Weekly Thanks

Once again it is time to thank everyone for a great week. I want to thank all of the readers who have sent in photos. I promise I will get to all of them before the big July 4th reveal day. Thanks to everyone who contributed FFF material and for all the story ideas and tips. Thanks for another great week of comments as well. All of you make me laugh. I want to also thank Gustavo for his report from the AFI red carpet. I didn't know how anonymous he wanted to be after calling Eric McCormack a dick, but apparently he is all for plugs and so you can read his reporting every week at OC Weekly and check him out on the radio every Tuesday at 4pm Pacific time on KPFK 90.7. I'm assuming you can listen to it online.

I also want to thank all of the readers once again who deign to advertise on the site. With photo licensing fees getting out of control, every little bit helps. If you want to see any of the summer tours and need great tickets, check out Ticket Liquidators. Also, the A to D list needs your help and input so help her out by going over to the site and contributing. If you are interested in fashion or shopping you really need to check out Second City Style. After you have spent a fortune shopping you might have a panic attack and so Panic Away is a great program to help you out. Travelatime has great deals and bargains for all your summer vacation needs while Dragon Search Marketing is perfect if you have a site that needs to be seen all over the world.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and that you stay safe and come back again next week. Don't get drunk this weekend and go back to work wearing a Kate Gosselin haircut, but if you do or see someone who has, make sure you take a picture!!! All of you are the greatest!!

Four For Friday - With Kindness & Bad Drug Behavior

#1 - Some good news for this formerly B+ movie actress and now a C. It appears she is off the drugs and even her husband appears clean. The bad news is he can't get a job and so has been hired by the producers as her personal makeup artist for the movie she is filming right now. I can't believe she got another movie.

#2 & 3- Bad Drug Behavior - This former B list television actress was on a hit initial show and now has said goodbye to that and has dropped to a quick C. Anyway, she is known for her love of meth and at a wrap party at the end of the season, our actress decided that she was going to drive her B- list aging comic co-star's SUV through a garage door at the party. A closed garage door. After she had crashed through the door and dented the wall of the kitchen someone asked her why she had done it, and she said just because it was something she had always wanted to do. Nice.

#4 - Kindness - This A list actress who used to be the highest paid actress in Hollywood donated her entire paycheck from a recent movie to four different charities. It was the largest donation any of the four charities had ever received.

Random Photos Part One - With Reader Photos

Betty White has a new show. Password Of Love. No, not really, but it would be cool.
The Twilight picture of the day is Ashley Greene.
OK, one more, but it doesn't really count because Kristen Stewart is on the set of The Runaways. She kind of looks like Joan. Sometimes when I talk to Joan through the site I get an answer so, let's ask what she thinks of Kristen playing her and the whole idea of the movie.
Black Eyed Peas - New York
The effervescent Emily Deschanel.
And George Clooney on a scooter.
Ginnifer Goodwin does her version of a toga, complete with Greek columns.
Gretchen Rossi is going to sell off this bike which was given to her by her deceased fiance'. I don't care what she does with it because it is a gift, BUT, she doesn't have to make a public spectacle of it.
Halle Berry in Shanghai.
Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper heating up the stage.
Once a week I know Kelly Ripa at least takes one bite of food because every Friday the producers make her cook, and taste.
Lori Loughlin in Monte Carlo.
Lionel Richie - New York
The odd pairing of the day goes to Pete Wentz and Kevin Bacon.
For the first time ever the Verne Award of the day is a tie. Sharing the honor is Rosie.
And Bobby Trendy.
Reader Photo #1
Reader Photo #2
Reese Witherspoon sells out and starts selling her own line of perfume. Traitor.
Star Jones just looks like a clay figurine that has been stretched since her surgery.
The glowing Sofia Milos.
I still watch Wings and I still love Tim Daly.
Tyrese Gibson is our Transformers photo of the day.
Tricia Helfer was in the photos yesterday but when you look as good as she does in this outfit you get to be in on consecutive days.
The Rock, his ex and their child. I love when people get along.
The randomness of the day. Prince Albert, having been let out of his can is about to get tongued by Kate Walsh while Jamie Kennedy screams out that he found the bar.
The thing about dating Terri Seymour is you are always going to think about Simon and that isn't a pleasant thought.
The Ting Tings - Isle Of Wight

AFI Tribute To Michael Douglas - Gustavo Hits The Red Carpet

The American Film Institute gave its 37th Life Achievement Award to Michael Douglas last night. I want to thank Mitchell Squires and Wendy Coto of TV Land and MTV respectively. They are amazing and always come through. You need to be watching all of the TV Land shows you can find so Mitchell and company keep letting us hit these red carpets. You can see the entire AFI Award ceremony on TV Land on July 19th, but here is an account of the red carpet last night that I think you will really love.

**

I'm an investigative reporter by trade, not a star f**ker. I know more about evil pedophile priests in Southern California than I do the latest fashion or films. So what the hell was I doing at the red carpet for the AFI Michael Douglas love-fest at the Sony Studios lot on Thursday?

Having a date night with my chica, for one. She's an avid reader of Crazy Days and Nights, and won the contest to be this blog's correspondent to the event (I must admit I enjoy the blind items—the man has his sources!). But as someone who's more used to hurling tough questions at scoundrels than love letters at starlets, I viewed the red carpet as an opportunity to see my papparazzi brethren in action.

Following, then, is notes, quotes, and observations from the event:

*There were at least 50 photographers, 20 camera operators, five bloggers and assorted print and radio media. For movie stars! The political wonk in me doesn't get it. If all those "reporters" focused their vigor on exposing corruption instead of yelling at movie stars to pose, public corruption would be as extinct as polio.

*Photographers were at the front of the red carpet; bloggers, last. If I were a photographer, I'd lie on my application and say I'm a blogger. While arrivals had to deal with a den of screaming hyenas (a cliché, yes, but the howls they emitted! More than 100 feet away, we could hear "KATHLEENMICHAELKATHERINEGODKNOWSWHOELSE!"), us at the end could get the stars alone. The only problem was that the special's handlers by that point were ushering the stars away. Still, the end: hidden secret.
*We were told the stars would start arriving at 5:30 in the afternoon, but the first A-list name didn't start walking until 5:54: film critic Leonard Maltin. I was impressed that people still knew who he was. I was even more impressed that he patiently walked down the line, talking to everyone and always maintaining his easy grin. By the time he got to me, I only had one question: was Michael Douglas more influential as a producer or an actor? "Both," he said. "When you win an Oscar like he did for Wall Street, that shows your talent as an actor. But when you produce One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, that shows he's done pretty well, too." Total class act, and my girlfriend LOVED his Jimmy Durante lapel pin. Do people know who Jimmy Durante is?

*Kathleen Turner was nice but had some type of insect—an ant? Gnat? Fly?—on her chest for looooong periods of time. She was nice, if a bit saucy.

*What the hell was former Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley doing there? Other than both of them looking similar, I had no clue. Riley didn't acknowledge any reporter.

*The main guy from Will and Grace was a dick; Jessie Metcalfe, very nice.
*Hugh Hefner looks OLD. He had three handlers in addition to three blonds and seemed as if he didn't know what the hell was going on. You know it's bad when Kirk Douglas—who suffered a stroke that still impairs his speaking ability and is 10 years older than Hef—looked WAY better. Kirk, by the way, though 93, walked strongly and spoke to everyone. Great guy, and inspiring.

*People who sneaked in to not face reporters: Matthew McConaughey, Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito to name a few

*Sorry I didn't get more quotes, but what could I ask people? Michael Douglas this-and-that? The only Michael Douglas films I've ever seen is the Romancing the Stone ones! The only real interviews I did were political, which leads to...

*Benicio del Toro. The guy reeked of arrogance from a mile away, grinning behind sunglasses. The only thing I know about del Toro is that he's Puerto Rican, so I asked him what did he think about the nomination of fellow boricua Sonia Sotomayor to a seat on the Supreme Court. "Excellent, excellent," he snickered while turning around to speak with another reporter. Note to people: never ignore an investigative reporter, as they won't stop until they either get an answer or fight trying.

I decided to go even more political. "Puerto Rico: independence, commonwealth, or state?" I asked. He stopped. "What's your plan?" he shot back.

"I asked you—answer the question," I responded, peppering in some Puerto Rican slang to soften him up. It didn't work.

"What's your plan?" he yelled again. A handler was trying to guide him to safer terrain, but he tried to get closer.

"You're Puerto Rican; I'm Mexican." I said.

"Gimme a plan! Gimme a plan!" he started rambling before finally walking away.

COWARD. For someone who's expressed undying love for the commie Che Guevara, for del Toro to not take a stance on his homeland's limbo nature is weak.
*At least Warren Beatty had fun with my cajoling. I tried to ask him if he thought California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ruined it for politicians who wanted to run for actor office one day. "I can't talk about Arnold," Beatty responded with a grin. Then, his wife Annette Bening, jumped in. "I think you meant ACTORS who want to run for POLITICS," she said in a sweet manner. Bening could've been a bitch defending her man, but she was an absolute lady. Kudos to the both of them.

*Tobey Maguire posed for the cameras, then ran off not wanting to face question. Wimp.

*What happened to Melanie Griffith's Working Girl curves? She's super-skinny now. Most people thought she was The Cougar from TV Land as she ran by.

*Michael Douglas was one of the last stars, was trying to answer all questions, but kept getting shepherded out of the red carpet by the AFI people. I asked him the only question that mattered to me: "Your hair is so great; I'm 30 and balding. What tips can you give me to keep my hair?" He laughed a sincere laugh and said, "Look at my father. He's 92!"

Your Turn

With all of the cheesy dating shows in the news this week because of Bret Michaels and Ray-J, it got to me thinking of cheesy pick-up lines and those awkward moments you can only find at a bar when you everyone is drunk. What I am looking for today is the worst pick-up lines you have used or had used on you. We have done a worst date Your Turn before, but I think everyone always enjoys hearing those and there are lots of people who probably didn't share before. Any good bar pickup stories? Like you are married now or were?

Betty White Plays Beer Pong With Jimmy Fallon

I think the headline says it all.

NY Daily News Blind Item

Which very married actor had a flirtatious folly with a gay hairdresser?

Paul Shaffer Turned Down Role As George Costanza

I'm shocked. Has anyone ever heard this story before? According to the NY Daily News, in his new book, Paul Shaffer, who is the band director for David Letterman says he was offered the role of George Costanza before it was offered to Jason Alexander.

The way Paul remembers it is that Jerry Seinfeld called Paul and said, “There’s no audition ... You’ve got the part. Just call us back!”

Paul never called back because he was too busy doing other things. I'm trying to imagine Paul Shaffer as George. I mean they kind of look similar, but Paul has that kind of loungy kind of thing going. A little oily, where Jason has that irritating know it all kind of quality, but not oily. Has anyone ever heard this before? I don't think the show would have made it with Paul. It would have had a different kind of feel.

Madonna Can't Be Bothered To Pick Up Mercy From Africa

The government of Malawi made it's decision. The judges got what they wanted and probably the family of Mercy got what they wanted and so now Madonna gets what she wanted. Another kid. Madonna won the ruling in Malawi yesterday and so you would expect her to be overjoyed with the news and rush to Malawi and pick up her new daughter.

You would be wrong. Madonna doesn't have time for that kind of stuff. She is going to send a private jet for Mercy and either Madonna's lawyer or the director of her Malawi charity is going to make sure Mercy gets on the plane ok to head back to NY.

Can you imagine? If I were the Malawi government and saw that this person who wanted to adopt a kid so much isn't even going to come to the country to pick her up I would cancel the whole thing immediately. If she can't make the effort for this then when will she ever make the effort in the future? Kneepads reports on this like it is the most natural damn thing in the world. Tell me all of you who have adopted international children. Did you just have someone put them on a plane and meet them at the airport? Hell no. What kind of parent would you be if you did that? So why does People or US or any of the other magazines allow Madonna to get away with it? Are they afraid of her? Does she have pictures of them having sex with Sandra Bernhard?

You make the effort even though you don't have the money Madonna has. Are you telling me that Madonna can't spare 36 hours of her life for this kid? She can't find the time to fly there and back? If she can't find the time then why on earth do any of us expect she will later? The government of Malawi should realize that all they have done is sell a child to the person who could offer their country the most money. I hope they are proud.

This Is Why Celebrities Suck - I'm Talking To You Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus called into a radio station this morning in Tampa Bay, Florida. She called in as apart of a press tour of radio stations because she wants them to play her song on the radio and promote her concert tour and whatever else she can think of to promote. When the radio station does this Miley makes a ton of money and the radio station doesn't really make any because instead of selling commercial time they are giving free ones to Miley. The object is that their listenership will increase and so down the road at some point the station will make more money. Obviously though it is the performers who come way out ahead. To make things even worse when you have someone who is controlled like Miley is the radio announcers are only allowed to ask pre-approved questions and only discuss pre-approved topics. Why is that? To make sure that nothing ruins the image and to make sure the performer gets the chance to plug as many things as possible in the time in which they are on the air.

In this audio clip, the host asks Miley if she was aware that he was only allowed to ask her certain questions? Miley didn't say much of anything. The host then said, that he thinks some questions should be answered, and they should. If you don't want to answer certain questions then just stay at home and give interviews to Kneepads. Why is it that you as a performer think you can control the questions and make the rules? You can't expect to take and take and take and not give anything back in return. The problem is there are too many stations and too many morning shows (Ryan Seacrest, Good Morning America, Today Show) who let it happen and are willing to never make a wave and sacrifice any kind of credibility.

When I first heard the clip I thought the host was going to ask a really tough question or ask her about the revealing photos she is always taking and that he was going to do something so outrageous that he deserved the hangup he got from Miley. Instead he asked if she had ever received an actual apology from Jamie Foxx. That is all he asked and as soon as he asked it, Miley hung up on him. F**k that. You can't pick and choose. I hope that every single radio station from now on asks her that question. They won't of course. They will all be afraid of ticking off a 16 year old girl and Disney. Losers. Step up and ask a question. If everyone asks a responsible question then they won't be able to play the game anymore. Don't ask Idiotic questions, but questions that are newsworthy and should be addressed. When they are answered then give a plug.

You have two choices here. The entire interview before hangup was about 5 minutes long which you can listen to here. I will warn you it is painful and Miley is extra annoying. The relevant portion is about 45 seconds and for that you can click here.

Jon & Kate Have Some Competition - Six More Kids To Be Exploited

Usually you only see kids exploited one or two at a time so this whole multiple thing is really allowing kids to be exploited at a much faster rate which in this economy is probably a good thing. I mean, the only way this economy is going to get back on its feet is on the backs of our sextuplets and septuplets and octuplets. To show that they are willing to do their part for the exploitation of kids for the economy, WE TV is set to air Raising Sextuplets which as you may have guessed from the title is about raising sextuplets.

It involves the Masche's who I guess were the subject of some special back in 2007 when their sextuplets were born. Anyway, they say they are different from Jon & Kate and have learned from their mistakes. They also say they will quit the show if any of the kids doesn't want to do it anymore. Once you have wiped the tears away from your eyes from laughing so hard, they also said they don't want to think of the series as a paycheck. Laughing again?

Why else would you do the series then? You want to show the world what it is like to live with six kids? I think we all have a pretty good idea of what it is like thank you. I hate when people lie to themselves. They are for sure already counting the money and wondering what they have to do to get on the cover of Kneepads. I am already predicting that by this time next year there will be more families with multiples than ever before. They will all want the opportunity to make money and 99% of them won't. I bet there are hundreds of sextuplet births next year as people try and cash in. That is the problem with these shows. Sure, all these kids are getting exploited, but think about parents who only have kids for the money or possibility of a television show. When they don't get one or only four or five of their children are born alive as opposed to the 8 they were hoping for, what kind of life do you think those kids are going to have?

Lil Wayne Is A Graduate Of The K-Fed School Of Contraception

Lil Wayne is going to have a busy year. In addition to getting married to the singer Nivea (pictured above) he is also going to have a baby with her so that is really good news. For someone. It also seems that Wayne is going to have a baby with model Lauren London who is also due this year, but unlike Nivea isn't going to marry Wayne. Oh, and of course Wayne still has two kids with the woman he just got out of a relationship with last year. Well he got out of it with her eight months ago after she gave birth to his son which happened two years after the couple had been divorced.

Later this year of course is the felony drug trial where he was charged with four different felonies in an arrest last year in Arizona. I believe he was charged with possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. The good news is that Lil Wayne has finally beat his addiction to grape cough medicine laced with codeine, so that's a positive.

I wonder if the expecting mothers will have a baby shower together or separately? I'm just wondering if he could go for the trifecta and get one more woman pregnant at the same time and still marry Nivea.

Maybe Tameka Foster Isn't Alive After All

Remember that story In Touch ran yesterday saying that someone had filed divorce papers in the Tameka Foster/Usher marriage? Yeah, well it turns out that no one has which means that Tameka, may in fact, not be alive after all.

According to TMZ they went through every courthouse and there were no divorce filings from Usher or Tameka which means of course that In Touch got it wrong. It happens, but we should have known something was up when they didn't say which party filed for divorce. I can't imagine Tameka filing for divorce, because for one I am not sure she is actually alive. I want to see photos.

TMZ also says they have sources who spoke to Tameka who had no idea about any divorce, but had not been able to get Usher on the phone for a few days. OK, again, no definitive proof that Tameka is alive. It is a source and not Tameka directly. In fact, if she were dead it would explain her not being able to speak to Usher the past few days, and why she couldn't speak directly to TMZ. If she is alive then the marriage is over. You can't be married and have two kids and have cell phones and assistants and not get to speak to each other if you really care. It just doesn't happen. So, IF she is alive and IF she hasn't spoken to him in a few days, then I would say the marriage is over. It would be an official split.

Heidi Montag Getting Naked For Playboy - Tastefully

Yesterday when I heard the news that Heidi Montag had actually posed naked for Playboy and was going to appear in the September issue I cracked a little smile. No, not at the thought of seeing her naked, but for the fact that this is the end. I can't believe she already played the Playboy card. The Playboy card is when you are on your last gasp of celebrity and need it to keep going or you are so far gone that the only way to return to the collective conscience is to get naked.

The only thing that worries me is that she might have only gone topless. "There is nudity. It's tasteful – she had a lot of fun with it." The source saying nudity though instead of topless kind of gives me a little hope. See, here is the thing. If you only pose topless than you get another chance at Playboy. Hello Aubrey O'Day. If you get completely naked then the only thing left is soft porn which is where she is headed. I'm shocked they pulled a Playboy before The Hills had run its course. Maybe they thought she would never get a higher offer than she did now. Not that Heidi will ever see any of the money. Somehow I think Spencer controls the money in the family and is another reason he really wanted to marry her. Now he gets half of her Playboy money even though he isn't the one getting naked.

So, because she posed for Playboy now it means that when The Hills ends and it will end, so will Heidi. She has nothing left to do which is why I can't believe she didn't wait until after the show ended. Spencer will be around because I have a feeling he is going to go through a series of Heidi's over the next few years.

Ted C Blind Item

Princess Powder-Puff has had quite the rocky existence for the past couple of years. Besides being a sizeable tabloid target, Princess P. has had some career setbacks, too. Maybe that's because everyone around Pee uses her for something. And whatever goodies those fake pals are gaining, it's never in PPP's best interest, for sure.

See, Puff hardly has any real buds. Sad, but very true.

Now, don't feel too bad for the babe, 'cause with her money she could easily be getting help if she wanted it. Instead, Triple-Pee resorts to seeking a different kinda aid from those around her.

Like drugs. The hard stuff, babes. Like what ruins major divas' careers before the whole global tabloid world's eyes. Powder-Puff is scrounging for a fix and isn't being too subtle about it, in whatever town she happens to be touring through. And what's Pee's great idea so nobody finds out? She's asking her crew members left and right for them to score something, anything, for her.

Genius.

Yikes, this is definitely gonna make PPP's comeback 10 times harder. Just more trainwreckishly delish for us to watch, that's all.

Oh, you all do know Princess isn't used to performing sober, don't you? It's something she absolutely hates doing, and it's definitely showing—the few times she agrees to be forced into such a desultory state.

So sad, too, 'cause Pee used to have it all. Boys, hits, good-girl fame—the works.

And it ain't: Nicole Scherzinger, Nadine Coyle, Christina Aguilara

Today's Blind Items

What aging but not really old Academy Award winner/nominee A list actor recently had a heart attack and passed out but refused to go the hospital. Instead, he had his doctor come to the house and hired a nurse to watch over him for a few days. He even went to a sporting event three days after it happened.

Random Photos Part One - With Reader Photos

The top spot today goes to some definite randomness. In the middle i Alan Cumming who is not stranger to the top spot actually and the women in the picture is Monica Lewinsky who is very rarely photographed in public.
The man and legend who never ages, Tom Ford. Here he is with his new cologne "Bois Marocain." Uh huh. C'est ce qu'elle a dit.
Do you even have a guess? It is a-ha. I know, they look pretty young don't they? They must have been like 12 when they recorded Take On Me.
Billy Zane gets the dressed dressed of the day which is tough when you are going up against Tom Ford. Not that Billy has been up against Tom Ford, but you get my point.
Cartier has brand new charity love bracelets!! Someone call Jennifer Love Hewitt.
From what I understand Carrie Underwood actually hit the ball pretty well in this softball game last night.
Now I know why Victoria did the whole look at my breasts thing yesterday. It is because David's new Armani pictures which look exactly like all the other ones were being released today.


It's Duff McKagan and his "guest."
She seems to be groping him right there on the carpet.
Call me when she actually eats one.
She watches
and serves
and holds, but she never even pretended to take a bite the entire time.
Eva Mendes does the whole Jennifer Lopez half closed eye thing.
I had to post this. Evan Rachel Wood and she is smiling. Holy crap.
A first time appearance for Eric Szmanda and his Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation shirt.
Fergie & Rihanna
Heather Locklear and Jack Wagner who looks really rough.
Josh Duhamel out in Rome doing more Transformers premieres.
Jon Hamm on the set of Mad Men.
The one and only Johnny Marr
Oh, another one and only, this time, Mark Knopfler. I believe Money For Nothing is still the all-time #1 MTV video. The fact it mentions MTV in it probably plays no part whatsoever in that decision or that Sting is the one mentioning it.
Kristin Davis has this same look in every picture ever taken of her.
The Lady Gaga picture was pretty popular yesterday so here is another from the same set, but this time from head on.
The one Ronson I actually enjoy.
Today is music day for sure. The guys from New Order.
Reader Photo #1
Reader Photo #2 and yes, she is talking to Gavin Newsom.
Yes, I know. Sorry I didn't post this yesterday. Phil Spector in all his glory.
The Twilight photo of the day.
Steve Winwood & Eric Clapton - East Rutherford, NJ
Tricia Helfer for all of you Battlestar Galactica fans.
This is the Smith Family Christmas card from two years ago. They live here in the US. They sent their card to family and friends. About a month ago one of the people who got the card was walking down the street in Prague and saw this picture being used as an advertisement for a national store chain. The power of the internet.