The Insider: Contributed by vkjames25

Hey There Delilah

vkjames25 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:09:33 GMT

Thanks to Philip Hersh at the LA Times (Hersh is a phenomenal writer BTW) brings us: Delilah DiCrescenzo is better known as the inspiration for a Grammy-nominated song by the Plain White T's than she is as a runner. The song is called, "Hey There Delilah.'' Fans at the U.S. Olympic trials Thursday will be able to say, "Hey there, that's Delilah in the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase.'' Truth be told, DiCrescenzo, 25, is a longshot to make the team. She had only the 10th fastest time in Monday's qualifying. But the Columbia University grad from Chicago made such a startling improvement in her personal best this season, from 9:59.48 to 9:41.68, that she came into the trials as the third fastest U.S. woman in 2008. The new personal best got her below the Olympic "A" standard, which means she needs just to finish in the top three to go to Beijing, where the women's steeple will be contested in the Olympics for the first time.

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TomKat skip Victoria Beckham's Birthday Bash

vkjames25 — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:03:50 GMT

British actress Kate Beckinsale, and Eva Longoria were all there - but the former Spice Girl's girlfriend Katie Holmes and her husband Tom Cruise were absent. The couple who had famously welcomed the Beckhams with open arms upon their high-profile arrival in Los Angeles, were noticeably absent at the dinner for the Spice Girl as Eva Longoria's Hollywood eaterie, reports the UK's Daily Mail. Posh, who turned 34, enlisted her other A-list pals to help her kick off her birthday celebrations a day early. Their noticeable absence comes amid reports the couple are reportedly preparing for a trial separation after Holmes is finding the pressures of being married to the devout Scientologist too much.

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Brody Jenner and Cora Skinner Break Up

vkjames25 — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:17 GMT

Hills star Brody Jenner didn’t quite seem like the settling kind. From his on-again, off-again romance with Hills costar Lauren Conrad, to his most recent relationship to model Cora Skinner, Its been confirmed the two have recently split and Jenner is a single man yet again. This past weekend, Jenner showed up with a new woman on his arm (who wasn’t Skinner) at the Wrigley-sponsored NBA Entertainment League Season Wrap party in L.A. Says an eyewitness: “He was holding hands with a cute blonde. They rushed inside but he held her hand on the carpet and when they were waiting to get in. They were cute, she was definitely his date for the day.” Jenner’s BFF Frankie Delgado wasn’t very shy about sharing his buddies new single status. “He was shouting, ‘Brody’s single,’ ” says a an onlooker.

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Nicole Richie to launch her own maternity line

vkjames25 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:22:13 GMT

Nicole Richie, 26, has announced she is about to launch her own maternity clothes line for pregnant woman. After giving birth to 11-week-old daughter Harlow Winter Kate in January, she says her clothing range will make women "look and feel good," taking notes from Balenciaga designer Nicholas Ghesquiere, whom she wore during her pregnancy and became "one of my main inspirations."

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The Annals of Socialite Upstarts (NY Mag)

vkjames25 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:20:21 GMT

So January was cold, and February was short, but now it's finally March. And you know what that means? It's party time! No, not for you. For people who matter. We know since SocialiteRank.com shut down nearly a year ago, you haven't been as able to keep track of what's been going on with Tinsley and Zani and Margherita, but, trust us, they're still out every night, flawlessly executing that arm move that Ellen Page has been trying to imitate! See, March is when the events for young socialites really begin in earnest. Last night saw the Riverkeeper benefit at the Hearst Tower, hosted by the ecocharity's junior council. Scheduled next week is the American Museum of Natural History's Winter Dance and the Frick's Young Fellows' Ball. A quick peek down the list of all the host committees show that, this year, all the fun is dominated by one set of friends. Claire Bernard, Maggie Betts, and Jamie Johnson are on the committees of all three of the above events, and they are joined here and there by Amanda Hearst, Hudson Morgan, Annie Churchill, Andrew Black, Derek Blasberg, and Byrdie Bell. This is a little bit of a shift away from the Tinsley-Dabney-Lydia axis, but it's essentially the same gang. Which isn't surprising, only…where's Olivia Palermo? The pretty young socialite, who tried so hard last year to make her way onto the e-mail lists that eventually morph into the host committees for events such as these, seems to have slowed her efforts. Either that or the old troop above is just being more aggressive about ignoring her. (The only thing worse than being e-mailed about is not being e-mailed about, right?) After all, getting people to put their names on the invitations to these events is more about making sure you have asses to put in all the rented chairs than about prestige. "There's such a glut of events around now that you need to have people on the committees signed in with blood to make sure they go," explained one regular event host. "If it's a big committee list, they know that they've got that many people buying tickets." Wait, the point wasn't to try to get people to come in the hopes that they'd be able to smoke out Arden Wohl? We've been buying tickets for all the wrong reasons! So what's Olivia up to? There's no better way than to ask, right? "I'm finishing up with school at the New School," she told us at a cocktail party for New Yorkers for Children last night at Bally. "I have about a year left, and then I'm going into acting lessons, and we'll see how that goes." Palermo has already spent some time in Los Angeles auditioning for roles. She's studying media at school, and she explains that she hasn't totally dropped from the social circuit. "Next week, I have the Museum of the City of New York, which I'm on the committee for, and that's pretty much it," she explained. "I just go to the things I really support. I try not to go to everything, be selective." That sounds so, well, reasonable. Go, Olivia! Looks like her year of getting bullied by the likes of Tinsley Mortimer has given her a good perspective on social life. But what are we going to do without her? Who will fill her aggressive little Louboutins? Never fear — there are some new faces on the scene who are climbing the ranks, and they're cute (if bloodthirsty). Suddenly, it's like Kipton Cronkite (related somehow to Walter) is everywhere, promoting his Kipton art initiative, and, of course, there is Emily Brill (daughter of media mogul Steve), who's trying to explode onto the scene riding on a wave of blonde hair and blog posts. And Bobby Kennedy III (one of those), who is gorgeous enough to ensure he gets in all the right photos. What will the old gang think of these newcomers? Will they welcome them with open arms? Or will they jab them with pointy elbows? Only time, and money, will tell. COURTESY OF NYMAG.COM

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Meet Ashley Alexandra Dupre

vkjames25 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:15:11 GMT

The New York Times found out the true identity of "Kristen," the high-priced hooker that New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer met in February. Ashley Alexandra Dupré is 22, an aspiring R&B singer, the product of "a broken home" and, of course, gorgeous. But she's so much more. The Times gets a great deal of its biographical data from Dupré's MySpace page, which is really quite something. The objects of sex scandals once hid in shadows; for most of 1998, much of what we knew about Monica Lewinsky was second- or thirdhand, not from the source. We're in a different time now, of course. Thanks to social networking, Ashley Alexandra Dupré comes to us a woman in full. Excerpts from her MySpace bio: When I was 17, I left home. It was my decision and I've never looked back. Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse. Left an older brother who had already split. Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose it, again and again. Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my music. And what about that music? Here's a link toher band's page. For 39 cents, you can buy Dupré's song "What We Want." The lyrics go, in part: "Look in my eyes so I can see if you're for real / Can you ride with me boy?"

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Heidi Klum is "World's Hottest Model"

vkjames25 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:10:30 GMT

Heidi Klum is amazed to have landed the coveted title of the world's hottest model, because she is a mother to three children. The German catwalk star last month beat Brazilian babe Gisele Bundchen and Adriana Lima to land at number one on the Models.com list. Klum has a three-year-old daughter, Helene, with ex-boyfriend and Formula 1 boss Flavio Briatore, and two sons, Henry and Johan, with her husband Seal. And the 35-year-old is convinced landing the title is a major step forward. She says: "It felt great, especially after having three children. It's brilliant for all mums because women sometimes worry whether they can still be sexy after having kids or how they're going to be perceived by people for being a mum. "I had employers who thought if I had a child I wouldn't fit in the sexiest women category any more. But I think it's different these days." © Thomas Crosbie Media, 2008.

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Alaska and Sandra Bullocks New Flick

vkjames25 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:39:32 GMT

According to Anchorage Daily News, "The Proposal," starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds and Betty White, will include a scene in a Sitka store, where Alaskan Heat salsa made by Anchorage entrepreneur Rose Garcia is for sale, plus a wedding scene with plenty of brew from the Alaska Brewing Co. in Juneau. Production on the film is set to begin soon in Boston. "The Proposal" is scheduled for release in September 2009. While Alaskan Heat salsa's Rosa Garcia and Alaska Brewing's Marcy Larson would have preferred the filming to be in Alaska, both said they were pleased that the production company solicited their products for the movie. Garcia said when a message was left on her phone Feb. 14, she thought at first it was a scam. "You never know," she said. Still, her caller ID indicated the caller was with Walt Disney Touchstone Pictures, so she called the phone number in Boston and found out they wanted to use her salsa in the movie. "They wanted Alaska-made products and they liked the packaging," said Garcia, whose colorful salsa jar labels feature her signature Paco the red moose "who experienced the real Alaskan Heat." Paco has proven such a popular logo that Garcia has produced small stuffed Pacos to include in Alaskan Heat gift buckets. Chris Sullivan, design department coordinator for the movie production crew, told Garcia he found her salsa while doing an Internet search for Alaska products to include in the Sitka store scene. He said he loved the packaging, but was also curious about how it actually tastes, so Garcia offered to send some for the movie set and more for the crew to enjoy during filming. Marcy Larson of Alaska Brewing was equally pleased with having the company's brew sought out, although it's nothing new for that firm. The Juneau brewery's products have been included in scenes from five films: "Snow Dogs," "Limbo," "Mystery, Alaska," "Leaving Normal" and "The Big White." The most notorious, however, was the popular "Northern Exposure" television series, Larson said. "We love having our product displayed in Alaska settings," Larson said. "We much prefer it when we represent Alaska in Alaska, but barring that, we like that they are using Alaska products." By MARGARET BAUMAN

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Britney Spears needs Mel Gibson's advice

vkjames25 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:32:42 GMT

Displaying the same sort of questionable judgment that has nearly destroyed one of pop music's most lucrative careers, Britney Spears has reportedly sought career advice from another star with a reputation on the rocks - Mel Gibson. Celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.com reported Sunday that Spears and Gibson were spotted eating together at LA's Romanov Restaurant and Lounge over the weekend, and that the meal may have followed previous meetings between the struggling singer and the erstwhile movie star. The Web site cited unnamed sources in claiming that Gibson and his wife had "reached out to Britney during her darkest days," and that they "think they can help her" restore her personal and professional life. Gibson, who like Spears has struggled with substance abuse problems, has taken on a relatively low profile since 2006, when he drew international headlines for telling California police during a drunk driving arrest that "[t]he Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." TMZ's sources didn't speculate on his opinion of Spears' religious activities in recent years, which at times have involved an interest in Jewish mysticism. Spears wore a red string bracelet - a symbol of Kabbalah - in the 2004 music video for "Everytime," and was photographed visiting LA's Kabbalah Centre earlier this month with a copy of the Zohar in hand.

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Miley Cyrus still gets starstruck

vkjames25 — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:59:39 GMT

According to Ok Magazine, Miley Cyrus still gets starstruck just like the rest of us. Attending her first Academy Awards on Sunday, the 15-year-old pop idol couldn't believe the rarefied air she was in on the red carpet. “There was Harrison Ford in front of us. Cameron Diaz [beside me] and John Travolta was toward my right. And I was like, ‘Oh, my God,’” she tells Extra. Before she hit the star-studded event, the Hannah Montana star was featured on Barbara Walters' annual Oscar special, where she spoke of needing more friends. And though she was poised and controlled during the interview, Miley admits that was another incident of being starstruck. “I was super nervous," she says. "She’s intimidating… I mean, you’re on with Barbara Walters.”

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Nicole Kidman is Pregnant

vkjames25 — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:12:30 GMT

NICOLE Kidman is pregnant, The Daily Telegraph has confirmed. Official word comes after Kidman dropped plans to shoot a major new film in Germany to protect the health of her unborn child. "Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have confirmed this morning that they are expecting a baby," a spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph. "The couple are thrilled." Kidman's publicist, Wendy Day, told AAP: "I personally didn't know, so I'm excited today, very excited"

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