Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Stuffed
Happy Boxing Day, y'all! Hopefully y'all have recovered nicely from your Xmas celebrations yesterday and that everything went off without a hitch. I ended up waiting until the last minute to finish up my Xmas shopping this year but I have NO PLANS to step foot inside a mall or store today and deal with all the after-Xmas mayhem that is surely going on today. Things on the goss front are kinda quiet today, as expected, but let's do the best with what we've got and try and get things back to normal around here.
Former Britney Spears personal assistant and "second mother" (from way back in the day) Felicia Culotta has got herself a new gig as mother hen in the music biz again these days. Fe has put her days working with Britney Spears behind her (altho she still professes pity at what the girl she once knew has become) and is now working with the squeaky-clean Disney act, The Jonas Brothers. Felicia gave a short, impromptu interview with the Gatecrasher just before Xmas and handled the "Britney question" as gracefully as possible:
It turns out [Felicia] Culotta (known as "Fe") has taken a group of 10 of Britney's former top people and brought them with her on tour with rising Disney act the Jonas Brothers. Even Brit's famed former bodyguard, "Big Rob," is looking after the boys. "It's just so sad to see Britney now," Culotta told us. "She has turned away from everyone that wants to help her and love her. I hope she reaches out to her family for help soon." Of course, Britney's loss is the new guys' gain. "Working with the Jonas Brothers is a totally positive experience," Culotta gushed. "They are wonderful, and I feel so lucky to be with such sweet people. It is a completely different experience from my time with Britney near the end." It wasn't that long ago that Britney was as squeaky clean as the Jonas Brothers are so I guess you never know how these things turn out. It's just so sad to see how things turned out for Britney, most probably because of her own poor decision making. But, life goes on ... there will always be a new wholesome Disney act that will need looking after and I guess that is a job for Felicia Culotta. [Source]
In other Spears news, former classmates of the newest member of the Spears family, Casey Aldridge (like it or not, married or not, Casey will forever be part of the Spears family tree from now on), are speaking up and giving their $0.02 about the boy who is to become father to the first-born child of the youngest Spears child, Miss Jamie-Lynn Spears. By and large, all his friends and acquaintances speak well of him ... which is a good thing considering he got his 16-year old girlfriend pregnant. Speaking of, here is an outtake picture from the OK! magazine photoshoot that accompanied JL's bombshell interview with the magazine last week that announced her unplanned pregnancy:
He's best known as the expectant father of Jamie Lynn Spears' baby, but former classmates and teachers remember Casey Aldridge as a popular joker who could talk his way out of anything. "Casey is one of those boys who really has a lot going for him," says a former teacher at Amite School Center, where Aldridge lettered in football and baseball, served as senior class president and graduated in May 2007. "He's handsome, smart and very, very charming." And at 6'1" and 165 lbs, Aldridge's magnetism caught the eye of the girls. "He is athletic," says the teacher, "and down here in the south, athletes are gods, so he had his share of adoring fans." One of those fans was Spears, who started dating Aldridge about two years ago. "Casey really liked being known for dating Jamie Lynn," says a former classmate. "He thought it was really cool that he was dating someone famous, and you could just tell that he loved the attention." He also loved to have a good time. "If there was a prank, he was involved," says the classmate. "Things like sending around a note in class for everyone to cough at [the same time]." Despite the mischief that he got in during high school, teachers say that his charm kept him from ever getting into much trouble. "There was a little part of [Leave it to Beaver's] Eddie Haskell in him," says his former teacher. "He'd say, 'You look very nice today. Is that a new dress?' And you'd be wondering, 'What's this kid's angle?' The difference between him and Eddie Haskell is that Casey's angle was that he truly wanted you to like him, and wanted to give you a compliment." An average student – "He had the capability to do much better academically," says a teacher – Aldridge briefly considered community college before taking a job as a pipe fitter in Baton Rouge. Apparently, all of his charming and playful attributes lead those folks who knew/know him to believe that he will be a good father. That remains to be seen but I'm sure as time goes on, as that fated baby bump continues to grow, we'll get a better picture of theman boy that Casey Aldridge really is. [Source, thanks Jennifer]
In other celeb whipper-snapper news, it seems that Paris Hilton's little brother Barron is growing up fast, ready to take on the mantle of the proud Hilton Family tradition of upholding the Hilton name in high regard. I knew it was only a matter of time before the next generation of Hiltons would start carrying the torch passed down to them by big sis Paris ... it appears that the time is now:
PARIS Hilton's younger brother, Barron, 16, is taking a page out of her partying playbook. Sources tell Page Six that Barron is dating Skye Peters, also 16, the daughter of "Superman Returns" producer Jon Peters and his ex, Christine Peters. On Friday, the two holed up in room 261 at the Bel Air Hotel and "something happened," said a friend of Jon's, as "police were called." A rep for Jon reached the producer at his Santa Barbara ranch and told Page Six: "Jon has responded that he will be looking into the purported relationship, and why Christine is allowing their youngest daughter to spend nights out" ... Christine's assistant said, "Christine and Kathy Hilton have been friends for years so of course Skye and Barron are friends. They were all at the Bel Air several weeks ago for a luncheon, but the rest sounds crazy. Police were not called." While I'm sure the other Hilton kids might try and steal the Partygirl crown from Paris, I doubt that any of them will be successful. That said, Baron, at 16, seems to be well on his way at making a play for the title of Paris v2.0. [Source]
In happy, uplifting celeb news, there are other less seedy things to talk about today as well. The LA Mission benefitted from the volunteering efforts of a few celebs again this year ... tho, not as many as they usually enjoy. Here are a few pics of some of the famous folk who came out to help the LA Mission serve food to the homeless:
Photo credit: Splash News
Hewitt and nearly 400 volunteers ... bring Christmas toys and dinner to thousands of homeless men, women and children on Skid Row from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Los Angeles Mission at 303 E. 5th Street. "I have made it a point to come to the Los Angeles Mission at Christmas," said Hewitt, who stars in the TV show "Ghost Whisperer." "There are so many hurting people on the streets of our city, but when I'm here I get to see the smiles of the children and the great food for everyone. I think they are getting real help from the staff and volunteers. I come to give something back, but invariably I get more blessing than I give," she said. Police will close off Fifth Street from Wall Street to San Pedro Street so the area around the mission can be set up with tents, tables and chairs for the thousands expected to visit the mission for a warm holiday meal. The menu will include rotisserie chicken, glazed ham, three-cheese macaroni, mixed vegetables, dinner rolls, cranberry relish and chocolate cake for dessert. Santa will also be on hand to greet the children and pass out gifts donated by area businesses and individuals. The mission said it expects to serve about 3,000 meals and give out more than 1,000 gifts to 600 children. You will note that Spencer Pratt, from MTV's The Hills, was also among the noted named folk who came out to give of his time and energy for the LA Mission this year. He also gave of his time last month around Thanksgiving. I absolutely cannot hate on anyone who gives of their time in this way, no matter what the reason. Much props to Spencer, J. Love and her hottie fiancée Ross McCall for stepping up and making a difference for those in need this holiday season. [Source]
Elsewhere this Xmas, celebs have been making their way to various vacation destinations to celebrate the holidays. Here are pictures of the faboo Mariah Carey with the love of her life, pooch Jack, as they made their way around Aspen, CO this week:
Mimi makes it a point to visit Aspen each holiday season and she always looks great doing so. I have a feeling that 2008 is gonna be a big year for Miss Mimi ... if her new album is anything like her last, smash album then we are going to be seeing a lot of Mariah Carey over the coming year. [Source]
Kid Rock spent part of his Xmas out of the country but instead of jetting off to a luxurious tropical location he made his way to Iraq so that he could visit with and entertain the troops stationed there who were not able to be home for the holidays. Kid Rock has made the Xmas trip to Iraq to entertain the troops for the past couple of years now which is pretty effing cool in my book:
Before Kid Rock left for the Middle East he posted this message to the troops on his official website:
To the Troops and their Families,
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope we get to see you in Iraq this week. Here are some photos from last years trip to Iraq.
God Bless!
He then posted this message on his site after returning home:
I just returned from Iraq and here are a couple pics from the trip, there will be more to follow. We did 13 shows, 7 different countries, in 5 days ... Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Italy and Spain ....
Please keep the troops and their families in your prayers during the holidays!
We will see you all in 2008!
-Kid Rock
For all his faults, you have to appreciate how awesome it is for Kid Rock to annually give of his time in order to provide entertainment for our troops overseas. Any moniker of selflessness should be praised (or at least acknowledged) but I am just so impressed that Detroit native Kid Rock makes it a priority to include a visit to our troops each holiday season. Much respect, Kid, you make Detroit very proud. [Source]
Here are a few really cute pics of the entire Brangelina family -- Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt and Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt -- as they all went for a bike ride together on the streets of New Orleans, LA this past weekend:
Photo credit: Splash News
You would think that the family's intense celebrity would keep them indoors, hidden from sight ... but Brangelina are pretty open about going out in public together. Ma and Pa Jolie-Pitt are so committed to making as normal a life for their kids as possible ... it's really pretty remarkable. They make the cutest family ever! [Source]
In other cuteness news, here are pics of hottie Hugh Jackman soaking up the rays down in Sydney, Australia this week as he shows off his sexy legs and arms on a coffee run:
Mmm ... Hugh is one fine specimen of hawtness ... it may be cold as balls here in Detroit Rock City but I'm glad to know that it's at least hot enough down in Oz for Hugh to walk around wearing as little as possible. Woot!! [Source]
Back here in the States, Lindsay Lohan was kind enough to spare some time for the needy this holiday season ... she agreed to have a sit down dinner with her estranged father Michael Lohan. Here are a couple pics from their Xmas meeting in NYC this past weekend:
It's great that Lindsay took time out of her bizzy being-horny schedule (to be discussed in the next item) and that Daddy Lohan took time out of his bizzy being-Joseph schedule so that they could spend some time together. You gotta admit, Daddy Lohan has really been putting in the work to try and mend fences with his daughter. Is it real or is it Memorex? It's too soon to tell ... so I guess he's gonna have to keep at it. [Source]
Now, about Lindsay's "schedule" of late ... it didn't take all that long for L. Lo's ex-boyfriend Riley Giles to sell his story to a media outlet regarding his time with Lindsay. Riley claims that L. Lo is an insatiable nymphomaniac who wanted sex 24-hours a day. My question is, Duh. Who didn't know this?
Photo credit: INFdaily
Speaking for the first time of their fling, snowboard daredevil Riley Giles told how the wild-child actress craved marathon nights of lust as she broke off her lethal love affair with drink and cocaine. In an exclusive interview he said: "Lindsay's definitely a nymphomaniac. She's wild in bed. We'd have sex a couple of times in the day and then go to it through the night. "We once did it four times in a row straight. That was crazy. Lindsay was insatiable. She'd demand sex again and again. We'd go at it for hours. She'd have worn out most guys." Extreme sports professional Riley, 24, met 21-year-old Lindsay while they were both having treatment for hard drug addiction at the Cirque Lodge centre in Utah. The film star slipped the ski-slope hunk a secret note asking for his mobile phone number. Riley couldn't resist and Lindsay was calling him up right away. "From that moment it was on," he recalled as he described their first snatched passionate kiss in a corridor, strictly against the rules. "The chemistry between us was so strong we couldn't help ourselves. But once they left the Cirque Lodge — after 60 days on the programme — they moved into a romantic log cabin in the nearby mountains They locked themselves in and were at it like rabbits ... Riley revealed how Lindsay used orgasm after orgasm as a potent substitute for the huge chemical hits she was used to while partying. He explained: "When you orgasm, your endorphins shoot up and it becomes a massive natural high. If you have an addictive personality like Lindsay you need that to replace the highs you got from taking drugs all the time. Sex became a key part of her recovery. And we didn't get out of bed for days. It was the perfect place—roaring fires with amazing views over the Sundance ski resort. The first time we had sex I couldn't believe I was looking down at Lindsay Lohan naked. We'd barely gotten through the door when we just ripped each other's clothes off. Lindsay is so hot. She has a great body. Her backside is fantastic, perfect, all plump and round. She has great curves but her belly is nice and flat and toned. We couldn't get enough of each other." Er, well, apparently Lindsay could get enough of Riley because by the time Thanksgiving rolled around she tossed him over and moved on. Apparently the sex was that good for her. I love how Riley Giles now appears to be an expert on orgasms ... maybe he can use his expertise to find a new job in Hollywood. I'm sure Paris Hilton will tire of Alex Vaggo soon enough. [Source]
David sent me a really great article from Wired magazine that discussed at length Trent Reznor's use of the InterWeb and alternate reality games to make the experience surrounding his 2007 Nine Inch Nails album Year Zero a fully interactive one. Like Lost before it and The Dark Knight after, Year Zero was expanded upon by way of a world wide online game that offered clues to be decoded by anyone in the world who wanted to play ... which is a great primer for the way that interactive marketing will grow in the coming years:
The initial clue was so subtle that for nearly two days nobody noticed it. On February 10, 2007, the first night of Nine Inch Nails' European tour, T-shirts went on sale at a 19th-century Lisbon concert hall with what looked to be a printing error: Random letters in the tour schedule on the back seemed slightly boldfaced. Then a 27-year-old Lisbon photographer named Nuno Foros realized that, strung together, the boldface letters spelled "i am trying to believe." Foros posted a photo of his T-shirt on the Spiral, the Nine Inch Nails fan forum. People started typing "iamtryingtobelieve.com" into their Web browsers. That led them to a site denouncing something called Parepin, a drug apparently introduced into the US water supply. Ostensibly, Parepin was an antidote to bioterror agents, but in reality, the page declared, it was part of a government plot to confuse and sedate citizens. Email sent to the site's contact link generated a cryptic auto-response: "I'm drinking the water. So should you." Online, fans worldwide debated what this had to do with Nine Inch Nails. A setup for the next album? Some kind of interactive game? Or what? A few days later, on February 14, a woman named Sue was about to wash a different T-shirt, which she had bought at one of the Lisbon shows, when she noticed that the tour dates included several boldface digits. Fans quickly interpreted this as a Los Angeles telephone number. People who called it heard a recording of a newscaster announcing, "Presidential address: America is born again," followed by a distorted snippet of what could only be a new Nine Inch Nails song. Then, a woman named Ana reported finding a USB flash drive in a bathroom stall at the hall where the band had been playing. On the drive was a previously unreleased song, which she promptly uploaded. The metadata tag on the song contained a clue that led to a site displaying a glowing wheat field, with the legend "America Is Born Again." Clicking and dragging the mouse across the screen, however, revealed a much grimmer-looking site labeled "Another Version of the Truth." Clicking on that led to a forum about acts of underground resistance. All this activity had been set in motion months before. Trent Reznor, the singer — songwriter behind Nine Inch Nails, had been recording Year Zero, a grimly futuristic suite evoking an America beset by terrorism, ravaged by climate change, and ruled by a Christian military dictatorship. "But I had a problem," he recalls, lounging on a second-floor deck of the house he's remodeling in Beverly Hills: how to provide context for the songs. In the '60s, concept albums came with extensive liner notes and lots of artwork. MP3s don't have that. "So I started thinking about how to make the world's most elaborate album cover," he says, "using the media of today." The article goes on from there where Trent discusses the reason why he launched the game (NOT for marketing the album), the company he worked with to set the game in motion (42 Entertainment) and the enjoyment he got from watching his fans work interactively together to try and figure out the whole picture. I love this kind of stuff ... from the onset, I tried to keep up with the Year Zero game but it got really complex and very big and I had to bow out. It was a thrill to see Nine Inch Nails live in Barcelona, Spain last February, right when the ARG was getting in full swing in the weeks leading up to the release of Year Zero. I am very excited that Trent Reznor is now a completely free man ... he has fulfilled his record contract with Interscope and he is now free to make, sell and distribute his music in any way he sees fit. I am very anxious to see what he will do next. If Year Zero and the ARG that came along with it is any indication, we are in for a lot more kickass NINness. [Source]
M.I.A. is the newest face of Marc Jacobs:
Altho I find the Marc Jacobs ads very unremarkable, I love that M.I.A. has signed on to appear in fashion campaigns. There should deffo be more M.I.A. in the world. [Source]
And finally, to round out the day in a pretty hot way ... Eric Dane is featured in the new issue of Flaunt magazine:
Dr. McSteamy is really look all McMeany in these pics but I am not complaining ... at all. He is a very hot man and while it's a shame that Rebecca Gayhart gets to enjoy his hotness all by herself ... I am glad that she puts him on loan every once in a while ... there aren't nearly enough photoshoots of this dude. Le sigh. [Source]
Les News:
I have been missing David over the past few days but I will happily be flying to NYC tomorrow to spend the rest of the year with him in the Big Apple. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time home with my family and friends but I am really looking forward to spending time with David.
The running around ain't over yet ... I'm planning to visit Tracey and Zakiya one more time this afternoon and then Mark and I are doing sushi dinner together. I'll also be posting my Top Music picks for 2007 in a post later on today.
I hope things are going well for y'all ... if you're back to work, I hope the day goes by fast :) That is all ... I'm out.
[Permalink]
Former Britney Spears personal assistant and "second mother" (from way back in the day) Felicia Culotta has got herself a new gig as mother hen in the music biz again these days. Fe has put her days working with Britney Spears behind her (altho she still professes pity at what the girl she once knew has become) and is now working with the squeaky-clean Disney act, The Jonas Brothers. Felicia gave a short, impromptu interview with the Gatecrasher just before Xmas and handled the "Britney question" as gracefully as possible:
It turns out [Felicia] Culotta (known as "Fe") has taken a group of 10 of Britney's former top people and brought them with her on tour with rising Disney act the Jonas Brothers. Even Brit's famed former bodyguard, "Big Rob," is looking after the boys. "It's just so sad to see Britney now," Culotta told us. "She has turned away from everyone that wants to help her and love her. I hope she reaches out to her family for help soon." Of course, Britney's loss is the new guys' gain. "Working with the Jonas Brothers is a totally positive experience," Culotta gushed. "They are wonderful, and I feel so lucky to be with such sweet people. It is a completely different experience from my time with Britney near the end." It wasn't that long ago that Britney was as squeaky clean as the Jonas Brothers are so I guess you never know how these things turn out. It's just so sad to see how things turned out for Britney, most probably because of her own poor decision making. But, life goes on ... there will always be a new wholesome Disney act that will need looking after and I guess that is a job for Felicia Culotta. [Source]
In other Spears news, former classmates of the newest member of the Spears family, Casey Aldridge (like it or not, married or not, Casey will forever be part of the Spears family tree from now on), are speaking up and giving their $0.02 about the boy who is to become father to the first-born child of the youngest Spears child, Miss Jamie-Lynn Spears. By and large, all his friends and acquaintances speak well of him ... which is a good thing considering he got his 16-year old girlfriend pregnant. Speaking of, here is an outtake picture from the OK! magazine photoshoot that accompanied JL's bombshell interview with the magazine last week that announced her unplanned pregnancy:
He's best known as the expectant father of Jamie Lynn Spears' baby, but former classmates and teachers remember Casey Aldridge as a popular joker who could talk his way out of anything. "Casey is one of those boys who really has a lot going for him," says a former teacher at Amite School Center, where Aldridge lettered in football and baseball, served as senior class president and graduated in May 2007. "He's handsome, smart and very, very charming." And at 6'1" and 165 lbs, Aldridge's magnetism caught the eye of the girls. "He is athletic," says the teacher, "and down here in the south, athletes are gods, so he had his share of adoring fans." One of those fans was Spears, who started dating Aldridge about two years ago. "Casey really liked being known for dating Jamie Lynn," says a former classmate. "He thought it was really cool that he was dating someone famous, and you could just tell that he loved the attention." He also loved to have a good time. "If there was a prank, he was involved," says the classmate. "Things like sending around a note in class for everyone to cough at [the same time]." Despite the mischief that he got in during high school, teachers say that his charm kept him from ever getting into much trouble. "There was a little part of [Leave it to Beaver's] Eddie Haskell in him," says his former teacher. "He'd say, 'You look very nice today. Is that a new dress?' And you'd be wondering, 'What's this kid's angle?' The difference between him and Eddie Haskell is that Casey's angle was that he truly wanted you to like him, and wanted to give you a compliment." An average student – "He had the capability to do much better academically," says a teacher – Aldridge briefly considered community college before taking a job as a pipe fitter in Baton Rouge. Apparently, all of his charming and playful attributes lead those folks who knew/know him to believe that he will be a good father. That remains to be seen but I'm sure as time goes on, as that fated baby bump continues to grow, we'll get a better picture of the
In other celeb whipper-snapper news, it seems that Paris Hilton's little brother Barron is growing up fast, ready to take on the mantle of the proud Hilton Family tradition of upholding the Hilton name in high regard. I knew it was only a matter of time before the next generation of Hiltons would start carrying the torch passed down to them by big sis Paris ... it appears that the time is now:
PARIS Hilton's younger brother, Barron, 16, is taking a page out of her partying playbook. Sources tell Page Six that Barron is dating Skye Peters, also 16, the daughter of "Superman Returns" producer Jon Peters and his ex, Christine Peters. On Friday, the two holed up in room 261 at the Bel Air Hotel and "something happened," said a friend of Jon's, as "police were called." A rep for Jon reached the producer at his Santa Barbara ranch and told Page Six: "Jon has responded that he will be looking into the purported relationship, and why Christine is allowing their youngest daughter to spend nights out" ... Christine's assistant said, "Christine and Kathy Hilton have been friends for years so of course Skye and Barron are friends. They were all at the Bel Air several weeks ago for a luncheon, but the rest sounds crazy. Police were not called." While I'm sure the other Hilton kids might try and steal the Partygirl crown from Paris, I doubt that any of them will be successful. That said, Baron, at 16, seems to be well on his way at making a play for the title of Paris v2.0. [Source]
In happy, uplifting celeb news, there are other less seedy things to talk about today as well. The LA Mission benefitted from the volunteering efforts of a few celebs again this year ... tho, not as many as they usually enjoy. Here are a few pics of some of the famous folk who came out to help the LA Mission serve food to the homeless:
Photo credit: Splash News
Hewitt and nearly 400 volunteers ... bring Christmas toys and dinner to thousands of homeless men, women and children on Skid Row from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Los Angeles Mission at 303 E. 5th Street. "I have made it a point to come to the Los Angeles Mission at Christmas," said Hewitt, who stars in the TV show "Ghost Whisperer." "There are so many hurting people on the streets of our city, but when I'm here I get to see the smiles of the children and the great food for everyone. I think they are getting real help from the staff and volunteers. I come to give something back, but invariably I get more blessing than I give," she said. Police will close off Fifth Street from Wall Street to San Pedro Street so the area around the mission can be set up with tents, tables and chairs for the thousands expected to visit the mission for a warm holiday meal. The menu will include rotisserie chicken, glazed ham, three-cheese macaroni, mixed vegetables, dinner rolls, cranberry relish and chocolate cake for dessert. Santa will also be on hand to greet the children and pass out gifts donated by area businesses and individuals. The mission said it expects to serve about 3,000 meals and give out more than 1,000 gifts to 600 children. You will note that Spencer Pratt, from MTV's The Hills, was also among the noted named folk who came out to give of his time and energy for the LA Mission this year. He also gave of his time last month around Thanksgiving. I absolutely cannot hate on anyone who gives of their time in this way, no matter what the reason. Much props to Spencer, J. Love and her hottie fiancée Ross McCall for stepping up and making a difference for those in need this holiday season. [Source]
Elsewhere this Xmas, celebs have been making their way to various vacation destinations to celebrate the holidays. Here are pictures of the faboo Mariah Carey with the love of her life, pooch Jack, as they made their way around Aspen, CO this week:
Mimi makes it a point to visit Aspen each holiday season and she always looks great doing so. I have a feeling that 2008 is gonna be a big year for Miss Mimi ... if her new album is anything like her last, smash album then we are going to be seeing a lot of Mariah Carey over the coming year. [Source]
Kid Rock spent part of his Xmas out of the country but instead of jetting off to a luxurious tropical location he made his way to Iraq so that he could visit with and entertain the troops stationed there who were not able to be home for the holidays. Kid Rock has made the Xmas trip to Iraq to entertain the troops for the past couple of years now which is pretty effing cool in my book:
Before Kid Rock left for the Middle East he posted this message to the troops on his official website:
To the Troops and their Families,
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope we get to see you in Iraq this week. Here are some photos from last years trip to Iraq.
God Bless!
He then posted this message on his site after returning home:
I just returned from Iraq and here are a couple pics from the trip, there will be more to follow. We did 13 shows, 7 different countries, in 5 days ... Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Italy and Spain ....
Please keep the troops and their families in your prayers during the holidays!
We will see you all in 2008!
-Kid Rock
For all his faults, you have to appreciate how awesome it is for Kid Rock to annually give of his time in order to provide entertainment for our troops overseas. Any moniker of selflessness should be praised (or at least acknowledged) but I am just so impressed that Detroit native Kid Rock makes it a priority to include a visit to our troops each holiday season. Much respect, Kid, you make Detroit very proud. [Source]
Here are a few really cute pics of the entire Brangelina family -- Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt and Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt -- as they all went for a bike ride together on the streets of New Orleans, LA this past weekend:
Photo credit: Splash News
You would think that the family's intense celebrity would keep them indoors, hidden from sight ... but Brangelina are pretty open about going out in public together. Ma and Pa Jolie-Pitt are so committed to making as normal a life for their kids as possible ... it's really pretty remarkable. They make the cutest family ever! [Source]
In other cuteness news, here are pics of hottie Hugh Jackman soaking up the rays down in Sydney, Australia this week as he shows off his sexy legs and arms on a coffee run:
Mmm ... Hugh is one fine specimen of hawtness ... it may be cold as balls here in Detroit Rock City but I'm glad to know that it's at least hot enough down in Oz for Hugh to walk around wearing as little as possible. Woot!! [Source]
Back here in the States, Lindsay Lohan was kind enough to spare some time for the needy this holiday season ... she agreed to have a sit down dinner with her estranged father Michael Lohan. Here are a couple pics from their Xmas meeting in NYC this past weekend:
It's great that Lindsay took time out of her bizzy being-horny schedule (to be discussed in the next item) and that Daddy Lohan took time out of his bizzy being-Joseph schedule so that they could spend some time together. You gotta admit, Daddy Lohan has really been putting in the work to try and mend fences with his daughter. Is it real or is it Memorex? It's too soon to tell ... so I guess he's gonna have to keep at it. [Source]
Now, about Lindsay's "schedule" of late ... it didn't take all that long for L. Lo's ex-boyfriend Riley Giles to sell his story to a media outlet regarding his time with Lindsay. Riley claims that L. Lo is an insatiable nymphomaniac who wanted sex 24-hours a day. My question is, Duh. Who didn't know this?
Photo credit: INFdaily
Speaking for the first time of their fling, snowboard daredevil Riley Giles told how the wild-child actress craved marathon nights of lust as she broke off her lethal love affair with drink and cocaine. In an exclusive interview he said: "Lindsay's definitely a nymphomaniac. She's wild in bed. We'd have sex a couple of times in the day and then go to it through the night. "We once did it four times in a row straight. That was crazy. Lindsay was insatiable. She'd demand sex again and again. We'd go at it for hours. She'd have worn out most guys." Extreme sports professional Riley, 24, met 21-year-old Lindsay while they were both having treatment for hard drug addiction at the Cirque Lodge centre in Utah. The film star slipped the ski-slope hunk a secret note asking for his mobile phone number. Riley couldn't resist and Lindsay was calling him up right away. "From that moment it was on," he recalled as he described their first snatched passionate kiss in a corridor, strictly against the rules. "The chemistry between us was so strong we couldn't help ourselves. But once they left the Cirque Lodge — after 60 days on the programme — they moved into a romantic log cabin in the nearby mountains They locked themselves in and were at it like rabbits ... Riley revealed how Lindsay used orgasm after orgasm as a potent substitute for the huge chemical hits she was used to while partying. He explained: "When you orgasm, your endorphins shoot up and it becomes a massive natural high. If you have an addictive personality like Lindsay you need that to replace the highs you got from taking drugs all the time. Sex became a key part of her recovery. And we didn't get out of bed for days. It was the perfect place—roaring fires with amazing views over the Sundance ski resort. The first time we had sex I couldn't believe I was looking down at Lindsay Lohan naked. We'd barely gotten through the door when we just ripped each other's clothes off. Lindsay is so hot. She has a great body. Her backside is fantastic, perfect, all plump and round. She has great curves but her belly is nice and flat and toned. We couldn't get enough of each other." Er, well, apparently Lindsay could get enough of Riley because by the time Thanksgiving rolled around she tossed him over and moved on. Apparently the sex was that good for her. I love how Riley Giles now appears to be an expert on orgasms ... maybe he can use his expertise to find a new job in Hollywood. I'm sure Paris Hilton will tire of Alex Vaggo soon enough. [Source]
David sent me a really great article from Wired magazine that discussed at length Trent Reznor's use of the InterWeb and alternate reality games to make the experience surrounding his 2007 Nine Inch Nails album Year Zero a fully interactive one. Like Lost before it and The Dark Knight after, Year Zero was expanded upon by way of a world wide online game that offered clues to be decoded by anyone in the world who wanted to play ... which is a great primer for the way that interactive marketing will grow in the coming years:
The initial clue was so subtle that for nearly two days nobody noticed it. On February 10, 2007, the first night of Nine Inch Nails' European tour, T-shirts went on sale at a 19th-century Lisbon concert hall with what looked to be a printing error: Random letters in the tour schedule on the back seemed slightly boldfaced. Then a 27-year-old Lisbon photographer named Nuno Foros realized that, strung together, the boldface letters spelled "i am trying to believe." Foros posted a photo of his T-shirt on the Spiral, the Nine Inch Nails fan forum. People started typing "iamtryingtobelieve.com" into their Web browsers. That led them to a site denouncing something called Parepin, a drug apparently introduced into the US water supply. Ostensibly, Parepin was an antidote to bioterror agents, but in reality, the page declared, it was part of a government plot to confuse and sedate citizens. Email sent to the site's contact link generated a cryptic auto-response: "I'm drinking the water. So should you." Online, fans worldwide debated what this had to do with Nine Inch Nails. A setup for the next album? Some kind of interactive game? Or what? A few days later, on February 14, a woman named Sue was about to wash a different T-shirt, which she had bought at one of the Lisbon shows, when she noticed that the tour dates included several boldface digits. Fans quickly interpreted this as a Los Angeles telephone number. People who called it heard a recording of a newscaster announcing, "Presidential address: America is born again," followed by a distorted snippet of what could only be a new Nine Inch Nails song. Then, a woman named Ana reported finding a USB flash drive in a bathroom stall at the hall where the band had been playing. On the drive was a previously unreleased song, which she promptly uploaded. The metadata tag on the song contained a clue that led to a site displaying a glowing wheat field, with the legend "America Is Born Again." Clicking and dragging the mouse across the screen, however, revealed a much grimmer-looking site labeled "Another Version of the Truth." Clicking on that led to a forum about acts of underground resistance. All this activity had been set in motion months before. Trent Reznor, the singer — songwriter behind Nine Inch Nails, had been recording Year Zero, a grimly futuristic suite evoking an America beset by terrorism, ravaged by climate change, and ruled by a Christian military dictatorship. "But I had a problem," he recalls, lounging on a second-floor deck of the house he's remodeling in Beverly Hills: how to provide context for the songs. In the '60s, concept albums came with extensive liner notes and lots of artwork. MP3s don't have that. "So I started thinking about how to make the world's most elaborate album cover," he says, "using the media of today." The article goes on from there where Trent discusses the reason why he launched the game (NOT for marketing the album), the company he worked with to set the game in motion (42 Entertainment) and the enjoyment he got from watching his fans work interactively together to try and figure out the whole picture. I love this kind of stuff ... from the onset, I tried to keep up with the Year Zero game but it got really complex and very big and I had to bow out. It was a thrill to see Nine Inch Nails live in Barcelona, Spain last February, right when the ARG was getting in full swing in the weeks leading up to the release of Year Zero. I am very excited that Trent Reznor is now a completely free man ... he has fulfilled his record contract with Interscope and he is now free to make, sell and distribute his music in any way he sees fit. I am very anxious to see what he will do next. If Year Zero and the ARG that came along with it is any indication, we are in for a lot more kickass NINness. [Source]
M.I.A. is the newest face of Marc Jacobs:
Altho I find the Marc Jacobs ads very unremarkable, I love that M.I.A. has signed on to appear in fashion campaigns. There should deffo be more M.I.A. in the world. [Source]
And finally, to round out the day in a pretty hot way ... Eric Dane is featured in the new issue of Flaunt magazine:
Dr. McSteamy is really look all McMeany in these pics but I am not complaining ... at all. He is a very hot man and while it's a shame that Rebecca Gayhart gets to enjoy his hotness all by herself ... I am glad that she puts him on loan every once in a while ... there aren't nearly enough photoshoots of this dude. Le sigh. [Source]
Les News:
- Jay-Z is a quitter.
- Carson Daly says that NBC forced him back to work.
- Will Smith is angry that people thought his nice comments about Hitler were, well, nice.
- An R. Kelly fan gets sentenced to jailtime for taking his picture, R. Kelly has yet to be sentenced to anything for the plethora of kiddie porn charges against him.
- Xmas with the kiddies?
- PETA - 1, Trollsen Twins - 0
- Becks likes being a gay icon.
- Nicolette Sheridan hits the beach.
- Rihanna is bootylicious.
- Xmas with someFriends.
- Still together.
- Jared Leto is 36, Lars Ulrich of Metallica is 44 and John Walsh (America's Most Wanted) is 62 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
- The Police had the top grossing tour of 2007.
- Is My Chemical Romance dunzo?
I have been missing David over the past few days but I will happily be flying to NYC tomorrow to spend the rest of the year with him in the Big Apple. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time home with my family and friends but I am really looking forward to spending time with David.
The running around ain't over yet ... I'm planning to visit Tracey and Zakiya one more time this afternoon and then Mark and I are doing sushi dinner together. I'll also be posting my Top Music picks for 2007 in a post later on today.
I hope things are going well for y'all ... if you're back to work, I hope the day goes by fast :) That is all ... I'm out.
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