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Clay Aiken, Artificial Inseminator?

May 29, 2008 3:49 PM

File this under things you probably never wanted to know about Clay Aiken.

People magazine confirmed that the "American Idol" alum artificially impregnated record producer Jaymes Foster, and she's due in August. Foster, 50, is Aiken's close friend -- she produced several of his albums and hosts him at her home when he visits Los Angeles.

ABCNEWS.com's calls and e-mails to Aiken's reps were not immediately returned.

But a rep for Foster's brother, producer David Foster, told People: "It is true Clay is the father. She was artificially inseminated by Clay. She's due in August."

This will be the first child for Aiken, 29. The fact that he opted for artificial insemination over the old fashioned way of getting a gal pregnant should come as no surprise. In an interview with New York Magazine earlier this year, Aiken said he had no interest in the opposite sex, or in any sex at all.

"I have got too much on my plate," Aiken told the magazine, regarding his lack of a relationship. "I'd rather focus on one thing and do that when I can devote time to it, and right now, I just don't have any desire."

Asked whether he ever has sexual "urges" or "needs," Aiken responded, "I mean, not really. I've just kind of shut it off, maybe. Is that bad?"

Apparently not -- especially if he can turn "it" back on for a friend in need.

Sheila Marikar

May 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (45) | TrackBack (0)

Steven Tyler Walks This Way to Rehab

May 21, 2008 6:24 PM

Decades of rocking hard have caught up with Steven Tyler, again.

The Aerosmith frontman, 60, has checked into Las Encinas Hospital drug rehabilitation clinic, according to Usmagazine.com. It's the same center where Dr. Drew Pinsky treated patients for VH1’s "Celebrity Rehab."

Tyler's love of alcohol, heroin and cocaine has sidelined him before. In the late 1970s, he and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry were dubbed the Toxic Twins for their backstage indulgences. Their addictions almost broke apart the band, but after long overdue stints in rehab, they staged a career-saving comeback 10 years later.

But over the past few years, Tyler's health has been making more headlines than his music. In March 2006, he had surgery to correct a popped blood vessel in his throat. Later that year, he went public with his 10-year-long battle with hepatitis C.

Sheila Marikar

May 21, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (23) | TrackBack (0)

Pete Wentz Fesses Up to Prenup

May 20, 2008 5:45 PM

Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson may have wed at an Alice in Wonderland-themed ceremony last weekend, but they're wise enough to realize that not all marriages have a fairy tale ending.

This morning on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM radio show, the Fall Out Boy bassist admitted that he and Ashlee, the pop star little sis of Jessica Simpson, signed a prenup agreement.

While we don't know their exact net worths, considering their careers, they're probably making enough to buy all the skinny jeans and hair dye their hearts desire. Ashlee's latest album, "Bittersweet World," debuted at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 47,000 copies in its first week.  Fall Out Boy's  latest album, "Infinity on High," has been certified platinum; the one before that went triple platinum. And Pete is pushing film and clothing projects on the side.

Pete spilled about the prenup but refused to talk about Ashlee's purported pregnancy. Asked by Seacrest if he's picked out baby names, Pete said, "Ryan, this baby has not been confirmed. The only thing I'm confirming now is that we're in the basement on our honeymoon with these blow-up palm trees."

Sheila Marikar

May 20, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

Kate Hudson Hops on the Tour de Lance

May 19, 2008 11:43 AM

Lance Armstrong's cycling through the Hollywood A-list faster than he pedals through the Alps.

The seven-time Tour de France winner spent the weekend with Kate Hudson in Austin, Texas, according to People magazine. They dined at high-end eatery Eddie V's Friday night and hit up the Hula Hut with Armstrong's three kids and a group of friends Saturday.

Before their weekend getaway, Armstrong and Hudson went to a New York City afterparty Thursday for Kid Rock's Madison Square Garden concert.

Last week, Hudson, 29, split from Owen Wilson, her on-again, off-again boyfriend of a year and a half.

Before latching onto Hudson, Armstrong, 36, was linked to another blond actress many years his junior: Ashley Olsen, 21. According to the New York Post, the two drank and made out at the Grammercy Park Hotel's Rose Bar in October, the same month he broke up with designer Tory Burch.

Armstrong didn't always hop from woman to woman as if switching gears. He dated Sheryl Crow for more than two years and got engaged to the singer-songwriter in September 2005, but they called off the wedding and split in February 2006. Armstrong was married to Kristin Richard for five years and had three children with her. The couple filed for divorce in September 2003.

Sheila Marikar

May 19, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (21) | TrackBack (0)

Kate and Owen Split for Good?

May 16, 2008 10:40 AM

Hollywood's on-again, off-again blonds are off … again.

Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson have split less than two months after rekindling their reported relationship in Miami, according to People magazine.

Their breakup comes after recent rumors that the two got engaged -- paparazzi snapped Hudson sporting a Tiffany & Co. diamond ring earlier this week. The rock wasn't a product of their romance, though. It turned out to be for her film "Bride Wars."

"It was a pretty bad breakup," a Wilson pal told People. "Owen said it was a tough one. He definitely doesn't want to dwell on it. He wants to put it behind him."

But Hudson, 29, and Wilson, 39, have wasted no time getting back in the dating game. On May 9, Hudson hit up Boston's Liberty Hotel bar, Alibi, with Steve Howey, her "Bride Wars" co-star. Two days later, Wilson showed up at NYC's Upstairs with two women.

The couple reportedly began their rocky relationship in September 2006. Their breakup in May 2007 is rumored to have triggered Wilson's August suicide attempt, which landed him in the hospital and put his career on hold.

Sheila Marikar

May 16, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (18) | TrackBack (0)

Britney and Mel: Jet-Setting BFFs?

May 15, 2008 4:19 PM

Two of Hollywood's biggest train wrecks just fled town -- together.

Britney Spears and Mel Gibson are going on a Costa Rica vacation, according to "Entertainment Tonight." Their private plane left Los Angeles Thursday morning. They'll stay at Gibson's Costa Rica home and return next week. Spears' father, Jamie, is also tagging along.

This isn't the first time the problematic pop star and actor/director have hung out. In March, paparazzi spotted them dining together at the L.A. Russian restaurant Romanov. According to People magazine, Gibson, Spears and their families met many times after she was hospitalized in February. They were also neighbors when Spears lived in Malibu.

After months of hospital stints, bizarre breakdowns and skipped court dates, Spears has cleaned up her act over the past few weeks. She scored two guest spots on the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," returned to the recording studio and showed up for a child custody hearing where she won expanded visitation rights with her two sons. 

Gibson has kept a low profile since his July 2006 DUI arrest, in which he screamed anti-Semitic slurs at a cop. The "Passion of the Christ" director later apologized for his "despicable" behavior and said the slurs were "blurted out in a moment of insanity." He's still on probation from the sentence stemming from that arrest.

Sheila Marikar

May 15, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (21) | TrackBack (0)

Anne Heche Can't Cough Up Cash for Kid, Ex

May 15, 2008 11:14 AM

Money apparently doesn't grow on trees for former "Men in Trees" star Anne Heche.

The actress, 38, says she can no longer afford to pay nearly $15,000 a month in child and spousal support because the cancellation of her ABC show has left her unemployed.

"I am continuing to look for work, but I have no offers pending and the impending strike by the Screen Actors Guild reduces my prospects for work even further," Heche wrote in court papers, according to People magazine.

On Wednesday, a judge gave Heche a temporary break, saying she didn't have to pay her July support payment to ex-husband Coley Laffoon, 34. In June, a judge gave Heche and Laffoon joint custody of their 6-year-old son, Homer, and ordered her to pay Laffoon $14,798 a month.

In a court declaration, Heche said without work, she can't afford to pay that sum along with private school tuition for Homer, the mortgage on her house in Canada where "Men in Trees" filmed, rent on her Los Angeles home and car expenses.

Laffoon filed for divorce from Heche in February 2007 after more than five years of marriage. The freelance videographer and stay-at-home dad originally wanted $45,000 a month from Heche, according to E! News. He alleged that Heche had "poor parenting skills" and exhibited "bizarre and delusional behavior" that made him wary of leaving Homer in her care.

In 2001, Heche went public with her longtime struggle with mental illness in her memoir, "Call Me Crazy." In it, she claimed to have an alter ego that was the daughter of God and half-sibling of Jesus named "Celestia."

Sheila Marikar

May 15, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (32) | TrackBack (0)

Jolie Finally Fesses Up: She's Having Twins

May 14, 2008 3:31 PM

Well, it's about time.

After months of rumors about the soon-to-be newest members of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's  brood,  Jolie confirmed to "Access Hollywood" that she is indeed pregnant with twins.

During an interview in Cannes, France, where she's promoting "Kung Fu Panda," Jolie's co-star Jack Black said, "You're gonna have as many as [the] Brady Bunch when you have these."

Asked if she is indeed carrying twins, Jolie said, "Yeah, yeah, we've confirmed that already. Well, Jack's just confirmed it actually."

The babies will be the fifth and sixth additions to the A-list couple's clan. Jolie did not reveal her due date.

The actress has stayed tight-lipped about her second pregnancy, but her growing belly's told the whole story. Tabloids and blogs have been on a baby bump watch since she showed up at January's Screen Actors Guild awards in a loose, tent-style dress and avoided alcohol all night. Jolie wordlessly confirmed the rumors when she arrived at February's Independent Spirit Awards in a curve-hugging, belly-highlighting black dress.

Jolie first commented on her pregnancy in April, when she told People magazine that she "felt kicking suddenly" while discussing Iraq education policy at an event in Washington D.C. (In addition to being a mom and an Oscar-winning actress, Jolie's also a U.N. goodwill ambassador.)

The Jolie-Pitt crew currently consists of Maddox, 6; Pax, 4; Zahara, 3; and Shiloh, Jolie's first child by birth, who turns 2 this month.

Sheila Marikar

May 14, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (82) | TrackBack (0)

LaBeouf Comes Clean on Walgreens Arrest

May 14, 2008 1:40 PM

It's not often a celebrity comes clean on a scandal. Usually a PR blitz attempts to cover up any and all arrests, sex tapes and drug busts involving an A-lister.

But on Monday's "Late Show," Shia LaBeouf filled David Letterman and all of America in on the wild night that led to his arrest at a Chicago Walgreens last November.

LaBeouf, 21, was "pretty wasted" and pretty preoccupied with a pimple on his forehead before rolling up to the drug store.

"So I go to Walgreens and I go to the cosmetic aisle," said LaBeouf, who was on Letterman's show to promote his role in the upcoming "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." "And I see the security guard and he's looking at me, four in the morning, pretty disheveled, pretty messed up on the special magic sauce. And I get the pimple cream, and he's looking at me, he's kinda giggling to himself, and now I'm starting to feel like, `What? It's really not that funny, guy, you know?'"

Though he walked away with the Clearasil, back at his hotel room, LaBeouf realized he'd forgotten the cigs. So he changed clothes and headed back.

When the Walgreens security guard said, "Hey, nice outfit," LaBeouf shot back, "Yeah, nice outfit to you, too."

But instead of picking up a pack of smokes, LaBeouf got distracted by the candy aisle and bought a bag of gummy bears. He returned to his hotel realizing, again, that he was cigarette-less. Time for outfit No. 3 and another trip back to Walgreens.

"I go back down, I got the hoodie on, he goes, `Really? Really? Really?' And I'm like, `Yeah, really!' He goes, `Well, what are you doing here?' And I'm like, `Well buddy, it's your worst nightmare,'" LaBeouf said.

That's when another security guard whipped out the plastic handcuffs and took LaBeouf to the ground. Police charged him with misdemeanor criminal trespassing and, at the police station, gave him the paparazzi treatment.

"It was a photo shoot, [the officer's] like, 'Let me take like 14 mug shots,'" LaBeouf said.

Charges were later dropped against the actor because Walgreen Co. and a security company said they didn't want to pursue the case. But LaBeouf doesn't need punishment or rehab to learn his lesson.

"Drinking and driving is one thing, but drinking and shopping," he told Letterman, "it's just as bad."

Sheila Marikar

May 14, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)

Drew Barrymore Stars in a New Hit...and Run

May 13, 2008 12:28 PM

Charlie would be so proud. One of his big-screen angels, Drew Barrymore, was the victim of a hit and run yesterday, but after a little detective work, she may have collected enough information for cops to catch the guy.

The Los Angeles Sherriff's Department is reporting that before noon Monday, Barrymore was rear-ended as she was driving north on Gardner Street toward Santa Monica Boulevard.

Unhurt, Barrymore called the police immediately.

But when the other driver kept going, she took matters into her own hands – and followed him. Eventually, she lost track of the car, which was gone by the time traffic cops arrived.

No worries. Barrymore got the license plate and Sherriff’s detectives are currently investigating.

Good work, Angel!

Luchina Fisher

May 13, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)

Simpson Sibling Rivalry Heats Up

May 13, 2008 12:20 PM

It's sibling rivalry at its celebrity best. While Ashlee Simpson's reportedly on the verge of a wedding and her first baby, big sister Jessica, already divorced, is rumored to have broken up with her latest boyfriend.

According to Usmagazine.com, the younger Simpson will wed rocker fiance Pete Wentz Saturday at a "top secret" location. Ashlee, 23, and Pete, 28, announced their engagement in April. Tabloid reports, blog rumors and "baby bump" photos have fueled speculation that Ashlee's pregnant, but the couple haven't confirmed whether or not they're expecting.

Unfortunately things aren't so sunny for the sister who put the Simpson family on the map. A Chi-town celebrity blog reports that Jessica's boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, was partying in the Windy City this weekend and told his buddies that he'd split from the blond bombshell.

“They’re broken up,” Tony’s pal said. “He told us they broke up and that was that. We’re guys so we didn’t talk about it much.”

Jessica filed for divorce from her husband, singer Nick Lachey, in December 2005. She's been romantically linked to a slew of stars since then, including Dane Cook and John Mayer.

The sisters are in parallel positions on the career front too. While Ashlee's latest CD, "Bittersweet World," dropped last month and climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, Jessica hasn't released an album since 2006.

It sounds like Papa Joe may have some squabbles to break up the next time the Simpsons get together -- which, if the reports are to be believed, will be this weekend at Ashlee's wedding.

Sheila Marikar

May 13, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (21) | TrackBack (0)

Top Mags Battle for Spot on Top Runway

May 12, 2008 1:34 PM

Two major magazines are battling for a spot on TV's most famous runway.

Nina Garcia scored her gig as a judge on fashion design competition "Project Runway" because of her day job as Elle's fashion editor. When she was booted from the mag's masthead in April, reportedly because of a personality clash with another top editor, her coveted seat next to Heidi Klum and Michael Kors was called into question.

But "Project Runway" wasn't about to lose the pint-sized judge and her fierce fashion assessments. According to the New York Post, the show, which itself is in a tug-of-war between Bravo and Lifetime, is switching its magazine affiliation from Elle to rival Marie Claire, Garcia's new home. Past winners of the show scored an Elle magazine feature on their fashions -- now, with Garcia repping Marie Claire, that coveted photo spread will probably change venues, too.

But Elle will still get some TV love. Tyra Banks' latest reality TV venture, "Stylista," featuring 11 aspiring fashion enthusiasts vying for a much-coveted editorial job with Elle magazine, has just been picked up by the CW network, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sheila Marikar

May 12, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Hef Wants Miley to Pose for Playboy

May 09, 2008 1:09 PM

Miley Cyrus may be keeping her back covered for now, but if she's ever ready to bare all, Hugh Hefner's got a place for her to do it.

The Playboy honcho told the TV show "Extra" that he'd be happy to feature the 15-year-old "Hannah Montana" star in his magazine -- when she's of legal age.

"She'd be welcomed in the magazine," he said. "Very pretty lady. And I think to make such a big to-do over something as innocent as those photos, I think is a reflection on how schizophrenic America is about sexuality."

By "those photos," Hef of course means the controversial spread Cyrus did for Vanity Fair's June issue, featuring a shot of her bare-backed, clutching a piece of fabric to her seemingly bare chest.

On April 27, Cyrus issued a statement saying, "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed … I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."

She hasn't spoken publicly about the photos since.

Sheila Marikar

May 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (58) | TrackBack (0)

Alleged Klepto Lohan: 'If I Want It, I Get It -- Now'

May 09, 2008 12:22 PM

"I'm just a little bossy. I like it how I like it when I like it and that's how it is. … I'm just a little bossy. If I want it, I get it -- now."

The rant of a 12-year-old child? The battle cry of Anna Wintour? No, that's Lindsay Lohan's mantra, or at least, the lyrics to her new single, "Bossy," which dropped Thursday amid allegations that she stole a $12,000 mink coat from a Columbia co-ed and snatched thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes from model Lauren Hastings.

Hastings, 23, accused Lohan of raiding her wardrobe in the spring, when she was out of town and her housesitter invited the actress over for a party.

"Basically … my closets were emptied," Hastings said in an interview that aired on "Inside Edition" Thursday.

But according to the New York Post, Los Angeles County prosecutors won't be pressing charges against Lohan, citing insufficient evidence and Hastings' prior agreement with Lohan to give her some clothes, just not her whole closet.

Meanwhile, Masha Markova, the co-ed who claims Lohan stole her mink coat from a New York City club, may sue the actress for six figures. Markova's coat was mysteriously returned to her after three weeks, several photos of Lohan wearing what appears to be her coat and a call from Markova's lawyer to Lohan's rep.

Lohan's alleged thefts may have inspired her music, but they're not helping her acting career. According to movie industry blog Deadline Hollywood Daily, Lohan's been dropped from one of her major projects "The Manson Girls," because her bad behavior has made her "more of a deficit than an asset" to the movie's producers.

Asked to comment on "The Manson Girls," Lohan's rep told ABCNEWS.com, "She wasn’t dropped. She had to leave as there were scheduling issues with her upcoming film 'Labor Pains' and 'Ugly Betty,' which she is excited about."

Still -- maybe it's time for Linds to start singing a different tune?

Sheila Marikar

May 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

No More Love for Liv Tyler and Husband

May 08, 2008 5:11 PM

Liv Tyler and her husband won't be making any more music together.

Tyler, actress and daughter of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, is splitting from her husband of five years, British rocker Royston Langdon.

"Liv Tyler and Royston Langdon have confirmed their separation. They remain good friends and devoted parents to their son Milo and are requesting that their family's privacy be respected at this time," Tyler's rep told People magazine.

Tyler, 30, and Langdon, 36, married in the Caribbean in 2003 and had their first son, Milo, the following year. Rumors about their separation started swirling after Tyler showed up at New York's Costume Institute Gala Monday night without a wedding ring.

Sheila Marikar

May 8, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

Four Months After Death, Ledger Big as Ever

May 08, 2008 1:58 PM

Nearly four months after his death, Heath Ledger's fans still can't get enough of him.

A portrait of the actor, who died in January at age 28 after an accidental drug overdose, won an Australian art award Thursday. "Heath," by Vincent Fantauzzo, was painted weeks before Ledger's death. The actor did his final sitting for the portrait in December 2007.

According to The Associated Press, the painting was the favorite of the 32,000 people who viewed it at an exhibition by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Not a big surprise: Ledger, a native of Perth, has a loyal Aussie following.

In the States, Ledger fans are flocking to toy stores to nab figurines of the late actor. He appears as the Joker in this summer's Batman sequel, "The Dark Knight." The dolls, which feature Ledger in the Joker's ghostly white makeup, retail for $9.99 but are selling for upwards of $35 on eBay.

Toys 'R' Us spokesperson Bob Friedland downplayed the sellout to the New York Post, asserting there'd be plenty of Ledger dolls to go around.

"We are getting these products, all of the 'Dark Knight' action figures, on a regular basis," he said.

Sheila Marikar

May 8, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Madonna Gets 'Sticky and Sweet'

May 08, 2008 10:29 AM

With her latest album at the top of the charts, Madonna's looking to dominate the concert scene too.

The pop star has announced the dates for her “Sticky and Sweet” world tour, which will kick off Aug. 23 in Cardiff, Wales, one week after her 50th birthday. Madge hits the states Oct. 3, kicking off the North American leg of her tour in East Rutherford, N.J.

Madonna will once again team up with music tour and promotion company Live Nation, with which she signed a 10-year recording and touring contract last year. The deal, reported to be worth $120 million, involves a three-album commitment and brought her long-term collaboration with Warner Bros. to an end.

She's got her own record to beat -- her 2006 “Confessions” tour was the highest grossing concert tour of all time by a female artist with ticket sales of a little less than $195 million.

Want to catch Madge? Check out the tour dates, followed by the on-sale dates for that particular show:

23-Aug - Cardiff Millennium Stadium - Fri., May 16

26-Aug - Nice Stade Charles Ehrmann - Fri., May 16

28-Aug - Berlin Olympic Stadium - Wed., May 21

02-Sept - Amsterdam Arena - Sat., May 17

04-Sept - Dusseldorf LTU Arena - Wed., May 21

06-Sept - Rome Olympic Stadium - Fri., May 23

09-Sept - Frankfurt Commerzbank Arena - Wed., May 21

11-Sept - London Wembley Stadium - Fri., May 16

20-Sept - Paris Stade de France - Fri., May 16

03-Oct - E. Rutherford, N.J., Izod Center - Mon., May 19

06-Oct - New York City Madison Square Garden - Mon., May 19

07-Oct - New York City Madison Square Garden - Mon., May 19

15-Oct - Boston TD BankNorth Garden - Sat., May 17

18-Oct - Toronto Air Canada Centre - Sat., May 24

22-Oct - Montreal Bell Centre - Sat., May 24

26-Oct - Chicago United Center - Sat., May 17

30-Oct - Vancouver BC Place Stadium - Sat., May 24

01-Nov - Oakland Oracle Arena - Sun., June 1

04-Nov - San Diego Petco Park - Sun., June 1

06-Nov - Los Angeles Dodger Stadium - Sun., June 1

08-Nov - Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena - Sat., May 31

11-Nov - Denver Pepsi Center - Sat., May 31

16-Nov - Houston Minute Maid Park - Sat., May 31

19-Nov - Philadelphia Wachovia Center - Mon., June 2

22-Nov - Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall - Mon., June 2

Sheila Marikar and Andrea Dresdale

May 8, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Madonna Locks Lips With Girl, Again

May 07, 2008 10:43 AM

Age ain't making Madonna any less crazy.

The pop music queen, who turns 50 this summer, locked lips with a female backup dancer at her Paris show Tuesday night, bottle of champagne in hand. Madge may have been celebrating -- her new album, "Hard Candy," debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. album charts, selling 282,000 copies in its first week.

It's not the first time Madonna's shown her love for the fairer sex onstage. She caused a stir when she made out with Britney Spears at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. Spears, who had never kissed a woman before, later told CNN that the stars had played around during rehearsal and Madonna had told her they would "just feel it out and see what happens" during the performance.

When asked if she would "do it again," Spears said, "No, I would not do it," but then added, "Maybe with Madonna."

Sheila Marikar

May 7, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)

Dina Lohan, Mother of the Year?

May 06, 2008 11:30 AM

So what if she raised a girl who racked up two DUI arrests and three rehab stints before her 22nd birthday? Dina Lohan's still a "Top Mom."

The Mingling Moms Organization, a charity based in the Lohans' native Long Island, N.Y., will honor the woman who bore and bred Lindsay as a "Top Mom" tonight along with fellow celebrity moms Rae Stern (Howard Stern), Betty Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld) and Shelley Stevens Herschlag (Natalie Portman).

According to Mingling Moms president Erica Logiudice, Dina and the rest of the honorees are being recognized for their "behind-the-scenes" contributions to their children's "tremendous careers."

While some might wonder why the mother of one of Hollywood's most notorious starlets is deserving of a parenting award, Logiudice defended Mingling Moms' decision.

"It's not all Dina's fault. It's not always the mom's fault when the child goes awry," Logiudice told ABCNEWS.com, pointing out that Dina was busy with a bitter divorce while her daughter was running her Mercedes Benz into trees and maybe snorting cocaine. "She's been with Lindsay through her ups and downs. She is a mom, she raised a major celebrity out of Long Island, and we're proud."

Dina, 45, plans to attend a dinner tonight to accept her award, but Lindsay, 21, won't be by her side. She's busy shooting a guest spot on an upcoming episode of "Ugly Betty" … and presumably, trying to make her mom and the rest of Long Island proud.

Sheila Marikar

May 6, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (32) | TrackBack (0)

Lindsay Goes Where Britney's Gone Before

May 05, 2008 1:19 PM

Back in the day -- like, 4 months ago -- it used to be that troubled celebrities in need of an image makeover touted God. First, socialite Paris Hilton found religion after her brief stint in jail and then actress Mischa Barton was seen toting a bible after her DUI arrest.

Now, it seems, they're turning to the small screen for help.

Actress Lindsay Lohan is the latest embattled celebrity to make a guest appearance on a television show, following in the footsteps of Britney Spears and Naomi Campbell. Lohan began shooting the final episode of ABC’s “Ugly Betty” over the weekend. According to ABC, the "Mean Girls" star will play a mean girl from high school who suddenly resurfaces in Betty's life.

Perhaps, she is hoping that the public will see the old Lohan resurface, not the one who has been making headlines for reckless behavior. After two arrests last year on drunken driving and cocaine charges, Lohan has been in and out of rehab. Last week, her infamous mug shot from her July, 24, 2007 DUI arrest, appeared in a full-page ad for the American Beverage Institute, a trade group that supports the interests of the alcohol industry, with the words "Ignition interlocks are a good idea for" above it. The devices measure a driver's blood alcohol level before their vehicle can start. Lohan’s lawyer blasted the ad, adding "Lindsay Lohan fully endorses ignition interlock devices, which have been well-proven to save lives."

Apparently, Lohan was so excited to shoot her role for “Betty,” that she arrived on the set 45 minutes early, according to Us magazine. She will appear in the May 22 finale, along with British supermodel Naomi Campbell, who has had her own share of troubles for throwing cell phones and tantrums in airports. But unlike Campbell, Lohan will return next season for five more episodes, according to Variety. 

Singer Britney Spears was the first beleaguered celeb to get a reputation boost when she took a guest spot on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” According to members of the cast, the singer showed she could be professional, sweet and, well, normal – so much so, that she was invited back to reprise her role as the bubbly secretary Abby for the May 12 episode.

Spears’s appearance was a win-win for her – and for CBS. She brought “Mother” an additional one million viewers.

Luchina Fisher

May 5, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)