Cele|bitchy |
- Katherine Heigl is no longer “the great white hope of women,” was she ever?
- Michael Fassbender was just cast as a loin-cloth-wearing Irish warrior God
- “Biggest Loser” contestants go on strike, shut off production: justified?
- Jennifer Aniston’s THR interview: “My hair has never been my greatest feature”
- Angelina Jolie wrote the foreword to Billy Bob Thornton’s new memoir
- Dina Lohan explains her crackie reasons for canceling her Dr. Drew interview
- Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria gives birth to a “very cute princess”
- Enquirer’s cover image of Whitney Houston in her casket – way too far? (photo blurred)
- Jennifer Aniston wears Chanel for her Walk of Fame ceremony: cute or church-y?
- Star: Christina Aguilera’s weight gain, booze problems are “out of control”
Katherine Heigl is no longer “the great white hope of women,” was she ever? Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:56 AM PST I never thought that I’d ever say this, but I’m really warming up to Katherine Heigl. Yes, she’s got a major image problem (not unlike Megan Fox) that was fueled by her own rather expressive mouth, but Katherine has seemed a lot more human by way of her recent essays on marriage and mothering as well. Obviously, I’d still like to burn her entire closet — a feeling that is entirely justified by these photos of her latest outings (over the past month or so) while shopping with her mother. On a more professional front, people are starting to talk about Katherine’s faltering movie career in terms of reflecting upon women in Hollywood. They might as well call it the “The Katherine Heigl Problem” since it’s expressed in such dire terms. One piece in particular from HuffPo’s Nico Lang is worth exploring in full, but here are some excerpts:
[From HuffPo] I think audiences gave up on Heigl at a certain point after she kept choosing to appear in really crappy movies. All the evidence we need can be found in the fact that One for the Money grossed $28 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. The movie performed that poorly despite the fact that it was based upon a (relatively) beloved book series from Janet Evanovich. The main problem I see isn’t really isn’t Heigl’s tendency to sh-ttalk her projects (although that has hurt her a lot more than when her male counterparts have done the same thing) but that she hasn’t challenged herself at all as an actress. Does she truly possess the talent to do so? Who knows, but she’ll never know if she doesn’t try. Heigl needs to leave Hollywood for a few years and stop referring to herself as “an artist“ when she appears almost exclusively in romcoms. She’s a fairly talented writer, and I see no reason why she couldn’t write an inventive script that stretches her boundaries and presents women in a more interesting light than merely as “one of the guys” or the token love interest. Then she can come back and prove her detractors wrong. Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet |
Michael Fassbender was just cast as a loin-cloth-wearing Irish warrior God Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:34 AM PST Seriously, y'all. It should not be this slow in the gossip world on the Thursday before the Oscars. Where is the last-minute publicity angling? Where is the fashion drama? Where is the story about two stylists getting into a fist-fight? Where is the last-minute breakup and subsequent angst about who would get custody of the Oscar red carpet? Yeah, it's dead in here. So let's talk about Michael Fassbender!! There's lots of news about him this week, so let me just cover it in bullet points: *Fassy has been confirmed for Ridley Scott's new film, The Counselor. Fassy and Scott worked together on Prometheus (out this summer), and Ridley must have liked what he saw, because Fassy just scored the lead role in a film people are describing as "No Country For Old Men on steroids." Now Ridley has to cast the "bad guy." Which may be Jeremy Renner? Fassy & Renner? I would watch that. *Fassy made a recent appearance on the UK's Top Gear. The interview is super-cute, even for the non-Fassbender-obsessives. Fassy wears leather, he races in an inexpensive car, he talks about motorcycles, he's lovely and Irish, he talks about his "impressive sausage" and he utters the magnificent line, "I'm sweating like a cornered nun." *Fassy's Shame director (and close friend) Steve McQueen recently spoke out about Fassy's "snub" at the Oscars – many people feel Fassy deserved a lead actor Oscar nomination for Shame, and McQueen thinks it didn't happen because the role was too "sexy." McQueen said: "In America they’re too scared of sex, that’s why he wasn’t nominated. If you look at the best actor list you’re saying, ‘Michael Fassbender is not on that list?’ It’s kind of crazy. But that’s how it is, it’s an American award, let them have it.” Damn, Steve. Most Americans are all about Fassy's dong, okay? It's just the old white dudes in the Academy who are scared of the impressive sausage. *And finally, maybe my favorite piece of Fassbender news, and something that a lot of people sent me (sidenote: My Fass-love means I have lots of Irish fans!). Fassy might be staring in a film adaptation of "Irish Myths" (working title). He will play "Cuchulain, the hero of the Ulster Myth Cycle." The character is "an Achilles-esque hero who is known for spazzing out in battle to the point of turning into an unrecognizable monster, and he fights from a chariot. It was prophesied that he would be famous, but also lead a short life." Fassy might produce it too. So… Michael Fassbender, Ginger Warrior God!!! This means lots of loincloths, doesn't it? Praise Jesus. Here are more photos of Fassy looking gorge! |
“Biggest Loser” contestants go on strike, shut off production: justified? Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:57 AM PST
This news came out yesterday, but we didn’t know how much interest there would be in it and we’re honestly a little scrapped for stories this morning. (Thursdays are usually slow before the tabloids come out, and everyone must be gearing up for the Oscars this weekend. I have the feeling that they’re going to suck, but we’ll see.) So the remaining contestants on “Biggest Loser” apparently walked off set halfway through the season when they heard of producers’ plans to bring back some of the eliminated contestants to compete for the final prize. This has shut down production for “at least a week.”
[From TMZ] Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper semi-confirmed this news, telling Radar that the contestants this season were “bullies.” He named the people he liked and I guess you can figure out whom he’s referring to by process of elimination. He said:
[From Radar] For those of you who watch this, is it true? Is the dynamic especially mean this season? A lot of people in Radar’s comment section are pointing to Conda as an instigator, and saying Kim and Mark are in on it. What’s more is that trainer Jillian isn’t around to keep people in line and put a stop to it, according to chatter about the show. (She wasn’t around last season either when Anna Kournikova took over.) So is it understandable that the contestants are striking in opposition to a policy that was sprung on them mid-season? Is it suddenly unfair to switch the rules around without warning? It sounds like it is, but I’m not watching this show. The contestants could just be pains in the ass this season. On a side note, isn’t Bob Harper dreamy? |
Jennifer Aniston’s THR interview: “My hair has never been my greatest feature” Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:54 AM PST Aniston, Aniston, Aniston!!! Some of you have been asking why there are so many Jennifer Aniston stories this week. Um, she's promoting Wanderlust. She's giving lots of interviews, and there are tons of new photos. It's not a conspiracy. So Aniston has a longish interview in the new issue of The Hollywood Reporter, and guess what she talks about? The national debt? The crisis in Syria? Campaign finance reform? Of course not (nor would I want to hear her opinions on those issues). She talks about Friends. And her hair. You can read the full piece here, and here are some highlights:
[From The Hollywood Reporter] There are some questions about directing too, and Aniston says that she feels the push-pull of directing again, versus simply doing yet another comedy script that she's offered. Is it wrong that I like her Friends talk? She's not disrespectful about the show that launched her career, and she's game for talking about it when she's asked. And yes, I realize that she was ASKED about her hair again. Dear God, please stop asking this woman about her hair. Please. Aniston is also on Ellen's show today – there's a clip too. Ellen asks her about the whole "sexiest woman ever" thing. Obviously. And they talk about Justin Theroux. Of course. |
Angelina Jolie wrote the foreword to Billy Bob Thornton’s new memoir Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:47 AM PST The past week has been full of nostalgia for the halcyon days of Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie. Memories of their relationship (circa 2000-2002) do not make me sick, oddly enough. BBT is no prize these days, but people easily forget that for a moment there in the 1990s, he was considered a writing and acting genius because of Sling Blade and his Oscar-nominated turn in A Simple Plan. I even had some moments during Monster's Ball where I thought, "Yeah. I'd hit it. I get why Angelina is with him." Of course, he's gross now. And while Angelina and BBT might have a friendly sort of post-divorce friendship, I can't imagine that Angelina ever feels any sexual or romantic nostalgia for that man. I'm sure he feels it for her though – he's making a movie sort-of-kind-of loosely based on their marriage. Anyway, last week the Enquirer claimed that Brad Pitt was totally crying because Angelina was planning on meeting up with BBT and having an actual conversation with her ex. I don't buy that Brad is that insecure, and I don't buy that he cares that Angelina used to bone BBT. And now there's further proof that Jolie and Thornton and still friendly – she's written the foreword to his new memoir:
[From Us Weekly] You know what I like about BBT's comments regarding Jolie? He doesn't talk about her beauty. He talks about how smart she is, how hard she works, how he's proud to know her. And she in turn always talks about him with a great deal of respect, and I think she still thinks highly of him as an artist. I think that's nice. Of course, I'm sure that the tabloids will turn this into something devastating. "Brad walks out after reading Angelina's 'love note' to BBT!" and "Brad Screams: 'You're still in love with Billy Bob!' as he cries and cries." Et cetera. |
Dina Lohan explains her crackie reasons for canceling her Dr. Drew interview Posted: 23 Feb 2012 06:17 AM PST Dina Lohan went with her daughter Lindsay to court yesterday – Dina could be seen in the background of some of the Lindsay photos, plus Dina was photographed on her own. It doesn't really surprise or shock me that Dina came with Lindsay, as we've known for so many years that Dina is Lindsay's biggest enabler/enforcer/defender/pimp. But Dina does have another side to her – the side that wants all of the attention that her daughter gets. Thus, Dina still schedules interviews for herself. A few days ago, she was scheduled to appear on Dr. Drew's HLN show. Then, the day of her scheduled appearance, HLN's PR person sent an email to all outlets – "Dina Lohan has just cancelled her appearance scheduled for tonight on HLN's Dr. Drew@ 9pm ET. She has not rescheduled." Now, considering Dr. Drew and Lindsay have a tortured history (as in, he thinks she should be framed for a crime and thrown into a dark hole, which is pretty bad coming from someone who fancies himself a medical professional), it's weird that Dina would agree to speak to Dr. Drew in the first place. And when she canceled, I just figured that Lindsay had crack-squawked to her mother and Dina had acquiesced, pulling the interview. But Dina's spokesman (incidentally, the same man who speaks for Lindsay too – the dreaded crack-enabler Steve Honig) went to Radar to paint a pretty picture:
[From Radar] All this time, I always figured that "Steve Honig" was just Dina's alias. Like, she puts on a fake accent and calls up media outlets to supply cracked-out quotes. Anyway, is it even worth noting how incredibly stupid the Family Lohan is? Dr. Drew and Lindsay were engaged in a verbal death-match not so long ago, and LL (rightly) claimed that Dr. Drew is "a quack and a sellout." But Lindsay's mom still totally respects him, especially if he wants to pay attention to her! |
Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria gives birth to a “very cute princess” Posted: 23 Feb 2012 05:22 AM PST Yay! I kind of forgot that Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria was pregnant, so it came as such a pleasant surprise this morning when I saw that Victoria had given birth. Victoria and her husband, Prince Daniel (a commoner and former personal trainer), announced her pregnancy last August. Daniel was allowed to come out and speak to the press after Victoria gave birth overnight… to a girl! Yay! Victoria will be queen of Sweden after her father, and now her daughter is second in line to the throne. Sweden doesn't make it all about the male heirs – whomever is born first is next in line to the throne! Anyway, Prince Daniel seemed really sweet and really proud when he spoke to the press, describing his daughter as "a very cute princess."
So sweet. I'm not aware of any controversy surrounding Victoria and Daniel – they were another couple (like Prince William and Kate Middleton) who waited years and years to marry. But unlike Will and Kate, Daniel seemed to spend his time, pre-royal engagement, in heavy royal training, and he hit the ground running as soon as they were married. I really like Daniel – he seems like a really good guy, and they seem solid as a couple. I'm so happy they had a princess!! |
Enquirer’s cover image of Whitney Houston in her casket – way too far? (photo blurred) Posted: 23 Feb 2012 05:15 AM PST
I still remember when OK! Magazine featured a cover photo of Michael Jackson after he’d died. It was sad and unnecessary, and many people found it both disrespectful to the family and to Michael’s memory. That’s how I feel about this Enquirer cover photo of Whitney Houston’s open casket. This will be featured on the issue that’s about to hit newsstands today, and it makes me wonder: will it have a “family shield” to cover up this image of a dead person? My son is at an age where he can understand death, but when he was younger he had no concept of it and I wouldn’t want to have to explain it to the little guy in a supermarket checkout line. I’d rather my kid see some T&A (and he can see two daddies or mommies any day) than a dead person staring out at him. It’s not the image so much as the questions and sadness it brings up.
[From The NY Daily News] In 2007, The Enquirer ran a “photo recreation” of a deceased Anna Nicole Smith in a body bag after her death. We covered that, and some outlets claimed that the photos were really of Anna after her death. At least one paparazzi agency did claim to have photos of Anna’s corpse, which lent credence to the stories that it was really her. Let’s play devil’s advocate for a moment: Whitney looks pretty in that photo in her casket, she appears at peace, and some may say that she lived in the public eye so it’s fitting that this photo be published. That reasoning doesn’t account for all the people and loved ones she left behind, particularly her 18 year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Bobbi is already going through the worst time of her life, how is this going to affect her to have to see her deceased mom on a tabloid cover? That’s just ridiculously mean. My heart has been sinking the whole time I’m writing this, because I’m imagining seeing a loved one in their casket before going through the awful process of attending their burial. We have open casket viewings to provide closure to family and loved ones, the dead person is not meant to be publicly gawked at. I deliberately didn’t include a link to the photo. It’s all over the place though and if you have even moderate Google skill you can easily find it. Hell, just go to the store on Friday and it will probably be there already. |
Jennifer Aniston wears Chanel for her Walk of Fame ceremony: cute or church-y? Posted: 23 Feb 2012 04:25 AM PST I have been properly chastised by the Aniston-loonies! Except not really. You have to understand, in mind, I was complimenting Jennifer Aniston's animated, sober-ish, "breasticle"-dropping performance on Chelsea Lately two nights ago. I guess it wasn't taken that way, though. So let's see if I can be nicer to Jennifer this morning! These are new pics of Aniston at her Walk of Fame ceremony yesterday in Hollywood. I thought she already did this, but that was last year's Grauman's Chinese Theater hand-and-footprint ceremony. For this one, she got her star! I'm actually surprised she didn't already have a star – some really cheesy people got their stars before Aniston. Aniston wore Chanel for the event – it's not her usual style, which is nice. The hemline is not grazing her biscuits, which I appreciate. It actually seems rather conservative and church-y to me. I think I'm coming down on… liking it? Sort of. I think the print is kind of tacky, but I like the cut and the vibe. Adam Sandler was at the event, and he gave a speech about Aniston too. I get that Adam is a "regular guy" and all, but do you think he could have managed to wear a button-down shirt and take the gum out of his mouth? That's just disrespectful to the event, and to his friend. Aniston's producing partner Kathryn Hahn was there too, as was Aniston's latest costar, Malin Akerman. Oh, and Jennifer's dad was there too, and she happily posed for photos with him. She did not pose for photos with Justin Theroux, though. Justin was wearing his hipster "fancy" uniform – skinny jeans, white button down, skinny black tie. Basically, he wore the same thing to her Grauman's event last year too. Note that John Aniston and Justin are sitting beside each other! That's nice. Truly. Also nice? Theroux has given up his itty-bitty dude-bangs trauma. Huzzah! In her speech, Aniston told the crowd that she was “extremely flattered, humbled, nervous and excited” to be honored and “It feels very surreal to be honest. I was born here and it’s sort of something you went and saw as a kid and got excited about just walking and seeing the names. To imagine that you're going to be there is really special. It’s fun.” |
Star: Christina Aguilera’s weight gain, booze problems are “out of control” Posted: 23 Feb 2012 04:10 AM PST I do not know if this Star Mag cover is a Photoshopped image, or if someone just snapped a photo of standard-issue Christina Aguilera after a night of partying ("just another night"). As you can see, Star Mag is taking the bold step of calling out Christina for being a crazy boozehound, only they dilute the issue by going on and on about her "65 pound weight gain" and her diva behavior on the set of The Voice. True, the weight gain and the diva behavior are likely part of the same alcoholic issues. But let’s not go overboard with the weight stuff, okay? Here's more from Star, via Jezebel:
Yeah, it's not about comparing Christina's body now to her body when she was 18. It's simply looking at her now and thinking, "Jesus, Christina, put on some pants. No one wants to see that." I would feel differently about Christina's weight gain if she actually dressed for her figure instead of jacking up her bolt-ons, pouring herself into dresses four sizes too small, and going commando TO A FUNERAL. As for how she looks… I feel the same way about Vince Vaughn's yo-yo weight gains and losses – he simply doesn't look healthy. Neither does Christina. And that worries me. As for Christina's Voice co-stars hating on her… I don't even know. Those stories are getting a lot of traction, but for now, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine seem to be defending her publicly. When Levine was on Howard Stern's show, Stern asked him about Christina's weight gain and why she wears such uncomfortable-looking clothes. Adam said: “I wouldn’t go that far actually. Her clothes are tight, she likes to wear tight clothes! She clearly likes to talk about being comfortable with being a woman, and snapping her fingers and doing the whole (diva) thing." |
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