Catching up on Gosselin, Abdul, Teen Choice
I'm back from some sun and fun on the shores of Lake Michigan where I stayed un-wired for days at a time. I highly recommend it. The brain detoxes. Besides, it's all waiting for you when you get back. Here's what I'm catching up on this morning:
• E! is touting its two-night "exclusive" interview with Jon Gosselin — he of Jon & Kate Plus Eight fame — starting tonight. We are promised that Gosselin addresses "the constant scrutiny that follows him 24/7 regarding the state of his family and how his eight kids are handling the unwanted media attention." Unwanted media attention!? Please. Rarely does fame follow those who don't seek it. ....
• Speaking of seeking fame, Gosselin's interviewer Giuliana Rancic is now in a reality show on the Style network, Guiliana & Bill, along with husband Bill Rancic, a former winner of The Apprentice. The couple say the divorce rate among those who live their lives on TV doesn't worry them. It should. ...
• Jessica Simpson can attest to that. The reality show queen — she'll soon have another The Price of Beauty on VH-1 — lived her first years of marriage to Nick Lachey under the scrutiny of MTV's cameras. Now that she and Tony Romo have broken up (think it was that Barbie & Ken birthday bash that scared him off?) and Lachey is single again, some suggest they'll reconnect. Don't put money on it....
• When it comes to money, Paula Abdul, left, is doing just fine even if it's true that she turned down a significant offer from Fox to stay with American Idol. And money notwithstanding, it's gotta make her feel good that ABC was on the phone immediately after her resignation announcement offering her any kind of spot she'd like on Dancing With The Stars. Now, that's a show I might watch her in....
• I didn't watch the Teen Choice awards but see that the Twilight cast won big time. And Bo, the Obama's dog, won Choice Celebrity Pet — as well he should have. ...
• G.I. Joe was No. 1 at the box office over the weekend, which should make my cover story subject (the July 24-26 issue) Dennis Quaid a happy man. ...
• The Bacon Brothers will make their Grand Ole Opry debut on Sept. 1, with the Bellamy Brothers. ...
• Brad Pitt's Inglorious Basterds premieres in L.A. tonight. New twist: Twitter on the red carpet. They're calling it a TweetUp — to coin a new phrase?— but it's basically seeing everyone and anyone's tweets on screens placed on the carpet and at the after party.
July 22, 2009
Michelle Obama debuts new hair style
Forget Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, the country singers who went to the White House last night as part of Michelle Obama's planned music series. The surprise of the night was the first lady's new do. Shorter, fresher, flattering. She debuted it on the same day the President admitted his own fashion sense is "frumpy," which was obvious in the outdated baggy jeans he wore to throw out the opening pitch at the All-Stars game.
July 08, 2009
Celebs and athletes play with deployed troops
Last weekend's cover story in the print edition of USA WEEKEND was on the charitable foundations that have been inspired by U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Writer Dennis McCafferty wrote about five of them; you can read his story here. However, one foundation that wasn’t mentioned — but deserves attention — commands much star power: Pro vs. GI Joe. It works with the USO to provide deployed servicemen and women with a once-in-a-lifetime experience — to play their favorite video game with a professional athlete or celebrity. And as often as possible, Pro vs. GI Joe seeks to match a deployed person up with an athlete or celebrity from his or her hometown, so family members and friends can both watch and greet their loved ones during the event. “During this year’s NBA All-Star Game festivities in February, for example, a serviceman stationed in Germany was able to hook up with star Shaquille O’Neal for a video game hoops matchup,” Dennis says. “Shaq was playing on his home court in Phoenix. And during the event, Shaq lifted the serviceman’s son to the Web cam for a special ‘hello’ to dad. The little boy just turned 8 that day.”
