Wednesday, February 06, 2008
The Truth Is Out There
OY! There is quite a bit of new Britney Spears info flying around today ... Rolling Stone has, once again, put Britney Spears on the cover of their magazine ... but, unlike the 6 previous times before she graced the cover of their mag, this time around isn't a happy occasion -- the photo is accompanied by the headline Britney Spears: Inside An American Tragedy. Additionally, new, very troubling information is coming out of the all of the court wrangling that has been going on lately over the conservatorship of Britney's person and assets. Team Spears is alleging that Osama Sam Lutfi, Britney's BFF/manager, has been drugging our dear Britney in order to maintain control over her ... and perhaps even more shocking, Lutfi confirms that he has, in fact, been drugging her (tho his claim is that the "miracle pills" had been "feeding" her were to help her sleep). We also have the full text of the restraining order declaration that was submitted to the court by Lynne Spears against Sam Lutfi. Brace yourselves, y'all ... there is a lot of reading coming your way. Here is the cover of the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine which features our dear Britters (the photo is from a 2004 photo shoot with James White) along with her other Rolling Stone covers and the aforementioned "lot of reading":
Here is an excerpt from the Rolling Stone coverstory The Tragedy of Britney Spears:
A pop star at the mall is an eternal cause for happiness, especially on a Sunday afternoon in the Valley. One moment, shoppers in the Westfield Topanga mall are living in the real world, monotonously selecting a new shade of eye shadow or rubbing perfume on wrists, but upon the rapture of Britney Spears, they are giggling, laughing, orgasmic, already sharing their secret on cell phones. "Her legs are actually really skinny," an adolescent whispers into her Sidekick, as Britney beelines for the Betsey Johnson boutique, pseudo-punk designer of evening dresses and splashy heels worn to suburban high school proms. In person, Britney is shockingly beautiful — clear skin, ruby lips, a perfectly proportioned twenty-six-year-old porcelain doll with a nasty weave. She cuts through the crowd swiftly, the way she used to when 20,000 adoring fans mobbed her outside a concert, with her paparazzi boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib, trailing behind. Only a few kids are in the store, a young girl with her brother and two blondes checking out fake-gold charm bracelets. Britney rifles the racks as the Cure's "Pictures of You" blasts into the airless pink boutique, grabbing a pink lace dress, a few tight black numbers and a frilly red crop top, the kind of shirt that Britney used to wear all the time at seventeen but isn't really appropriate for anyone over that age. Then she ducks into the dressing room with Ghalib. He emerges with her black Am Ex. The card won't go through, but they keep trying it. "Please," begs Ghalib, "get this done quickly." One of the girls runs to Britney's dressing room, explaining the situation through a pink gauze curtain. A wail emerges from the cubby — guttural, vile, the kind of base animalistic shriek only heard at a family member's deathbed. "Fuck these bitches," screams Britney, each word ringing out between sobs. "These idiots can't do anything right!" Ghalib dashes over to console her, but she's already spitting, growling, throwing a big bottle of soda on the floor so that it begins to spill underneath the curtain, and then she's got a box of tissues and is throwing them on top of the wet floor along with piles of discarded merchandise. A new card finally goes through, but by then Britney is out the door, leaving her shirt on the ground and replacing it with the red top. "Fuck you, fuck people, fuck, fuck, fuck," she keeps screaming, her face splotchy and red as she crosses the interminable mall floor, the crowd behind her growing larger and larger. "Leave us alone!" yells Ghalib. The siblings run after Britney to get a video to put up on YouTube, and some of the shopgirls run after her to hand off the merchandise she left behind, and there's an entire bridal party wearing yellow T-shirts who have pulled out camera phones too. A crush of managers in black shirts and gold name tags try to keep the peace, but the crowd running after Britney gets larger, and now the shopgirls have started to catch up to her, one of them slipping spectacularly in her platform shoes, grazing her elbow. She pulls herself up, mustering the strength to tap Britney's shoulder. "Um, I'm from the South too," she mumbles, "and I was wondering if I could get a picture with you for my little sister." Britney turns to Ghalib and grabs his arm. "I don't want her talking to me!" she screams. She whirls around and stares the girl deep in the eyes, her lips almost vibrating with anger. "I don't know who you think I am, bitch," she snarls, "but I'm not that person."
It is absolutely heartbreaking to read this account. It has been very clear for a very long time that something wasn't even close to "right" with Britney Spears and yet, this sort of behavior has been happening for longer than I care to remember (and this is but one of these manic, public incidents). I absolutely believe with every fiber of my being that "friends" like Sam Lutfi are at the heart of Britney's troubled life. At long last, it appears that something is finally being done to first, keep Lutfi (and others like him) away from Britney ... second, expose any actions on his/their part(s) that may have been damaging to Britney's health and welfare ... and finally, stay committed to keeping our dear Britney under medical care until she can get the help that he desperately needs. Team Spears, led by Britney's parents, seem well on task to make sure that these 3 things happen. The restraining order against Sam Lutfi, filed by Jamie Spears, alleges that he has been drugging Britney in order to maintain a level of control over her:
The L.A. Superior Court has released an 11-page restraining order against Britney Spears' pal Sam Lutfi. He must stay 250 yards away from the singer and the UCLA Medical Center, as well as the homes of her parents, her siblings, her children and the singer's residences. The document reads:
"Britney met Lutfi in or about October 2007. Mr. Lutfi has essentially moved into Britney's home and has purported to take control of her life, home and finances. Mr. Lufti drugged Britney. He has cut Britney's home phone line and removed her cell phone chargers. He yells at her. He claims to control everything -- Britney's business manger, her attorneys and the security guards at the gate. Immediate relief is necessary to avoid the risk of physical harm to Britney by Mr. Lutfi and to allow her to undergo necessary medical treatment without interference by Mr. Lutfi."
According to the document, the restraining order against Lutfi was filed February 1 by James P. Spears.
THANK THE GODS ABOVE that something is finally happening ... THANK THE GODS ABOVE that Britney's parents have finally been able to step in and try to help her get out of the deep pit she's been living in for so long. Do I believe these allegations against Lutfi? Absolutely. You can just tell that that man was up to no good ... at last, he is being exposed for the person that he really is. In fact, he loves talking to the media so much that he's even confirming the fact that has, in fact, been drugging Britney:
Sam Lutfi, who is now on the receiving end of a restraining order imposed by Britney Spears' parents, was the one person by her side as she unraveled over the past six months. In the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now, Spears' de facto manager and confidant opens up about her bipolar disorder, how he medicated her, what happened the night she was hospitalized, and how her parents reacted. "In the depressive episodes, it's all crying," Lutfi tells Us. "But in the manic episode, there's very little crying or sympathy or compassion. She becomes another person. She becomes somebody that just doesn't care about anybody or anything. The British accent is part of the mania," he adds. "She'll stick to the British accent because she becomes comfortable with it... But you know, when the pink wig comes on, it's getting bad." Lutfi says that when Spears was involuntarily committed to treatment at UCLA Medical Center on January 31, her mom, Lynne Spears, arrived and tried to remove her daughter from his guidance. "Well, he is better family than you guys will ever be," Spears responded, according to Lutfi. Lutfi tells Us that he gave Britney "a handful of pills" before her parents arrived. "I said these pills are working wonders, they are miracle pills," he recalls. Spears, Lutfi says, agreed that the meds were helping her sleep ... Lutfi, 33, tells Us only he, Spears, and her psychiatrist know what brought on her bipolar disorder "roughly five years ago." When the ambulance arrived to take Spears, "she was very quiet," Lutfi tells Us. "When I told her, she wrote me a note and put a big heart on it and it said, 'I love you, Sam. Are there people coming? Circle yes or no,'" Lutfi recalls. "Oh, my God, it was funny, just the cutest little thing. I circled yes and I gave it back to her, and she looked at me and she's like, 'Oh, lord, here we go again.'"
If this is his attempt to get people to think that he is on her side, that he is the only person who cares about her then he's horribly wrong. I'm convinced that his words will come back to haunt him and will, hopefully, help ensure that he gets punished in some way, shape or form. As for Lynne Spears, she filed a 6 page declaration along with the filing of the restraining order against Sam Lutfi which I will quote in it's very long entirety:
I, Lynne Spears, declare:
I am the mother of Britney Spears ("Britney")., who is the subject of this action. I have personal knowledge of each of the facts set forth in this Declaration, and can testify completely thereto, except as this matters stated on information and belief, and as to such matters I believe them to be true.
This past Monday night (Jan. 28), Britney's father, Jamie, and I (in separate cars) went to Britney's house in Beverly Hills because we had heard news reports that Britney had just been in a big fight with Sam Lufti aka Sam Lufti ("Sam"), the man who has inserted himself into my daughter's life, home and finances, and that she was crying. We were very concerned about her safety. We arrived at the Summit Community gatehouse in BHPO at approximately 10 p.m. I was with my friend Jackie.
The guards at the gatehouse stopped us there for awhile. Jackie, Jamie and I finally proceeded to Britney's house and entered it. We were able to enter the house because it was not locked. Britney does not lock her doors and currently there are no security guards around her residence. Britney was not home. We found Sam, and Sam said as we walked in the door that Britney only wanted me to come to the house, and that she was afraid to see her dad.
Two or three paparazzi came into the house and entered the kitchen. They greeted Sam. The paparazzi then reported to Sam where Britney currently was. From the conversation between Sam and the paparazzi I determined that Sam had given Felipe (another paparazzi) one of Britney's cars to get her out of the house when he heard that Jamie and I were on our way to see Britney. I also understood from the conversation that Sam disabled all of Britney's cars. (she has several at her residence.)
Sam had told Britney that Jamie and I were coming to the house to do an intervention, and that Britney panicked and took off with Felipe. Another man named Chad Hardcastle was in the house.
I also heard the evening that Britney's and Sam's fight that evening, Sam had told Britney that she was an unfit mother, a piece of trash and a whore, that she cares more about Adnan, her current boyfriend, than she cares about her kids, and that she does not deserve her kids.
The paparazzi reported to Sam and addressed him with great respect. They treated him like a general. He instructed them to get her back to the house. They later told Sam that Britney was on her way back.
Britney then came back to the house with Adnan, who is also a paparazzi. Sam then told Jackie that we needed to do whatever he tells us. I objected. He then told me, "I'm the one who spends 24/7 with your daughter. I sleep in cars outside her house so she can't leave." Sam then said, "you people throw everyone under the bus, if you don't listen to me I'm going to make your name shit in the papers."
As I looked around the kitchen, I noticed that in the middle of the kitchen table there was a large car battery. At some point during the evening I learned that the car battery was there so Sam could charge his cell phone. Although Britney has several cell phones, he told us that he had disposed of all of the phone chargers and had made the house phones unworkable.
Sam told Jackie and me to tell Adnan to leave Britney alone and to get the Fuck out of the house. Jackie refused. Sam then said to tell Britney that Adnan is gay. Adnan stayed at the house a little longer. Sam quietly said something to Adnan and Adnan promptly left the house.
Britney came into the room looking for Adnan. Sam told her that Adnan was in the bathroom. Britney then asked me, "Is Adnan gay?" While Britney was out of earshot, Sam told Jackie and me that we should pretend that Adnan was in the bathroom so Britney wouldn't leave.
Britney then became very agitated and could not stop moving. She cleaned the house. She changed her clothes many times. She also changed her three dogs' clothes many times. Britney spoke to me in a tone and with the level of understanding of a very young girl. Britney then picked up a bottle of pills and read part of the label and asked us, "What does insomnia mean?" Sam told her that the pills will help her stay awake.
Sam told Jackie and me that he grinds up Britney's pills, which were on the counter and included Risperdol and Seroquel. He told us that he puts them in her food that that was the reason she had been quiet for the last three days (she had been sleeping.) He told us that the doctor who is treating her now is trying to get her into a sleep-induced coma so that they could then give her drugs to heal her brain.
Sam then encouraged us to sit down on a sofa and do "tequila shots." Jackie and I said we did not want to. Britney seemed to follow our lead. Sam then got some wine out and said, "Let's all do toasts with wine." Britney said that she didn't want to, she wanted a pretty glass. Sam found a glass with a stem and poured wine for Britney when we were not looking. Britney refused to drink her wine and asked to drink mine.
Shortly afterward, Sam went back into the kitchen and was standing behind a raised bar so that we could not see what his hands were doing on the counter. Sam then said to Britney, "let's go upstairs," and Britney followed him. Britney had calmed down by the time she went upstairs.
A little while later, Britney came downstairs. She seemed agitated again and told us that she wanted to go to Rite Aid for lipsticks. It was now past midnight. Jackie and I said we would take her. Sam told us that he wanted to follow us in his car. We told him that he shouldn't because the paparazzi were in front of the neighbor's house and would harass us. As we were about to drive off, Sam jumped into the bask seat of the car. The paparazzi followed. Sam and I were sitting in the back seat, with Chad as well. He told me that he gave Britney something (when they were upstairs) to make her more light-hearted, happy, and fun. We entered Rite Aid and Britney chose her lipstick. The manager said it is dangerous out there, which it was. When Britney gave the cashier her credit card, the cashier told her it was not working. I paid for the lipstick and the manager told us we could leave through the side door so no one could see us. Sam insisted we leave through the front door and he put his arms around Britney and me for the paparazzi to take photos. I disengaged as quickly as I could.
Sam told me, "You'd better learn that I control everything. I control Howard Grossman, Britney's business manger. I control her attorney's and the security guards at the gate. They don't listen to Britney, they listen to me. That's why Jamie was gone tonight."
At another point in the evening, Sam bragged to me that he is the one who receives Britney's checks and that one of them was for me. I told Sam that I hadn't gotten any checks from Britney. Sam then told me that they are in his car. He told me that if he weren't in the house to give Britney her medicine, she would kill herself. Then he said to me "If you try to get rid of me, she'll be dead and I'll piss on her grave."
He then proclaimed that he has been in the family for a year and that he had one nothing but good for Britney. At this point, it was two or three in the morning. Britney was meandering around the house. She would let me hug her, but she was out of it.
At one point during the night, Sam was screaming at me and Britney said to me, "Sam treats me like that." Then she picked up the house phone and said, "Look at the phone, it doesn't work." Sam then blamed the dead phone on Britney. Jackie spoke up and said to Sam, "You said you cut down the phone wire."
Britney then said again at some point during the night, "When do I get to see my babies?" Sam answered,"Wednesday." Britney then said, "What do I have to do to see them?" Sam responded, "Take the pills I tell you to take." Britney said, "I don't like the pills and I don't like the psychiatrist. Can't I see another psychiatrist so I can see my babies?" Sam responded, "If I told you to take 10 pills a day, you should do what I tell you to see your babies." Jackie then said, "Britney, your parents can help you find a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist needs to get to know you to give you the right medicine." Sam then raised his voice and said, "Why don't you get back with Kevin."
Britney then said, "I'll do anything to get them back."
At some point during the evening, Sam said that Britney decided that he should be her manager.
Adnan has called me and told me he's worried about Britney. He told me that Sam hides the phones and tells her he has lost them. He also hides her dog, London. She looks for him all over the house crying and then Sam brings the dog from the hiding place and acts like her savior.
While we were at Rite Aid, Britney went in and out of her British accent.
At 4 a.m., I was exhausted and wanted to leave. Sam blocked my car so I could not leave. I threatened to call Jamie on the phone.
Britney said, "I want my Daddy up here. I want to talk to my Daddy." I reached Jamie on the phone and gave the phone to Britney. I heard her tell him that she wanted to see him. He said, "right now baby?" and she said, "no." He said, "10:00 in the morning?" and she said, "no, noon."
I spent the rest of the night at Britney's house and for the first time in a very long time, when I lay down to sleep, I felt very agitated. I could not fall asleep at all. I felt like I had had coffee. Jackie, who had gone home earlier, later told me that she also could not sleep at all, and felt like she had had coffee.
Jamie came to pick me up the next morning. Jamie gave Britney a big hug and said to her, "baby, you're OK?" Britney said, "I'm fine," then burst into tears.
To my knowledge, Britney never went to sleep that night and was very agitated for most of the night.
Sam and Chad, however, slept in the "smoking room," a small room downstairs on the first floor of the house.
Later the next day, on January 29, Jackie showed me a text message she had received from Sam: "Thanks for telling Jamie all your bullshit. He just hit me. Now you guys did your deed. Much accomplished. Good job."
I did not see Britney again until I arrived at her house on Wednesday night after Sam called me and told me to come to the house. When we arrived, Britney seemed subdued. The police arrived and took her to the Neuro Psychiatric Institute at UCLA ("NPI"). While at NPI, I l earned that Britney informed her doctor, Lee Sadja, MD, that she had also taken Aderol.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on January 31, 2008 at Los Angeles, California.
Oh.My.God. And now we know what was going on that first night that Lynne Spears spent with Britney a couple of weeks ago. Do I believe Lynne's account of what went down -- absolutely! All of this information is SO hard to read ... to think that this is how Britney Spears has been living her life for the past few months (years?) when she didn't have to. I just REALLY hope that Britney gets all of the drugs out of her system so that a proper treatment for bipolar disorder can be administered. I've always contended that she is capable of making a comeback ... at this point, I'd be really happy if she just managed to get healthy. If there is any justice at all in this world than Britney Spears will, one day, lead a normal and healthy life ... and the persons responsible for adding to her dire predicament will be punished to the full extent of the law. [Source]
In other sad news, the New York Medical Examiner has released the final results of Heath Ledger's autopsy. It has been determined that Heath Ledger's death was the accidental "result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of" various prescription medications:
Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills, the New York City medical examiner's office said Tuesday. "Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine," the office said in a short statement. "We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications." Hydrocodone and oxycodone are painkillers. Diazepam is an anti-anxiety drug commonly sold under the brand name Valium; alprazolam is also an anti-anxiety drug, sold under such names as Xanax. Temazepam, sold under such names as Restoril and Euhypnos, is a sleeping agent, as is doxylamine ... In a statement released through Ledger's publicist, Ledger's father, Kim, said Wednesday:
"While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet," his family added in the statement. "This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful."
Ledger's family returned to Perth, Australia, Tuesday for the actor's funeral, according to The Associated Press. Arrangements were private. Ledger had talked about his difficulty sleeping after back-to-back roles as a Bob Dylan persona in "I'm Not There" and the Joker in "The Dark Knight," the latter of which is due out this summer. "Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times in November. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."
So there we have it folks, accidental overdose of prescription meds. To be honest, no explanation of the cause of Heath Ledger's death would have softened the blow in my mind. I just hope that Heath rests in eternal peace and in eternal slumber. [Source]
Blah ... let's try and lightening things up around here ... in happy news, Jennifer Lopez's father has confirmed the rumor that she is about to give birth to twin babies:
The rumors are true, confirmed by no less a source than her father: Jennifer Lopez is expecting twins. And it isn't even a Lopez family first. "Yes, twins," her dad David Lopez said in an interview on the Spanish-language show Escándalo TV, PEOPLE en Español reports. "The thing is in my family, my sister also had twins, so it's a hereditary thing." For David Lopez, the news means double the excitement. "I'm very proud. Jennifer has yearned to be a mother for many years," he said. And he already has gifts ready for his 38-year-old daughter's babies. "In Puerto Rico it's custom to buy an azabache [black stone] bracelet for babies to protect them from the evil eye, it's part of our culture," he said.
Woot! 2 babies for J. Lo ... I couldn't be more pleased ... well, I take that back, I'll be even more pleased if both babies look more like Jenny Lo rather than daddy dear Marc Anthony ... but, eh, I'll take what I can get. It won't be long now ... I'm sure the new twin babies will be making their debut any time now. [Source]
Xtina Aguilera made her first public appearance here in SoCal last night at an in-store DVD signing at a Best Buy for her latest release Back to Basics: Live and Down Under. Here are a few pics of the heaving new mother at last night's event:
Photo credit: Splash News
In the mommy business only since Jan. 12 – when first baby, Max, arrived – Christina Aguilera was back in the public eye on Tuesday, signing autographs at the Best Buy store in West Hollywood to promote her new DVD Back to Basics: Live and Down Under. As petite-framed as ever, Aguilera, 27, at one point tugged at her empire shirt so it wouldn't cling to her post-pregnancy tummy. Earlier Tuesday, Aguilera told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show, "I'm very excited [about] this whole incredible thing that's taken place in my life, between the pregnancy and the birth." She says these changes will inspire her work. "I've been brainstorming for the last nine months of my pregnancy. This next album will have a whole new me. A different me." Predictably, given this was Aguilera's first time out in a crowd since her baby was born, fans at Best Buy were excited about meeting her, and some even came bearing gifts for the baby: a onesie, a pair of blue baby shoes, even a handmade blue paper cupcake with a candle on it – in anticipation of Max's turning one.
You know, I'm actually very surprised that Xtina was up for this event so soon after giving birth. I'd imagine she is prolly very tired these days and the prospect of sitting down to sign hundreds of autographs might not sound too enticing. On the other hand, maybe she was happy to be out of the house again. At any rate, Xtina looked great at last night's signing (save for the always too much red lipstick) ... and her girls were lookin' pretty luscious, too. Lucky Max ... and lucky Jordy, too ;) [Source]
Yesterday I posted pics of Kylie Minogue making her way into the launch party event for her new range of soft home furnishings called Kylie At Home ... today we get a few pics from the actual event itself:
Kylie looks great ... and I love her go-get'em attitude when it comes to biz but I really think she needs to cool it with the product endorsements. If we end up with a line of Kylie Minogue steel-belted radial tires at some point I think I might have a bit of a problem with her. [Source]
While Kylie tires don't make much sense ... a line of Rihanna umbrellas TOTES make sense (get it? Totes is the name of the umbrella company that makes this range of Rihanna umbrellas). Here are a few pics of Rihanna at the Macy's in Herald Square in NYC yesterday where she debuted her new line of umbrellas:
Photo credit: Splash News
First off, let me say that I love Rihanna's hair ... she rocks the short look so well ... she looks amazing. Second, I love that she now has her own line of umbrellas ... BUT, I have been way ahead of this curve. I've been the proud owner of a Rihanna umbrella for months now (which I leave in NYC since it rains more there than here). Totes sold the very umbrella that Rihanna used during her performance at the MTV Movie Awards last year and I picked one up for about $25 bucks. A quick check at the Totes website shows that the collection has been updated and the prices have been raised. Whatevs ... I totally heart Rihanna ... I hope she makes tons of money on these umbrellas. [Source]
Fergie Ferg, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson were among the celebs who stopped by the MTV Studios in NYC yesterday to make an appearance on TRL. Here are a few pics:
Photo credit: Wireimage
Meh. Everyone looked good ... their appearances were pretty standard ... it's a shame that none of these folks showed any pizzazz on the show ... [Source]
Cuz when it comes to pizzazz ... John Mayer really knows how to bring the hawtness. Here are new, a bit disturbing, photos of John Mayer rockin' the Borat bathing suit aboard the Mayercraft Carrier Cruise Ship somewhere in the Bahamas:
The photos come from the blog That's Blogtastic and are accompanied by THIS very detailed account of why John was snapped running around this cruise ship in this hot little number. I don't know that words an adequately do these photos justice ... so why don't we let the pics speak for themselves, shall we? Enjoy. [Source]
In other bulge news, David Beckham's hawt bulge, which has been famously stuffed inside Armani Underwear in their new ad campaign, has finally made its way to the world-famous Sunset Strip here in Hollywood. Here are a couple pics of Becks in his Armani Undies on a new billboard here in LA:
Photo credit: Splash News
MMM. I don't know that I'll ever tire of this photo. That being said ... I'm very much looking forward to seeing more pics like this in the next round of campaign photos. [Source]
In other Beckham news, Vicki B. and her Spice Cohorts are still on the move (with kiddies in tow ... er, except for Mel Sporty Spice C.) as they begin to wrap up their Spice Girls Reunion Tour. Here are a few supercute pics of Les Spices each with one of their children ... er, except for Mel C.:
Photo credit: Splash News
Additionally, the Spice Girls have recorded a video message to their fans apologizing to the ones who have been given the shaft since the girls decided NOT to bring their Reunion Tour to South Africa, Asia or Australia:
Click above to watch
Don't you love how the Spice Girls had to pepper their apology by remarking (over and over) that they ARE touring a month longer than they said they would ... so the folks who didn't make the cut should take heart that they've been working really hard ... just not for them. I know hearing that would make me feel better. Lucky for me, I got to see the show already so I'm good. [Source]
Getting back to the gross for a second, Larry Birkhead thought it would be a smashing idea to bring his tiny daughter, Dannielynn Hope Marshall SmithStern Birkhead, to the unmarked grave of her deceased mother so that Entertainment Tonight cameras could come along and videotape the visit for airing on their TV program:
LARRY BIRKHEAD and his daughter DANNIELYNN journeyed to the Bahamas this week to visit ANNA NICOLE SMITH's final resting place one year after the star's untimely death. ET's JANN CARL was exclusively with Larry and the 17-month-old as she made her first trip back to visit her mother and brother DANIEL's graves in Nassau. In a multi-part interview starting Wednesday, February 6, Larry says the visit is difficult for him, but he arranged it for his daughter. "It's tough," he tells Jann. "Even though she doesn't understand, it was important for us to come. One day I can tell her that we went to visit her mom." When they arrived at the unmarked gravesites, Dannielynn placed a pink toy turtle on Anna Nicole's plot and said, "Mama" ... When asked how he feels about making the journey from Los Angeles to Nassau, Larry speaks candidly. "I don't like the fact that they're here, I never did," he reveals. "I know that Daniel didn't want to be here, and I know that his mother was only here because of what was going on between us with the paternity question. To me it feels really odd." On whether or not he has considered moving the graves, he says, "I'm going to leave the decision to Dannielynn when she's older. It would probably be very hard, if not impossible, to take both of them and I definitely don't want to separate them."
I'm sorry but this just feels so vile to me. Over the past year, I have felt that Entertainment Tonight and it's sister show The Insider has taken a turn for the worse. This is but the latest exploitive story that they have come up with in, what can only be described as, a desperate play for ratings. You may recall that ET bought the rights to that video of Heath Ledger at a party where drugs were being used and they were actually going to air it on their program ... until they were met by a staunch group of celebs who vowed to boycott their program if they aired the video. I miss the days when the show was hosted by John Tesh and Mary Hart ... it was such a positive viewing experience back then. These days, I don't even bother. And to be clear, I'm only mentioning this Larry Birkhead story cuz I'm so grossed out about it. I'm sure there are other folks out there who have noticed this change in the way that ET operates. Boo. [Source]
Lindsay Lohan is featured on the cover of the new issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine and in her interview opens up about her struggles with sobriety ... I'm happy to report that she seems to have finally seen the light and is intent on staying clean an healthy:
Lindsay Lohan knows last year -- with a stint in rehab, a public relapse, car accidents, and arrests -- was rough. "When I look back on this last year, it's like, what was I thinking?" the 21-year-old tells Harper's Bazaar in its March issue. Lohan, who relapsed in January, was ordered to work at a morgue as part of her punishment for misdemeanor drunken driving. The actress also says estrangement from her father likely played a role in her raucous behavior. "Not seeing my father was really hard for me, and not being with my family enough," the star says. "I wasn't taking any time to just sit and live and breathe," she says. "I was going, going, going, and that ran me down. It was a stressor. It upset me. I didn't have a father to call, and that was a lot of the pain ... I've learned so much, though, like learning to love my life a different way," Lohan adds. "And I wasn't taking the time to feel my feelings. Being away and going to a place where I could learn about that and take the time with a clear mind to get back on the right track was nice." But she maintains optimism for her fledgling music career. "I'd love to work with Timbaland," she says. "I'd love to work with Kanye West, 50 Cent if I could."
Yay! I'm glad that Lindsay is opening up about this ... I am confident that her darkest days are behind her. And let me say, I'd be thrilled to hear what a Hip-Hop collabo with Lindsay Lohan might sound like. Bring it on ... c'mon, Kanye ... you know you wanna. [Source]
Janet Jackson is featured in the new issue of Parade magazine ... here are a bunch of amazing photos of Janet from Parade.com:
I absolutely love this blue color and Janet looks damn good in it. Woot! [Source]
And finally ... the new Greatest Hits album by Morrissey will be offering more than just some great tunes ... according to Mojo magazine (who just received their promo copy of the album), the CD booklet has a picture of the Mozzer's derriere:
Click above to see larger, uncensored image
THE MOJO OFFICE is still reeling after opening our CD copy of Morrissey's Greatest Hits album to find this photograph (left). And just in case there was any doubt as to the ownership of the derrière in question, the sleevenote credits the pic thus: "Morrissey's arse photographed by Jake Walters". Morrissey's buttocks -- curiously hairless in comparison to what's "going on" above and below – appear to be of a mid-'90s vintage. This would coincide with the known period of his association with Jake Walters, his companion/PA around the time of the Vauxhall & I album. The standard of calligraphy is impressive, but the office is agreed that we wouldn't have enjoyed doing the apostrophe.
Well ... what're you waiting for? Click above ... you know you wanna see it :) [Source]
Les News:
We all had a great time ... which only got better once the really cute blonde host who was working there last night brought us over some complimentary shots. Yes, Jean and I were big fans of him ... and the shots ;) I think we'll be going back to see him again ... Hahahahaha.
So much to do today ... lots of packing, lots of cleaning ... tomorrow's post may be shorter in length because I have an early morning flight to NYC. I'm gonna try and work on it tonight so I can post and fly in the morning.
I have a HUGE thing to attend on Friday in NYC so I'm not sure how much if anything I can post Friday ... which sucks but I promise -- it's for a very good reason.
That is all ... I'm Out.
[Permalink]
Here is an excerpt from the Rolling Stone coverstory The Tragedy of Britney Spears:
A pop star at the mall is an eternal cause for happiness, especially on a Sunday afternoon in the Valley. One moment, shoppers in the Westfield Topanga mall are living in the real world, monotonously selecting a new shade of eye shadow or rubbing perfume on wrists, but upon the rapture of Britney Spears, they are giggling, laughing, orgasmic, already sharing their secret on cell phones. "Her legs are actually really skinny," an adolescent whispers into her Sidekick, as Britney beelines for the Betsey Johnson boutique, pseudo-punk designer of evening dresses and splashy heels worn to suburban high school proms. In person, Britney is shockingly beautiful — clear skin, ruby lips, a perfectly proportioned twenty-six-year-old porcelain doll with a nasty weave. She cuts through the crowd swiftly, the way she used to when 20,000 adoring fans mobbed her outside a concert, with her paparazzi boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib, trailing behind. Only a few kids are in the store, a young girl with her brother and two blondes checking out fake-gold charm bracelets. Britney rifles the racks as the Cure's "Pictures of You" blasts into the airless pink boutique, grabbing a pink lace dress, a few tight black numbers and a frilly red crop top, the kind of shirt that Britney used to wear all the time at seventeen but isn't really appropriate for anyone over that age. Then she ducks into the dressing room with Ghalib. He emerges with her black Am Ex. The card won't go through, but they keep trying it. "Please," begs Ghalib, "get this done quickly." One of the girls runs to Britney's dressing room, explaining the situation through a pink gauze curtain. A wail emerges from the cubby — guttural, vile, the kind of base animalistic shriek only heard at a family member's deathbed. "Fuck these bitches," screams Britney, each word ringing out between sobs. "These idiots can't do anything right!" Ghalib dashes over to console her, but she's already spitting, growling, throwing a big bottle of soda on the floor so that it begins to spill underneath the curtain, and then she's got a box of tissues and is throwing them on top of the wet floor along with piles of discarded merchandise. A new card finally goes through, but by then Britney is out the door, leaving her shirt on the ground and replacing it with the red top. "Fuck you, fuck people, fuck, fuck, fuck," she keeps screaming, her face splotchy and red as she crosses the interminable mall floor, the crowd behind her growing larger and larger. "Leave us alone!" yells Ghalib. The siblings run after Britney to get a video to put up on YouTube, and some of the shopgirls run after her to hand off the merchandise she left behind, and there's an entire bridal party wearing yellow T-shirts who have pulled out camera phones too. A crush of managers in black shirts and gold name tags try to keep the peace, but the crowd running after Britney gets larger, and now the shopgirls have started to catch up to her, one of them slipping spectacularly in her platform shoes, grazing her elbow. She pulls herself up, mustering the strength to tap Britney's shoulder. "Um, I'm from the South too," she mumbles, "and I was wondering if I could get a picture with you for my little sister." Britney turns to Ghalib and grabs his arm. "I don't want her talking to me!" she screams. She whirls around and stares the girl deep in the eyes, her lips almost vibrating with anger. "I don't know who you think I am, bitch," she snarls, "but I'm not that person."
It is absolutely heartbreaking to read this account. It has been very clear for a very long time that something wasn't even close to "right" with Britney Spears and yet, this sort of behavior has been happening for longer than I care to remember (and this is but one of these manic, public incidents). I absolutely believe with every fiber of my being that "friends" like Sam Lutfi are at the heart of Britney's troubled life. At long last, it appears that something is finally being done to first, keep Lutfi (and others like him) away from Britney ... second, expose any actions on his/their part(s) that may have been damaging to Britney's health and welfare ... and finally, stay committed to keeping our dear Britney under medical care until she can get the help that he desperately needs. Team Spears, led by Britney's parents, seem well on task to make sure that these 3 things happen. The restraining order against Sam Lutfi, filed by Jamie Spears, alleges that he has been drugging Britney in order to maintain a level of control over her:
The L.A. Superior Court has released an 11-page restraining order against Britney Spears' pal Sam Lutfi. He must stay 250 yards away from the singer and the UCLA Medical Center, as well as the homes of her parents, her siblings, her children and the singer's residences. The document reads:
"Britney met Lutfi in or about October 2007. Mr. Lutfi has essentially moved into Britney's home and has purported to take control of her life, home and finances. Mr. Lufti drugged Britney. He has cut Britney's home phone line and removed her cell phone chargers. He yells at her. He claims to control everything -- Britney's business manger, her attorneys and the security guards at the gate. Immediate relief is necessary to avoid the risk of physical harm to Britney by Mr. Lutfi and to allow her to undergo necessary medical treatment without interference by Mr. Lutfi."
According to the document, the restraining order against Lutfi was filed February 1 by James P. Spears.
THANK THE GODS ABOVE that something is finally happening ... THANK THE GODS ABOVE that Britney's parents have finally been able to step in and try to help her get out of the deep pit she's been living in for so long. Do I believe these allegations against Lutfi? Absolutely. You can just tell that that man was up to no good ... at last, he is being exposed for the person that he really is. In fact, he loves talking to the media so much that he's even confirming the fact that has, in fact, been drugging Britney:
Sam Lutfi, who is now on the receiving end of a restraining order imposed by Britney Spears' parents, was the one person by her side as she unraveled over the past six months. In the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now, Spears' de facto manager and confidant opens up about her bipolar disorder, how he medicated her, what happened the night she was hospitalized, and how her parents reacted. "In the depressive episodes, it's all crying," Lutfi tells Us. "But in the manic episode, there's very little crying or sympathy or compassion. She becomes another person. She becomes somebody that just doesn't care about anybody or anything. The British accent is part of the mania," he adds. "She'll stick to the British accent because she becomes comfortable with it... But you know, when the pink wig comes on, it's getting bad." Lutfi says that when Spears was involuntarily committed to treatment at UCLA Medical Center on January 31, her mom, Lynne Spears, arrived and tried to remove her daughter from his guidance. "Well, he is better family than you guys will ever be," Spears responded, according to Lutfi. Lutfi tells Us that he gave Britney "a handful of pills" before her parents arrived. "I said these pills are working wonders, they are miracle pills," he recalls. Spears, Lutfi says, agreed that the meds were helping her sleep ... Lutfi, 33, tells Us only he, Spears, and her psychiatrist know what brought on her bipolar disorder "roughly five years ago." When the ambulance arrived to take Spears, "she was very quiet," Lutfi tells Us. "When I told her, she wrote me a note and put a big heart on it and it said, 'I love you, Sam. Are there people coming? Circle yes or no,'" Lutfi recalls. "Oh, my God, it was funny, just the cutest little thing. I circled yes and I gave it back to her, and she looked at me and she's like, 'Oh, lord, here we go again.'"
If this is his attempt to get people to think that he is on her side, that he is the only person who cares about her then he's horribly wrong. I'm convinced that his words will come back to haunt him and will, hopefully, help ensure that he gets punished in some way, shape or form. As for Lynne Spears, she filed a 6 page declaration along with the filing of the restraining order against Sam Lutfi which I will quote in it's very long entirety:
I, Lynne Spears, declare:
I am the mother of Britney Spears ("Britney")., who is the subject of this action. I have personal knowledge of each of the facts set forth in this Declaration, and can testify completely thereto, except as this matters stated on information and belief, and as to such matters I believe them to be true.
This past Monday night (Jan. 28), Britney's father, Jamie, and I (in separate cars) went to Britney's house in Beverly Hills because we had heard news reports that Britney had just been in a big fight with Sam Lufti aka Sam Lufti ("Sam"), the man who has inserted himself into my daughter's life, home and finances, and that she was crying. We were very concerned about her safety. We arrived at the Summit Community gatehouse in BHPO at approximately 10 p.m. I was with my friend Jackie.
The guards at the gatehouse stopped us there for awhile. Jackie, Jamie and I finally proceeded to Britney's house and entered it. We were able to enter the house because it was not locked. Britney does not lock her doors and currently there are no security guards around her residence. Britney was not home. We found Sam, and Sam said as we walked in the door that Britney only wanted me to come to the house, and that she was afraid to see her dad.
Two or three paparazzi came into the house and entered the kitchen. They greeted Sam. The paparazzi then reported to Sam where Britney currently was. From the conversation between Sam and the paparazzi I determined that Sam had given Felipe (another paparazzi) one of Britney's cars to get her out of the house when he heard that Jamie and I were on our way to see Britney. I also understood from the conversation that Sam disabled all of Britney's cars. (she has several at her residence.)
Sam had told Britney that Jamie and I were coming to the house to do an intervention, and that Britney panicked and took off with Felipe. Another man named Chad Hardcastle was in the house.
I also heard the evening that Britney's and Sam's fight that evening, Sam had told Britney that she was an unfit mother, a piece of trash and a whore, that she cares more about Adnan, her current boyfriend, than she cares about her kids, and that she does not deserve her kids.
The paparazzi reported to Sam and addressed him with great respect. They treated him like a general. He instructed them to get her back to the house. They later told Sam that Britney was on her way back.
Britney then came back to the house with Adnan, who is also a paparazzi. Sam then told Jackie that we needed to do whatever he tells us. I objected. He then told me, "I'm the one who spends 24/7 with your daughter. I sleep in cars outside her house so she can't leave." Sam then said, "you people throw everyone under the bus, if you don't listen to me I'm going to make your name shit in the papers."
As I looked around the kitchen, I noticed that in the middle of the kitchen table there was a large car battery. At some point during the evening I learned that the car battery was there so Sam could charge his cell phone. Although Britney has several cell phones, he told us that he had disposed of all of the phone chargers and had made the house phones unworkable.
Sam told Jackie and me to tell Adnan to leave Britney alone and to get the Fuck out of the house. Jackie refused. Sam then said to tell Britney that Adnan is gay. Adnan stayed at the house a little longer. Sam quietly said something to Adnan and Adnan promptly left the house.
Britney came into the room looking for Adnan. Sam told her that Adnan was in the bathroom. Britney then asked me, "Is Adnan gay?" While Britney was out of earshot, Sam told Jackie and me that we should pretend that Adnan was in the bathroom so Britney wouldn't leave.
Britney then became very agitated and could not stop moving. She cleaned the house. She changed her clothes many times. She also changed her three dogs' clothes many times. Britney spoke to me in a tone and with the level of understanding of a very young girl. Britney then picked up a bottle of pills and read part of the label and asked us, "What does insomnia mean?" Sam told her that the pills will help her stay awake.
Sam told Jackie and me that he grinds up Britney's pills, which were on the counter and included Risperdol and Seroquel. He told us that he puts them in her food that that was the reason she had been quiet for the last three days (she had been sleeping.) He told us that the doctor who is treating her now is trying to get her into a sleep-induced coma so that they could then give her drugs to heal her brain.
Sam then encouraged us to sit down on a sofa and do "tequila shots." Jackie and I said we did not want to. Britney seemed to follow our lead. Sam then got some wine out and said, "Let's all do toasts with wine." Britney said that she didn't want to, she wanted a pretty glass. Sam found a glass with a stem and poured wine for Britney when we were not looking. Britney refused to drink her wine and asked to drink mine.
Shortly afterward, Sam went back into the kitchen and was standing behind a raised bar so that we could not see what his hands were doing on the counter. Sam then said to Britney, "let's go upstairs," and Britney followed him. Britney had calmed down by the time she went upstairs.
A little while later, Britney came downstairs. She seemed agitated again and told us that she wanted to go to Rite Aid for lipsticks. It was now past midnight. Jackie and I said we would take her. Sam told us that he wanted to follow us in his car. We told him that he shouldn't because the paparazzi were in front of the neighbor's house and would harass us. As we were about to drive off, Sam jumped into the bask seat of the car. The paparazzi followed. Sam and I were sitting in the back seat, with Chad as well. He told me that he gave Britney something (when they were upstairs) to make her more light-hearted, happy, and fun. We entered Rite Aid and Britney chose her lipstick. The manager said it is dangerous out there, which it was. When Britney gave the cashier her credit card, the cashier told her it was not working. I paid for the lipstick and the manager told us we could leave through the side door so no one could see us. Sam insisted we leave through the front door and he put his arms around Britney and me for the paparazzi to take photos. I disengaged as quickly as I could.
Sam told me, "You'd better learn that I control everything. I control Howard Grossman, Britney's business manger. I control her attorney's and the security guards at the gate. They don't listen to Britney, they listen to me. That's why Jamie was gone tonight."
At another point in the evening, Sam bragged to me that he is the one who receives Britney's checks and that one of them was for me. I told Sam that I hadn't gotten any checks from Britney. Sam then told me that they are in his car. He told me that if he weren't in the house to give Britney her medicine, she would kill herself. Then he said to me "If you try to get rid of me, she'll be dead and I'll piss on her grave."
He then proclaimed that he has been in the family for a year and that he had one nothing but good for Britney. At this point, it was two or three in the morning. Britney was meandering around the house. She would let me hug her, but she was out of it.
At one point during the night, Sam was screaming at me and Britney said to me, "Sam treats me like that." Then she picked up the house phone and said, "Look at the phone, it doesn't work." Sam then blamed the dead phone on Britney. Jackie spoke up and said to Sam, "You said you cut down the phone wire."
Britney then said again at some point during the night, "When do I get to see my babies?" Sam answered,"Wednesday." Britney then said, "What do I have to do to see them?" Sam responded, "Take the pills I tell you to take." Britney said, "I don't like the pills and I don't like the psychiatrist. Can't I see another psychiatrist so I can see my babies?" Sam responded, "If I told you to take 10 pills a day, you should do what I tell you to see your babies." Jackie then said, "Britney, your parents can help you find a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist needs to get to know you to give you the right medicine." Sam then raised his voice and said, "Why don't you get back with Kevin."
Britney then said, "I'll do anything to get them back."
At some point during the evening, Sam said that Britney decided that he should be her manager.
Adnan has called me and told me he's worried about Britney. He told me that Sam hides the phones and tells her he has lost them. He also hides her dog, London. She looks for him all over the house crying and then Sam brings the dog from the hiding place and acts like her savior.
While we were at Rite Aid, Britney went in and out of her British accent.
At 4 a.m., I was exhausted and wanted to leave. Sam blocked my car so I could not leave. I threatened to call Jamie on the phone.
Britney said, "I want my Daddy up here. I want to talk to my Daddy." I reached Jamie on the phone and gave the phone to Britney. I heard her tell him that she wanted to see him. He said, "right now baby?" and she said, "no." He said, "10:00 in the morning?" and she said, "no, noon."
I spent the rest of the night at Britney's house and for the first time in a very long time, when I lay down to sleep, I felt very agitated. I could not fall asleep at all. I felt like I had had coffee. Jackie, who had gone home earlier, later told me that she also could not sleep at all, and felt like she had had coffee.
Jamie came to pick me up the next morning. Jamie gave Britney a big hug and said to her, "baby, you're OK?" Britney said, "I'm fine," then burst into tears.
To my knowledge, Britney never went to sleep that night and was very agitated for most of the night.
Sam and Chad, however, slept in the "smoking room," a small room downstairs on the first floor of the house.
Later the next day, on January 29, Jackie showed me a text message she had received from Sam: "Thanks for telling Jamie all your bullshit. He just hit me. Now you guys did your deed. Much accomplished. Good job."
I did not see Britney again until I arrived at her house on Wednesday night after Sam called me and told me to come to the house. When we arrived, Britney seemed subdued. The police arrived and took her to the Neuro Psychiatric Institute at UCLA ("NPI"). While at NPI, I l earned that Britney informed her doctor, Lee Sadja, MD, that she had also taken Aderol.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on January 31, 2008 at Los Angeles, California.
Oh.My.God. And now we know what was going on that first night that Lynne Spears spent with Britney a couple of weeks ago. Do I believe Lynne's account of what went down -- absolutely! All of this information is SO hard to read ... to think that this is how Britney Spears has been living her life for the past few months (years?) when she didn't have to. I just REALLY hope that Britney gets all of the drugs out of her system so that a proper treatment for bipolar disorder can be administered. I've always contended that she is capable of making a comeback ... at this point, I'd be really happy if she just managed to get healthy. If there is any justice at all in this world than Britney Spears will, one day, lead a normal and healthy life ... and the persons responsible for adding to her dire predicament will be punished to the full extent of the law. [Source]
In other sad news, the New York Medical Examiner has released the final results of Heath Ledger's autopsy. It has been determined that Heath Ledger's death was the accidental "result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of" various prescription medications:
Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills, the New York City medical examiner's office said Tuesday. "Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine," the office said in a short statement. "We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications." Hydrocodone and oxycodone are painkillers. Diazepam is an anti-anxiety drug commonly sold under the brand name Valium; alprazolam is also an anti-anxiety drug, sold under such names as Xanax. Temazepam, sold under such names as Restoril and Euhypnos, is a sleeping agent, as is doxylamine ... In a statement released through Ledger's publicist, Ledger's father, Kim, said Wednesday:
"While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet," his family added in the statement. "This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful."
Ledger's family returned to Perth, Australia, Tuesday for the actor's funeral, according to The Associated Press. Arrangements were private. Ledger had talked about his difficulty sleeping after back-to-back roles as a Bob Dylan persona in "I'm Not There" and the Joker in "The Dark Knight," the latter of which is due out this summer. "Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times in November. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."
So there we have it folks, accidental overdose of prescription meds. To be honest, no explanation of the cause of Heath Ledger's death would have softened the blow in my mind. I just hope that Heath rests in eternal peace and in eternal slumber. [Source]
Blah ... let's try and lightening things up around here ... in happy news, Jennifer Lopez's father has confirmed the rumor that she is about to give birth to twin babies:
The rumors are true, confirmed by no less a source than her father: Jennifer Lopez is expecting twins. And it isn't even a Lopez family first. "Yes, twins," her dad David Lopez said in an interview on the Spanish-language show Escándalo TV, PEOPLE en Español reports. "The thing is in my family, my sister also had twins, so it's a hereditary thing." For David Lopez, the news means double the excitement. "I'm very proud. Jennifer has yearned to be a mother for many years," he said. And he already has gifts ready for his 38-year-old daughter's babies. "In Puerto Rico it's custom to buy an azabache [black stone] bracelet for babies to protect them from the evil eye, it's part of our culture," he said.
Woot! 2 babies for J. Lo ... I couldn't be more pleased ... well, I take that back, I'll be even more pleased if both babies look more like Jenny Lo rather than daddy dear Marc Anthony ... but, eh, I'll take what I can get. It won't be long now ... I'm sure the new twin babies will be making their debut any time now. [Source]
Xtina Aguilera made her first public appearance here in SoCal last night at an in-store DVD signing at a Best Buy for her latest release Back to Basics: Live and Down Under. Here are a few pics of the heaving new mother at last night's event:
Photo credit: Splash News
In the mommy business only since Jan. 12 – when first baby, Max, arrived – Christina Aguilera was back in the public eye on Tuesday, signing autographs at the Best Buy store in West Hollywood to promote her new DVD Back to Basics: Live and Down Under. As petite-framed as ever, Aguilera, 27, at one point tugged at her empire shirt so it wouldn't cling to her post-pregnancy tummy. Earlier Tuesday, Aguilera told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show, "I'm very excited [about] this whole incredible thing that's taken place in my life, between the pregnancy and the birth." She says these changes will inspire her work. "I've been brainstorming for the last nine months of my pregnancy. This next album will have a whole new me. A different me." Predictably, given this was Aguilera's first time out in a crowd since her baby was born, fans at Best Buy were excited about meeting her, and some even came bearing gifts for the baby: a onesie, a pair of blue baby shoes, even a handmade blue paper cupcake with a candle on it – in anticipation of Max's turning one.
You know, I'm actually very surprised that Xtina was up for this event so soon after giving birth. I'd imagine she is prolly very tired these days and the prospect of sitting down to sign hundreds of autographs might not sound too enticing. On the other hand, maybe she was happy to be out of the house again. At any rate, Xtina looked great at last night's signing (save for the always too much red lipstick) ... and her girls were lookin' pretty luscious, too. Lucky Max ... and lucky Jordy, too ;) [Source]
Yesterday I posted pics of Kylie Minogue making her way into the launch party event for her new range of soft home furnishings called Kylie At Home ... today we get a few pics from the actual event itself:
Kylie looks great ... and I love her go-get'em attitude when it comes to biz but I really think she needs to cool it with the product endorsements. If we end up with a line of Kylie Minogue steel-belted radial tires at some point I think I might have a bit of a problem with her. [Source]
While Kylie tires don't make much sense ... a line of Rihanna umbrellas TOTES make sense (get it? Totes is the name of the umbrella company that makes this range of Rihanna umbrellas). Here are a few pics of Rihanna at the Macy's in Herald Square in NYC yesterday where she debuted her new line of umbrellas:
Photo credit: Splash News
First off, let me say that I love Rihanna's hair ... she rocks the short look so well ... she looks amazing. Second, I love that she now has her own line of umbrellas ... BUT, I have been way ahead of this curve. I've been the proud owner of a Rihanna umbrella for months now (which I leave in NYC since it rains more there than here). Totes sold the very umbrella that Rihanna used during her performance at the MTV Movie Awards last year and I picked one up for about $25 bucks. A quick check at the Totes website shows that the collection has been updated and the prices have been raised. Whatevs ... I totally heart Rihanna ... I hope she makes tons of money on these umbrellas. [Source]
Fergie Ferg, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson were among the celebs who stopped by the MTV Studios in NYC yesterday to make an appearance on TRL. Here are a few pics:
Photo credit: Wireimage
Meh. Everyone looked good ... their appearances were pretty standard ... it's a shame that none of these folks showed any pizzazz on the show ... [Source]
Cuz when it comes to pizzazz ... John Mayer really knows how to bring the hawtness. Here are new, a bit disturbing, photos of John Mayer rockin' the Borat bathing suit aboard the Mayercraft Carrier Cruise Ship somewhere in the Bahamas:
The photos come from the blog That's Blogtastic and are accompanied by THIS very detailed account of why John was snapped running around this cruise ship in this hot little number. I don't know that words an adequately do these photos justice ... so why don't we let the pics speak for themselves, shall we? Enjoy. [Source]
In other bulge news, David Beckham's hawt bulge, which has been famously stuffed inside Armani Underwear in their new ad campaign, has finally made its way to the world-famous Sunset Strip here in Hollywood. Here are a couple pics of Becks in his Armani Undies on a new billboard here in LA:
Photo credit: Splash News
MMM. I don't know that I'll ever tire of this photo. That being said ... I'm very much looking forward to seeing more pics like this in the next round of campaign photos. [Source]
In other Beckham news, Vicki B. and her Spice Cohorts are still on the move (with kiddies in tow ... er, except for Mel Sporty Spice C.) as they begin to wrap up their Spice Girls Reunion Tour. Here are a few supercute pics of Les Spices each with one of their children ... er, except for Mel C.:
Photo credit: Splash News
Additionally, the Spice Girls have recorded a video message to their fans apologizing to the ones who have been given the shaft since the girls decided NOT to bring their Reunion Tour to South Africa, Asia or Australia:
Click above to watch
Don't you love how the Spice Girls had to pepper their apology by remarking (over and over) that they ARE touring a month longer than they said they would ... so the folks who didn't make the cut should take heart that they've been working really hard ... just not for them. I know hearing that would make me feel better. Lucky for me, I got to see the show already so I'm good. [Source]
Getting back to the gross for a second, Larry Birkhead thought it would be a smashing idea to bring his tiny daughter, Dannielynn Hope Marshall Smith
LARRY BIRKHEAD and his daughter DANNIELYNN journeyed to the Bahamas this week to visit ANNA NICOLE SMITH's final resting place one year after the star's untimely death. ET's JANN CARL was exclusively with Larry and the 17-month-old as she made her first trip back to visit her mother and brother DANIEL's graves in Nassau. In a multi-part interview starting Wednesday, February 6, Larry says the visit is difficult for him, but he arranged it for his daughter. "It's tough," he tells Jann. "Even though she doesn't understand, it was important for us to come. One day I can tell her that we went to visit her mom." When they arrived at the unmarked gravesites, Dannielynn placed a pink toy turtle on Anna Nicole's plot and said, "Mama" ... When asked how he feels about making the journey from Los Angeles to Nassau, Larry speaks candidly. "I don't like the fact that they're here, I never did," he reveals. "I know that Daniel didn't want to be here, and I know that his mother was only here because of what was going on between us with the paternity question. To me it feels really odd." On whether or not he has considered moving the graves, he says, "I'm going to leave the decision to Dannielynn when she's older. It would probably be very hard, if not impossible, to take both of them and I definitely don't want to separate them."
I'm sorry but this just feels so vile to me. Over the past year, I have felt that Entertainment Tonight and it's sister show The Insider has taken a turn for the worse. This is but the latest exploitive story that they have come up with in, what can only be described as, a desperate play for ratings. You may recall that ET bought the rights to that video of Heath Ledger at a party where drugs were being used and they were actually going to air it on their program ... until they were met by a staunch group of celebs who vowed to boycott their program if they aired the video. I miss the days when the show was hosted by John Tesh and Mary Hart ... it was such a positive viewing experience back then. These days, I don't even bother. And to be clear, I'm only mentioning this Larry Birkhead story cuz I'm so grossed out about it. I'm sure there are other folks out there who have noticed this change in the way that ET operates. Boo. [Source]
Lindsay Lohan is featured on the cover of the new issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine and in her interview opens up about her struggles with sobriety ... I'm happy to report that she seems to have finally seen the light and is intent on staying clean an healthy:
Lindsay Lohan knows last year -- with a stint in rehab, a public relapse, car accidents, and arrests -- was rough. "When I look back on this last year, it's like, what was I thinking?" the 21-year-old tells Harper's Bazaar in its March issue. Lohan, who relapsed in January, was ordered to work at a morgue as part of her punishment for misdemeanor drunken driving. The actress also says estrangement from her father likely played a role in her raucous behavior. "Not seeing my father was really hard for me, and not being with my family enough," the star says. "I wasn't taking any time to just sit and live and breathe," she says. "I was going, going, going, and that ran me down. It was a stressor. It upset me. I didn't have a father to call, and that was a lot of the pain ... I've learned so much, though, like learning to love my life a different way," Lohan adds. "And I wasn't taking the time to feel my feelings. Being away and going to a place where I could learn about that and take the time with a clear mind to get back on the right track was nice." But she maintains optimism for her fledgling music career. "I'd love to work with Timbaland," she says. "I'd love to work with Kanye West, 50 Cent if I could."
Yay! I'm glad that Lindsay is opening up about this ... I am confident that her darkest days are behind her. And let me say, I'd be thrilled to hear what a Hip-Hop collabo with Lindsay Lohan might sound like. Bring it on ... c'mon, Kanye ... you know you wanna. [Source]
Janet Jackson is featured in the new issue of Parade magazine ... here are a bunch of amazing photos of Janet from Parade.com:
I absolutely love this blue color and Janet looks damn good in it. Woot! [Source]
And finally ... the new Greatest Hits album by Morrissey will be offering more than just some great tunes ... according to Mojo magazine (who just received their promo copy of the album), the CD booklet has a picture of the Mozzer's derriere:
Click above to see larger, uncensored image
THE MOJO OFFICE is still reeling after opening our CD copy of Morrissey's Greatest Hits album to find this photograph (left). And just in case there was any doubt as to the ownership of the derrière in question, the sleevenote credits the pic thus: "Morrissey's arse photographed by Jake Walters". Morrissey's buttocks -- curiously hairless in comparison to what's "going on" above and below – appear to be of a mid-'90s vintage. This would coincide with the known period of his association with Jake Walters, his companion/PA around the time of the Vauxhall & I album. The standard of calligraphy is impressive, but the office is agreed that we wouldn't have enjoyed doing the apostrophe.
Well ... what're you waiting for? Click above ... you know you wanna see it :) [Source]
Les News:
- Great News! Dr. McSteamy beats skin cancer.
- Delta Burke is the latest celeb to enter into a psychiatric treatment facility.
- "I've got a new trainer, and she's giving me a lot of good things, really educating me about nutrition and weight loss and how to do it, and cooking stuff for you." -- Aretha Franklin
- CNN gets touchy-feely with their election coverage.
- Mess with Scientology and your My Space profile may be at risk.
- The California Supreme Court plans to take up the issue of same-sex marriage.
- Becks gets back to training with the LA Galaxy.
- Natasha Bedingfield hits the beach.
- Heidi Montag likes to play dress up.
- Nic/Joel continue to keep little Harlow Winter under wraps ... apparently, green wraps.
- Things appear to still be hot and heavy between Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen ... who knew?
- Rick Astley is 42, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses is 46 and Zsa Zsa Gabor is 91 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
- THIS is classic Detroit, y'all. Recognize!! [thanks Adriana] UPDATE: Even CLASSICER Detroit!! [thanks Robert]
- Celine Dion leads the way in Juno noms this year.
We all had a great time ... which only got better once the really cute blonde host who was working there last night brought us over some complimentary shots. Yes, Jean and I were big fans of him ... and the shots ;) I think we'll be going back to see him again ... Hahahahaha.
So much to do today ... lots of packing, lots of cleaning ... tomorrow's post may be shorter in length because I have an early morning flight to NYC. I'm gonna try and work on it tonight so I can post and fly in the morning.
I have a HUGE thing to attend on Friday in NYC so I'm not sure how much if anything I can post Friday ... which sucks but I promise -- it's for a very good reason.
That is all ... I'm Out.
[Permalink]
Advertisement
search this site
