Welp ... I made it back to LA safe and sound last night ... there were the usual delays at JFK airport in NYC (one of my joys in life is sitting in a plane that is sitting on the runway and the Capt. announces that there are 50 planes ahead of us in line for takeoff) but I managed to survive yet another transcontinental plane ride home ... only to find that it's not that much warmer here on the West Coast than it is on the East Coast -- wtf? And so ... let's get to it ...

There isn't much new concrete news on Britney Spears to report today but there are always new photos of our dear Britney available for discussion. This weekend, Britters did her usual errands ... shopping at a drug store, going sun tanning, endless visits to Starbucks ... but somewhere along the way, Brit Brit decided to pick up a book, C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to be exact, and read it:


Well, okay ... I'm making a huge assumption on the reading assertion but at the very least she cracked open the book so it's possible that she was reading the book and not just hiding behind it from the paparazzi. After all, when was the last time YOU saw Britney Spears shy away from the attention from the photogs? In totally unsubstantiated good news, I'm hearing that Britney is unhappy with the cover artwork for her new album Blackout (tho, I'm sure not as unhappy as the rest of the world is ... or maybe because the rest of the world is) and has scheduled a new photoshoot to have the cover artwork redone. Also, Britney has announced that there will be an open call for dancers at the Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood, CA this afternoon at approx 5pm for anyone who wants to audition to dance with her. I understand that she *may* show up as well. Yikes. I hope that North Hollywood is ready ... Britney Spears is comin' their way. [Source]

In other scholastic pursuit news, everyone's favorite TV cheerleader Hayden Panettiere was also spotted reading a book in public this weekend ... but this time, Hayden was reading for a bunch of kids at Storyopolis book store and art gallery here in LA ... and then quickly made her exit out the back-way with Starbucks and paper tiara in hand:


Photo credit: Splash News
Bless ... the little lamb appeared to have difficulty with the big words. Thankfully there were pictures in that book to save the day. You know, I think the paper tiara is a good look for her ... shoot, it'd prolly be a good look for me ... I might have to pick one up myself. [Source]

Fashion Week has descended upon Los Angeles yet again this year and someone thought it would be a good idea to let little Nicky Hilton, the hugely less famous Hilton daughter, have her own little runway show for her own little clothing line called Chick ... all by her little self:


Photo credit: Splash News
Clearly the event organizers were scammed into believing that Paris Hilton would be attending this show as well, otherwise how can one possibly explain the fact that Nicky got her own show all by herself? [Source]

After all ... even her parents, Kathy and Rick Hilton, looked put out at having to show up for Nicky's fashion show:


Photo credit: Splash News
Boy, I bet the parents Hilton are really regretting right about now their decision to not leave Nicky out in the woods to be raised or devoured by wolves when she was just a baby. [Source]

Jennifer Garner is trying her hand at the Broadway thing with her limited engagement at the Richard Rogers Theater (which is only a couple of blocks away from the Helen Hayes Theater where the IMMENSELY SUPERIOR musical Xanadu is playing) where she is appearing live on stage in the new production of Cyrano ... here are a few pics of Jen greeting the fans after one of her shows this weekend showing off as many goofy-assed faces as she could muster:


Why do I have the strange feeling that Jen has been cast as the ugly dude with the too-big nose that can't get a date with the woman he loves and has to speak thru his more handsome friend to woo her heart? Something about her schnoz that makes me wonder. [Source]

Much like the Hilton parents who are forced to pretend to care enough to show up in support lovingly choose to sit front and center at their youngest daughter's fashion show here in LA -- daughter Violet Affleck, too, seems just as excited at seeing her mom's new stage show on a daily basis with daddy Ben Affleck:


Photo credit: Splash News
Obvs, Violet is familiar with her mother's acting prowess. Oy! Can you imagine having to sit thru Elektra on stage for two weeks straight? Yessh! [Source]

Bobby Brown, who was reeling on his death bed only days ago after suffering a heart attack, made his way back to the performance stage this weekend at the V100 Taste of Soul music and food festival ... here are a few pics:


Photo credit: Splash News
Well ... I guess we shouldn't be all that surprised that an artist can return from the dead only to get back up on the concert stage to perform again ... Marc Anthony has been doing it for years. [Source]

Rihanna was spotted making a grand exit from an NYC tattoo parlor over the weekend but she was very shy about showing off her new tattoo ... then. Here are pics of Rihanna walking her new pooch around town yesterday, clearly ready to show off her new ink:


Photo credit: Splash News
Uh, if I were her, I'd go back to hiding it. It doesn't look that good. It appears to be a guitar with a broken neck ... and it looks like it was done in ballpoint pen. I hope this tat is a work in progress cuz if this is what it looks like done then I'm so not impressed. [Source]

The former Bachelor Andy Baldwin took his hot bod down to Hawaii to run in the 2007 Iron Man World Championship race in Kailua-Kona and did so in 10 hours and 17 minutes ... here is a pic of Andy chugging along on Saturday afternoon:


Now, there are Iron Men and there are Iron Men ... and Andy Baldwin is of the omg-insanely-hot-and-kinda-hard-to-look-at-full-on variety as opposed to the, say, comic book variety which aren't necessarily hot as much as they're imaginary. Whatev ... I'll take the one in the tight spandex shorts any day over the other. [Source]

Pete Doherty has snagged himself a new chick, model girlfriend Irina Lazareanu ... unfortch, she's not quite as hot as his last chick (tho, new girl does happen to have the same bangs as old girl these days) but she does seem to be in love ... how presh. Here are a few pics of the lovebirds enjoying a day at the carnival:


How is it that rocker Pete Doherty always manages to find the unsexiest models to date? Oh wait ... I forgot that it's Pete Doherty we're talking about. Well, I wish this happy new couple all the luck in the world. [Source]

Um ... isn't there an old joke about how Cher will live on for all eternity, that after the apocalypse there will only be cockroaches and Cher? Yeah, the end must be nearer than was previously thought because homegirl ain't lookin' too hot these days:


When one ends up lookin' like Ozzy Osbourne, one's time has really come to an end. [Source]

Suri Holmes Cruise, the human child-like creature that is said to have been borne of the loins of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, continues to grow at an exceedingly alarming rate. She was but a hatchling only a short while ago and now she's already half as tall as her alleged father, Tom Cruise ...


... it's a shame that the little creature's power supply can't keep her running for very long. Maybe they should make her solar-powered or something. [Source]

Kylie Minogue has just been named the new spokesperson for the Tous jewelry line ... here is a cute pic of Kylie at the announcement ceremony:


From the press release: World-renowned Spanish jewelry and accessories brand TOUS has named Grammy award-winning artist Kylie Minogue the face of the brand globally. The partnership will extend through 2010 and will feature Minogue in the brands print, outdoor and online advertising campaigns. The 2008 campaign is set to be shot abroad in November and will be unveiled in June of 2008. "Kylie was a natural choice for the TOUS brand. Her strength and determination is what initially drew us to her," says Rosa Tous, Creative Director. "Kylie compliments our fundamental values and we are very excited to embark on this relationship and nurture its growth over the next three years." Kylie Minogue's first association with TOUS will be on October 16th in London, England at the world premier of her film, White Diamond, where she will wear a TOUS signature design. Minogue traveled to TOUS headquarters in Manresa, Spain to hand select the jewelry to complement her gown. "I was immediately attracted to TOUS," says Minogue. "It's is a fabulous brand, rich in heritage, and I am excited to be a part of it all. The more I learn about the company and their history, the more I appreciate the TOUS brand." Brills. Kylie signs on as the spokes model for a jewlry line right as she is about to release her new documentary film White Diamond. Truth be told, Kylie would be the perfect choice for any product ... I can't wait to see the new ads and billboards to come. [Source]

Jennifer Lopez is on the cover of the new issue of Allure magazine ... here is the cover along with a few outtake, behind-the-scenes photo from her covershoot:


La Diva Latina is lookin' pretty fierce in these pics ... the interview has no questions concerning her alleged pregnancy, tho :( Ah well, I guess we'll just have to speculate some more until an official announcement is made one way or the other. [Source]

And finally, a shirtless Nicole Sherzinger featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Blender magazine:


Her debut solo album drops very shortly and I am very anxious to hear what it sounds like (tho, I suspect that it will sound pretty much exactly like the PCD album that has already been released). I'm not really feelin' her new song Baby Love so I hope that's the weakest track on the album. That said, I'm still looking forward to the album's release ... hopefully, Nicole will find a shirt to wear by then. [Source]

Les News:

• Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? was the #1 movie at the box office this weekend.
• Xanadu, the original Broadway cast recording, is set to be recorded on October 29th. Additionally, the Xanadu tour will kick off here in SoCal next year. [thanks Ron]
• Lindsay Lohan reports back to work.
• Jennifer Aniston wishes she were Oprah Winfrey.
• Spencer Pratt thinks he helps make the world go 'round.
• I guess if you have a big penis, you can get away with looking like THIS.
• This week on Chatting with Pete and Paul: John Wasn't Gay.
• IN BED WITH CRISTIANO RONALDO
• Um, Whoa!
• Please God, make it stop.
• Yay! Matthew McConaughey is shirtless again!
• I somehow doubt that Lindsay Lohan is as poor as the rumors say she is.
• Keyshia Cole is 26, Penny Marshall is 65 and Linda Lavin (Alice) is 70 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
• Metallica continue work on their new album.
• Kylie Minogue scores a minor role in the new West End production of Rent.

Soo ... yeah ... yesterday was a very short day for me in NYC. I had to write the blog and then pack up all my shizz before departing for the airport. David, his father Mark and I did manage to grab a quick lunch at Cafe Asean where we supped on delish Thai food in their amazing backyard courtyard. David always manages to find the best places to eat in NYC. Then it was off to JFK for me ... the flight home was especially long (remember that 50 plane pile up on the runway I mentioned above?) but I did get to watch all of Legally Blonde on MTV and all of the Cillian Murphy/Chris Evans sci-fi thriller Sunshine on my trip. LB ruled ... and there were quite a few folks on the plane who were watching it as well. Sunshine was a great movie ... I wish I had seen it in theaters, I think all the effects are lost on such a small screen.

I hope to have a quiet week this week ... I've been running around like mad. Have a great week y'all ... I'm out.

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