Happy Chinese New Year! We are entering the Year of the Rabbit, for those who care. And Gwyneth Paltrow wants us to know that she’s down with the Chinese too – she probably refers to them as “My dear friend, the Chinese people, who have always supported me…” Gwyneth’s Goop newsletter today is all about Hong Kong and how cool it is and what we should do when we visit. Hint: lots of shopping and luxury hotels and fine dining, of course. Which brings me to a question that CB and I were just debating: just how did Gwyneth become so insufferable? CB’s opinion is that her mother, Blythe Danner, must be insufferable too, or that Blythe is simple an insufferable-enabler. Blythe just gave an interview about her daughter too!

Is there anything that Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t do these days? Probably not.

And that makes Blythe Danner sometimes worry about her overachieving daughter…

“She’s a multitasker,” Danner told me the other day at the Standard Hotel in West Hollywood, where she was promoting her new film, Waiting for Forever (in theaters tomorrow). “We had dinner last night and I said, ‘Honey, please, it’s great that you multitask, but it’s a lot of stress to do that, and I want you to take care of yourself. You’ve just got to.’”

One of Paltrow’s most recent accomplishments? Singing and playing guitar in County Strong. One of the movie’s songs, “Coming Home,” is up for an Oscar. In other words, Gwynnie will be performing the tune at the Academy Awards next month, Danner said.

“She was nervous when she performed at the Country Music Awards, but once she got into it, she was fine,” the proud mom boasted. “They stood up—these 2,500 professionals! She’s singing in front of the industry and she got a standing ovation. I was thrilled for her. She loved it.”

When asked if Paltrow and rocker hubby Chris Martin’s kids, Apple and Moses, have the show business gene, Danner smiled, “I think it’s inevitable.”

[From E! News]

It does seem like Blythe is enabling Gwyneth’s snotty behavior, because honestly, Gwyneth is not that frigging busy. Her “Day In the Life” Goop proved that definitively. The bitch just wanders around for half the day, trying on clothes, working out, and “working on a deadline” for her weekly Goop newsletter. Maybe all of this really is Blythe’s fault.

Going back to the Chinese New Year – CB and I were also comparing our Chinese zodiac signs. I’m a Horse, she’s an Ox. Oh, and Gwyneth is a Rat. According to Wikipedia, the Rat’s bad qualities can be: manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming. Hmm… Goopy? What are you?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

This is perhaps the question of the week, even more so than “Why does Angelina Jolie dress like supervillainess Velvet Dong Tug?” and “Is Michael C. Hall a douche to women?” Ever since many of us saw photos of Gwyneth’s (allegedly) jacked, Botoxy face this week, the question has been “What the hell did Goopy do to herself?” Us Weekly even ran a mean piece online called “Did Gwyneth Paltrow Botox Her Forehead?” Anyway, I think she did. CB thinks she did. Some of you agree, some of you disagree. But a new layer has been added to the speculation! Goopy’s mom Blythe Danner (Mother Goop) gave some quotes to Us Weekly that suggest, in a round-about way, that Goop did in fact get ‘Toxed:

Blythe Danner has a message for Hollywood: there’s nothing wrong with a little Botox.

The day after daughter Gwyneth Paltrow, 38, stepped out looking especially fresh-faced, the actress, 67, hinted at her own dabbling at Wednesday’s Little Fockers premiere in NYC.

“Well, I think we’ve all fooled around with it,” Danner told UsMagazine.com. “I won’t go into detail, but we all need a little help from our friends!”

Continued the star, “I think, you know, we’ve got so much at our fingertips now, why not take advantage of it? There are extraordinary things that can help us now.”

Still she told Us she’s not a fan of all plastic surgery. “I mean I can’t stand the big, puffy lips,” she said. “That stuff is just crazy! And the cheekbones that come out to here! I feel like, “Why do they think they have to do that?”

A little Botox wasn’t the only thing Danner was gushing about. She told Us of Paltrow, “She is a fantastic hostess! She is a great, great cook. I really don’t know how she does it all.”

Her top skill? “She’s the best mother I’ve ever seen,” said Danner. “She’s unbelievably patient.”

As for Paltrow’s kids with hubby Chris Martin, 6-year-old Apple and 4-year-old Moses, “They’re so perfect — truly, they are,” said Danner. “Quite remarkable! I’ve just never met children like this, that are so secure and have such great self-control and self-image. They’re just great kids.”

[From Us Weekly]

So is Blythe defending her daughter’s Botox usage, or is she just speaking in general terms? That remains to be seen. But I tend to think Goopy was ‘Toxing, and that she’ll probably come out with some strange defense sometime soon, probably in a Goop newsletter: “My dear friend Michelle Obama called me recently for parenting tips, and to compliment my Christmas wreath design, and she mentioned a special organic face cream that is only sold to rich people. I said, ‘Oh, Michelle, are you talking about Fluffertox Diamond Cream? I’ve known about that for YEARS, darling. Here’s the Swiss bank account number where you‘ll need to wire the money! They only accept Kronors.’ And that‘s why I look this way.”

Photos courtesy of WENN.

The more ridiculous I find Gwyneth Paltrow, the more I love her mother, Blythe Danner. Blythe is now, and has always been a class act. She has grace, style, warmth, and not one shred of pretense. So what happened to the daughter, one might ask? It seems Gwyneth might have been the victim of a mother who doted on her and talked her up a bit too much, if this new interview is any indication. Could it be that all of Goopy’s problems are a result of an overly-indulgent mother who was constantly telling Goop that she was undoubtedly God’s Gift?

Blythe attended the Lucy Awards, and spoke to Fox News’ Pop Tarts on the red carpet. When asked about actors’ kids growing up to join show business, Blythe admitted that she didn’t want Gwyneth to become an actress because Blythe thought Goop was “so smart”. According to Blythe, if Goop had chosen to stick with her education and had become a scientist, “we wanted her to find a cure for AIDS or something.” Bless Blythe’s heart:

Gwyneth Paltrow is an Academy Award winner and considered to be one of the finest actors of our generation, but her parents initially thought she was too intellectual to follow in their footsteps and enter showbiz.

“She’s so smart we wanted her to find a cure for AIDS or something,” mama Blythe Danner admitted at the recent Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. “We were pretty firm about her finishing her education but when we saw how talented she was we finally said okay.”

And it sounds though Paltrow’s two little ones might be on the path to a career or creativity like their famous folks too.

“Apple and Moses love to fantasize,” Danner added. “I’m always down on my hands and knees playing a character. They really love that.”

[From Fox News]

Aw, that’s cute about her grandkids. I talk so much smack about Gwyneth, but I get the feeling that she totally adores her mother, and they probably have a great relationship. After Bruce Paltrow’s death, I think Gwyneth has made an effort to spend more time with her mom, and to give Blythe lots of time with the grandkids. So Goopy gets some bonus points for that, hands down. But she never would have found a cure for AIDS. For real.

Here’s Gwyneth at the photocall for “Two Lovers” at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19th. Images thanks to Mavrix. Blythe Danner is shown at the Women in Film Crystal and Lucy Awards on June 12th. Image thanks to WENN.com .

There has been talk that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s marriage is on the rocks, sparked mostly by Chris’ attendance alone at a family funeral in October 2007, and continuing ever since. There could have been a valid reason for this, as Gwyneth might have decided to stay home with the children and not bring them to a funeral. Chris has also been touchy with journalists asking questions about his wife, and the pair is rarely seen in public together.

Blythe Danner has leapt to her daughter’s defense, saying that there is no marriage trouble.

Not so, however. I recently had a nice chat with Gwyneth’s mom, the splendid actress Blythe Danner. She was very surprised when I told her what was going on.

“They don’t take pictures together if they can avoid it. It’s a strategy. They don’t want the pandemonium.” She might have been referring to endless publicity seeking of couples like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, the Beckhams, and Brangelina.

In fact, Danner says the couple are just fine, thanks. “They’re staying in England for the new year. Then coming here.” Danner didn’t confirm this rumor, but I am told that Gwyneth will be a right by Martin’s side when Coldplay goes up for numerous Grammy awards on February 8th.

Fox News

Given how aggressive the British tabloids and paparazzi can be, I’m not surprised that the couple might be trying to avoid anything to fuel the fires of fame. Except for, you know, starring in films and making albums and touring the world, and appearing at award ceremonies and just generally being public figures.

It must be hard to find the balance between courting fame and remaining private. Particularly in the case of Chris Martin, who before marrying Gwyneth wasn’t terribly famous. Gwyneth was familiar with how a celebrity couple can be more famous than their work, as she was the girlfriend and fiancé of Brad Pitt for three years.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Blythe Danner is shown on 10/16/08 on the opening night of the play “All My Sons.” Credit: Fame. Chris Martin is shown performing in London with Coldplay on 12/14/08. Credit: WENN. There are no photos of Gwyneth because there aren’t any new ones and I can’t stand her.

Rumors of a troubled marriage have dogged Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Chris Martin pretty much since they walked out of the church together. Perhaps it’s her quiet, slightly frigid nature or the way they each generally refuse to talk about each other, but they’ve often been the subject of a lot of marital speculation. Which is funny because the speculation seems to vacillate between “They’re breaking up and they hate each other!” to “They’re having another baby!” over and over again. When Us Weekly cornered Paltrow’s mother Blythe Danner at a movie premiere on Tuesday (okay I have no evidence that they actually cornered her, but that’s the only reason I can think of for a mother randomly spouting off about the state of her daughter’s marriage) she denied that there was any trouble in Gwyneth and Chris’ happy marriage.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin are happily married, thank you very much. Paltrow’s mother, actress Blythe Danner, has slammed blog reports that the couple’s 4-year marriage is on the rocks. “Good god, it’s just so tragic that people have to make up stuff,” she told Usmagazine.com at the NYC screening of The Visitor on Tuesday. “I’ve never seen two happier parents — or people — so I don’t get it.”

Daughter Apple turns 4 in May; son Moses is about to be 2. (Click here to see how Paltrow and other stars bundled up their kids for winter.) “They’re pretty fabulous,” she said of her grandchildren. “Yesterday my little grandson says, ‘Don’t go! Don’t go!’ You just don’t get that kind of love from everybody.”

As for reports that Paltrow (who stars in May’s Iron Man) plans on quitting the business, Danner insisted, “She very much wants to go back to work. “She didn’t set out to be a movie star — she set out to be a wonderful actress,” she adds. “But motherhood is very important to her, as it was to me, and I think she’s finding balance.”

[From Us Weekly]

Awww, that’s kinda sweet. Not sure if I believe it, but it’s nice that Blythe Danner at least tries to cover up for her daughter’s frigidness. That’s probably not fair to say, but ever since Ted Casablanca at E! started calling Paltrow Fish Stick years and years ago, it’s really hard to see her any other way. The moniker is so funny and fits so well… and when I think about those fish sticks I used to eat as a kid, I’m pretty sure they would look like Gwyneth Paltrow should they ever come alive and take human form. There’s definitely no denying that Gwyneth is a devoted mom – she clearly lights up whenever she’s around her kids. As much as we like to speculate that there’s trouble, it’s almost as nice to hear that things are chugging along just fine.

Here are some older pics of Gwyneth with Moses. I’ll say this for the rumors – it’s damn near impossible to find many pictures of Gwyneth and Chris together.