Fundraiser

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

One of the biggest stories of the week was A$AP ROCKY’s ongoing criminal trial and Rihanna making an appearance. Here’s what we know. Days before the trial started the rapper gave RiRi a tennis necklace dripping with over 100 carats of diamonds. My source says the gift was an apology for putting her through the stress of a criminal trial. Even though he insists he is innocent, Rocky knows attending a criminal trial is the last place Rihanna wants to be, so THAT’S why he surprised her with the expensive trinket.

The tragic mid-air plane collision above Washington D.C. wasn’t a Hollywood story, but there is a celebrity angle. We just heard that many professional figure skaters, including Nancy Kerrigan, are planning a fundraising performance to raise money for the victims families. (many were figure skaters returning from an event in Wichita, Kansas) Nancy is keeping it a secret, but is telling pals that she’s considering inviting her arch rival Tonya Harding to join her on the ice. Anyone over 40 will remember their skating feud was one of the biggest scandals of the 1990s, when Nancy was whacked in the knee with a baseball bat by the then-husband of Harding. Nancy believes that reuniting with Tonya could raise MILLIONS for the air crash victims so she’s willing to consider it.

White Lotus was in the news when creator Mike White revealed the latest installment has a character who may rival fan favorite Jennifer Coolidge’s iconic performance. What Mike didn’t reveal though, is that he’s partnering with The Four Seasons hotel chain, and parlaying the successful series into a vacation package. While the details are still being worked out, the plan is to have some of the cast from the first season host a weekend at the chain’s Maui location, and then the cast from season two will host a similar event at the chain’s Sicily location. Before you start booking your trip, my insider source says that the immersive experience won’t be cheap and could go for $10,000 per person or more!

Kansas City Chiefs made the news for cinching another trip to the Super Bowl and of course their star player, Travis Kelce and his girlfriend, Taylor Swift dominated the headlines. Unlike last season when Taylor was on tour and had to fly halfway around the world to attend the big game, this time around she has a break in her schedule. So win or lose, immediately after the game we know that she and Travis are jetting off on a tropical vacation (we are hearing Bora Bora) and my source says that all signs point to then getting engaged while they are there. In case you were wondering, Travis already has the ring.

Finally, RFK JR. and his cousin Caroline Kennedy were in the news after she penned and published a letter urging the Senate not to confirm his as US Secretary of Health and Human Services. Here’s what we know. Caroline beefed up her personal security immediately after releasing that letter because she was concerned some MAGA maniac would target her for going against the wishes of Donald Trump. Ironically, it was her former cousin-in-law, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who suggested she temporarily add more security until the confirmations are over and the dust has settled.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

Donald Trump continues to make news now that he’s inaugurated as our 47th president, and his friendship with the world’s richest man, Elon Musk has drawn a lot of interest. We just heard this on VERY GOOD authority. Donald, who likes to talk tough, gets very SUBMISSIVE to Elon when they are behind closed doors and it’s becoming an issue for those in his inner circle. Donald seems SO impressed (and intimidated) by Elon’s enormous wealth that he pretty much lets Elon call the shots when they are strategizing on policy and most everything else. Even Donald’s wife Melania is unhappy with the change in Donald’s demeanor, and she’s made no secret of her disdain for Elon. Behind the scenes she’s scheming to put some distance between her husband and Elon.

Wendy Williams made headlines once again for more phone interviews (including one on TMZ) where she is pleading for her release from what she describes as a luxury prison. Here is what we know. Behind-the-scenes, Oprah Winfrey is getting involved, trying to secure a one-on-one in person interview with Wendy. Oprah wants to see for herself if Wendy is truly being held unnecessarily under a conservatorship. Of course, Oprah being Oprah, she’s not out to exploit Wendy, so if the interview does happen, and Wendy doesn’t appear lucid, Oprah is telling pals, it will never see the light of day.

Jamie Foxx made headlines when it was announced that he and his girlfriend of more than a year, Alyce Huckstepp had called it quits. As we previously reported, Jamie and his ex-girlfriend Katie Holmes started talking soon after he recovered from his stroke. Now we know this. Although Katie has been rumored to be dating since splitting with Jamie, she’s always carried a torch for him, and he for her. The first time around their timing was off, but my inside source says don’t be too surprised if the former couple reconciles sooner rather than later.

The Los Angeles fires continue to make headlines more than two weeks after they first ignited. There’s been much debate about whether or not LA should host this year‘s upcoming Academy Awards but in true Hollywood tradition, the show must go on. We just heard this… producers are planning to turn segments of the show into a fundraiser, and are even planning to have some of the brave men and women of the fire department present some of the awards that night. So when they’re not handing out trophies, the focus will be on the fires. Even the red carpet is getting a makeover – instead of talking about fashion, celebrities will talk about how the fires have affected them and their loved ones.

Speaking of the Academy Awards, the nominees were announced on Thursday, January 23. While Ariana Grande was nominated for best supporting actress, her friend and former child star Selena Gomez was not. We just heard that the gals sent each other lavish floral arrangements after the nominations were announced. It was just a coincidence, but Selena wanted to congratulate Arianna for getting a nod, and Arianna wanted to let Selena know she felt she was snubbed.

And one last piece of Oscar gossip. Demi Moore, a Best Actress nominee for The Substance, is hoping to bring her ex-husband Bruce Willis as one of her Oscar dates! Bruce doesn’t get out much since his health has deteriorated due to dementia, but he does have good days, and Demi’s dream is to bring Bruce, their daughters and Bruce’s wife as her dates.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

Understandably, the Los Angeles fires continue to be the biggest story out of Hollywood this week. We just heard this interesting tidbit. The popular online resale site, The Real Real is being overwhelmed with requests from consignors who lost everything in the fires requesting their things back. The site is popular with the wealthy and celebrities and Melissa Rivers is one of their clients who is requesting to have her items returned. My source says the company is overwhelmed with requests from the fire victims since a large percentage of those affected use the site to sell their used clothing.

Carrie Underwood made headlines when it was announced she would be the headliner at Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration. Carrie, who previously kept her political beliefs close to her vest, didn’t come out and endorse Trump, but she did explain that her reason for performing is to hopefully bring the country together. We just heard that Carrie was by far the first choice of the inaugural committee, but other bigger stars refused to participate. Not only that, but the celebrity guest list of those agreeing to attend is shaping up to be a who’s who of has-beens.

Justin Baldoni made the news once again for suing Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for $400 million for defamation of character and extortion. We know this. Odds are, this case and Blake’s previously filed case against Justin will never see the light of day inside of a courtroom. These competing lawsuits, stemming from their movie, This Ends with Us, is the LAST thing the studios involved in the production and release (Columbia and Sony) want, so behind closed doors negotiations are beginning. We heard a deal is being floated to have both parties drop their suits and Blake and Justin will walk away with guaranteed movie deals. My source adds that the studios will likely be the ones who put all of this to rest.

Kate Middleton made headlines when she visited the hospital where she received treatment and announced she was in remission. We just heard that the popular Royal is gearing up for her first major TV interview where she will disclose her exact illness and talk about her treatment, prognosis and more. The BBC is finalizing plans to secure the interview with a HUGE donation to Kate’s favorite charities.

Speaking of Royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in the news for visiting the ravished LA areas destroyed by the wildfires. Some people (including blast from the past) Justine Bateman blasted the duo’s visit as nothing more than a photo-op. We just heard that Harry and Meg are also spearheading a fundraiser at their Montecito, California estate with plans to charge attendees $100,000 each for the chance to meet and mingle. The event is being planned now, and already there’s interest among some high moneyed neighbors who have yet to befriend the royals. Meg and Harry are picking up the tab for the staff and catering with 100% of the proceeds going to the fire victims.

Finally, another blast from the past, Sally Struthers, made headlines for going on a podcast and dishing the dirt on Betty White and Norman Lear. Sally took a lot of flak for speaking ill of the dead since they can’t defend themselves, but we just heard the entire thing was to test the waters and see if the public was still interested in what Sally had to say. Apparently they are, so now Sally is shopping around a book deal for her autobiography where she will drop many more secrets about her decades in Hollywood.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

Another whirlwind political week with the news that President Joe Biden was ending his campaign and all but anointed his successor, Vice President Kamala Harris. We are hearing that Hollywood was starting to abandon Joe after that scathing op-ed by George Clooney, but is now gearing up for the biggest star studded fundraiser EVER, to boost Kamala’s financial war chest. The details are still being sorted out, but according to my source it’s going to rival with Academy Awards with A-listers willing to contribute a minimum of $100,000 for an invite. We will share more details as we hear them.

Speaking of Joe Biden, now that he’s bowing out of the race and set to retire in January once his presidency is over, we just heard he’s planning a major change. Although Joe has called Delaware his home for most of his life, he wants to be closer to his California based son Hunter, so he’s already working with a top LA based realtor looking at suitable homes in the LA area. My source says that he wants to be on or near a beach and security is one of the concerns so he’s looking at gated waterfront properties from Orange County up through Santa Barbara.

Jennifer Aniston made headlines after she took to social media in a heartfelt post about women who can’t bear children after misogynistic comments from vice presidential candidate JD Vance recently resurfaced. Just heard from a well placed source that Jen, who usually stays away from the nastiness of politics, is now going all in for Kamala Harris and will soon appear alongside her at a political rally focusing on women’s reproductive rights.

Speaking of JD Vance, there are some rumblings that Donald Trump regrets listing to his son, Don Junior, who was pushing for Vance to be selected as the running mate. Our spot-on political source reports that there’s a plan being talked about to have Vance bow out of the campaign and claim a personal family matter is the reason. My source insists that Trump completely regrets choosing Vance, but if he decides not to replace him, you can expect to hear a lot less of JD on the campaign trial. As my source put it, Trump didn’t trust his instincts and was swayed by his son and now has serious second thoughts.

Enough politics -back to entertainment. Celine Dion made headlines for two things – performing at the Olympics and signing up for a residency at Resorts World in Las Vegas. What DIDN’T come out though, is what we just heard. She’s also recording a new album which will drop around the same time she kicks off her residency in Sin City.

And finally, as we exclusively reported, Leah Remini finally sold her Studio City, California home and we just heard she’s now looking for a new home in the LA Valley, but wants one in a guard gated community. Our source explains that Leah is still be hounded by her former pals in Scientology so that’s why she’s hypersensitive to make sure her new home has ample armed security guards.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

HOLLYWOOD IS PRESSURING JOE BIDEN

A defiant Joe Biden refuses to end his presidential campaign despite calls from within the Democratic Party that it’s time for him to pass the torch. Biden’s insistence in staying in the race, and possibly handing the presidency back to convicted felon Donald Trump, isn’t winning him many fans among Hollywood’s elite. According to my source, a group of Hollywood A-listers just canceled their plans to host a $100,000 per person fundraiser in Pacific Palisades for Biden, and now many other celebs are jumping ship. Rob Reiner was one of the first to beg Biden to quit, but his pleas fell on deaf ears, so now other movers and shakers are planning to go public in hopes of getting Biden to throw in the towel.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA The Bidens return to the White House

OPRAH PLANS TO SQUEEZE HER CONNECTIONS TO HELP MAUI

Stand back ! Here she comes… Oprah Winfrey intends to lead the way in fundraising efforts to rebuild Lahaina, Maui, the historic and beloved community all but destroyed by wildfires. According to a friend, not only does Oprah plan on writing her own huge check to the effort, but she’s launching a foundation and will lean on her countless celebrity friends and fellow billionaires to toss in some cash. Early estimates put the damage in the BILLIONS to rebuild Lahaina, but if ANYONE can do it, Oprah can. She’s a major landowner on the Hawaiian Island, with an estate on approximately 2000 acres (!) and it’s been her second home for decades, so she’s dedicated to making it happen.

 

PHOTO: Instagram

SUDDENLY BILL MURRAY IS “MR NICE GUY”

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Bill Murray has often been dismissed as a grouchy old guy – and indeed he has his moments. But he was a real hero last weekend in Las Vegas for a friend in need. Back in the 1970’s Bill and chef Kerry Simon worked at a Little Caesar’s pizza parlor in Chicago. They both found success – Bill as a comic on Saturday Night Live and Kerry worked his way up to head chef at The Plaza hotel In the 90’s. That’s when we met him – he was handsome and a major celebrity in New York. We’re sorry to hear that Kerry is now battling an incurable condition called Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA) and he held a big fund-raiser to Fight MSA in Las Vegas. His old friend Bill Murray showed up and couldn’t do enough – he entertained and socialized and posed for photos with everyone. Review Journal reporter Norm Clarke couldn’t stop raving about him. Bill helped Kerry raise $550,000 for MSA.
Photo: Norm Clarke

ELTON JOHN’S $5000 A PLATE OSCAR PARTY

A friend managed to snap some photos INSIDE Elton John’s $5000 PER SEAT Oscar viewing dinner party in West Hollywood. (The money did go to his AIDS foundation, but wouldn’t it be nice if he supported a women’s charity also?) Anyway, our spy was mighty impressed with the mountain of Godiva chocolate boxes near the entrance. Celebrities got in free – Emma Roberts and Chace Crawford ignored the chocolates and smoked outside. They were overheard plotting to crash the Vanity Fair party. Some people are never satisfied.

KEVIN FEDERLINE: RAKING IN THE BUCKS

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Partygoers at Kevin Federline’s birthday bash at Pure in Las Vegas were disappointed that his estranged wife Britney Spears didn’t show up. Kevin’s OTHER ex Shar Jackson DID turn up however, fueling speculation about their relationship. Her real friends were relieved that Britney had the sense NOT to attend. We were AMAZED to learn how much money celebrities can take home just by sponsoring these parties. When Jay-Z has a party he walks away with $250,000 in CASH. A BAG of money and it’s all legal! Insiders estimate that Kevin hauled in $100,000 for HIS party, plus private jets, fancy suites, and all expenses paid for him and his friends. We wonder if he was worth it since Britney didn’t show.