Britney Spears is seen here smoking up the stage for her Circus tour which kicked off right here in New Orleans. And ever since her big comeback this girl has been making waves, and her recent tour to promote her album Circus is definitely a tidal wave in the making. During her show, Britney danced and sang through a three ring extravaganza, that included contortionists, illusionists manic aerialists, and the infamous blogger Perez Hilton who started the show off with a video montage. And this kind of performance is what Britney was using to show the world that she is not just back, she is back with a style that will not be forgotten any time soon. She has started using that mentality in her work life, and has also now trying to take control of some more personal matters as well. We have all heard that Britney has had some issues with finances, not that she isn’t making a fortune, but that she isn’t able to access her fortunes as freely as she would like. Her dad as it stands now is her conservator, which means he is in charge of her money matters and controls her spending habits. Seems that Britney has finally gotten tired of that and has been leaving voicemails for her lawyer asking for help in lifting this conservatorship so she can take control of her life again, slowly but surely. But Britney is not just worried about losing her money, it seems her dad has been making some threats that extend beyond the management of her finances. Her lawyer, a man with the ironic name of Andrew Wallet, is on the case after having received a voicemail from Britney on January 29th, that went like this:

“Hi my name’s Britney Spears. I called you earlier. I’m calling again because I just wanted to make sure that during the process of the eliminating the conservatorship that my father has threatened me several times, that you know, he’ll take my children away. I just want to be guaranteed that everything will be fine with the process and that you guys are taking care of everything, that things will stay the same as far as my custodial time. That’s it, bye.”

It has been claimed the person leaving the message is definitely Britney, with a source telling OK! magazine: “It’s the real deal. This is what convinced Jamie to go back to court to have the restraining orders reinstated against Sam Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib.” Jamie returned to court earlier this year to get the temporary restraining orders against Britney’s ex-manager Sam and her ex-boyfriend Adnan extended. During the case, it was alleged Sam was continually trying to contact Britney via text message leaving her terrified. So, this is definitely a girl with quite the tangled web on her hands, but I give her mega props for keeping her eyes wide open from those that may have other agendas for her on their plate.

Photo: Breeden, Symons, PacificCoastNews.com

Hellmuth Dominguez, PacificCoastNews.com

You know something is very wrong in the world when reality TV show hosts are too busy for the president. PR Inside reports that Simon Cowell turned down a dinner party invitation from Barrack Obama.This is less than a week after Barack had given Simon an epic shout-out on “Jay Leno,” saying, “I do think in Washington it’s a little bit like ‘American Idol.’ But everybody is Simon Cowell. Everybody’s got an opinion.” According to our Mr. President. In an interview with Jay Leno the other night, Simon ever-so-smugly mentioned this invitation to the White House(name-dropping to the max), “He wanted to have dinner and our diaries didn’t quite match. We just didn’t quite connect.”

A shocked Jay replied: “And what were you doing - whitening your teeth? Fixing your hair?”

First of all, Simon, be a man and call it a day planner. And while we understand reality TV show hosting in conjunction with model-dating can simply be exhausting, when the leader of the free world, Barrack-star Obama, invites you to dinner, you go. Simon has since invited the US leader to appear one of his shows. Speaking to a UK radio station he said: “We’re trying to get Obama to do a show at the moment. He was talking about how everyone in Washington is a critic, like me. I’m not sure if it’s a compliment or not.” Oh, how many people would love it if Simon Cowell got a snub from the President, if their ‘diaries’ didn’t match.

Oh yes, as time passes we get a little bit more information every day. This time, Rihanna moves on into the well-practiced arms of Wilmer Valderrama, while a new name is whispered for who Chris Brown was cheating with. When Wilmer Valderrama is linked to a gorgeous young celeb, usually my first response is to curse the injustice of the universe. But this time I won’t ask questions, because this time the starlet is Rihanna, and any rebound that keeps her away from Chris Brown is a good thing. On the heels of a “break” with Chris, Rihanna was getting “cozy” with Wilmer at Geisha House last Wednesday. The actor owns the Hollywood sushi spot with fellow celebs like Ashton Kutcher and Sean Astin. Wilmer sent over a bottle of champagne while hosting the night’s karaoke sing-off, and yes, that is his primary source of employment these days. As Rihanna moves on, the missing pieces about what happened on the night Chris got slam-y are still falling into place. And if you are listening VERY closely, the rumor mill has a new suspect for who sent the infamous three-page text that sparked Chris’s career-ruining, relationship-ruining beat down. They name model Natasha Ellie, a 28-year-old who appeared in a music video for R. Kelly and modeled with Kid Rock. The report says Rihanna’s had a longstanding grudge against Natasha. Natasha, the older woman is said to be the inspiration for an upcoming Rihanna song, “Emergency Room,” which describes finding a slip of paper with the name “Tash” written on it while washing her boyfriend’s jeans. Rihanna didn’t write the song, but she met with the songwriter and told the story and they came up with it. Fact or fiction? Who knows. At any rate, Natasha joins a list of suspected texters that’s included Chris’s 40-year-old manager Tina Brown, Toronto singer Keisha Chante and Paris Hilton. Nobody’s been able to really prove they know what they’re talking about on this one, so I’d go to the kitchen, get the salt, and take a few grains before getting too excited about this report.

Photo:David Tonnessen, PacificCoastNews.com

John Mayer reportedly infuriated ex-girlfriend Jennifer Aniston by spending hours on the internet after saying he was too busy to see her. Yes yes, this is the case of another breakup caused by Internet addiction. How many times is it for these two now? The ‘Marley and Me’ star reportedly grew increasingly irritated with the amount of time John spent on social networking website Twitter after telling her he was “too busy” to see her. John suddenly stopped calling her or returning her emails and when she would finally catch up with him, he’d say, ‘I’ve been so busy with work. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to email you back.’ Jennifer was fuming when she looked at the activity on his page. There he was, telling her he didn’t have time for her and yet his page was filled with Twitter updates!

“Every few hours, sometimes minutes, he’d update with some stupid line. And in her mind, she was like, ‘He has time for all this Twittering, but he can’t send me a text, an email, make a call?’ ”

When Jennifer confronted John about his behavior, he had no choice but to admit he had been avoiding her. An inside source, who MUST be one of John’s followers, added to Britain’s Star magazine: “He didn’t even deny it. He knew he was avoiding her. So, when she called him on it and ended things, he just said OK, and that he was sorry it didn’t work out. He took the break-up like a man.” You have to wonder how stupid he is. Or lazy. I mean, if you’d rather tweet than take the time to break up with someone, how lazy or selfish do you have to be? Let’s hope the third breakup is the charm for these two, shall we?

Photo: PacificCoastNews.com

PacificCoastNews.com

It has been confirmed that after a tragic skiing accident earlier this week that Natasha Richardson has died in the hospital from head injuries. Natasha was vacationing in Montreal, Quebec, while her husband Liam Neeson was working in Toronto, Canada on his most recent film ‘Chloe’. While Liam was working on set he heard of his wife’s accident and immediately left the set to go to Montreal. Reports are that Natasha was having a ski lesson with a ski trainer on one of the bunny slopes at Mont Tremblant. During her lesson she had a little fall, and her instructor immediately called the ski patrol. Right after the accident however Natasha felt fine and refused medical treatment. She was seen walking around, laughing, and enjoying herself even an hour after the accident. Not long after that however she began reporting headaches and a general unwellness and was taken to hospital. How things transpired at the hospital is still yet unknown, but after she arrived at the hospital in Mont Tremblant, she was immediately transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of Sacre Coeur, after which she was flown to a hospital in New York City. While in New York City, family and friends rushed to her side, but tragically, Natasha’s fight did not last and she died in hospital in New York City. Many people have a lot of questions on this, and an autopsy is being performed on her with results expected this week. Brain trauma is the suspected cause of death as it stands. Medical experts are saying, without further information, best guesses are that nothing could have changed this tragic turn of events, particularly since she was feeling fine shortly after the accident. Our hearts and our prayers go out to Natasha’s family, and Liam Neeson and the two children they shared together, Micheal who is 13, and Daniel who is 12.

Adrian Varnedoe, PacificCoastNews.com

Many fans of America’s Next Top Model may not be aware that while one season airs, another is being run, and so this past week was quite the charged one for folks at ANTM. As this cycle is airing, ANTM is running round the world auditioning for next season’s hopefuls, and things got a little ugly this week for the New York City audition. Were they auditioning for ANTM or Girls Gone Wild, who knows, but quite a hubaloo was raised. In this week’s audition, one day of auditioning began with the usual charged excitement that accompanies ANTM auditions, but ended with six injuries and three arrests. The arrests were based on disorderly conduct and riot induction through the audition, as the girls got a little catty. Thousands of women appeared for the New York Casting Call that was held at the Park Central New York Hotel. In the lineup, a brawl broke out with 3 arrests and 6 injuries ending the day. Two of the injuries were sent to hospital, and the remaining 4 refused treatment. Outside of sheer cattiness, the police can’t say exactly how the fight was caused, and ANTM is still working with investigators on the situation. Two women and one man were the 3 arrests and charged with starting a riot and disorderly conduct. The man at some point rushed into the crowd in an effort to steal the girls’ handbags. After the brawl, auditions were cancelled and the girls were sent home, with a scene that was left that has been described as a littering of shoes and clothes on the streets of New York. But they would have been small shoes, mind you, as this cycle’s auditions are only being opened to women 5’7” or shorter, as Tyra adds a new twist to ANTM as a reflection of her desire to challenge the fashion industries conventions. As a side note on this twist, I’m not thrilled about it. From a ‘breaking the mold’ standpoint, I see what she is trying to do and I applaud that. But as far as this working in fashion? Anyone that knows runway knows the tall girls prevail. Just ME though! On the incident however, Tyra released a statement to her short little model hopefuls:

“To all the Top Model hopefuls who were affected by the New York casting, we are doing everything we can to make sure that ALL the girls who weren’t seen, get an opportunity to audition - we’ll update you on our plans very soon. It is so important to me to redefine beauty, and make sure that everyone gets a fair chance to pursue their dream. I am beyond excited for Cycle 13; for the first time ever, young women 5′7″ and under have a shot at becoming America’s Next Top Model! I encourage each girl to come out ready to rock the runway and show off their fiercest pose. I’m rooting for all of you!”

PacificCoastNews.com

Well there are two thoughts that may cross one’s mind with that headline. The first will be, is it even true? The second will be, probably, but how long will THIS one last. I can’t answer either of those questions for you, but what I can say is that with this one, we still don’t know the why’s behind it. Just last month Jennifer and John Mayer were seen all googly beared with each other at the Academy Awards, so you have to know that something big has gone down if they’ve un-attached themselves from each others hips. Maybe John John just wanted his Oscar invite and then waited a polite amount of obligatory time before he gave her the ol’ see ya, lady. Or perhaps a Dear John letter was in the works and Jennifer just gritted through the Oscars and the Brad/Angelina rumors that milled around it, used him as her shoulder to lean on and…then…waited a polite amount of obligatory time before she started scrawling ‘Dear John,’. But yes, if yesterday you were only able to be guaranteed in life were death and taxes, today you can add a third to the list, death, taxes, and breakup rumors. One rumor floating around, and this is the kind that John likes, is that he did the heaving. After she returned home from her press tour in Europe for Marley and Me, there were apparently some disagreements that led to the end. But her side is saying nothing but ‘she’s happy’. And just this past Saturday she proved that, the same way she did last time, by hanging out with her bestie Courteney Cox and ‘a male friend’ for dinner at the Sunset Tower. Male friend? Is that what we’re calling David now? In the meantime, John is staying under wraps at his in home studio as he records his next album ‘I am SOOOOOO Over Her’. Because we know just why he got the Player Mayer title. He’s infamously noted for his string along with Jessica Simpson with reports on that relationship being that they also broke up several times….twelve, actually. Yes, twelve. (and Jessica wonders why we make fun of her? So what’s the story with the Manistons? Breakup or publicity ploy? I don’t like to think that Jen is a diabolical puppet master who manipulates the media, because if so she really should have done something about the past million Life & Style covers, but what convenient timing that these two are done just as Jen is home from meeting the British press, the gossipiest gossips that ever did goss. If you want to be cynical about it, you could see the whole thing as a big smokescreen to keep reporters from needling her about her lonely life in comparison to the Brangelina Family Jamboree. I don’t want to believe that, but if you do, please, by all means.

Matt Symons

Well, this is the official word that is out, but you have to know that this decision came with some pushing and prodding from the PR people that don’t talk to anyone but their client these days. Chris Brown has officially stepped down from his nominations for Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards, and I don’t for a second think this was his decision. Chris was up for favourite male singer and favourite song with ‘Kiss Kiss’ but my hunch is that someone up above him decided that having a woman beater win an award on a children’s program wasn’t exactly good PR. That’s just my hunch. He’s not only taken himself out of the running, but simply won’t be attending at all. Something that I am sure is bringing a collective sigh of relief from other attendees. And the PR rep has spoken on this very issue:

“Chris very much appreciates the support of his fans and the honor they have paid him in the way of nominations for Favorite Male Singer and Favorite Song. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding the incident last month has shifted the focus from the music to whether he should be allowed to be among those nominated.”

Yes, the focus has shifted all right. And to make it look like ‘whether he should be allowed’ to be nominated as a tiny little concept I think is kind of misconstrued. I see the point with if he has talent, he should win the award, but let’s remember this is a Kids Choice Awards program. So no, he should not be allowed to be among those nominated considering ‘the incident’ that turned him into this generation’s Ike Turner. Again, that’s just ME though!