Jacko Pay$ the Taxman



Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch seems to be quite the money pit.

Wacko reportedly paid a $600,000 Neverland tax bill last week. Finally.

The property has been rumored to be in foreclosure forever!

However, the payment doesn’t cover the $23 million for which Jackson still owes in loans he's taken out against Neverland.

A source claims that the $23 million loan is two weeks past its foreclosure deadline…which means those creditors could take Jacko to court at any time!

Also, there's still no news about an M.J. appearance at this weekend's Grammys.

Don't count on it!

[Image via WENN]

Kirsten Dunst Enters Rehab



Kirsten Dunst has entered rehab, a source close to the actress confirms to PEOPLE.

The Spider-Man star is being treated at the exclusive Cirque Lodge Treatment Center in Utah, the same facility where Lindsay Lohan spent nearly two months and where Eva Mendes recently checked in, according to the source.

"She's not doing well," the source says. "People were pushing her to go in there but there was no intervention… She has been partying hard for a while and I'm sure the Heath Ledger thing put people over the edge."

Adds the source, "She’s been crying a lot lately, a lot built up. …Everybody hits that bottom where you feel [so] scared that that one heavy night of partying can really wake you up. It's good she's getting herself help."

Dunst, 25, who is a regular on the party scene in Los Angeles, was recently seen partying at the Sundance Film Festival where she hung out with Josh Hartnett at Hyde Lounge. Despite reports of erratic behavior at the festival, sources say Dunst was just displaying her usual "care free party girl antics."

"She was in a big group of friends and they were dancing their asses off by their table. They looked like they were having a great time and they were getting pretty crazy," said a source at the time.

However, the following day Dunst failed show up to her own Glamour magazine party. A source at the time said the actress "wasn’t feeling well."

A rep for Dunst could not be reached for comment.

The actress's stay in rehab was first reported by Star magazine.

Out on a Limb

Yo! It's Sylvester Stallone's 61-year-old pumped-up arm!



Believe it or not, Stallone has admitted to using human growth hormone and testosterone to prepare for his role in "Rambo."

Gossip Guys are Out and Proud



It may be called “Gossip Girl”, but it’s the guys who have our undivided attention.

Out Magazine rough houses with the male stars of Gossip Girl on its cover for its March 2008 issue — Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley.

HOT… or HOT?

The Writers’ Strike is OVER



The writers’ strike is finally over. Party time!!!!!!!

“It’s over,” former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner told CNBC. “[The major media companies and the Writers Guild of America] made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It’s going on Saturday to the writers in general.”

The writers, however, could still reject the agreement, but the deal is definitely in motion.

“A deal has been made, and they’ll be back to work very soon,” Eisner added. “I know a deal’s been made. I know it’s over.”

Ashlee Simpson Is "Awesome"



Jessica's little sister usually steers away from the spotlight.

But today, Ashlee's talking to E!'s Daily 10, and we suspect someone's been popping the happy pills (by which we don't mean to imply she's on drugs, abusing drugs or ever taken so much as an aspirin).

When it comes to her dad, Joe, people have the wrong idea about him. "He's so awesome."

And her steady squeeze, Pete Wentz, well, "He's an awesome supportive boyfriend."

In fact, nothing gets Ash down. Not even that infamous SNL incident, because the exposure was "actually pretty awesome" and propelled her second album to number one.

Awesome! Thanks for checking in, Ash.

Vanity Fair - “Hollywood Issue” 2008



Vanity Fair marks the 14th year of its gigantic annual Hollywood Issue.

On top of all the starlets on the cover, everybody who’s anybody is featured in the inside photo spreads: Renee Zellweger, Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, Naomi Watts, Emile Hirsch, James McAvoy, Marion Cotillard, Jodie Foster, Tang Wei, Josh Brolin, Casey Affleck, Eva Marie Saint, Ben Foster, Omar Metwally, Julie Christie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey Jr., Keira Knightley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem.



Check out the scans below!

FYI: Vanity Fair canceled its most lavish bash for the Oscars because of the writers strike. “After much consideration, and in support of the writers and everyone else affected by this strike, we have decided that this is not the appropriate year to hold our annual Oscar party,” said a Vanity Fair spokesperson. “We want to congratulate all of this year’s nominees and we look forward to hosting our 15th Oscar party next year.”

Charlize Is All Ham and Pudding

Charlize Theron was at Harvard yesterday to pick up her Hasty Pudding Pot for Woman of the Year, but not before she was sufficiently hazed by the school's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. After showing off her dance moves and riding through the streets in her very own parade, Charlize graciously accepted her award, saying, "I hope you all know I’m a high school dropout. I just thought I’d be clean with you guys. I went to school in Africa but I’m really, really honored to be here." In the spirit of the award she also got silly, joking, "I am Woman of the Year. If there was any question about me being a man, this should erase it." There were definitely a few cross-dressers at the awards ceremony, but it was pretty clear that Ms. Theron wasn't one of them.

First Look: Bond Poster Revealed!



Those attending the Berlin Film Festival woke up to the sight of the first teaser poster for the 22nd James Bond adventure, 'Quantum of Solace,' when it was unveiled Thursday morning on the side of a building in Germany.

DANIEL CRAIG will return for his sophomore outing as IAN FLEMING's secret agent in a continuation of the events set in motion by 'Casino Royale.' 'Quantum of Solace,' set for release November 7, finds 007 out for revenge on a mission that takes him to Austria, Italy and South America. The title comes from a short story by Fleming first published in the 1960 collection For Your Eyes Only.

Jesse McCartney is Back in Black

20-year-old heartthrob Jesse McCartney debuted a new darker do at a Grammys event in Los Angeles.



Why God why?! Without his hair, he has nothing! Oh wait, he's a singer, right?

Stephanie's All Grown Up!



Not only is Jodie Sweetin pregnant, she's HUGE!

The former Full House star, 25, married some douche, Cody Herpin, a set designer, 30, at a classy little wedding at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas last July.

A few months later, she was sperminated.

And, now, she's about ready to explode.

How rude!

Here she is at an event in LA on Thursday.

[Image by Vince Flores via Celebrity Photo.]

Fergie: 'Memba When?!

Before joining the Black Eyed Peas, winning Grammys, or landing Josh Duhamel, Stacy Ann Ferguson was just another blonde girl in Hacienda Heights, Calif.

Fergie, who says she's 32, starred on "Kids Incorporated," and graduated from Glen A. Wilson High School in 1993.



Before transforming into Fergie, Stace was a member of the bubble gum girl group, Wild Orchid -- with whom she hosted the lip-synch series, "Great Pretenders."

After leaving Wild Orchid, Fergie became addicted to crystal meth. She, and her career, recovered.

Lance Bass: Justin Timberlake "Could Really Help" Britney Spears



Lance Bass thinks pal Justin Timberlake should help Britney Spears through her current struggle.

"Justin could really help," Bass told Us.

Bass thinks his former 'NSYNC bandmate – who dated Spears for four years ending in 2002 – should join an extended support system to aid Spears, currently dealing with severe bipolar disorder and a legal fight with her parents after a week in the psych ward of the UCLA Medical Center.

"I hope that she gets good people back in her life," he told Us. "It would be nice to see those old and familiar faces from back in the day back in her life."

"Hopefully this is as low as it will go," he added. "She will definitely get the help that she needs."

Spears was released from the UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday after being involuntarily committed to treatment for bipolar disorder on January 31. She had been expected to remain hospitalized for another 10 days.

Frances Bean Cobain: 'I'm Not My Parents'



Clay Aiken, move over. There's a new Broadway baby on the horizon.

Frances Bean Cobain, 15, the daughter of Courtney Love and late grunge legend Kurt Cobain, is headlining as the star of Evita, Grease and Beauty and the Beast – all for a fashion spread in the March issue of Harper's Bazaar.

Still, the backdrops are appropriate, says her mother. "Frances grew up on musicals. I think musicals comfort her," Love, 43, tells the magazine. "She's a gay man trapped in a woman's body, like me."

The beautiful brunette also has a head on her young shoulders, aware that most interest in her stems mainly from her lineage. "I get it, I really do," she says, "but at the same time it's creepy."

"These people are fascinated by me, but I haven't done anything," she says. "If you're a big Nirvana fan, a big Hole fan, then I understand why you would want to get to know me, but I'm not my parents."

Without dismissing the accomplishments of her folks (her father was dead before she was 2), Cobain advises, "People need to wait until I've done something valid with my life."

Career Ambitions

As for what that will be – Broadway dreams and admiration for Dita Von Teese's style, notwithstanding – she's thought about photography and/or journalism (there may be a summer internship at Rolling Stone).

Even so, 'I'm taking my time," she says. "But I get asked what I want to do all the time because of my parents, because of the life I live."

And while she gets along with her mom, despite the occasional typical clash, Cobain sings praises of her paternal grandmother, who lives in Olympia, Washington. The teen calls her "the most constant thing I've ever had. I'm really lucky because I've been able to go places and meet people you can only dream of, but she's probably the person I respect most out of anybody in the world."

Coroner: Brad Renfro Died of Heroin Overdose



Actor Brad Renfro's death has been attributed to "acute heroin/morphine intoxication," according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.

"The final manner of death has been ruled an accident," the coroner's office said, adding that the drugs were injected.

The 25-year-old actor, who starred in 1994's The Client and, later, Apt Pupil, had recently completed a movie with Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton. Renfro was found dead in a Los Angeles apartment on Jan. 15.

Renfro's troubles go back to 1997, when he was sentenced to two years of probation after he tried to steal a yacht.

This was the second coroner's report issued for an actor this week. On Wednesday, the determination was announced that Heath Ledger also died from an accidental overdose, though of prescription drugs.

Osama Lutfi Verbally Attacks Kevin Federline!




It's getting dirty!

Osama Lutfi's new publicist is talking smack about Kevin Federline.

Michael Sands tells Life & Style:

"Kevin Federline needs to get on TV and say, 'I'm learning about Britney's bipolar disorder. He needs to step up to the plate and not hide behind the shield of his lawyer and be a man. He could become a hero instead of hiding.

He's the better parent, and he has the right to his own life. He's divorced, and if he's smoked pot, as reports have said, so be it. The kids are safe with him. But he's got to step up and help Britney. Don't hide behind your lawyer. He needs to learn and speak out so he can help his kids as they get older. People will become ultra sympathetic towards Britney as they learn about this illness.

Britney needs to be in a hospital for a year. She needs to see her kids. She needs to be in a nice atmosphere. This is overkill, it made my stomach turn. Every time we had to go into court, yes we have to protect the kids. But every mother, healthy or unhealthy should see their kids. In Britney's case, her parents need to let Sam Lutfi in her life and drop this. You can't blame someone for mental illness. Mark Vincent Kaplan needs to lay off. Everyone has to lay off! Before Britney dies accidentally.

As for Kevin's lawyer, "Mark Vincent Kaplan needs to lay off! I love him, but he needs to lay off Britney Spears, someone who has an illness.

"This is the reality. I don't know if everyone is smoking or drinking, but everyone needs to sober up and look at this in a clear way. Britney could do a lot of charity work in this disorder once she gets well. She's not Frankenstein. Many people are bipolar."

Lindsay's a Brand New Girl

Lindsay Lohan stepped into the Neil George Salon yesterday and emerged transformed. She smiled big as she headed to the James Blunt concert last night, proudly sporting her new darker 'do. Her new look is a huge improvement — she looks way more natural, not to mention about 10 years younger — Do you love it or hate it? LL said in Harper's Bazaar that she went blonde in hopes of scoring a movie role, but we think that her chances are even better with her new look.

Wino Granted Visa After All!



The U.S. has changed their mind!

Amy Winehouse has been granted a visa to come to America.

The reversal came after Wino appealed the decision to reject her visa application.

After initially being declined, the Rehab singer was set to perform at the Grammy Awards via satellite.

No word on whether this new development will mean she flies out to LA for the big show or not.

We hope she stays in London and focuses on her health!

[Image via Hal Horowitz.]

Too Late For Wino



It's a "no go" again!

Even though the U.S. reversed their decision and agreed to grant Amy Winehouse a visa late Friday to come and perform at this Sunday's Grammy Awards, the singer has wisely opted to stay in London.

She will, however, still be performing live via satellite.

Her publicists have released the following statement:

"Unfortunately, due to the logistics involved and timing complications, Amy will not be traveling to the U.S. to perform at the Grammys in person.

Amy would like to thank all of those people, in particular the staff involved at the U.S. Embassy in London, who have all worked so hard to expedite her application. She is looking forward to being a part of the 50th Annual Grammy Awards with her Sunday night performance and to going back to the U.S. soon."

[Image via WENN.]

Kat Von D -- Next Mel Gibson?

Upon being fired from "Miami Ink" last year, tattoo artist Kat Von D allegedly signed a photograph addressed to her former boss, Ami James, and drew a swastika and a flaming Star of David on it. Subtle, no?



TMZ has obtained the photograph in question, a headshot of Kat that reads, "Burn in hell Jewbag." No one witnessed Kat write the message, but Chris Garver, another tattoo artist on "Miami Ink," tells TMZ Kat personally handed him the photo.

When Ami, who is Jewish, received the photo, sources tell us he went to TLC and was rebuffed. We're told after Ami had a lawyer intervene, TLC went to a handwriting analyst who concluded "there is a 99% probability that Kat Von D" wrote the message. In early July 2007, Avi's lawyer went to TLC with the analysis. They simply sent him a letter back that acknowledged receiving the results and said, "We trust that this information will be kept strictly confidential."

Kat's spinoff show, "LA Ink," premiered a month later.

When contacted about the photo, Ami told TMZ he wasn't as offended by the photo as he was by the indifference toward it, saying, "What is more devastating to me, and much more shameful is when people ignore something like this for the sake of the money or self-interest. That is the real 'punch in the gut.'"

TLC gave TMZ this statement: "A publicity photo was brought to the network's attention eight months ago that contained extraordinarily offensive language. A full investigation was immediately conducted to determine whether anyone associated with the network was involved. Kat vehemently denied authoring the text and after completing the investigation, it was determined that insufficient evidence existed to conclude that she had. Therefore, no disciplinary action was taken. The network always takes these matters seriously and follows what we believe to be an appropriate course of action as dictated by the circumstances and available information."

Kat's personal publicist issued this statement: "The recent accusation of a publicity photo of me with offensive and anti-semitic comments and graphics allegedly written by me is completely false and unfounded, and clearly a forgery. This was already proven many months ago to be 100 percent untrue. I always have been, and will continue to be an advocate for tolerance of all races, religions and ways of life."

Corey Is Back With Almost All His Teeth




Washed up actor Corey Haim, he of s movies fame, has placed a full-page ad in Variety magazine in an attempt to revive his non-existent career.

From hasbeen to desperate hasbeen!

NIcole Kidman Is One Hot Mommy-to-Be

Nicole Kidman did her best Marilyn Monroe impression for the 10-year anniversary issue of Australian Harper's Bazaar. All of these sex-kitten photos were taken before Nicole was sporting that baby bump, and it's a hot photoshoot to have on hand before her body goes through changes. In the article, Nicole talks about Keith, her career, and that baby on the way. Here are highlights:



* On waking up Keith at 3 a.m. when she couldn't sleep: "He said, 'OK, let's order room service and play!' Can you believe it? I have someone I can wake up who will play with me!"

* On putting her career on hold: "I'm just really focusing on this new stage in my life and I feel really blessed to be pregnant and having this baby."

* On married life: "I think it's important to be able to share your life with someone and I've experienced many things in my life but for me I've always wanted to have my best friend who will walk the journey of life with me and I've found him."

Ashton Mixes Fancy and Fun For His Big Day

Ashton Kutcher's birthday was yesterday and Demi made sure that her husband said goodbye to his 20s in style. The couple got all dressed up for dinner at Gemma restaurant in NYC where they were joined by a few of their closest friends like Kate Hudson, Gywneth, Salma, and Madonna. Ashton's buddy Bruce Willis was also in attendance, bringing both a gift for the birthday boy as well as a PYT for himself. After dinner, the celebration continued at Socialista, where the whole crew ate cake and eventually Asthon and Demi closed down the club. Fancy dinner party and some clubbing!? Sounds like Ashton has figured out how to embrace adulthood without losing his fun-loving side. Now if only he could ditch that chain link to the wallet look. We're hoping that's a trend that is not making a comeback anytime soon.

Lindsay Shows Off Her Many Glamorous Faces

Lindsay Lohan plays naughty and nice very well in the March issue of Glamour UK. The devilish LL in the red dress seems a bit more like what we've come to know, but she obviously doesn't want us to forget about the sweet innocent girl she started out to be (remember that cute redhead from Parent Trap? Seems like eons ago). The article offers more of her newest mantras about working hard, staying clean, and keeping herself grounded. Here are some highlights:



* On dating: "Famous or not, it's all about having a connection with that person. It depends on who calls to your heart. If you don't have that special something then it's never going to work. At the moment, though, I'm happy just being myself, being single... just being."

* On her work ethic: "Yes, I work hard. But recently I've had so much time on my hands. So I've learned to center myself and find peace and serenity... "

* On her life philosophy: "I still believe in being spontaneous and living life to its fullest, but I just live day by day. On the whole I live by the philosophy of just staying true to myself."

Jessica Alba - “Marie Claire” March 2008



Jessica Alba dishes on sex, power and pregnancy in the March 2008 issue of Marie Claire.

The mom-to-be also talks a bit about working with Step Up Women’s Network, a national women’s and girl’s empowerment organization to help young females in the inner city make their way to success.

Interview snippets below!

On being a role model: “When I was a little girl, I always wanted someone to look up to. I think identity was a big deal to me because I didn’t fit in with one certain race. I always wanted someone who looked like me, who was a positive role model.”

On being bullied at school: “I had a lot of haters. They’d unzip my backpack so my books would fall out. They’d tie my shoes together. They’d ‘accidentally’ spill lunches on me.”

On Hollywood’s perception of women: “There’s a lot of pressure on women to fulfill certain fantasies. They expect you to be a little bit of a tart, to flirt with all the men. A lot of women do it. But I’m not doing that. I talk with these guys about their wives and kids right away. When they say inappropriate things, I let them, because boys will be boys, but I’m not looking to participate in their conversations.”

Jessica, 26, and fiance Cash Warren, 28, are expecting their first child together in late spring, early summer.

The March 2008 issue of Marie Claire hits newsstands nationwide on Tuesday, Feb. 12th.

Victoria Beckham is a Project Runway Judge



An orange-tastic Victoria Beckham (in Donna Karan) kicks back at the W Lounge during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week held at NYC’s Bryant Park on Friday.

It’s perfect timing for Posh as she just finished up Spice Girl concerts at Nassau Coliseum in NY’s Uniondale the last two days. Now she’s back at Fashion Week… to judge!

Victoria is taking on the role of Guest Judge for Project Runway, giving her opinion on the final contestants’ fashion lines being shown during Fashion Week. Posh sat front-row, in between the regular judges, supermodel host Heidi Klum and designer Michael Kors. Elle fashion director Nina Garcia sat next to Kors.

Designer Ricky was given the boot during this past week’s episode with five designers remaining: Christian, Chris, Jillian, Rami and Sweet P.

Katharine McPhee Wedding Pictures

Check out this new photo of American Idol alum Katharine McPhee, 23, with producer husband Nick Cokas, 43, at their Feb. 2 wedding reception at St. Viviana’s in Los Angeles.



Here are some more details from their special wedding day:

– The couple had a special candle-lighting ceremony.
– They walked down the aisle flecked with pink and ivory rose petals – to the sounds of bagpipe music.
– Idol alum Kellie Pickler was one of her bridesmaids.
– Cokas serenaded McPhee with his own rendition of Billy Joel’s “She’s Got a Way”.
– McPhee returned the favor with a rendition of “Unforgettable” by Natalie Cole.

Lauren Conrad Collection Show-Off



Lauren Conrad shows off her the announcement of the Lauren Conrad Collection being sold in stores now.

On Thursday, the 22-year-old Hills star was spotted walking back to her car with a gal pal, after a visit to the hair salon in Los Angeles.

Later, Lauren made a pit stop at the gas station where she filled up her tank with gas.

Lauren Conrad Tote from the Linea Pelle Collection.

Lucas Grabeel in a Dress!



Lucas Grabeel rocks out quite the ugly dress on the set of his new movie, Milk, in San Francisco, Calif. on Thursday.

Milk is a film about California’s first openly gay elected politician, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Grabeel, 23, will reportedly play Daniel Nicoletta, a clerk in Milk’s famed Castro Street camera store in San Francisco.

Here’s a little more backstory: Nicolette was Milk’s friend, employee and then eventually his City Hall Administrative Assistant. After Milk was assassinated, Nicoletta and other friends of the politician formed a group dedicated to preserving Milk’s legacy. Apart from keeping the memory of Milk alive, Nicoletta is also a well known photographer specializing in documenting the gay and lesbian community of San Francisco.

The real-life Nicoletta calls himself a “torch bearer of [Milk’s] memory,” and said, “I’m just thrilled I’m alive to see this happening. There’s something epic about it being a feature film, because people respond to them so strongly in this culture.”

Jesse Metcalfe: Fight! Fight! Fight!



Jesse Metcalfe finds himself at the receiving end of an attack by a jealous machismo man at Boulevard 3 nightclub in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The 29-year-old former Desperate Housewives star was shoved to the ground and into the grass. Poor guy!

Here’s how the fight went down: Jesse arrived at B3 and greeted actress pal Taryn Manning with a hug and chatted with her with his arm around her. Taryn’s machismo friend seemingly didn’t like Jesse’s signs of affection and the two ended up in a fight on the sidewalk.

Jesse subsequently went inside Boulevard 3 whilst Taryn and her man went to Social next door. Awhile later, Jesse reemerged with an entourage of men. The group went into Social and came out a short while later with big grins on their faces.

It’s called taking care of business!

Conservators to Dump Brit's Manager!



We has confirmed that one of the things that went down in yesterday's hearing involving Britney's conversatorship is that the commissioner granted the conservators the power to fire her manager, Howard Grossman.

Court documents reveal that Commissioner Reva Goetz ordered Howard Grossman to turn over "all documents, records and assets relating to Britney Spears" to Brit's dad, Jamie, who along with attorney Andrew Wallet, is the court-appointed conservator of Brit and her estate.

Though the firing hasn't gone down yet, we're guessing the reason Brit's fam wants him out is because Grossman has a very cozy relationship with Sam Lutfi -- something that makes Brit's family very uncomfortable.

Eva Opens Up About the Rumors



Newlywed EVA LONGORIA PARKER opens up about all those pesky -- and untrue -- rumors about her marriage to basketball hubby TONY PARKER in the new issue of InStyle, on stands February 15.

"If you fight every [rumor] that comes up against you, you look guilty; if you don't fight everything, you look guilty," she says. "So you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. The bottom line is, Tony and I are very much in love and we're tough-skinned, so we're able to handle this."

The "Desperate Housewives" star, who wed Tony last July, says she's still getting used to her new name. "I love my new name," she says. "In Texas people are formal so now it's 'Mrs. Parker.' I feel old! But I love it!"

Meanwhile, when not talking Tony, Eva, who's always on fashion's cutting edge, shows off her huge collection of couture to InStyle as she opens the doors to her enormous, 133-square-foot closet, revealing her favorite pieces!

Opening Statements in Ritter Trial Begin Monday



Opening statements in the medical negligence lawsuit against two of JOHN RITTER's physicians are set to begin Monday. The suit, filed by the late actor's family, claims that Ritter, who died September 11, 2003, would have lived had doctors recognized he had a tear in his aorta and not treated it like a heart attack.

According to the Associated Press, however, defense lawyers maintain there was no wrongdoing and that Ritter's condition mimicked that of a heart attack.

Ritter's widow, AMY YASBECK, appeared on the "Today" show earlier this week, telling MEREDITH VIEIRA, "I'm asking for responsibility to be taken and recognition to be brought to this problem."

The family is seeking $67 million in damages.

Madonna Hits Back At Charity Party Critics.

Pop superstar Madonna has hit back at critics who objected to her using the United Nations headquarters in New York to host a charity party which tied in with the launch of a new Gucci store.

The luxury fashion brand co-hosted the lavish event with the singer on Wednesday (06Feb08) night, which featured guest stars including Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Drew Barrymore helping to raise money for Unicef (United Nations Children's Fund) and Madonna's Raising Malawi Orphan Care Initiative.

But the company came under fire for combining the charity event with the launch of a new shop in the city, leading to fears the event was more of a commercial venture than a fundraising gala.



But Madonna dismissed the reports, insisting the sponsorship from Gucci was crucial if she was to attract enough attention to her good causes.

She says, "I don't really pay any attention to that. I am grateful that Gucci has underwritten this event, that's all that matters to me - their generosity.

There's always controversy surrounding anything that involves change.

"I want to put Raising Malawi on the map. I want credibility as a philanthropic organisation. I want to inspire people. I don't want them to just write me a check: I want them to give me a piece of their heart".
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Isla Fisher's crashed wedding

Isla Fisher is not inviting Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn to her wedding to see if they crash it.

The 32-year-old actress - who is engaged to 'Borat...' star Sacha Baron Cohen - wants to test her 'Wedding Crashers' co-stars to see if they live up to their characters from the film.

She joked: "I'm thinking of not inviting Owen and Vince to our wedding so I can see whether they can crash our wedding."



Isla - who stars in new romantic comedy 'Definitely, Maybe' - has converted to Sacha's Jewish faith so they can marry in a traditional ceremony and is pleased with her decision.

She said: "I love religions and find them fascinating and I find Judaism very beautiful. It has enriched my life enormously."

The red-headed star has a four-month-old daughter, Olive, with Sacha.

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'In Bruges' is a killer comedy
Review: The tale of two hapless hitmen hiding out in Belgium recalls – and at times surpasses – 'Pulp Fiction.'



Watching Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell shoot the breeze – and the odd Belgian – as a pair of vacationing hitmen in the riotous black comedy "In Bruges," one can't help but think of Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in "Pulp Fiction." How easy it is to imagine Jules Winnfield marveling over the "most well-preserved medieval town in all of Belgium," or Vincent Vega prattling on about women and midget movie actors in the hotel room while cleaning his contact lenses.

By depositing these two professional killers and their easygoing, humanizing banter in a storybook city all but frozen in time, writer-director Martin McDonagh (an Oscar-winner for the short film "Six Shooter," here making his feature debut) does the "Pulp Fiction" joke one better, I would say. The opening night selection at last month's Sundance Film Festival, "In Bruges" speaks excitingly to the romance of change while delivering a deliciously funny, ironic bite.

Maybe "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" is a more apt comparison. Like the title characters in Tom Stoppard's send-up of "Hamlet," London gangsters Ken (Gleeson) and Ray (Colin Farrell) find themselves banished to the blind fringes of a larger, still-unfolding drama. It all started back in England, with a contract killing gone horribly awry. Now their boss – a mysterious, Cockney-accented thug named Harry – has shipped them to the Belgian city of Bruges, to cool their heels until the mess blows over.

The partners make for an immediate, and hilarious, study in contrasts. Ken, with his thoughtful demeanor, takes an immediate shine to the city's quaint streets and imposing Gothic architecture. One gets the sense that he's found home. His young counterpart, on the other hand, detests the place. "If I'd grown up on a farm and was retarded, Bruges might impress me," Ray says, masking his guilt and anxiety over the debacle in London. "But I didn't, so it doesn't."

Gleeson – the old pro Irishman who has lent his flushed, meaty mien to seemingly every movie made since 1995, including "Braveheart," "Gangs of New York," "Troy" and "The Village" – makes for an intriguing contradiction as the fatherly Ken. On the other hand, Farrell ("Miami Vice") has never been funnier, surer or more magnetic than as the mercurial Ray. Alternately morose and spastic, unable to suppress his boyish enthusiasm upon seeing an undersized actor on a Belgian movie set – "Midgets in movies!" he squeals – the character is clearly going someplace interesting, and we're happy to follow.

That Ray will ultimately end up in a hotel suite with that very same little person (Jordan Prentice, the titular fowl in "Howard the Duck"), two prostitutes and a mountain of cocaine isn't exactly a fait accompli, but considering the edgy nature of the characters, a scenario that has certain credibility. It gets even loopier when Harry and his horrifying Cockney temper come to town to finish unsettled business, forcing the story to reach a surreal, yet bloody-exciting, tipping point. That Harry is played by "The English Patient" star Ralph Fiennes is no secret – heck, the actor's name is splashed all over the official poster – but I still feel a bit guilty revealing that fact. No matter. Watching the prim, cultured Fiennes play gloriously against type is surprise enough.

los angeles times

'Fool's Gold'

By Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

An action-romance in the vein of "Romancing the Stone," only not as good, "Fool's Gold" is not so much a movie as it is an experience: an experience akin to spending a couple of hours in one of those theme restaurants that hawk the laid-back beach-bum lifestyle by plying you with drinks that taste like suntan lotion. In other words, it's a big, cheesy, familiar bore. With its garland of set pieces featuring Matthew McConaughey in mortal danger strung together by beach-groovy musical hooks, "Fool's Gold" feels at times like a third-rate Bond movie set to a Jimmy Buffett album.

The shirtless, flamboyantly mulleted McConaughey stars alongside a burnished Kate Hudson as a down-and-out treasure hunter in desperate pursuit of some bygone booty. His sensible wife, Tess (Hudson), has resolved to divorce him, but he wants her back. Ben "Finn" Finnegan (McConaughey) is also getting warmer in his search for a legendary Spanish galleon said to be carrying a lost treasure known as the "Queen's Dowry," but both his former mentor and a violent gangster to whom he's deeply in hock threaten to rob him of the spoils.


What Finn needs now, aside from getting back with his brainy wife, is a generous patron who doesn't keep trying to kill him. Enter Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), bazillionaire, sucker, pushover, who falls for Finn's oily charms after Finn rescues his dim-bulb daughter's hat when she loses it in a high-speed motorboat chase. Nigel also happens to be Tess' brand-new employer -- she's working as a steward on his yacht until she can finalize the divorce and save enough money to get back to Chicago.

Hudson is the best thing about the movie. She has a likable, grounded presence and sharp comic timing that help her pull off the historian-in-a-bikini bit pretty effortlessly. And the spark between her and McConaughey (equally sparkly in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days") feels real enough that when I came home I checked online for evidence of a past romance. (There hasn't been one.) But if Hudson and McConaughey look made for each other, Sutherland and Alexis Dziena, who plays his bubble-headed heiress daughter, Gemma, appear to share about as much DNA as Thurston Howell and a kumquat. Gemma makes Nicole Richie look like the stateliest of dowagers. Gemma is the product of a marriage between Honeycutt and a 24-year-old blackjack dealer from Nebraska, now long gone, but, judging by Gemma's looks and brains, she's siphoned her genes directly from mom.



While Sutherland, ludicrous in sailing whites, does a wan impersonation of a vague and aimless billionaire, Dziena tramps it up like Paris Hilton. It doesn't really matter, though. "Fool's Gold" provides an undercooked subplot about a blossoming father-daughter relationship, but Sutherland's main function in the story is to pony up the yacht and (once Tess has come to terms with Finn's coming on board) provide the financial backing for the expedition to go forward after Finn's setback with the hip-hop gangster played by Kevin Hart.

Talking Honeycutt into forking over the money requires a long and complicated disquisition on Spanish maritime history (one of many mercilessly inflicted by screenwriters John Claflin and Daniel Zelman and Andy Tennant, who also directs), which is only half as hard to follow as the plot. But once the old man, his daughter and the ship's cooks (a loving, joshing, middle-aged gay couple) are on board with the adventure -- that is, once Finn and Tess have assembled the most improbable ragtag crew imaginable -- they can finally set off for the Bahamas in search of the sunken Aurelia. Sundry as their adventures have been to this point, there are still cemetery chases, cliff's edges, scary blow-holes and unpiloted planes in their future. Anything can happen -- anything except anything remotely entertaining.

'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins'



Martin Lawrence and a big-name cast embrace clichés in a family reunion story.

By Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 8, 2008

With last year's big midlife-crisis hit "Wild Hogs," and now "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins," you could say Martin Lawrence is entering his mature phase. That's not to say sophisticated -- far from it -- it's just that his characters are now at that stage of life when they question what it's all about.

In "Welcome Home," writer-director Malcolm D. Lee sets out to prove that you can go home again, but the lesson apparently is that it's going to be painful for everyone involved (audiences included). Drawn in extremely broad strokes with an enthusiastic cast vying for most-over-the-top honors, this rude family comedy throws so many jokes and gags at the screen, a few are bound to stick.

Lawrence stars as Dr. R.J. Stevens, a combination of Dr. Phil and Jerry Springer, whose self-involved self-help philosophy "The Team of Me" has made him a daytime TV star and landed him a foxy fiancée in the formidably lithe personage of Bianca Kittles (Joy Bryant), a "Survivor" champion with a win-at-all costs attitude that carries over to all aspects of her life.

R.J. seemingly has it all with an L.A. mansion, a Range Rover, a young son, Jamaal (Damani Roberts) -- whose mother is conveniently out of the picture -- and a family back in Georgia whom he hasn't seen in nine years. Unbeknownst to his dad, Jamaal has been in close communication with his grandfather, Papa Jenkins (James Earl Jones), and he convinces a reluctant R.J. to go home to Dry Springs for his parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

Everything in "Welcome Home" is pretty cut-and-dried. R.J.'s life in Hollywood is meaningless and superficial, while the Jenkins clan -- dysfunctional though it may be -- is brimming with small-town, old-school values and familial love. In L.A., Jamaal plays soccer. In Dry Springs, they play no-holds-barred softball -- an age- and gender-friendly sibling of that most honorably American of sports, baseball. Once R.J., Bianca and Jamaal hit Georgia, the culture-clash jokes begin to fly at a furious pace.

Turns out that R.J. is really Roscoe Jenkins Jr. The Jenkinses aren't particularly impressed by Roscoe's success (although they are initially impressed by Bianca's "Survivor" exploits).

Roscoe's mom (Margaret Avery) is thrilled to have her son back, but the rest of the family -- macho brother Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan), sexually voracious sister Betty (Mo'Nique), shifty cousin Reggie (Mike Epps) and patrician Roscoe Sr. (Jones) -- immediately revert to treating Roscoe as the loser they see him as. The family member they hold up as an exemplar of achievement is cousin Clyde, Roscoe's lifelong nemesis and proud owner of multiple Cadillac dealerships. Even more galling to Roscoe: Clyde shows up with his childhood crush, Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker).

A near continuous assault of clichés, "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" doesn't become truly bothersome until its denouement, when it attempts to wring unearned sentiment from the inevitable, awkwardly staged family rapprochement. Only one question really persists: Why does it have to take Roscoe almost two hours to come to realize what is obvious to the audience in the first 10 minutes?

'Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show'



The documentary is more than comedic quips and sad clowns.

By Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 8, 2008

Its full title may be unwieldy and its humor a tad colorful for a family audience, but "Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days and 30 Nights -- Hollywood to the Heartland" is surprisingly endearing and chock-full of a genuine appreciation of the moment. The documentary, directed by Ari Sandel, chronicles the monthlong odyssey of Vaughn and four stand-up comedians he recruited from L.A.'s Comedy Store as they zigzag across the nation's flyover zone in a tour bus.

Vaughn, the perpetually "on" comic actor and star of "Swingers" and "Wedding Crashers," whose hangdog features and pleading eyes inject even his coarsest roles with a sense of melancholy, acts as emcee and a sort of big brother to the comics. He cuts up with buddies Jon Favreau, Justin Long, Dwight Yoakam, Keir O'Donnell and executive producer Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" all grown up) in skits but mostly steps aside to focus the attention on the work of the four stand-ups.

The comics are at varying stages in their careers and from disparate backgrounds, but all are somewhat awed by playing venues five or 10 times larger than the clubs they're accustomed to. Beginning at the Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood on Sept. 12, 2005, the tour winds its way east and includes a stop at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium.

Vaughn points out that the factor that unites the comedians is that their humor is largely derived from their own lives. There's a sincere, self-effacing quality to the comedy that makes it succeed with a wide range of audiences, from Bakersfield to Atlanta and Lubbock to Detroit -- even when the performers are asked to strip their acts of profanity.

The crudest (and funniest) of the four performers, Ohioan John Caparulo mines his doughy couch potato appearance and relationship-challenged existence for laughs. Bret Ernst, a physically adept East Coast-reared comic, draws on his childhood growing up with a single mom.

Sebastian Maniscalco, who not long before had left a job waiting tables and, like Vaughn, is from Chicago, seems most appreciative of the opportunity to be part of the tour. Ahmed Ahmed, Egypt-born, but raised in Riverside, is a onetime roommate of Vaughn's who turned to stand-up when his acting career stalled at being typecast as a "terrorist or sleazy Arab prince."

Though the tour's geographical journey gives the film a natural structure, director Sandel, who won an Oscar for his uproarious short musical satire "West Bank Story," does a nice job of starting with the familiar -- Vaughn and his famous friends -- and then gradually adding different elements. The comics' routines are peppered throughout, but it's the behind-the-scenes footage on the bus and interviews that are most revealing.

As the tour reaches Texas several weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck, the producers are forced to alter their schedule and end up doing a benefit matinee in Dallas. The troupe also visits an evacuee camp, and there's an honesty to the awkwardness and initial reluctance of the young comedians to deal with the situation.

By establishing the comics' onstage personas and then introducing their back stories and families, the film evolves emotionally as the tour transpires. When the 30 days draw to a close, we share the performers' sense that something beyond shared laughter has come to an end.

Much like Steve Martin's recent memoir on his stand-up career, "Wild West Comedy Show" does more than merely show the proverbial sad clown behind the comic. It entertainingly illuminates some of the more sublime aspects of performing, balancing those joys with the more rigorous aspects of being on the road. It also articulates an honest yearning to entertain and demonstrates the hard work that's often necessary to achieve it.

As Martin put it, "Who wouldn't want to be in show business?"

new york times

The Hottie and the Nottie (2008)



What You See, What You Get

By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS
Published: February 8, 2008

One would think that after increasingly embarrassing forays into reality television, the Internet and the penitentiary, Paris Hilton might have taken a moment to reflect on her choices. Or perhaps not: with “The Hottie & the Nottie” Ms. Hilton proves yet again that introspection — not to mention shame — is as alien to her as a life without paparazzi.


Custom designed for its smirking star (who is also an executive producer), this tasteless train wreck asks only that she preen and prance on cue. As Cristabel Abbott, half of the film’s title and the entirety of its purpose, Ms. Hilton plays a Los Angeles magnet to a variety of drooling stalkers. Chief among these is Nate (Joel David Moore), a needy nerd whose adoration flowered in first grade and stubbornly resists the evidence of his bathroom mirror.

Before Nate can claim his prize, however, he must find someone willing to deflower Cristabel’s best friend, June (Christine Lakin), a sweetheart buried beneath a crusty coating of plaque, eczema and toenail fungus. But while Heidi Ferrer’s script feigns interest in June’s inner beauty, the camera creeps beneath Cristabel’s swimsuit and hangs on her every word. “A life without orgasms is like a world without flowers,” she pants. Hallmark, eat your heart out.

Project Runway: Fashion Week Collections
The final five designers battled it out in the tents at NYC's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

SWEET P.
Sweet P., who choked up when making her opening remarks, got a glowing review from season
two alum Nick Verreos: "I'm from L.A., she's from L.A. and I love the L.A. sensibility," he told Us
after the show. "Contemporary sportswear."



"The construction across the board is superb," mentor Tim Gunn raved about the quality of the
clothes - like Sweet P.'s silky gold dress.



CHRIS
Hey, is that...? Bianca Golden, a former contestant from America's Next Top Model's ninth cycle,
strutted the catwalk in a printed gown by Chris March.

"It's quite cool when you see something really new," host Heidi Klum said after seeing the show.
We liked Chris's fur-trimmed embroidered number.



JILLIAN
"It was the most unbelievable feeling I've felt in my whole life!� Jillian, who spent six months working
on her collection, said of seeing her clothes on the catwalk. "It's been this huge build-up and I've been
expending all this energy."



"The most important thing to me was to say what I want to say, but also have people want to wear it,
" Jillian told Us of her clothes. (Fun fact: The model is another Top Model alum, cycle eight winner Jaslene Gonzalez!

RAMI
"There was one person - every single piece that came down that runway, I would wear myself.
That person made me smile and I was just amazed, absolutely amazed," guest judge Victoria
Beckham gushed. Could she be talking about Rami?



"Beginning to end, it was a complete collection," Verreos raved about Rami. "I love that he really
didn't show jersey. I know the judges were looking for that."



CHRISTIAN
"There were really exciting individual pieces that I would buy or beg for from Christian," Project
Runway fan and former Saturday Night Live star Ana Gasteyer told Us.

Cocky Christian's biggest challenge wasn't putting together an entire collection, but "getting
the models to stay in the same place before the show," he told Us. "They were running all over!"

people
The Week's 10 Best Celeb Quotes


"We're about equal. Equally not so good."

– Angelina Jolie, when asked if she or Brad Pitt was a better dancer, at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival



"I'll think of something in my life, use it in the scene, and it really works."

– Paris Hilton, on her acting method, at the premiere of her new movie, The Hottie and the Nottie



"She's a gangsta."

– Timbaland, on Madonna, whose album he's producing

"I like that I look different. I like having flavor. I think it's funny that women get their lips injected, butt implants.
Everyone wants to look like us now."

– Jessica Alba, to Latina magazine, on coming to terms with her ethnic beauty



"I'm old, I'm rich and I'm tired."

– Jerry Seinfeld, on why he doesn't want to do another series, to an audience member at his Caesars
Palace show in Las Vegas



"There is something that transports me back to seventh grade when I’m at a fashion show. You feel
like you’re at the weekend party, and you’re like, ‘Am I wearing everything alright? Did I do my hair right?"

– Anne Hathaway, on attending Fashion Week in New York, to PEOPLE

"That's not to say I'll never go to a club again, because I'd be lying."

– Lindsay Lohan, on life after rehab, to the UK edition of Glamour



"Sometimes I'll read a part and identify with the material, and I'll say, 'Oh, honey, I really like this.'
He'll look at me like I'm crazy and ask… 'You seriously think you can walk in there and get this role?
It's going to a 24-year-old.'"

– Brooke Shields, on getting a reality check from her husband, to Parade