For most of the summer, there were persistent rumors that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Beil were on the verge of a split. Sources told Gatecrasher that Justin’s friends found Jessica to be “clingy, needy and annoying” while other sources have Justin halfway out the door. Star Magazine has an interesting story this week, something that’s been hinted at on other gossip sites – apparently, Justin Timberlake has been acting like a single guy for weeks now, and sources are hinting that Justin and Jessica Biel might be “taking some time apart”. The evidence? Jessica wasn’t at the Emmys with Justin, plus Justin was flirting with other girls, plus Rihanna, plus Jessica will be in Canada without Justin for two months. Equals break-up, I think:

When Justin Timberlake won the Emmy for best guest actor, Jessica Biel was nowhere in sight – even though she was in the same city!

And Justin was certainly wasn’t acting like he had a girlfriend at the award show. According to an eyewitness, he flirted shamelessly with just about every woman he came across, most notably Olivia Wilde. “He was acting like a total player!”

But one lady who has done a lot more than innocently flirt with Justin is red-hot Rihanna. After the MTV VMAs, Justin spent the night getting cozy with Rihanna in NYC – while Jessica was in LA! Justin and Rihanna hit up 1Oak and Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club, where she sat on Justin’s lap and the two dirty danced in a VIP section, says an insider.

Although Justin and Rihanna left the club separately, they later met up at the Hotel on Rivington, where Rihanna was staying.

“She told friends that she’s definitely into him,” says the insider. And the next day, Justin was in a panic when he found out that someone snapped photos of him and Rihanna getting frisky at 40/40.

“Rihanna is single and wasn’t too concerned,” says the insider. “But Justin’s got a lot more to lose.”

Although Justin and Jessica were both in LA in the days leading up to the Emmys, the two weren’t seen out together. The only time they were spotted together in almost a month was on Sept. 16 when the couple looked dour as they walked their dogs.

“They weren’t holding hands, they weren’t even speaking,” says an eyewitness. “He looked miserable, and Jessica was definitely upset about something.”

Now the couple will be apart for two months while Jessica shoots The A-Team with Bradley Cooper in Vancouver.

[From Star Magazine, print edition, October 5 2009]

I’ve never really gotten them as a couple, which is why I tend to believe the persistent split rumors. It could be that they’re very happy together, and they’re very secure in their relationship and know that they can withstand the rumors. But whenever I see pictures of the two of them, it just looks like there’s no heat between them, and it often seems like Justin is just phoning it in. As for the rumors about Rihanna – well, if it’s happening, I’d bet it’s just a simple hookup, not anything serious. I don’t think Rihanna is ready to be serious with anyone at this point in her life.