Melissa Rivers

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

BRISTOL PALIN AND JOAN RIVERS LIVING TOGETHER?

With no “Mr Selfridge” to look forward to on Sunday nights, we have to find other amusements. “Celebrity Wife Swap” can be surprisingly revealing and this week Bristol Palin and Melissa Rivers are trading places as single mothers. Bristol lives in small town Wasilla, Alaska with her sister Willow and her 4 year old son Tripp. Melissa lives in a Los Angeles mansion with her mother Joan Rivers and her son Cooper, 12. (Willow and Joan will stand in for the missing “husbands.”) How BRAVE is Bristol to move in with Joan, who has probably made hundreds of Sarah Palin jokes? (We recall Joan labeling Palin “a Nazi, stupid and crazy.”) It just shows how much these girls love doing reality shows. Definitely worth a look tonight on ABC.
Photo via: Fox News

MAYBE JOAN AND MELISSA RIVERS WEREN’T IN THE MOOD FOR DRAG QUEENS

Joan Rivers disappointed drag queens and their fans at The Rage in West Hollywood last night. Every Tuesday the fiercest drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race put on a dazzling musical show and it’s a huge draw- standing room only. Everyone got very excited when it was announced that Joan and Melissa Rivers would be judging the talent and filming it for their reality show. The excited drag queens were dressed up in their finest when the film crew arrived and started bossing everyone around. Joan was in no mood to sit through all those musical performances so she just picked five “girls” to walk the runway and she decided the winner on LOOKS alone. The crowd was upset – NO MUSIC- no fun- and the queens were disgruntled. A source told us Joan and Melissa weren’t very sociable – they barely spoke to anyone, much less each other, and the festivities didn’t start until they left at midnight.

“MOTHER KNOWS BEST:” JOAN RIVERS WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET MELISSA A JOB

We thought something was fishy when Joan Rivers put her Marie Antoinette-style New York penthouse up for sale in May for 25 million dollars. (Click here for details on The Real Estalker) Joan originally moved from LA to New York because she felt it was the only place a mature woman could find a decent social life – and she has THRIVED there, rubbing elbows with high society. So what possessed her to pack up and LEAVE? The prospect of having a reality show with her lookalike daughter is probably the only thing that could have pried her out of her beloved NYC. Joan is moving in with Melissa and her son Cooper and possibly a boyfriend in LA for their show called “Mother Knows Best.” Let’s face it, Melissa has mouths to feed and Joan has always been there for her. The show will air in December on WE.