Let's give Simon Cowell a break, shall we?

The guy may have an acid tongue from time to time on American Idol, but he certainly didn't mean an ounce of disrespect to anyone involved in the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy from earlier this week.

Here's what happened:

On Wednesday's show, Cowell's critique of a song by Chris Richardson â€" in which Cowell accused Richardson of sounding "nasal-y" â€" was cut short when Richardson, after talking about his sound, offered a quick tribute to this week's campus event.

"My heart and prayers go out to Virginia Tech," said Richardson.

"I have a lot of friends over there. Be strong."

The camera then caught Cowell turning to fellow judge Paula Abdul and looking annoyed, replete with an eye roll â€" from there, the judge found himself on the receiving end of some heated criticism from bloggers and TV critics across the country.

This morning, Cowell appeared on the Ryan Seacrest KIIS-FM radio show, with the host saying:

"We've got to clear this up. There are these people on the Internet trying to make something of this story, and let's just be honest, no human being would be that disrespectful to anybody involved in that awful tragedy."

"No, of course not," said Cowell. "And the irony was that we discussed this before the show and wondered, What do you do in a situation like this when something terrible happens? Do you ignore it?"

The decision was made to have Seacrest send out thoughts and prayers from everyone at Idol to begin the show.

As for the criticism he's received, Cowell referred to it as "this crazy story that appeared that I rolled my eyes disrespectfully at Chris because he made the comment ... The truth was is that I had switched off at that point. I was ... saying to Paula, "What does he mean he was singing nasal-y on purpose? I didn't understand what he was saying."

Simon went on to say that the possible boy toy of Lauren Conrad was right to acknowledge the horrific events because he's from that area of the country.

We now hope this non-story is over with. And viewers can focus on what's truly important about the show: the hair of Sanjaya Malakar.

By her own admission, Victoria Beckham nude is NOT a pretty sight.

But what about her husband? While soccer fans (both of them) in the States are focused on the foot of David Beckham, others are wondering whether or not certain pictures of a different body part are real.

We don't know for sure. But we wanted to provide readers with the visual evidence in order to make up their own minds. While the Sean Stewart nude photo will posted a couple weeks ago is the real (frightening) thing, could the following be photoshopped?

And if it is, what other pictures circulating around the Web are phonies? Is Chris Richardson not really embracing Blake Lewis?

What about Larry Birkhead spending time with Dannielynn?

Or, the most scary prospect of all, might Suri Curise still not be real?

Take this, Nick Lachey!

You may be moving in with long-time girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo, but your ex-wife is taking her big boobs to the stage in Las Vegas.

That's right, Jessica Simpson is getting back to her cleavage-baring ways.

The brown-haired owner of two really huge breasts will don her naughty-wear May 4 when she plays host to a special performance by the Pussycat Dolls at the scantily-clad group's themed lounge at PURE nightclub in Las Vegas.

"This is a chance for her to be sexy again and back in the spotlight," a club source said.

After all, Simpson has almost taken a back seat to John Mayer throughout this famous pair's relationship. But not anymore! Not if Jessica Simpson's bare skin and voluptuous curves have anything to say about it!

And as Tricia Helfer has proven, those assets can take you far.

The rumor that The Hills star Lauren Conrad and her ex-beau, Jason Wahler, filmed a secret sex tape that was to be released to the public took the celebrity gossip world by storm earlier this month.

It turns out there is no tape, and last week, we found an interview with LC's former BFF, Heidi Montag, and her obnoxious, ugly boyfriend, Spencer Pratt - both of whom Lauren Conrad believes are behind this.

This morning, Us Weekly has a new interview with Pratt and Montag, who further discuss their own relationship since Season 2 of The Hills concluded, as well the Lauren Conrad sex tape scandal.

Us: Heidi, Lauren said didn't contact her after news broke about the tape. Your take?

Heidi Montag: "It's astonishing that she would say that. I guess she forgot that I was in the hospital that week. Maybe that would explain why she didn't call to see how I was doing."

THG NOTE: Heidi Montag got a boob job and a nose job April 2.

Us: Spencer, did Lauren's split from Brody Jenner makes things tricky?

Spencer Pratt: "Lauren couldn't get into clubs before she met us! We were her ticket to Hollywood. As soon as the double dating stopped, she was out. She has trouble as third wheel, and that's what she was when Brody didn't want to keep seeing her."

Continue reading this interview with Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt ...

Yes, she can be taught.

After the debacle late last year, in which a clubbing ho train treated us to some unexpected, possibly hot nude Britney Spears pictures, the lovely pop star has evidently decided it might be a good idea to try on some underwear.

So when Britney Spears was spotted at the club Parc over the weekend flashing her crotch, the display included a pair of white panties. She's so classy.

Also, apparently instead of showing up in normal clothes, she decided she'd just buy a new set of bed sheets and drape them around herself. Economical. Maybe Kevin Federline got more in the divorce settlement than we thought.

Anyway, enjoy this nice picture of Britney Spears' crotch (bottom), as well as another pair of photos included to demonstrate just how fashion challenged (and possibly insane) she is.

SIDE NOTE: When you're fresh out of rehab, and have two tiny children in Sean Preston and Jayden James at home, should you really be going to clubs all the time?

Britney, you have serious issues. You need help, girl. And we're not talking about the sort of "help" Isaac Cohen gave you earlier this year.

While most of the American Idol talk today will center around whether or not Sanjaya Malakar is finally voted off the show, we have another question in mind:

What is the best look for Carrie Underwood?

Earlier this week, the Idol champion from season four picked up a pair of country music awards. In doing so, she arrived at the ceremony looking like a sweet country bumpkin ... and then performed in an outfit that might make Jenna Jameson blush.

So, which do you prefer, readers?

This year's favorites, such as Jordin Sparks, should take note, as they decide what sort of outfits to don for the show's final few weeks.

Of course, many men across the country probably think there's only one winning look from this year's American Idol competition: Antonella Barba nude.

Yes, the youngest-ever Vanity Fair cover star celebrates the big "1″ today.

Crazy to think that it's been a full year since she was birthed by crazy Katie Holmes. It brings a tear to The Hollywood Gossip's eye.

Not since Howard Hughes has a celebrity so successfully combined fame and reclusiveness like Tom and Katie's little Asian baby, Suri Cruise. 

Representatives for TomKat are releasing no plans of birthday preparations.

However, sources say this celebrity baby birthday is likely to be celebrated in Shreveport, La., where Katie is filming her new movie Mad Money with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah.

It's her first film since she began her relationship with Tom Cruise.

Rumor has it he's already on his way down there, to celebrate the big day and to make sure his wrongfully imprisoned bride is under his command.

"She is already down there, and Tom and Suri will be flying in," says our source, who did not say just how short Katie's leash is.

In a change of PR reps, Holmes, the possible unnamed subject of a new novel, recently retained West Coast powerhouse Ina Treciokas as her spokeswoman.

"It's part of a plan to normalize the PR, to get it back to what it was before Tom freaked out," says another insider.

"They realize the problems all began when Tom hired his Scientology sister Lee Anne [DeVette] to run the show."

Kristin Cavallari is hot.

We've always known that.

But don't think the Laguna Beach beauty is getting by on looks alone. Well, she kind of is. These Kristin Cavallari pics prove as much. But she's using brains to exploit the money-making power of said looks. God bless America!

Cavallari has come up with a new way to make some money. Like Paris Hilton, she's charging club owners for personal appearances that might produce publicity for their venues in celebrity gossip magazines and sites.

Kristin Cavallari was clever enough to spark a bidding war between Tao Las Vegas and Pure Las Vegas for the rights to hold her 21st birthday event - and reports say bids are already up to $100,000.

What's more, Cavallari has also mastered another cash-generating method originated by Jessica Simpson and her father, Crazy Joe Simpson.

Kristin has a friend who fronts as a "personal photographer" and always gets the "big photos" of her making out with boyfriend Nick Zano.

She then sells the images to the tabloids, who give her a percentage. The practice "infuriates event organizers who pay her to attend their events because they only get C-rate photos for their use," a spy said.

Cavallari's rep said:

"We have some nice offers from different venues to hold Kristin's birthday party, and she has not yet chosen one... In this time of stalkerazzi who invade her privacy, Kristin Cavallari, like many other celebrities, has found a way to try to counter and control these uncomfortable situations and work with photographers they know and trust."

Lauren Conrad had no comment.

Awwww ....

It may have taken an unusual amount of time - and the tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith - but father and daughter have finally been united.

Tabloid magazine OK! has published the first-ever pictures of Larry Birkhead caressing the adorable Dannielynn, an event months and months in the making.

In an interview, Birkhead states that contrary to what people may think, Anna's lover and evil lawyer, Howard K. Stern, has been "a great help" with the baby, adding: "Howard did things for Anna that no one wanted to. I actually feel sorry for Howard."

Sure, that's easy to say now that Dannielynn is all yours. At The Hollywood Gossip, we find it difficult to conjure up sympathy for someone that did so little to help Anna Nicole during her worst times.

But on a day when Suri Cruise turns one year old, only this cute kid could knock her off the headlines. We wish Larry and baby D all the best.

Richard Gere has already been burned in effigy.

These things happen when you embrace and kiss hot Bollywood actresses in front of live, Indian television audiences.

But now, Gere's problems are worsening, as he's become the target of three legal complaints in Indian courts regarding his antics with Shilpa Shetty Monday.

Lawyers accused Richard Gere and Shetty of committing "an obscene act" in a public place, says the Associated Press, an act that shocked the conservative sensibilities of the Indian population.

We're not huge Richard Gere fans (neither are some other, rumor-spreading actors), but come on. An obscene act? He's lame, but not a criminal.

All we can say is that it's a good thing the Indian public wasn't broadcast a live feed of the infamous Britney Spears crotch shot last winter.

Residents of several Indian cities burned effigies of Gere after he took Shetty into his arms and kissed her several times (on the cheek, mind you) during an AIDS awareness event in Mumbai.

We suggest they burn Howard K. Stern next. Just a recommendation.

On a completely note, did you know Richard Gere's middle name is Tiffany? Tiffany! How bizarre. It's like a man named Brian Warner deciding he will heretofore call himself Marilyn.