Monday, January 07, 2008
Surfacing
Photo credit: Finalpixx
Britney Spears has done the impossible since her discharge early Saturday morning from Cedars-Sinai hospital: slipping out of her Beverly Hills home undetected despite the constant vigil of paparazzi and media outside. The pop star, accompanied by Finalpixx photographer Adnan Ghalib since a few hours after her release, popped into the Daily Grill in Palm Desert around 10 a.m. Sunday. "She seemed in a really good mood, laughing with the guy she was with," says the restaurant's manager. Spears shielded herself behind large, dark sunglasses and "had a champagne mimosa to drink," he said. She stayed at the restaurant about an hour, as Vegas Confidential's Norm Clarke first reported.
Oh Lord, she's hittin' the booze already? Clearly this former photog is not the best influence on her. TMZ is reporting that a move is being made by the "responsible" folks in Britney's life to try and convince Brit Brit to seek out professional medical help ... and not of the Dr. Phil variety:
Sources tell TMZ the "responsible" people in Britney's life are trying to convince her to voluntarily enter a mental hospital. We're told there's now a consensus -- she'll never get custody of her kids unless she undergoes intensive, in-patient treatment for what appears to be a severe bipolar disorder. But we're told Spears is resisting and does not want to enter a hospital. And sources say that since her release from Cedars, Brit has "pulled it together, at least on the surface." She is coherent and engaged, but will not voluntarily enter a mental facility -- at least for now.
Heh. I find it very hard to believe that Britney Spears will voluntarily submit herself for any such thing. Nothing in her behavior over the past few years has shown that she has any interest whatsoever to listen to absolutely anyone other than herself. She operates as if she has no one to answer to and I simply do not believe that she is capable of consciously deciding to get help. The lure of gaining custody of her children may have gotten her to submit to rehab last year but nothing about her recent behavior concerning the welfare of her children (ie. since losing primary custody of them) leads me to believe that using them as a lure this time will be successful. I just don't see how Britney would willingly submit to the serious kind of help she desperately needs. [Source via Source]
And, again, I must stress how much I think that going the Dr. Phil route is the worst thing possible ... and FINALLY the folks in her family that tried to interject his interference into her problems are starting to agree. After taking a weekend of beating in the press for appearing to exploit Britney and her mental state, Dr. Phil is now going to great lengths to "explain" what "really happened", trying to make himself look better as a result. Word is that the Spears family, who once saw him as their savior, have now turned their backs on him and have pulled out of appearing on his show ... the latest is that Dr. Phil has finally decided to cancel the Britney Spears-specific episode he planned to air this week:
Dr. Phil McGraw's visit with Britney Spears in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center was instigated by her family shortly after the pop star was admitted to the facility, the TV therapist confirmed on CBS's The Early Show Monday. Saying he wished to set the record straight, McGraw said, "I went to see Britney at the request of her family, I talked to [her mother] Lynne, I talked to [her father] Jamie, I talked to Bryan, her brother. They were very frustrated that she apparently wasn't going to be held for a longer period of time" ... As for McGraw's entering the picture, he said, "Thursday night, the phone rang, and it was Lynne – and she has a very close relationship with my wife, Robin – and, clearly, she was very upset, which you would expect, as any parent would be." McGraw, who would not discuss specifics of Britney's situation, did say, "I was first contacted by her family over a year ago and have maintained a running dialog with them throughout the last year."
Uh huh ... well, it looks like the love affair is off because, Life & Style reports, Papa Jamie Spears didn't take too kindly to the way that Dr. Phil was trying to exploit his daughter's illness for his own gain:
Britney Spears' dad Jamie Spears has angrily banned the family from any involvement or participation with Dr. Phil's planned Britney-intervention episode, a source linked to Dr. Phil's camp tells Life & Style. "As soon as Jamie realized Dr. Phil was making public statements about Britney, including assessments of her condition, he got angry. He started making phone calls to everybody in the family, telling them not to cooperate with Dr. Phil. Jamie was totally incensed that Dr. Phil—who he knows a little, because Lynne is friends with Dr. Phil's wife—seemed to be using Britney for self-promotion. Dr. Phil had told Jamie everything would be off the record until the show was done."
Alas ... all of Dr. Phil's scheming was for naught ... US Weekly reports that since the Spears family has pulled its involvement with his "special" he had no recourse but to cancel the whole thing:
Dr. Phil has canceled his upcoming special on Britney Spears. In a statement, he tells Entertainment Tonight: "We had planned to tape a Dr. Phil Now show tomorrow, focusing not on the tabloid side of Britney's latest problems, but instead on the very serious issues surrounding this case. Clearly, it is not just Britney's family struggling to find a way to protect adult children who cannot be ordered or compelled to seek help. Because the Spears situation is too intense at this time, and out of consideration to the family, I have made the decision not to move forward with the taping at this particular time. Britney and her family are in our prayers and we ask that they be in yours." He says details of his hospital visit with Spears "will, of course, remain private."
Um, private? What's is there more to tell? The man and his tactics really disgust me ... I cannot stand hearing him spew his brand of psychological help and I'm glad that Britney may be rid of him and his toxic influence. The poor girl has enough problems as it is ... she really doesn't need any help from any other crazies. [Source, Source]
Oh and speaking of crazies, Courtney Love has decided to chime in with her own take on the Britney situation ... here is the full unedited text of her most recent blog post on My Space:
nuthouse
man was that truly neccessary? Poor thing, i didnt need to see all that fecal matter on the walls but Thaliens at Cedars is obviously loads nicer than Bellevue- shes takingt far too much adderol, thats what ive heard and what appears to be the issue to me wich is by the way none of my fucking business.or ours.
I hope she gets a smoke soon, they dont let you smoke for 72 hours on a 5150, its blows for her, and i feel bad for her , really really bad for her- i came in as an outsiderso i didnt come in as a sweetheart, its slightly easier for me, i was never a good girl,l its still sucks ass, but oh whatever....nevermind.bless i hope people stop hurting on her.
xxc
Really ... what more can I add to this sort of sentiment?
Let's move on ... altho EmporioArmani.com has yet to be updated with the new images from the David Beckham Armani Underwear ad campaign (that was promised to go online on January 1, I might add), the first larger than life billboard featuring Becks in all his glory has been ... er ... erected ... in Milan, Italy this week ahead of Fashion Week:
I can't wait until that big ol' package goes up here in the States. It's bound to pop up in NYC sometime soon ... but LA can't be far behind. [Source]
In other Becks news, I am happy to report that David Beckham has been honored with something called the Football Writers Tribute Award for his outstanding achievements in football ... which, apparently, is represented by a fine crystal vase:
I'm used to sports trophies being made out of some sort of metal ... but it makes sense that the sports award that is made up of dainty glass would be presented to the too-pretty David Beckham. Congrats!! [Source]
Celebs of varying degree showed up at the Spotlight Lounge in Times Square, NYC last night for the 2007 New York Film Critic's Circle Awards ... here are a few pics from the arrivals:
Photo credit: Wireimage
Gyllengaard looked their usual grim selves and Amy Adams looked her usual cute self. Javier Bardem was lookin' pretty damn sexy, which is something I hadn't noticed before (tho, it makes sense, I hear that he is dating Penelope Cruz) and Olympia Dukakis (who I kinda sorta had dinner with on Saturday night ... but only because we were a couple of tables apart at the same restaurant) was lookin' faboo. Seriously, the woman does not age. I just lurve her!! [Source]
It would seem that 2008 will mark a new era for the much-rumored couple made up of Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia. Halo were spotted, hand in hand, catching a movie together this weekend at the Landmark Cinemas at the Westside Pavillion here in LA:
I understand that the couple saw Atonement and were spied kissing inside the dark theater. There is a bit of an age-difference between these two but I can't deny that they make a cute couple. See, Hayden is lucky that I really like her otherwise I might have had to scratch her eyes out ;) [Source, thanks Kathleen]
One would hope that Halo are still years away from being in a family way but should they ever make it down the aisle and thru the nursery I'm sure they'll prolly end up lookin' about as cute as these folks do:
Photo credit: Splash News
Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale and baby Kingston James feeding ducks ... ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? As if this super saccharine couple couldn't get any cuter they have to kick it into overdrive. I wouldn't be surprised if later on in the day the family fed deer from their waiting palms right before they floated home in a bubble. [Source]
Xtina Aguilera is still pregs:
Photo credit: X17
Altho she's about 5 secs. away from poppin' she is still up for wearing those super skintight dresses she is so fond of. Thankfully she wore a bra but I dunno that we need to see how far out her bellybutton is protruding. [Source]
And with her last bow, Jennifer Garner ended her short stint on Broadway this weekend as she performed her last show in Cyrano. Here are a few pics of Jen and hubby Ben Affleck as she signed autographs and bid her fans adieu:
Photo credit: Splash News
By all accounts, Jen's performance in the show was pretty decent ... so I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up signing on for another show soon ... just as long as her out-of-work husband doesn't get any ideas, everything should be just fine. [Source]
Here are a few really cute pics of the possibly pregs yet publicly denying it Nicole Kidman out for a fun lunch in OZ with a few of her best girlfriends:
Photo credit: Splash News
I wonder if Nicole's BFFs know the truth about whether or not she is pregs. I'm actually surprised that this convo wasn't recorded and published ... photogs can shoot still photos and video ... why not audio? Ack ... I should prolly shut up before someone gets a cazy idea. [Source]
UPDATE: Holllllllllla! I KNEW it!!! A rep for Nicole Kidman has just confirmed her pregnancy:
"Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban confirmed today that they are expecting a baby. The couple are thrilled"
WOOT! No wonder Nikki and her BFFs looked so happy :)
Um, OMG, much? Here is a picture from the set of the new LOGO TV series Sordid Lives, based on a movie of the same name, which stars Rue McClanahan (of Golden Girls fame) and Olivia Newton-John (of Grease/Xanadu/Let's Get Physical fame):
Photo credit: Mavrix
How amazing will it be to have Rue and Olivia both starring in the same TV show on a gay cable network ... Queens around the world can now rejoice! I have no idea what the movie Sordid Lives is about but based on the pics from the set, it looks like it may have a bit of a "trashy" spin to it. Honestly, I could care less ... I can't wait to see it ... whatever it is. The show is supposed to debut on LOGO sometime this summer. [Source]
The love affair betwixt Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson (Wooden? Owood?) rages on this week as the pair continue to frolic together in Hawaii:
Photo credit: Splash News
Meh ... I've seen hotter couples but they do make a nice match, I think. [Source]
Lindsay Lohan, home from her recent Italian jaunt, got back to biz here in LA this weekend as she spent her time running errands:
Photo credit: JFXonline & Splash News
After a quick trip to Samy's Camera Shop (where she bought a memory card reader -- you know, to archive those scandalous pics that were shot on her vacay) she popped into Blockbuster Video (prolly to rent great movies to watch with friends -- ie. movies she never starred in) and then hit up the grocery store for supplies. A year ago, she would've hit up 3 parties instead so ... she's deffo making progress. [Source, Source]
Here are a few pics of Prince William being all princely by spending some time visiting folks at a hospital before playing dress-up with some military friends of his:
LOL. I think he should stay away from military uniforms ... they only make him look geeky and not at all sexy. [Source]
And finally, Jessica Alba is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Elle magazine:
It appears that these snaps were shot pre-pregs cuz there ain't even a hint of a bump on her. Timed to coincide with her new movie The Eye, this issue of Elle magazine hits newsstands soon. I like skinny Jessica ... but I'm really curious to see what seriously pregs Jessica will look like. [Source]
Les News:
- National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets was, once again, the #1 movie at the box office this weekend.
- Bif Naked reveals that she has breast cancer and she plans to beat it.
- Marlon Wayans has just signed on to play Ripcord in the new GI Joe movie ... Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also in talks to star.
- OOH Gwynnie prolly <3s Pink is the new Blog.
- Desperate for attention ... and ratings.
- Mariah Carey reveals her singing secrets.
- OHMY! James Marsters explodes onto the second season of Torchwood (warning: spoilers)
- iPods can be hazardous to your health?
- Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem get frisky at the beach.
- Elisha Cuthbert's early days trying to make it in Hollywood.
- Jessimo vacay in Mexico. Shouldn't Tony Romo be, like, practicing or something?
- Now THIS is a celeb couple I could get behind :)
- Dustin Diamond (Saved by the Bell) is 31, Nicolas Cage is 44 and Katie Couric is 51 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
- Mary J. Blige, Maroon 5 and Kid Rock are set to ROCK Detroit City this weekend!!
- NBC is set to announce the status of the Golden Globe Awards later on this week.
But I am home, alive and kicking. Well, alive and coughing, as it were. The flight wasn't all that bad ... I managed to catch some insanely fascinating TV on the National Geographic Channel (a show on baby development) and the Discovery Channel (amazing shows about prehistoric life) which isn't the kind of TV I usually watch. I might have to make a note of watching more of this kind of programming. I think I'm gonna be holed up for a while ... I need to get over this crappy illness quick.
Hope y'alls Monday is going much better than mine is. I'm out.
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