BIMBO BRIGADE 12/12
PUSSS...@aol.com
IT seems that Britney Spears has taken French leave from pal Paris -
for a date with a new hunk. The singer's latest fella is pop producer
Jonathan Rotem, who worked on estranged husband Kevin Federline's
hip-hop album. But Britney, 25, was soon making sweet music with him as
they shared a steamy snog. The former pop princess has partied non-stop
with Paris Hilton since she began divorce proceedings a month ago.
However, the heiress was nowhere in sight as Britney and Jonathan - who
has also produced albums for Paris and Rhianna - enjoyed a night out in
Hollywood. The couple, in matching shades, popped into a bar and
canoodled at one of the tables. At one stage newly brunette Britney -
ciggie in hand - snuggled up while perched on his lap. An onlooker
said: "They were kissing full-on for at least a minute and didn't care
who saw." They had earlier watched romantic comedy The Holiday,
starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as women who find love after
break-ups. Wonder if Britney's getting in on the act?
PARIS Hilton, Mischa Barton, and Kate Bosworth are all gold-diggers.
The Hollywood gals are on the waiting list for the latest must-have
jeans, from Pinko, which at £600 are adorned with real gold thread.
Wonder who'll get them first?
* * *
NY POST/PAGE SIX...
Britney Spears is stepping out with a new man, and he looks just like
Jonathan "J.R." Rotem - a multiplatinum music producer who has worked
with Rihanna, 50 Cent, Paris Hilton and, surprisingly, Britney's ex,
Kevin Federline. The two were caught on a date in Hollywood after weeks
of buzz around Los Angeles that they'd hooked up. They were spotted
kissing in public Sunday night and ended up going to see a movie before
heading back to Rotem's place.
* **
NY DAILY NEWS/Julian Kesner
Vicodin, Nicole Richie's reported narcotic of choice in her DUI arrest
yesterday, alters consciousness and causes confusion - and combining it
with marijuana just thickens the fog, says one expert.
Dr. Marc Siegel, associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine,
says piggybacking the two drugs can "compound" the altered state that
sent Richie the wrong way down a one-way highway Monday.
Vicodin is supposed to be taken only to alleviate acute pain, but
Siegel is bothered by its popularity as a recreational drug.
"I'm not saying she's abusing it, but I do think Vicodin is an
overused, abused drug in the United States," said the internist. "It's
a bad problem."
One reason: The habit-forming pill is in a less restricted drug class
than other pain relievers.
"It's actually easier to prescribe Vicodin, and access it, than the
next drug up, which would be Percocet," said Siegel.
A potent cocktail of two drugs - acetaminophen and hydrocodone
bitartrate - Vicodin is a brand name. The same drug is also sold as
Hydrocet, Lorcet, Lortab or Zydone.
Matthew Perry and Courtney Love are among celebs who have entered rehab
in the past for Vicodin use.
* * *
NY DAILY NEWS/By JO PIAZZA
Nicole Richie has come from the back of the pack to claim the trophy
for most out-of-control and self-destructive Hollywood hellcat. And we
thought it would be Britney. But the week is still young and today is,
after all, only Tuesday.
Richie, with her early Monday arrest for driving under the influence
while going the wrong way on the Ventura Freeway has surpassed Lindsay
Lohan, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton's appetites for destruction.
"For the last six days, Lindsay has been sober and she has been trying
to get herself together," says a close friend. "So for this week at
least, it looks like Nicole will be playing the part of the train
wreck."
Line 'em up: Britney, Nicole, Lindsay - they all seem bent on taking
the most dangerous path.
Back in the days of dancing on tables at nightclubs, punching out
fellow celebutantes and leaving undies at home - they were a public
nuisance.
But now, with Richie's zonked-out, wayward steering, she has upped the
ante on their antics - they are now a public menace.
"In Nicole Richie's case, we are just very, very relieved that nothing
tragic happened. And we hope that people will realize the severity of
that, and say thank goodness she didn't injure or kill someone else or
herself," said Amy George of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Richie, the adopted child of Lionel Richie, first came to public
attention as the daughter of a music legend, then as professional
sidekick to Paris Hilton and now as Los Angeles party gal. But she has
been plagued with problems since she was a teen, including stints in
rehab for drug abuse and eating issues.
Despite recent claims of getting her weight under control, Richie, in
her inebriated condition, admitted to cops she currently weighs a mere
85 pounds.
According to the National Institutes of Health, the "normal weight
range" for her height, 5-foot-1, is 100-132 pounds, making her 15-47
pounds underweight.
"It was Paris who we all thought would be the first to completely lose
control," a pal tells us. "But now, compared to Nicole, Paris looks
relatively put together. Who would have thought?"
With all the hard partying, the drinking, the alleged drugs, the
perception of zero consequences, these young starlets are bound to
cross the line.
"It is a spiral of self-destruction," says Dr. Stephan Quentzel,
clinical professor of psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. "Often people hit rock bottom, something clicks and they turn
things around. But we can't predict whether someone will catch onto
this cycle of destruction in time to turn it around. More often than
not, rock bottom is death."
* * *
By Jeannette Walls/MSNBC
Paris Hilton is defending her new best friend Britney Spears on her
MySpace site. "Lately, you've been seeing pics of me and Britney
partying (blah blah) [sic] and she knows that some of her fans are very
upset about what they call her 'behavior' and sadly they're
blaming the issue on her being friends with me," Hilton wrote. "For
people to call out her parenting skills on behalf of her partying
ethics is appalling. Britney loves her kids to death, and I know for a
fact that it truly hurts her when she sees these cruel things being
written about her. She goes home every night to her babies and partying
has not come in the way of her parenting. "Anyone who has called her
out on this should really be ashamed," Hilton admonishes. "There
are thousands of mothers out there who like to go out and have a good
time. But, you do not see people out there calling them 'bad
parents.' She's young, and if she wants to go out and have some
fun, let her. Just because she does these things does not mean she
doesn't care about her children. For the sake of Britney and her
kids, be kind. Love, Paris"
Jessica Simpson is flubbing more than just song lyrics. Just days after
the former reality show star caused a flap by messing up the lyrics in
a Dolly Parton tribute, she's reportedly having problems with her
movie lines. A source on the Shreveport, Louisiana set of "Blonde
Ambition" tells Star that Simpson is having trouble with her script
lines. "After the seventh take on one shot, the director hid a
microphone in her ear so a crew member could feed her lines," a
source told the tab. "Everyone was embarrassed for her, but she
laughed it off, saying 'I'm sorry, everyone. I'm sorry."
Co-star Luke Wilson was sympathetic, reports the source, and "patted
[Simpson] on the back and told her it would be okay."
NY DAILY NEWS/Robert Dominguez
The police report for Richie's alleged pot- and pill-fueled car ride
yesterday lists the 5-foot-1 wild child's weight at a mere 85 pounds.
That puts her well below average for her height, according to the
National Institutes of Health.
Just how heavy - or, rather, light - is that? Here's what else weighs
85 pounds:
# Five 15-pound adult Shih Tzus - the same breed as Honeychild,
Richie's dog - plus Paris Hilton's Tinkerbell
# Seven cartons of returns of "The Truth About Diamonds," Richie's 2005
autobiographical novel
# The Olsen twins at the height of their "Full House" fame
# Rachel Zoe after a heavy lunch
# 42 five-foot-tall cannabis plants
# The bust of Lionel Richie's head from his "Hello" video
* * *
NY DAILY NEWS/DAVID HINCKLEY...
Most of us wouldn't think that The Simple Life includes getting busted
at 1:45 in the morning for driving your SUV in the wrong direction on
the Ventura Freeway, as Nicole Richie is charged with doing yesterday.
But then, most of us also still think getting busted is generally a bad
thing, despite the fact that it seems to be as much a part of the
celebrity lifestyle these days as designer bottles of water.
So perhaps it is we who need to reassess.
In any event, we offer celebrities a quick handbook on being busted.
Because they seem to need it most at the moment.
Just remember: It isn't only one kind of bust that can crank up a
career.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
In arrests as in alternate-side parking, preparation is the key. Just
because you're not selling pirate "Lion King" DVDs outside the Disney
Store doesn't mean you won't get busted, and once it happens, you
usually only get one shot to do it right. So just assume that whenever
you go out, you will get busted.
THINGS TO DO
1. Always carry a comb. Nothing makes you look worse in a mug shot than
disheveled hair. See Nick Nolte.
2. Have a friend call your publicist at 4 a.m. saying you've been
busted. If your publicist says "I'm sure this is all a
misunderstanding" even before asking who's on the phone, you have the
right publicist.
3. Wear clean underwear. Because your mother told you to.
THINGS NOT TO DO
1. Don't mess with multiple charges, especially if it's your first
bust. If you're planning a motor vehicle bust, leave the guns at home.
See P. Diddy and J.Lo.
2. If you're a rapper, don't overthink it. You'll get busted for
something. See 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Flava Flav, Busta Rhymes, etc. etc.
3. Don't worry that your boyfriend gets better busts than you do. Every
bust is special. See Kate Moss.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE BUST GOES DOWN
1. Focus. It's showtime.
2. Don't try to be a hero. Just play your part.
3. Speed-dial publicist.
4. Prioritize interview schedule. See Martha Stewart.
WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN THE BUST GOES DOWN
1. Don't ad-lib. Say only "This is just a misunderstanding," even if
you are the publicist. See Lizzie Grubman.
2. Don't ask if whoever's busting you knows who you are. If you have to
ask, you need to go home, get more famous and get busted again.
3. Even if you have some time to kill, don't make small talk about
religion. See Mel Gibson.
4. When they ask you what you drank or smoked, don't assume the truth
is the right answer. Nicole Richie should maybe reread this part. If
they lock her up, she also should maybe consider eating the tray of
food.
Agent Smith
73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com:
> Despite recent claims of getting her weight under control, Richie, in
> her inebriated condition, admitted to cops she currently weighs a mere
> 85 pounds.
I've always wondered what would happen if you lied to the cops about these
trivial details. Nichole Ritchie: Weight 350 lbs.