Celebs

Dr. Frank Ryan, plastic surgeon to Heidi Montag and other celebrities, was sending Twitter messages about his border collie before his fatal car accident.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating whether Ryan was texting at the time he crashed Monday and it has not yet concluded that that’s what caused the accident. “It is one of the elements that we are investigating,” CHP Officer Steven Reid says. “We are looking into that and other things.”

A close friend of Ryan’s says Ryan sent two Twitter messages Monday afternoon with photos taken on the beach, but she expects the CHP will conclude Ryan was not texting when the car went off the cliff.

“He would actually pull over to make phone calls,” says Lawonna Rashad.

Fantasia Barrino is out of the hospital and “doing much better,” her lawyer, Gena Graham Morris, writes in an e-mailed statement.

“She has a good track record of overcoming adversity,” Morris says about the singer, 26, who was treated Monday for an overdose of aspirin and a sleep aid. “This too will pass.”

The hospitalization came a day after the American Idol season 3 winner denied allegations she had broken up a North Carolina man’s marriage.
Barrino’s manager later confirmed she and Antwaun Cook had been dating “off and on for 11 months” but she believed he was separated from his wife and is now “heartbroken and is sorry for any pain she may have caused.”

Morris says Barrino has been named as a witness in the Cooks’s domestic case, in connection with the wife’s claim for spousal support, but “has not yet been sued for alienation of affection or criminal conversation.” North Carolina is one of seven states that allows a party to take legal action against a “home wrecker.”

“The people who think these claims protect marriages and families have never sat through a trial,” says Morris. “They make hurt people more hurt.”

“For the sake of everybody involved,” adds Morris, “I hope is not sued because she did not break up the Cooks’ marriage.”

Bradley Cooper worked up a sweat with a trainer, not his fitness-loving girlfriend Renee Zellweger, yesterday afternoon in LA. He and Renee have squeezed in time for date nights between his duties promoting The A-Team this Summer. They also made his obligations in Paris into a romantic getaway, though his red carpet partner was always Jessica Biel instead of his real-life leading lady. Bradley recently wrapped shooting Dark Fields with Robert De Niro and the two are already rumored to be eyeing another movie together, Honeymoon with Harry.

Those who have been keeping track of the “American Idol” judges’ shuffle know that Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell are both out, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler both might be in, Kara DioGuardi is reportedly out, and Randy Jackson is in limbo.

The big “dawg” himself recently told E! News that there is only one person locked in for Season 10.

“The only thing that’s for sure is Ryan ,” Randy told E! at the 2010 Farmers Classic tennis tournament presented by Mercedes-Benz.

“Nothing has been decided,” he added of the judges.

Randy did note, however, he’d love to see J.Lo in the fold.

“If Jennifer Lopez is a judge I would be very happy,” Randy said. “I love her.”

AH NATION POLL: Would you miss Randy if he didn’t return to “Idol”? Click HERE to vote!

Despite reports that J.Lo is likely to be the newest “Idol” judge, FOX Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice announced at the Television Critics Association Summer Session in Beverly Hills on Monday that nothing is set in stone.

“There are no signed deals with anybody,” the executive told reporters. “There has been tremendous speculation.”

“American Idol” Season 10 auditions were held on Monday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The judges won’t be having their say over the contestants until mid-September.

“I consider myself a being from another planet,” said Shaq proudly, as he stalked across Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s private compound, asked a statue of Forrest Gump for directions, and attempted in vain to ride a fake horsie. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of Shaq Vs: gonzo vanity project, lusciously silly American bizarro-world, and probably the closest we’ll ever come to a real-life Celebrity Deathmatch. The second season kicked off last night, and besides speeding up the proceedings considerably – two competitions per episode seems to be the new norm – the season premiere taught us a load of important life lessons.
1. Shaq only likes to mess with the best.
2. The Diesel backs down from nobody, no matter how large their rep.
3. Despite what the haters say, Shaq is totally capable of narrowly defeating a professional athlete in a free throw contest, as long as that athlete happens to play one of the few sports not involving some sort of ball.
4. When you don’t know how to spell a word, ask for its etymology. If it’s French, it’ll be hard.
5. A zucchetto is a small round skullcap worn by Roman Catholic Ecclesiastics.
6. Shaq can spell “zucchetto.”
I think the most fun part of Shaq Vs is how willing the star is to play himself as a preening sitcom narcissist perpetually receiving his comeuppance. At the start of the episode, he stepped off a private plane, looked out across the land, and majestically mumbled, “Dale Earnhardt, I’m coming for you.” Then he asked a local man for directions to Earnhardt’s house. “You know who I am, right?” asked Shaq. Local Man: “I’ve never seen you before in my life.” It’s sort of like having a reality show starring King Arthur from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Except with world champions instead of British dudes in drag. (Also, one episode of Shaq Vs probably costs more than everything Monty Python ever did.)
The choice to expand Shaq Vs outside the realm of sports is reaping hilarious dividends. Last night, O’Neal challenged the National Spelling Bee Champion to a spell-off. Something about the academic environment brought out the quote generator in Shaq. “One thing I’ve always been amazed with: super-intelligent children,” he said. When he talked to the champion, Kavya Shivashankar, he was all blustery trash-talk: “I have my Bachelor’s and my Master’s.” Shivashankar: “When Jimmy Kimmel challenged me, I beat him.” Shaq: “And I beat Jimmy Kimmel… in Scrabble!” Viewers, my TV exploded.
Shaq Vs is one of those reality shows that doesn’t even bother hiding the fact that it’s utterly unreal, which is how it manages to stage scenes that seem (dare I say it?) well-written. Like this sitdown negotiation between Shaq, Shivashankar, and her little sister, conducted from either end of a massive CEO table:
Shaq: “I’m entering your world now.”
Sister: “What?”
Shaq: “I’m entering your world now.”
Sister: “What?”
Shaq: “I’m entering your world now!”
Sister: “What?”
Shaq lost the spelling bee, and despite a ludicrous amount of restrictions (a one-lap lead, mandatory pit stops), he also lost the NASCAR race. This keeps the record alive, as he also lost every challenge last year. When I spoke to him, he claimed to have beaten one of his competitors this season. (He then said that he beat two people. This was right after he said, “I have never lost.” Riddles! Confusion! Inception!) The show has a genuine respect for the skills of the people Shaq challenges: speaking as someone whose knowledge of NASCAR mostly starts and ends with Days of Thunder, it was a total kick to get a five-minute introduction to what goes on inside of a driver’s head. And Junior’s brief talk about his late father was just plain moving.
The only really draggy thing about last night’s episode were the sportscaster-bots, Man With Hair and Woman With Teeth, who apparently hail from an alternate Fringe dimension where Shaq Vs is a real sport. (Can’t the show just hire Celebrity Deathmatch commentators Johnny Gomez and Nick Diamond?) Personally, I’m looking forward to the golf showdown with Charles Barkley. Because I can’t think of a better metaphor for our modern era than two basketball super-icons playing a terrible round of golf.
What did you think of Shaq Vs, PopWatchers? Could any of you spell “Natatorium”? (Microsoft Word doesn’t think that’s a word.) Is it me, or did it seem like Shaq purposefully misspelled “Distinguo”? And speaking of words you didn’t know, here are two new dictionary entries for you:
Shaqticle. Adj. Form a ridiculous strategy that’s almost guaranteed to fail. “Now it’s time to get Shaqticle.”
Shaqanyze. Verb. Filter information through the head-brain. “I gotta Shaqanyze it up.”

Britney Spears looked like she was in great spirits during a shopping trip in Topanga, CA yesterday. She pulled her usual move — changing outfits into her freshly purchased clothes halfway through. Britney’s rumored to have new music coming out very soon as fans get excited for the episode of Glee featuring her songs. This week, Ryan Murphy revealed new details about it including that showcasing her famous tracks was all Miss Spears’s idea. He said, “I just think that she loves what the show is about, that the show’s about paying tribute to pop culture in a very loving, respectful, kind way. She responded to that.”

When David Hasselhoff’s now infamous cheeseburger video hit the Internet in 2007, the shocking image of the shirtless, slurring ‘Baywatch’ star on the floor struggling to eat fast food was no laughing matter.

Major media fallout followed, and the video became something of a cultural phenomenon, attracting more than a billion views on the Internet.

Three year’s later, the Hoff’s greatest viral embarrassment, as well as his longtime struggle with alcohol, provide the fuel for the ‘Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff.’

Scheduled to air on August 15, the roast was filmed Sunday night and is shockingly the first time Hasselhoff has ever addressed the infamous video or his reported alcohol relapses.

“I’ve been waiting for a forum to talk about where I’m at,” Hasselhoff said backstage at the event. “I didn’t do it in the beginning because I was in a very personal matter and it involved the custody of my children.”

Hasselhoff has always maintained that the burger video was illegally released and has never spoken about it publicly — despite offers from major magazines and Larry King.

“I wanted to address the way I wanted to address it,” he added. “And tonight was the way I wanted to address it.”

More than address it, Hasselhoff was tormented about it repeatedly during the two-hour roast from the stage by some of the sharpest tongues in the business.

Those who felt the comics would keep the gloves on for the roast were immediately proven wrong during Hasselhoff’s introduction, where, sprinkled among the clips from his ‘Baywatch’ and ‘Knight Rider’ days, moments from the horrifying burger video kept popping up. Taboo no more.

Seth MacFarlane, the Roast Master for the event, launched right in and zeroed in on the video.

“How do you make jokes about a joke? How do you embarrass a man who so thoroughly embarrasses himself?” he asked as the crowd roared in laughter. “How do you put someone down when they are already lying shirtless on the floor.”

And that was only the beginning. While fellow roasters like Hulk Hogan, Jerry Springer and Pamela Anderson looked on, Hasselhoff sat in the middle on a red, oversized lifeguard’s chair. His arms were folded in front of him for much of the night, but he gamely laughed at most of the jokes that were hurled at him.

It might have been his greatest acting role ever. Though during the first commercial break, he showed a little chink in the armor. “It’s going to be a long night,” he said in the direction of his two daughters, who were in the audience.

Insult specialist and former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestant Jeffrey Ross inquired what drink Hasselhoff had in a dark red glass on his lifeguard’s chair. When the Hoff insisted it was water, Ross expressed disbelief and then continued his attack.

“I must admit, I did love you in that cheeseburger commercial you once made,” Ross mocked, insisting the motto from the burger chain must have been “Have it Floor Way!”

“I’m so relieved you’re wearing a shirt tonight because it will be so much easier than picking the vomit out of your chest hair later,” Ross continued.

Even animal rights activist and ‘Baywatch’ co-star Pamela Anderson piled on.

“David, I have to say, when I saw the video of you lying on the floor — drunk, broken down, cheeseburger meat falling from your mouth — I felt so sad,” said Anderson. “For that cow.”

Hasselhoff exited the show triumphantly — we don’t want to spoil the ending, but it’s awesome. And he even gamely met the press backstage.

“Yeah, it goes too far,” Hasselhoff said when asked about some of the barbs. “That’s what they want to do. They want to get to everybody.”

He kept a fixed smile on his face throughout and insisted the event was “therapeutic.” Hasselhoff had, in his mind, dealt with the video issue once and for all — and he was still standing.

“No one got me,” said the Hoff. “I’m still laughing. My face hurts. I’m sorry it’s over.”

Greatest. Actor. Ever.

Jimmy Fallon stopped by NBC’s day of the TCA press tour on Friday to talk about hosting the Emmys and Late Night. We caught up with him at the party later that night, where we couldn’t help but ask about working with Robert Pattinson on Robert is Bothered. Jimmy had nothing but glowing words for the Twilight star, who caused the loudest fan screams of any guest he’s had on the show. Jimmy also shared his thoughts on this week’s American Idol shakeup. Here’s more:

PopSugar: Can we expect to see Robert is Bothered at the Emmys?
Jimmy Fallon: Of all the bits on our show that we can do, we gave 10 different versions of all sorts of things we could do, to which they said these are all great, but we have to give out awards. So we have to cut it down to three bits. And Robert is Bothered was not in there. I pitched Robert is Bothered for Teen Choice Awards.
PS: How was Robert Pattinson to work with on Robert is Bothered?
JF: He was a great sport. He climbed up in the tree and did it with us. I’ve never heard louder screams in my life. The screams didn’t compare to anyone, even when Justin Bieber has been on. He was describing his movie Remember Me and people would just not stop screaming. And I was just thinking this is so cool. What an experience. I really hope he’s enjoying this ride. He’s a great guy and he deserves it. He was really shy and really happy — exactly the same backstage as he is on the interview. He’s a charming guy, but just really shy and I just hope he’s enjoying the moment. It must be super exciting to be him.
PS: There was lots of American Idol news and rumors this week. Who are your dream judges for the show?
JF: I was thinking about this today. I can’t crack the nut, I can’t solve it. You can’t top Simon. You need a bad guy who’s right. You need an honest guy who people aren’t going to like because he’s too honest.
PS: Do you think they’re going to be able to get it right, or should it just be the end of Idol?
JF: I don’t know. I’m kind of leaning towards the second one. To be honest, I had such an amazing time watching Kelly Clarkson — that was amazing! Daughtry, I’ll take that, that was great. Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard. . . but I missed last year, and the year before that I kind of missed too. Lee Dewyze seems like a great guy and talented, Kris Allen — great guy and talented. Adam Lambert is great. I’m just kind of phasing out, but I have to add something else. This year I think what I’m most excited about is I think they’re all living in a house, and they’re going to film them living in a house. Now that’s more my speed. I like the reality part the best.

Chelsea Clinton will say “I Do” to her boyfriend of about five years, Marc Mezvinsky on Saturday evening in Rhinebeck, New York. What is said to be the wedding of the year, secrecy and buzz has caused hundreds to crowd into this small village hoping to catch of a glimpse of a former president, a secretary of state or their daughter. The 30-year-old daughter of Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to wed her beau at a ceremony at Astor Courts, the ultra-private Hudson riverfront estate, in front of 400 to 500 guests.

The couple were friends as teenagers in Washington, and both attended Stanford University. They now live in New York, where Mezvinsky works at G3 Capital, a Manhattan hedge fund. Mezvinsky worked previously at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker.

Clinton completed her master’s degree in public health earlier this year at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

Mezvinsky is a son of former U.S. Reps. Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky of Pennsylvania and Ed Mezvinsky of Iowa, longtime friends of the Clintons. His parents are divorced.

Meanwhile, a longtime Clinton family friend denied that the wedding would cost more than $1 million. The friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with the family’s desire for privacy, said the cost will not exceed six figures. Wedding experts told The Associated Press the wedding could cost $2 million to $3 million, while other outlets said it could hit $5 million.

Several other of the 500 attendees will have a low-key arrival via bus. They’ll be picked up from local inns Saturday afternoon to be whisked away to the mansion, which is set back from the road with a long driveway protected by off-duty police officers.

Out-of-town attendees received a small box of chocolates from Samuel’s and wine from Clinton Vineyards.

“It’s white, it’s called Tribute and it’s a Seyval Blanc. It’s the 2009 vintage,” Rita Flood, who works at Clinton Vineyards, told Us Weekly. “It’s called Tribute for two reasons: one, initially, the owners called it Tribute to recognize the fact that they harvested their grapes on 9/11, and it was released in tribute of those who died in 9/11. And another tribute to honor the founder of Clinton Vineyards, Ben Feder.”

An unofficial shortlist has surfaced that lists Sony Pictures’ top candidates for who should nab the starring role in their adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s global megaseller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. And guess who isn’t on the list?

Kristen Stewart, the lady who we think should have landed the role a long time ago, is still being looked over. And it’s all because those K.Stew haters can’t see past their ruddy little noses to recognize the talent that darling K. has been quietly showing off—everywhere but Twilight! Open your eyes, Hollywood!

Here’s the scoop on the Stewart-less situation:

EW reports that Sony set a release date for the flick, even though the movie’s lead role of Lisbeth Salander has yet to be cast. A rumored shortlist has made its way through the circuit, with a bevy of young up-and-comers from the recognizable to the obscure.

Arguably worthy actresses on the list include Ellen Page (Inception), Carey Mulligan (An Education), and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), as well as more low-key talent like Rooney Mara (Nightmare on Elm Street), Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events), and…you know what? Don’t even care!

We feel so strongly about this one, dolls: this is the role that will transform Kristen from a tween favorite to a genuine Academy-recognized babe—as needs to happen. We know Kristen was mentioned as a possible candidate before, but it seems the tides have turned and she’s almost surely out.

Lisbeth is a struggling, angst-ridden, sexually combustible (and very take-charge) brilliant young girl, and we think Kristen has the perfect everything for it. Hell, we even picture her when we’re reading the books!