July 2006 Gossip Archive (Page 6)

Peter Cook can beg all he wants, but his scorned, supermodel wife isn't ready to forgive him, the New York Daily News reports.

"She's still very hurt, very shocked. He carried on a two-year affair," a family member said yesterday, laughing at the notion that Christie Brinkley will reconcile with the bastard who cheated on her with a teenage singing aspirant who also happened to be his employee.

"She has to be careful because they did a prenuptial agreement. She can't say anything bad because the prenup will be broken. It's not in her personality to say anything bad anyway," added the relative, who asked not to be named.

It would be one thing if Cook, 47, was guilty of a meaningless one-night stand. But according to the source, the fact that his philandering was a prolonged, devious relationship with teenage assistant Diana Bianchi is inexcusable to Christie.

"You think when there are kids involved, maybe you can find forgiveness. But this girl [Bianchi] was on TV saying all this stuff about Peter pursuing her. It's really hurtful," the source said. "I can't say for sure what [Brinkley will] do next. But whatever it is, the family will totally support her. I think she'll find love again. Everything is possible. She's very strong."

Cook is now on a public relations offensive, expressing deep regret over his dalliance with Bianchi through his laywer and asking Brinkley, 52, to forgive him. His lawyer Norman Sheresky, says he is in communication with his estranged wife and speaks to their daughter every day. Brinkley gave birth to daughter Sailor Lee in 1998, and her adopted, 11-year-old son from a previous marriage also lives with the couple.

Trish Bergin, a TV news anchor and friend of Cook's, and who once dated Brinkley's ex-husband, Billy Joel, rushed to Cook's defense yesterday.

"Peter is not a cad. He is a good man who made a very bad mistake. I am hopeful they will now be given the privacy to work through this," Bergin said, describing her friend as distraught and remorseful.

Bianchi's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, called Cook's attempts to rehabilitate his image fine if they are limited to apologies, but warned the Long Island architect about portraying Bianchi untruthfully.

"If he's going to take a position not based in reality or truth, then [Bianchi] may wind up in a position to have to file a lawsuit," Tacopina said, specifically disputing Cook's statement that he never took advantage of Bianchi.

"No one ever said Diana was forced physically. The question is whether or not the advances were welcome and whether she believed there would be collateral consequences if she didn't give in to his advances," Tacopina said. "She was making $12 an hour at a toy store when they met, and she became financially dependent on [her job at Cook's architecture firm]. She was put in a difficult position, one that the law frowns upon."

Tacopina said he had no immediate plans to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against Cook as a result of the sex scandal, but certainly left the door open.

It still needs a little polishing, but Colin Farrell (right) is getting his impersonation of Tom Cruise down pretty nicely, our friends at TMZ.com report.

The Irish actor, who is making the rounds promoting his new flick, Miami Vice, and who is in the midst of trading restraining orders and lawsuits with crazy author Dessarae Bradford, appeared on the Today show and talked with host Matt Lauer.

The 30-year-old Farrell wasted little time in lambasting Cruise, who famously scolded Lauer last year in a heated debate about the merits of psychiatry.

"Stop being glib, Matt! You're glib, Matt, you're glib, you're glib!" said a joking Farrell, referring to Cruise's remarks about Lauer's glibness from last year.

Farrell continued his Cruise-bashing on Live with Regis and Kelly, taking a lap around the audience during a commercial break, then returning to his seat and stating that he was doing his "best Tom Cruise impersonation."

While the Gossip is unsure while Farrell has taken it upon himself to mock Cruise on the talk-show circuit, we are highly entertained.

Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reports that Bradford, Farrell's alleged stalker (or stalking victim, depending on what you read) who staged a press conference Monday announcing her third lawsuit against the actor, didn't actually file anything. Stunning.

Britney Spears‘ sexy schoolgirl antics in her debut single, "Baby One More Time," were groundbreaking. Some teenage males might even call them life-altering. But they weren't enough to top one of Britney's musical heroes, Madonna, on MTV UK's list of the 100 Videos That Broke the Rules.

To call Madonna's 1989 video for "Like a Prayer" controversial might be the biggest understatement in music history. The video, after all, featured the scantily-clad singer kissing a black Christ-like figure against a backdrop of burning crosses. Yeah. Top that, Brit.

Madonna drew the ire of critics back then, but won "Like a Prayer" the top spot on MTV UK's recent list.

Britney came in at #2, while Michael Jackson's legendary 14-minute zombie epic "Thriller" moonwalks claimed the third spot. At #4? Madonna again, for her "Justify My Love" video, which was banned by MTV in 1990. Next in line? You guessed it. Madonna, with "Vogue."

MTV compiled the list by polling 10,000 viewers and will play the entire 100 videos as part of its 25th Anniversary on August 1. Hopefully Madonna and Britney can put aside their recent differences and come together in celebration of this honor. Maybe they can kiss. You know, to make up and stuff.

Allen Iverson, who?

As sneaker sales for Reebok have slowed down, the company is turning away from big-time athletes and toward big-time hotties. First in line? Scarlett Johansson. The actress is working on a new clothing and footwear line that should hit high-end department stores and boutiques next spring.

The Scarlett (Hearts) Rbk collection tries way too hard to be witty. It also will feature athletic-inspired pieces such as hoodies, T-shirts and track jackets with retro influences from the '70s and '80s.

"Scarlett loves that timeframe, and it's very relevant to Reebok because some of our first shoes were introduced (then)," said Amy Schaeffer, Reebok's vice president of lifestyle design.

Johansson stars in Woody Allen's Scoop, opening Friday, and will also be featured prominently in Reebok's new women's ad campaign next spring.

The move is designed to expand Reebok's fan base. Female customers are more likely listen to Scarlet's pitch that that of Celtics star Paul Pierce. No offense to Paul. Johansson just has nicer feet.

"The fashion content of the brand hasn't kept up in the last couple of years," industry analyst John Shanley said.

The beautiful actress has taken a very active role in creating the Reebok collection from the initial concept, Schaeffer said. She's had several product and design meetings with the company, including a three-hour session Monday prior to her visit yesterday to its headquarters.

"I like the idea of exercise and aerobics being glamorous: Olivia Newton-John and women exercising in false eyelashes," Johansson said. "I am basically designing clothing for my friends, and a lot of my friends are also regular girls with lovely curves and feminine figures."

We can only hope Victoria's Secret comes calling next.

Despite earlier reports by The Gossip that Tori Spelling (left) would inherit a nice chunk of her father's $500 million estate, now it's looking like a much smaller chunk. If you can even call it a chunk. Which we are not sure you can, as she's getting less than one-fifth of one percent. That's not a lot at all.

We are talking about 0.16 percent of the Aaron Spelling fortune.

Tori's share will be a cash inheritance payment of $200,000, combined with approximately $600,000 in private investments her dad set up for her. That constitutes a pretty big brush-off from the TV magnate, who would never have intended to hit his only daughter with, a family source said. One might even say that Aaron Spelling is rolling in his grave right now.

Instead, it seems like a move that Tori's mother, Candy, who happens to be sole managing executor of the estate, conspired in a cruel, heartless act of revenge against her estranged daughter.

Many questions remain.

How much of the cash will Tori's brother, Randy, inherit? Why are Candy's interior decorator and manicurist in the will? Why were Brandon Walsh and Steve Sanders (right) snubbed after more than a decade of good times, helpful advice and platonic friendship? We may never know.

We love Jeremy Piven. He makes us laugh. He loves his mom. But his taste in party guests sucks more than one of those featured on the list.

Naturally, we're talking about Lindsay Lohan. When Piven celebrated his 41st birthday over the weekend at the Polaroid Beach House in Malibu, the only celebs anywhere to be found were Molly Sims and Lohan.

Lohan, who has a cameo on Entourage this season - hopefully as the young, spoiled Hollywood starlet that is run over by a mac truck - entertained the host in two different flesh-colored bikinis and heels. What else would she have worn, right?

"I'm going to be on your show!" Lohan told Piven.

"Really! Any scenes with me?" the actor joked in a pseudo-sexual way as Lohan giggled and The Gossip threw up a little bit.

Later, boy toy du jour, Harry Morton, showed up and Lohan greeted the Hard Rock heir with a hug and kiss. "I'm so happy right now!" she said. "He's such a great person and influence on me."

Yeah. An alcoholic, drug-laden influence.
The rest of the day was spent with Lohan playing records in the DJ booth, while the birthday boy spent the afternoon drinking beer, mingling with women and playing the drums. Piven also responded to the absurd notion that a reality TV show was in his future.

"I don't need to do a reality show, I'm on a successful TV show," he said.

Stay-at-home mom of a child that may or may not be real? You can forget about trying to pigeonhole Katie Holmes into that role!

Katie, 27, is tired of looking like a total wreck and keeping to herself in Telluride, Colo. According to Us Magazine, she's back in L.A. and ready to get back to work.

On July 19, the actress held a meeting sans wackjob fiancee Tom Cruise with her agents in Beverly Hills to fire up the search for the perfect vehicle for her return to the acting world.

"She knows it's been too long. She doesn't want to give up her career for her new life," says a supposed friend of Katie's, who adds that Holmes has been reading scripts looking for an older, more mature role.

And, although she wants a hot career again, her family life won't have to suffer, says an insider close to the pair.

"She's still very much involved with Tom and pretending they have a the baby. But she does want to start working again soon," the source said.

Of course her family life won't suffer. Suri Cruise is a farce!

Stop the presses! A couple was acting like a couple!

Perhaps in an attempt to prove his non-wussiness, Nick Lachey brought babe friend, Vanessa Minnillo, to the New York City club Butter Monday night, where they partied with fellow celebrities, danced, kissed and partied throughout the evening.

Jessica Simpson was nowhere to be found this time, as Lachey - looking sharp as ever in jeans and a button-down shirt - and Minnillo, in a red dress, began the night chatting in their booth with Russell Simmons before Minnillo danced on the banquet to "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira.

The Gossip wil need a second after hearing that ... okay ...

When Jay-Z's "99 Problems" came on at around 12:45 a.m., Minnillo indulged Lachey in what would be the first of several lap dances. Yes, SEVERAL.

The MTV VJ wasn't done yet, however. She was up on the dance floor again soon after giving Lachey 98 degrees of fun, dancing with Jamie-Lynn Sigler to the Jackson 5's "Want You Back" and "Sweet Home Alabama."

From there, the night simply rolled - and grinded - on. "SexyBack," by Justin Timerbake, came on and Minnillo settled into Lachey's lap and sang it to him.

But the song that Lachey enjoyed the most was the Rocky theme, "Eye of the Tiger," which got him waving his arms and moving his head to the beat.

Reports didn't state whether or not he hugged Apolla Creed on the beach.

Later, Lachey did shots with Wilmer Valderrama, who was holding court with friends including Erika Christensen. Finally, the pair left at 3 a.m., holding hands.

A rep for Lachey had no comment. Perhaps because there wasn't any real news - except for, you know, those scorching hot lap dances. Yowza!

It may have taken a divorce to force Brad Pitt to grasp the concept of marriage, but it seems as though the movie stars now get it.

According to Pitt's grandmother - and more reliable of a source could there be? - the actor says he won't marry Angelina Jolie until he's confident that it'll be forever.

Dying to be in the spotlight, Betty Russell has gone public with her grandson's admissions. She said Brad had a candid telephone conversation with her shortly after the birth of his daughter, Shiloh, in May.
"Brad promised his last wife on their wedding day they'd be together forever, and they didn't make it. He is a sensitive soul who just wants to make sure he can keep his promise this time around," Betty said.

She also spoke about his new role as a father:

"Brad has always wanted to have children and he is playing the father role very well. The family loved Jennifer. But he has got Angelina now and seems really happy with life."

Ouch, way to stick it to Aniston, Granny! She closed with an odd tibit about who Pitt chooses to share secrets with:

"[He's] very close to [Maddox]. He confides little secrets to him".

Yesterday, Fox took part in the Television Critics' Association presentation, delivering numerous inside scoops on some of your favorite shows. The event featured writers, producers and a few actors, such as the delicious Wentworth Miller (pictured).

Let's get right into the action!

Peter Liguori, Fox's entertainment president, admitted that his network "does an outstanding job from January through August... the whole ball of wax is really about improving our fourth quarter.'' Sounds like he wants some hits until American Idol and 24 save the day in January.

The solution appears to be scheduling shows with periodic, longer-breaks; just how Prison Break premiered before baseball playoffs, came back strong after the World Series and then took a long hiatus while Jack Bauer saved the world again.

This explains the 16-episode order and November premiere of The O.C. (although nothing from the panel explained why the show has sucked a huge one for the last two years). Liguori said the drama will play continually through March - and if it manages to weather the Grey's Anatomy vs. CSI Thursday-night war, it may even get extended to 24 episodes. In other words: no chance.

Liguori also reiterated that So You Think You Can Dance? and Hell's Kitchen have both been picked up for another season. The Gossip was way ahead of him on that one!

Tidbits regarding Prison Break were then revealed. With the felons now fugitives, viewers shouldn't expect to see much of Stacy Keach's Warden Pope; production's moved from the Joliet, Ill., penitentiary to the wide open spaces of Dallas (which can double for the many different locations needed for the second season).

The inmates will be spreading out too, as they enter what creator Paul T. Scheuring called their ''respective endgames." Scheuring later said he had only planned on two seasons, but now sees the first two seasons as the first chapter of a trilogy. We assume that means more money will equate to more episode.