Archive for January, 2008

The actor with the most hairless chest I've seen since my Ken doll was spotted partying in London after the break-up from his girlfriend, Nadine Coyle, of the British girl band, "Girls Aloud." Jesse Metcalfe was dumped by Boyle after an on-again, off-again two year relationship plagued with rumors of Jesse's infidelity.

According to an inside source that dished to the Daily Mail, ""Nadine decided to breakup with Jesse. She's saying it's just a break but we all know it's not. They've had a very unstable relationship of late and she tried everything to make it work." The singer is saying that the two "want different things" and that ultimately, that's the reason for the split.

Jesse doesn't look like he's having all that much fun with his new freedom. Poor little John Tucker. That was my impression of trying to be sympathetic. Alas, I'm pretty sure I wasn't that convincing.

Photos: WENN

10 more photos of Jesse Metcalfe leaving Movida nightclub after the jump.

It was a striking example of Hollywood protecting its own: After an aggressive lobby from powerful film industry figures, “Entertainment Tonight” decided against airing a video that shows the late Heath Ledger hanging out at a party where drugs were being taken.

The show said it pulled the story “out of respect for Heath Ledger’s family.” But don’t discount the effect of a lightning-fast campaign launched by a public relations firm that represents many of the stars “Entertainment Tonight” depends upon for stories.

Even some celebrities themselves - Natalie Portman and Sarah Jessica Parker, to name a couple - called to urge “ET” to pull the plug.

Ledger, 28, died in his Manhattan apartment Jan. 22. Authorities suspect a possible drug overdose, but the cause of his death is still pending the outcome of toxicology tests. Police said several prescription drugs - but nothing illegal - were found in the Manhattan apartment where the “Brokeback Mountain” actor’s body was found.

“Entertainment Tonight” is hardly the lone news organization to broach the topic of potential drug abuse by the star. But the video it acquired, reportedly taken two years ago at a party at the Chateau Marmont Hotel, drew the fiercest attention.

The syndicated magazine’s sister show, “The Insider,” aired a “preview” of the story that it had planned to run Thursday that actually showed several segments of the video. Following the protest, “The Insider” yanked the segment from the West Coast version of its telecast.

Ledger is seen standing in the doorway of a room where the party was taking place, swigging from a beer bottle. The actor is heard saying that he was “going to get serious (word bleeped) from my girlfriend” for being at the party.

The show made clear that there was nothing on the video showing Ledger taking any drug. At one point, however, the then-26-year-old said he “used to smoke five joints a day.”

But a person who has seen the entire video, who asked not to be identified because of its sensitive nature, said Ledger then points to his tattoo of “M” (for his daughter, Matilda Rose) and says, “this is to remind me never to smoke weed again.” That part of the quote was not used in Wednesday’s preview.

Later, with Ledger in the background, an unidentified man, his face blurred, seems to snort cocaine from a table.

After seeing a promotion for the show Wednesday, a publicist at ID, Ledger’s public relations firm, called “Entertainment Tonight” and asked that the segment be pulled. The request was refused.

ID then composed a three-paragraph protest letter that it distributed to some 30 other public relations firms around Hollywood, asking them to tell their clients about what was about to happen. The circle included powerhouse publicists like PMK-HBH, 42 West and BWR.

The letter said “ET” had paid a large sum of money for the video to stir up an exploitive story about Ledger.

“For the sake of his grieving family and friends, his child and common decency, we hope to pressure `Entertainment Tonight’ and `The Insider’ to do the right thing and pull the spot,” the letter said. “This is not journalism, it is sensationalism. It is a shameful exploitation of the lowest kind, to a talented and gentle soul, undeserving of such treatment.”

Stars, studio executives and PR firms all called “ET” to register protests, said Kelly Bush, CEO of ID. The star-studded roster of Bush’s firm alone includes Robin Williams, Sean Penn, Tobey Maguire, Mike Myers, Jennifer Hudson, Katie Holmes, Ellen DeGeneres, and Ledger’s “Brokeback” co-star Jake Gyllenhaal.

Bush said the response was unlike anything she’d ever seen.

“I hope it represents a turning point,” she said. “I think we have all heard from members of the media and members of the public that it’s too much. Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are the top news stories when Darfur should be.”

No boycott was threatened, she said. But when a television show that needs celebrities like living things need oxygen hears from so many powerful sources, a threat probably wasn’t necessary.

Not a spoken one, anyway.

“We need them as much as they need us,” Bush said. She wouldn’t speculate on what made “Entertainment Tonight” change its mind, but said “they’ve probably never gotten this much heat before over anything.”

Executives at “Entertainment Tonight” refused to talk publicly about the retreat. There was some bewilderment and anger at the company about why its show was singled out when many other publications and TV outlets were talking about the same thing. The party video is likely to be seen soon in England, and is already available over the Internet.

But “ET” can’t complain about getting nothing for its money. Even though it was called a “preview,” “The Insider” already aired a significant story with salient portions of the video, while maintaining the appearance of having taken the high road in the end.

Drew Pinsky, star of VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew,” backed “Entertainment Tonight.” He saw the video and was quoted by the show, calling it “heartbreaking.”

“When a 28-year-old seemingly healthy man, whom we love and respect, dies suddenly, there is a reason,” Pinsky said. “His death plays upon our deepest fears. We owe it to the public to try to answer the question why. I am convinced that if this heart-wrenching video had aired, it would have gotten through and had a positive effect on young people in America. Perhaps it could have even saved some lives.”

Also unanswered are questions about how much the Hollywood friends who jumped to Ledger’s defense this week knew about any drug use while he was alive, and what they had done to help him. Few of the people close to Ledger have come forth with statements since his death, and those who have chose not to broach the topic of any possible drug use.

One notable exception was Lee Daniels, who produced “Monster’s Ball,” in which Ledger starred.

“The definition of substance abuse is really up to one’s perspective,” Daniels told The Associated Press last week. “I didn’t see him as a drug addict. I saw him as someone who enjoyed life. I know drug addicts; he was not a drug addict.”

I'm LOVING Rihanna's hair--and look in general--these days. The singer is seen here signing autographs for H&M, as the store launches their Fashion Against AIDS Collection. Celebrities like Rihanna, Timbaland, Rufus Wainwright and the Scissor Sisters have lent their star power and helped design the organic cotton T-shirts which will be sold in an effort to raise awareness about AIDS.

In addition, 25 percent of the proceeds will be donated to HIV/AIDS prevention organizations internationally. Now, from the high-waist up, I'm not exactly sure I feel about her ensemble here. For some reason, I always feel like Rihanna's stylist likes to throw in a stray element of dominatrix in her outfits lately and I just feel like she'd look so much better without it. Other than that, that girl has such glowing skin and her hair is fierce. And she's being charitable, having had donated her design skills for free.

Photos: Getty Images

8 more photos of Rihanna signing autographs at H&M for the launch of Fashion Against AIDS Collection after the jump.

Ellen Pompeo was caught revealing a little more than she intended as she and hubby Chris Ivery were getting ready to head out to LAX yesterday. The “Grey’s Anatomy” star’s little wardrobe malfunction could have been prevented with a bra - maybe she thought that since the shirt was dark, that her chest wouldn’t peek through. Sorry TV doc, wrong diagnosis! Fortunately, Ellen discovered the error of her ways and covered up the sheer top with a hoodie before heading out to the airport.

(bauer griffin)

• Billy Bush Goes After Mary Hart! [Dlisted]
• Lake Bell: Over Her Perfect Body [Egotastic]
• Here We Go Again [Pink is the New Blog]
• A Mani for the Mommy-to-Be [Bauer-Griffin Online]
• Montel Williams Fired for Refusing to Gab About Heath Ledger? [Towleroad]
• Gwyneth Paltrow is a Kabbalah Queen [JustJared]
• Matthew McConaughey doesn't wear deodorant [Celebslam]
• Here's an angle for anyone looking to produce ... [Jezebel]
• Jewel's Career Is Getting Hot And Spicy [Hollywood Tuna]
• Will Ferrell Dying To Be Funny. oh. [Best Week Ever]
• baby mama - coming to theaters! [popbytes]
• Stalker or Fan? [Cityrag]
• Ashley's Pre-Trip Treatment [Pacific Coast News Online]
• Maggie Gyllenhaal is a Lesbian [IDLYITW]
• Kate Moss Plans to Marry [Hollywood Rag]
• Dita Von Teese In Austria [I'm Not Obsessed]

Britney Spears’ mother, Lynne, is planning to try and take her daughter home to Louisiana.

Following last night’s intervention and subsequent hospitalization, Lynne has decided that she is taking Britney out of L.A. as soon as she’s released from UCLA Medical Center. “Lynne is extremely concerned for her daughter and would like to take Britney back home to Louisiana and get her out of Hollywood,” Britney’s lawyer Michael Flanagan said today.

Lynne feels that the biggest problem facing Britney’s recovery is the circle of friends she’s become involved with and Lynne desperately wants to extricate her daughter from that. “Brit has an amazing support system in Louisiana,” Flanagan says, reinforcing the belief that Britney simply can’t get the help she needs while she remains in L.A. “Lynn was holding up reasonably well, but her first priority and concern right now is with her daughter and helping her through this very tough situation that she is in.”

But as we’ve seen with Brit before, until she decides to make a change there is nothing anyone — not even her mother — can do to force her hand.