By Sheri

HOFFMAN AND BATEMAN SURPRISE CROWD AT NBA FINALS

The Los Angeles Staples Center’s audience at game one of the NBA finals between the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics saw more than just basketball Thursday, June 3, when actor Dustin Hoffman, 72, leaned over in his seat to start passionately smooching actor Jason Bateman, 41, who was sitting next to him.

Hoffman’s wife was sitting on the other side of Dustin when the ubiquitous “Kiss Me Cam”, a camera designed to capture couples in the audience kissing and show it on the Staple Center’s big screen, was focused on them. Dustin must have decided it would be hilarious to go the other way (literally!) and kiss Jason rather than his wife. (Hilariously brilliant decision as evidenced by the crowd’s laughing faces.)

People watching the big screen started smiling as soon as Dustin leaned toward Jason. Jason Bateman played along with Dustin Hoffman’s kiss and the Staples Center erupted with loud cheering for the “couple.” The graphics on the screen included a heart shape around the kissing Dustin and Jason which obviously added to the humor the audience was struck by.

I’ve always loved both Bateman and Hoffman but now it’s official! (I wish I could watch Arrested Development and Meet the Fockers right now!) Hoffman is known for his impromptu, deadpan sense of humor. I love the story about when, before he was well known as an actor, he was mistaken as a window cleaner when “The Graduate” director, Mike Nichols, was considering him for the lead – only after several big name actors turned it down or weren’t available. In pure Dustin Hoffman fashion, he began cleaning the studio exec’s windows as if he was the window cleaner — never letting on who he really was… (LOL)

(BTW, other stars at the game: Leonardo DiCaprio, Adam Sandler, Snoop Dogg and Joe Jonas.)

By Sheri

VANESSA HUDGENS AND ZAC EFRON IN TRIAL MARRIAGE?

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are rumored to be in a “trial marriage” in a beach apartment near Malibu. The pair seems to be downplaying the rumors, with Vanessa saying “I do love my place but it’s too big for me to be there by myself” and Zac reported to have “loved the place so much” he ended up moving in too. Oh yes that sounds completely logical, you’re really fooling everyone you two….cough…cough…

Vanessa rented the beach home a few months ago after accidentally leaving water running in her Studio City apartment. The water damage was extensive – about $250K worth. Although it’s no secret that the High School Musical couple has been dating for some time, the rumors of a “trial marriage” are quite new. Some people even think Zac and Vanessa are actually engaged or even secretly married since Vanessa has said before that her strict mom, Gina, didn’t approve of living together before marriage.

The couple has been spotted all around Malibu for a long time holding hands and kissing cutely in public, but recently Zac was spotted carrying suitcases into Vanessa’s rented beach apartment. They are the cutest couple, but quite young as they’re in their early 20s. In mid-February Hudgens and Efron went to Sydney Australia together for a charity event. Not surprisingly, the couple was spotted being all cute and hand-holding wherever they went.

What I like about them even though they are so young and have been dating seriously for two years is that they still do things on their own. Zac has been photographed attending sports games with friends without Vanessa along. Later this summer, in August, Vanessa will be playing Mimi, the HIV infected dancer role in the musical, Rent. Neil Patrick Harris is directing the production at the Hollywood Bowl.

By Sheri

AMY WINEHOUSE IN HER BETTER DAYS… NOT!!!

In a ‘there’s a switch’ moment that happened recently, Amy Winehouse, known for her totally wasted looking and out of line behavior in public over the years, received an apology for someone else’s drunken behavior. The SODIP (Seen Often as Drunk In Public) Amy Winehouse received an unexpected telephone call from British comedian, Russell Brand.

Brand called Winehouse to apologize on behalf of his father, Ronnie, after he found out that a drunk and loudly obnoxious Ronnie was all over Amy Winehouse in a London pub, The Hawley Arms, trying to give her a hug. A blonde female pub patron was reported to have pushed and slapped Ronnie away from Amy. Winehouse reportedly laughed the whole incident off (did she even remember it?) but was appreciative of Russell Brand’s phone apology.

It seems Brand’s no stranger to apologizing. After a huge incident last year involving the BBC, Brand’s radio show on the network, Radio2, and Andrew Sachs, the actor best known for playing Manuel on Fawlty Towers, he got pretty good at it. It seems Russell Brand, who does stand up comedy and has a new movie out – Get Him to the Greek – and a few other guys, caused over 5,000 listeners to complain when they made an impromptu radio skit that involved calling Andrew Sachs and leaving lewd, sexual messages about Sach’s granddaughter on his answering machine. Brand apologized, but ended up getting suspended and the BBC got a 150K fine.

Amy Winehouse was said to be drinking at the bar during the Ronnie Brand incident (well what else would she be in a pub for?) so I guess that means, she’s still sayin’ “no, no, no” to rehab… like her song. Amy’s said to be working on a followup album to her super hit Back to Black. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, 59. who used to drive cabs in London, has just released a swing music album of his own called “Rush of Love to the Heart.”

By Sheri

MICK JAGGER: (66¾ WITHOUT PLASTIC SURGERY IS THE NEW 50)

Okay, it’s official – I love rock god Mick Jagger!(Sir Mick Jagger actually!) Musically, there’s no one like him! He and the Rolling Stones are amazing and I could listen to them forever. Those slow songs like “Wild Horses” and “Angie” as well as the more upbeat tunes such as “Happy”can set my world right again after any kind of weird day (like when I realize again that they really did  stop making new Seinfeld eps eons ago…).

Sir Mick was on Larry King last night talking about the 40 year anniversary of Exile on Main Street (great new album mixes plus a gritty docu filmed in French basements). It was hilarious when Larry turned the talk away from Exile to ask Mick if being on drugs ever affected his performance on stage. Mick waited one beat and deadpanned “probably” which almost sent Larry into one of his laughing spasms that makes you think he’s short of air and going to have a heart attack!

I loved hearing Mick Jagger, in his upper crust, yet also unpretentious, British accent, go into the story behind Exile (for what must be the 1,516th time in his career – long story short UK wanted 90% of his income so the Stones moved to France in Exile to pay like 40% less tax) I’m struck how cool he is still at 66¾ to be almost exact (turns 67 on July 26). He’s rock and roll elegance old school with a modern cool edge in his thinking.

Unlike Heidi Montag, who at almost a third of Mick Jagger’s age, has had a gazillion plastic surgeries, Jagger swears off them. As his model daughter (like her famous model mom, Jerry Hall), 20 something Elizabeth told the British papers in 2006, Mick Jagger has vowed never to have plastic surgery. Elizabeth calls her Dad’s face “craggy” in a good way, and I agree. I also agree with her when she says most people who get plastic surgery have “…glazed expressions like they’re in a permanent state of shock.” (Hello Steven Tyler…)

By Sheri

MICHAEL JACKSON’S GRAVE FULL OF SUNFLOWERS

When you want something, put it out into the universe – or at least MySpace. That’s what Lisa Marie Presley (yes, Elvis’ daughter and Michael Jackson’s ex-wife) discovered. (BTW, Jackson proposed to Presley on the telephone and it was basically a phony I mean phone marriage with daily telephone calls between the two.)

On Monday, Lisa Marie visited Michael’s grave site, bringing with her some sunflowers and a picture frame. Reportedly, she took more than an hour to arrange the items so that the sunflowers were extending just so from the picture frame (very van Gogh, no?). On Wednesday, Presley commented on her MySpace blog that Michael Jackson loved sunflowers and it would be great if his fans could donate some since, aside from her frame, some candles and a couple of bouquets, his grave site mausoleum was quite empty.

SUNFLOWER GUY SAVES THE GRAVE

When Jason Levin, the owner of sunflowerguy.com, saw Lisa Marie’s plea, he promised to send bushels of sunflowers to Michael Jackson’s grave. Levin made good on his promise as 300 bushels of sunflowers worth about $5K left his Vista, California location at 6:30am Friday morning and arrived at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in LA by 9:30am the same day. (Not bad at all considering Presley only posted her desire two days before!)

A rep at Forest Lawn commented that this was the first time so many flowers arrived at once and that they had to have security on hand to monitor the process of bringing in all the sunflowers. Lisa Marie hopes fans will chip in to get an ongoing supply of Jackson’s favorite flower at his grave site. A rep named Irene at Forest Lawn Cemetery has reportedly reserved a big vase for Jackson’s mausoleum that will hold 50 sunflowers at once. I think his fans will come through…

By Sheri

TAYLOR SWIFT CALLS HERSELF A “MAKEUP JUNKIE”

The 20 year old country pop phenom, Taylor Swift, seems to be everywhere these days. She not only keeps up her public appearances, concerts and music awards show presence, but is also doing a lot of commercials. After appearing in a recent Sony ad, she’s signed up with CoverGirl cosmetics to be their new spokesperson.

Like Drew Barrymore and Rihanna before her, Taylor Swift will be representing the popular “Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.” (I’ve always loved that tag line!) CoverGirl makeup products. A self-professed “makeup junkie,” Swift gushes that being a rep for CoverGirl is “a dream come true.”  She says she’s admired many of the CoverGirl women. Taylor’s already started work for the company for a new, so far secretive, line of cosmetics debuting next year.

CALLING TENNESSEE HER HOME, TAYLOR DONATES $500K

After the powerful floods that have affected at least 3 states, Taylor Swift, who has had roots in Tennessee since age 14, donated $500K to the Nashville flood effort. Swift’s own home wasn’t damaged, but she donated the money to help others. She was in Nashville when the floods hit and told press how difficult it was to see the ruined homes and flooded streets. She commented that she learned to drive on those streets.

Last December, Taylor Swift bought a $2M condo in Nashville. It’s in a modern, “high-tech” building and is about 4,000 square feet with 3 bedrooms and a large fireplace. Not only that, it’s a penthouse. (It’s pretty amazing when you consider she’s only 20. When I was about that age, my first apartment was an old basement suite rental painted a chalky blue and barf green… ) Anyway, that’s really great for her and nice that she donated more than twice as much as her condo cost to help others!

By Sheri

GAY KEVIN KELLER ADDED TO ARCHIE BOOKS

Riverdale High School’s newest student (and Archie Comic Publications, Inc.’s newest character) is openly gay. What many equal rights activists love about him is that he’s not the stereotypical, over-the-top wise cracker designer/florist/hairdresser so often portrayed in the media. Rather, blond hunk, Kevin Keller, is your more straight-looking, straight-acting type of guy who happens to be gay. (I love you, Archie Comics!)

Also, although Keller is openly gay, he (very realistically) doesn’t go around announcing it to everyone he meets in the course of his day, but neither does he hide it. I haven’t read any Archie comic books since I was a pre-teen (let’s not mention how many years ago THAT was…) but, maybe I’ll start reading some of these comics again now that I have the excuse that they’re socially relevant lol…

WELCOME TO THE 21st CENTURY, RIVERDALE!

Jon Goldberg, one of Archie Comics’ CEOs, (how may do they have?) said in a press release that the company’s goal is to keep their comic books “current and inclusive.”

The new character will debut under the Veronica title which began in 1989. The exact issue (shown above) is #202 “Isn’t It Bromantic” (ha ha cute) which is scheduled to hit comic book stores September 1 and regular newsstands September 14 – Just in time for the back to school crowd.

Kevin Keller is a new student at Riverdale High. Predictably, Veronica Lodge falls for the new hunk in town and chases after him. Kevin wins a hamburger eating contest at Pop’s Chocklit Shoppe against Jughead Jones. After that, he’s occupied by trying to politely rebuff Veronica’s advances which makes Ronnie think she’s lost her touch. I guess we’ll have to wait to see whether Jughead turns out to be gay and in the closet…

For some reason this picture cracks me up. Here is Martha Coakley at the 15th annual Banned in Boston, a comedy revue at which Boston celebrities act out for a good cause held at the House of Blues. I guess Martha is a celebrity. She’s the Massachusetts Attorney General and ran a failed campaign for a Senate seat. I’m glad to see has a sense of humor and by sense of humor I mean she can dress up as an iconic lesbian.

By Sheri

KATE LOOKIN’ GREAT FOR A SINGLE MOM OF 8

KATE LOOKIN’ GREAT FOR A SINGLE MOM OF 8

Well she can’t dance at all, but 35 year old single mom of 8, Kate Gosselin, shown above with Dancing With The Stars partner, Tony Dovolani, sure looks great. She’s willing to be one of the worst dancers on the show while trying to improve, as long as her fans keep her on, in order to earn money to support her kids. Kate’s trained as a nurse, but there’s no way as a single mom that that salary will support 8 kids.

You’d think that her ex, Jon Gosselin, would be glad she’s earning money as that’s going to affect the amount he’s court ordered to pay. But then, it’s Jon Gosselin we’re talking about. He’s apparently suing Kate for custody on the grounds of her Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) work. The guy, who left her for a series of 20 something girlfriends and chose to move to New York away from his 8 kids in Philly, has the nerve to claim his reason is that Kate is an “absentee parent.” (Hello pot? It’s me, kettle.)

Jon, who’s been trying to find show biz work, but only “modeled” Ed Hardy clothes as he spent time being seen with his young girlfriend of the moment, seems to be jealous of Kate’s DWTS gig. Maybe he even watched the show expecting, like everyone, even Kate herself, that Kate would be voted out first because of her frozen-like non-dancing. Yet, it was Shannen Dougherty who was given the heave, not Kate. After trying to channel Lady Gaga, Kate’s fans once again pulled her through Tuesday, April 6. (Go Kate!)

Not surprisingly, Jon is reportedly said to be after Kate’s DWTS money. He is said by some sources to be paying about 21,000 a month for the kids. Since he’s said to be not working (unlike Kate, he COULD work at his former job as an IT analyst) I wonder if it’s coming out of the 200K he wrongly took from his and Kate’s joint bank account in October, 2009 when he split from Kate.

JON IGNORED COURT ORDER, BUT HAS THE NERVE TO SUE?

In doing this, Jon ignored a court order that neither he nor Kate was to touch their joint funds without the consent of the other. He left only 1K in there for his 8 kids and their mother (how could a father do this?) and now he has the nerve to dis Kate this way?

Jon’s lawyer stated that Jon “is much better able to spend time with children” than Kate. Yeah, of course, — he’s not working, she is. And btw, she flew home to spend Easter with the kids before heading back to DWTS. Since the split, Jon has seemed to only spend time with the kids at their home. Well, then he can have a 20 something babysitter with him!

By Sheri

SARAH PALIN”S SHOW FIRST SHOPPED TO DISCOVERY

I’m a TLC junkie. I faithfully watched Jon & Kate Plus 8 years before their big scandal broke and everyone knew who they were. I said yes to Yes to the Dress, learned about little people on Little People, Big World. I learned a ton of tips on what not to wear from (you guessed it) What Not To Wear. I was there for every (dumbfounding) episode of I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant. Now I’m hooked on TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive. (The whole hoarder phenom – they can’t even help cherishing rotten food – who knew?)

TLC is set to run a show about Alaska hosted by Sarah Palin. No air date has been announced yet and the show’s working title: Sarah Palin’s Alaska, may end up being changed. I think the title would be fine, but if it’s not a reality type of show, it doesn’t fit in with TLC. Yeah, they run some rugged outdoor stuff like Heli-Loggers and American Chopper, but Palin’s “folksy” voice babbling about the history of Alaska and it’s proximity to Russia??? How in the hell does that suit the tone of TLC’s over-dramatic, over the top programs?

Yeah, Palin certainly can be over-dramatic and over the top without even trying. But, unless TLCs going to show Palin’s home life such as how she manages working in politics and raising her Down Syndrome child while arguing with daughter Bristol’s baby daddy, Levi, (or how she manages to still preach abstinence and no sex ed after her teen daughter got preggers) I don’t see how it’s TLC worthy. Maybe it’s the sheer fact Palin herself wanted her show on The Discovery Channel instead that they told her no, it’s TLC.

But, will I watch at least one (maybe only one) episode? “You betcha!”

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