The Insider: Contributed by funkier

Britney Spears Forced Album

funkier — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:00:20 GMT

Britney Spears’ record label is trying to force her into recording a new album. The troubled 26-year-old singer, who was recently photographed emerging from a recording studio with her manager Larry Rudolph, wants to concentrate on her acting career, but is reportedly being pushed to make a new record. A source revealed: “Britney wants to focus on her TV and movie career right now. Jive Records and Larry are having trouble getting her to record, so they forced her hand by releasing the photo of her and Larry and a statement saying she is working on a new album this summer.” Earlier this week, Larry revealed Britney was busy recording her new album. He revealed in a statement: “She is spending her summer in the recording studio, working on a brand new album. She’s working with a team of top-notch producers and songwriters, and we’re very excited about what she’s accomplished so far. No album release date has been confirmed yet.” Earlier this year, Britney Spears received rave reviews for her two cameo appearances in US television show “How I Met Your Mother”, prompting speculation she may return to the role in future episodes. The mother-of-two also enjoyed success with her 2002 movie “Crossroads” and was in negotiations to star as Daisy Duke in ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’. The role was eventually filled by Britney’s pop rival Jessica Simpson. Britney’s last album “Blackout” was released in October 2007 and proved a hit with both critics and fans.

[Read full story on The Insider]

Halle Berry Flashes Her Flat Tummy After Losing Her Baby Weight

funkier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:03:23 GMT

It may have taken her several months longer than other new Hollywood mothers, but Halle Berry has regained her svelte figure five months after giving birth to daughter Nahla. The Oscar-winning actress wisely refused to bow down to media pressure and shed her baby weight through crash dieting, over-exercising or surgery and instead lost the extra pounds the healthy way. Stepping out for a shopping trip in Los Angeles on Friday with a family member, the 41-year-old’s flat stomach was unwittingly exposed to the pursuing paparazzi when a gust of wind blew open her cotton vest top. Dressed for the hot summer day, Halle looked relaxed in oatmeal trousers, light vest top and cowboy hat. As Halle picked up a few items from Beverly Hills and the Westfield Mall in Century City, no doubt her model partner Gabriel Aubry was at home looking after the baby. In May, Halle was pictured showing her post-baby rounded stomach, prompting a positive response from most new mothers, who often fail to achieve their pre-baby figure in the record time demonstrated by many celebrity mums. Last week, Nicole Kidman was photographed looking remarkably slender just 10 days after giving birth to baby Sunday Rose. Since giving birth to her first child in March, Halle and model Gabriel, have kept a relatively low profile, focusing their attentions on parenting. Nahla, who was born in a Los Angeles hospital, means ‘honey bee’ in Arabic. After taking time off for parenthood, Halle is set to resume her film career later this year. She is set to reunite with her Monster’s Ball (for which she won her 2002 Oscar) co-star Billy Bob Thornton in upcoming crime drama Tulia. Speaking in May, Halle said she believed motherhood would transform her career. She said: “I feel having a baby will open up a whole new world for me. I think I’ll actually find better roles, because I’ve gotten past being the ingenue and sex symbol.” She added: “I’m definitely going to work less. I used to put so much pressure on myself to succeed that it often made me very unhappy in my personal life. I felt on the verge of burning out three or four years ago.” Earlier this month, Halle beat Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Alba to be crowned Hottest New Mama in a poll by Parade magazine.

[Read full story on The Insider]

Katie Holmes Chose Shorter Hairstyle

funkier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:03:23 GMT

So much for the ‘Pob’ - now actress Katie Holmes has chopped her hair even shorter than friend Victoria Beckham ever has. But the lack of length hasn’t hampered her diversity, with the young mother showing off a severe bob while on a film set - and then almost boyish curls while out with husband Tom Cruise. The chop appears to have come just as American actress Eva Longoria cut her own hair in a style that was startlingly similar to both Katie and Posh - perhaps inspiring Katie’s choice in an effort to stay one step ahead in the hair-raising stakes. The actress seemed to be demonstrating great bobs of the 20th century with her new do while filming on the set of her movie ‘Eli Stone’ in Hollywood this week: starting with a Cagney and Lacey 80s bob, then moving to the 1930s-style mop top and finishing with the sleek and severe do that recalled the 1970s. When her famous husband conscientiously showed to pick her up on Thursday night, she stepped out with a mop top that was arguably more reminiscent of British tennis player Andy Murray than Victoria Beckham. But, appearing on set again the next day, she took on a far more severe aura with a straight and short look. WAG and Spice Girl Victoria was the first to lop of her signature hair extensions in August, 2006 for a cropped bob hairstyle, coining the phrase ‘pob’ - meaning ‘Posh bob’.

[Read full story on The Insider]

Jennifer Anistons Expensive Look

funkier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:03:15 GMT

Jennifer Aniston has reportedly been spending £4,000 a month on her appearance. The 39-year-old actress is allegedly worried her younger boyfriend, John Mayer, 30, will leave her for a younger woman and so has been splashing out to maintain her looks and figure. The astonishing sum reportedly includes £1,000 on a personal chef and £750 for one-on-one yoga sessions with Los Angeles’ top instructor, Mary Ingber. A source revealed: “Jennifer doesn’t have time to prepare her own healthy meals, so she’s signed up with this organic, high-protein, low-fat meal delivery service.” Jennifer Aniston has reportedly been shelling out on beauty treatments costing her hundreds of pounds a time. The source dished: “Jennifer has been spending £750 a month on seaweed and oxygen facials. She claims they instantly erase lines, dark spots and puffiness.” Amazingly, she doesn’t have a trace of cellulite. And now it seems she’s become more scrupulous about her thighs, having anti-cellulite spa sculpting treatments that cost about £500 a month. She’s also been spending around £350 on exfoliating body wraps. The source added: “Jennifer Aniston invests up to £300 a month on maintaining her hair too.”

[Read full story on The Insider]

Britney Spears Small Gain In Custody Settlement Came At A Price

funkier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:03:11 GMT

Under the terms of the custody settlement between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline on Thursday, July 17, the pop star will get an additional overnight with her toddlers every week and will pay an additional $5,000, according to the source. Britney Spears also agreed to pay Kevin Federline’s lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, $250,000 in fees. Britney Spears is currently allowed monitored visitations with her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, twice a week and an overnight once. The additional overnight will start by year-end and will be conditional to Britney Spears’ continued recovery. The source revealed: “All Britney was seeking was a formalization of her increased visitation that she’s obtained over recent weeks, and the additional overnight. She won both of those requests.”

[Read full story on The Insider]

Kanye West Hits Back At Fake Blog Claims

funkier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:02:10 GMT

Rapper Kanye West has published photographs of himself typing on his social networking page to prove he writes his own blogs. The outspoken star often uses his personal website to answer his critics, but has recently come under fire by fellow Internet blogger Marcus Troy who has accused him of employing a ghostwriter. But the “Stronger” hitmaker has hit back by posting images of himself updating his own blog on the Internet. He captioned the photograph with: “I don’t know who the hell this is… but I covered his name and face so he wouldn’t get the publicity he was obviously lookin’ for.”

[Read full story on The Insider]

Miley Cyrus Rude Gesture to Paparazzi

funkier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:01:58 GMT

Miley Cyrus has been pictured giving a rude hand gesture to a group of paparazzi photographers. The “Hannah Montana” singer/actress was enjoying a day out at a Californian funfair on Tuesday with her youngster sister Noah when she spotted some snappers taking her picture while she was riding a rollercoaster. The 15-year-old teen sensation responded by pulling an angry face and raising two fingers to the camera. The pictures are the latest blow to Miley Cyrus’ good girl image following a spate of photo scandals including her controversial Vanity Fair magazine shoot which saw her posing semi-naked wrapped in a satin sheet.

[Read full story on The Insider]