April 2007 Archives

We weren't sure what to make of the news that Willa Ford would be portraying Anna Nicole Smith in an upcoming movie.

All we really knew about Ford was that she was engaged to a hockey player and had never dated Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Or so she claimed.

We were only recently made aware of the naked connections between the former Dancing with the Stars contestant and Anna, however: each has posed in Playboy. Now the casting makes perfect sense. 

As you can tell, Anna Nicole Smith nude (above) was a common sight. Therefore, the film needed to star another female that's comfortable in her own skin. Enter Ford. Only a few celebs have posed in Playboy, making the decision easy for producers.

It had to be Willa, Kristine Lefebvre or Tricia Helfer. They went with Ford.

Ashlee Simpson is (somehow) on the rise.

In the last year, the 22-year-old Ashlee Simpson girlified her look, got a nose job, had a successful run as Roxie Hart in Chicago, and went from America's Backup Simpson to Favorite Simpson.

Which is some feat, considering her sister dates John Mayer. Anyway.

In the May issue of Harper's Bazaar, the quote-unquote singer, whose third album is coming out this fall, finally addresses the nose job and plastic surgery rumors, as well as the criticism that she's copping Jessica's style, and also dispenses advice for troubled stars like Britney Spears. Here are some of the excerpts. 

On growing up:
"I've definitely learned a lot and grown up a lot in the past few years. I'm at peace on the inside. I'm at a really good place."

On her Saturday Night Live fiasco:
"I'm definitely okay with my awkward moments. I'm one of those people who gets knocked down, and it won't stop me. You kind of learn to be a fighter - but, truly, in my heart, I don't feel like I have anything to prove to anyone."

THG NOTE: What about Pete Wentz? Don't you want to impress him?

On living in the public eye:
"I don't get bothered by people saying what they say. I'm a happy person, and I'm happy with my looks. Everybody always has an opinion. One minute they'll love you; one minute they'll hate you. When you go home to sleep at night, [the important thing] is to feel good about yourself. And I do."

On changing her look and her rumored plastic surgery:
"I loved how I looked. I'm not an insecure person, nor was I before. It's a personal choice. I believe if somebody chooses to do plastic surgery, it [should be] for yourself. No one else."

On her style:
"You know, I was never a dress person, but now, if I'm going to an event, I like to put one on. I have to feel comfortable no matter what. I love Alexander McQueen, and, oh, gosh, I love them all â€" Fendi, Chanel."

On how her style differs from that of Jessica Simpson:
"We like some of the same designers, but we wear clothes differently. Oh, God, how do I say this? Jessica likes to be very put together, and I like something to always be a little off, whether my shoes don't match or something like that."

On criticism she's trying to look more like Jessica Simpson:
"Of course I look like her. She's my sister. It's like, God, please! We think it's quite funny."

On criticism that her father, Joe Simpson, is an inappropriate stage dad:
"People have the wrong perception of him, because he is a wonderful man. He would never hurt a fly."

On stars like Britney Spears, who are publicly battling their demons:
"I think that they should probably move out of L.A., to tell you the truth. I think that their parents need to help them."

THG NOTE: Score one for Jamie Spears!

On her rumored hookup with Ryan Phillippe:
"That was absolutely not true. I'm pretty sure I [went home] that night with my friend Nicole. I'm pretty sure we went to Taco Bell... can I not even talk to a guy?"

THG NOTE: Not if it's a member of our staff.

Those Brits know how to make an impression Stateside.

Some are scary, such as David Beckham nude.

Others have giant boobs and reality shows, such as Katie Price.

Still others possess actual talent, especially of the singing variety. With that in mind, here's an Us Magazine interview with Lily Allen:

US: Tell us about your new clothing line, Lily Loves.
LA: I've designed a small line and I'm really into the classics - teal, grey and just bright colors. I've got dresses, kind of disco-inspired, that I could imagine me and my friends going to the local [club] in. Very pretty, feminine.

US: How did the deal come about?
LA: They just approached me, asked for my ideas, and we worked together on the looks. [I hadn't] designed before. You just think about all the options. And I was involved in [choosing] the colors, the styles, the shapes, all that stuff. We worked together on dresses that I wear anyway, just gave them a nice fit and shape. I pick out all my clothes myself, from this personal collection of mine.

US: There was a rumor that you were maybe going to work with Karl Lagerfeld. Is there any truth to that?
LA: It depends on what kind of work it is. I've been to their house. I visit when I go to [Fashion Week], and I've been to their shows. I really enjoy all of their collections. We know each other [that's all].

US: In terms of touring, you've been around the world this year. Has any city inspired you fashion wise?
LA: I got some really nice things in Japan, like street wear. And in Paris, I mean, I always find stuff. It seems very sexy when you're at the fashion shows. So I went to see the fall collections. I loved the evening wear, the shoes and everything, from Paris and New York.

US: Amy Winehouse and Lady Sovereign have complained that their styles are criticized, whereas yours has been embraced. Why is that?
LA: Maybe my style is a bit more feminine? I don't know.

US: How do you define your own style?
LA: I wear what's comfortable. I like a contrasted look- smart with gothy, glamour with street wear.

* The Hollywood Gossip note: This contrasts to fellow Brit, Keeley Hazell, who's style is to be nude at all times.

Pardon The Hollywood Gossip staff for paraphrasing a headline we used to discuss the sex life of Lindsay Lohan a few weeks ago.

But it's not our fault James Blunt possesses a) a penchant for sleeping with spoiled celebrity skanks and b) a punny last name.

The singer is either enjoying his break-up with Petra Nemcova a lot - or punishing himself for past transgressions. It's hard to say after reports first linked him with Lohan, and have now done the same with Paris Hilton.

Despite the fact that Hilton has been dating Desperate Housewives actor Josh Henderson since late March, the HO-tel heiress was seen getting her pole dancing on for an audience that included Blunt on Wednesday night.

A source for Page Six saw Paris and Nemcova's ex snuggling up at an L.A. club, where they "danced and held hands" before they started making out.

Afterwards, the two left for a party at Paris' pad, and a witness tells Us Magazine that Blunt and Hilton "had a great time" on Paris' stripper pole while friends such as Cameron Diaz looked on.

"As James' hand went inside the back of Paris' top, we knew there was more to come," a witness at the party tells Us. "They definitely hooked up!"

Yech. And we thought the song "You're Beautiful" was sickening. Blunt's taste in women makes the taste of British auction goers bidding on Kate Moss nude look normal.

Christie Brinkley's estranged husband, Peter Cook, has reached a settlement with Diana Bianchi, the teenager he had an affair with soon after he hired her as an assistant in his office.

Lawyers involved in the matter declined to disclose the details of the settlement. Rosemarie Arnold, the attorney for Diana Bianchi, would only say, "The matter has been resolved."

Peter Cook's attorney, Kathleen McKenna, did not return calls.

The Long Island architect's scandalous affair with Bianchi, who is now 20, led to the breakup of his 10-year marriage to Christie Brinkley, 53, last July.

The supermodel and mother of Alexa Ray Joel - as well as two younger kids with Cook - is still working out the details of her divorce and the couple is due back in court next month.

Despite the unthinkable heartbreak and humiliation she suffered, so far, Brinkley's only revenge has been a positive attitude. And a divorce, of course.

It was a saga that makes this week's Alec Baldwin voicemail rant seem tame. Well, sort of. But she's moving on. Though Arnold declined to disclose any details, her partner, high-powered lawyer Joe Tacopina, said last August:

"What [Peter Cook] did is prey on an 18-year-old girl. It's a textbook case of why an employer is not supposed to carry on a relationship with an employee."

Think about that, Britney Spears, the next time you feel like you want to seduce one of your backup dancers. Be strong, girl. You can handle it.

Just when we were beginning to think Marilyn Manson dating Evan Rachel Wood wasn't all that weird... okay, sorry, we were never thinking that for a second.

But envisioning them together is even creepier now, thanks to Evan Rachel Wood's apparent transformation... into Manson's sultry ex-wife, Dita Von Teese.

It appears as if Wood, 19, is trying awfully hard to meet Marilyn Manson's lofty expectations. Check out this comparison of the women of Manson: 

Oh yeah. If this keeps up, Wood (left) and Katie Holmes might have to get together and start a brainwashed babes of Hollywood support group. But at least she and Marilyn Manson (a.k.a. Brian Warner) seem happy together for now.

Which Manson better half do you prefer? Personally, we're a little biased, having gotten a glimpse of Dita Von Teese nude. Only Marilyn Manson truly has the background and experience to make an informed choice.

He dated Rose McGowan at one point, too. The guy's a player!

Jason Wahler fought the law, and the law won.

After all, there are only so many different states in which a person can get arrested (note: it's four) before one of the charges results in some kind of jail sentence.

J-Wahl and his circa 1995 frosted hair have until May 4 to turn himself in to authorities and begin a 60-day sentence stemming from a battery conviction. But the dirtbag and former star of Laguna Beach and The Hills is taking it in stride. See below...

It's good to see that Wahler can sit back, puff on a cigarette and enjoy life on the outside world for a few more weeks. Man, like, jail is gonna suck, but as David Hans Schmidt says, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Unfortunately, he's been arrested again for assault since this sentence was handed down, so he might not be so chill for long. And he won't be getting any conjugal visits from Lauren Conrad in the slammer, either.

Because, you know, they broke up. And because he's got zero game, according to recent reports regarding the alleged LC sex tape. And, as Office Space has taught us, because minimum security prison is no picnic.

The most shocking aspect of the Matthew McConaughey picture below? No, it's not the fact that the hunky actor is actually wearing a shirt.

Nor is it the hand holding with Brazilian model, Camila Alves. After all, those two have been rumored to be dating for a few weeks now.

But take your eyes of McConaughey's body for one second, ladies, and peer at his left hand.

Is that a wedding ring? Could he and Alves have gotten hitched? Might the engagement of Usher and Tameka Foster have inspired Matthew to finally settle down?

We don't know for sure. But Lance Armstrong will not be pleased if this is actually the case. Neither will women around the world.

They may need to turn their attention to a half-nude Owen Wilson instead. Yikes.

Mel Gibson may resemble Saddam Hussein. Alec Baldwin has also been likened to the former Iraqi dictator by some, though, and a recording we posted yesterday didn't exactly dispel rumors of the actor's tyrannical ways.

In case you missed it, Baldwin unleashed a tirade of threats, insults and general rage against on his 11-year-old daughter, Ireland, on her voicemail after she failed to answer his scheduled call from New York April 11.

The clip, obtained by TMZ, and which you can listen to HERE, pretty much speaks for itself. But in the past 12 hours, The Hollywood Gossip staff has learned of the following updates to the story:

UPDATE #1: On Wednesday of this week, Los Angeles County Superior Court commissioner Maren Nelson heard the voicemail tirade and has temporarily suspended Baldwin's visitation rights. A hearing is set for May 4, where the judge could permanently deny Alec Baldwin visitation or contact with Ireland.

UPDATE #2: Kim Basinger's publicist, Annette Wolfe, has released a statement, stating simply: "The voicemail speaks for itself."

UPDATE #3: A friend of Alec Baldwin's has spoken out on the matter, saying that the actor called Ireland last week and apologized for his outburst. The friend added that Ireland is the most important thing in the world to Alec and that he is frustrated because over the last six years, Basinger has "tried everything" to alienate Ireland from him.

UPDATE #4: Alec Baldwin's spokesperson officially released the following statement to the TV show Extra:

"In the best interest of the child, Alec Baldwin will do what Ireland's mother is pathologically incapable of doing ... keeping his mouth shut and obeying the court order. The mother and her lawyer leaked this sealed material in violation of a court order. Although Alec acknowledges that he should have used different language in parenting his child, everyone who knows him privately knows what he has been put through for the past six years."

Last week, Alec Baldwin tore his 11-year old daughter, Ireland, a new one.

Now the great Jamie Spears (right) has done the same - albeit with a little less profanity and disturbing rage - to his 25-year-old offspring.

Britney Spears' white trash dad has gone out of his way to publicly criticize his eldest daughter, saying she blames her family and her manager for problems that are her own damn fault!

In an e-mail to the New York Post's Page Six column, Spears defends Britney's former manager, Larry Rudolph, whom Britney reportedly gave the ax April 13.

"When Larry Rudolph talked Britney into going into rehab, he was doing what her mother, father and a team of professionals with over 100 years of experience knew needed to be done," Jamie Spears writes.

"She was out of control. Larry was the one chosen by the team to roll up his sleeves and deliver the message, to help save her life.

"The Spears family would like to publicly apologize to Larry Rudolph for our daughter's statements about him over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, she blames him and her family for where she is at today with her kids and career. Larry has always been there for Britney. For this, we will forever be grateful to him."

In a recent online video posted by a Los Angeles photography agency, the always entertaining Britney Spears makes an apparent reference to Rudolph.

"My management totally knew what they were doing when they sent me to rehab," she says sarcastically. "They were sooo right."

The crotch shot queen, who checked out of Promises Malibu Treatment Center in March after a month-long stay, told Page Six via her rep:

"I am praying for my father. We never had a good relationship. It's sad that all the men in my life do not know how to accept a real woman's love. I am concentrating on my work and my life right now."

All the men in Britney's life? Is that limited to Jamie Spears and her most recent ex-husband, Kevin Federline? Hasn't FedEx gone out of his way to be there for Britney Spears and their kids since she went off the deep end?

And does Britney's claim also include the fringe dudes such as Jason Alexander, J.R. Rotem, Columbus Short, Isaac Cohen, Jason Filyaw and Howie Day? Surely some of those fellas were decent dudes who cared about her.