Jamie Lynn Spears Has a Baby Girl

There is a new baby in the Spears clan! Jamie Lynn Spears and her fiancé Casey Aldridge welcomed a baby girl Thursday morning.

The baby was named Maddie Briann.

“Just the family was there,” says a source about the birth around 9:30 a.m. at a hospital in Mississippi, near her Louisiana hometown. “Everyone is healthy and happy.”

Jamie Lynn’s sister Britney, father Jamie and brother Bryan flew in Wednesday to be with her for the birth; her mother Lynne had been with her helping her get ready for the baby.

Since announcing her pregnancy in December, Britney’s little sister has retreated from the bright lights of Hollywood, opting for the comforts of her hometown of Kentwood, La.

With her Nickelodeon show Zoey 101 already ended, Jamie Lynn went home to prepare for the birth of her baby. The actress, 17, and Aldridge, 19, got engaged in March. Recently, the couple purchased a three-bedroom home in Liberty, Miss., where Aldridge went to high school.

Over the last few months, Spears has kept busy by passing her GED exam, preparing the nursery and attending multiple baby showers.

Jamie Lynn’s Zoey 101 costar, Erin Sanders, said earlier this year that the actress will be a fun mother.

“She is just a very good-hearted and warm person,” he said. “We would always hang out on the set and she is a lot of fun, so I think she’s going to be an easygoing, fun mom.”

David Beckham Strips Down for Armani

David Beckham already got hearts racing around the globe with his sexy Emporio Armani ad campaign earlier in the year, and tonight he’s unveiling his new campaign — starting with a giant mural facing Macy’s in San Francisco. The hunky soccer player will reveal one of the campaign images shot by renowned fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott on the beaches of Malibu. While the images won’t be on the emporioarmani.com site until the 23rd and in magazines until August, Here is a sneak peek.

Britney Arrives in Louisiana to Be With Pregnant Sister

Britney Spears is at home in Kentwood, La., to be on hand when her sister Jamie Lynn gives birth.

After taking an early morning commercial flight from LAX, the singer, 26, touched down in New Orleans on Wednesday afternoon with her father, Jamie, 55, her brother, Bryan, 31, and her assistant, Brett.

The Spears clan then headed home to the Spears family Serenity mansion in Kentwood. Their arrival comes just before Jamie Lynn, 17, is expected to give birth.

In anticipation of the youngest Spears’s imminent delivery, Jamie Lynn has been preparing her nursery – with its pink, brown and “silver-green” color scheme – and buying furniture with her mother, Lynne, 53.

Johnny Depp Delivers on Promise to 12-Year-Old

Johnny Depp is a cat in the hat one 12-year-old will never forget.

Playing 1930’s bank robber John Dillinger – American’s Most Wanted at the time – for his upcoming movie Public Enemies, Depp was shooting on location in Wisconsin in April when he was observed on the set by local boy Jack Taylor, who especially admired Depp/Dillinger’s hat.

In fact, the boy wanted the fedora, and asked the actor if he could have it. Depp, 45, said Taylor could, once the movie was finished.

Last week, reports the Oshkosh, Wis., newspaper the Northwestern, Depp made good on his promise. Taylor received the hat.

The leading man’s rep also included gifts for Taylor’s four siblings from Depp’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as a note from the star himself, telling Jack to enjoy what was sent.

Angelina Jolie Promotes World Refugee Day

Never one to turn down humanitarian work, Angelina Jolie recorded a public service announcement for World Refugee Day (held on June 20) to help raise awareness about the plight of millions of people at risk.

The 33-year-old “Wanted” actress first became attached to the work of the UN’s refugee agency during a February 2001 visit to war-torn Sierra Leone in West Africa, prior to filming Beyond Borders with Clive Owen.
“They have survived war, they have survived displacement, they have survived rape, they have survived hunger and disease,” says Jolie (who’s expecting twins with Brad Pitt this summer). “For those who have survived and for those who did not, we are thinking of you on this day.”

In the PSA, Jolie, who acts as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency, explains what life is like for millions around the world while emotive scenes of refugees flash on the screen.

The actress and human rights activist is also planning to write an article for a major U.S. newspaper to coincide with Friday’s day of action. (World Refugee Day will be marked by events worldwide: London’s Trafalgar Square is being converted into a replica Darfur village, Rome’s Colosseum will be lit with the refugee agency’s logo, and, in Washington, D.C., Chicago Bulls basketball player Luol Deng will receive the Humanitarian of the Year award.)

Salma Hayek Honored at Crystal Lucy Awards

When asked if it was hard to be over 40 in youth obsessed Hollywood, new mom Salma Hayek quickly replied “No Way.”

The Bandidas babe was honored on Tuesday night (June 17) during Women in Film’s Crystal Lucy Awards in Hollywood, where she stated: “I’m 41 now and I have to say, it’s the best time in my life.”

What comment prompted Jada Pinkett Smith – who was also being recognized, along with her costars from the upcoming chick flick, The Women – to shout out, “You look good!”

Salma proceeded to give a big hello to fellow Latina, Eva Mendes (another star of The Women)… who responded with a loud, “I love you, Salma!”

Continuing along, Hayek told the crowd: “I have learned to enjoy time to be a woman. I have learned to enjoy how to do the most that I can with what I have. It is a good thing to be a 41-year-old Latina woman in America.”

Hayek gave birth to her daughter Valentina Paloma last September with billionaire fiancé Francois Henri-Pinault and she says she is finally coming into her own.

When it comes to balancing her busy career and motherhood, Hayek has already learned the most important lesson: “I delegate a lot more…and I’m very lucky because I have great people around me.”

Charlize Theron and Will Smith: “Hancock” premiere in Paris

Wearing a sexy cleavage-baring white ensemble with leopard print heels, South African-born American actress Charlize Theron was a red carpet stunner at the Paris premiere of “Hancock” on Monday night (June 16).

Joined by co-star Will Smith, the duo laughed amongst one another as they posed for a lineup of photographers before making their way into the theater for the screening.

The movie, which hits theaters in the States on July 2nd (France on July 9th), tells the story of “a hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public, then entering into a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who’s trying to repair his image.”

Speaking about a scene in the movie, Charlize recently told press that Will Smith slapped her for real on-set, although he isn’t quite willing to accept responsibility.

“He tried to fake slap me one time, but the fake one just didn’t happen. We’re still debating this one. I think he just hit me! But Will claims I leaned into his hand and that’s how it happened. I was so shocked! I was like, ‘He just slapped me! But he said, ‘I did not slap you. I had my hand there and you turned into it,’” she tells.

Not letting a little contact ruin their growing friendship, Charlize adds: “We’re just like kids, it’s so much fun. He’s not a woman beater!”

Heidi Klum Picks Up a Peabody Award

According to recent reports, the German supermodel Heidi Klum shined at the 67th Annual Peabody Awards at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Monday (June 16), in a sexy white dress and black heels picking up a Peabody award. The ceremony was hosted by 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl, and during the event, producer Harvey Weinstein got onstage to accept an award for Project Runway - “insisting that Miss Klum get up onstage with himself, Tim Gunn and other executives for the show.”

Other cable Peabody winners this year included: Comedy’s Central’s The Colbert Report; BBC America for White Horse; Showtime for Dexter; HBO for To Die in Jerusalem; Sundance Channel for Nimrod Nation; and mtvU for Half of Us.

Amy Winehouse Hospitalized

Amy Winehouse was hospitalized on Monday afternoon (June 16) after she fainted at her London home due to unknown causes. At press time, the singer was still undergoing tests.

"Amy was at home this afternoon when she briefly fainted," read a statement from her U.S. publicist, Tracey Miller. "Fortunately, her manager's assistant was there to stop her falling. She quickly recovered, and her father, Mitch, took her to hospital as a precaution. Doctors are unsure of the cause of the incident, and Amy is currently undergoing tests. She may be kept overnight for observation."

Miller said no other information was available on Winehouse's condition or the cause of her fainting spell.

Before the incident, Winehouse, 24, had been signing autographs for Canadian fans who had been camped outsider her house all day, according to BBC News.

It is not the first health scare for the troubled singer, whose gaunt appearance, scratched-up arms and alleged drug abuse issues have caused concern for her well-being in the past. She was admitted to a London hospital last year suffering from what was called "severe exhaustion" amid reports that she was enrolled in a rehabilitation clinic to deal with drug abuse. She also checked into rehab in January.

The latest scare comes just a few days after Winehouse flew to Moscow for a reported $2 million to give a private concert at the opening of an art gallery run by the girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Winehouse arrived in the Russian capital "in no condition to appear," according to the New York Daily News. When she did step in front of the microphone two hours after her appointed time, she did it "wobbling onto the stage down a red carpet lined with red lights, which guided her like a damaged aircraft down a runway," the paper reported. Eyewitnesses called her performance "sloppy."

Angelina Jolie Is ‘A Cool Mommy’

There’s no doubt that meeting Angelina Jolie can be nerve-wracking – but her Wanted costars say the superstar mom is incredibly down-to-earth.

“It’s a little intimidating, someone like her who is presented as a goddess. [But] it takes, like, 30 seconds and you figure out she’s just a cool woman,” Wanted actor Thomas Kretschmann said at the film’s press day Monday.

The German actor, who plays an assassin in the action flick out June 27, also described Jolie as “a cool mommy.”

Kretschmann’s kids and the Jolie-Pitt youngsters “played together from time to time” on set, he said. “She knows exactly what she wants and she’s extremely smart.”

But Jolie isn’t the only “cool” person in her household. Costar Common calls Brad Pitt “a good dude.”

“We hung out and he was a cool cat,” said the rapper-turned-actor.

And Jolie? “She’s an incredible mother, a beautiful mother,” Common said. “She has so much realness to her.”

Queen Latifah Achieves Weight Loss Goal

After signing on to be a Jenny Craig spokeswoman in January, Queen Latifah has shed a few pounds and is continuing her mission of encouraging others to lead a healthy lifestyle.

The Mad Money star, 38, who is known for embracing her curves, said her weight loss goal wasn’t “about getting skinny.”

“My intention was to lose five to 10 percent of my body weight because it makes a difference with health related issues, and I achieved that goal in a couple of months,” she said at the first annual National Awards & Recognition Luncheon for The League recently. “I’m excited about this weight loss.”

In addition to following the Jenny Craig program, the singer-actress hit the gym five to seven days a week, switching between the treadmill or elliptical machine for an hour.

“My jeans are looser, I feel more energetic,” she said of shedding the weight. “People dig it. They come up to me and say ‘I’m glad you’re talking about the health side of it.’ People get that message, which is important too.”

Even though she’s slimmer, Latifah said her fans know she’s still one of them.

“They see that I’m doing this for the health reasons but also say, ‘She’s still representing for the big girls. She hasn’t abandoned us!’ ” Latifah said. “This is me doing something for me, but if I am going to be a role model I hope people can catch on.”

Giving Back to the Community
Queen Latifah isn’t just serving as a role model for healthy living, but she’s also inspiring others to contribute to their communities by teaming up with The League, a youth service organization that empowers students to give back.

“I’ve been giving back since I was a teen, handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving and handing out toys at toys drives for Christmas. It’s very important to give back as a youth,” Latifah, who hosted the luncheon, said. “It’s as simple as helping an old lady across the street or giving up your seat on the bus for someone who is pregnant. Those things are about respecting other people and taking care of them even if you don’t know them.”

Ali Larter Fights to Stay Fit

Keeping heroically fit doesn’t come easily to Ali Larter – despite some noticeable physical advantages.

“When I’m in really good shape, I like my butt. It’s juicy – that’s what my fiancé says,” the Heroes actress, 32, referring to actor Hayes MacArthur, tells Allure for its July issue.

“I’m an indulger, but then I have to be good,” Larter says over a large lunch of dumplings, scallops with ravioli and a burger with salad, fries, ketchup and mayo. “I’m also going to get my butt out and go for a run tomorrow.”

Once, before a photo shoot, her thighs needed to be duct-taped on account of “they were a little too round,” she recalls. On another occasion, while on a movie, she packed on some pounds – and that’s when being unfit really hit the fan.

“The faxes went out from the producers and the director to my agents to my manager to call me and ask me to lose weight,” she says. “I just remember sitting in my trailer hysterically crying from the embarrassment I felt about myself, my body – and that no one could talk to me directly.”

But she realizes that it was nothing personal – only business. “This is what I signed up for,” she admits. “What I do for a living puts me in the spotlight. They pay me for it.”

Jennifer Aniston & John Mayer Jet to Mexico

Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are taking their relationship in a new direction – south of the border.

Last Friday, the couple – who first stepped out in public in April – headed for a little R&R at Casa Aramara, the sprawling beachfront home of Girls Gone Wild mogul Joe Francis, in Punta Mita, Mexico.

The house is a hot spot for celebs: Demi Moore celebrated her 45th birthday there in November, and Aniston has visited the pad with former beau (and costar) Vince Vaughn and platonic pal Orlando Bloom.

This time around, the couple and a group of friends spent the weekend lounging on the house’s beachfront patio, enjoying their Mexican getaway.

“Jen spent time laying out on the loungers on the patio. John was always around, standing by her, making sure she was comfortable,” says an onlooker.

Before departing for Mexico, Aniston and Mayer were also spotted discreetly holding hands June 12 while double dating with Aniston’s BFF and former Friends costar Courteney Cox and her husband David Arquette.

Angelina Jolie is no more St. John Spokesmodel

After three years, Angelina Jolie is out as the face of luxury brand St. John as the contract between the Hollywood actress and the company is inevitable coming to an end. Angelina Jolie appeared in the print ads shot by Mario Testino for the past three years for an estimated $12 million.

It was a great run we had with Mario Testino, David Lipman and, of course, Angelina Jolie. Three years is a long time to maintain any campaign, and we felt it was time to do something new and different. [The campaign] ties in nicely to our whole rebranding initiative.
- chief executive officer Glenn McMahon explained -

Ashanti Opens Up About ‘Good Friend’ Nelly

Ashanti has been famously secretive about her relationship with rapper Nelly. But she broke her silence (a bit!) Sunday night, after a sterling rendition of the National Anthem during game five of the Lakers-Celtics championship series.

“Me and Nelly, we’re good friends. We kick it – hang out a lot,” the 27-year-old said. “The industry is very hard, so it’s good to have fun and lighten it up.”

As for those persistent rumors that she and the rapper plan to get hitched? Holding up a ring-free left hand, she told reporters, “Oh no. Noooo! No engagement.” Then she added with a wicked smile, “But definitely in the future. Ha! Ha!”

To unwind, the couple sometimes hits Lakers games. “But the one thing we do a lot of lately is listen to my new album, The Declaration,” she said with a giggle.

Nelly was not by her side at the Staples Center, but Ashanti did bring along the other man in her life: Dad Ken-Kaide Thomas Douglas. “Happy Father’s Day!” she said, waving at him.

After the game (which the Lakers won 103-98), Ashanti and her family hopped a flight to Las Vegas. Despite an exhausting week spent promoting her album and rehearsing the “Star Spangled Banner,” she said, “Were going to party tonight!”

Mary-Louise Parker Breaks Toe During Love Scene

Break a leg? Not exactly. But theater vet Mary-Louise Parker was nursing a broken toe at Sunday night’s Tony Awards in New York City.

“I smashed it on the bed frame,” she said at the after party, where she remained seated in her Alberta Ferretti gown. “Good for me, right?”

Alas, it was no real-life romp. The actress injured herself while shooting a scene from Weeds. “How’s that for commitment?” she mused. “Fantastic!”

And yes, her director used the, um, footage. “They kind of had to,” explained Parker. “It was the first take!”

Justin Timberlake Premieres “The Love Guru”

In the latest chapter of Mike Myers' absurd character movies, The Love Guru held its Hollywood premiere last night. And star Justin Timberlake brought plenty of ‘sexy’ back to the red carpet.

The “Like I Love You” crooner showed up at Grauman’s Chinese Theater sporting his usual urban look including a retro-pleather-looking jacket with a white shirt/checkered tie combo and a pair of dark denim belted jeans.


As far as world domination is concerned, JT isn’t very far off- he was recently ranked #12 on Forbes World’s Most Powerful Celebrities list for having raked in $100 million in tour ticket sales as well as signing a development deal with MTV and appearing in Pepsi’s Super Bowl commercial.

The Love Guru opens nationwide tomorrow night (Friday June 13th) and stars Justin, along with Mike Myers and brand new mommy Jessica Alba.

Kate Moss promotes Velvet Hour perfume, loses hair extension

The supermodel Kate Moss was in Berlin, Germany recently in order to promote her new fragrance, “Velvet Hour”. The 34-year-old Kate Moss arrived at Hotel de Rome at Bebelplatz Square in a grey tweed dress ready and happy to launch “Velvet Hour,” her new perfume.

Continuing her duties, Kate Moss felt embarrassed on the red carpet in Germany after one her blonde hair extensions fell out on the ground. She was at a Berlin club for the launch party of her new fragrance, Velvet Hour, wearing a black minidress and a pair of T-bar heels.

Jamie Lynn Spears Wedding is Off?

Jamie Lynn Spears and her ex-fiance Casey Aldridge have supposedly called off the wedding! According to Star magazine (which we all know is an oh-so-reputable source), the couple has halted all wedding plans.

“Jamie Lynn and Casey have been fighting non-stop about everything, from what to name the baby to what to eat for dinner,” a source tells the magazine. “And now she’s called off their wedding plans.”

Star goes on to claim that the Jamie Lynn has moved back into Serenity with her mother Lynn. Hmmm, wonder how long this rumor will last!

Nicole Richie Talent Search Reality Show

Harlow’s mama had a good reason for being at MTV headquarters last week. New whispers from the Rumor Mill claim Nicole Richie is planning a big return to the small screen via a new reality show that will go on the hunt for the nation’s next untalented socialite.

EW.com has learned that the former coheadliner of The Simple Life has been pitching a reality show that would scour the country for the next, well, Nicole Richie. According to one exec who’s heard the pitch, the unscripted show would take seven girls from across the U.S. and test their ability to achieve insta-fame.

There are presently three undisclosed networks interested in Nic’s proposed series.

Sara Evans and Jay Barker Get Married

Country star Sara Evans married former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker Saturday evening in an outdoor ceremony at a Franklin, Tenn., farm near Evans’s home.

Evans’s son Avery, 8, walked his mother down the aisle, preceded by her two daughters, Olivia, 5, and Audrey, 3. The couple’s seven children (Barker has four from his previous marriage) sat on quilts during the ceremony and were the only attendants. They collectively gave their parents away.

The short ceremony featured Nashville songwriter Marcus Hummon, a close friend of Evans’s, singing “God Bless the Broken Road,” the Rascal Flatts hit he cowrote – a song that the couple says has deep meaning for their relationship. Christian minister Joe Beam, who was responsible for introducing the couple last fall, performed the ceremony.

Evans, 37, wore an ivory silk taffeta Vera Wang gown with a halter neck and Barker, 35, wore a Dolce and Gabbana suit. The black-and-white affair (guests were requested to wear black) was accented with hints of yellow roses, and the sophisticated décor was given a down-home twist with a menu catered by Constant Craving featuring Southern fried chicken, country-style pole beans, biscuits and macaroni and cheese.

“It was really very elegant, but Sara wanted it to feel like you were at her house,” says friend and wedding planner Traci Phillips of The Perfect Party.

The bride and groom had their first dance to Chris Brown’s “With You” and the 145 guests – including Sheryl Crow – boogied beneath a canopy of strung lights to a collection of R&B and pop hits spun by a deejay.

Evans met Barker, the host of a morning sports radio show in Birmingham, Ala., through Beam when each had turned to the minister for support after their respective divorces last year.

“He was our own personal matchmaker,” laughs Evans, who says that Beam made both of them promise – before they even met one another – that they would let him officiate at their wedding. “I think God told Joe to get us together.”

They were engaged in March. “It was hard for me to believe he was real and that he loves me the way he loves me,” Evans says. “I thank God many times a day for bringing me Jay.”

Kevin & Britney’s Separate Vegas Weekend

Although Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were in Las Vegas on Friday, the former couple managed to navigate the social scene without running into each other.

While Spears, 26, relaxed and sipped water in a cabana at the Cinevegas party at the Palms Place, Federline drank Jack Daniels at Strip House only a few miles away. And while Spears’s night ended early, her ex kept the party going past 3 a.m. at Prive Las Vegas, where he was honored as “Father of the Year”.

Looking dapper in a black suit and red tie, Federline, 30, arrived at Prive just before 1 a.m. with an entourage of about 30, including his divorce lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan. At a VIP table, Federline nodded his head to several hip-hop songs and paid little attention to the risqué fashion show that was happening on top of the club’s deejay booth.

At around 2:30 am, Federline headed to the back kitchen of the club, where he was presented with a “Father of the Year” trophy out of the public eye, an honor he told reporters “surprised” him.

Spears, celebrating Father’s Day weekend with her dad Jamie, ate fresh fruit and sunned herself for three hours Friday at the newly opened Palms Place pool. Later, she began her night with a low-key dinner with a friend and a member of her security staff at the Palms restaurant Nove, where she feasted on an artichoke dish.

After donning a short black cocktail dress, the singer attended the Cinevegas party with her father, Palms hotel owner George Maloof and his business associate Jon Gray. In a private cabana, Spears showed little emotion as she sipped water and chatted with her group for two hours.

Spears is reportedly staying the weekend in Las Vegas, while Federline is expected to head back to Los Angeles on Saturday to spend Father’s Day with his children, including his sons with Spears, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1.

Kid Rock Hospitalized for Dehydration

Kid rockKid Rock was rushed to the hospital minutes before he was to head on stage Friday at a music festival in England, according to British press reports.

Organizers of the Download Festival said the rocker, 37, had been hospitalized in Nottingham, which is 99 miles north of London. He was suffering from stomach cramps and dehydration, his spokesman told the music magazine NME.

Rock had been due on the festival’s main stage around 3.30 p.m. Friday, but an announcement came over the public-address system a few minutes before saying Rock was unwell.

He had reportedly attended a late-night event at Central London’s Whisky Mist nightclub that had continued into the early hours of June 13.

The performer had stirred controversy in the U.K. earlier in the week after telling a black interviewer that he thought the confederate flag was “cool”.

Rock also revealed he’s patched up his feud with Tommy Lee after punching the Mötley Crüe drummer at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007. “We’re friends,” he told The Guardian. “We don’t talk all the time but everything’s good.”

And what about his relationship with his former wife of four months, Pamela Anderson (who is reportedly back together with Lee)? “If I see her, I say hello, but I kind of don’t want to be on that scene.” Rock says. “I touched the stove, it’s f—— hot, I don’t want to touch it any more.”

Pal Praises Jessica & Cash’s ‘Picture-Perfect Family’

NBA star Baron Davis, who has known Cash Warren since childhood, says he was ecstatic to meet his friend’s newborn daughter with wife Jessica Alba.

“Oh, I couldn’t wait to see them after the baby was born,” Davis, who is also Warren’s business partner in Verso entertainment, says. “They are the picture-perfect happy family.”

As for who baby Honor Marie takes after, he jokes: “Honor has their looks and my personality. All she did was yell.” Then he adds, “No, seriously, she is a beautiful baby girl. She totally takes after Jessica.”

And, he says the new parents are on cloud nine. “Cash is over the moon and I couldn’t be happier for them both. They deserve every happiness. I know they are going to be wonderful parents.”

Oprah Is Forbes Magazine “Most Powerful Celebrity”

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey is at the top of Forbes' annual list of the most powerful celebrities in the world for the second year in a row.

With an annual income of $275 million US and a popular daytime talk show and magazine, Winfrey easily secured her spot at the top of the list of 100 stars, who are ranked based on their fame and fortune, Forbes said. The American magazine released the list Thursday.

Winfrey was also No. 1 in 2007 and 2005. She was supplanted by actor Tom Cruise in 2006.

Following on Winfrey's heels in this year's list was golfer Tiger Woods, who earned an estimated $115 million on and off the course in the past year, Forbes said.

Actress Angelina Jolie was third, with $14 million in earnings and soaring fame, while her boyfriend, actor Brad Pitt, was 10th with $20 million.

Another power couple hit the top 10 — pop star Beyoncé Knowles (4th with $80 million) and rapper Jay-Z (7th with $82 million).

Forbes noted that several young stars muscled their way onto the list. Leading the pack was Miley Cyrus, with her massive concert tour, hit movie and television show, and risqué photo shoot in Vanity Fair, and estimated earnings of $25 million.

There were 27 newcomers on the 2008 list, including comedy talk show host Jon Stewart (80th), actor Steve Carell (87th) and reality television star Lauren Conrad (97th).

Angelina Jolie Does Entertainment Weekly June 2008

The one and only Angelina Jolie, did an exclusive interview with this week’s edition of Entertainment Weekly, on newsstands on Friday. In the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, Angelina Jolie discusses motherhood, her home life and her controversial public image.

The pregnant Celebrity has two films se to come out Wanted, an action thriller, and the crime drama, The Changeling, she also just wrapped up the animated children’s flick, Kung Fu Panda.

On her ideal weekend:

I have a lot of those. Very simple things. On weekends we usually have family sleep. We always have one night a week where everybody stays up late, watches a movie, and stays in our bed. We have, like, a slumber party.

On how her pregnancy has affected her sex life:

It’s great for the sex life. It just makes you a lot more creative. So you have fun, and as a woman you’re just so round and full.

On her unwedded bliss with partner Brad Pitt:

I say “partner” sometimes. “Father of my children” is too long. But half the time people refer to us as, “Your wife this, your husband that.” We’ve stopped correcting everybody. It’s not a big intentional thing not to marry. We immediately were a family when we became a couple, and children were the priority, and we’re both legally committed to the children.

On finding the perfect gift for Brad:

Brad is the hardest person to shop for. He has impeccable design taste. And whenever he sees something he likes, he buys it for himself.

On her often misunderstood public image:

The reason I talked about going through certain pains or even cutting myself is that I was already out the other side. I knew there were people that do that — and somehow are happy that somebody admitted they did and discussed how they got out of it. I don’t see the point of doing an interview unless you’re going to share the things you learn in life and the mistakes you make. So to admit that I’m extremely human and have done some dark things, I don’t think makes me unusual or unusually dark. I think it actually is the right thing to do and I’d like to think it’s the nice thing to do.

On whether she’s drawn to extremes:

I think so, yeah. We joke about that at home a lot, because we walk in different worlds together, Brad and I. We joke about the extremes of the things we’ll do. There’s a side of us that’s so mommy-daddy and then there’s a side of us that’s…very man and woman. We both like to ride motorcycles, we both like to fly planes, that’s the spirited side of us. Then the other side of us is very focused on silly mommy-daddy things. So I guess that’s extremes, but I just think of that as balance.

Jessica Simpson Gives Up Pop For Country Music

It seems that Jessica Simpson’s switching from pop music genre to country music worked her for the best as she plans to stay on this side forever, the singer tells The Tennessean. Simpson, who plans to release her country album this Summer says she’s got a lot of compliments on the song “Come On Over” which brought her confidence and hopes her album, will do the same.

Meanwhile Jessica Simpson spent the last few days in Nashville attending the CMA Music Festival, where she promoted her new single.

I’m planning on making country [music] for the rest of my life, and I don’t want to go back to that other world. A lot of people have listened to ‘Come On Over’ and told me, ‘I really wanted to hate it, but I like it. It’s] a backhanded compliment, but I’m glad it’s that way and not the other way around. I take a lot of pride in my talent and in the record I was able to put together. I’m not giving up.
- says Jessica Simpson -

Clint Eastwood: ‘Angelina Jolie’s Acting Is Overlooked By Her Beauty’

Here’s a good point of view brought by director Clint Eastwood, who said that Hollywood Celebrity Angelina Jolie is under-rated as an actress because people focus on her beauty too much and overlook her acting skills. The actor-turned-moviemaker directs Angelina Jolie in new movie The Changeling and he insists that though she is a very beautiful woman, she is also a talented actress with more substance to her personality than eyes can see.

I think that people underestimate her talent because she is such a good-looking woman. That was a problem Ingrid Bergman encountered. Bette Davis didn’t have that handicap; her face didn’t fit the standards of glamour. People instantly though of her as a great actress.

Angelina Jolie is more like Simone Signoret, whose obvious glamor never obscured her personality.
- Clint Eastwood according to reports -

Tony Romo Speaks Out About Jessica’s Dad

Speaking for the first time about reports that Joe Simpson was interfering with his relationship with Jessica Simpson and his business affairs – and that his parents did not approve of or get along with the Simpson family – Tony Romo released a statement saying, “It’s all laughable.”

Romo, 28, and Simpson, 27, – who spent the past couple of days in Dallas (where they recently had a romantic dinner date), and boarded a plane for a weekend on the West Coast – have been dogged by rumors that her father has been meddling in their nearly seven-month-old courtship.

In his statement, Romo insisted that characterization is “so far from the truth.”

A source also confirmed that Romo’s father, Ramiro, went to the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., with Joe Simpson earlier this year and “had a great time.”

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee Back Together Again

While Tommy Lee preps for a summer concert tour, he’s also got another major project in the works: rekindling the romance with his ex-wife, Pamela Anderson.

The Motley Crue rocker, 45, tells Rolling Stone that the two of them are making another go of it 10 years after their 1998 divorce.

“We’ve only given it a try 800 times – 801, here we go,” Lee says. “Pamela and the kids have moved in with me. It’s awesome. It’s definitely working.”

Friends of Lee’s says this time may be the charm. “They are two people who have been through a lot and know each other really well,” says one.

The thrice-married, 40-year-old Anderson – whose five-month marriage to Rick Salomon was annulled in March (her other husband, of four months, was Kid Rock) – recently told Ellen DeGeneres on her TV show that she was not dating and, in fact, wasn’t even sure of her type of man.

Now retracing past steps, friends say the couple “are happy,” and so are their sons Dylan, 10, and Brandon, 12.

“You can tell on the kids’ faces,” Lee told Rolling Stone. “They’re happy when we’re together.”

Singer R. Kelly Acquitted of Child Pornography Charges

Singer R. Kelly was acquitted of child pornography charges on Friday, putting to end a six-year ordeal for the singer/songwriter/producer, who in 2002 was accused of engaging in sex acts with an under-aged girl.

The Cook County jury on the case deliberated for 7 1/2 hours before finding Kelly, 41, innocent on all 14 counts. Upon hearing the verdict, “R. Kelly looked relieved,” said an onlooker.

Prosecutors had claimed that Kelly was in a graphic video that was mailed to the Chicago Sun-Times in 2002 with a girl as young as 13. Both Kelly and alleged victim, who is now 23, denied they were the ones on the tape. Neither of them testified during the month-long trial.

Kelly did not speak to the media after the trial, but was seen hugging fans outside the courtroom.

“R. Kelly was found not guilty because they had the best jury that Cook County could produce,” said the R&B star’s attorney Sam Adam Jr. “R. Kelly got his name back.”

Cook County State’s Attorney General, Richard Devine, said, “As we must, we accept the verdict of the jury in this case. This prosecution is one we have no reservations about.”

Mary-Kate and Ashley Turn 22

It may be Friday the 13th, but it’s a happy day for Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen: They celebrate their 22nd birthday today.

Yes, it’s been more than 21 years since the twins first became stars – the California natives began sharing the role of Michelle Tanner on Full House before their first birthday.

According to local news reports, the Olsens have been spotted in Nashville on their way to the Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester, Tenn. The lineup for the four-day festival includes performances by Kanye West, Metallica and Willie Nelson.

It’ll be a far cry from their last birthday: The multimillionaire moguls hosted a quiet family dinner party at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont that included their sister Lizzie, 20, and brother Trent, 24.

Pal Says Britney Is Doing ‘Great’

As Britney Spears continues on her road to recovery, a friend of Spears says things are going well for the singer.

“She’s doing great,” Palms Casino Resort owner George Maloof says.

Maloof, who recently had dinner with Spears twice in L.A., says that the two are “good friends,” and adds it would be fantastic to have her perform at his Vegas venue.

“I’d love to have her here at the Pearl [Theater],” says Maloof, who stopped by the premiere of The Rocker, starring Rainn Wilson, at the Cinevegas Film Festival. “It would be great.”

Maloof says the idea of a Vegas concert “didn’t come up” when he saw Spears in L.A. But it turns out Spears flew there Thursday for a different reason altogether.

“Britney left L.A. for Vegas for an extended Father’s Day weekend with her dad [Jamie],” a source says. Despite reports that Spears’ cameo in the upcoming Pussycat Dolls video was cut, Britney is still plugging away at her other projects: She’s scheduled to work on songs with Sean Garrett in three weeks.

Meanwhile Spears’s ex, Kevin Federline, is also headed to Sin City on Friday for Father’s Day purposes: K-Fed will be there to accept his “Father of the Year” honors from Prive Las Vegas.

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe’s Divorce Is Finalized

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe’s divorce was finalized Thursday, Los Angeles court records show, indicating that financial and custody settlements have been reached.

Details weren’t immediately available, however, the ex-couple have continually sought a shared custody arrangement over children Ava, 8, and Deacon, 4.

The documents, dated June 12, only read: “[The court finds] the parties have settled all their remaining issues in these proceedings.”

Witherspoon is currently dating Jake Gyllenhaal, while Phillippe, 33, recently stepped out with Australian actress Abbie Cornish, 25.

After seven years of marriage, Witherspoon, 32, filed for divorce in November 2006, citing irreconcilable differences.

The couple first met when a mutual friend brought Phillippe to Witherspoon’s 21st-birthday party. Two years later, after they had costarred in 1999’s Cruel Intentions, he proposed.

They married in June 1999 and had Ava three months later.

Rep for Witherspoon and Phillippe weren’t immediately available for comment.

Adriana Lima Engaged to Marko Jaric

Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima received an engagement ring Thursday night – her birthday – from basketball star Marko Jaric, his rep said.

“He asked and she said yes. They are both incredibly happy and couldn’t be more in love,” says publicist James Weir.

Lima, who turned 27 on Thursday, and Jaric, 29, who plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, have been dating for about nine months.

The normally stoic Serb sports star has admitted he fell hard for the Victoria’s Secret beauty.

“I was not the person to fall in love easily. I am a difficult person from that standpoint,” he said. “Now, it’s a little different situation.”

Lynne Spears’s Memoir Set for Fall Release

Lynne Spears’s memoir about raising her famous daughters Britney and Jamie Lynn will be released this fall, the publisher confirms.

“When Jamie Lynn got pregnant, it was put on hold,” says a spokesman for Thomas Nelson, which publishes inspirational books and Bibles. “Lynne never stopped working on it because she wants to express her love for her children and tell their stories through a mother’s eyes.”

Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World” is likely to be released in September, says the spokesman.

“Lynne has had a dramatic life. People will be be very surprised to find out the kind of person she really is,” says Lorilee Craker, who co-authored the project with Spears. “Lynne has been incredible to work with.”

Spears’s manuscript “will not be a parenting book,” Nelson says. “It’s her story of what it was like being a mom and raising two very famous people. It’s a memoir.”

The writing of the book is complete. Craker and Spears are now just selecting pictures.

Angelina Jolie Says Being Pregnant with Twins Was a ‘Shock’

Angelina Jolie has talked candidly about her desire to continue expanding her family with Brad Pitt. But when the actress found out she was pregnant with twins, well, even she was taken aback.

“We weren’t expecting twins,” Jolie, 33, tells Entertainment Weekly in a new interview. “So it did shock us, and we jumped to six [children] quickly. But we like a challenge.”

With a house full of kids, Jolie says she needs help – so it’s a good thing there’s family around to pitch in. “[Brad’s] mom and dad are on standby to come out and help,” she says.

But the real focus, Jolie says, is making sure their other children – Maddox, 6, Pax, 4, Zahara, 3, and Shiloh, 2 – feel included when their new siblings are born. Says the actress: “They’re old enough to feel included to change diapers themselves, to feed bottles themselves, like if I pump into a bottle. We’re trying to find ways where it can be a fun group thing … Everybody gets special time so we can make sure we know where they’re at.”

As for how she’s handling being pregnant with twins, the actress tells EW she’s taking it easy and letting Pitt handle all the heavy lifting – literally. “We’ve worked out a system where Brad just lifts [the kids] to me every time they want to come up,” she says. “I just don’t bend down. I’ll scream, ‘Honey!’ and he’ll come running and lift them up.”

And pregnancy has other benefits as well. “It’s great for the sex life,” she says. “It just makes you a lot more creative. So you have fun, and as a woman you’re just so round and full.”

Nicole & Joel Keep It Fresh with Sushi Dates

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are balancing parenthood and coupledom by carving out time for dinner dates.

“We go out like once a week,” Joel Madden said at the opening of SugarFish sushi restaurant in Marina del Rey on Monday night. “We take a night to ourselves once a week.”

The couple also trade off baby duties. “I’ll stay home with the baby one night and then she’ll do the same – we do that a lot,” says Madden.

While Richie readily admits her life now revolves around baby Harlow, she and Madden still hit some of their favorite spots together.

“On our nights off we always go to Nozawa” sushi in Studio City, adds Richie, “so it was really special to be able to come here tonight.”

Britney and Mel’s Cigar Club Rendezvous

Britney Spears and Mel Gibson had a smokin’ date Tuesday night – at an exclusive Beverly Hills cigar club.

For more than two-and-a-half hours, the singer, 26, and the actor-filmmaker, 52, met in what was more of an ongoing guidance session than a business pow-wow.

For their rendezvous at the members-only Havana Club, both showed up separately shortly before 7 p.m., well into the third game of the NBA finals between the L.A. Lakers and the Boston Celtics, which was playing at the bar. As for the smoking and watering hole itself, habitués include Ben Affleck, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Danny DeVito.

When Spears arrived, her bodyguard drove a Jeep Commander into the underground parking garage, and she exited with her blonde hair up and pulled back by a white headband. Also with Spears were her assistant Brett and a bodyguard.

“She looked pretty in her new Capri jeans a blue blouse, white shoes and a brown bag,” says a photographer. Earlier in the day, Spears was seen shopping at the Lisa Kline boutique in Beverly Hills, where she purchased the new jeans and tried on several necklaces.

“Britney looked like a doll with bright red lipstick,” added the photog, who described her as “very quiet” and “with a serious look on her face as she walked in to the Havana Club.”

By contrast, an upbeat Gibson left his silver Lexus with the valet and walked in holding what was described as a “man-purse” up to his face and a look of “okay, you got me” as paparazzi snapped his picture.

Around 9:30, Spears left the club for home, while Gibson hung around until about 11.

The two – once neighbors inside a Malibu enclave (Spears now lives in a gated community in Studio City) – began being seen in public together in March, at dinner in a restaurant. It was then learned that Gibson and his wife, Robin, had been looking in on Spears once she had checked out the hospital in February.

In May, Gibson and his wife, and Spears and her father, all vacationed together in Costa Rica.

Carrie Underwood “Carnival Ride” Tour Extended

Carrie Underwood has extended her Carnival Ride North American Tour through this Fall due to fans’ overwhelming demands for tickets. The tour is in support of Carrie’s double-platinum-selling 2007 LP, Carnival Ride. Carrie will go through fifty-one cities in the U.S and Canada where Carnival Ride’s added shows. The tour is set to kick off September 23rd, with tickets go on sale June 20th.

The full list of Carrie Underwood “Carnival Ride” Tour Dates:

9/23 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center @ Cleveland State University
9/24 Highland Heights, KY Bank of Kentucky Center
9/25 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
9/27 Grand Forks, ND Ralph Engelstad Arena
9/28 Sioux City, IA Tyson Events Center
9/30 Topeka, KS Landon Arena
10/2 Champaign, IL Assembly Hall @ University of Illinois
10/3 Hoffman Estates, IL Sears Centre
10/4 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
10/ 6 London, Ontario CANADA John Labatt Centre
10/7 Toronto, Ontario CANADA Air Canada Centre
10/10 St. John, NB CANADA Harbour Station
10/11 Moncton, NB CANADA Moncton Coliseum
10/12 Halifax, NS CANADA Halifax MetroCentre
10/14 Portland, ME Cumberland County Civic Centre
10/15 Boston, MA Agganis Arena
10/16 Kingston, RI Ryan Center
10/18 Syracuse, NY OnCenter at War Memorial
10/19 Philadelphia, PA Liacouras Center
10/21 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
10/23 Hampton, VA Hampton Coliseum
10/24 Winston-Salem, NC LJVM Coliseum
10/26 Southaven, MS DeSoto Civic Center
10/27 Jonesboro, AR ASU Convocation Center
10/29 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
10/30 Grand Prairie, TX Nokia Theatre
11/1 Houston, TX Reliant Arena
11/2 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
11/6 Las Cruces, NM Pan American Center
11/7 Glendale, AZ Jobing.com Arena
11/8 San Diego, CA San Diego Sports Arena
11/9 Los Angeles, CA Nokia Theatre
11/14 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena
11/15 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
11/17 Portland, OR Rose Garden
11/19 Salt Lake City, UT E Center
11/21 Missoula, MT Adams Center
11/22 Billings, MT Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark
11/24 Lethbridge, AB CANADA Enmax Centre
11/25 Edmonton, AB CANADA Rexall Place
11/29 Saskatoon, SK CANADA Credit Union Centre
12/1 Regina, SK CANADA Brandt Centre
12/2 Winnipeg, CANADA MTS Centre
12/4 Madison, WI Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum
12/5 St. Louis, MO Chaifetz Arena
12/7 Nashville, TN Sommet Cener
12/8 Chattanooga, TN UTC McKenzie Arena
12/9 Tupelo, MS BankcorpSouth Arena
12/12 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
12/13 Orlando, FL UCF Arena
12/14 Gainesville, FL Stephen Connell Center

Kimora Lee Simmons Says She is Not an Extreme Diva

Kimora Lee Simmons has a lesson to share about married life – and it’s not all fabulous.
“When you get married, you’re forced to drink the milk long after it’s spoiled,” the designer, 33, tells Giant magazine for its June/July 2008 issue.

Simmons – who in March filed for divorce from her husband of 10 years, Russell Simmons – is now dating actor-model Djimon Hounsou, and is never one to shy away from knocking down tabloid talk when it comes to her personal life.

“I hear the craziest things, like, ‘She has to have a champagne glass filled within a quarter inch of the lip,’ ” says Simmons, who dismisses any notion that she might be an “extreme diva.”

“The reality, is I’m a dedicated mother [to daughters Ming Lee, 8, and Aoki Lee, 5] and a very kind, funny and hardworking person,” she says. “My reality-TV show helps to shed a bit of light, but even that’s glamorized.”

Ultimately, she says, she doesn’t care what others think of her, though “sometimes people who don’t know me say really cruel things that are way off base. But you can’t care too much about what people think of you. You have to establish your own set of core values and live by them”

And those core values? “Honor, respect, tenacity, intelligence and humor,” she says, adding, “Do your best, and live with the repercussions of your choices – good or bad.”

Mario Lopez Describes His Dream Girl

Just a few days after Dancing with the Stars favorites Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff split up, he was in the middle of Times Square, talking about the type of girlfriend he’s looking for.

“I’m a pretty low-maintenance kind of guy,” Lopez, 34, said Tuesday – as he was wearing a “Kiss the Cook!” apron and doing his own grilling (of hot dogs), as part of Oscar Mayer’s 125th anniversary celebration to help raise money for the food bank Second Harvest.

“I’d like to be with someone who is secure with themselves. She has to understand that I have a lot going on and I’m busy.”

Indeed, Lopez, currently starring on Broadway in A Chorus Line is also host of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew. “I’d like someone who has their own thing going on – their own ‘passion,’ whatever it is.”

A surefire way to win him over? “I like a girl that’s funny.”

As for pet peeves: “If she’s a big chain smoker, I’m not really a fan of that. Or a cusser – someone who isn’t nice to people. Someone who doesn’t like family and doesn’t like dogs.”

Carrie Underwood Admits She Burp A Lot

Say it isn’t so! When it comes to sex appeal, country songstress Carrie Underwood says she doesn’t fit the bill – because she’s a burper.

“I don’t consider myself sexy … I’m kind of a nervous person in general. I’m socially awkward. I’m not tall and sensuous. I usually wear sweats everywhere I go. Oh, and I burp a lot,” Underwood tells Cosmopolitan magazine in its July issue.

Aside from her potentially unsexy habits, the Grammy award-winning former American Idol also dishes about love and heartbreak. Formerly linked to Gossip Girl’s Chace Crawford and NFL star Tony Romo, Underwood admits she’s been cheated on a “time or two,” although she’s hush hush about the wrongdoer.

“Cheating is a deal breaker,” Underwood tells the magazine. “If you cheat you’re gone. Getting revenge on a guy is just not worth it to me … the best revenge I can think of is becoming famous.”

Mark Wahlberg to Become Third-Time Dad

With two toddlers already keeping him busy, Mark Wahlberg is getting ready to add a third child to the mix.

And the 37-year-old actor and his longtime girlfriend Rhea Durham, 29, may not stop there.

“When the kids are good, we want eight or nine,” Wahlberg said Monday in L.A. while promoting his new film, The Happening. “When they’re bad, we [want] to stop at three.”

The couple also have a daughter, Ella, 4 and a son Michael, 2, and Wahlberg (who didn’t disclose Durham’s due date) says having a full house is “awesome.”

“Hectic at times,” he admits. “But a lot of fun.”

In The Happening, Wahlberg plays a science teacher in the new thriller, out June 13, trying to stay alive against a mysterious and deadly phenomenon.

But the actor says his own fears are far more real.

“My fear is failing as a father, as a friend, as a son. I have a lot of responsibility and a lot of people counting on me,” he says. “And I know God has put me in this position to put back and try to create some opportunities for some others, show kids there is another way.”

Jessica Simpson Turns Lingerie Designer!

Look out Victoria’s Secret, Jessica Simpson is adding lingerie designer to her lengthy resume. The singer already has successful handbag, shoe, sunglass and swimsuit lines, and now Jessica Simpson’s Intimates will be joining her namesake empire.

The collection of bras, undies, sleepwear and daywear will hit major department stores and online shopping sites just in time for spring ‘09. Jessica tells Women’s Wear Daily, “I like different lingerie for different occasions. I think that’s the best thing about it. You can feel sexy or girly depending on your mood.”

She also promises to included a stylish assortment of shapewear so women no longer need to worry about panty lines.

Jessica Alba Welcomes a Baby Girl

Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren have welcomed a baby girl.

Honor Marie Warren was born June 7 in Los Angeles, her rep, Brad Cafarelli, confirms. This is the couple’s first child.

Alba, 27, and Warren, 31, quietly wed on May 19 at the Beverly Hills courthouse. The two met while working on Fantastic Four, for which Warren was the director’s assistant. They became engaged last December.

The actress recently did some last-minute shopping for baby gear at Bel Bambini on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles, picking up items such as Born Free baby bottles and a Boppy pillow for breastfeeding.

“She seemed relaxed,” says a source, “and ready to welcome home her baby.”

Patrick Swayze to Start Filming New TV Series

Patrick Swayze is bouncing back: The actor’s television project has just been greenlighted by A&E and will start filming this summer.

Swayze, who says he has been responding well to treatment for pancreatic cancer, is set to star in the A&E drama The Beast alongside Aussie actor and former Tarzan star Travis Fimmel.

“I have searched for quite a long time to find a character that is this multi-layered, unpredictable and downright entertaining, as well as a project this current and cutting edged,” Swayze, 55, said in a statement from the network.

In the series, the actor has a starring role playing veteran FBI agent Charles Barker, who is assigned to teach his rookie partner (Fimmel) his eccentric undercover crime-solving methods while secretly being investigated by an Internal Affairs team. Production on the show begins this summer and will film on location in Chicago, with a scheduled premiere date of early 2009.

“Chicago is an amazing, untapped city. I can’t wait to get to work on this,” said Swayze.

The actor is currently undergoing care at Stanford University Medical Center and will continue his course of treatment during filming. The original pilot for the A&E series was shot last December, just three months before the actor revealed his cancer diagnosis.

Recently Swayze updated everyone on his condition and showed no signs of slowing down, traveling with wife Lisa to Reno and attending a Los Angeles Lakers game.

David Archuleta Gets a Record Deal

So what if he didn’t win American Idol! David Archuleta has inked a record deal with 19 Recordings/Jive Records, the same label winner David Cook is signed to.

“Signing a record contract with 19 Recordings/Jive Records is truly a dream come true,” Archuleta said in a statement. “I’m really excited to start working on everything.”

The 17-year-old Utah native already has three songs on the Hot 100 chart, including his memorable rendition of “Imagine” and “In This Moment,” the song he performed at the Idol finale.

Simon Fuller, the mastermind behind Idol and the chief executive of 19 Entertainment Label Group, called Archuleta a “genuine pop star” and said he “has a great future ahead of him.”

Still, Archuleta remains humble and cautious, saying last month that “school is really important, especially after all this ends. It would be nice to make a living off of it but you never know.”

Fans of Archie, as Cook affectionately calls him, should expect his debut album later this year. Up first: The Idols Live Tour, which starts July 1 in Arizona. –Shari Weiss

Britney Making a Pussycat Dolls Cameo

Her next album may not be dropping any time soon, but Britney Spears is dipping her toes back into the music scene, filming a cameo for the new Pussycat Dolls video.

“It’s a small part,” says a source about the popstar’s visit to the L.A. set of the group’s video shoot for their new single, When I Grow Up, on Wednesday. Possibly saving her trademark moves for her own album, Spears was not expected to dance or perform with the girls in the video.

While her recent TV meetings (she was spotted exiting the Merv Griffin offices last week) were strictly exploratory, How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris said at an Academy screening of the show at McGee’s Bar & Grill in Manhattan, they would be happy to have her back for a third time saying, “The door is open for her.”

Lindsay and Samantha’s Friendship

Why does Lindsay Lohan spend so much time with good pal Samantha Ronson?

“Lindsay just feels safe with her,” socialite – and Lohan friend – Cory Kennedy said at Billabong’s 2nd Annual Design for Humanity Event Wednesday night in Hollywood. “I just feel like they have a very loyal and trustworthy relationship, which is really hard to come across in the world that Lindsay’s in. It’s a trust thing.”

The DJ has been Lohan’s constant companion during the past few weeks – they even enjoyed a recent family get-together with Ronson’s mom, Ann Dexter-Jones, and Lohan’s young sister Ali in New York City. The traveling duo also cozied up on Diddy’s yacht during the Cannes Film Festival.

On Wednesday night, Lohan showed up at a G-Star party in Beverly Hills to support Ronson, who was spinning. After spending some together-time in the DJ booth, they headed for Ronson’s next gig at the pre-party for a N.E.R.D. concert. (After Pharrell Williams’s set, the two sat close together on a black leather couch – then made their joint exit around midnight.)

A ‘Genuine’ Friendship
DJ Steve Aoki, a close friend of both Lohan and Ronson, said their bond is easy to understand.

“[Samantha] truly is a friend to her,” he explained. “She’s a very positive influence …. [Lindsay] sees that and sees a genuine, good friendship.”

“I think the most important thing in a relationship is, really, trust,” agreed Kennedy. “I feel like that’s what their relationship thrives on. I love the fact that they’re both really happy.”