Britney says she's doing the best she can

Britney Spears was on Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show Wednesday to talk about her new album - and her life as a mom. Asked if she's been upset with recent coverage of her battle with Kevin Federline over their children, and criticism of her as a mother, Spears answered, "People say what they want and do what they do. It's sad how people...how cruel our world can be. But at the end of the day you gotta know in your heart that you are doing the best you can." When Seacrest asked if she is doing her best with her sons, Spears said, "Oh god, yeah, yeah." The singer was on the air to promote her new album Blackout, which hit stores Tuesday. She said her big day "was kind of laidback, really," and that she didn't celebrate. "No, we watched movies, that's about it." As for her favorite track on the album, she said, "I really like 'Heaven on Earth.' I think it's a cool track. It's kind of different from all the other songs." When asked if she was having a romance with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Spears, who was on speakerphone with her pals Alli Sims and Sam Lufti, answered, "Who?"

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Ashley Olsen and Lance Armstrong??!!

New couple alert? Ashley Olsen has a new, older man. The 21-year-old showed up to the Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel Monday night with Lance Armstrong, 36. A bar spy said, "They came together with a group of friends. Ashley drank red wine, sat on his lap and they were making out all night. They left together around 2 a.m." Another insider said, "Ashley and Lance settled in and within minutes, he was whispering in her ear and she was giggling like a schoolgirl. They totally looked like they were on a date."

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Happy Halloween!

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Jamie Lee Curtis, Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal, Teri Hatcher


Britney Spears, Rumer Willis, Paris Hilton, Adrianne Curry


Nicky Hilton and David Katzenberg, Avril Lavigne, Ashley Olsen and Marc Jacobs

Britney's visitation rights reduced

Britney Spears has not regained shared custody of her sons. In a ruling stemming from the October 26 custody hearing between Spears and ex Kevin Federline, LA court commissioner Scott M. Gordon granted the popstar just two daytime visits a week, plus an overnight visit. Additionally, Gordon denied Spears's attorney's request to stop the singer's twice-weekly drug tests, ordering that she will have to continue the random tests in order to maintain her visitation rights. In last Friday's hearing, a court-appointed parenting coach, Lisa Hacker, reported that when they are with their mother, Sean Preston and Jayden James have no real schedule or routine. Hacker explained, "The environment in the house ranges from chaotic to almost somber with little communication at all... During all three of my visits, [Spears] rarely engaged with the children in conversation or play." Hacker also noted, however, that Spears's parenting lapses are nothing she "would characterize as abusive in a traditional sense." The court order said that Hacker on three different days "made attempts to meet with [Spears] in order to comply with the Court's orders. [Spears] failed to meet with Hacker on those occasions." In light of Hacker's report, the court also ordered that Spears must get her homes childproofed by November 2, meet with coach Hacker for two hours every week, and ensure that Sean and Jayden are properly secured in child safety seats whenever she drives with them. These orders are in addition to those set forth on September 17, and will remain in effect until further notice.

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Katie's return to the big screen

Check out the trailer for Mad Money, Katie Holmes's one and only acting job in her 2+ years with Tom Cruise:

Cavalli dishes on JLo's pregnancy

Designer Roberto Cavalli has officially confirmed what has been rumored for months: yes, Jennifer Lopez is pregnant. (And as the man charged with designing outfits for her changing body, he should know.) Asked what types of clothing he designs for his celebrity clients, Cavalli said on Tuesday, "Well, Jennifer Lopez, at this moment, she requests something very special because she is waiting for the baby. It is so complicated because every week she is getting bigger." Cavalli designed multiple loose-fitting and flowing outfits for the 38-year-old singer, who is on tour with husband Marc Anthony. "The thing about Jennifer Lopez, she is a singer, she is a dancer," the designer said. "Most of the time when I prepare something for the tour, the performer, they want something very soft so they can dance and so they can move free." A rep for Lopez has not commented.
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Pitt considering Unabomber flick?

Would Brad Pitt be a convincing Unabomber? His production company, Plan B, is considering a biopic about Ted Kaczynski, the Harvard-educated, manifesto-scribbling, beard-sporting, imprisoned-for-life terrorist who killed three and wounded 23 with his letter bombs. The manhunt for Kaczynski was one of the most expensive in FBI history. There's also a family angle to the potential film: it was Ted's brother David, and anti-death-penalty activist, who ultimately turned him in to the authorities. Pitt's publicist confirms that Plan B is "looking at" a Unabomber script, but stresses that the production company is not yet involved in a formal way. "It's not a project they've taken on yet," she says. "It's something they're looking at." She adds that Plan B's execs get "a million scripts thrown at them" and not always for Pitt. "He doesn't star in everything they produce, clearly."

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Britney's mom intends to tell the "truth"

Lynne Spears's collaborator on her upcoming memoir says the book will shed new light on the troubled Britney Spears. "It's the truth, but it's based in love," says the co-author, who considers Lynne "a mother and a grandmother to her core. She loves her children and her grandchildren with just enormous devotion. Spears's 200-page memoir is to be published next Mother's Day by Nashville-based Christian book publisher Thomas Nelson. "Lynne, first of all, is a wonderful person," says her collaborator. "She is one of the kindest, most decent people, and very down-to-earth. People would be amazed at how normal she is, but she's living in this sort of surreal life at the same time... One thing I do want to make clear is that she's not a stage mom. People are so accusatory toward her and so judgmental of her, and it just drives me crazy because I know the real her." The pair have been working on the memoir since March.

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Lindsay makes a responsible decision

For the second time this year, Lindsay Lohan has back out of hosting a party in Las Vegas. As recently as last week, the 21-year-old was scheduled to attend a New Year's Eve blowout at Vegas nightclub LAX, but her rep says, "Lindsay will no longer be New Year's Eve in Las Vegas." The announcement should come as no surprise to those close the the actress. Last week, a source said, "Lindsay doesn't necessarily want to host but she's contractually obligated" due to the 21st birthday plans at LAX sister club PURE that she had to scrap in July in order to go to rehab. Lohan's rep says the actress, who has been out of rehab at Utah's Cirque Lodge for less than a month, "continues to focus on her work and sobriety." The deal between Lohan and PURE remains in place, and "they will both wait for a day" when she can host an event for the company, perhaps even "another year from now," says an insider.

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Hugh Laurie suffering from mild depression

British actor Hugh Laurie returned to work Monday after taking a sudden trip home to England for undisclosed family issues. On October 25, Laurie told producers he had to leave the LA set, promptly hopping on an afternoon flight to London, where his wife, Jo, and their three children reside. At the time, a show rep said, "Hugh had family obligations in England to attend to, but production is continuing in his absence." But in a revealing interview in Sunday's Sydney Daily Telegraph, the Emmy-nominated star - who recently became one of the highest paid actors on TV - admitted he is battling "mild depression" and continues to see a therapist periodically. Not only does he miss his family, but he also said he was "drained" by the show's overnight success and the 14-hour, five-days-a-week demands of the job. "I'm always thinking about the show," he told the paper. "I'm too neurotic and too anal and too convinced that we're going to fail to relax. Every show we do, every scene we shoot, is a disaster, I'm convinced of it... I go home at the end of the day and my head is full of all the mistakes I've made... I beat myself up about what I've stuffed up the day is before. I'm looking for things to go wrong. I'm not rejoicing or lying back and enjoying."

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Got your Brangelina costume ready?

In a Captain Morgan/Kelton Research survey of six hundred Americans, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were named 2007's most popular celebrity costume. But since few of us have four children we can borrow for a night on the town, you might want to try one of the survey's runner-ups: Britney and KFed, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, the Beckhams or the Bushes. Flying solo this Halloween? Why not go as a TV host? Of the late-night crew, those polled thought Jay Leno would make the best ensemble. Oprah Winfrey was the poll's top pick of the daytime hosts.

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Paris Hilton: the good witch and the bad witch

Paris Hilton says her postponed trip to Rwanda will take place in 2008, and she is still intent on bringing the suffering of other cultures to the attention of a younger generation. "We were supposed to be going in November, but then the charity is doing restructuring and figuring things out," Hilton says. "It's going to be next year... I want to travel the world. I feel like there's a lot I can do, and a lot I can do to help. I know [Rwanda] went through a lot of traumatic experiences, and I feel like if I go there, I can help save some people's lives."

Meanwhile, the Simple Life star allegedly threw a tantrum at a Toronto adult store last Wednesday, demanding that the manager take down posters promoting her infamous sex tape. The best part? It was all captured on the store's surveillance tapes. "You guys can't use my image in a porn store," a woman said to be Hilton was heard saying. "I'm going to call my lawyer and sue the [expletive] out of this place. I really want them down because they're mean and this is not right. I'm really serious, this is disgusting. And I want the other ones too or I'm calling the [expletive] cops." Shortly after leaving the store, a man claiming to be Hilton's manager returned and told the staff to keep the incident quiet, threatening a lawsuit for defamation of character if the tape of Hilton's meltdown were to be leaked. Of course, the porn proprietors quickly called up every media outlet they could and are now negotiating for rights to the footage with two U.S. tabloid shows. Offers are said to have reached $50,000.

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Michelle on the move?

Famed Brooklyn resident Michelle Williams may be leaving her outer-borough followers in the dust. Williams was recently overheard telling friends she was considering a move to Manhattan, now that her ex Heath Ledger, the father of her daughter Matilda, has shipped off to SoHo. "The Brooklyn brownstone is too big for just her and the baby," a tipster said of the actress's Cobble Hill place. Reps for Williams have not commented.

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No decision in custody case

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline appeared together on Friday for a three-hour custody hearing behind closed doors - the first courtroom face-off for the former couple. Spears took three bathroom breaks, with her mood souring as the day wore on. At an early break, she told media, "Everything's great," but later cursed at a reporters who asked how she was, saying, "Snort it, f**k it." The session ended with no ruling from the Superior Court commissioner. "There was testimony given by both parties," said a court rep, "but Commissioner Gordon did not make a ruling today. He took the case under submission, meaning he'll consider both sides and will craft a new court order." Spears's attorney said he was "absolutely satisfied" with the court session, and noted that Spears would continue to have overnight visitations with her sons. "I left with a favorable feeling," he said. The next hearing is November 26.
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The Hills: scripted reality

Just how real is The Hills? According to model Gavin Beasley - you may remember him as Lauren Conrad's date - the MTV show isn't as real as the network or its stars would like you to believe. Take the scene at Brody Jenner's barbecue on this Monday's episode. "[MTV] totally set up the BBQ scene for Brody and I to meet each other and talk because, as they said, 'The audience would get a kick out of seeing the ex talking to the new guy,'" Beasley tells Best Week Ever's blog. "Brody would talk all this sh**, then be like, 'Sorry about that, we're just trying to make good television,'" says Beasley. "He creates drama and a storyline. That's why he is there." As for his date with Conrad: "[Conrad]'s kind of a conversation killer, and when the cameras are rolling, all conversation is kept firmly on the surface," Beasley says. So what did they two talk about? "I don't know - pop culture, Red Bull, stuff like that. In fact, the most interesting thing I got out of her was that she isn't allowed to eat ice cream because her trainer told her she can't... What you see is really what you get with these people. The lack of depth was actually uncomfortable for me. Like, how can nothing be everything you talk about?"

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Russell dishes on Leo

For a guy who hates tabloids, Russell Crowe gives great gossip. "You know, I worked with Leonardo [Dicaprio] when he was 17," Crowe recalls. "He was a virgin and he'd talk about that constantly." Of course, Dicaprio has made up for lost time with his conquests of supermodels Gisele Bundchen and Bar Rafaeli, among others. So Crowe is looking forward to debriefing the lothario on their upcoming flick Body of Lies. "I'm hoping...he can fill [me] in on what's happened in between, maybe show some photos," Crowe laughs in Entertainment Weekly. "I'm sure life's different now."

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Owen's first interview

Owen Wilson is breaking his silence. The actor, who was hospitalized last month for what police called an attempted suicide, has done his first interview. No, it's not with Barbara Walters. He's chatting with friend and filmmaker Wes Anderson, according to USA Today. The interview will be posted online at midnight Friday as part of MySpace.com's Artist on Artist series. Anderson and Wilson have worked together on all of the director's movies - The Darjeeling Limited, Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. It's unclear how far the interview, recorded yesterday, will delve in to Wilson's personal struggles - if at all.

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Britney's mom to publish tell-all

Lynne Spears will have no shortage of juicy material as she pens her personal tell-all of raising two famous daughters. Having only recently reconciled with troubled popstar Britney, Spears - also mom to actress Jamie Lynn, 16 - has inked a deal with publisher Thomas Nelson. Publisher's Marketplace describes the book as "Lynne Spears's personal story of raising high-profile children while coming from a low-profile Louisiana community." The book is set to be published in spring 2008. Thomas Nelson also publishes bibles, Christian books and some celebrities' work including Bill Cosby.
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D.A. to investigate Bloom crash

According to police sources, the Orlando Bloom car crash investigation will be sent to the LA County District Attorney's office today for felony review. The investigation focuses on Bloom and a paparazzo who allegedly cut the actor off in traffic before he crashed into a parked car. The LAPD will not make a recommendation on whether to prosecute Bloom or the photog. At issue is whether Bloom and/or the paparazzo committed felony hit-and-run. The x17 photo agency has a video of the actor walking away from the crash as one of the passengers lay in the back seat with a fractured neck. He was urged by paparazzi to return to the scene - and he finally did. No word on how long the D.A. will take to review the case.

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Lost star arrested for DUI

Lost actor Daniel Dae Kim was arrested early Thursday morning on suspicion of DUI. Details of his arrest haven't been released, but according to police, he was arrested around 3 a.m. He was booked at the Honolulu police station, posted bail and was released at 5:05 a.m. Kim didn't say anything as he left the station escorted by to police officers. The actor is in the company of his co-stars: fellow cast members Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros were arrested on suspicion of DUI on December 1, 2005, when police spotted their vehicles weaving along Pali Highway.
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Britney faces arraignment, begins parent counseling

Update: The misdemeanor hit-and-run charge against Britney Spears was dismissed this morning in court. Spears pleaded guilty to the charge of driving without a valid driver's license and was ordered to appear in court on November 26.

Britney Spears faces an arraignment for two driving-related misdemeanors today in Van Nuys, CA. The singer is not required to show up in person. Spears's attorney says that Kim Robard-Rifkin, who owns the 1999 Mercedes-Benz station wagon that Spears hit on August 6 in a San Fernando Valley parking lot, has been compensated approximately $1,000 for the incident. He expects the hit-and-run charge to be dropped. Still to be resolved is the other offense of driving without a valid California driver's license. If convicted, she likely faces a probation term and fines.

Meanwhile, the popstar arrived at the Beverly Hills Hotel yesterday for her first Parenting Without Conflict session, a source close to Spears says. "She's not nervous, she's actually looking forward to it," said the source. The singer's ex-husband, Kevin Federline, was reportedly at the hotel as well. Although the program strongly urges that parents take the course together, it is not mandatory. The former couple must have completed at least three sessions of joint co-parenting counseling before a progress hearing in court this Friday.

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Picture post

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Ashley Olsen, Dita von Teese, Kristen Bell and Jessica Simpson at the Frederick's of Hollywood fashion show


Jessica Biel leaving a yoga class in Santa Monica


Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes at the Berlin premiere of Lions for Lambs


Christina Aguilera out shopping


Renee Zellweger on the Today show

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Lindsay to host New Year's bash

Less than a month after leaving Utah's Cirque Lodge, Lindsay Lohan is poised to make a comeback to the club scene. A source says the actress is set to host a New Year's blowout at Las Vegas hotspot LAX. But Lohan isn't exactly breaking out the noisemakers about the gig. "Lindsay doesn't necessarily want to host, but she's contractually obligated," an insider says. Lohan took the gig in order to pay back the "hundreds of thousands of dollars" she got for agreeing to host her 21st birthday party in Sin City at PURE Nightclub (which, like LAX, is owned by Pure Management Group). Lohan was forced to scrap the July 2 bash to focus on her treatment in rehab. Adds the source, "She already took the money from the birthday gig and can't afford to pay them back." Her rep had no comment.
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Reese and Jake PDA: awww!!

Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal make it official: