Criss Angel: How Britney’s Performance Was Supposed to Turn Out



If magic man Criss Angel had his way, Britney Spears‘ 2007 VMAs Performance would have turned out much, much, much differently.

The L.A. Times recently spoke with the 40-year-old magician to hear his original ideas for Britney’s VMAs performance. Here’s what he said:

“With Britney I presented concepts to create, within her performance, illusions that would happen in the open. You would see Britney and then she would split into two Britneys and then four Britneys with no boxes or covers. It would just be a visual effect using no screens. People in the past have used the art of magic in music performances but mostly in a cheesy way. Magic has not kept up with popular culture and technology.

“Other things I wanted to do with her was to literally transform her into birds and then for her to reappear in the audience. I also thought of having her levitate over the audience. It was going to be really visual moments that were all epic tableaux that were beautiful, artistic, elegant and, most important, unique — things MTV hasn’t seen in music. I wanted to captivate people in the moment. That was the essence of what I wanted to do with the Britney performance, because I think the performance she did with the snake was a highlight of her career and I wanted to trump that and I thought we had it.”

So, what happened?

“Britney is really strong with her own ideas. And what I had planned wasn’t an easy thing to do and would have required a lot of rehearsals. Ultimately, I told her I needed 100% commitment or I wasn’t going to be able to do this. I told her that, ‘You have to feel comfortable.’ So, we explored it and she decided it wasn’t for her, and I completely understand.”

Sounds like it would have been an unforgettable performance to see Britney split herself into four. Not that her actual performance wasn’t unforgettable to begin with! If only Britney gave it her all…

Happy 34th Birthday, Melanie Chisholm



Melanie Chisholm, aka Sporty Spice, celebrated her 34th birthday today. Read up on her birthday treat from The Spice Girls’ latest blog entry:

“Birthday girl Melanie C got a surprise on stage at London’s O2 Arena this evening when, just after they had finished singing Mama, the girls were joined on stage by the Spice dancers and asked the entire audience to sing Happy Birthday.

Meanwhile, a huge chocolate cake came up through the stage floor, bearing the message “Happy Birthday Melanie” in icing and topped with a trademark pair of Sporty trainers.

Melanie was thrilled to share the special night with her family, including her mum and dad, who were in the audience at The O2 to watch The Return Of The Spice Girls show. It has truly been a Spice birthday to remember.”

Happy Birthday, Melanie C!

Clay Aiken VS. Newsweek



Clay Aiken makes his Broadway debut next week in "Spamalot." Although he didn't win "American Idol"--he finished second place on the second season of the show--he's among the show's most successful contestants (his debut CD, "Measure of a Man," sold more than 600,000 copies in a single week). And his groupies are so loyal, they've banded together online and call themselves the Claymates. In person, Aiken is chatty and witty, until you start asking him questions about his personal life, including his fight last year with Kelly Ripa while he was a guest host on "Regis and Kelly." As a joke, Aiken covered Ripa's mouth with his hand to quiet her, prompting Ripa to make a joke ("I don't know where that hand's been, honey!") that Rosie O'Donnell called homophobic--a strange thing to say, since Aiken says he's straight. Aiken spoke to NEWSWEEK's Ramin
Setoodeh. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: How's the "Spamalot" rehearsing going?
Clay Aiken: I'm sore. I couldn't even get off the toilet the other day. It hurts so bad. I don't know if it's I'm not coordinated or using muscles I never had to use before.

Like what?
My legs. Having to remember three, four, five [taps feet]. I can't move and think at the same time.

Did you know your socks don't match?
I have a bunch of striped socks. It's too difficult to match them, so now I just pick up two in the morning. Even if I wear a tux to an awards show, the socks never match.

Stay away from Joan Rivers.
Well, she probably doesn't like me. I don't have style.

Who helps you?
It's a team of highly trained professionals [who] make me look halfway decent every day. It's pretty sad I can't dress myself still at 30 years old.

Is that really how old you are?
No, I'm 29. But I feel old enough to call myself 30.

Did you ever do musical theater?
I was cut from my high-school musical, "Guys and Dolls."

What role?
Anything. Dancing bush would've been fine. But I didn't even get it.

Why did you decide to do Broadway?
I'd been asked a number of times to do this show or that show. A lot of people saw it as a good match--I'm starting to realize maybe it wasn't--and I always had something else to do. I think the thing that attracted me to this show is how different it was and anti-Broadway it is. I barely sing. They've written some new parts for me to sing a little. But it gives me the opportunity to try different things.

Have you seen "Spamalot"?
The first time I saw it I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life. My tour drummer is the "Spamalot" drummer, and [he] said you've got to see it again.

Are you a Python fan?
I thought Monty Python was a person until three months ago.

Do you think the Claymates will come see you?
They'll be there in full force. I hope they behave.

Are they rowdy?
Sometimes. They scare me every once in a while.

Do women throw their underwear on stage?
In Minneapolis, we had a lady throw her panties in the middle of "Silent Night." I'm like, Are you kidding me? We've had ladies throw Depends that say, "Your older fans love you, too."

How did you get into a fight with that lady on a plane?
I'm not going to talk about it.

I was just curious because you've never talked about it.
I did talk about it.

What about the Kelly Ripa thing?
I'm not going to discuss it.

Did you think it was homophobic?
I'm not going to discuss it.

What do you want to talk about?
I think we're done.

Can we talk about something fun?
No, we're done. I thought NEWSWEEK would be more reputable. I'm surprised.

But I think people are curious about it.
It was a year ago. This is NEWSWEEK. It's not the National Enquirer. I'd hate to have a job where I had to be rude to people.


We're just having a conversation.
Change the subject! I'd never take a job where I had to do something that I didn't want to do.

What about all those Ford commercials on "American Idol"?
That wasn't a job.

It was part of your job.
It wasn't a Ford commercial. It was a music video. It was a completely different thing.


I'll change the subject. What do you do for fun?
I watch the news. I read news magazines, but I'm reconsidering that now.


Are you going to watch "Idol"?
I haven't watched since season four. I compare it to high-school football--if it weren't for high school, we wouldn't be successful, but I don't need to keep going to the football games.

Keira Knightley & James McAvoy Do ‘W Magazine’



Spoken in true Chandler Bing-fashion, “Could they BE any hotter?”

Keira Knightley and James McAvoy are not only featured on this week’s cover of Entertainment Weekly, the Atonement costars are heating up the pages of W Magazine in their February 2008 issue. Interview snippets below!

Keira on the things written about her in years past including anorexia and breaking the heart of her ex-boyfriend, model Jamie Dornan: “It’s like having piles of s— put on your head. As a teenager you put enough on yourself. You’re a spotty emotional wreck whose body is changing, and you’re just not equipped to deal with that sort of thing.”

James (half kidding) on feeling a bit more pressure acting. “I won’t lie and say that I’m completely unfazed by it all. I am fazed by it all. I want the movie to do really well, and I want it to win lots of Oscars and BAFTAs, and I want it to win the adulation of every single member of the human race. But at the same time I would hate to think that any of us should feel any less proud simply because it didn’t garner lots of awards. So it’s a strange conflict. There’s a part of me that wants to forget all of these things, and there’s a part of me that can’t.”



Keira on growing up fast for her acting career, but not in real-life: “From a very young age I realized that you didn’t get parts if you acted like a child. So even at seven I remember picking a way to behave, a way that worked. Though in my personal life I don’t think I’m particularly mature. I don’t particularly want to be mature! [My London apartment] always looked very transient. We were sitting on folding chairs.”



James on working with Keira: “She has smelly feet! I’m just kidding. Please don’t put that in.”

Albino Wino Lets Her Hair Down



So that's what it looks like!!!

Hmmm…..

Thoughts??????????

A Message From Xtina



New mom Christina Aguilera just posted the above graphic on her official website, giving us details about her happy baby news. He was born Saturday; not Friday. And we have an official name!

She also posted the below message and video:

"Dear fans,

Today is a very joyful and special day for Jordan and I as we welcome our first son into this world.

In honor of our love for each other and our growing family, I have put together a special video for the song "Save Me From Myself" off my Back to Basics album. This video is very dear to me as it includes actual footage from our personal wedding video!

Just a little something to say "thank you" for your undying love and support. It is in no small part because of you that I live such a blessed and wonderful life!

Please download and enjoy…

With all my love,

Christina"

Sheriffs to Brit -- Good Luck Getting Into Court!



Law enforcement sources tell TMZ if Britney arrives at the courthouse tomorrow -- she's on her own. The Sheriff's Dept. has had it with her.

Sources tell us Britney has been "totally uncooperative" with the Sheriff's Department -- she had never worked with deputies by giving them information as to when she'll show, etc. We're told the Sheriff's Department has thrown up its hands and has no plans to assist her in getting in the building tomorrow. She'll have to find her own parking and navigate her way through the media crush.

Our sources say, however, if Britney works with her lawyer and the attorney drives her to court, they would be open to dealing with the lawyer to arrange her passage into the courthouse -- but that will be last-minute.


Lawyers to Brit: Honey, You Gotta Show for This



Sources connected with the custody case tell TMZ Britney Spears has been strongly urged to attend tomorrow's hearing. We're told her lawyers know if she doesn't show, it will be curtains -- at least in the short term.

Sources tell us Brit's lawyers know Commissioner Scott Gordon expects Britney to address a number of issues surrounding the craziness at her home a week ago Thursday. In particular, commissioner Gordon wants Brit to explain why she violated the custody order by not turning the kids over to K-Fed's security guard at 7:00 that evening. The commissioner is also keenly interested in Britney's behavior that caused her to be placed on a 5150 hold at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Britney's lawyers know if she does not attend tomorrow's hearing, the Commish almost certainly will extend the ban on visitation until the April trial.

The wild card, of course, is Britney herself. She hates appearing in court and it's certainly possibly she'll be a no show on Monday. TMZ will stream live video at the courthouse tomorrow, so watch and see if Brit appears!

When Bjork Attacks!



Don't mess with Bjork. She'll fcuk you up!

The temperamental star has done it again!

Upon arriving at the airport in Auckland, New Zealand, on Sunday, the singer was snapped by a local paparazzo. Well, she was having none of that and beat the shit out of him.

Photographer Glenn Jeffrey claims:

"I took a couple of pictures … and as I turned and walked away she came up behind me, grabbed the back of my black skivvy (T-shirt) and tore it."

"As she did this, she fell over, she fell to the ground. At no stage did I touch her or speak with her."

Bjork said nothing throughout the incident but her male companion was saying: "'B, don't do this, B, don't do this."

Ooops, well she did it. Again.

Cuz she can. That's just how she rolls!

[Image via WENN.]

Enjoying The Single Life



Natalie Imbruglia is not letting her divorce from Silverchair rocker Daniel Johns get her down.

The Australian singer has popped up in LA, and she's ready for a good time!

Natalie hit some of the clubs in Hollywood on Saturday night and had some fun with friends.

Looking good!

[Image by DEN via Fame Pictures.]

Blame Jessica



Season over!

The Dallas Cowboys are out of the playoff.

The New York Gians proceed.

Tony Romo can go cry into Jessica Simpson's boobs.

[Image via WENN.]

People's This Week's 10 Best Celeb Quotes

"She's welcome to call me anytime."
– Simon Cowell, offering to give career advice to Britney Spears

"She'll be a tall mother."
– George Clooney, on the kind of mother pal Nicole Kidman will be, to PEOPLE


"I do still feel like I'm 20 sometimes. And, sadly, I probably am in certain areas."
– Vince Vaughn, on his child-like personality, to Parade

"I want to stay pregnant forever."
– Halle Berry, on the unexpected benefits of pregnancy, to In Style

"I call myself the Dairy Queen."
– Elisabeth Hasselbeck, on her two-month old son's eating habits, on her first day back at The View

"He looks like a child with a lot of makeup."
– Jessica Alba, on meeting Zac Efron at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards (where they both won hottie of the year), to Elle


"I kind of feel like everybody knew anyway. I was on tour with a bubble gut!"
– Jennifer Lopez, on keeping quiet about her pregnancy, to Harper's Bazaar

"Who ever is elected president, if you can pass an act in Congress banning glitter, you would get my vote."
– Ellen DeGeneres, taking on a new cause


"I could never compete with Sarah Silverman. I will never be able to say the word vagina as many times as she can."
– Rainn Wilson, on taking over hosting duties of the Independent Spirit Awards, to Entertainment Weekly

"She's the epitome of evil."
– Donald Trump, on Celebrity Apprentice villainess Omarosa, on Live with Regis and Kelly

Janice Dickinson on Britney Spears: 'I'd Slap Her Silly'





The always outspoken Janice Dickinson sat down with Access Hollywood's Tony Potts and unleashed her thoughts on Britney Spears, Britney's mom and Dr. Phil.

Janice feels in order to get to the root of Britney's problems, Lynne Spears should be held responsible.

"My opinion on Britney Spears, is Mrs. [Lynne] Spears should be jailed. Britney's mom is responsible for all this stuff going on."

As for how Janice would handle Britney?

"I'd slap her silly! I'd slap the living s**t out of her!" Janice told Tony.

After taking a moment to seriously consider the question, Janice told Tony, "I would beg Britney just to give it all up. I would say. 'You're rich enough! Give it up and try to focus on the two boys.' I seriously hope that Britney doesn't kill herself. I seriously hope that she doesn't damage herself."

But Britney and her mother were not the only ones Janice was taking on. As for her thoughts on Dr. Phil, "I think Dr. Phil is pathetic. Pathetic sensationalism," she tells Access.

Janice has faced her own set of demons. Now in recovery, Janice has had multiple stints in rehab. She credits the Alcoholic Anonymous Twelve Step program with saving her life.

"I am an alcoholic and a chemically dependent person, says Janice. "I would just beg Britney to try to find a twelve-step program for her that works, because, like [with] myself, it can happen again and again until you finally find it. Thank God I found it."

Janice and all her antics can be seen Tuesdays on Oxygen on "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency."

The Golden Globe Winners



Cecil B. DeMille Award
Steven Spielberg

Comedy Series
Extras

Best Actress Motion Picture/Drama
Julie Christie - Away from Her

Best Original Score/ Motion Picture
Atonement

Best Actress Tv Comedy Series
Tina Fey - 30 Rock

Best Director Motion Picture
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly

Best Actor Motion Picture Musical/Comedy
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd

Motion Picture Musical/Comedy
Sweeney Todd

Best Foreign Language Film
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly - USA

Best TV Series Drama
Mad Men

Best Actor Motion Picture/Drama
Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Best Motion Picture/Drama
Atonement

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I'm Not There

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Guaranteed" – Into The Wild

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Glenn Close – Damages

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jeremy Piven – Entourage

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy
Marion Cotillard - 'La Vie En Rose'

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem - No Country For Old Men

Best Animated Feature Film
Ratatouille

Best Actor - Television Drama
John Hamm - Mad Men

Best Actor - Television Musical/Comedy
David Duchovny - Californication

Best Mini-Series - Television
Longford

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture - Television
Queen Latifah - Life Support

Best Supporting Actress - Television
Samantha Morton - Longford

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jim Broadbent – Longford

Best Original Score
Atonement

Double The Potter



Good news Muggles!

The final Harry Potter film will be released in two parts.

"There's so much to fit that the view is the last movie should be in two halves," a source tells the Daily Mail.

And that means double the money for the studio!

Britney's Wedding Dress Weekend Before Big Court Hearing



Britney Spears spent her weekend in lots of outfits and with boytoy Adnan Ghalib by her side 24 hours a day. On Saturday she took him car shopping shocking everyone by putting on the same little white lacy number she wore at her wedding reception with Kevin in 2004. Ugh, hopefully their next little jaunt out of LA isn't to Vegas, but it wouldn't be her first time. On Sunday it was more of the same — short shorts, belly shirt, gas station, you know the drill. At least he can help her navigate the paparazzi swarm...because...you know...he is one. Tomorrow morning she better be ready to clean it up a bit, because she has the first custody hearing since having her visitation taken away, and she has been warned that if she doesn't show she won't be seeing her boys. It's Britney, so who knows what she'll do, but she has ignored the sheriff's offer to help her get into court safely. Britney, uncooperative? Stay tuned.

Oh, and one last tidbit on Adnan, the stories persist that he is doing this all to make money off Brit and the newest is that he isn't separated from his wife after all. Bad news bears.

Is. That. Her. Wedding. Dress?



Is Britney Spears wearing the wedding dress she wore at her reception with Kevin Federline? WHAT IS HAPPENING? My wedding dress was very BIG so there is zero reuse value in it. I kept it so my daughter could play around in it or choose to wear it herself on her big day (hey, a mama can dream). Even if it was something I could reuse, who would do that? Especially if you’ve since divorced the man you married while wearing it. I would freaking use that dress as a rag before I would ever put it on again.

But here is Britney wearing it while on a date with her paparazzo boyfriend who is apparently separated from his wife. Is she just doing this to mess with us because there were reports last night that she was secretly planning a wedding?



Oh and PS, they are saying she bought him a Mercedes.

nun? no money?



“I did - until my sister told me, ‘You know, Eva, nuns don’t get paid.’ And I said, ‘Forget it!’ I’ve always wanted a better life, financially.”

–Eva Mendes on becoming a nun

Britney's Visitation Suspended "Indefinitely"!!!



The court ruled that there will be no change to Britne Spears' current visitation to her two children on Monday.

In other words, she gets NO visitation.

"This ruling is a result exclusively of what Commisioner Gordon heard and had before him at the end of the court day," a court officer said at a press conference Monday afternoon.

There is another court hearing scheduled for February 19th.

Until then, there is a possibility that Britney could see her kids if her lawyers ask for an emergency hearing before the 19th and a change is made to visitation at that time.

The court officer expressed displeasure with Spears' lack of communication with the sheriff's department.

"The word victory is not something that Mister Federline nor his counsel would ascribe to the result of the court ruling today," said K-Fed's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan at the press conference.

He added, "There is no jouyoys feeling tin this this is grave situation for everyone. At some point, it is Mister Federline's hope to parent the minor children with particiation from the mother."

Five witnesses testified on Monday. They included two LAPD officers, parenting coach Lisa Hacker, court-appointed monitor Pamela Strong, who was present during Spears' meltdown this month, and Lonnie Jones, Brit Brit's former bodyguard.

Britney was not required to be at court on Monday. She showed up but left without entering the courtroom.

If she cared for her kids, she probably would have shown up and done what her lawyers advises!!!

Thankfully the court made the right decision on Monday.

King of All Babies

Yeah, sure, it was a babypalooza last week in L.A., with Nicole and Christina popping out new celebutots -- but the King of them all -- is Kingston Rossdale, tiny rockspawn of Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale.



This kid was seen shopping for his own outfits just after he started walking! Yesterday, he was seen holding court in a park off Mulholland Drive -- and he seems to already turn it on for the paps!

Celebrities Injected into Steroid Scandal

There is a report that 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland, Wyclef Jean and Tyler Perry have all been named in a steroid trafficking scandal that may involve tens of thousands of people. The shots heard 'round the world!



The Times Union of Albany cites information from "several cooperating witnesses" in the investigation, saying, "Blige and other stars were shipped prescribed human growth hormone or steroids -- sometimes under fictitious names -- at hotels, productions studios, private residences, an upscale Manhattan fitness club and through the Long Island office of Michael Diamond, a chiropractor affiliated with the celebrities." Pump it up!

But the article also states, "Law enforcement officials have said they have no evidence in their sprawling multi-state probe that customers, including Blige or other entertainers, violated any laws."

Reps for Tyler Perry had no comment. No other reps have responded.

J.Lo and Manager -- Who Fired Who?

It's all over between Jennifer Lopez and her manager, music biz legend Irving Azoff. Our Azoff sources tell TMZ he just fired J.Lo for being "unprofessional" and for allowing hubby Marc Anthony to "constantly meddle."



The mama-to-be got a letter from Azoff last week, we're told, detailing "in blunt terms" why he was ditching her as a client after less than a year. There was also a "heated phone call" last week between Jenny's handlers and Azoff.

But Lopez's rep tells TMZ stories of a bitter split are completely untrue. The rep says "she let him go on Friday with no drama." As for the letter? Jen's camp has no knowledge of it.

Bean Cancels Wedding With Less Than 24 Hour Notice



She must be livid!

Lord of the Rings actor Sean Bean has called off his wedding to actress Georgina Sutcliffe…. just 24 hours before the couple was due to walk down the aisle.

Look at the bright side: this was to be Bean's FOURTH wedding. Hopefully he wised up! He's 48 years old.

Sean was due to wed 29-year-old Sutcliffe in a low-key ceremony at London's Marylebone Town Hall, but the nuptials were cancelled at the last minute.

The cancellation caught guests by surprise, even the groom-to-be's father, Brian Bean, who says, "I don't know why (it was cancelled). He hasn't said anything to us."

Sutcliffe has dismissed rumours of a fall-out between the pair, insisting the wedding will be rescheduled for a later date.

She says, "So what? We've just rescheduled because of personal issues and work commitments…Sean and I have just got back from Rome and I'm absolutely shattered. He's here with me at the moment. It was a wonderful holiday. We do intend to get married shortly."

The cake and champagne had already been delivered to the wedding venue.

Hope it didn't go to waste!

[Image via WENN.]

Zac Attack
The king of tween proves that he has staying power.

By Simon Dumenco; Photograph by Steven Klein



To begin to understand Zac Efron’s particular strain of viral fame, it helps to stop by your nearest department store, drugstore, or grocery store.

A quick glance will reveal his omnipresence. He’s on gift wrap and party cups and trading cards and lunch boxes. That’s his face inside a pink, heart-shaped locket. On pajamas and night lights, cake decorations and lip balm, backpacks and umbrellas. He’s on the official High School Musical digital camera and the official HSM MP3 player. Lately he’s been leaping for joy alongside his cast mates on Honeycomb cereal boxes to plug the DVD release of High School Musical 2.

That sequel, which aired last summer on the Disney Channel, was the most-watched show in basic-cable history. The original installment—also a made-for-TV movie—set the stage for HSM mania; since its debut on January 20, 2006, it has been seen by a worldwide audience of approximately 200 million. The market-research company Soleil-Media Metrics recently estimated that the HSM franchise has contributed at least $1 billion in profits to the Disney empire.



Although there are technically six leads in High School Musical, Efron, 20, is the breakout star, and the cast member who’s become a prime target for the paparazzi. He alludes to this while we’re cruising around his L.A. neighborhood in his black Audi S6, driving past his bland, ordinary-looking apartment complex. “It annoys my neighbors that the paparazzi take all the parking spots,” he says.

Hilary Doffs Lip-Synching Reports

by Natalie Finn
Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:35:01 PM PST





Hilary Duff's Dignity is intact, her camp says.

The Most Wanted singer is adamantly denying rumors she wasn't all there during a stop on her 2008 Dignity tour in Monterrey, Mexico, this weekend, after footage of the concert, in which she appears to be mouthing words into a microphone, made the Internet rounds.

"She was not lip-synching," Duff's rep said in a statement confirmed by E! News. "It was faulty equipment. There was no sound coming out, but she was singing."

They were relying on locally provided equipment during Saturday's show, the rep said. The mike was accidentally set on mute for a few seconds, after which the problem was solved and Duff's voice carried the day.

The Cinderella Story star does her own singing in concert, her publicist said.

So, spare the comparisons to Ashlee Simpson, Britney Spears and the various popsters who have in the past needed a little electronic enhancement onstage.

Duff has three more stops in Mexico this week, including a show Monday night in Puebla, before moving on to Brazil and Australia.

The 20-year-old former Disney Channel star is slated to return to the big screen this year in the coming-of-age drama Greta, costarring Ellen Burstyn and Evan Ross, in which she plays a headstrong waitress whose family doesn't condone her interracial romance.

Duff has also lent her voice to the self-explanatory animated tale Foodfight!, also due in theaters this year.

Kathy Griffin Takes Aim!



Kathy Griffin has done it again.

In her new stand-up show, which I caught Saturday night at the Kodak in Hollywood, she takes no prisoners. So, who’s she going after this time? Oprah Winfrey, Marie Osmond, Britney Spears and Dr. Phil McGraw, among others. But the self-professed D-list star also hits close to home. She has much to say about her new billionaire boyfriend, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak.

She played three nights at the Kodak. Boldfaced names in the audience included Camryn Manheim, Lauren Conrad, Suzanne Somers, Jackie Collins, Matt Dallas and superagent Kevin Huvane.

Read on for some of a few of my favorite Griffin thoughts, musings and cracks.

Oprah Winfrey: Griffin’s political commentary won’t get her on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, but she did make a good point. “I think Oprah can actually elect the president of the United States,” she said. “I’m telling you, because everyone was like Hillary, Hillary, Hillary, and then, boom, [Barack Obama] wins a white state! I’m like, Oprah does control everything.”

Dr. Phil: Even Britney Spears wants nothing to do with the TV talk-show host, Griffin cracked. “The best part is that Britney—who’s crazy—isn’t crazy enough to talk to Dr. Phil,” she said. “Dr. Phil just walks into her [hospital room], and Britney Spears...just looks at him and is like, 'I’m outta here.' ”

Marie Osmond: Did Osmond really faint on Dancing with the Stars? Griffin believes she was just pulling our leg for some votes. Why? Because Ms. Osmond's first words were, "Oh crap," when she came to. "When you really faint, your first thought is, Did you see my p--sy?” Griffin cracked.

Liza Minnelli: Griffin recently met the legendary diva while they were both playing at the same casino. At one point, it was just the two of them in an elevator. Griffin couldn’t resist asking her about the late, womanizing Chicago choreographer Bob Fosse. “We’re just standing there, and I go, ‘So, did you f--k Fosse?” Griffin remembered. “And she goes, ‘Oh, yeah!’ ”

Patricia Heaton: Griffin said she introduced the ultraliberal Wozniak to the outspoken conservative sitcom star at the Emmys. “Of course, Wozniak doesn’t know who she is, so I have to treat him like my foreign exchange student from Denmark,” Griffin said. “But I can’t resist saying, ‘Oh, Steve, this is Patricia Heaton. She’s a very popular sitcom actress. She was on a show called Everybody Loves Raymond, and she doesn’t believe in evolution. She believes in...creationism.”

And Speaking of the Boyfriend: Griffin can’t believe she’s dating a billionaire who is so green he doesn’t own a jet and drives a Prius. “His favorite restaurant in the world is Bob’s Big Boy in Riverside, [California],” Griffin announced. “My whole life I’m dating guys who could only afford to take me to Bob’s f--king Big Boy. Now this guy’s got a billion bucks, and I’m still sitting at Bob’s Big Boy!”

Brit Nominee Rihanna Shows Some Skin at the Tattoo Parlor



Rihanna was dressed for Summer in January on Sunday when she went out to a LA tattoo parlor in a tank top and shorts to get some new ink. We haven't seen too much of Rihanna lately, and this super casual look is definitely different from her glamorous red carpet style. But Rihanna has ample chances to get into a gown in February, as she just received a nomination in the category of Best International Female Solo Artist at this year's Brit Awards to go with her handful of Grammy nods. Considering the year that she's had, it seems like Rih's chances at getting her hands on some more statues for her mantel look pretty good

Jessica Jinx?

In further sad news, at least for Cowboys fans, it looks like the Jessica Simpson jinx strikes again. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who has been dating Jessica for a few weeks now, thought it would be a great idea to take a vacation with Jessica and her family to Mexico when he prolly should've been training for the playoffs ... and ended up paying the price yesterday. The Cowboys were upset by the New York Giants and ended up losing in the second round of playoff games. With his tail between his legs and a sheepish look on his face ... Romo skulked off the field after the loss and then had to face the music in the press room to try and explain what happened to him:



Romo – who faced widespread criticism for jetting off to Los Cabos, Mexico, last week with new girlfriend Jessica Simpson – lost to the New York Giants Sunday night in a second-round playoff upset. After the game, Romo – who had a mediocre outing, completing just half of his passes and throwing a last-second interception – had no choice but to address the controversy, labeled "Cancungate" in the Dallas press. Asked if he's worried about the fan reaction, Romo said no, insisting, "I'm comfortable in my own skin ... and strong enough in my faith." The Pro Bowler, 27, also defended his decision to spend a few days with Simpson, and some of his fellow teammates, during his off week. "I thought I was making a good decision by not going to Vegas and drinking for two or three days," he explained ... Dallas's star receiver, Terrell Owens – who previously joked that Simpson, 27, was "not a fan favorite" thanks to her effect on the young quarterback's play – defended Romo in a teary post-game outburst. "You guys can point the finger at him and talk about the vacation, but if you do that, it's really unfair," he said, his voice shaking as he continued: "We lost as a team. We lost as a team." Still, Romo seemed to be taking the defeat personally. "It hurts, you know," he admitted. "Remembering all of the things you do to put yourself in the position to succeed. . . . When you don't come through, especially if you're in the quarterback position, it's a really tough pill to swallow. It really is."

For her part, Jessica Simpson was nowhere to be seen in Dallas this weekend ... she opte to stay home in LA, far away from the game. It's a good thing, too. Had she been at the game I'm sure the Dallas faithful would've tarred and feathered her right there on the field. Well, now that Jessica pretty effectively killed the Dallas Cowboys post-season she now has a lot of time to spend hanging out with her football boyfriend ... that is, if he doesn't start to resent her. I wouldn't bank on Jessimo's relationship standing the test of time.

Still the same wacko?
trent

In case you were wondering ... the newly blonde and beehiveless Amy Winehouse is just as batshizz crazy as the normal raven-haired, beehive wearin' version:



The fact that she is able to freak out Kelly Osbourne is very telling. Can someone please explain to me how we as a culture have succumbed to revering the insane? If Amy Winehouse did not have a hit album, she'd prolly be locked away behind bars by now. And yet ... not only is she free to terrorize the streets of London but there are folks that are working really hard to try and get her to the States so that she might perform on the Grammy Awards stage! It's a sad commentary on our times when folks like Amy Winehouse are who we look up to ... wouldn't it be cheaper to just put a homeless person on stage in her stead? I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to find one who has bleeding cuts and is barefoot.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Mon, 14 January 2008



Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman are all now officially (really, really) confirmed to appear in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, according to TVGuide.

Here’s the movie’s premise according to a Disney press release: High School seniors Troy (Efron) and Gabriella (Hudgens) face the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Production for High School Musical 3: Senior Year begins spring 2008 and tentatively will be released on silver screens nationwide on October 8, 2008.

Terminator: I’ll Be Back… Tonight!



Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles helped FOX score the best opening night demo ratings of any new show in three years Sunday night. At least 18.3 million viewers tuned in to watch Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and her son John (Thomas Dekker) run for their lives with the help of their fearless protector Cameron (Summer Glau).



And how hot was Glau????? Sizzling. The series should definitely keep Owain Yeoman around–he was fantastic in Kitchen Confidential and The Nine. It’s too bad those series were so short-lived. Hopefully Terminator can turn that around for him and give him steady work!

Tonight is the second half of the two-part premiere of Termintor. Tune in TONIGHT, Jan. 14 @ 9PM ET/PT on FOX. Don’t miss it! 20+ promo pictures inside of the cast of Terminator…

Gisele’s Versace Ads



Gisele Bundchen shows you why she’s the most paid face and body in the fashion world in Versace’s super colorful Spring/Summer 2008 campaign.

Photographs by Mario Testino.

Keri Russell is Wonder Woman



Keri Russell has been cast as Wonder Woman, according to TV Guide.

Unfortunately, Keri will only be voicing the title role in a straight-to-DVD animated feature from Warner Bros coming to stores in late ‘08/early ‘09. BOO!

James Rousseau: To Make You Mine, Kate Bosworth



British model James Rousseau, aka Kate Bosworth’s boyfriend, is breaking into the music industry!

Rousseau, 27, has unleashed his first release onto the Internets called “To Make You Mine.” According to his MySpace page, “James is about to finish writing for his debut album, and will start recording in April this year.”

Little known facts via Wikipedia: Before his voice broke, James was also head chorister at Abberley Hall Preparatory School in Worcestershire. He taught himself how to play the guitar having already become a reasonable clarinet and saxophone player.

Check out some sample lyrics from his first release:

James Rousseau - “To Make You Mine” Lyrics

I’m lost in thought all the time
You are always on my mind
You rise a light known (?) that I’d seen before
You kept coming back for more

I wonder if you know what you mean to me
Let it overflow over you and me

I will kill a thousand men to make you mine
The blood upon my hands won’t mean a thing
I’m as good as dead without you by my side
I might as well be crucified
You won’t let me in

You put me back on my feet
You paint a smile on every face you make
I try to do the best I can for you
I love the crazy things you do

Check it out at Myspace.com/JamesRousseau.

Patrick Dempsey Versace Ads — NEW!
Mon, 14 January 2008

Peep the new Patrick Dempsey Versace Ads!–the close-up one is the best.



McDreamy at his best!

“I discovered that Patrick is a man who is not afraid to like or even love fashion,” Donatella Versace has said. “He’s got extremely refined taste.”

To check out the Grey’s Anatomy star’s wife Jillian out with their fraternal twin sons, Darby Galen and Sullivan Patrick, 11 months, head over to CBB.

Kate Bosworth For Calvin Klein Jeans

Superman Returns star Kate Bosworth is the new face for Calvin Klein Jeans Spring/Summer 2008!



Bosworth, 25, said, “To be featured in a Calvin Klein Jeans campaign, with its history of iconic imagery, is very exciting for me.”

David Sims photographed the 25-year-old fashionista in L.A. in simple separates - a m.e.t.a.l.lic trench coat, a pair of white jeans.

“She is a true American beauty,” said Kevin Carrigan, creative director of Calvin Klein Jeans. “Her purity of style and sensuality are a perfect match for the natural, clean modernity of the Calvin Klein Jeans line.”

Lauren Conrad Dispels Rumors About Getting The Axe From Teen Vogue





In the world of fashion, one day you're in and the next you're out. As for Lauren Conrad and Teen Vogue, she's out — but by choice.

Though "The Hills" star is no longer with Teen Vogue, she wants her fans to know the rumors of her being fired are not true, according to a report on People.

“No, no, it was a decision I made because I was kind of done,” she told the magazine on Friday at the opening of the Jimmy Choo Flagship store in Beverly Hills. “I’ve been doing it for about two years, so I’m kind of done.”

When contacted by Access Hollywood, MTV had no comment on the report of the firing.

Now that Lauren is no longer with Teen Vogue, what's next for reality star?

“Honestly, I can’t tell you because I haven’t decided yet. I’m looking. I really like working backstage at fashion shows, so I’m looking kind of in production. I love it. It’s like the most amazing high. It’s like the best feeling," she told the magazine.

As for a new man for Lauren in the upcoming new season of her hit MTV show, "I hope so!” she said.

EXCLUSIVE: Gwyneth Paltrow Admitted to New York Hospital



Gwyneth Paltrow was admitted to New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital Monday afternoon, reports Us Weekly.

“She was slumped over in a wheelchair pushed by [husband] Chris Martin,” an eyewitness said. “She looked not well.”

At 6:30 p.m., a bag — labeled "Gwyneth Martin" — from NYC organic home supply store Organics Avenue was delivered.

No word as to why Gwyneth, 35, was hospitalized and her rep was not very helpful, saying, “We are not commenting as it’s a personal matter.”

Get well soon, Gwyn!

K-Fed: I Understand Why People Are Obsessed With Britney and Me



Kevin Federline says his post-marital woes with Britney Spears are just like those of any recently divorced couple.

"Even though everything is so publicized and everybody is looking at it, it's normal for us,” he says in February’s Interview magazine.

“People put it up on this pedestal when it's really the same way that everybody else goes through their stuff, you know? It's not really any different.

“I mean, I could sit down and explain that to people, but they all already know how I feel,” he added. “I think the infatuation with the whole thing is that watching us go through things makes other people feel normal."

Interview’s Stephen Mooallem then asked him whether the fact that people have been watching their lives almost as entertainment has hurt him and Brit.

"That'd be a yes-and-no answer,” Federline replied. “You can't just have everything you want, you know?

I guess that's the way I have to look at it. I'm not completely willing to give in to everything that's been done. But that's the way that things have happened and I'm not that completely upset by it either.

“I've gained a whole lot of stuff I've wanted to do out of it, too. But I don't think it hurt the relationship, and I don't regret letting people in.

“It's flattering that people want to be in,” he continued. “So has it hurt? You know, to an extent it has.

"I mean, you want to have your private life. But I've found a way to do that and deal with everything at the same time. I've had to create my privacy."

Federline — who makes his debut on the CW soap One Tree Hill tonight — recently opened up to Usmagazine.com about life with Sean Preston and Jayden James. (Yesterday, a judge suspended Spears’ visitation rights indefinitely.)

A typical family night “usually watching SpongeBob SquarePants, Cars or whatever the kids are into," he told Us. "I’m much more G-rated than anything else these days!”

Dennis Quaid: My Twins’ Nightmare



Dennis Quaid and his wife Kimberly have spoken out for the first time since their newborn twins were hospitalized following an accidental overdose.

Quaid, 53, told the Los Angeles Times about their ordeal at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where their newborn twins Zoe and Boone were given an overdose of the blood thinner heparin in November.

Dennis on the hospital keeping them in the dark for hours about the potentially fatal medication error: “Our kids could have been dying, and we wouldn’t have been able to come down to the hospital to say goodbye.”

Kimberly on watching in terror as doctors and nurses hovered over their critically ill children: “They were in incubators with cords attached to them and monitors, and you could barely hold them. Every time you’d move them, the alarms would sound. . . . The stress was overwhelming.”

Dennis on the twins appearing to make a full recovery: “We have our babies back, and they seem to be doing great, and they’re just a lot of fun to be with. We really do feel that prayer saved them.”

Dennis on why they plan to start a foundation to promote patient safety: “When you go into a hospital, you become like a child, like an infant in a way. The names of the drugs, we can’t even pronounce. . . . We put complete trust, and we are so vulnerable like a child, innocent and vulnerable in a hospital situation.”

Read the full interview at LATimes.com.

Tom Cruise Scientology Video Outbreak
Tue, 15 January 2008



Here’s a peek into Tom Cruise and his beliefs in Scientology via Gawker. You must watch the video below–it’s definitely making the rounds in the blogosphere.

Basically, Tom goes off on how dedicated he is to being a Scientologist and how he will “not hesitate to put [his] ethics in someone else!” Here are some of the highlights via Us Weekly:

“I think it’s a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist, and it’s something that you have to earn because a Scientologist does… has the ability to create new and better realities and improve conditions. Being a Scientologist, you look at someone and know absolutely that you can help them.

“Being a Scientologist, when you drive past an accident… you know you have to do something about it because you know you’re the only one that can really help.

“But that’s what drives me… I know that we have an opportunity to really help… effectively change people’s lives and I am dedicated to that. I am absolutely, uncompromisingly dedicated to that.

“We have a responsibility.

“We are the authorities on getting people off drugs, we are the authorities on the mind, we are the authorities on improving conditions… we can rehabilitate criminals.

“…We can bring peace and unite cultures…

“Traveling the world and meeting the people that I’ve met, talking with these leaders in various fields, they want help and they are depending on people who know and who can be effective and do it and that’s us. That is our responsibility to do that.

“It is the time now. Now is the time… Being a Scientologist, people are turning to you, so you better know it, you better know it and if you don’t, go and learn it, but don’t pretend you know it. It’s like we’re here to help.

“If you’re a Scientologist, you see life, you see things the way they are, in all its glory, all of its complexity and the more you know as a Scientologist, you don’t become overwhelmed by it.

“Look, I wish the world was a different place. I’d like to go on vacation and go and romp and play and just do that, you know what I mean. That’s what I want it to be. There’s times I’d like to do that, but I can’t because I know I have to do something about it.

“I have to do it because I can’t live with myself if I don’t, and that really is it.

“So it’s our responsibility to educate, create the new reality. We have that responsibility to say, ‘Hey, this is the way it should be done because we do it this way and people are actually getting better.’

“And let’s get it done. Let’s really get it done and have enough love and compassion and toughness that you’re really going to do it and do it right.

“I have to tell you something – it is rough and tumble, and it’s wild and wooly, and it’s a blast, it’s a blast, it really is fun because, dammit, there is nothing better than the going out there and fighting the fight and suddenly you see things are better.

“I want to know that I’ve done everything I could everyday, and I think about those people out there who are depending on us. I think about that and it does make me feel that we’ve got more work. I need more help, get those spectators either in the playing field or out of the arena. Really, that’s how I feel about it.

“I do what I can, and I do it the way I do everything. [laughs] There’s nothing part-of-the way for me.”

Smurfs braced for movie and more females
Monday January 14 3:18 PM ET



Envisaged as secondary characters for a single cartoon album, the blue gnomes widely known as the Smurfs will celebrate their 50th anniversary this year with a movie deal and an invasion of new female characters.

Smurfs -- known in the original Belgian comic strip as Schtroumpfs -- may only be as tall as three apples and do little more than forage for food and mend the village dam, but the business they have created in over 30 languages is put at some $4 billion, generating $5-12 million in royalties per year.

They will mark 50 years with a series of new comic adventures, statuettes, an exhibition at Brussels' cartoon museum, a set of commemorative stamps and, in a reflection of changing times, more females in their mushroom cottage village.

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Blond-haired Smurfette, originally created by evil sorcerer Gargamel to foster jealous rivalry in the community, has been the single love interest for almost every other Smurf for years.

"There have been dramatic changes in socio-cultural values in the past 20 to 25 years," Hendrik Coysman, head of Smurf rights holder IMPS told a news conference on Monday. "One of these is girl empowerment."

"So, there will be a greater female presence in the Smurf village and this will, of course, be a basis for new stories and this will probably turn upside down certain traditional situations within the village."

Nine Culliford, the widow of Belgian cartoonist Peyo who was instrumental in choosing the color blue, argued that her husband Pierre had never been overtly political, but avidly read the newspaper and made his creations address current themes.

Notable among them was the 1973 story of the conflict between northern and southern clans divided by language, echoing the ongoing dispute between Belgium's Dutch-speaking north and French-speaking south.

Thierry Culliford, Peyo's 52-year-old son, argues the Smurfs are otherwise timeless, explaining their continued appeal.

"They live in the Middle Ages ... They don't live in the 50s, 60s, 70s or s so the clothing or their look doesn't change ... After 50 years we see they are still popular with children."

The Smurfs will be brought into the modern age, nonetheless, with a computer-animated 3-D style movie.

IMPS has agreed a deal with Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom. A script is being written and further details are set to follow in the coming weeks.



Coysman also has hopes for a 26-episode series of half-hour shorts to add to the 272 that Hanna-Barbera made in the 1980s to propel the Smurfs around the world.

The 50th anniversary could also mark a return for Johan and Peewit, the characters that first stumbled across the vibrant village and the curious "Smurf" language in "The Magic Flute" cartoon album in October 1958.

R.I.P.



Actor Brad Renfro, who rose to fame in the title role of the 1994 John Grisham flick The Client, has died, the L.A. County Coroner has confirmed to Access Hollywood.

He was 25.

A cause of death is still unknown.

Entertainment Tonight reports that Renfro was found unresponsive by a roommate in an L.A. residence.

He was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to ET.



No signs of foul play or visible injury were detected. The case is under investigation by the coroner's office.

In December 2006, Renfro was charged with attempting to possess heroin following a drug bust involving 14 other people in L.A.

Last June, he was found in violation of his probation after failing to enroll in a drug treatment program, TMZ.com reported.

In 1995, the actor and former child star — who also starred opposite Keira Knightley in the 2005 thriller The Jacket — won The Hollywood Reporter's "Young Star" award.

Zac Efron Has Appendix Removed



Zac Efron was rushed to L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center today after suffering from appendicitis.

"Zac had his appendix removed and is recuperating," his rep tells Us
TMZ.com first reported the news.

The High School Musical star, 20 — who recently dismissed rumors that he is gay — will star in the upcoming film Seventeen and Disney's third installment of High School Musical.

Rosie O’Donnell: Britney Spears Will End up Like Princess Diana



Rosie O’Donnell predicts Britney Spears may wind up just like Princess Diana.

"She will be trying to get away, but they will chase her, just as they chased her into that church yesterday," she blogged of the paparazzi harassing Spears (who is currently dating a paparazzo). "Even her last-minute, folded-hand prayers can’t be kept sacred.

"There were dozens of them, jostling their way into sanctuary, elbowing past each other, just to creep closer to her," she wrote. "Even her last-minute, folded-hand prayers can't be kept sacred."

O’Donnell wrote that Spears never had a normal childhood — and that is why she’s in such a bad state.

"At eight years old, she bravely stood before a microphone. By 17, she had sold 25 million records," O’Donnell said. "Where were the sidewalk-skinned knees, the chalk stained hands, the monkey bars, the passed notes? A Disney set is not a childhood, no matter how many bright colors they use, or how cheerful the script.

"Not a girl, barely even a woman yet, they chased her ... Even Dr. 'Get Real' Phil got in on the action. Unreal."

Before signing off, O’Donnell wrote, "The tunnel is crowded now. There are only inches of separation between vulnerability and disaster."

The entrance to Paris’ Pont d'Alma tunnel was the site of Diana's fatal 1997 car crash.

Matthew McConaughey's Girlfriend Is Pregnant



Matthew McConaughey's girlfriend Camila Alves is pregnant with their first child, the actor has announced.

McConaughey's rep has confirmed the news exclusively to Usmagazine.com.

"My girlfriend Camila and I made a baby together," McConaughey wrote on his site. "its 3 months growin in her womb and all looks healthy and lively so far.

"we are stoked and wowed by this miracle of creation and this gift from God, and so excited for the adventure that will come in raising this child, being a mother and a father, and [shepherding] him or her through this life...

"from moms and dads, to family, to community, it takes the best will and support from everyone to raise the healthiest children we have in society...

"wish us the best, keep us in your prayers, and God bless evolution... thanks for bein fans of me and my work and now this new and miraculous chapter in my life, as me and Camila and our child do our best to just keep livin...

"wow, McConaughey"

Earlier this week the actor revealed to Playboy that he lost his virginity when he was 15.

Janet Jackson’s “Discipline” Album Cover



“Discipline” will be Janet Jackson’s tenth studio album, to be released Feb. 26th.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Janet’s “Feedback” music video.