Shocking news: Catherine Zeta Jones is bipolar. Did anyone else know that? I didn’t. Zeta’s rep just confirmed to People Magazine that CZJ has checked herself into a “mental health facility” to treat her “bipolar II disorder”. Apparently, the stress of the past year – with Michael Douglas’s cancer fight and all – triggered something in Catherine:

Catherine Zeta-Jones, who has been by husband Michael Douglas’s side during his cancer fight, has sought mental health treatment for herself, her rep says.

“After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check in to a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar II disorder,” the rep says in a statement. “She’s feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on her two upcoming films.”

Zeta-Jones, 41, spent about five days in the unidentified facility, a friend tells PEOPLE.

“There’s no question it’s been a stressful year,” the friend says. “Catherine has had deal with Michael’s illness and that’s been hard. She went in for a few days because she’s about to start working, and wanted to make sure she’s in top form, which she is.”

Douglas, 66, announced in January he was declared free of cancer after what he called a “wild six-month ride” of chemotherapy and radiation for a tumor on his tongue.

[From People]

From a PR standpoint, this is very well executed. The news is stunning because I’m not aware of even a whiff of this kind of thing around Catherine, and it’s not like she’s had any kind of public meltdown or scandals lately or ever. It seems like a situation where Catherine wasn’t doing very well in private, and she and her family simply took time out to acknowledge the problem and help her get treatment. In other words, everyone is behaving in everybody’s best interests and Catherine is going to get the best help money can buy, and all will be well. Good for them!

Photos courtesy of WENN.

These are newish photos of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas from Friday night. They were headed out for a black-tie affair for The Welsh Society of New York. Because Zeta is Welsh, remember? I forget sometimes, because she just seems to have taken to this image of old-money New York so well. Seriously, though, Michael looks great, and he’s healthy and they’re back to going to events together. Also – do my eyes deceive me, or has Zeta put on some weight, especially in the hip-area? It looks good on her.

Michael Douglas looked amazingly strong and healthy as he and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones stepped out in New York Friday night. Zeta-Jones was the guest of honor at a party held by The Welsh Society Of New York at the Yale Club.

The 41-year-old star was awarded the Hopkins bronze medal for lifetime achievement in film at the St. David’s day event just one week after receiving a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace from Prince Charles.

Catherine flaunted her curves in a glamorous black gown with silver detailing which she paired with a white fur coat.

Proudly supporting her was Michael, 66, who revealed in January he’is in remission for stage four throat cancer after months of intensive treatment. The romantic pair held hands as they left the lavish event.

[From Radar]

41! Hahaha. Sure. She’s 41. God bless. Anyway, Zeta’s award was for her “worldwide stature in the film and theatre industries, her unstinting pride in Wales, her generosity in support of Welsh causes and her role as an ambassador for Wales in the United States of America.” In her acceptance speech, Catherine said: “It means a lot to come home with my family and to be honoured in this way – very emotional, rather nervous I must say, and it was worth (it) to have Michael in good health to be able to enjoy it (with me).”

On, and her coat is real fur. Because Zeta will cut you if you say anything about her fur.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Greens and green-blues were a huge trend last night, which surprised me. Usually, the “trend” of the evening is something horrible, like garish red lipstick, or barely-there beige. But several high-profile nominees and fashion girls were wearing gorgeous shades of green, and it was like my personal Christmas. I love a bitch in a jewel tone. Catherine Zeta Jones up there wore one of the most memorable of the green dresses. I think it’s Versace…? I’m pretty sure. It reminds me so, so much of Gone With the Wind, specifically the part where Scarlett gets Mamie to make her the dress out of the drapes. Right? That was totally CZJ’s inspiration.

Next up: Mila Kunis in Vera Wang. It was custom-built for Mila after she approved a sketch from Vera Wang. The house made Mila’s gown in four days. I have to say, this wasn’t my favorite on Mila. The girl can wear anything, and this seems so very fussy on such a young actress. But I did like the one-shoulder aspect, and I loved that Mila wore a bright jewel tone.

Did you know that Mila played the young Angelina Jolie in the HBO movie Gia? True story. And Angelina and Mila both chose the same shade of emerald green. I’m surprised Angelina ended up in such a big trend – usually, Angelina marches to the beat of her own hideous, glittery-sack-wearing drummer, fashion-wise.

Elisabeth Moss in Donna Karan… I have to admit, I loved this look on Elisabeth. The hair was funky (although I love the shade of blonde), but the dress was simple and well-cut and the whole effect was lovely.

Okay, so maybe Amy Adams wasn’t wearing emerald green, but her blue-green dress was still on trend, in my opinion. Plus, she had that funky shoulder piece that was also part of a disturbing trend. I know Amy is my mother’s pretty princess Cinderella and everything, but Cinderella needs to do something different with her hair. I will give Amy bonus points for being such a good sport every time she loses to her Fighter costar Melissa Leo, though. So, to review: blue-green, bad hair, funky shoulder piece, but Cinderella is a classy bitch, so it’s all good.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

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This news made me so happy. Kaiser and I have been pretty worried about Michael Douglas after he was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer in August of last year. Douglas, 66, had a walnut-sized tumor under his tongue, and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones was furious at doctors who took too long to discover the problem. While his outlook seemed positive, and he was hopeful about his prognosis, just the sheer progression of his cancer made it sound grim. From what I understand, Stage 4 cancer is the most serious. Douglas told Matt Lauer that his tumor is gone now, and he thinks he’s beaten cancer.

In his first television interview since undergoing treatment for throat cancer, Michael Douglas tells TODAY’s Matt Lauer that his tumor is gone and he’s got his cancer beat.

“The odds are, with the tumor gone and what I know about this particular type of cancer, that I’ve got it beat,” Douglas said during an interview that will air Tuesday on TODAY. Douglas said that he still has to undergo monthly checks to be sure the cancer is gone, but he’s already quantifying how having the disease has changed him.

“It’s put a timeline on my life,” Douglas said. “I’m 66 now. You know, I’m fortunate I’ve got a mother who’s 88. She’ll kill me. She may be 87. My father’s 94. So, you know, I feel good about those genes. But it’s definitely a third act. And so you’re a little more conscious of your time in how you choose to spend it.”

As for how he’s spending his time now, Douglas is beginning to get back to a normal life. “I’m eating like a pig … I lost about 32 pounds. And I’ve put about 12 back,” Douglas said. Now that his chemotherapy and radiation treatments are done, Douglas has few restrictions on his day-to-day activities. He’s working out at the gym, though “they want to keep the cardio down because they want me to put some more weight on.”

Douglas also says that his experience with cancer has given his life more depth. “You know, maybe it has to do because of everything life threatening. So all of a sudden the affection from my family, from my friends, and from my fans hit me at a much deeper level than I would have ever imagined before. And it gave me a really new appreciation of just how valuable, how precious good friends are and family. And it’s not that I disregarded them before but there’s a much deeper feeling. And I’ve talked to other cancer survivors about this, that — that happens, that you just really, really appreciate what’s important in life.”

Catch more of the interview on TODAY Tuesday morning and the complete interview on Sunday’s “Dateline NBC.”

[From Todayshow.com]

There’s a follow-up article on the Today Show’s website that discusses how this type of cancer can recur and needs to be carefully monitored.

Douglas also explained that his mouth is dry after his salivary ducts were closed from the effects of the chemotherapy. (They’re expected to return to normal after a year.) He said that having a dry mouth affected his sleep and that he also suffers fatigue. Other than that, he says he’s doing well and sounds cautiously optimistic. When Lauer asked him about it he called the radiation and chemotherapy “lousy” though and said “I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”

Douglas discussed the photographs that came out of him looking gaunt during his treatment, and said they lead his loved ones to worry. He thinks that his dad, Kirk Douglas, came and visited him for a week because of those pictures. As for the paparazzi, he was very matter-of-fact and reserved about how they stalked him while he was at his weakest. “I resent the amount of imposition on our children… there was sort of a macabre enjoyment of sort of watching me go down [healthwise] by the paparazzi.”

Douglas said that facing death helped him experience love and caring from others at a level he hadn’t before. The “affection from my family, my friends and from my fans hit me at a much deeper level than I would ever have imagined before.”

Congratulations to Douglas. He fought hard and it looks like he’s triumphed. He’s now preparing for his role as Liberace and says he’s getting his “fingers ready.” I’m so happy to see him looking healthy and ready to work again.

I’ve read about Catherine Zeta-Jones being a smoker for years, but for some reason, I thought she quit? Something about the babies and pregnancy or something? Well, maybe she quit temporarily and she just smoked the occasional cig to calm her nerves, because the paparazzi caught her sucking on one in Central Park yesterday. PCN photos is really funny about it too: “Catherine Zeta-Jones swiftly dumps a cigarette in a pile of dry leaves after realising photographers are in Central Park. Catherine’s husband Michael Douglas is currently recovering from chemotherphy and radiotherapy treatments for stage IV throat cancer.” Judgy much? Yes, smoking is bad for you, etc, but it’s not like she’s packing his IV with nicotine. He’s not around, she’s walking the dog, and if she didn’t get a couple of drags, she was going to STAB SOMEONE IN THE FACE. Plus, I’ve done the smoking/quitting smoking thing… it’s HARD. And when the stress comes, you CRAVE a cig. And CZJ is obviously going through a harder time, so I’m not judging.

It cracks me up that she’s smoking with no hands though. And she’s really sucking that cig likes it’s her first one in a while. You know she probably blows smoke out of her nose.

The Hollywood Reporter has a new interview with Michael Douglas, which they’re billing as his first extensive interview since he announced his diagnosis with stage four throat cancer in August. That’s not really the case, as he did plenty of interviews after the news came out, including with People and Parade Magazines and also on Letterman. It is Douglas’ first interview since he completed chemotherapy treatment, though, and the good news is that doctors give him an 80% chance of eliminating the cancer and that he’s making plans to continue working and traveling with his family. He has lost weight as we’ve seen in recent photos, but he’s still able to speak well, he has all his hair, and the interview made it sound like he’s nearly out of the woods. His attitude is very positive and forward-thinking, as we’ve heard in past interviews, and he sounds hopeful while remaining practical. Douglas, 66, denies that he’s at death’s door as the tabloids have been predicting.

The journalist on Douglas’ appearance
The man is fully alive, alert, deeply intelligent and in person nothing whatsoever like the haggard figure that graces the National Enquirer and its kin. He has to sip frequently from a drink to ease the dryness in his mouth, but that distinctive voice is seductive as ever.

True, he has lost weight; and true, he seems a bit frail, as if recuperating from a bad cold — quite a contrast to the dominant figure of Gordon Gekko he resurrected in Wall Street 2 and even to the embattled figure he plays in his other Oscar contender, Solitary Man.

But for someone who has just come through chemotherapy and radiation — “five days a week,” he notes — he’s in remarkably good shape and spirits.

On being grateful
“After all the adversity I’ve had this year,” he says, “with my health and my son’s incarceration, my ex-wife and the lawsuit — to be able to sit here and talk to you, I’m so happy.”

On his ex wife trying to get half his Wall Street 2 Earnings (the suit for which was dismissed)
“I try not to dwell too much on a bad marriage,” Douglas says dryly. “I learned a saying, ‘I wish I got out a little earlier.’ ”

Catherine on Michaels’ strength
“He’s an extremely strong person, and I love that strength of character, coupled with the reality that he’s sensitive, he’s humble, he doesn’t take himself too seriously,” she says. “But predominantly, he’s a very strong man. This has really helped through these last months. He has never lost that strength.”

On his chemo
“The level of chemo, the amount they’re giving you, combined with radiation, was the max they could do in that period of time,” he says. “It’s amazing that they almost have to try and kill you to bring you back.”

On his future plans
He already has started preparing for his next role, the title part in Soderbergh’s Liberace, starts shooting in May or June and which will require special prosthetic work as well as musical training. “I’ve got a bunch of tapes of performances,” Douglas says. “I’m thinking; I’m a blank slate. Everything shows me he was a lovely man; I just want to reconfirm that.”

He’s also planning to take his family on a trip around the world. “They’re at a good age where they’d be old enough to understand it but not be torn away from their peer group,” he notes, then quips, “We just have to make sure we have enough stuff to do so we don’t kill each other!”

On the prognosis for his cancer
Both projects, however, are secondary to restoring his health. In January, Douglas will have a PET scan to learn whether his tumor has been eliminated. The prognosis seems good: Doctors at New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have told him there’s an 80 percent cure rate — something he and Zeta-Jones focus on, in contrast to the doom-laden tabloids.

Catherine on the tabloid stories
“I don’t read any of that stuff, regardless of what it says,” Zeta-Jones says. “Where it does affect me, it’s the fact that Michael is sequestered in the apartment. But he really is on the upward curve now.”

On how he deals with his illness
“I haven’t really digested it yet, truth be told,” he says. “As I looked through the stats, I didn’t think of this as life and death; I just saw it as an illness to get over. So I didn’t dig into the bottom of my soul to see what I could see.” He smiles. “It certainly has put a little perspective on mortality, obviously

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support,” he says, choking up for the first time. “Cancer has shown me what family is. It showed me a love that I never knew really existed.”

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

I’m really glad to hear that Douglas is doing well and that he’s got a lot of love and support at home. He was clear that he didn’t always have the best relationship with his dad, screen legend Kirk Douglas, 93, but said that his cancer has brought them closer together. What a gift it must be to have an active parent in their 90s. We hope that Michael has decades of work ahead of him as well. I know I’m really looking forward to his Liberace biopic with Matt Damon.

Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are shown at the ‘Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps’ premiere on 9/20/10. Credit: Fame Pictures

She’s not. Just FYI. Catherine Zeta Jones is not pregnant, and once you get to read this little excerpt, it’s such a dumb, unbelievable non-story, it’s a little ridiculous. According to Star’s sources, Catherine, who is…um… 41 years old (LMAO), really wants to have a “baby” with her husband Michael Douglas. Nevermind that Catherine and Michael already have two “babies” – their daughter Carys, who is 7 years old, and Dylan, who is 10 years old. Nevermind that Catherine is probably just concentrating on Michael’s treatment and health. No, let’s make it all about BABIES.

Catherine Zeta-Jones recently spoke about her desire to have more children with hubby Michael Douglas — and now, as the actor bravely battles Stage IV throat cancer, he’s ready to make her baby dreams come true.

In the Nov. 1 issue of Star, on sale now, we reveal that during an emotional heart-to-heart talk, Michael, who recently completed an eight-week course of chemo and radiation treatments, broke down as he told his wife — with whom he already has two children, Dylan and Carys — “that he wanted her to be able to have another baby with him more than anything,” an insider tells Star. As Catherine clung to her weak husband, “she couldn’t stop sobbing.”

For our full story about Michael and Catherine’s plans to expand their family — and how it’s made them hopeful about the future — pick up the new issue of Star today. Plus: Exclusive photos of the $5 million estate they purchased in tony Bedford, NY, which they’re using to “get away from it all.”

[From Star Magazine]

Just to play devil’s advocate, I wouldn’t be terribly shocked to learn that Michael perhaps saved some… uh… love juice. Like, maybe before he started chemo, he just decided to freeze some for a rainy day, and maybe he told Catherine that if she wanted it, she could have it. Other than that, I’ve got nothing.

Star cover courtesy of CoverAwards.

I think this Star Magazine cover is rather distasteful. But should Star get credit for saying what a lot of us are thinking? My mother and I were recently discussing Michael Douglas and whether or not his cancer is worse than people are letting on. Her thought is that Michael is dying, and that Catherine is devastated. Which is basically the gist of the Star piece – that Catherine and Michael are preparing for the worst.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones’ May-December romance beat the odds and blossomed into a beautiful marriage that has lasted nearly 10 years. But now they face the hardest test of all as he bravely battles Stage IV throat cancer.

In the October 18 issue of Star, on sale now, we report that the couple secretly fears that these could be their final days together. While Catherine was recently in her home country of Wales for a Ryder Cup golf tournament event, she received an upsetting phone call from her ailing husband’s medical team.

“The doctor spoke to her about Michael’s condition,” a family friend tells Star. Catherine was forced to cut her trip short and rushed back to his side in New York, worrying that she might be returning to say goodbye.

“They’re trying to be brave, but really they’re preparing for the worst,” a source tells Star. Pick up this week’s issue of Star today for our full story about Michael and Catherine’s brave struggle.

[From Star Magazine]

If the worst for Michael is on the horizon, I hope that he’s lucky enough to be surrounded by friends and family in his last days. That being said, Michael is one tough old bastard, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was able to beat the odds. We’ll see.

Update by Celebitchy: Gossip Cop got a quote from Douglas’ rep, who calls this story “complete rubbish” and discounts several of their claims. Here’s their report:

Catherine Zeta-Jones “did not rush back” home after the Ryder Cup event.

In fact, she was on the exact same flight she had always been booked on to return home.

The rep also informs Gossip Cop, “Tomorrow is [Douglas'] last day of treatment,” and as opposed to Star’s morbid account of how these are possibly his last days, the Oscar winner is going to recuperate for the next six weeks, and then “hopes to announce he’s clean.”

[From Gossip Cop]

Hang in there MD!

Star cover courtesy of CoverAwards.

Michael Douglas made an appearance at the premiere of Wall St. 2: Money Never Sleeps last night. There was speculation as to whether he would be able to make it, as he’s been open about the fact that he’s currently undergoing treatment for stage four throat cancer. He came, although some outlets claim that he’s having trouble speaking and barely spoke to reporters. His voice was weak just one week into his chemotherapy, when he went on Letterman, and he said at that time that the chemo and radiation burned his mouth and that he couldn’t take solids. Still, he spoke a little at the press conference ahead of the premiere, according to People, and talked about what he’s been going through.

“I’m in the middle of my program, and it’s going along fine,” Douglas, 65, told PEOPLE at a press conference for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps on Sunday. “I’m very optimistic and hopeful right now.”

He added: “My family has been very supportive. There’s not a lot that anybody can do. You’ve just got to kind of do the program. But it’s the world you [learn to] understand about cancer. You get to know cancer survivors, and the kind of support and outpouring I’ve been getting has just been amazing.”

Despite his intensive course of radiation and chemotherapy to treat a tumor in his throat, Douglas said he has “a lot of things to be grateful for.”

Among those things is his work. The new Wall Street film opens this Friday, and Douglas said he’s “looking for a great opening night.” He also credited costar Shia LaBeouf for being the heart and soul of the movie.

“He carries the movie,” Douglas says. “I had to do that before, and I know the responsibility, but Shia carries every scene. It’s a tremendous responsibility for anybody.”

[From People]

It’s clear that there’s a lot of love between Douglas and his young co-star, Shia Labeouf. Shia also heaped praise on Douglas ahead of the premiere. He called him a “wolf” and a “strong man” in an interview with the Associated Press, adding “all I know of his vulnerabilities is that when he first came to set he had just gone through knee surgery, his kid just went into the drum… he was dealing with a lot, never was it ‘woe is me,’ never. I think he’s one of the strongest American actors we have… my mom’s still’s got a crush on him. I feel like I have a little crush on him. Everybody’s got a crush on him.”

Douglas had an extensive interview in Parade magazine recently and I really admire the stance he’s taken toward cancer and life in general. He said that he went public with his diagnosis because “Millions of families are going through the same thing my family and I are now going through. If I can bring any relief or encouragement to those suffering, that’s the good news.” As for his own health battle, he says he’s remaining positive and is planning for a full recovery. “I’m in good spirits. I’m an optimistic guy… Nothing has deterred me from my belief that I am going to beat this.” We’re rooting for you Michael!

Photo credit: WENN.com

Outlets have some quotes from Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas’ cover story interview in People this week. A lot of them are focusing on how angry Catherine Zeta Jones says she is that it took so long for doctors to diagnose her husband’s throat cancer, which is now at stage 4. A “walnut-sized” tumor was found under his tongue and he’s gone through a week of chemotherapy and radiation so far to treat it. Douglas said on Letterman that his cancer has not spread beyond his head and neck, and that his prognosis is at least 80% or better. He admitted that it took weeks and many doctors to find out the problem and that “I actually went through a litany of doctors and tests and they didn’t find anything.” Zeta Jones says in People that she’s “furious they didn’t detect it earlier”

Catherine Zeta-Jones has revealed her anger at doctors who failed to spot her husband’s cancer.

She said Michael Douglas had complained repeatedly about ear and throat pain but it was not until three weeks ago that a walnut-size tumour was discovered under his tongue.

‘It makes me furious they didn’t detect it earlier,’ Miss Zeta-Jones said. ‘He sought every option and nothing was found.’

The actress, who has been married to 65-year-old Douglas for ten years, admitted she wasn’t that surprised when throat cancer was finally diagnosed.
‘It wasn’t a huge shock,’ she said in a magazine interview. ‘I knew something was up. He knew something was up.’

While his wife was furious about the late diagnosis, Douglas was more understanding.

‘These things sometimes just don’t show up,’ he said.

He said his family were at their home on Bermuda while he has treatment in New York. He said Miss Zeta-Jones, 40, had been ‘so supportive’ since the diagnosis.
She said in her interview with People magazine that her husband had broken the news of his illness to their children Dylan, ten, and Carys, seven.

She also revealed she was struggling emotionally with seeing him lose his strength as a result of the treatment. ‘I know maybe I should be stronger, but…the hardest part is seeing his fatigue, because Michael is never tired.’

[From The Daily Mail]

This just goes to show that even rich and famous people, presumably with access to the best doctors in the world, have trouble getting a diagnosis. From what I understand there’s no way to detect cancer other than looking at the symptoms, checking blood markers and doing an MRI, x-ray or biopsy where it’s suspected. If the guy has a “walnut-sized” tumor under his tongue, was it obvious and why didn’t anyone just look in his damn mouth? This is sadly common even when people have the best insurance. Medicine is not an exact science and requires a lot of knowledge and motivation on the doctor’s part. There are bad doctors out there, just as there are good doctors using all means at their disposal to do what’s best for their patients. Sometimes it’s too late before you find a good one.

I hope that Douglas is going to be ok, and that the treatment works for him. He seems to be hanging in there and he has so many people rooting for him. We’ll never know if his cancer could have been caught earlier if one of the doctors he saw just asked the right questions or followed up properly. That’s got to make his loved ones livid.

People cover via CoverAwards. Photos are from 6/13, 5/24 and 5/23. Credit: WENN.com