Celebrity Gossip News

Is someone trying to dig up good gossip on Tom Brady?

Someone besides us (we really just care about Gisele Bundchen pics)?

The New England Patriots star, actor Matt Damon and various other celebs are apparently the targets of numerous, superfluous searches conducted by law enforcement authorities across the state of Massachusetts.

Officials privy to the audit that turned up the head-scratching statistics told the paper that law-enforcement officers performed 968 searches on Brady.

Inquiries into his home address, gun-ownership record, driver's license info, Social Security number and other stats on the QB were conducted.

Other high-profile types who were also the target of "repeated searches and queries" included Damon, James Taylor, and Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce.

The verdict: The Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information system is highly flawed and is vulnerable to use "without any apparent work-related justification," according to state Auditor A. Joseph DeNucci's findings.

Really? After 968 searches? You think?

On the flip side, the system is utilized 13 million times a month, so the total number of inappropriate searches is relatively minuscule - and who wouldn't want to see if there were random celebrity mug shots kicking around somewhere?

"I'm fairly comfortable in saying that 99 percent do not misuse the system," executive director Curtis Wood told the Boston Globe.

Not exactly.

The First Lady's appeal is widespread, but she hasn't emerged as a celebrity magazine-selling fixture equivalent to the late Princess of Wales, despite publishers' hopes.

Vogue's March cover story on Michelle Obama called her "The First Lady the World's Been Waiting For." No doubt she's been embraced by the media world, appearing on magazine cover after cover, from People and Us Weekly to Newsweek.

Michelle Obama fashion is all the rage these days, and her approval ratings are quite high, but magazine sales of issues featuring the First Lady are mixed.

A Michelle cover doesn't hurt a general-interest magazine, the numbers suggest, but it doesn't produce more than an occasional lift either. New York magazine's March 23 issue (below) looks to have produced only average sales.

When Michelle appears in a magazine with strong African-American readership, however, or when she appears with the president, sales seem to jump more.

Essence, O and Ebony covers featuring Michelle solid far more copies than usual.

Celeb gossip magazines are mixed. Us Weekly's November 17 cover, "Their Amazing Journey," sold 923,161 copies, 16 percent more than average. Yet summer's "Michelle Obama - Why Barack Loves Her" cover sold just 2 percent above average.

On the bottom end? The September Ladies' Home Journal, picturing both Obamas, sold 182,233 copies - 21 percent below average. Although the teaser about saving money at the pump didn't help. Way to play up your cover photo.

Click to enlarge Michelle Obama photos on magazine covers in the past year:

"I thought this was going to be my last job."
- Celeb gossip photographer Rolando Aviles

This minor detail was, for some reason, left out of mainstream media reports of the decadent Tom Brady-Gisele Bundchen wedding in Costa Rica Saturday: a pair of paparazzi say they “narrowly escaped death” after being shot at.

Bundchen’s security guards apparently fired at celeb gossip photographers outside her beachside wedding to the New England Patriots quarterback. No one was reported hurt in the incident, but Costa Rica police are investigating.

“Are they insane?” asked photographer, who was covering the wedding for INF Daily. “I could have lost my life for the sake of some pictures Gisele didn’t want published. I couldn’t believe it when I realized what they had done.”

According to spokesmen for the celebrity photo and news agency, the shutterbugs were hiding in the brush near Gisele Bundchen’s estate taking some pictures when they were accosted by the newlyweds’ security guards.

The photographers, Cortez and Rolando Aviles, were marched up to Bundchen’s villa, where they were ordered to surrender photos and video. Bundchen had a deal with a Brazilian magazine for exclusive rights to the wedding pics.

They refused and fled with the security guards in hot pursuit.

Cortez and Aviles ran to a waiting SUV and jumped in as a guard fired a shot at them, the photo agency said. The bullet shattered the Suzuki’s rear window, passed between the two men in the front seat and bounced off the windshield.

“No one was hurt, but one of their cars was messed up,” the INF spokesman said. The agency posted pictures of a photographer standing by an SUV with a shattered back windshield. A second image shows a photographer holding a bullet.

It is unclear if Mr. and Mrs. Brady and their guests knew about the incident, but it gives new meaning to the term "shotgun wedding." Or maybe "38mm wedding."

Harvey Levin, the executive producer of TMZ, one of the web's biggest celeb news and gossip sites, went on Fox News' On the Record show on Friday night.

The purpose of his visit? To address the escalating controversy surrounding the battered Rihanna photo, which the LAPD has insinuated was leaked illegally.

"Now, I should be quick to say that we got this picture legally," a Fox News transcript of the show quotes the celebrity gossip publisher as saying.

"And we - when we got the picture, we believed it was not an LAPD picture, and we still are still not convinced it is. The police department is sounding like they say it is, but they haven't said that unequivocally, either."

The Los Angeles Police Department has not officially identified Rihanna as the alleged victim in the Chris Brown case, in which the entertainer was arrested and charged with battery and suspicion of criminal threats February 8.

The LAPD launched an internal investigation after receiving "numerous inquiries about the release of a photograph associated with a domestic violence incident that occurred on February 8, 2009, involving entertainer Chris Brown."

Levin said TMZ has heard a lot of rumors surrounding what Rihanna will do next in regards to Brown, but most of what they have heard is unsubstantiated.

"There are a lot of rumors going around about this case, and I don't really put a lot of credence in any of them, which is why we haven't put any of that stuff up on the site, because I don't think it's concrete enough," he said.

"But I think the fact is, with those pictures, I've got to tell you, I mean, I don't think the DA is going to be completely stymied if she doesn't cooperate."

We have not posted the photo in question on our homepage as it is so graphic. Follow the jump to see how badly Rihanna was hurt:

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Whether they're dropping an early-morning f-bomb or just misspelling headlines at the bottom of the screen (the word in question was education, ironically), cable news shows are lowering themselves to our level more and more frequently these days!

Today's offender: CNN!

Amid fears of a salmonella outbreak, airlines are getting complaints from travelers about certain snacks often served in coach. This, unfortunately, forces news anchors to say the surprisingly difficult word "peanuts" when thinking of something else.

Twice!

CNN Anchor Goes Nuts

Kelly Osbourne has been arrested for allegedly slapping a woman in a Soho nightclub. Witnesses claim the radio DJ flew into a blinding rage after celeb gossip columnist Zoe Griffin insinuated that her fiancé, Luke Worrall, is a moron.

Zoe Griffin is said to have taunted Kelly Osbourne, 24, that Luke Worrall, 19, did not know what an earthquake was. That will totally do it every time.

The incident occurred in Londo's Punk nightclub in August. Kelly Osbourne went with her lawyers to a central London police station earlier this month.

A Met spokesman said: "We can confirm a 24-year-old woman attended a central London police by appointment on January 2. She was arrested for common assault relating to an alleged incident in Soho in the early hours of 29 August 2008."

Kelly Osbourne is free on bail until March after her arrest for allegedly smacking celeb gossip writer Zoe Griffin, after she allegedly called Luke Worrall an idiot.

Ozzy's daughter, who's giving Amy Winehouse a run for her money as the most unstable British celebrity, recently said she would "do anything" for Luke Worrall. Guess that means physically attacking anyone who looks at him weird.

This family's legal woes don't end there. In a separate incident, Los Angeles police are investigating Osbourne’s mother, Sharon, for allegedly attacking a contestant on the reality show Rock of Love: Charm School last month.

Megan Hauserman, 26, claims Sharon, 56, pulled her hair and scratched her until she was pulled away and restrained by security staff. Obviously.

On New Year's Eve, we brought you our first annual 2008 Awards, giving props to the celebs, stories and events that made last year one for the ages.

Now that 2009 is officially underway, we've put together a list of celebrity resolutions for the New Year! Here's what some of our favorite celebrities are planning on doing to make this year even better than last (at least in our imaginations) ...

Britney Spears: Stockpile 18-month supply of Cheetos, pork rinds and Starbucks Frappucinos in anticipation of the worsening global financial crisis.

Hugh Hefner: Live until 2010 ... while shagging younger and younger babes.

Shenae Grimes: Making friends with salad. Maybe even with grilled chicken.

Miley Cyrus: To plan her apologetic statement now for when nude photos are leaked online in July. Then plan her 17th birthday party.

Courtenay Semel: Pose for fake girl-on-girl action photos to get attention.

Eh hem. Everybody! Look! Look at us! We're girls! Groping each other!

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag: Seven continents. Seven fake wedding albums.

Kourtney Kardashian: To come out of her sisters' uglier shadows.

Grey's Anatomy and Heroes: Stop sucking.

Joe Simpson: Fire Ashlee and start repping Bronx Mowgli.

Bristol Palin: Don't give Sarah any more grandchildren.

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As 2008 draws to a close, The Hollywood Gossip looks back one more time on the events, people and gossip that made this year probably the best ever.

We present to you our official, First Annual 2008 Awards! The winners are ....

Celebrity of the Year: Kim Kardashian

Reality TV Star of the Year: DeAnna Pappas

Hottest Couple of the Year: Rihanna and Chris Brown

Nude Photo Scandal of the Year: Adrienne Bailon

Unwed Teen Mom of the Year: Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin (tie)

Celebrity Baby Name of the Year: Bronx Mowgli

BFF of the Year: Brittany Flickinger

Pal of the Year: Caroline

Olympic Story of the Year: Leryn Franco

Hugh Hefner Girlfriend of the Year: Kendra Wilkinson

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In good times and in boredom, in 5150 psychiatric holds and in health, the celebrity gossip media's love affair with Britney Spears continued throughout 2008.

The pop star ranks No. 1 for the year in USA Today's Celebrity Heat Index, which measures exposure in various print and online entertainment news outlets.

Britney Spears, who was No. 1 in 2007, took the top spot 11 weeks this year, the most of any celebrity. She first appeared at No. 1 in early January, as she experienced two stints in Los Angeles area hospitals after displaying erratic behavior.

Eleven months later, she topped the list yet again as her new album, Circus, soared to #1 on the charts. No word on whether she's really dating Sandip Soparrkar, but regardless, for celeb news publications, it's all Britney, all the time!

Following Britney Spears: Angelina Jolie, No. 2, who celebrated the birth of twins in July with partner Brad Pitt, No. 4, and his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, No. 3.

Although Jolie, Aniston and Pitt all ranked after Spears individually, collective coverage of Pitt and his lovers past and present topped the charts for 14 weeks.

Among the Top 10: Jamie Lynn Spears and Tom Cruise made the upper tier, but Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith dropped out - the latter most likely for good.

When Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin confirmed that her teenage daughter, Bristol Palin, was expecting a baby, the celebrity gossip world believed the first photos of her newborn child would likely spark a bidding war among several publications.

Looks like Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, born December 28 to Bristol and her baby daddy, Levi Johnston, is already delivering on that promise.

According to one source, bidding for the celebrity baby photos began at $100,000. People won out in the end, but In Touch Weekly was the only other weekly to make serious bids, according to several sources involved in the process.

STRAIGHT TRIPPIN': That's actually Trig Palin, Sarah Palin's son, with Bristol and Levi. No photos of their baby, Tripp, have been released yet, but People won the rights.

The price didn't soar immediately, according to sources, because Sarah Palin gossip just doesn’t sell all that well for the magazines on newsstands.

“Sarah was on the cover of People, Us Weekly, and OK! the same week, and really only People saw a bump in sales," says an inside source.

But then the recent, felony drug-related arrest of Levi Johnston's mother, Sherry Johnston, caused the price tag for the photos to go up suddenly.

"The bidding started well before the baby was born, but once Levi Johnston’s mom was arrested - well, then you had a story,” says one editor.

None of the magazines would confirm the exact figure for how much Bristol Palin made from the deal - most estimates hover around the $300,000 range.

No word on whether the money from the pics will go to charity, or whether it will all be spent on Sarah Palin's wardrobe and/or 2012 presidential bid.