Photo Credit: Splash NewsCher is using reverse psychology to sell her "Italian renaissance" mansion in Malibu. Back in 2001, she put it up for sale for 25 million and that was when the real estate market was very strong. She couldn't sell it, so she removed all her dark and gothic decor and auctioned off the furniture. She redid the place in beachy, neutral colors and insisted she intended to keep it. The house, built to her specifications in 1992, has six bedrooms in 14,000 sq ft, with beach views. Now it's back on the market and it's been marked UP to 45 million! While everyone is lowering prices, Cher almost doubled her price!
Photo Credit: Buzz Foto
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon browsed in the Diva store on Beverly Blvd and they seemed lo LOVE the Italian modern furniture. This store features the best and latest of Italian design and the prices can be as spectacular as the furniture. Which reminds us that Nick has been spending loads of money to impress his new wife and his friends are worried that disaster is inevitable.
"Cash strapped" Ed McMahon may have figured a way to get someone else to pay his bills. The litigious TV personality is now suing Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and billionaire Robert Day for unspecified damages. Remember the neck brace Ed snaps on nowadays before appearing on camera? Ed's lawyer says he slipped on Day's stairs and received inferior treatment at Cedars in March of 2007. (Please note the above photo was taken July 24, 2007, at The Simpson's Movie premier in LA - four months AFTER the "accident.") Day's insurance apparently couldn't come up with enough money to please McMahon. Lawsuits are one of Ed's favorite pastimes - remember he collected 7.2 million five years ago after claiming he had toxic mold in his home, which, oddly enough, he continues to live in.
Photo Credit: Splash News
The worm has TURNED regarding Liv Tyler's divorce. Just as it seemed like Liv and her husband Royston Langden were getting along, and at the very least, destined have a civilized split, he hired a hungry lawyer. Royston hasn't been making much money as a musician so Liv was the breadwinner while they were married. (And THAT irked her) Liv's career is flourishing with The Strangers and The Incredible Hulk, and Royston wants a BIG chunk of her income. Now it's turning into a custody court battle and Liv is not happy. She hopes to move to Los Angeles temporarily to get away from it all.
Don't waste your sympathy on Ed McMahon. In the 90's this man had an estimated 200 million dollars worth of real estate - mostly in Malibu. Keep in mind that besides doing the Carson show, he did Star Search from '83 to '95 and his Bloopers show from '82 to '98 plus other shows and voice-overs too numerous to mention. And don't forget the Publishers Clearing House scam! Few Hollywood careers can top Ed's for prosperity and longevity.
Litigious McMahon collected 7.2 million just six years ago when he sued everyone in sight for "mold" he supposedly found in his house. After all that mold publicity, why is he surprised no one wants to buy the house? (The lawsuit paid for the house, anyway.) We feel he's scamming here, trying to get our sympathy. We were SURE of it when he snapped on that neck brace just before he walked on the Larry King show. Poor little Ed is willing to take our DONATIONS! Even Ed's manager theorized that Ed blew his money because he DRANK to much and didn't pay attention to his spending. We think he still has plenty of money stashed somewhere and he's pulling off some kind of financial shenanigans.
Photo Credit: Buzz Foto
Not only is Suzanne Somers raking in the bucks on the Home Shopping Network, but she's taken a tip from Tupperware and has reps throwing at-home parties to demonstrate her goods. Groups of friends - mostly housewives and gay men - have "Suzanne Parties" where they gather to cook and taste her diet food, try on her jewelry, test her beauty products, and demonstrate her "Face-Master." Wine is served, everybody has fun and orders are taken on the spot.
Anyone who frequents flea markets knows how hard those people work who sit outside all day in all kinds of weather selling their vintage or discount items. And it's not often that a celebrity and onetime popstar sets up a booth. Boy George must have fallen on hard times because he's now a bald and plump t shirt vendor at an East End market in London. One of the styles he sells says "PARIS HILTON S*CKS" George better be careful or his head will get sunburned.
We don't know WHAT to think about this photo of Carrot Top that came out of Las Vegas. He gets scarier looking every day and when he's pictured next to an attractive woman, it's even more evident. It's also unsettling to contemplate just WHY she is in his arms. Is this an example of how fame and possibly money, makes a guy more appealing?
This just in: The pretty girl with Carrot Top has been identified as Julie McQueen and she happens to be very fond of him!
Remember adorable Gail O'Grady who played the unforgettable Donna Abondando on NYPD Blue? She later appeared on American Dreams. According to the Enquirer, she's tragically addicted to gambling. When she was young, Gail, who's now 45 and still gorgeous, always had wealthy boyfriends who took her to Las Vegas and indulged her bad habit. After she became a successful actress, her addiction escalated and she's declared bankruptcy for the second time in fifteen years. She's obsessed with blackjack, video poker and slots. Gail's mired in debt and owes money to casinos, credit card companies, the IRS, her mortgage company, and all her friends! Her estranged fifth husband says "Gail makes a great living but not enough to support her gambling habit!" Who knew?
Photo Credit: Splash News
Michael Jackson's mother Katherine and other family members no doubt heaved a sigh of relief when mortgage payments were made at the LAST minute on their Encino home. The family compound has narrowly avoided foreclosure several times before. Michael's mother has been the most steady resident since the house was purchased in the 70's. Besides being the location for dysfunctional family get-togethers, it's like a hotel for Michael's less successful brothers when they get divorced or hit hard times - not to mention their wives, ex-wives and large assortment of children. Even LaToya moves in once in awhile. The not so wealthy family members have always had the house there when they needed a place to sleep - what'll they do when it's gone? The loss of this house would be more tragic than the Neverland ranch.
Photo: WENN
Bobby Brown might be envious when he hears that his ex Whitney Houston is negotiating to sing at a one night charity event in London for almost three million dollars. Billionaire philanthropist John Cauldwell is taking a chance by hiring Whitney to entertain at his children's fundraiser in May. Whitney hasn't done much performing in the past few years since she divorced Bobby and gave up drugs. Whitney's dressing room requests for the posh event are NOT elaborate (in other words she's no J-Lo.) Among her modest needs were M&M's, camomile tea, bagels with cream cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, donuts for her entourage, and, oddly, bottles of AMERICAN water!
Photo Credit: Splash News
The Jonas Brothers still aren't old enough to drink, but they're old enough to cash a $25 million dollar paycheck! Kevin, 20, Joe, 18, and Nick,15, hit it BIG when they opened for Miley Cyrus. Now they've just signed their own lucrative deal with Live Nation to tour the country for the next three years. An insider predicts "These guys were an instant hit and the 25 million is just the beginning - they'll haul in millions more with other ventures."
Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News
These incredibly corny photo set-ups that Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag arrange, continue to be a significant source of income. SOMEBODY is actually buying them! On Valentines day they "shared" their tender moments when Spencer gave Heidi a pair of platform shoes as a gift (?) and they smooched on a yacht. Seriously, these arranged photo-ops pull in an average of $10,000 a week for the couple to split! (Spencer used to take ALL the money until Heidi found out they were getting paid.) Nauseating, isn't it?
When Britney Spears' father Jamie finally took a close look at her finances he was appalled first by a $225,000 American Express bill for one month! Brit's parents are trying to track down how Britney spent 22 million dollars since she split with Kevin. They're not sure exactly when Sam Lutfi declared himself her manager and took control of her finances, but the wild spending has been going on for awhile. According to the Enquirer, Jamie was outraged by the bills for rental cars- sometimes three at a time, besides the $250,000 Mercedes sports car Britney bought. Brit paid 7.2 million for a house with all it's furnishings, and then totally redecorated. She spent $200,000 on chandeliers alone, much more on jewelry, cameras, and flat screen TV's - just SOME of the things Jamie listed as missing from Britney's house. Brit's business manager says Lutfi sent outrageous invoices and contracts but he refused to give him any money. Sam Lutfi has a lot of explaining to do.
Michael Jackson's financial situation is getting worse every day and he's not doing anything to fix it. According to Roger Friedman in his Fox 411 column, Jackson has 90 days to pay back a 23 million dollar loan or he will lose Neverland, which he used as collateral. Right now Michael is living in an expensive rental in Washington DC and Neverland is vacant. Last summer Michael tried to weasel out of contracts he signed by claiming he was under the influence of prescription drugs. We wonder if Mickey Fine Pharmacy in Beverly Hills, who also sued Michael, ever got THEIR money. Somehow we doubt it. Insiders are speculating that Michael might file bankruptcy in the next 90 days.
