The Spice Girls must have the most restrained and logical concert rider in history. We recently reported on some of the crazy celebrity contract riders as mentioned in the book “The Little Red Riders Book: The Backstage Requests Of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Most Famous Artists” by Steve Lamacq. Among a few of the better ones were Mariah Carey’s request for Cristal champagne, one box of bendy straws, one special attendant to dispose of used chewing gum, tea service for eight, a Honey Bear pack of honey, two air purifiers, a puppy, and kittens. And Mariah’s request were certainly not the most outlandish. Marilyn Manson requested a bald toothless hooker (which we hope was simply a reflection of his dark sense of humor) while David Hasselhoff requests a life-size cutout… of David Hasselhoff. I’m assuming frozen in that dramatic beach rescue running pose.

By comparison, the Spice Girls don’t exactly seem like the divas they used to be portrayed as.

All five have submitted a rider asking for a regular supply of light salads, steamed fish and fresh fruit. Geri Halliwell has asked for Evian and Melanie Brown will have sparkling spring water. [Melanie] Chisholm wants a kettle in her dressing room, Emma Bunton will have scented candles, slippers and flowers while Victoria Beckham’s fridge will be replenished daily with edamame soya beans.

[From the Daily Mail]

The most lavish thing the girls have requested is a daycare to be installed at London’s O2 Arena, where they’re playing 17 sold-out dates. Considering all the kids and nannies they’ll have in tow, it seems pretty reasonable.

The Spice Girls have had a creche [daycare] installed at the O2 ahead of their 17 nights of sell-out gigs.

The group - who, with the exception of Melanie Chisholm, are all now mothers - have requested the facility so their small army of child-minders can keep the children occupied during their two-hour concerts, which start tomorrow.

An insider said: “They all want their babies close by and looked after, so their nannies also come with the package.”

[From the Daily Mail]

When I first started researching this story, I assumed it would head in the direction of “Spice Girls have crazy diva demands.” I also assumed a creche was some type of fancy air ionizer or something. Since the article just called the arena the O2, I was thinking oxygen. So I was mightily disappointed – though impressed – that the girls were just asking for a quiet, fun place to put their kids. So far their concerts are getting pretty good reviews. Emma Bunton took a spill during a show last week and sprained her ankle, but has continued to perform, despite her leg being wrapped and hobbling around on crutches. Say what you want about their talent, but either they’re keeping their petty differences to themselves, or the Spice Girls are – at the very least – consummate professionals.

Picture note by Jaybird: Header image of the Spice Girls (with Sir Richard Branson) opening Virgin Atlantic’s new terminal at Heathrow Airport yesterday. Images thanks to PR Photos.

The Spice Girls are touring, making them suddenly cool again (or maybe ‘cool’ for the first time). Victoria Beckham is featured on the cover of Elle magazine this month, and revealed what we’ve long suspected - she has no natural talents.

ON HER TALENT:
“It became very obvious from the start,” Beckham continues, “that I was never going to be the best singer or the best dancer or the best actress. I was never a ‘natural.’ ” She thinks about this. “You know, I’ve never been that good at anything, to be completely honest.”

[From Elle]

Actually, Posh seems to have a talent for attracting attention to herself and wearing naff outfits.

As if to prove that she has no talent, at the Los Angeles Spice Girls show she skipped her solo singing spot, instead opting for a prance down the runway.

Baby, Scary, Ginger and Sporty each belted out solo numbers. Mel C’s “I Turn to You”, Scary’s rendition of “Are You Gonna Go My Way” and Ginger’s of “It’s Raining Men” brought the house down! Meanwhile, Posh rested her pipes and opted instead for a maaayjah prance down the runway as a mix of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and RuPaul’s “Supermodel” played in the background.

[From TMZ]

When the Spice Girls were in their heyday it was always said that Posh and Sporty were the two strongest singers, so I wonder if Victoria’s reluctance to sing is actually from a lack of self confidence. Although, she did work that catwalk!

While I’ve never heard any of Victoria’s solo music, maybe a great cover would work for her. How much would you love to see her parody herself while singing ‘You’re So Vain’?

Note by Celebitchy: Victoria Beckham is shown in the video below singing live and acoustic. She’s not bad. Victoria is shown in the header image on 12/7/07 at “The Mint” in LA with Mel B, thanks to Splash News.

The Spice Girls world tour kicks off this weekend, and it’s been a busy week for the girls. Geri Halliwell blogs on the lead up to the first show on Sunday in Vancouver.

I actually feel like I’m in the Spice bubble… we are encapsulated in this world where we are just immersed in each other’s lives constantly. Just before the run through of the show this morning, Mel B, Victoria and I even went to the loo together… in separate cubicles, obviously!

But of course… there’s also my daughter Bluebell. She loves hanging with the Beckham boys. Cruz and Bluebell have play dates, and Romeo – well, he is just gorgeous with her. Actually, it was a beautiful moment when we were rehearsing the other day and all of our kids were playing on the stage at the same time. It made me smile.

As you probably know, Mel B was in the live final of Dancing With The Stars and we surprised her on Monday down at the show. She was so shocked, it’s the first time we’ve ever seen her quiet! She was with us in rehearsals yesterday morning and then went to the studio in evening for the results show. She SO should have won… I’m very disappointed. But we are all so incredibly proud of her. You’re a winner to us Mel!

Read the full entry at thespicegirls.com

Mel B was robbed! Robbed I tell ya!

The girls were also visited by Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes this week, and surprised them with an impromptu performance.

Tom and Katie’s 19-month-old Suri danced around as the band belted out a selection of their greatest hits.

Following the surprise visit, Victoria - who is married to England soccer star David Beckham - said: “David and I are great friends with Tom and Katie. It was lovely of them to come down to rehearsals, a really nice surprise.

“Katie has told me before that she used to be a huge Spice Girls fan, so it was great for her to meet the other girls.”

Stuff

In other Victoria Beckham news, she’s just been announced as the new face of the Marc Jacobs campaign. We’re unsure whether her new boobs have been temporarily added at the designer’s request, or if they are a permanent fixture. They’re definitely nicer than her old half melons.

Sadly, the Spice Girls aren’t coming to my town. Still, video of the shows should be up on YouTube before I even make it out of bed. I’ll be listening to their CDs, and watching their movie this weekend. Not because they’re on tour – I do it most weekends…

Picture note by Jaybird: The Spice Girls made a surprise visit to the studio’s of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ to support Melanie Brown. Images thanks to Splash Photos.

Today is a sorta slow news day. Correction: today is a slow gossip day. So I’ll mention that if you’re into politics or fighting the forces of evil, you’ll be happy to learn that Karl Rove just resigned. In Entertainment news, here’s a little rundown of who’s had a baby in the last week or so.

Spice Girl Emma Bunton passed the title of “Baby” on to her new little boy this past Friday, August 10. Named Beau, the Spice Boy weighed in at 7 lbs, 15oz. The baby’s father is Bunton’s longtime boyfriend, Jade Jones.

“Pop singer Emma Bunton gave birth to her own Baby Spice on Friday — a boy called Beau.

“Bunton, 31, known as Baby Spice during her days with the Spice Girls, and partner Jade Jones’s first baby was born at 11:12 a.m. at London’s private Portland Hospital.

“’We just had a lovely baby boy,’ a beaming Jones told reporters outside the hospital. ‘Emma is doing very well … she’s just bonding with baby. We’re over the moon.’

“Jones said the first request the singer had following the birth was for Coca-Cola and flapjacks.

“Bunton and Jones, a former member of Nineties boy band Damage, have been together for eight years.

“Bunton is the latest member of Spice Girls, who announced in June that they are reforming for a comeback tour, to give birth.”

[From the Washington Post]

I think Emma’s held up the best of all the Spice Girls. She looks fairly natural, and very pretty.

Next up, Sara Gilbert, who played Darlene on “Roseanne” and has a continuing role on “E.R.” gave birth to a baby girl on August 2nd. She and her partner, Allison Adler, named the baby Sawyer. The two have a 3-year-old son named Levi, who Adler gave birth to.

“Sara Gilbert, the actress who came to fame portraying Darlene Conner on the hit ABC sitcom Roseanne, has started a family of her own. Gilbert gave birth to her first daughter back on August 2.

“32-year-old Sara Gilbert gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Sawyer, a week and a half ago, according to Variety. The announcement of the birth of Sawyer was made by Sara Gilbert’s publicist, though the publicist did not give any more details about the birth or the baby.”

[From Actress Archives]

That is one of the huge advantages of lesbian relationships. You can trade off birthing duties.

And, most relevant of all, Jordan Knight, he of “New Kids on the Block” and “The Surreal Life” fame, had a son in February. Why is this just getting reported now, you ask? Because it’s Jordan Knight, and if it gets mentioned within 18 months of it happening, he should consider himself pretty damn lucky. I mean even People Magazine only reported it this week. Maybe he was trying to keep it under wraps, so he wouldn’t be hounded by fans and the paparazzi.

“Knight’s wife Evelyn gave birth in February to the couple’s second child, Eric Jacob Knight. Older son Dante is now 7.

“’Right now, all Dante wants to do is take care of his brother, so we don’t have any jealousy issues,’ says his dad. “Dante is very protective, so it really bothers him when Eric cries. I think they’re going to be very close.’

“Unlike some new parents, Knight doesn’t mind midnight feedings or diaper changes. ‘I am a night owl, so that actually works out well,’ he says. ‘I like to stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning, so I can take care of him if he wakes up, and let my wife sleep.’

“After releasing his second solo album, Love Songs, last year, Knight is taking some time off to spend with his family.

“’There are a lot of doors open right now,” he says. ‘But I don’t want to do anything that will take me away from my family for very long. They’re only going to be young for so long, and I’d hate to miss this time in their lives.’”

[From People]

That’s kinda sweet. I’m pretty much only reporting this because I was supposed to marry Jordan Knight. At least my second-grade self was. The current self is glad he’s moved on and found someone else.

Picture note by JayBird: Here is Sara Gilbert at the Art of Elysium event in November, 2005 and Jordan Knight at the People’s Choice Awards in January 2005. Header image is Baby Spice at the Spice Girls press conference. Images thanks to PR Photos.

The Spice Girls just added three new dates to their tour – and ten hair and make up people!

“There’s so much competition between the girls. They all want to look their best so each of them brought in their own separate team. It’s hilarious - and completely over the top. Why can’t they just share like in the old days?” the Mirror quoted the source, as saying.

The band of aids include 10 hair stylists and make-up artists, plus fitness trainers and nutrition experts, as well as personal assistants, managers and security guards.

“It’s a far cry from the old days when they had one make-up artist and a hairdresser between them,” the source said.

However, a band spokesman insisted: “It’s normal for each girl to have a team.”

The Times Of India

I think it’s appropriate to have a team for each Spice - there’s five of them, so it would take hours to groom them for public viewing. Also rumored to be on the Spice Train is clothing designer Donatella Versace. A source describes her as being “a big fan of the girls back in the day.”

Reports in today’s papers claimed the Spice Girls had found their much-needed fairy style godmother in the shape of Donatella Versace, who was said to be designing £200,000-worth of designer stage outfits for their comeback reunion tour - but a spokesperson for Versace has denied that this is the case. “It’s simply not true,” he told us. “I have no idea where the rumours have come from.”

Vogue

I guess it makes sense to have so many more stylists and trainers on hand then before – the girls have put on a few years! But what we all really want to know is – does Ginger have her Union Jack dress back yet? I’m sure Donatella could knock up another, but a new dress just isn’t the same as vintage. Besides, it’s kind of like your wedding dress. Every few years you try it on to see how much weight you’ve gained. Admit it, we all do it. I’m surprised Geri didn’t want to keep it for that purpose alone.

Photo via http://www.dlisted.com“>DListed.