uVevo

Showing posts with label Celebrity. Show all posts

Would You Cover Any “Body Part” Insurance Policies Plan ?

We’ve all heard of the stories–this actress insured her legs, that one her breasts. Can you really insure such things? And why would you?

The answer to the first question is yes. You can insure pretty much anything some insurance company somewhere is willing to insure–and for the right price, you’ll find companies quite willing to indulge whatever insurance whim you might have.

And the reason that people do this? Publicity. It’s a sheer stunt. A simple disability insurance plan would cover any “body part” insurance policies that a celebrity want to might have.

How Body-Part Insurance Works

Insuring a body part for a high amount of money makes it seem like the body part has been appraised at such a value. After all, you can’t insure a house or a car or a necklace for more than they are worth.

But that’s not how this “body part” insurance works. The celebrity–or, more often, the endorsement company–picks a number out of thin air: ”$1 million! No, $1.6 million! That seems like a more precise number.” And then they find an insurance company–usually Lloyd’s of London–that will write a policy for that amount.

You could insure yourself for $5 million, too, if you wanted, through life insurance. That doesn’t mean that someone came by, looked at your body, and declared, “This man is worth $5 million.” It just means that you are willing to make a bet that you will die that’s worth $5 million, and an insurance company is willing to take it.

The celebrity or endorsement brand pays their first premium, and then here comes the whole point of the stunt: The press release. The celebrity gets covered in the media, and the value of the celebrity’s brand–and whatever body part that the endorsement company is focused on–suddenly seems higher.

All because most people don’t understand insurance.

You might think that a brand that is using that celebrity’s body part to promote its goods has a legitimate business reason for insuring that body part. But this isn’t really so. There really is no business reason for L’eggs to have taken out a $1 million insurance policy on Jamie Lee Curtis when they hired her to promote their product. A simple termination clause would have kept them from having to continue to pay her if she had a terrible accident and one of her legs were mutilated. But the insurance policy got a great deal more press for L’eggs and their celebrity endorser, both.

The company might pay the premium for a year or two–but really, it’s all about the publicity, so why bother to keep it?

Of course, not every strange thing that people have insured is due to a clever bid for media attention. Sometimes people insure strange things because they’re crazy. But as long as they’re crazy and they’ve got the money, they’re likely to find someone to write a policy.

Craziest Celebrity Insurance Policies

So, now that we’ve covered the “why” and “how,” let’s get to the fun part: The “who” and the “what”!

Legs.

This is the most popular body part to cover.

Fred Astaire, Legs, $150,000

Betty Grable, Legs, $1 million

Mary Hart, Legs, $1 million

Rihanna, Legs, $1 million

Jamie Lee Curtis, Legs, $1 million — endorsement brand

Heidi Klum, Legs, $2.2 million – endorsement brand

Tina Turner, Legs, $3.2 million

Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley, Legs, $40 million

Mariah Carey, Legs, $1 billion – endorsement brand

Breasts.

Less common but no less of a stunt.

Holly Madison, Breasts, $1 million

Madonna, Breasts, $2 million

Dolly Parton, Breasts, $3.8 million

Voice and Hands.

A favorite of musicians and singers.

Marlene Dietrich, Voice, $1 million

Bruce Springsteen, Voice, $6 million

Rod Stewart, Voice, $15.5 million

Keith Richards, Hands, $1.6 million

Jeff Beck, Fingers, $10 million

Signature Body Parts.

Sometimes just because.

Jimmy Durante, Nose, $50,000

Troy Polamalu, Hair, $1 million – endorsement brand

Tom Jones, Chest Hair, $1 million

Gene Simmons, Tongue, $7 million

America Ferrera, Smile, $10 million – endorsement brand

Cricket player Merv Hughes, Mustache, $370,000 (Australian)

Tools of the Trade.

These are just two of the tasters who have sought to boost their reputations by insuring their senses of taste or smell.

Food critic Egon Ronay, Taste Buds, $ 400,000

Wine expert Angela Mount, Taste Buds, $16 Million

Sports Star’s Bodies.

Usually, the team takes out a comprehensive policy against injury or illness during a given season, but sometimes, sports stars take out policies of their own.

Mark McGwire, Ankle, $120 million

David Beckham, Injury, Illness, and Disfigurement, $195 million

And now for the crazy….

Shirley MacLaine, Alien Abduction, $25 million. Really, there’s nothing to say about that!

Provocative New Music Video

The Caribbean ladies make for a sizzling combination in the hot video, for the first single from the ‘Why Wait’ singer’s tenth album, ‘Shakira

Lyrically, it’s about how easy it is to forget how bad someone is for you when you still love them. Musically, Shakira has reverted back to the guitar-tinged new wave pop of her last English-language album, ‘She Wolf’.

Shakira is back with a brand new steamy music video - and this time Rihanna has also come along for the ride.

The Colombian stunner has teamed up with the Bajan beauty for the provocative "Can't Remember To Forget You" clip.

The video has already racked up around four million views.

In 2007, Gillette determined that Rihanna's legs were the most goddess-like of them all. She also scored $1 million worth of coverage for her sexy pins.

Insurance: $1 million

"I work with a trainer," Rihanna told People. "We work on the arms. I don't want manly, muscular arms. We work out my but# because I love my but#. [But] my legs are my main focus. I'm obsessed."

Elsewhere, One Direction’s ‘Midnight Memories’ album continues to smash records after it achieved the biggest pre-order in iTunes history, and sold 237,000 copies in its first seven days on sale. The band are the first ever to have their first three albums debut at No.1 in the US Billboard chart.

One Direction are nominated for Best British Group and Best British Single at the 2014 Brit Awards and will be touring the UK and Ireland in May and June.

He dubbed the 37-year-old Colombian singer, who appears in various provocative positions with Rihanna, a reference point for a society in moral decay.

Mr Ramirez, a self-styled ‘defender of morals and principles’ said the pair should be ashamed with the song he claims also promotes tobacco use, stealing and killing.

Rihanna then shows up, and it's not long before the pair get up close and personal - gyrating against a wall, cavorting on a duvet and sensuously smoking cigars.

Shakira dished the dirt on what it was like working with RiRi, 25, in February's edition of Glamour magazine.

"Working with her was utopia," said the 36-year-old mom-of-one, who gave birth to Barcelona soccer star Gerard Pique's son Milan in Barcelona, Spain, last January.

LIFE’S CELEBRITIES INSURANCE POLICY

In a Life Insurance policy there is a difference between the insured and the policy holder. Life insurance policies can be taken out on someone else’s life. Sadly there is a clause in Life Insurance policies that states that the person taking out the policy must have an ‘insurable interest’ in the insured. The clause is called the cestui qui vit or CQV and usually means that the person taking the policy out must actually suffer some kind of personal loss in the event of the death of the insured. This generally refers to people such as husbands, wives, parents, children or business partners.

This clause means that one cannot just take out speculative policies on someone they predict will die. Incredibly this is how life insurance began its life. In Victorian England people would take out policies on other people’s lives. They would publish news of deaths in the newspaper and speculators would receive a payout. This practice was later banned as it provided a motive for murder. Shame I say. It sounds like a fun gamble and I can think of a few celebrities that would be worth a punt.

Especially after hearing that TVs Ant and Dec have insured each other’s lives for a reported 2million pounds. Probably not the best punt as I imagine they are the cleanest living people on this planet. Perhaps Amy Winehouse or Pete Doherty would be a safer bet. Their reported drug abuse seems to suggest that they are destined to die young and would probably be insurable for far more. So here is my list of celebrities that I would take a punt on presuming the estui qui vit or ‘insurable interest’ clause did not exist.

Cliff Richard

I am convinced Cliff was pickled 30 years ago and is propped up by a team of record industry bigwigs. Technically he is already dead but no-one has allowed a doctor near him to verify it. As soon as they do you could be in for a massive payout because he is worth a lot of money.

Amy Winehouse

I fancy the reports that she is taking inhuman quantities of illegal substances are exaggerated. Nevertheless she is probably worth an outside punt and her youth would probably mean a larger payout.

The Queen

She can’t live forever can she? Although the Queen mum had an incredible run into old age I predict things will be less easy for the Queen; especially with the power hungry Duchess of Cornwall looking over her shoulder. Regicide? You don’t hear that often these days. The value of this policy would be innumerable.

Britney Spears

A long shot but well worth considering. After all it seems she will do anything for a bit of publicity. I would not put death beyond her marketing team. Add to this that she is probably worth billions she could be an excellent investment.

Hugh Hefner

Another one that I think is being propped up by a team of medical professionals. It’s about time that one of those bunny girls finished him off and with a potential payout of millions I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. Well worth a gamble.

Nia Long Dishes About The Best Man Holiday With Us

Fans of the 1999 hit movie The Best Man have long been looking forward to the sequel, The Best Man Holiday, which finally hits theaters today. One of the film's stars Nia Long, who plays sexy-smart Jordan Armstrong, stopped by Glamour HQ to talk about why the original film resonates with so many and what to expect from the much-anticipated sequel.

Tell us about the movie!
Nia: The film is basically about a group of friends that reunite after 15 years, real time. They reunite for the holidays. My character, Jordan, is a television producer. She’s now kind of running a network. Her challenge is that she’s not quite sure how to balance love and career. There’s a bunch of other characters, but Jordan is one of the characters from the original film. The movie is really about a group of friends getting together for the holiday and any and everything that could possibly happen happens. The good stuff, the bad stuff, you need tissues, there’s a lot of laughter, there’s beautiful women, sexy guys—there’s a little bit of everything. And it kind of kicks off the holiday spirit.

What do you think this film is going to mean to 20 year olds who may have not seen the original film,The Best Man?

Nia: Well, you know what’s interesting? I feel like the audience that knew us 14 years ago are now all the professional women who were just starting out in their careers. So it’s like, oh wow, my trajectory is good. And the women who are just starting out their careers are going to look at these characters and go, “OK, that’s where I want to go. That’s where I want to be.” Because each character has a really good profession. They're very contemporary characters. I think it‘s always great when you can go to a film and see something that you see in yourself or see in a friend, you know, something in common with the characters on film is always a great thing. And I think the younger audience is going to appreciate it just as much, and I don’t think you need to see the first one to get the second one.

Is the chemistry sort of still the same between your character and Taye Diggs’ character?
Nia: Well, it’s different now because obviously he’s married—he got proposed to in the last one. So he’s married, but I feel like there’s still those beats of, “Is he the one that got away?” You know how you have that one guy where you’re like, “Did I make the right move and the right choice?” Or maybe he’s thinking that about you? I still feel like we have that report with one another in the film, for sure.

Have you stayed in touch with everyone over the years?
Nia: We’re all friends. It’s kind of scary. I’m flying home with Terrence Howard tonight, which I’m really looking forward to. I just have to tell the flight attendant when to stop the liquor because I could see it getting real fun up in there! We’re all really good friends, and most of us have actually worked together before. Like, Morris Chestnut and I were in Boys in the Hood together, Terrence Howard and I were in Big Momma’s Housetogether, Sanaa Lathan and Taye did Brown Sugar together, and then Melissa De Sousa and Harold Perrineau actually went to college together and danced for Alvin Ailey together. There’s a scene in the film where the guys do Air Band and perform a song from New Edition, and you can tell the real dancers from actors because the real dancers are in your face and dramatic, and the actors are like, what? They’re good, but you can see the difference! It was nice because the ladies actually got to sit back and watch the men. You know, usually it’s us, the women, who are put on display. So we got to do a little objectifying ourselves by watching the boys perform. It was good.

Paula Patton : Our Girl of the Month

Her career’s on fire. Her husband’s everywhere. Actress Paula Patton, it’s clear, has arrived. It started with her turn in the fourth Mission: Impossible as an agent who can kick ass and rock a ball gown. Then her husband, Robin Thicke—get this, they were high school sweethearts—crafted a song we’re still humming, “Blurred Lines.” (The video is stocked with nearly naked models, but in real life all that Thicke wants to talk about is how hot he is for his gorgeous wife.) Now Patton has a new movie, the romantic comedy Baggage Claim, in which the 37-year-old plays a flight attendant still looking for love. (Don’t feel too bad for her, though, because her search involves Taye Diggs and Djimon Hounsou.) We grabbed some time with Patton to discuss Hollywood style, first-kiss magic—and how many of her guy’s sexy lyrics are really true.

GLAMOUR: You’ve been getting so much red-carpet attention. What’s your style philosophy?

PAULA PATTON: I would really love to be a sixties movie star like Sophia Loren or Brigitte Bardot but with a bohemian twist—I have a little bit of hippie in me. I was the kid who would go climb trees in a dress.

GLAMOUR: How do you deal with the pressure to look a certain way?

PAULA PATTON: I’m an extremist. Either I’m being healthy and organic, or I want a big, juicy In-N-Out burger, you know? And I want it now! It’s certainly not gonna make me a runway model, but it sure makes me happy.

GLAMOUR: You met Robin as a teenager. Do you remember your first kiss?

PAULA PATTON: He sang Jodeci’s “Forever My Lady” to me. He did a full-out R&B onstage performance in his dad’s living room. Then he kissed me. It worked!

GLAMOUR: You guys still seem very passionate. He did say in an interview that he turned you into a bad girl.

PAULA PATTON: He ruined me! Gosh, I hope I’m still a good girl and a bad girl at the same time. And I think that every girl should know the bad girl inside her—and that doesn’t make her bad, you know?

GLAMOUR: So in the “Blurred Lines” video, there’s that balloon message—“Robin Thicke has a big d-ck”…

PAULA PATTON: It’s cool, it’s funny, it’s awesome!

GLAMOUR: Yes, it’s definitely all of those things. But we have to ask: Is it accurate?

PAULA PATTON: Robin’s like, “Listen, if I’m, you know, in the Miami Heat’s locker room, I don’t know where I stand, but.…” But I think that the statement is fairly accurate!
—Jade Chang

Source : Glamour

5 Inspiring Quotes From the Women A.R.E. Summit

What do you get when you cross 300 of the country's most driven women with a stage, a few microphones, and the common goal of advancing women's roles? An awe-inspiring first Women A.R.E. (Aspire. Respond. Engage) Summit. Thrown by Women A.R.E. founders Angella Nazarian and Beth Friedman, the one-day event in Los Angeles united trailblazers in the fields of art, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and philanthropy in a series of panels featuring speakers such as Sharon Stone, Kathy Freston, Chelsea Handler, and Catherine Opie. With so many inspiring women in one room, it's no surprise that I left with some nuggets of wisdom. Here are my five favorite gems from the day.

"Women don't have to be jealous of other women." —Chelsea Handler
"I didn't want to be an actress; they're not fun to be around," said Handler, who discovered the competitive and jealous side of the entertainment world when she first began auditioning in Hollywood at age 19. "When you do stand-up, you're the center of your universe," she said. Handler went on to forge her own path, becoming the first female late-night television host, best-selling author, and one of 2011's Glamour Women of the Year to boot. Currently, Handler employs a 500-person staff across multiple shows, and 300 of those staff members are women. Her motto? "[Women] should lift each other up."

"Love others and lighten up!" —Marianne Williamson
Williamson, who just announced her first run for Congress in California, has impacted countless lives with her spiritual advice, 10 books, and the founding of Project Angel Food, which delivers meals in Los Angeles to homebound people affected by AIDS. And then she said this: "Being the best person you know how to be, living as heart-centered a life as possible is the key to success in work and everything else." espnw_2013summit_121

"Do what you are passionate about, and the dollars will follow." —Jane Wurwand
"You have to have fun," said Wurwand, founder of skin care line Dermalogica. Julie Clark, who launched Baby Einstein—and later sold it to Disney—shared similar sentiments as well as her own wisdom, also drawn from experience. "When you are passionate, you are afraid, because you are putting yourself on the line. It's difficult to take the first step, but that's what draws the good juju to you."

"You get to make this whole thing up as you go along." —Abigail Disney
"I wish I had known that anything is possible," said filmmaker and grassroots activist Abigail Disney of what she wishes she knew at the beginning of her career. "I thought there were lines, like in a coloring book, and I had to stay in them. There are no borders, and there are no limits. You get to make this whole thing up as you go along." And the proof is in the pudding: The pioneering women's rights documentarian is currently at work on her next project, highlighting the Arab Spring and its effect on women in the Middle East.

"Give of yourself whatever you can give, but don't put a judgment on it." —Wallis Annenberg
"Never explain to anybody, 'I can only afford this,'" said keynote speaker Annenberg, who recently bestowed the city of Beverly Hills with the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. In her speech, Annenberg emphasized being true to yourself and experimenting to find what you enjoy. A passionate philanthropist, Annenberg continues to reap the rewards of her work in culture and for her community. "You can't get that in a Neiman Marcus catalogue," she reminded the audience.

The Monster Talent: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is a Woman of the Year because... “When you interact with her, you become very aware of your life, your possibilities. You walk away thinking, OK, let’s do it.”

—Jeff Koons, artist

She’s a singer. No, she’s a performance artist. No, an activist. Actually, she’s an icon. But whoever Lady Gaga is on any given day—creator of dance-your-ass-off albums like her latest, Artpop; audacious wearer of parade-float-proportioned gowns; leader of the Born This Way Foundation, which works to end bullying; daughter, sister, and former Catholic-school girl known as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta—whoever she is, she’s always fascinating.

She’s also phenomenally successful: five Grammy Awards, 23 million albums sold, more than 40 million Twitter followers, 47 million wigs worn (we’re guessing). In between cranking out genre-bending albums and making the world a better place for the fans known as Little Monsters, Gaga, 27, has been named Forbes magazine’s “most powerful musician” and was crowned MTV News’ Woman of the Year—twice. She also finds time to be godmother to the two children of Elton John, who calls her “a loving and talented girl and great role model.” Artist Jeff Koons agrees. “She’s a leader; we need her,” he says simply. “Pop culture needs her.”

But accolades aside, under all the costumes and makeup lies an enormous conscience. Yes, Gaga aims to outrage, but she is also outraged by how challenging a place the world has become for anyone who grows up feeling different: A staggering one in four kids in the U.S. has been the victim of bullying. In 2011 Gaga joined forces with Harvard University to launch the Born This Way Foundation, an initiative and online community focusing on building young people’s self-confidence by sharing experiences. This year she gave her movement a grassroots edge—and a sleek, rainbow-colored tour bus. “The Born Brave Bus is like a traveling youth shelter,” Gaga explains. “Every day people can go to the bus and meet each other and speak to the counselor and learn about organizations within their community. It’s all about being involved and being a proponent of kindness—and bravery.”

Everything Gaga does is for her fans, “no matter what happens,” she says. So Glamour found the perfect (grown-up) fan to talk to her: Bravo talk show host and exec Andy Cohen. He gets our Woman of the Year’s story, right here.

ANDY COHEN: Where do you get your confidence? Because I think that’s something all the Women of the Year have in common.
LADY GAGA: It depends on what it is we’re talking about. I’m really confident about my music because I love it.

AC: But you’re confident in your presentation. You’ve been wearing that shell bikini and a teeny little miniskirt lately.
LG: Yeah. I’m confident in who I am. I’ve come to a place in my life where I’ve accepted things that are me, as opposed to feeling pressure to explain myself to people around me. That’s just the way I’ve always tried to be. It didn’t change when I became a star.

AC: But do you consider yourself to be beautiful?
LG: Not conventionally beautiful. If there was some sort of mathematical equation for beauty, I don’t know if I would be the algorithm. I’ve always been OK with that. I’m not a supermodel. That’s not what I do. What I do is music. I want my fans to feel the way I do, to know what they have to offer is just as important, more important, than what’s happening on the outside.

AC: I think that’s interesting. Because every time I see a shot of you stripped down without makeup or a costume, I’m struck by your physical beauty. Your layering of costumes—is that because of insecurity? Are you afraid of what’s under all those layers?
LG: I would say that I am. Maybe it’s from the things I experienced in my past, you know? Being beautiful is not so fun when you’re in a business with all men.

AC: Right.
LG: Because it can actually get in the way. So in some ways, the outfits—these creations are because I don’t want to face the reality of what people want from a female pop star. Everybody always laughs because I feel so much more comfortable with, like, a giant paper bag on my whole body and paint on my face. Sometimes I try really hard to take it all off. But inevitably what’s underneath is still not a straight edge. And I don’t think it ever will be.

AC: You have battled eating disorders since you were 15.
LG: Yeah.
AC: But you have no problem leaving the house in a G-string. That seems to be two different things—clearly, you’re conflicted about your body image.
LG: Yes. I always have been. And some days are better than others, you know? Some days I feel fantastic.

AC: How’s today?
LG: Today’s good. At the end of the day, I’m a tortured soul. [Laughs.]

Snap Judgments on Winter's New TV Show Trailers

I don't know about you, but I've been slightly underwhelmed by the first batch of shows that premiered during this TV season. The Blacklist is fine—James Spader is more or less watchable in anything—but for me, it's not must-see TV, Sleepy Hollow is a surprise hit, but only time will tell if it has what it takes to go the distance, Dads is horrible at depicting women. The point is that even the shows that are doing well don't quite have me jumping up and down out of my set. Thankfully, winter is just around the corner—which means there's a new crop of A-list talent dipping their toes in the TV pool. Let's take a look at a few trailers for these upcoming series, and I'll give you my take.

Show: Being Mary Jane
Synopsis: Follows the life of a 30-something career woman as she juggles dating, her hectic life as a TV show host, and her dysfunctional family.
Premiere Date: January 7 on BET

Snap Judgment: Let's be honest here: BET is super questionable when it comes the quality of their programming. For every funny series like Real Husbands of Hollywood, there's something craptastic like Don't Sleep! Hosted by TJ Holmes, which was supposed to be the urban version of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, except it was just awkward. But I will say that based on the movie premiere that aired last year, the show has a lot of promise. Gabrielle Union plays the title character with much aplomb, and there is enough comedy in it to not make this show seem like another story about a successful woman who can't find a man. Women will like the show because they can identify with her, and guys will like the show because...hello, bathtub! Union is stunning.

Show: Ground Floor
Synopsis: A workplace comedy with a dash of romance as a banker falls for a woman who works in the maintenance department of his office.
Premiere Date: November 14 on TBS

Snap Judgment: Hmm, I'm kind of on the fence. I've reached my limit with will they/won't they story lines; however, executive producer Bill Lawrence has a streak of creating hilarious workplace comedies such as Spin City, Scrubs, and Cougar Town. I would be shocked if all of a sudden he made a show that wasn't highly entertaining, so I'm willing to give this one a chance.

Show: Rake
Synopsis: A lawyer who is brilliant (of course), yet, he's not smart enough to keep his personal life from being a hot mess.
Premiere Date: January 19 on Fox

Snap Judgment: TV is really OD'ing on the whole white guy who is brilliant and charms the pants off everyone, even though he's a complete jerk, so that turns me off to this show. However, Rake is a remake of an Australian show, and American remakes tend to do very well over here. Plus, Greg Kinnear portrays the lead character, Keegan Deane, and I like Kinnear in just about everything he does. So I'm going to see what the critical buzz is on this before diving in.

Show: Surviving Jack
Synopsis: Set in the 1990s: Jack decides to become a stay-at-home dad so his wife can go to law school. Hilarity ensues as he learns how to be a father to his two teenage children.
Premiere Date: TBD on Fox

Snap Judgment: I love me some Christopher Meloni, y'all, so I'm intrigued by this show even though it seems to be a standard-issue sitcom. The fact that I laughed a couple of times during the trailer is promising, and because it is scheduled after the American Idol results show, I'm more inclined to stick around to at least check out a couple of episodes.

Show: The Spoils of Babylon
Synopsis: A parody of sweeping TV mini-series starring Tobey Maguire, Kristen Wiig, Haley Joel Osmont, Tim Robbins, and Val Kilmer.
Premiere Date: January 9 on IFC

Snap Judgment: I'm in. Completely. This looks awesome.

Show: True Detective
Synopsis: Hot piece Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson play two detectives whose lives are taken over by a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana.
Premiere Date: January 12 on HBO

Snap Judgment: It looks like your standard-issue moody police drama, but HBO rarely makes a misstep and always seems to find a way to make tried-and-true story lines interesting. I'm definitely checking out this one out.

Show: Enlisted
Synopsis: Sgt. Pete Hill returns back to a military base in Florida to lead his brothers' dysfunctional crew.
Premiere Date: January 10 on Fox

Snap Judgment: I generally enjoy loveable losers, and it seems like even though this is a comedy, it's still going to be respectful toward the military.

Show: Getting On
Synopsis: Set in a geriatric wing of a rundown hospital, this show follows around the nurses, doctors, and administrators who struggle to get through the day.
Premiere Date: November 24 on HBO

Synopsis: It's a dark comedy, features funny women, and seems to have heart as well. So excited for this one.

Chris Brown and Adele Were ‘Complimenting Each Other’

Sorry, Chris Brown haters. As much as many of us would love to believe that music royalty member Adele was giving the 23-year-old a piece of her mind at the Grammys the other night, seems that wasn’t the case at all.

Despite the fact the above photo made its way around the Internet yesterday and had multiple media outlets reporting that Adele “appeared to be shouting at Breezy,” was “confronting a sulking Brown,” and gave the hip-hop star a “tongue-lashing,” all because she was reportedly miffed when Brown didn’t stand when his enemy Frank Ocean won Best Urban Contemporary Album, the new mom now insists those reports got it all wrong.

“Chris Brown and I were complimenting each other in that photo actually!” Adele, 23, tweeted Tuesday afternoon.

Indeed, if you look at the second pic, taken just moments after the “exchange,” the two musicians seem to be getting along swimmingly, arms around each other, smiling for the camera.

First, no rivalry between Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. Now, no trouble between Chris Brown and Adele? Looks like we’ve got to turn to those “Real Housewives” for our feud fix.

Kat Von D Burned Down Her House ?

Following Kat Von D's 2010 house fire, the former "LA Ink" star has been served with a lawsuit from her insurance company, which claims that she was responsible for starting the fire.

State Farms has filed a nearly $1 million lawsuit against Jesse James'

ex after initially covering $909,199 in damages, according to E! Online.

Documents state that the fire was caused by unattended lit candles, which "subsequently started a fire within the premises." The reality star's cat Valentine died in the blaze.

But Von D took to Twitter to explain that she was not responsible for the house fire because she wasn't even home on Nov. 20, 2001, when the fire was started.

"Contrary 2 rumors-I did NOT burn my house down(I was on my booktour during the fire) and no, I did NOT kill my own cat," Von D tweeted Wednesday with a link to a previous Facebook note she wrote, commemorating her lost pet.

"As some of you know, my house burned down right at the half way mark of my book tour," she wrote in January 2011. "And it’s weird because almost everyone around me feels really bad for me. I know its all coming from a good place, and I definitely appreciate all the thoughtful condolences, not just for my loss of "stuff" but more importantly for the loss of my baby kitten, Valentine. But I’m honestly OK with it all if you gimme a chance to explain."

Von D's representatives have yet to comment on the lawsuit.

Rihanna Debuts Another New Do

If you don't like Rihanna's hairstyle, just wait five minutes and she'll change it.

The "Diamonds" singer was photographed donning her latest look in Los Angeles on Sunday. The 24-year-old sported long light brown locks, although she still showed off some of her partially shaved head. Her lengthy extensions are quite a change from the cropped style she wore over Christmas, when she sat courtside with on-again, off-again beau Chris Brown, 23, at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game.

RiRi's new 'do comes at a tumultuous time in her personal life. While she has yet to confirm that she and Brown are back together, her public appearance with Brown and Instagram photos of the two together suggest that they have reconciled. Both posted pics of themselves in bed under what appeared to be the same blanket, and Rihanna posted an image of the two posing on a car.

Of course, Rihanna has made it clear that she really doesn't care what people think of her hair or whether she reunites with Brown, who infamously assaulted her in 2009. To prove it, on Sunday she posted a pic of her face covered by her long locks and wearing a crown on her head.

"I'm not a princess, I don't need saving," was scrawled across the snap. "I'm a queen, I got this s*** handled."

Fashion Faceoff: Salma Hayek vs. Anne Hathaway

Today, actresses Anne Hathaway and Salma Hayek aren’t facing off at the box office, but on the red carpet. "Les Miserables" leading lady Hathaway, 30, and "Savages" star Hayek, 46, recently donned the same LBD, leaving us to decide ... who wore it best?!

What they wore: A knee-length, black Stella McCartney dress with sheer panels and fringe.

When they wore it: Hathaway chose the frock for her July 12 appearance on "Late Show With David Letterman.” Her competition wore it at the British Fashion Awards in London on November 27.

How they styled it: For Hathaway, the look was simple and all about the dress, as she added only black pumps and sunglasses. Hayek glammed it up more with a sparkly necklace and a swipe of bright lipstick, in addition to her black pumps and updo.

Judge's scorecard: The flapper-style design looks fabulous with Hathaway's cropped haircut! It also hangs well on her tiny frame. The always-stunning Hayek, on the other hand, impressed with pretty makeup. Who wins this Fashion Faceoff for you?

Megan Fox Joins Twitter – Hours After She’s the Subject of a Web Death Hoax

Just in time for #FollowFriday, Megan Fox has joined Twitter.

Describing herself as a “Lover. Healer. Mother.”, the 26-year-old actress posted her first tweet on Thursday afternoon – shortly after the prank site Global Associated News reported she had died and “RIP Megan Fox” became a trending topic on the microblogging site.

Fox didn’t mention the hoax in her first tweet, instead posting, "I'm incredibly late to the party but I'm here nonetheless, so what now?" On Friday morning she posted a second message, writing, "Hello twitter. How is everyones day going? 7:30am and we've watched 'A Bugs Life' twice...so mine has been action packed as per usual."

Mrs. Brian Austin Green already has 47,000 followers (and counting!), but that number is expected to soar. As for who she’s following, well, the answer is … nobody. But like she said, she’s late to the party – she’ll probably get the hang of it soon enough!

While the “This is 40” star is a newcomer to the Twitterverse, she already has a well-established presence on Facebook. Boasting nearly 40 million likes (in comparison, Britney Spears has only 22 million), Fox – or one of her assistants! – frequently posts to the Mark Zuckerberg-helmed site. Some popular things she’s shared are personal photos from before she was a star (see her with braces … and a not very Fox-y cardigan sweater!) and behind-the-scenes pics from recent photo shoots. It was also on Facebook where she broke the news that she and Green had welcomed their son Noah in September.

Now that she’s expanding her web presence, we can only hope that she’ll share a photo of baby Noah, who has not yet made his much-anticipated “celebrity baby debut.” If she does, we can only imagine the likes and RTs that little #NoahShannonGreen will get.

Fashion Faceoff: Michelle Pfeiffer vs. Cameron Diaz

Hollywood A-listers Cameron Diaz, 40, and Michelle Pfeiffer, 54, are both used to playing leading lady. But only one of them will walk away as the winner of this week’s Fashion Faceoff. Time for us to decide ... who wore it best?!

What they wore: A satin, strapless knee-length dress from Lanvin – in black for Diaz and bordeaux for Pfeiffer.

When they wore it: Diaz donned the frock while hosting a soiree for watchmaker TAG Heuer last month. Pfeiffer wore hers to the London premiere of "Dark Shadows" in May.

10F87E9341CC80A563A698609B75_h498_w598_m2_q90_cuwjFSOFT

How they styled it: The leggy Diaz pulled her hair back, slipped on some Gianvito Rossi pumps, and accessorized with a Lanvin necklace, Slane bangles, De Beers earrings, and a TAG Heuer watch. Pfeiffer opted for a low-key look, leaving her tousled locks down, and adding only Sergio Rossi slingback pumps and a sparkly bracelet.

Judge's scorecard: Props to Pfeiffer for choosing a color that will get her noticed and not being afraid to wear something that shows off her hot bod. She looks good, and she knows it! However, the fit of her frock isn't great. Diaz, on the other hand, picked great jewelry for the LBD, but is that enough to overtake the competition? You decide!

Kim Kardashian Confirms Her Pregnancy

It is totally 100 percent official, straight from the horse's uterus: Kim Kardashian is pregnant, and she confirmed the news herself on her blog.

Kanye West spilled the beans last night, but now it's absolutely, totally confirmed: Kim Kardashian is pregnant — she said so herself.

The reality star told fans that she has the next generation of pop culture in her womb with a blog post titled "New year, New Beginnings."

"It's true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby," Kardashian wrote. "We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us. Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!! Xo"

Kim's father, Robert Kardashian — an attorney who represented O.J. Simpson in his famous murder trial — died of cancer in 2003. West's mother, Donda, a university professor, died in 2007 after botched plastic surgery.

The news was welcomed with huge excitement by Kim's family, who tweeted their joy over the family's newest cash cow as soon as Kanye spilled the beans himself.

"Oh BABY BABY BABY!!" momager Kris Jenner wrote.

Kourtney said, "Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!"

Khloé, who has long struggled with her own fertility, put her heartbreak aside to congratulate her sis. "Kimye!" she wrote. "Keeping secrets is hard with so many family members! Especially when you are so freaking excited!!!!! LOVE is everything!!!!"

Meanwhile, there's one small matter still left to be cleared up: Kim's divorce from Kris Humphries is far from final. The estranged pair is due in court in February 2013 to continue the proceedings after the basketball star accused Kardashian of defrauding him for TV ratings.

So far, Humphries has remained mum on this hot new development.

Great Moments in Renters Insurance History

The Venice Beach home of the former O.C. star was burglarized several times in the Spring of 2009. The perpetrators were the infamous Bling Ring, a brazen cadre of Southern California teenagers that hit up more than 50 homes between 2008 and 2009, many of which belonged to celebrities.

Though Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan were burglarized more often, Rachel Bilson still suffered incursions and property losses at the hands of the Bling Ring on four separate occasions.

According to the Wikipedia, Bilson was dispossessed of between $130,000 and $300,000 worth of belongings, much of which was comprised of her signature fashion-forward clothing and jewelry.

All thieves of great art tend to struggle when monetizing their new booty. If the bandits who purloined Edvard Munch’s scream tried to pawn that thing on eBay every high school kid in America (and Norway) with the image on his t-shirt would spot the crime immediately.

Same deal with the Bling Ring here; that’s why they sold Bilson’s stuff on the Venice Beach boardwalk for a tiny fraction of its worth.

Now the question for us, of course, is whether Ms. Bilson had renters insurance. Because if she did, for the around the same small monthly fee as Netflix, she could have protected all that great stuff. Literally, gotten a nice check from the carrier so she could go out and buy all that stuff again, or even different stuff.

Without renters insurance, she got nada.

So did Rachel Bilson have renters coverage? I have no idea. Only she and her carrier know the answer to that one.

One thing is for certain though: the Bling Ring is about to get even more notorious (or famous), with the release of a Sophia Coppola-directed movie about it coming out in the spring.

Mark Sanchez vs. Tim Tebow: Who Pays Less for Car Insurance?

Tebow vs. Sanchez. It’s the biggest debate in New York, which means it’s the biggest debate on ESPN, which means it’s the most contentious conversation for football fans across the country.

As an Eagles’ fan, I can’t fully remove myself of the schadenfreude of watching both these guys struggle on the field, so I’ll confine myself to watching tape and breaking down the film with a trained eye on who pays less for car insurance.

Great Moments in Renters Insurance History, Incident 3 -- Ushered Out

Consider the case of Usher Raymond IV, known more widely as just Usher. His vehicle was picked through quite a bit, but more on that in a minute.

First an editorial note on Usher. Is it now fairly obvious that Usher’s fame has declined, or at least plateaued, in the last few years? Surely if a pop star were to be judged solely on his or her ability to sing and dance and have personal dynamism then Usher could have been as famous as Madonna or even Michael Jackson. But despite all the bald excesses of both MJ and Madonna they were both, in the final analysis, likeable. Whereas Usher is not at all likeable. He’s 34 now; he can already moonwalk; he can't be sitting on too many more tricks.

Anyway that doesn’t condone the theft of any of his belongings, as I could never begrudge a man distraught over the loss of his furs.

But digressions all: here is the background: in January of 2010, Usher and some friends walked into an AT&T Store in Atlanta. Meanwhile in the parking lot one malfeasant broke into his GMC Yukon and stole most of his Christmas gifts!

The illicit haul included a computer, $50,000 in furs(!) and more than $1 million of jewelry(!!).

Witnesses report that they saw a man get out of his car and pry open Usher’s back window, but they couldn’t say much else, going out on a limb.

Since we’ve neglected to give Usher the benefit of the doubt up until this point we’ll continue to do so now. So let’s say he was renting one of those super-sized McMansions on the outskirts of Buckhead, not owning one.

Did you know that renters insurance covers your stuff even when it’s in your car? Usher might have been able to buy all those furs back, on top of a million dollars’ plus a MacBook's worth of corn. But did he have Usher have renters insurance back then? Only he and his finite number of fans will ever have any idea.

Does Justin Bieber Pay A Lot for Car Insurance?

We’re not quite Beliebers, but anyone who can ascend to global superstardom based only a YouTube clip showcasing his charisma is okay in our book.

So we’ll give Justin Drew Bieber the same treatment as we have other messianic figures -- Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin, Rick Santorum, Natalie Portman and even Jesus Christ himself -- and breakdown whether the lad pays a lot for car insurance.

Age. Justin Bieber is 18, four years older than anyone who enjoys his music should be. Though he’s old enough to drive, vote in Canada, drink in L.A. and have more than 20 million Twitter followers, insurance carriers don’t like folks with so few years and so much concomitant braggadocio. This CoverHound chart shows how car insurance rates for youngsters are super high until drivers hit 25 and they begin to stabilize. Conclusion: Usher would pay less.

Lindsay Lohan vs. Charlize Theron

Ding, ding! Today's Fashion Faceoff contenders are Lindsay "Hot Mess" Lohan, known for her frequent arrests and car crashes, and Charlize "Oscar Winner" Theron, known for her performances in movies like "Snow White and the Huntsman" and her sophisticated red carpet style. Lohan's chances don't look good! Time to decide ... who wore it best?

What They Wore: Designer Dion Lee's Illusion dress in black, featuring a halter neckline and cutouts throughout.
When They Wore It: Lohan donned the dress November 20 on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," while Theron chose it for the CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards in Las Vegas on April 26.

How They Styled It: Both ladies left their locks down. Lohan added Christian Louboutin ankle boots, Cartier earrings, and a sparkly bracelet. Theron wore her frock with Giuseppe Zanotti sandals.

Judge's Scorecard: Lohan wins points for, well, showing up on time for an appointment without any major mishap, although she loses big points when it comes to the fit of the frock. Theron's dress fits her like a glove, and the length hits the former model just right. Still, is that enough to win today's Fashion Faceoff? You decide!

Subscribe to: Comments ( Atom )