New Man, New 'Do for Britney Spears

Britney Spears is notoriously known for changing her hairstyle at the slightest change in her mood. And since there has been plenty of mood swings for Britney Spears in the recent past owing to her very colorful career and love life, it follows that her hair has been in a constant state of turmoil ever since.

That is why the recent hair change -- from blonde to brunette -- is seen by the Daily Mail (UK) as a virtual confession that Britney Spears is indeed in love, and probably engaged, to new boyfriend Jason Trawick. In a recent shopping trip with rumored fiancé Jason Trawick at a Bed Bath and Beyond store in Los Angeles, Britney Spears wears arrestingly long and dark tresses, when just a day earlier it was shoulder-length and wavy blonde. The two are laughing gaily, and Britney's huge sparkling diamond ring is sparking rumors of an engagement.

Britney Spears has been fearless in hairstyle experimentation in the past, sporting all manners of hair color. The most controversial hairstyle she wore? The no-hairstyle bald 'do, of course.


Source: Daily Mail (UK)

Photo: Hot Shots Worldwide, Splash

"False Emotions" for Michael Jackson?

Are those claiming to grieve over Michael Jackson's death just pretending? Is this collective outpouring of grief from everyone everywhere around the globe all a big balloon of . . . hot air?

It's a hard question to ask, and the answer is even harder to tackle. But Hadley Freeman from the Guardian dares to ask and answer this question anyway. It's not easy given the current situation, where all TV and radio stations across the world broadcast the story of the life, music and death of the iconic Michael Jackson, hour after hour, over and over again. With Hollywood celebrities coming out of the woodwork to "pay tribute" of the "what a great man Michael Jackson was" variety, to "fans" gazing forlornly in front of the camera saying they love Michael Jackson so, and that they have tickets to his upcoming concert this year "This is it!"

Hadley Freeman thinks "that the desire for collective emotion leads only to false emotion" in the case of the death of Michael Jackson. Freeman touches on the "multiplicity" of media, saying "Jackson's was not an unblemished life and this makes it tricky for the news channels and tweeting celebrities who long for nothing more than to bathe in the soapy, sudsy pleasure of hyperbolic adoration and eulogies."

Many people share the same skepticism. While not in any way disdaining the feelings of truly grieving Michael Jackson fans, it's worth remembering that when he was alive, the Hollywood press fed Michael Jackson's quirky life unmercifully to the voracious appetite of fans. They consumed him and all that he was, but seldom was there a show of support for the man, more a show of mockery for his quirks. And now with his sudden passing and faced with all this belated tributes and accolades, well.... the irony of it is just too striking to ignore.

Source: Guardian (UK)

Photo: AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko

Sean Penn's Puzzling Moves

The Hollywood press is perplexed over recent decisions and actions made by long-time actor and Oscar winner Sean Penn, according to the New York Post. And it is not easy to perplex the media, more so the Hollywood paparazzi who eats perplexing Hollywood celebrity stunts day in and day out. They don't often flinch when LiLo or Paris get a DUI, and love it when Britney gets a new hairdo.

Nevertheless, Hollywood is "stunned and perplexed" by Penn's recent antics. Why? The guy is on a blitzkrieg of unpredictable moves, from reconciling with wife Robin Wright Penn for the second time, to cancelling two Hollywood movie projects ("Cartel" about a father protecting his son from a Mexican drug cartel and "The Three Stooges" with Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Toro), to dating 27-year old Hollywood actress Natalie Portman.

What's up with him? He has announced he is putting his career on hold to spend more time with family. Let's just take his word on it for now. Many think he only got back with his wife because Portman ditched him. If this is true, let's hope this guy straightens himself out. Being perplexed is so... inconvenient.

Source: New York Post

Photo: AP Photo/Jeff Christensen

LiLo's Tweeting Spree

Hollywood perennial headliner Lindsay Lohan is rumored to be so upset over her recent split with Samantha Ronson that now she uses Twitter to rant and rave over her current doldrums. Sun UK reported on this depressed (a very Hollywood) behavior and anyone with access to Twitter can check it out and confirm that LiLo does love to tweet, no more so than the rest of us. The only difference is that LiLo's tweets are of pictures of herself, naked, and of some other Hollywood celebrities doing their sweet and supposedly private stuff.

Some of the tweets she fired are cryptic, like intended for certain people: "Old habits die hard ;) - for some of us."

Shortly after: "I can't sleep. Samantha Ronson - it's your fault." In Hollywood, bluntness is sometimes next to cleanliness or something like that.

Then some more: "I love being alone. Feels safe coz I can only trust myself. Ya, sad. But I'm cool with it." Inane mutterings so common in Twitter but if you're one of Hollywood's princesses, could be read by tens of thousands of Twitter people.

And this clue-filled salvo: "Why do people cheat? When love is always standing right in front of their face(s)?? SR?"

If Twitter followers expected a tweet to end world hunger, they were disapointed.

Source: Twitter, Sun UK

Photo: Lindsay Lohan

Hot "Baile" for Clinton?

Shades of Monica or not? He's not from the Hollywood set, but former President Bill Clinton's sojourn to Buenos Aires just recently was covered by the Washington Post. And one of the juiciest tidbits that surfaced in that trip (and closest to Hollywood-style tidbits at that) was that Clinton and his pals partied in a famous cabaret called Crocodilo for a "noche de soltero" (boys' night out). And that a well-endowed brunette by the name of Andrea Rincón danced a "baile hot" private number for him.

The Post went on to say that the hot baile dancer was paid "very well" for that lap dance, but not by Clinton. Rincón says she just danced, and did not speak to him.

Clinton's camp countered that Rincón's story "is completely false. They were at the hotel playing cards with the former and current presidents". They were playing "Oh, Hell," a spokesman said.

Oh, well.

Source: Washington Post
Photo: AP Photo/Matt Sayles

Cher's Daughter Will Become Her Son

Multi-hyphenated Hollywood-royalty-civil-rights-advocate-journalist-author-musician Chastity Bono is about to add a new hyphen to her name: Cher's-daughter-turned-son.

TMZ reported that Sonny and Cher's darling daughter has began the process of changing his/her gender to become their son.

"Yes, it's true -- Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity," says Howard Bragman, who is Bono's publicist. He says Chastity already turned Chaz when he/she "came out" in his/her early twenties, and now asks for the respect of the media to complete the process.

Oh well, there goes the dream of all-dolled-up tiny little Chers!

Source: TMZ
Photo: Getty Images

Miss Cali Loses Her Crown - Finally?

Miss California Carrie Prejean will go down in pageant history, not for winning the pageant, but for losing the crown barely months later. Oh, also for being a media fodder instead of a world peace advocate.

Her controversial belief against gay and lesbian marriage in California angered the gay community and supporters right at the pageant Q&A, and their hostility did not let up after she was crowned. Then pictures of her in racy costumes and poses began to surface, and this new controversy brought her dangerously close to possible violations of the Miss California pageant contract.

It took pageant owner Donald Trump's defense of Prejean a month ago for the dust to settle down on the controversial pictures, when Trump dismissed the photos and allowed her to stay. And yet now, a month later, Trump himself gave the word to fire Prejean, according to Fox News.

The reason? "I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California Organization and I gave her the opportunity to do so," Trump said in a press release. "Unfortunately it just doesn’t look like it is going to happen and I offered . . . my full support in making this decision."

It's not meant to be, dahling. Beauty pageants are sooo Hollywood!

Source: Fox News

Photo: AP

Jessica Simpson Trades a Boat for a Ring?

TransWorld News reported on Jessica Simpson's bank-breaking birthday gift to boyfriend Tony Romo. Apparently, sky's the limit for Jessica when she shelled out $100,000 to buy Tony a speedboat for his 28th birthday. Jess surprised Tony with this huge and expensive gift in their home in Texas.

“Jessica knows that Tony has always wanted a boat,” says a source. So what's a good girlfriend to do but buy one? The source further says Jess has an ulterior motive for gifting her Dallas Cowboys quarterback boyfriend with such an expensive trifle. The insider says Jess hopes Tony would respond in similar fashion and give her a wedding ring in the immediate future.

You people! Can't a girl give a small thing like a boat to her boyfriend anymore without you reading more into it? Sheesh!

Source: TransWorld News
Photo: AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Angie "Fine" After Minor Set Injury

People has confirmed that Angelina Jolie has resumed filming for Salt, the spy thriller she's been shooting in Long Island where an action scene left Jolie with scratches on her face and a bump in the head. Angie was immediately taken to the hospital, where she was given a thorough examination and -- this woman has got a tough hide! -- was immedialtely released and resumed working afterwards.

That scratch in the face will not detract in the least from Angie's stunningly beautiful mug, but that bump in the head -- would that wake her up from her Brad Pitt dreams and ...?

Source: People
Photo: AP Photo

The Spelling War

Are these two really mother and daughter? Just asking because Candy and Tori Spelling have been at each other's throats for so long now that it often seems Tori is only famous now for her fights with her mother than for any project that she's in.

The recent round shows one nasty mother who hints that her daughter caused the death of her husband Aaron Spelling. Candy's publicist has this to say to E! Online: "I didn't intend to create headlines. I was asked a question about my daughter not speaking with my family, and I answered truthfully. My husband was very ill, and he had stopped eating and taking liquids. He called Tori on a daily basis, and never stopped asking if Tori had returned his call. We had to say no every day."

Source: E! Online
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Daddy Lohan: I Didn't Threaten to Kill My Fiancée

Leave it to the Lohans. Is it because Lindsay is surprisingly silent these past weeks that Dad Michael has to pinch hit for her to keep feeding the rumor mill? Michael Lohan is facing a misdemeanor charge for aggravated harassment wherein he allegedly got into an altercation last March 18 with his fiancée Erin Muller and threatened to kill her.

"He allegedly called Erin Muller on the telephone and stated in sum and substance that he would kill her and himself if Erin Muller left him," according to Suffolk County D.A. Lohan counters by telling E! News that it isn't so, and that Erin has told the court that she won't pursue the charged and will let it all drop. He claims that the media just blew the whole thing out of proportion.

Source: E! Online
Photo: Gary Gershoff / Getty Images

Eva Mendes New shots from GQ

Jessica Biel: my "hotness" is a problem

For Jessica Biel, her body and good looks are the main culprit why she doesn't always get the plum roles in Hollywood films. Despite her performance in The Illusionist that earned her decent reviews, good roles are still not hers for the picking, so she tells Allure magazine. She envies the likes of Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman, who can do so.

Biel, whose recent film -- Powder Blue -- went straight to DVD, is better known for her high-profile dates than her acting portfolio. She is currently dating Justin Timberlake, and has been linked to Derek Jeter and Chris Evans in the past.

Good roles, good roles. Aren’t those given to good actresses? Just asking...


Source: USMagazine.com
Photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Tin "Cannes" Alley?

Are Cannes' glory days of chic, glamour and sophistication truly gone? Apparently so. The beaches of Cannes are littered with crass personalities with hardly an ounce of Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn or Bette Davis in their styles. Most people congregate to Cannes during the festival that has no business being in the event. They are party-goers who love the gregarious scene during festival season, and in no way connected to the film industry, if at all.

Legitimate and long-time Cannes attendees mourn the 60s when the crowd is "more classy". Hollywood A-listers quickly abandon Cannes after doing their required premier and party duties, while those few who are left, like Jim Carrey and Brad Pitt, hide in their rooms. It's all downhill after that, with the likes of Paris Hilton hosting a yearly party in Cannes -- for fun, what else?

Source: MailOnline

Photo: Getty Images

Brangelina Lovefest in BreakupVille?

Are critics reading too much body language from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the Cannes Film Festival? The tattle at the Cannes party scene is that there appears to be awkwardness and distractedness in the actions and gestures of both Brad and Angie, despite putting up a show of togetherness. The Sun called in body language expert Robert Phipps and he says he is "convinced they are not happy."

Blame it on the heat of the Cannes sun, but this recent appearance is indeed a far cry from last year, where the pair attended the French film festival to promote Angie's film Changeling, and where they kissed constantly and Angie was all smiles and praises for Brad.

Possible reasons for the lukewarm display this year? Work, differences in personality, opinions and intelligence, and... Jennifer Aniston?

Source: The Sun
Photo: AP Photo/Matt Sayles

LiLo's House - Ransacked or Just Messy?

Apparently, not keeping a clean house is detrimental when you're burglarized in Hollywood. That's what happened to Lindsay Lohan when police responded last Tuesday to a security alarm that was triggered at Lohan's home. When police came over to investigate, they thought at first it was ransacked, then after poking around they decided it was just plain messy.

But recent developments say Lohan's house was attempted for burglary, after all. This after a security video caught two unidentified men attempting to break into LiLo's L.A. home, with a four-door gray station wagon parked in front of the house just before 3 p.m. So the security alarm was triggered alright, by these two men... or by a rat perhaps?

Source: People
Photo: INF