 'Rambo'

Practically days after announcing that he would be making yet another Rocky film, Sylvester Stallone has announced that he will be making another 'Rambo' film as well.

While Rocky will be the sixth in the series, the Rambo movie will be 'only' the fourth. The article says the script is in early development but offers that it involves some kind of vigilante-type justice here in the U.S. This will be the first Rambo movie to be set in the United States since the original 'First Blood' came out...

Angelina Jolie Says Two Not Enough

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Report: Jolie says she wants to adopt again

Angelina Jolie is talking about her next adoption already. In essence, she's thinking about creating her own miniature United Nations at home.

I'm the first to sing her praises about the work she's done on behalf of children since adopting her first child, Maddox, but this is a bit disconcerting. It's just a theory of mine, but I see the same sort of all-or-nothing, compulsive behavior that she's exhibited in the past toward her relationships. I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing, but it does seem like it is a thing....would that all of our own compulsions would lead to such positive behavior...

Nicolette Sheridan Back on the Market

Nicollette Sheridan and fiance split

For all you guys out there lusting over Wisteria Lane's resident sexpot, Nicolette Sheridan is back on the market after breaking it off with her fiance.

The two got engaged about a year ago and evidently it was just long enough to figure out that a lifetime together just wasn't in the cards. Good for guys everywhere, bad for him...

Janet Jackson Denies Child

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Janet: I'm No Mother

Not unexpectedly, Janet Jackson is denying that she has a "secret" 18-year old child.

It seems to me that this is one of those situations that could easily be resolved. The "child" is 18 years old and an adult. It's not like Rebbie Jackson is hiding out in an undisclosed location. Just go to the house and ask...Seems to me that if there's an 18-year old girl living there of whom Rebbie is not the mother, the rumor is true and Janet Jackson is a liar. If not, then Young DeBarge is the liar...Plain and simple...There's really no middle ground on this one...

Anybody have Rebbie's address handy?

Justin Timberlake Cries a River of Crocodile Tears

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Timberlake defends Britney in photo flap

Justin Timberlake is claiming that it was "crossing the line" for a website to publish the Britney Spears baby photos.

Let's get things straight: these weren't private family photos here, folks. They weren't stolen from her home. They were photos which she had taken with the intent to sell them for millions of dollars, so she wasn't exactly focused on her family's privacy when she had them taken.

Did the website know that the photos were stolen? Not according to the stories I've read. They were e-mailed anonymously, and the website did what pretty much every newspaper or magazine in the world would have done which was to publish them right away.

Were they private property? Yes. Were they taken illegally? I'll reserve judgment on that because the whole story around these photos has been somewhat fishy from the get-go. But to claim that what was done was so far out of line is clearly out of line on Justin's part.

After all, wasn't it he who sold a few million records capitalizing on his relationship with her, mocked her in video, and told the world about how he had sex with her? Yeah...it's the same Justin Timberlake, so it's a good time for him to shut up about "crossing the line" before people start to remember that when he didn't think twice about crossing that line when he thought there was a dollar to be made by exploiting Britney Spears' name himself....

Does Janet Jackson Have a Daughter?

Former in-law: Janet Jackson has daughter

According to the latest reports, the answer is yes. Janet Jackson had a very well publicized and very brief marriage to James DeBarge in 1984, and according to his younger brother that marriage produced a daughter named Renee.

There have been rumors for years that Janet had a secret daughter, and this may be another in a long line of unsubstantiated claims, but the truth is often stranger than fiction when it comes to the Jackson clan. A situation like this would be just the kind of weirdness we've come to expect from the twisted remains of Joe Jackson's abusive upbringing of his children.

I can only hope that Renee (if she exists) has been spared as much as possible by being brought up away from the show business end of the family and will be able to have a "normal" life...

For Britney Spears, Baby Makes Two?

Monday, October 24, 2005

Is Britney's marriage on the rocks?

Once again we're hearing reports that Britney Spears's marriage has hit rough water. Shocker! More reports of Kevin partying and running through Britney's money like there was an infinite supply of it. Shocked again!

This article includes a report that Britney had done a deal for exclusive pictures but withdrew them because they aren't the happy couple they're pictured to be in those pictures. Hmm...could it be that the pictures which have been withdrawn are the very same which ones which were "stolen"? Yet another drama created by Britney to cover another marriage fiasco? Methinks this may be so...

Get it over with, Britney...Throw him out on his loser behind...Yeah, critics will be proved right, but keeping him around to prove a point is just going to make things worse....Enough's enough, don't you think?

Britney Spears' Baby Photos Go Missing

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Britney baby photos 'are stolen'

Britney Spears is saying that pictures of her baby taken during a photoshoot have been stolen. Evidently the pictures appeared soon after on the internet, but were removed after she threatened legal action for copyright infringement.

Seems to me that if indeed the pictures were stolen, then the appropriate action would have been to turn the matter over to the police to be prosecuted, if nothing else, for possession of stolen property. Sounds to me that she's not so much upset about pictures of the baby being stolen, but that she might miss out on the payday that selling the pictures will bring. After all, she had taken the baby to a photoshoot, so privacy wasn't exactly her concern: she was planning on selling the pictures anyway.

Not that I condone stealing the pictures, but I find it hard to get really worked up about this. There's no privacy issue here: it's a money thing pure and simple....

Michael Jackson Says 'Never More' to Neverland

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Jackson flees United States for new life in Arab state

After recent reports of Michael Jackson taking tours in the Middle East, it's finally happened: he has taken permanent leave of the United States.

In light of his ongoing legal problems related to his inability to keep his hands off little boys, it's to be expected that he would flee U.S. jurisdiction where he can't be prosecuted for his activities.

Personally I say good riddance to bad rubbish...I have no time for pedophiles no matter how much talent they may have once had...

Gwyneth Paltrow Too Cowardly to Tell Brits What She Really Thinks

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Paltrow bemoans life in Britain

Gwyneth Paltrow has been shooting her mouth off again: this time about Britain. But if you're British don't expect to be able to read about it because, you see, it will only appear in Marie Claire's US edition.

It's not hard to understand why the UK edition was a no-no after Paltrow said that the streets were dirty, the weather is cold, and its customer service is rubbish. Gee...I wonder why Paltrow wouldn't want those comments to appear in the UK edition...

Like the Dixie Chicks taking their criticism of the President to London because they would have been booed off the stage if they had done it before a crowd of American country music fans, Gwyneth is talking trash only where she doesn't think her neighbors will find out. Like the Dixie Chicks, she's about to find out that the British have the internet too...

I have no time for this kind of cowardice. If you don't like the President (in the case of the Chicks) or have an issue with your chosen home, then show the courage of your convictions and say it where it counts. When the domestic crowd found out what the Chicks had to say, they were forced to back off their statement. I can only imagine how fast Gwyneth will be backpedalling, making the usual denials about how her comments were "out of context" or outright misquotes. Blah blah blah....

I gave Gwyneth some unsolicited advice when her name last appeared on this blog for being a hypocrite and talking about someone else's private relationship while claiming that her own is off-limits. I'll give her some more: just shut up already...

Tyra Banks' 'Secret' No More

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Tyra's Final "Secret" Show

Set the TiVO, boys. CBS will be airing the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and December 6th, and some of the most famous models in the world are going to be strutting their stuff on the runway in primetime after having been cancelled last year for fear that the FCC would fine the network.

Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, and Adriana Lima are all slated to take part.

Just in case you're interested, the show will have a holiday theme....Yeah, we didn't think so....

Sylvester Stallone Still 'Rocky'

"Rocky 6"? Stallone signs on for another round

The headline is a little bit misleading only in that Sylvester Stallone has done more than just 'sign on,' he was the one who wrote the script, pushed for its development and will direct the latest installment of the famous 'Rocky' series to be titled simply 'Rocky Balboa.'

The storyline will take on the familiar 'boxer coming out of retirement' theme which mirror the paths that real-life boxers such as George Foreman have taken. The film is set to start shooting in December and is supposed to be more reminiscent of the first two 'Rocky' movies than the latter three - which will be a relief to fans of the series.

There are a lot of critics of Stallone, but it's definitely a role that he was born to play. It's worth remembering that the original 'Rocky' won the Oscar for Best Picture so he deserves a lot of credit for bringing one of cinema's most memorable characters to the big screen. I can only hope that he's captured some of that original magic in putting together the latest installment...

Madonna Plays the Hypocrite

Monday, October 17, 2005

Madonna keeps kids from TV and ice cream

The woman who made her living preaching the gospel of freedom and rebellion is one of the strictest parents around. Madonna admits that she takes away her children's clothes if they don't pick them up.

Funny, I don't remember her being so into parental discipline when she was making her millions telling kids to rebel against their parents and question their authority. Isn't it interesting how her tune has changed now that she's the one trying to raise a child.

She won't let her kids watch TV or read magazines. Why? She's made a fortune starring on TV and appearing on the cover of magazines, but they're too evil for her children? What kind of hypocrisy is that?

I just had to laugh at the "Material Girl" finding out what it's like to be the "Maternal Girl" and how far she's willing to go to keep her own children from being exposed to people just like herself...

More Than Meets the Eye With Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is more than a pretty face

Charlize Theron did a nice sit-down with AP to promote her new movie, North County. She faced the inevitable questions about playing "ugly" when she's such an incredibly beautiful woman, and she handled them well. She made an excellent point that people often forget that the job of an actor is to play a role and not just look incredible and glamorous all the time.

I have to applaud her for being willing to take on those roles which far too many actresses shy away from precisely because they aren't given the opportunity to play the glamour queen. She's shown a lot of professional courage in taking on the full variety of roles: not just playing to type as so many actresses tend to do.

I have no doubt that she'll find herself nominated for yet another Best Actress Oscar after this role, and I have yet to see the performance this year from anyone else that was so mind-blowing that she shouldn't be in serious contention to repeat her win for Best Actress in Monster...

Mary-Kate Olsen Leaves School

Friday, October 14, 2005

Mary-Kate Olsen takes break from NY college

Mary-Kate Olsen is "taking a break" from attending NYU "to focus on business."

Yeah right. She's dropping out. This is one of those cases where the denial is more implausible than the truth. Her publicist says she is focusing on running her entertainment company, as if she were needed there to monitor the day-to-day operations. Pulease.

She's got issues, which may be anything from an eating disorder to a drug addiction, and trying to pretend to be a college student isn't in the cards right now. Big deal. Why not just say that she's decided to pursue a different career path or something of the like? Most of Hollywood consists of high school or college dropouts so it's not like there would be any stigma attached if she just admitted the truth.

Whatever, Mary-Kate, I hope you get yourself straightened out. You're wealthy enough that college is just window dressing at this point anyway, so dropping out is meaningless in the greater scheme of things. It's hardly surprising that yet another child star is having problems as she enters into adulthood, but more's the pity when your personal problems are going to prevent you from actually enjoying the millions that you gave up your childhood to generate...

No 'Shame' for Katie Holmes

Katie Now "Shame"-less

In the latest fallout from her pregnancy, Katie Holmes has pulled out of Shame On You, a film in which she was to have co-starred with Dennis Quaid.

Given that the filming was slated to have started in early 2006, it's not an entirely unexpected move. She will have just given birth to her baby or be just about to at about that time, so it's not unreasonable to expect that: a) she won't necessarily be in shape for the part, and b) she will want to spend that time at home rather than on a movie set.

She sounds extremely happy to be an expectant mom, so we're happy she's putting her child and the pregnancy first...

The Simple Life No More

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Fox cancels "The Simple Life"

It was just a matter of time, and the time has come. Fox has pulled the plug on Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's show "The Simple Life." Somehow the protestations that "the show will go on" despite the rift between the two spoiled little rich kids just never rang true. Fox said it planned to hold them to their contracts and make them perform anyway, but without one to play off the other the thrill was gone, and the show would have lacked the chemistry that made it successful in the first place.

The standard "we wish we could have continued it" statement was made, but the truth is that the show was dead in the water. Paris is good enough at generating her own publicity to keep herself in the limelight, but the question now comes: what happens to Nicole?

Daniel Craig is Named New James Bond

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

The name's Bond, Bond who?

You may not know the name, but if you're an Angelina Jolie fan, the odds are that you know his face. He played opposite Jolie in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as the character Alex West. His other roles haven't been nearly as high profile - making him somewhat of a fresh face for the role, perhaps something for which the producers were looking.

The choice of Craig as Bond is going to make the next installments in the James Bond franchise somewhat iffy propositions because he lacks the box office draw of a marquee name like Pierce Brosnan. That being said, I'm sure he's not drawing the same salary that Brosnan commanded so the financial investment won't be as high either.

Now all Bond fans can do is hold their breath and hope producers made the right choice...

Tara Reid Tops List of Party Animals

Katie's dad furious about shotgun wedding

The article leads off with a bit about how Katie Holmes' parents are none too happy about their daughter being pregnant out of wedlock. Shocker! That one's barely news...

The fun part is the gossip bits at the bottom where they talk about In Touch Weekly's list of "The 10 Biggest Party Animals in Hollywood." To no one's surprise, Tara Reid heads the list. As I mentioned in a previous post, Tara wants to be taken seriously as an actress and has been bemoaning her party reputation. The answer then, as it is today, is that if she doesn't like it then there's an easy fix: stop partying! Also on the list - again, not exactly surprises - are Diddy, Paris Hilton and Avril Lavigne. Lavigne seems to be doing her level best to live up to her punk rock star image despite the fact that she initially wanted to go into folk music but only went the pop punk route after realizing that there was no money to be made in folk music.

My guess is that the parties aren't nearly as lively either...

Charlize Theron's Weekend Wedding

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Charlize Theron's weekend wedding?

Nope...not what you're thinking. One of Hollywood's most eligible bachelorette, Charlize Theron, is still single....take a deep breath, guys - it's not over yet.

But her mom no longer is. A couple of tabloids were fooled into thinking it was Charlize getting hitched, but in fact it was Charlize giving away her mother at a wedding over the weekend.

As the article points out, Charlize says marriage is "not her thing" so keep your fingers crossed, guys...all hope is not lost...

Is Eminem Over?

Eminem's Curtain Call

Eminem is set to release a greatest hits album on December 6 which is suggestively titled "Curtain Call."

Could this indeed be the end of Eminem's career as a recording artist? My guess is that, for the most part, the answer is yes. I'm sure he'll continue as a producer and may appear on someone else's songs here and there, but as a solo artist his career has probably run its course.

I know he has a lot of fans, but he has always struck me as a Dr. Dre sponsored Vanilla Ice. Did he grow up poor? Sure, but so have a lot of people and his life story is no more compelling than that of a million other people if you look at it objectively. Every bit of "street cred" he ever got came directly from Dre without whom no one would have ever taken him seriously. He should build a shrine to Dre in his house...

To give him credit, he parlayed a talent for trashing people he never knew who never did him any wrong for no particular reason (see his multiple songs insulting fellow celebrities) into a multi-million dollar career. But that just shows an ability to be unnecessarily cruel, it doesn't show any particular talent other than for self-promotion.

But he's being smart and getting out while he's on top. Hopefully, he'll get himself straight, off the pills, and be able to be successful as a producer because his time to get off the stage has come...

Britney Spears' Bra No More

Monday, October 10, 2005

Britney pulls bra from eBay

First it was pulled for violating the eBay policy on selling used underwear - a decision which was reversed because it was determined that it was more a piece of entertainment memorabilia than just a regular old used bra. Now Britney Spears herself has pulled the bra that was to be auctioned to benefit Katrina victims off the market.

There appears to be some confusion over which bra it is. Apparently many thought it was the one she wore onstage, but it turns out that it isn't. Evidently it was just one that she wore during a promotion for the concert special, not during the special itself meaning that it would be worth far less in terms of actual memorabilia value. It doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of fans who wouldn't bid large dollar figures for pretty much any piece of Britney's undergarments, but because the memorabilia value isn't there any more it probably fell back under the original eBay policy. My guess is that eBay probably said as much privately to her, so she decided to remove it from auction rather than have it removed.

My question: why not just write a check, Britney? $60,000 wouldn't even be missed from those enormous bank balances of yours, and then you wouldn't have to experience these repeated public embarrassments over a piece of your underwear. I really do wonder sometimes if you have any adults in charge over there...

Madonna in Religous Controversy Again...Try Not to Yawn...

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Some rabbis criticize new Madonna song

Years after "Like a Prayer" got her in trouble with Roman Catholics, Madonna is finding herself in trouble with Kabbalist rabbis over her lastest album. A song on the album entitled Isaac is about a Jewish mystic who has been dead for 500 years. The anger comes from a violation of Jewish law which prohibits the use of the name of a holy rabbi for profit which she is clearly doing.

Personally I think it's just a PR stunt to boost album sales when the album is released. Don't get me wrong: I think the rabbis are genuinely upset, that isn't the "stunt" part. The stunt is from including the song in the first place. As a long-time student, she had to know the proscription against doing it and that it would earn her condemnation within the Kabbalah community. But when you've been out of the game for several years, how do you build buzz for yet another dance album? By generating buzz in the press the same way she always has: by making religious groups angry at her.

I don't think this one is going to work for her though. Kabbalah is too obscure with too few followers to generate enough momentum to make a huge difference in the sales numbers. And times have changed in the intervening years since "Like a Prayer," it's no longer unusual to have a musician take a potshot at a religion: in fact, some artists have made entire careers out of it.

Time for a new shtick, Madonna: this one's not going to work any more...

Ashlee Simpson Sings....Really!

A Year later, Ashlee 'Sings' Again On SNL

The entire Simpson clan must be breathing a huge sigh of relief after Ashlee Simpson returned to the scene of the crime on Saturday Night Live to sing last night. SNL promised no trickery, and she apparently did so successfully twice without any backing tracks.

As another article on the subject said, if nothing else, it proves she's got guts...

Reese Witherspoon Paparazzi Charged

Photog charged over Witherspoon incident

Good. At least one of these guys is going to face charges for his behavior in trying to get a photograph of Reese Witherspoon and her children at DisneyLand.

Added details have come out about the guy: he's an ex-con who did 4 years for burglary. Hmm...any wonder that he chose to make a living stalking celebrities?

He'll probably get some slap on the wrist, but I hope one of these days that prosecutors will take this kind of overzealous behavior seriously. Today it's an inconvenience and an occasional bruise, but these people will wind up getting someone killed if they're not reined in one way or the other...

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to Go Silent?

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Silent Scientology birth for Tom and Katie?

Speculation is running rampant about how Katie Holmes will deliver the baby she has conceived with Tom Cruise. Will she follow the Scientology principles or not?

The article has better detail about the whole "silent birth" process that Scientology prescribes, but it also points out that there are religious procedures for the first week of the baby's life that prohibit medical testing or talking. Personally I have to say that if they take it to that extreme then they're foolish bordering on stupid.

Whether there is music or Katie is "allowed" to make noise during delivery doesn't have any health implications for the child that I can see, but no medical testing of the baby? In this day and age, that's just dumb. What if the baby isn't completely healthy and requires medical attention? Are they willing to sacrifice the long-term health, or even survival, of their child for their religion? That's ridiculous.

I found it interesting that fellow Scientologists Kelly Preston and John Travolta were all ready to go with their religion until - literally - push came to shove, and then the principles went right out the window when she started talking and asking for drugs. Hey, I don't blame Kelly here, I blame the Scientology for even prescribing this kind of nonsense in the first place. Hey woman, endure the worst pain imaginable and just shut up about it, would you! I mean, c'mon...

Sometimes religion goes too far, and I hope that Katie and Tom use some common sense about applying theirs to their child...

Jessica Biel the Sexiest Woman Alive

Friday, October 07, 2005

Jessica Biel named "Sexiest woman alive"

Esquire magazine has named Jessica Biel as its "Sexiest Woman Alive." It also breaks down its' sexy women by age group with Gong Li taking top honors for the 30-somethings, Sharon Stone for the 40-somethings, and Rene Russo for the 50-plus crowd.

I only have one quibble with these sorts of lists: they only include famous women. Somewhere walking the streets of an unknown city there is a woman with more sex appeal than any of these women but we don't know her name. I just think they should have a little more honesty and say "Sexiest Female Celebrity Alive" or something like that. I know it's being picky, but I said from the start it was just a quibble...

Who's on your personal list of "Sexiest Female Celebrity"?

Wesley Snipes Not the Daddy

DNA exonerates Snipes in paternity suit

This case was ridiculous from the get-go. A crackhead from Chicago claimed that Wesley Snipes was the father of her baby. Her story never made sense in the first place, and it was hardly the first claim she had made against celebrities.

The fact that the city of New York even took her seriously, let alone pursued him to the extreme that it did, is ridiculous. He has filed a lawsuit against them, and I hope he prevails. Maybe if they lose, the next time a crackhead makes some outrageous claim they'll pursue reality instead of headlines...

Britney Spears Raising Two Babies

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Is Britney's husband acting like a baby?

Shocker! Britney Spears is complaining that loser husband Kevin Federline isn't being helpful with the baby. After walking out during her pregnancy, why is anyone surprised that he isn't acting like a father should after she gives birth?

I'm going to give odds on a separation or divorce within the next six months at 5 to 1....Any takers?

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes...and a Baby

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes expecting

This is certainly headline news. The much publicized romance between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes has taken an unexpected turn with the announcement that she is expecting a child.

This will be Tom's third child, but Katie's first. Since I'm guessing that they're not planning on having the child out of wedlock, let the games begin on betting on a wedding date for the couple...

Kevin has a little James

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Kevin James and wife welcome birth of daughter

Once again, we extend congratulations to another celebrity on the birth of a new baby. Kevin James and his wife, Steffania, gave birth to a healthy baby girl they have name Sienna-Marie on Friday.

Congrats to the family for a healthy birth and for giving the child a reasonable name...

Lindsay Lohan Hurt in Accident Avoiding Paparazzi

Lindsay Lohan involved in traffic accident

Here we go again...Lindsay Lohan received minor injuries when she was involved in an accident while trying to get away from paparazzi.

When does it end? Do we have to experience our own Princess Diana incident where a celebrity actually dies before something is done about out of control paparazzi? Just because they have a camera doesn't entitle them to endanger either the celebrities they're stalking or other innocent motorists with their reckless behavior.

This is way out of hand and something needs to be done to put a stop to it....NOW....

Nicolas Has a New Baby Cage: Kal-el

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Baby boy for actor Cage and wife

Hearty congrats to Nicolas Cage and his wife, Alice Kim, on the healthy birth of their bouncing baby boy, Kal-el.

Now Kal-el might seem like an odd name to you, because it certainly did to me. The article explains that it's the given name of Superman on his home planet of Krypton.

...Umm...Well...the best thing I can say about that is that it certainly gives the boy a lofty name to live up to...

Sharon Stone Doesn't Condemn Kate Moss

Sharon Stone defends Moss in cocaine scandal

USA Today is making hay out of Sharon Stone "defending" Kate Moss. First, she didn't "defend" Moss: she simply said that people make mistakes which is pretty much just stating the obvious. "Defending" Moss would consist of excusing or condoning her drug habit which, unless they left out the relevant quote, she didn't do.

What Stone did was act with some class in refusing to throw stones at another celebrity. It's not her position as an actress or spokesmodel to do that [leave that to us professional pundit-types :)]. The purpose of the conference was to promote her as the new face of Christian Dior skin care - to which USA Today devoted an entire picture caption. Whoa! Way to get the story straight, guys...

This is a non-story with a misleading headline....

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston Put Up the 'For Sale' Sign

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston sell Beverly Hills estate

Got $28 million burning a hole in your pocket? If so, then perhaps you might consider investing in the former home of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt.

It's got its own screening room, pub, art studio, and the mandatory pool, of course. And you can't beat Brazilian mahogany floors for shuffling around on at midnight in your barefeet. I mean, what's not to love? If you're going to let a little thing not having that kind of cash lying around stop you...well...it's your loss...

They bought it for $13.5 million in 2001 which would mean doubling their money in the span of 4 years. Not too shabby at all...

Fantasia Tells Sob Story

Fantasia reveals she can't read

Am I supposed to feel sympathy for her? I certainly hope that isn't the reaction I'm supposed to be having, because it's certainly not the one I'm experiencing.

She lays the blame at an alleged rape in the 9th grade which caused her to eventually drop out of school. I'm not buying it. First, there's no excuse not to know how to read by 9th grade. Everyone wants to blame teachers, but if you can't read by the time you're a teenager then you have only yourself to blame. Not every teacher is great, but there are enough that if she had made a single attempt at trying then she could have learned to read. There are plenty of stories about immigrants learning the language from watching television. And I'm supposed to believe that she was incapable of doing the same?

Second, what did she do with her life after dropping out? The reality is that most dropouts do so because they're too lazy to go to school. What did she do with her waking hours throughout her teenage years? My guess is that the truth wouldn't exactly cast her in a favorable light, since it obviously wasn't spent trying to better herself.

She's telling stories trying to sell her memoirs. The fact that a 21 year old has the nerve to sell memoirs is laughable to me. Call me back when you've actually lived life for a while...

Flight Attendants Whine About Jodie Foster's 'Flightplan'

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Attendants Object To 'Flightplan'

(Fair warning: The linked article contains a plot spoiler, so if you're planning on seeing the movie, just stick with the commentary.)

Flight attendants are whining like babies about the plot of Jodie Foster's new movie which they claim is unfair to flight attendants.

Get a grip, "attendants." First, it's a work of fiction. I didn't hear you complain when other professions are portrayed negatively: it's your turn on the hot seat. Get over it. Second, clean up your own house before you complain about "stereotypes." If you've ever boarded a flight, you've had a bad experience with a steward(ess) (I don't care what they call themselves, just because you call a door a window doesn't make it a window no matter how much it may harm the self-esteem of the door). It's a fact of life. There are so many awful people with awful personalities in that profession that it's become a joke. All stereotypes have a kernel of truth in them, and it's no different with flight attendants. If you don't like the stereotypes, then take a positive step to clean up your profession: don't kill the messenger.

Finally, no one cares about your feelings. All putting out press releases telling people not to go see this movie or that does is bring more attention to the movie. You're giving them free publicity. For example, I hadn't been planning on writing about the movie tonight at all: but the whimpering coming from the unions means that a whole lot of people are going to be reading about the movie now. Congratulations. The award for Most Counterproductive Press Release goes to the whining attendant in the corner...

Arnold Schwarzenegger Takes The First Step

Schwarzenegger signs anti-paparazzi law

More than once, I've complained about overly aggressive paparazzi on this blog so I'm happy that Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed the new anti-paparazzi law. The law increases the amount of financial damages for which they can be sued and prohibits them from making money on photographs they take after instigating an incident with a celebrity. It's not as far as I'd like to see the law go, but it's a start...

Needless to say, the paparazzi aren't happy about that and claim that the law can be challenged on constitutional grounds because it imposes harsher penalties on them than on a private citizen. It sure sounds nice, but there are plenty of professions for which there are stiffer penalties when they commit crimes because of the special responsibilities with which they are entrusted. The press always likes to consider themselves above any restraint by citing the First Amendment as some sort of bulletproof shield. Evidently they haven't been paying attention, because the Supreme Court has ruled that there can be reasonable restrictions placed on the First Amendment. Just like you can't shout 'Fire' in a crowded auditorium, it's not unreasonable to force paparazzi to behave like human beings.

In many states there are laws that prevent felons from profiting from their crimes, so why is it so unreasonable to prevent paparazzi from provoking celebrities into some sort of response and then making a bundle from selling the pictures of that response? If I keep poking you in the chest, should I get to make a profit when you finally get fed up and take a swing at me? Of course not.

Listen up all you paparazzi: no one's saying you can't make a living but it's your own outrageous behavior and unwillingness to police yourselves that brings this on. Rest assured that if it continues, it won't be the last restriction you see placed on you either. Clean up your act, and you won't have anything to worry about...

Paris Hilton Calls It Off

Paris Hilton nixes engagement to Greek fiance

This one doesn't even qualify as a surprise. Paris Hilton has broken off her engagement to Paris Latsis.

Back in August, I posted a bit about his father saying that Latsis had never mentioned any engagement to his family, that he didn't control enough wealth to have purchased the engagement ring, and that the father had never heard about what Kathy and Paris Hilton were claiming was an imminent trip to meet his family.

Obviously, something was fishy there at the time, and now we know what it is: Dad was telling the truth but the Hiltons weren't.

Now Paris Hilton is claiming that she is calling it off. Yeah right. All that means is that she has given up the pretense that there was ever going to be a marriage in the first place.

Especially in light of how things have turned out, it's quite apparent that there never was a real engagement: marriages between fabulously wealthy people are as much transactions with vast financial implications as they are about love. For no one in his family to have been made aware of it tells me that this was all some sort of game that the Hilton women were playing on everyone.

When it comes to sinking to new depths to further her celebrity, Paris Hilton certainly never disappoints...What's next? A fake pregnancy? Don't be surprised...

Tara Reid Kills the Messenger

Friday, September 30, 2005

Tara Reid laments wild girl rep

This is rich. Tara Reid is complaining that the media is giving her a bad image. Umm...Tara...they're only reporting what you're doing. If you don't like having that image in the press, then the best course of action isn't to attack the media. The best course is to stop doing it.

If you don't want to be known as a party girl, don't go out to clubs and get so hammered that you can't see straight. Don't show up to events and be so out of it that you don't have a clue when your dress falls half off your body. There's a long list of do's and don't's but they all boil down to showing some common sense about when and where to let your hair down.

Then she goes on to say that she needs a great movie role for people to change their opinion of her. Here's a clue: producers and directors are not going to risk their multi-million dollar investment on a party girl. In order to get that primo role you claim to want, you're going to have to chill on the lifestyle. In every life, we have choices to make, and there are consequences for every choice whether we like it or not.

You have every right to party as much as you want to, but by the same token, people have an equal right to draw whatever conclusion they want to about your behavior. Freedom is a double-edged sword and if you want to stop getting cut by it then exercise some judgment instead...

Kate Moss in Rehab....Again...

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Kate Moss in rehab clinic - Sep 29, 2005

Well Kate Moss has taken the PR people's advice and checked herself into rehab. Is there any chance it will work this time when it hasn't before? Nope...

Recovering from addiction is about more than just getting the drugs out of your system, it's about changing your environment. She hasn't indicated any willingness to give up hanging around the other drug abusers within her circle of friends (or even her drug-abusing boyfriend), and without that she will end up using again because she's already shown she doesn't have the desire or ability to resist the temptation.

It makes for good PR, but the reality is that she isn't making a real attempt at cleaning up her act. She's playing the game like she's done time and time before: hoping that a stint in a rehab clinic will clean up her image. Amazingly enough, there are already companies getting in line to sign her up...

The more things change, the more they stay the same...It just proves that the industry doesn't take it any more seriously than she does...

Quack Uses Hindsight to Foretell Aniston and Pitt Break-Up

Gray: Aniston, Pitt 'didn't have a chance'

John Gray, the supposed relationship expert, has brilliantly predicted that Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt will have marital difficulties. He's such an expert that he couldn't hold his own marriage together, but now he's some sort of expert on other people's relationships. I'm not the only one who thinks he's a quack: other people have done the research...

Where was he before they got married? I didn't hear him making any such comments beforehand, so his opinion that they "had very little chance of lasting" is Monday-morning quarterbacking at its worst.

Now he's predicting that Pitt and Angelina Jolie have little hope of succeeding. Given his track record, that may translate into a 20- or 30-year marriage....

Jennifer Garner Slips a 'She' Baby

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Garner inadvertently reveals baby's sex

It looks like Jennifer Garner slipped up on The Tonight Show and called her baby "she" - perhaps accidentally revealing the sex of the baby she is having with new hubby Ben Affleck.

Given her reaction, it's probable that the baby is indeed a girl; however, don't put it past her to have engaged in a little Hollywood misdirection...She IS an actress after all...

Commander in Chief - Chiefly Moronic

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

I just turned off Geena Davis' new show Commander in Chief because it was simply awful. I couldn't watch it any longer.

The premise is ridiculous. A Republican president picks an independent as a vice-president? It would never happen, any more than a Democrat would pick one. Vice presidents are party loyalists, so the concept of a vice president who is so diametrically opposed to the president's view is simply beyond the realm of possibility.

It's an obvious stalking horse for Hilary Clinton's pending run for the presidency and not entertainment in any way shape or form. I'm sure it'll have a following amongst her political supporters, but the stereotypes of Republicans as evil are way over the top and could only have come from die-hard Democrats - not the independent that Geena Davis is supposed to be portraying. It couldn't be more thinly disguised propaganda than if they were running commercials for Hilary at every break.

A show with the premise of a first woman president had potential: it's too bad that the show's producers were less interested in entertainment than in pushing their political agenda. I won't be tuning back in, and I'll be surprised if the show lasts the season.

Bruce Willis Says No to Kabbalah

Willis wants kids kept away from Kabbalah

Bruce Willis is an understanding ex-husband - even going so far as to attend ex-wife Demi Moore's recent marriage to Ashton Kutcher. But he draws the line at drawing his kids into Kabbalah - forbidding her from bringing their kids to the Kabbalah Centre - perhaps the real reason that the marriage didn't take place there.

Although Kabbalah has roots going back centuries, it has become a trendy religion amongst celebrities trying to show people just how "deep" they are underneath all the glitz and glamour with recent adherents such as Madonna and wannabe-Kabbalist Britney Spears. But I put it into the same realm as Scientology which has gained so much recent press because of celebrity followers such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

I don't know much about either "religion," but neither has received widespread acceptance anywhere outside of show business and that should be warning enough for normal folks to stay away from it. It's hard for me to believe that any worthwhile religion is the exclusive territory of the idle rich with their notoriously shallow "values." Both strike me as simply the "in" thing to do that will eventually find themselves alongside the hula hoop and the pet rock as momentary trends that lacked any lasting intrinsic value.

Good for Bruce for putting his foot down and preventing his kids from being swept up in it...