No Brandon Walsh in 90210 (2.0) - For Now



Jason Priestly revealed in a recent interview that he'd be up for reprising Brandon Walsh for 90210 (2.0) but the new producers haven't been in touch!

What are they thinking??? They need to bring back the entire original cast, well, except Andrea. She was the boring one!

Priestly is quoted as saying, "I'm certainly open to it. I loved working on that show. I loved everything I did on that show. I had so many jobs on that show, I loved it so."

We'd rather see Shannon Daugherty back as Brenda, though, if we were forces to pick. We love dramz and you know she'd bring the crazy to the set of 90210 (2.0)!

Priestly also reveals that Dancing With the Stars just isn't his cup of tea. N-O to appearing as a contestant…he won't follow in the footsteps of 90210 alums Ian Ziering and Jennie Garth.

In this case, we'd rather see Shannon over Jason as well!

We could see Shannon pulling some Tonya Harding shit to win.

But, isn't Jason looking yummy?

Spicy!

[Image via WENN.]

Get Ready for More X-Men!



There's a shakeup in X-Men land!

It was said that X-Men 3 writer Zak Penn was set to write the script for the next installment in the franchise, a version featuring all the younger characters- though all would depend on the outcome of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

It turns out now that he might have been replaced.

In a recent interview, Josh Schwartz, the creator of The OC, Gossip Girl and Chuck, has confirmed that he'll be writing the screenplay for the next installment of the X-Men prequels.

What?

Please don't tie in The OC with X-Men!

The new film will apparently center on the teenage characters at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

Schwartz says, “It’s not like I’m adding new characters like Toaster Head, or anything like that.”

And as for his thoughts on other similar films, Schwartz adds, “The Hulk looks like it’s going to be terrible. And why does he look like he’s fighting against the monster from Cloverfield? I mean, with Transformers, it’s not like fans were going to come back saying, ‘You used the wrong car.’ This, however, is a different story."

As for those who've worked on the previous X-Men films, he says “Brett Ratner didn’t have a lot of credibility going in to the third X-Men movie, but I think Bryan Singer [who directed the first two installments] got a free pass on Superman Returns because of his work on X-Men.”

Ouch, he's sinking his claws!!!!!

And, the best part is when Schwartz adds, “I’m very well aware that I’ll be bludgeoned by purists, but I love its mythology, and it comes with a pretty hefty paycheck.”

Glad to see he's doing the film for the right reasons!

Let's hope he doesn't ruin the X-Men series.

Things Happen for a Reason



Time heals old wound…and so does a lot of money!

In an interview with New York Magazine, Sarah Jessica Parker acknowledges that Kim Cattrall holding out for more money was a good thing for the Sex and the City movie.

She calls Cattrall an emotional psychic, "because this way we made a better movie.”

They could've ended up with the first SATC movie pitched–something SJP calls "a light, summery, Bob Hope–style road movie, with the girls following separate paths."

Sounds sooo blah compared to the movie that's coming our way - weddings and babies and more!

Perhaps SJP said the following cause deep down inside she's scared of KC: “If I had thought it was any of my business at the time what I would have said is, ‘Isn’t it okay for Kim to think that the money wasn’t right?’”

Yeah, yeah…we TOTALLY buy that SJP didn't know that she had the right to butt in. She was one of the producers on the film/show!

Whatevs. The film got made. That's all that matters!

Now, will there be a sequel????

Will Mariah Show Up?



Mariah Carey sold out the ladies of The View today by canceling last minute on her previously scheduled appearance.

She probably didn't want to talk about her new marriage!

But, will she show up to a planned concert or flake as well?

MC is set to perform later this month in Dubai. The concert will be on Thursday, May 15th.

According to the announcement made by Midas Promotions, in association with On Golden Ponds Pictures, Mimoo is said to be performing songs off her latest album, E=MC2, and will also include some record-breaking songs from the '90s.

Also set to perform the following day is Fergie, but really, who cares about that???

It's Mariah we're all dying to see ever since her marriage to Nick Cannon Mr. Carey.

Will HE show up????

According to Mel Tyler, General Manager of Midas promotions, “Dubai is in for areal treat. The two divas are set to come and put on a great show for Dubai.”

Let's hope Mariah doesn't flake. Or let's hope she does!

[Image via WENN.]

Simply The Best



Congratulations to Kobe Bryant !

The L.A. Lakers star has nabbed this year's NBA Most Valuable Player title.

The L.A. Times reports that he'll be officially presented with the honor sometime this week.

This is Kobe's first MVP award in the 12 seasons he's spent playing pro b-ball with the L.A. Lakers.

The L.A. Lakers finished first in the Western Conference in large part due to Kobe's 'skills'.

Our basketball-loving friends also tell us that Kobe's become an awesome team player this season and that the shift from 'me' to 'we' is what probs helped him out with the peeps who choose the MVP recipient.

Let's see if Kobe can lead the Lakers to this year's NBA championship!

[Image by Apega via WENN.]

Dina Lohan Is a Good Mutha, Alright!



Her eldest daughter checked into rehab three times in one year and she's pimping out her 14-year-old daughter on a new reality show ... so it's natural that an organization would want to give Dina Lohan a mother of the year award. She's lucky Joan Crawford is dead!

Mingling Moms, a social networking organization for mothers, is naming LiLo's mommie dearest one of its Top 20 Long Island Mothers of Celebrities at a ceremony on Tuesday. Holy Mother of God.

While there are some deserving A-list 516 moms on the list -- like Baldwin Brothers matriarch Carol Baldwin, who is a breast cancer survivor and activist -- the org will also give J.Lo the Special Celebrity Mom of the Year award for the two months she's been one!

Brit Will Personally Try and Please the Court



TMZ has learned Britney Spears will appear in court tomorrow to personally make her case for more face time with her kids.

Right now Brit has limited supervised visitation. Britney and her lawyer will argue that because of the progress she has made, she should have significantly more time with her kids.

Could be the most important hearing so far.

Dina Lohan: First Class B****!



Looks like Naomi Campbell has been giving Dina Lohan flying lessons.

TMZ spies caught Lindsay's mommie dearest going ballistic on her assistant at JFK baggage claim last week. Our source tells us Dina -- who was flying back from LAX with her middle-aged teen daughter Ali -- was screaming at the assistant for forgetting her bag and yelled, "You must have left your brain on the flight. You're my assistant and that's my bag. You should know this!" It's safe to say you won't be seeing that on "White Oprah's" reality show.

Oh, and we're told Dina flew first class on American Airlines, but used the bathroom in coach. Apparently, D-nasty doesn't s**t where she eats -- only on her employees!

Naomi Campbell ‘Willing to Make Fun of Herself’ on Ugly Betty



Naomi Campbell may be a supermodel and supermodels may be known as divas, but Campbell was anything but when she visited the set of Ugly Betty, according to one of her costars.

“She is so willing to make fun of herself,” said Michael Urie, who starred with Campbell during her guest appearance on the ABC show. “She really is awesome.”

At opening night of Palazzo’s Jersey Boys in Las Vegas, Urie admitted that he was skeptical about Campbell upon hearing of her involvement in the show — “because, you know, we’ve all heard about her,” he said — but found her to be a breath of fresh air from the beginning.

“She’s done so many interesting things in the past and she was as great as could be,” he said of the scenes where Campbell plays as an opposing softball player. “She was laughing the whole time.”

Campbell will appear on the season 2 finale along with another famous guest star — Lindsay Lohan. –Mark Gray

Former SNL Comedian Garrett Morris Divorcing



Former Saturday Night Live comedian Garrett Morris and his wife, Freda, are divorcing, according to court papers filed in Los Angeles Monday.

The pair wed in September 1996 and separated in 2002. The actor cites irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The couple have no children.

Morris was a writer and performer on SNL in the 1970s. He also appeared on ER, Murder She Wrote and The Jeffersons. Up next is a role in the comedy Sonny Dream Weaver with Simon Rex.

Dennis Rodman Enters Rehab



Dennis Rodman has entered an outpatient rehab facility just days after being arrested for domestic battery, his manager confirms to PEOPLE.

"Yes, Dennis checked into an outpatient rehab center in Fort Lauderdale today," Darren Prince says. "His life has not been going smoothly for the last few months since his divorce. He has not been able to see his kids. And he has been drinking too much."

On April 30, Rodman, 46, was taken into police custody at a Los Angeles hotel after a domestic dispute. The former NBA star posted $50,000 bail and is set to appear in court on May 22.

Rodman's decision to enter rehab was first reported by TMZ.

Tom Cruise Bursts the Dot-Com Bubble



It only took him 25 years, but Tom Cruise has finally got himself a website.

Admittedly, only NASA and the military (or whoever) were using the Internet when Risky Business came out, but still.

In addition to his two-day sit-down with Oprah, the actor has marked his silver anniversary as a big star with the launch of his official site, TomCruise.com, replete with a complete filmography, news (there's not much yet, obviously), biographical information and a personal greeting to fans on his home page.

"In celebration of this occasion, and my 27 years of making movies, I created this site as a thank you, to you, for sharing the journey with me and to invite you to continue to explore what the future will bring...

"My hope with this site is to bring you in and share with you the fun I experience every day during the filmmaking process, from working on the script, to the making of the film through to what we finally see when we settle into our seats and the lights go down."

We're not sure if the average person can handle Cruise-caliber fun, but we'll certainly give it a try.

Suri's One Red Shoe



Sure, Tom and Katie's kid could have played it safe with just the bottle or blanket, but how many kids dare to accessorize their outfit with a single red shoe?

Child Stars: Then & Now

SHE STARRED IN ADDAMS FAMILY
The 9-year-old star hit up the Mermaids premiere on Dec. 10, 1990.


CHRISTINA RICCI
"I think I'm a lot calmer now than I used to be," the 28-year-old Speed Racer star (at the premiere in London April 29) told Us. "I take things less seriously now that I'm older - I have a little bit more fun with life."

SHE JUST POSED TOPLESS IN VANITY FAIR
Almost two-years-old, the budding actress posed with her country-singing dad at "Elvis: the Tribute" at the Pyramid Theater Oct. 7, 1994.


MILEY CYRUS
Now 15, the Hannah Montana star (at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville April 14) has apologized for her recent controversial magazine pics.

SHE KISSED BRAD PITT!
This 12-year-old locked lips with one-half of Us' 2007 Couple of the Year for a movie.


KIRSTEN DUNST
The now 26-year-old, who checked into Utah's Cirque Lodge rehab center in Feb., hit the red carpet for the Glamour Reel Moments in L.A. Oct. 2007.

THEY PLAYED THE SAME CHARACTER ON TV
The twins, five-years-old here, debuted as Michelle Tanner on a hit "TGIF" Friday night show.


MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY OLSEN
Now 21, the Olsen sisters (posing at the London launch of their clothing line The Row in Oct. 2007) topped Forbes' "Rich List," in 2006, earning $40 million that year.

BEFORE HIS OSCAR
This 15-year-old appeared in an episode of Growing Pains


LEONARDO DICAPRIO
DiCaprio, now 33, hit up the premiere of his eco-friendly documentary The 11th Hour in Hollywood August 8, 2007.

HE LIVES IN FRANCE NOW
At 24, this actor starred in sitcom 21 Jump Street.


JOHNNY DEPP
The Pirates of the Caribbean star, now 44 (at the premiere of Sweeney Todd in Paris Jan. 16), lives with longtime girlfriend Vanessa Paradis and their two children Lily-Rose and Jack in villa in the south of France.

SHE PHONED HOME
This actress, 8-years-old in this picture, co-starred with an alien in her first big movie.


DREW BARRYMORE
Barrymore, now 33, dazzled on the red carpet for "A Night to Benefit Raising Malawi and UNICEF" in New York City Feb. 9.

DID YOU KNOW THE HUMAN HEAD WEIGHS...
This tot was just six when he starred alongside Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire.


JONATHAN LIPNICKI
Now 17, the actor hit up the "Live for Sderot" benefit concert in L.A. Feb. 26.

SHE PLAYED A TWIN!
At 12-years-old, she starred in the Disney flick The Parent Trap.


LINDSAY LOHAN
At 21, Lohan (at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone in New York City April 19) has been to rehab three times.

MOUSEKETEER
This singer and dancer was born in 1981, and auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club while just 8-years-old.


BRITNEY SPEARS
Now 26, the mom-of-two (leaving a session with a vocal coach in L.A. April 25) has been guest starring on How I Met Your Mother.

Worst Dressed Of The Evening



She looks like Dracula!!!!

She looked this bad on purpose, right???

It's all part of her plan!

She wants everybody to talk about how shiteous she looked!

Well, mission accomplished.

Victoria Beckham looked absolutely HOrrific at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

And it's not just the dress! It's everything.

The makeup! The hair! She looks bad from head to toe!

David, on the other hand, can he ever look bad??? No.

P.S. Those bones sticking out are not sexy!!!!!!

EAT!!!!!!!

[Image via WENN.]

We're Sorry Miss Jackson



Whatever happened to Janet's new album???

It died a quick death, unfortunately!

Despite that, Miz Jackson was all smiles at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

She shouldn't be smiling, though.

This look is not cute!

Makeup, bad. Dress, bad.

The only good thing is the hair.

And that's not saying much!

[Image via WENN.]

Celebrity Skin



It's kinda hard to tell, but we think that Allegra Versace is looking healthier.

She is wearing a tent, though, so we're not sure!

Either way, it's nice for her to go out and be social.

Donatella's daughter has been bravely battling anorexia for years.

The young Versace and her mom attended the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

Very pretty dresses, even the tent!

[Image via WENN.]

What Do YOU Think????



Hilary Duff wore that to the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

We're not sure how we feel about her dress.

What do U think????

[Image via WENN.]

Why Bother?????



She needs to take this little black dress and burn it!

Sarah Michelle Buffy didn't even try at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

This is beyond a "safe" choice.

This is insulting!

[Image via WENN.]

The Grande Dame



Just lovely!

Julia Roberts (with Mister Armani) looked every bit the movie star at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

This chick has been around the block a few times before, and she knows how to work it and what works for her!

She looks classy, sophisticated, sparkly and just like a real class act.

Lovesit!

[Image via WENN.]

This Isn't Prom!



What stylist told you to wear that????

They should be fired!!!

Amanda Peet looked unfortunate at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

Add a tiara to her dress and you have something from the Disney "princess" collection, on sale for $29.99!

[Image via WENN.]

The Devil Wore This



She looks like an alien!

And we LOVE it!!!!!

Anna Wintour brought along the space odyssey for the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

Can you believe the Vogue editor looks this good and she's in her 70s???!!!!!

[Image via WENN.]

Uhmmm….



We love her, but….

Really????

Those gloves with that outfit!!!!!

Come on!

Hey, at least Sarah Silverman should be happy that she was invited to the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

[Image via WENN.]

Love, Game, Set, Match



Who would have thought that Venus Williams would look better than some of the fashionistas???

The tennis pro looked tres fab at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

Maybe she will have a career in fashion when she retires from sports, after all!

[Image via WENN.]

Sadness



Eva Longoria was one of the best dressed of the evening!

The Desperate Housewives star looked just scrumptious at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

Too bad she had to go alone!

Husband Tony Parker must have been busy with a basketball game or something.

That relationship is destine to fail!

It's SOOOOO HARD to make it work when you have two busy people that barely ever see each other.

Sad.

[Image via WENN.]

It's One Of Those Dresses



You either love it or you hate it.

We're feeling the hateration!

Jennifer Connolly made a bold choice for the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Monday night.

The only person that could pull this look off is Michele Pfeiffer in Scarface.

Or maybe Gwen Stefani!

[Image via WENN.]

Britney Spears Gets More Time with Children



Britney Spears will get more time with her sons during visitation, a court ruled Tuesday.

"We are so pleased with Britney's progress, and we are appreciative of the court's recognition of this progress," Spears's parents, Jamie and Lynne Spears, said in statement after a hearing attended by the pop star and her ex-husband Kevin Federline.

It was not clear how much more time Spears was granted. Federline's attorney characterized the court order as "an expansion of time."

"It is a cautious step, but a step forward nonetheless," said lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan. "We are seeing signs of [Britney's] progress, and consistency over time is something welcome by Kevin ... The children are doing great."

Spears, with lawyer Blair Berk and both of her parents, smiled as she left the courtroom and headed for her SUV, but did not talk to the press. Earlier, during a break in the hearing, the singer was seen looking teary-eyed. However, during a second break, she smiled and held her mother's hand as she went back into the courtroom.

During that break, Spears and her lawyers, as well as Federline and his attorney, convened to adjacent rooms outside of the courtroom.

The hearing began around 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday. Spears, wearing a knee-length brown and white dress, was accompanied by her lawyer and both of her parents. Federline, wearing a tan pinstriped suit, was with Kaplan.

Spears has spent the last several months keeping a relatively low profile – and staying out of trouble. The singer was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center's psych ward in January. Her custody arrangement has consisted of only monitored visitation rights with her sons, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, several times a week – but no overnight privileges. Her father and a lawyer maintain legal control of her affairs until a July 31 hearing.

Since her father took control of Spears's life, the singer has been spending more time with her family – including her previously estranged mom. (She recently attended a baby shower for her sister, Jamie Lynn, in Kentwood, La.)

Spears has also been hard at work filming her second appearance on How I Met Your Mother, which will air May 12.

Friend: Mariah Is 'Over the Moon' About Marriage



Newlywed Mariah Carey is "over the moon" with happiness about her recent marriage to Nick Cannon, according to her friend, Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley.

"She is very happy," he told PEOPLE at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala in New York on Monday. "I've spoken with her and she is superb. She is over the moon."

In his latest communication from the singer, he said she sounds like a woman in love. "I received an email from her [Monday] and she is so happy. She really sounds like someone on her honeymoon."

Talley also had words of praise for the songbird's new husband. "I love Nick Cannon for Mariah," he said. "For Mariah, this is poetry."

As for her wedding fashion, Talley said the nuptials happened so quickly that "I didn't have the time to offer her any style tips!"

Robin Williams Vows to Keep Divorce Civil



Robin Williams and his estranged wife Marsha Garces Williams have pledged to be "honest, cooperative and respectful" during their divorce proceedings, according to court papers released Tuesday.

The pair signed an agreement spelling out their goals, including promises to try to avoid courtroom clashes and to keep their children's interests at the forefront, say the papers filed in San Francisco Superior Court.

"We will strive to be honest, cooperative and respectful as we work in this process to achieve the future well being of our families," says the agreement. "We commit ourselves to the collaborative law process and agree to seek a positive way to resolve our differences justly and equitably."

In a television interview, Williams underscored his desire to proceed in a civil manner.

"I'm lucky, you know, with someone like Marsha, and we have amazing kids and it's not a slash and burn," the comedian tells Ellen DeGeneres on a visit to her show Tuesday. "I think a lot of times divorce can be like circumcision with a weed whacker," he continues, "But the idea that it's going with love, I think, is important. And for me it's been ... a good thing."

Responded DeGeneres: "I'm happy that you're happy, and that's the way to do it."

Williams, 56, and Garces, 51, filed for divorce in March after 19 years of marriage citing irreconcilable differences. The couple have two children – Zelda, 18, and Cody, 16.

Recently, Zelda told PEOPLE, "I just want my parents to be happy."

Pals Congratulate Scarlett & Ryan on Engagement



Following the news that Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds have gotten engaged, friends are speaking out to offer heartfelt congratulations on the pairs' next step.

"I just heard," said designer Marc Jacobs at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala in New York on Monday. "I'm really happy for her. She's a great girl."

The designer, who worked with Johansson on a Louis Vuitton campaign, added, "I just think Scarlett is great and I hope she is very, very happy. She's super funny, [and] I love a smart, ballsy, New Yorker and that's what she is. I wish her the best."

Johansson, 23, who was also at the gala, showed off her new sparkling diamond ring for the first time publicly.

Filmmaker Sofia Coppola, who directed Johansson in Lost in Translation, was short and sweet in her message about the engagement, "Wow, congratulations to her," she said.

Reynolds, 31, proposed to Johansson after dating for more than a year. This is the first engagement for Johansson and the second for Reynolds, who was engaged to singer Alanis Morissette from 2004-2006. The couple have yet to set a wedding date.

Rihanna on Chris Brown: 'We're Very Close Now'



Rihanna is singing a new tune.

The Good Girl Gone Bad, 20, has played coy – except for minor PDA in a pool in Jamaica – when it comes to her "friendship" with fellow R&B stunner Chris Brown, 19. But the "Umbrella" singer unsealed her glossy lips in Elle's June issue.

"We've always been friends," she tells the magazine, "but we're very close now."

Although the Barbados-bred beauty, who is currently on tour with Kanye West, doesn't comment any further on her relationship with Brown, she does put to rest the rumors regarding the other man in her life: mentor and boss Jay-Z.

"I get asked about it all the time and I'm like, 'You're asking, but you know the answer,'" she says of the rap mogul, who married Beyoncé in April – to Rihanna's surprise. "I don't even like to address it anymore."

Barbara Walters Dishes About Star & Rosie on Oprah



She already revealed her secret affair, but there was plenty more from Barbara Walters Monday when she sat down with Oprah Winfrey: The usually reserved View cohost finally cleared the air on her former cohosts Star Jones and Rosie O'Donnell.

Walters discussed the controversial two years marked by Jones's public (and early) departure from the ABC chatfest – and the emotional whirlwind that followed during O'Donnell's one-year tenure. (It's all culled from Walters's new memoir, Audition.) While Walters opened up about things she's never discussed before, she says she and her former cohosts have now made peace.

Some highlights from their chat:

• On Star Jones: Walters says that it was tough for the panelists on the View to lie when Jones refused to discuss her gastric bypass surgery – but she did so anyway. "We had to lie on the set everyday," Walters told Winfrey. "She was our colleague and she really did not want us to out her ... We cared about her, and we thought we owed her." Instead, Jones told audience members at the time she had lost weight because of "portion control and pilates."

• On Rosie O'Donnell: Walters says that while O'Donnell is no longer on the show, she still feels a great deal of affection for her cohost – and says she's an "enormous talent."

But Walters says that O'Donnell's "emotional issues" complicated their relationship, suggesting that perhaps the comedian viewed her as a maternal figure.

"If I didn't do what she hoped I'd do, she felt I'd abandoned her," Walters said, referencing O'Donnell's claim that Walters was not publicly supportive during her feud with Donald Trump. (Walters reveals that she was on a boat in the Caribbean with Judge Judy when the story broke). She also notes that O'Donnell was used to being in control of things. "She had always driven the bus and she could not just ride the bus," she said.

John Mayer Gives Jen Aniston Photos Two Thumbs Up!



It could have been the bikini. Or her fab abs.

Whatever the lure, John Mayer is giving the pics of him and Jennifer Aniston frolicking on a Miami beach a "double thumbs up," according to the Associated Press.

"You know what I did?" said Mayer, when asked Monday night about the fun photos of the two who hit the town together during the last week of April. "I looked at it and I said, 'That's about right.' What am I going to say, 'That's not me'?"

The singer has been mum about his romance with Aniston on his own blog. But at the Met's Costume Institute Gala gala in New York on Monday, Mayer was happy to tell reporters, "You carry on and you enjoy yourself and you continue to live with dignity and everyone has fun."

He also stressed that all the attention was just a blip in the grand scheme of things, telling Entertainment Tonight, "Listen, this is not a scandal, this is not an issue, this is not a problem, this needs no spin control. This is me living my life and a guy with a really powerful lens and I don't fault him."

"There are much worse problems in the world," he added. "Everything's cool!"

Winehouse Pal Explains New Photos: 'It's Amy Being Amy'



Amy Winehouse was drastically dressed down last weekend while enjoying a U.K. holiday with friends – and the pics caused a minor stir with the British papers.

The singer was caught enjoying the long holiday weekend –and the first signs of summer sunshine – with pals, wine and a touch of hair bleach. (Cue the Back to Black jokes!)

Dressed only in a black bra and tiny denim shorts, Winehouse – sans her signature beehive – also revealed a bald patch and her efforts with an at-home hair dye kit on her bangs.

"It's Amy enjoying the sun at the weekend," her London rep tells PEOPLE of the photos. She also smoked, drank and chatted with friends during her time in Oxfordshire, west of London.

A friend of Winehouse's agrees, saying Winehouse was just taking advantage of the good weather in her own style.

"The sun makes people do crazy things," a Winehouse pal tells PEOPLE. "Walking around in your bra in your own garden when it's hot out isn't all that crazy. She doesn't care about having her picture taken like that. She wouldn't even think about that. It's Amy being Amy – she doesn't care what people think."

Ashlee Simpson Talks Engagement – and Ninja Dancing



Ashlee Simpson is still mum about her reported pregnancy. But she's happy to reveal her engagement ring and talk about her band's pre-show ritual – ninja dancing.

As a guest on the Paul O'Grady British chat show Thursday, the singer happily showed off her engagement ring, a non-conflict diamond, purchased by her fiancé Pete Wentz.

Beaming, she held her left hand out to the audience: "He did a great job, it's pretty exciting." Of her husband-to-be, she simply giggled and said, "I got a good one," as the audience applauded.

Simpson arrived in London last week to promote her new album Bittersweet World with Wentz in tow. The couple was spotted arriving hand-in-hand at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith on Friday morning for Simpson to pre-record one of many TV appearances scheduled during her visit.

So what does her Fall Out Boy fiancé think of her eighties-pop influenced album? "He likes it," she said. "He's such a great supporter of me."

The album title, Bittersweet World, has a more spiritual meaning than some might think. "It's about everyone coming together and it's about (the idea that) you reap what you sow."

Her band, she says, has their own pre-show spiritual ritual. "My girlfriend kisses my hand three times and my band do a really weird ninja dance. We clap our hands and give each other our energy and then we say a really bad word afterwards."