We’ve all been bombarded online with cruel photos of celebrities in extremely unflattering “then and now” comparisons. Depressing. Are they supposed to make US feel superior or better about ageing? We were happily surprised to see these photos of Paul Rudd in his 20’s and his 50’s. He looks better than ever. It’s time to STOP those awful negative comparisons….
PHOTO: Instagram
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman have a lot in common. They are back together costarring in Practical Magic 2 – the ancestral magic film about the Owens sisters, a family of witches who are looking for love. Both are dressed to kill at the London premier and both HAPPEN to be single and looking for love in real life. We think they look great and are likely to get whatever they want. What do YOU think?
Without a doubt the biggest story of the week was the death of the one and only Dolly Parton, so much of this week’s recap will focus on what we know. Dolly’s unexpected death prompted President Donald Trump into action and we know why. Donald can be a loose cannon at times and mercurial to say the least , and he was miffed that Dolly turned him down twice when he offered her the Presidential Medal of Freedom ( for the record she also turned down then President Joe Biden when he wanted to honor her). As soon as word broke of Dolly’s death, First Lady Melania Trump called her hubby and told him EXACTLY what he needed to do. She instructed him to avoid sly comments and not make any of this about himself. For once he took her advice , and chose the high road in honoring Dolly by having the nation’s flag lowered at half mast for an unprecedented week.
In other Trump/Dolly news we can tell you this. Not only did Trump lower the flags, he also plans to put Dolly on a US stamp as soon as the law allows. My source tells me this isn’t completely altruistic on Trump’s part as he knows the vast majority of the world loved Dolly – regardless of their political or religious beliefs . He feels aligning himself with her legacy will help improve not only HIS legacy , but perhaps also influence the upcoming midterm elections.
Our source connected to the Academy tells us that although the Oscars are many months away, the powers that be are already brainstorming ways to properly memorialize Dolly. The Academy has already bestowed her with an honorary Oscar, but the current idea floating around is to have her 9 To 5 costars, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin appear together and talk about Dolly . This would be followed by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus singing a medley of Dolly’s most famous songs.
Finally, the last Dolly tidbit. Keep in mind this one is pure speculation on the part of a source but we are hearing that the reason Dolly’s death seemed so shocking is that she kept releasing video statements updating people on her health when she canceled her Las Vegas residency , and she looked GREAT in those videos. Again this isn’t fact , just speculation, but we are hearing that those videos were either created entirely by AI or highly enhanced with the help of artificial intelligence. THAT’S why Dolly looked like the picture of perfect health.
(We cannot resist pointing out that Donald Trump said he admired Dolly and considered her a “national treasure” and he insists that she liked HIM also. However it appears that they have NEVER been photographed together. )
In other Hollywood news, Blake Lively was all but humiliated when a judge shot down her request for nearly $8 million in legal fees against Justin Baldoni, and awarded her only around $400k instead. Here’s what we know. The entire lawsuit cost Blake dearly, because her career is in near shambles, and she lost her friendship with her former best friend Taylor Swift. Behind closed doors , she has been speaking with a crisis management team and her first step will likely be to donate the entire amount of her settlement to a charity that works with abused women. My source says Blake is eager to change the narrative and she fears her career is never going to be where it was unless she does a complete pivot – so that’s why she’s called in the public relations professionals.
Olympic gold medalist skater Alysa Liu also made headlines when she announced she was taking a year off from competing to focus on “improving her skills” – including fine tuning her spins and jumps. Here’s what we know. Alysa is considered the best figure skater in the world , having won both the gold medal and the world championship, so the REAL reason she’s pausing from competing is that Hollywood and the rest of the world is calling! She’s been swamped with offers for everything from movie appearances to lucrative sponsorship deals. She wants to strike while the iron is hot – and that’s the reason we hear she’s taking the self-imposed hiatus from the ice.
Kim and Kayne’s 13-year-old daughter, North West , made headlines when she appeared in a long blue wig with piercings on the cover of Dazed magazine. In the interview she revealed she wants to get a normal job at Starbucks when she turns 14. Here’s what we know. North already HAS a secret deal in place collaborating with Starbucks in hopes of attracting a younger crowd to the chain! She already had the connection to the coffee giant because her aunt, Khloe Kardashian, sells her popcorn, Khloud at the chain. My source says North is working on a signature blue drink that will likely be released in the spring, and of course she will get a part-time job at one of her local Starbucks to generate TONS of press.
The unexpected but not totally shocking death of Dolly Parton seems to be the one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on – she was an icon who deserves to be remembered with the highest of honors. That’s exactly why President Trump ordered the nation’s flags to be lowered at half mass. Interesting fact – Dolly turned down one of the nation’s highest honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom three times. Two times during Trump’s first administration and the third during the Biden presidency. Dolly was as old school as they come and she realized early on as an entertainer it is best to keep your personal politics to yourself. Although quite religious, she was nonetheless a strong defender of gay rights and also donated millions to promote reading and supply libraries with books. She was unapologetically herself with big wigs, low cut glittery outfits, high heels and unparalleled generosity. It goes without saying there will never be another Dolly and she will certainly be missed. Bet you didn’t know that dog lover Dolly once released a collection of dog apparel called Doggy Parton, and all the proceeds went to her favorite animal rescue.
PHOTO: Backgrid USA
Our starlet just LOVES to be in love, and some might say that’s her addiction. She decided to take a pause from dating and focus on her family and her career , but old habits die hard. She recently met a much younger grip on the set of her latest project and even though he’s young enough to be her son , she started a secret romance. She promised herself it was just going to be a “friends with benefits” situation , but she quickly started developing feelings for the handsome stud-muffin. She confided to a few friends – and while their advice has been mixed – she’s pretty much decided to follow her heart and not her head, and start an actual relationship with her sexy boy toy. She knows many will roll their eyes (due to her dating history) but at this point in her life she doesn’t care what people think as long as she’s sexually satisfied – and THAT she definitely IS.
GUESS WHO!!
Our good looking actor is known for his sexual proclivities almost as much for his roles. He recently began a new relationship that seemed promising , but it ended before it could really take off. The reason? Although he talks a big talk about being a lothario , he wrote a check that his body just couldn’t cash. Despite all the stories about him being a kinky wild man in bed , he couldn’t even rise to the occasion with his latest romantic interest and THAT’S the reason the romance fizzled faster than his last Hollywood project.
GUESS WHO!!
Image is EVERYTHING to our handsome chap – after all , that’s the reason he’s famous to begin with. He has practically no body fat and he usually looks like a Greek god, but that wasn’t always the case. You see , our guy grew up as a fat kid and struggled with his weight for much of his childhood. By the time he arrived in Hollywood he had transformed himself into a muscle man. Deep down inside, however, he suffers from body dysmorphia and while he’s the last person who should be taking the “fat shot” to lose weight, that’s exactly what he’s doing. Since his regular doctor refused to prescribe it for him , he has his plump housekeeper get the prescription. His inner circle ( which includes many A -listers) is starting to worry, since lately he’s appearing gaunt but he refuses to listen and continues injecting himself.
GUESS WHO!!
Perez Hilton is disfigured after live-streaming himself cutting his body and face with a large knife a few weeks back. As we previously reported, Perez is still receiving psychiatric care in a hospital but when he’s not in therapy sessions, he’s spending his downtime searching for a skilled plastic surgeon who can minimize the permanent scarring to his face and body. According to my source, Perez is most concerned about the scarring to his face and if plastic surgery or lasers can’t fix the problem he’s planning to undergo a relatively new procedure of having skin colored tattoos cover the scars.
PHOTO: Instagram
Mark Ruffalo is NOT afraid to speak out about things he’s passionate about. In addition to being very vocal in his support for Palestine , he recently spoke out against the Paramount Warner Brothers merger that’s currently being challenged in court – and because of that , he’s being accused of antisemitism. Politics aside, we aren’t going to delve into much of this, but we CAN share that we just happen to know some of Mark’s longtime friends, (from when he was an aspiring actor studying at Stella Adler in Hollywood )and guess what – they’re Jewish. Mark has spent countless Jewish holidays with them and has remained close to them for over 40 years. So whatever your beliefs are, we can say with confidence that Mark is not an antisemite.
PHOTO: Backgrid USA
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are likely getting back together – but before you start shopping for another wedding present – it’s only for a TV commercial. Ben’s Super Bowl ads for Dunkin Donuts have proven to be very popular , and since Jen has already been featured , it’s only natural the company wants them to film a spot together to air during next year’s big game. The details are still being ironed out , and although their marriage was fairly short lived, Ben and Jen have remained on good terms. My source says they both stand to pocket MILLIONS, especially if they are willing to poke fun at themselves. Here’s why… the concept is to announce a new promotion with the tagline nothing lasts forever!
PHOTO: Backgrid USA
