Ellen Pompeo got married last Friday – and she didn’t exactly go the route of fellow Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl, who’s been planning (and talking about) her lavish outdoor wedding to singer Josh Kelley for what seems like years. Since she announced her engagement to music producer Chris Ivery last year, Pompeo has made it clear that she didn’t want a big fancy wedding, and claimed that the couple would probably just elope. She’d never give a date or any wedding details… I thought she was just been sneaky and trying to keep the paparazzi away. It turns out she was serious, and really didn’t want any kind of wedding at all. The pair got married at New York’s City Hall this past Friday. The only witnesses were Mayor Michael Bloomberg and First Deputy Mayor Patti Harris. I know some mothers that are going to be piiiiiiiiiiised. Seriously.

There’s at least one TV heroine out there who doesn’t need any writers to help craft her happy ending.

Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo tied the knot with music producer Chris Ivery in a brief civil ceremony held at New York’s City Hall Friday. “They are over the moon,” Pompeo’s publicist, Jennifer Allen, said of the newlyweds. According to Allen, the low-key ceremony lasted just a few minutes and was conducted by a city clerk. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a fellow Boston-area native, and First Deputy Mayor Patti Harris served as the couple’s witnesses and were the only people present for the civil vow swap.

It’s the first wedding for both. “I’m very happy for her,” Ellen’s father, Joseph Pompeo, told People, adding his famous offspring informed him after the ceremony of his father-in-law status. “She just didn’t want a big thing.”

In keeping with the under-the-radar vibe of the nuptials, the newlweds have opted out of a honeymoon trip, though last month Pompeo told People magazine she and Ivery were planning a trip to Bologna, Italy, “very soon.” In the meantime, they were spotted Sunday night celebrating courtside at a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.

[From E! News]

Both Pompeo and Ivery are from Boston, and grew up within a few minutes of each other. They never met until they both lived in Los Angeles in 2003, supposedly at a grocery store. I don’t buy that. That’s like hearing a couple met when they were seated next to each other on a plane and fell in love. It’s cute as hell – everyone wishes that would happen to them, you know, you both reach for the same orange, your hands touch, you laugh, apologize, and then get married – but I’ve yet to meet anyone that’s actually happened to. I’m guessing they met online. Celebrities are known to be desperate that way.

Chris Ivery has a somewhat shady background that Pompeo’s friends and family were said to be a bit worried about. He has at least 12 criminal convictions for drug dealing from 1987 to 1998, and served three months in jail for possession of cocaine and pot with the intent to supply. He then served some time for trafficking in cocaine, in addition to 14 months in federal prison for eight more drug charges. Pompeo has clearly stated that she already knew about Ivery’s past and has no problem with it. She’s been with him for four years, so it’s not like they rushed into anything. Let’s hope his past really is behind them and they have a happy life together.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Ellen and Chris at the Paramount Pictures 2007 Golden Globe Award After-Party on January 15th. Header image of Ellen with some craaaaazy hair at the Emmy Awards on September 16th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Many actors are joining the striking writers on the picket lines. At first it seemed to be filled with writers/actors like Tina Fey and several cast members of “The Office” who are also writers. Jon Stewart has said that his production company will continue to pay the salaries of the striking writers on “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.” Production has ceased on “The Office” after Steve Carell refused to cross the picket line. Now several actors are joining the writers and picketing alongside them, including the cast of “Grey’s Anatomy.” I think all their “Mc” cuteness is really annoying, but I would love to see McSteamy all fired up and holding angry picket signs.

The cast of the top-rated medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” joined striking Hollywood writers on a picket line Wednesday and said they were shooting scenes for their last scripted episode. Stars Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh and T.R. Knight, who plays Dr. George O’Malley, spent their lunch breaks outside the Prospect Studios, where “Grey’s” is filmed. “We’re supposed to be going until the end of May and right now our last shooting day will be Tuesday or Wednesday,” Knight said. “As actors, we’re paid a different way than the writers, but there’s also the crew to keep in mind. They are out of work as of next Wednesday.”

Said Oh, who plays Dr. Christina Yang: “This matter is way too important not only for our writers, but ultimately everyone who makes movies, everyone who makes entertainment here in this town and again for the rest of the world.” Other cast members included Justin Chambers, James Pickens Jr., Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane and Katherine Heigl, who portrays Dr. “Izzie” Stevens. “You’ve got to have a story,” Heigl said. “You’ve got to have a story in order to perform anything, to have any ideas on where to go and what to do, and where the character, story lines, arcs, everything. They’re everything. We can’t do it without them.”

“It’s really a big tragedy to be out here striking at all,” said Dempsey, who plays Dr. Derek Shepherd. “I think there are going to be a lot of people affected by this, that have families, that live paycheck to paycheck, that upsets me profoundly. But at the same time, I do feel that the writers deserve a better break on the deals they have been getting.”

[From the Associated Press]

The Writers Guild of America strike began Monday when negotiations fell through with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The main sticking point is over how much writers are paid when shows are available on the Internet. Considering how hard they work and how integral they are to the very foundation and success of a show, most writers deserve a lot more than they’re getting. Equally important, though far less principled, (okay so not so equally important) is what happens when writers strike: more reality shows. Remember when all that crap started? You know why? Writer’s strike. You don’t need writers to make someone eat a bunch of bugs while balancing on a bar 300 feet off the ground over a pool of snapping sea turtles. Or whatever it is they do on reality TV. So let’s hope the producers give in soon, for the sake of the writers, the rest of the production staff who aren’t getting paid, and the rest of us who might have to watch incredibly crappy TV. Or we could just read. You would think the writers would like that, too.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Sandra Oh and Katherine Heigl joining the picket lines during their lunch. Header image of Ellen Pompeo.

Ellen Pompeo, the star of Grey’s Anatomy, is ripping on the media for giving so much attention to idiots like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. She points out that the extreme amount of publicity given for such bad behavior teaches young girls that that’s how they should act, because that’s the behavior that will get them positive attention.

“’I just think the media should take this country in a different direction,’ the 37-year-old actress tells the new issue of Los Angeles Confidential Magazine, on newsstands Aug. 15.

“’We’re so focused on the wrong things. We’re teaching young girls that this is what they should be focusing on: rich and famous girls who are rich and famous for nothing.’

“In an apparent reference to coverage of Paris Hilton and her ilk, Pompeo says: ‘What are we doing to this younger generation? It’s not very responsible.’”

[From the Washington Post]

She also chides the media for its speculation about her weight. Not to do exactly what she’s complaining about, but she does seem unnaturally small. Apparently it’s hard to tell if you look at pictures of just her, but it’s pretty obvious when you see her photographed next to normal-sized people.

“Pompeo, who plays Dr. Meredith Grey on ABC’s ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ also calls the media ‘irresponsible’ for ongoing speculation that she has an eating disorder.

“’I just worry about the girls who look up to me - I don’t want them to think I starve myself or don’t eat, and that to be like me that’s what they have to do,’ explains the actress, who says she is naturally slender.”

[From the AP]

I really don’t buy the “naturally slender” line. But that’s probably because, if that’s the case, I am insanely jealous, so I’d rather believe she does really bad things to be so thin. In other news, Pompeo says that she and her fiancé, Chris Ivery, will set a wedding date at some point, but haven’t yet. They’ve been together almost four years.

“’I swear we’re going to get married at sometime,’ she says. ‘We’re just trying to fit it all in. It won’t be a big ceremony - we want one thing to ourselves.’

“Does she see children in her future?

“’I do,’ she says. ‘With the show, I just don’t know if it’s entirely fair to myself and to everybody else right now. We’ll see what happens.’”

[From the AP]

While her thoughts on the empty socialites aren’t exactly unique, she’s right. Giving them too much attention encourages a negative cycle. They’re just like little kids. If you give them praise for doing something bad, they’ll keep doing it. Any attention we give them for their crotch-flashing, nipping-baring ways will just encourage them to continue acting like morons. Though I’m pretty sure Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Britney Spears will act like morons no matter what, the rest of us can at least do something better with our time. Like steam about how unnaturally thin Ellen Pompeo is.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Ellen at the 2006 ABC Upfront Presentation and at the Garden State Premiere. Header image is at the Bourne Ultimatum Los Angeles Premiere on 7/25/2007. Images thanks to PR Photos.