Nigella Lawson – a British celebrity chef, for those of you who aren’t following the cooking-show-as-entertainment trend – has an estimated fortune of £110 million, from her television show and cook books, as well as from her marriage to marketing guru Charles Saatchi. But she doesn’t plan on her children claiming the spoils of her hard work upon her death.

She has decided that she won’t allow her children to inherit a large quantity of wealth, as it spoils them for life, but her husband disagrees.

Mr Saatchi has one daughter, 12-year-old Phoebe from his first marriage.

Miss Lawson, 48, has two children, 13-year-old daughter Cosima and son Bruno, 11, from her marriage to the late journalist John Diamond.

Asked what she hoped the children would learn from her, Miss Lawson told the magazine My Weekly: “To know that I am working and that you have to work in order to earn money.

“I am determined that my children should have no financial security. It ruins people not having to earn money.

“I argue with my husband Charles, because he believes that you should be able to leave money to your children.

“I think we’ll have to agree to disagree.”

Miss Lawson has not said what she would rather do with the couple’s fortune, although she has worked closely with cancer charities after her mother, sister and first husband died of the disease.

Daily Mail

While I think it is nice that Nigella might donate money to cancer causes, who almost certainly would do good work with the fortune, has she considered the fact that by the time she dies her children will probably be in their 30s and 40s? If they haven’t learned fiscal responsibility by that point they probably never will.

They also have not exactly been sheltered from the privileges of wealth – Nigella indulges in designer labels and celebrity beauty therapy, as well as employing someone to do her shopping. The family live in a £7 million London pad. All of which sounds pretty good – maybe Nigella and husband Charles could adopt me?

I think this is actually a ploy on Nigella’s part to scare the children into aiming high, and upon her death she will leave them money. While the Daily Mail suggests that Nigella plans on leaving her children with nothing, she actually doesn’t say this herself.

Last year Body Shop founder Anita Roddick died and left all of her fortune to charity, and her children seem to have accepted this decision. Perhaps it is a good idea – what do you think Paris Hilton would be like today if she had to work 9-5 like other people, instead of partying every night? She gets paid for partying though so that may defeat the purpose of cutting her off.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Nigella Lawson is shown at The Golden Age Of Couture VIP Gala on 9/17/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Donald and Kiefer Sutherland at the 2006 Emmys
Since his release from jail for DUI earlier this month, “24” star Kiefer Sutherland appears to be a model citizen—keeping a low profile, staying out of trouble and even spending some quality time with his father, actor Donald Sutherland, currently the star of the ABC hit “Dirty Sexy Money.”

Kiefer, who has been recorded in various stages of drunken undress and infamously attacking an innocent Christmas tree in a hotel lobby, has had an up-and-down relationship with his famous dad for years. Reportedly, Donald pulled some strings behind the scenes to get Kiefer’s acting career started back in the ’80s, and Kiefer has spent years trying to distance himself and prove his talent away from his father’s influence.

In a recent statement, Donald, who struggled with his own substance abuse problems in the ’70s, commended his son for owning up to his mistakes and accepting his punishment accordingly:

DONALD SUTHERLAND has applauded his son KIEFER’s “perfect” behaviour in the aftermath of his arrest for drink (sic)-driving in September (07). 24 star Kiefer will spend Christmas behind bars after a Los Angeles judge sentenced him to 48 days in jail for driving under the influence.

But Donald insists his son conducted himself in an “honourable” manner and that other people, who he refuses to name, behaved in a disrespectful way at the time of the incident.

Sutherland Sr says, “You don’t want to get me going on this. All I can tell you is that he (Kiefer) is the most honourable, responsible, decent man I know, and I love him with a passion.

“(Kiefer) behaved in a way that was so pure and so perfect and so respectful.
There are other elements in our community that were less so, but he was perfect.”

[From PR Inside]

Hmmm. Could that be a dig at the Lohans and Hiltons of the world?

Kiefer and Donald were photographed, smiling and walking together, outside Mr Chow restaurant not long after his release from jail. These two are rarely photographed together—and Kiefer is more rarely photographed smiling. Hopefully, he can learn something from his time in jail and get help for his addiction. It seems like his dad is a great support system these days.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Kiefer and Donald Sutherland are shown in an image from the 2006 Emmys. Page Six has the photos of father and son hugging recently before having dinner.

Britney Spears’ long-lost uncle Willie Spears has sold out his whackjob niece to the British tabloid, The Sun. That ought to make Thanksgiving dinner real interesting this year.

In his exclusive interview, in which he speaks from the comfort of his trailer in Kentwood, Louisiana, Uncle Willie, brother of Britney’s dad Jamie, says that Britney was an out of control teen who started boozing it up and experimenting with drugs at age 14. According to Willie, he says Brit was heading down the wrong path long before Adnan, Sam Lufti or even K-Fed came into the picture. He recalls a wrap party for the Mickey Mouse Club Show, which the Spears clan attended:

“The kids were definitely drinking that night. While the adults talked, they were somewhere else, up to no good. They had a bottle of gin and slipped away to the bathroom to drink it. I saw them going.”
But Willie is certain Britney was exposed to drink and drugs long before she hit the big time.

“Her brother Bryan was the star of the high school football team. They went to all the best parties where there were drugs and alcohol – a lot.”

He believes her drug-taking started at 14 with marijuana but adds: “It got worse when she got famous and she found out that people would do what she wanted them to. She wanted to drink, party and go where she wanted to go. She is a ruthless little thing, make no mistake. Nobody controls her. She bosses everyone around her.”

[From The Sun]

Uncle Willie also talks about Jamie and Lynn’s turbulent marriage and how it affected the kids, including a sensitive young Britney:

Her parents Jamie and Lynne divorced in 2002 but Brit was exposed to their hell-raising rows when she was growing up.

Willie breaks down in tears as he tells of one dramatic incident. “Jamie was drunk at a barbecue and he tried to drive off with Britney in the car. She was no more than five years old. I tried to stop him, so I reached in to grab the keys out of the ignition and he punched me. We got into it right there by the car, fighting in front of her. Britney was jumping up and down, crying. Lynne had to run out to get her inside.”

[From The Sun]

Yawn. I hope Willie got some nice cash for this, because he hasn’t really revealed anything that shocking, and will probably be cut off from the Spears family fortune for good now. While this may be the first time a Spears insider has gone public with this information, it is certainly not a surprise. There have been rumors for years that Britney’s parents were drunks who yelled and screamed, even on set while Britney was working. And while it’s a shame that Britney’s uncle is profiting from her downward spiral, he really isn’t much different than her own mom, who goes running to the tabloids whenever she has a story she wants to control. Other outlets have already broken the story of Britney’s family history of mental illness, and it’s been long suspected that Britney has long-standing problems with alcohol and drugs.

Really, the only thing surprising about this interview is that Uncle Willie does not have a mullet.

Note by Celebitchy: Britney Spears is shown going to a Hustler porn shop with Sam Lufti in Hollywood on 1/27/08, thanks to WENN.

Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds broke up just two weeks after their non-legally binding wedding ceremony in Bora Bora. People Magazine quotes a source as saying that Eddie was chewing Tracey out at their wedding in front of guests and that it was embarrassing for everyone to witness.

Not only were Eddie and Tracey not getting along after their expensive non-nuptuals, their mothers were fighting too. Eddie and Tracey’s family are said to have “hated each other on sight,” and their mothers supposedly refused to sit next to each other. They were even seen yelling and swearing at each other, each thinking the other’s offspring wasn’t good enough for their family:

Eddie, 46, and Tracey, 40, invited only family members and a few close friends to celebrate their union, “but it was as if their families hated each other on sight…”

Eddie’s mother felt Tracey was a “gold digger,” says the friend – and Tracey’s mother felt Eddie wasn’t “good enough” for her daughter.

“The mothers didn’t even want to sit next to each other – even to eat – and it led to both sides of the family squaring off.”

According to the source, the situation escalated from an uneasy tension to outright confrontation that included “yelling and cussing.”

And this was even before Eddie and Tracey took their vows!

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, January 28, 2008]

The Enquirer adds the gem that Eddie almost backed out of the wedding right before the ceremony and that he “pulled aside his best friend Johnny Gill in a panic and asked him if he was doing the right thing.” It looks like Eddie never really got over those cold feet, or maybe he listened to his momma. Eddie Murphy’s mom is said to live with him in his LA mansion and his breakup with the mother of his youngest child, Mel B, is partially attributed to her inability to get along with his live-in mother. It looks like Tracey dodged a bullet on that one. Maybe Eddie can ask his mommy to set him up next time so he’s sure to pick a woman she approves of.

Mike Walker’s column in the latest Enquirer states that guests at Murphy’s ceremony feel duped into thinking they were attending an actual wedding and asked the Norbit star to refund their vacation costs. Murphy said he would pay guests for their travel costs, which added up to over 100k.

Eddie and Tracey are shown on 12/11/06 at the Dreamgirls premiere, thanks to PRPhotos.

Angelina Jolie is said to have upset Brad’s sister in law, Julie, by sending her kids a violent video game. She gave the game Ghost Squad to Brad’s sister Julie’s kids for Christmas, prompting Julie to send it back with a note saying “We don’t promote violence in our home.”

[Brad's sister] Julie was shocked when Angie sent her children the commando-style video game Ghost Squad. According to a family insider, Julie and her husband Rob sent it back with a note that read, “We don’t promote violence in our home.”

Julie and Rob “shun these kinds of violent games for kids,” says the insider. So when they got the present, it was just too much. It went right back in the box.”

Angelina was not pleased. “She was really angry,” the insider reveals. “She thinks it’s normal and part of being a kid. She even bought Maddox a knife-throwing set and is encouraging him to learn to throw knives!”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, January 21, 2007]

The article goes on about Angelina’s “dark side.” She lets Maddox play with toy guns like a lot of other children, and she even had a military-themed party for Maddox’s sixth birthday last August. Maddox was seen out wearing a little gun necklace recently, which generated some negative buzz for the goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Although Angelina often speaks out on behalf of refugees and talks about the atrocities of war, she also takes violent movie roles and isn’t adverse to letting her kids play with guns.

As a mother of a toddler who is extremely interested in cars and robots I can say it’s very hard to guide what they want to play with and thankfully my son isn’t that into guns. He also hasn’t been exposed to them much, so that’s probably part of it. He’s pointed his fingers at us and made the shooting noise though, and he does have one of those guns that shoot foam darts and he loves to play with that. To me it’s something kids are interested in and will grow out of.

You have a say in it of course, but if you don’t let them play with something or make a big deal out of it it’s going to make it all the more appealing to them. Before I had a child I had a different opinion about it, and I don’t agree with the knife-throwing thing, but it might not be a real knife set and could be a dart type game geared at kids.

Maybe Angelina heard from Brad’s nephews and/or nieces that they wanted the Ghost Squad game or maybe she just looked it up and saw that it was popular with their age group. We don’t know how old their kids are and it’s possible they’re in their mid to late teens and that a game like that wouldn’t be totally inappropriate. Either way, if this story is true she should have asked their mother first if it would be an acceptable game for their household.

Angelina and Brad are shown at the Critic’s Choice Awards on 1/7/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

Nothing says romantic getaway quite like hearing your dad snoring in the next bedroom. Or worse, worrying about your parents hearing you while you’re going at it with your boyfriend. Gross, just gross. But apparently that’s how Jessica Simpson likes it. Or – more likely – how Joe Simpson likes it. Creepy-as-hell Papa Joe and his wife Tina joined Jessica and her boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, on vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico last week. No that’s not creepy or weird, because Joe and Tina did the same thing when Jessica was married to Nick Lachey. Who could predict that their marriage wouldn’t work out?

Looks like Tony Romo already has an in with Jessica Simpson’s notoriously finicky father, Joe. They all went on vacation together! Simpson and Romo, who have been dating since November, arrived in Mexico via private jet with about seven friends at 9:30 p.m. January 3. After landing at the Cabo San Lucas Mexico airport, Simpson and Romo were spotted, “rubbing each others butts and laughing on the tarmac,” an eyewitness tells Usmagazine.com.

Later, the group — which included a few of Romo’s teammates and families, as well as Simpson’s parents, Joe and Tina — checked into a rented home nearby. “Tony couldn’t stop touching Jessica,” an eyewitness tells Us.

The next day, everyone enjoyed a lunch whipped up by their personal chef on the deck of their home. “They were having a great time, with Jess’ parents laughing and joking with Jess and Tony,” the onlooker added. “Tony was affectionate to Jess and everyone seemed very relaxed.”

[From Us Weekly]

How cute. And creepy. What do you want to bet Papa Joe tutored Tony Romo on the best moves to use on his daughter? He probably encouraged all that butt grabbing. No way does anyone in that family do anything without Papa Joe’s approval. Nick Lachey had to submit a written intercourse request with Joe at least two weeks prior to any sexual encounter. It had to include a detailed plan of action and required script approval from Joe. Jokes aside, after this family vacation, what do you want to bet Tony dumps Jessica within the next two weeks?

While most celebrities claim to hate gossip and say they never visit celebrity websites or read anything in the papers, a few will admit to what we suspect a lot of them suffer from: a gossip addiction, just like the rest of us. Last fall Kanye West said he was a big fan of our friends Bossip, and then started his own blog a few days later. Now even ice queen Gwyneth Paltrow has admitted she follows the tabloids and is just as addicted as the rest of us.

“There’s obviously an appetite for gossip,” she told Britain’s Daily Mail Weekend Magazine. “It’s very addictive to see what people are doing and wearing and saying – and who is breaking up.”

The actress went on to describe the outrage of an unnamed friend who had been dating another celebrity and read an inaccurate item about the romance in a New York tabloid.

“Then he turned the page of the same newspaper and said, ‘My God, have you seen who’s together?’” she told the magazine. “So we’re all at it, aren’t we?”

[From People]

Gwyneth has been the subject of a good deal of gossip over the years, and not just for her ice queeny nature. She’s not often photographed with her husband, Coldplay singer Chris Martin, leading many to speculate that their marriage is in trouble. But Gwyneth reassures us all is okay – it’s just that she doesn’t like to be seen with her husband in public. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t consider that a sign of the most healthy relationship. Paltrow also says she wants to have two more children in rapid succession a few years down the line.

But Paltrow, 35, is quick to quash rumors of any trouble in her marriage to Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Although they are rarely photographed out and about, she explained, “We’re not into doing stuff in public together.”

Away from the cameras though, she insisted, it’s a different story.

“I love the house,” Paltrow said of the North London home the couple bought from fellow actress Kate Winslet and her husband, director Sam Mendes. Paltrow – mother to daughter Apple, 3, and son Moses, 1 – also admitted she’s thinking of expanding her family. In four years, she dreams of having “two-in-a-row, really quick again,” while Martin would like to adopt.

So which will it be? The actress, who recently finished filming The Good Night with her brother Jake, told the Mail, “I’m open to anything.”

[From People]

What a free-flowing, easy spirit you are Gwyneth Paltrow. You never change, just like your hair. Gwyneth claims her marriage is in good working order, and it very well may be. People have been speculating for years that there’s trouble, and yet the two have remained together. For some odd reason, it may very well be that she doesn’t like to be seen in public with Martin much. Maybe she thinks it keeps photographers away? I’d speculate that it makes them follower her more, and makes gossips speculate negatively about her. Maybe she should lighten up, if for no other reason than to show her kids that daddy’s not a pariah.

Picture note by Jaybird: Okay even I have to admit that these photos are way too adorable. Here’s Gwyneth playing with Moses in Barcelona on October 24th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

We reported yesterday that Britney Spears is said to have told her pregnant 16-year-old sister, Jamie Lynn, not to marry her baby’s daddy and end up like her. That story was first covered by The Enquirer, and now they have a follow up that states that Britney also recommended that Jamie Lynn get an abortion. She wasn’t aware of how far along her sister was at that point, though, and is said to regret giving her that advice. Jamie Lynn’s mother Lynne is also said to have told her daughter not to carry the baby to term.

When Britney learned Jamie Lynn’s baby news, she called and had a showdown with her sister, telling her “not to ruin her life by going through with the pregnancy,” said a source.

“Britney told Jamie Lynn it was best for her to get an abortion and move on with her life and career and not to look back.”

But Jamie Lynn, who is due March 7, told Britney she is going to keep the baby and that she is making her “own decision and not letting anyone tell her to get rid of the baby.”

Britney began crying, could barely speak and quickly hung up the phone, says the source.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, January 14, 2008]

It sounds to me like The Enquirer knew that Britney told Jamie Lynn not to get married or have the baby and that they broke the story up into two parts for maximum impact.

It’s entirely plausible that Britney said this. The baby gift basket Britney bought her sister is rumored to be a peace offering after she felt guilty for recommending an abortion.

Jamie Lynn is said to be due on March 7 and to be expecting a baby girl. That would make her seven months’ pregnant, as commentors pointed out, not six as we incorrectly reported before. It sounds as if Jamie Lynne may have deliberately kept the news from her mother until it was too late for her to safely have an abortion. Obviously she decided to keep the baby against the advice of her family. Given the quotes from Jamie Lynn, it sounds like this baby wasn’t entirely an accident. She may have deliberately “forgotten” to take precautions, and indeed she is quoted as saying “Whatever happens, happens” when asked in an interview about her future plans, including children.

There is speculation that the father of Jamie Lynn’s baby is an older producer on her now probably-canceled tween show Zoey 101. The unknown adult would surely face statutory rape charges if he did father her baby.

This whole story is just sad, especially considering Britney’s very public meltdown early this morning. When you think about it, though, she had a lot of motivation to act like such a twat. Her sister is all over the papers and she’s not getting much press for her average wacky antics. Getting the focus back on Britney required a whole new level of crazy, and she brought it.

Header image is an older one of Britney during her first pregnancy and Jamie Lynn, thanks to Splash News.

Lindsay Lohan’s mom Dina, who once was rumored to have received manual stimulation under the table at a restaurant, who lied about her nonexistent past as a Rockette, and who also owed up to telling George Clooney she was Lindsay’s assistant instead of admitting to be her mom, sure takes the high road when it comes to her daughter. She is said to have called up the mother of Lindsay’s ex boyfriend, snowboarder Riley Giles, and to have chewed her out in response to a tell-all interview Riley gave British paper News of The World after Lindsay unceremoniously dumped him upon returning to LA from rehab in Utah. How did Dina insult Riley’s mom? She called her a bad mom. I wonder if it was all filmed for her reality show in which she’s shown exploiting her other two children.

Lindsay’s recent ex, Riley Giles, sold the story of their relationship to Britain’s News of the World on Dec. 23 for a rumored $120,000. That so steamed Dina that she got on the phone to his mom, reports Us Weekly.

“Dina insulted her parenting,” says a source.

Ouch!

[From NY Daily News]

And the Daily News has more evidence today that little Lindsay is scrapping for cash. They say she is predictably getting paid around $50k for toting around the tobacco cessation product Arriva, although both Lindsay and the company deny that any money has changed hands. She’s also supposedly begging her friends for money again. Along with being seen looking cuddly with three different men in Italy in a 24 hour period, she was also observed toting a Prada shopping bag. I wonder where all her money is going? Maybe a reality show is next on her agenda, too. It’s slightly less demeaning than whoring yourself out for money, although that seems to be easier for Lindsay than doing any real work as an “actress.”

Along with being honored for her “contribution to film,” at the film festival or “a way to bring tourism to our small town” in Capri, Italy, she was also named the worst actress of the year in a poll by AOL Moviefone for her performance in I Know Who Killed Me, and her other film this year, Georgia Rule was runner-up for waste of money for a movie ticket. The Razzie nominations haven’t even been announced yet this year. Keep begging Lindsay, and maybe you better hold on to those purses a little longer before you buy new ones.

Lohan is shown in the header in an image taken in mid December. Dina Lohan is shown on 10/9/06. Who looks better, mother or daughter?

Britney Spears has given her 16 year-old knocked up sister some seemingly good advice. She told her not to marry her baby’s father and end up like her.

Britney’s mom is said to have made sure that she didn’t hear about Jamie Lynn’s pregnancy before the press did because Britney has a big mouth and she was worried that the news would get out. That sounds like a legitimate concern considering that she’s dating a paparazzo:

“Whatever you do, do not get married! You are too young and you will ruin your life! Do not make a mistake and end up like me!”

That’s the shocking advice Britney Spears has given her little sister Jamie Lynn, who’s 16 and pregnant, the Enquirer has learned exclusively.

Now a single mom with two young boys, Britney is desperately worried about her sister’s future – and livid with her mother for keeping Jamie Lynn’s pregnancy a secret from her, sources say…

“Her mom Lynne didn’t tell [Britney] Jamie Lynn was expecting because she was afraid Britney would leak the news – or that she’d tell one of her friends who’d let the story get out.”

Frantic, Britney tracked Jamie Lynn down at Lynne’s home in Kentwood, LA – and the two sisters broke down in tears.

“When she got Jamie Lynn on the phone, Britney started to cry, and so did Jamie Lynn,” said the source.

“Britney told her ‘Do not marry Casey. Look at the position I’m in.’

“She told Jamie Lynn that she’ll always be there for her – and when she’s ‘had it’ with Lynne, Jamie Lynn can come live with her.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, January 7, 2008]

That’s ripe coming from Britney. It’s as if she blames Kevin for the fact that she can’t be bothered to spend time with her sons and/or hire a qualified nanny. She would be a lousy mom even if she was still married and at least the divorce helped Kevin step up to the plate, joint in hand or not.

Kevin is said to have also offered his support to Jamie Lynn. OK! Magazine reports that he thinks of her as a little sister and that “he just wants to be part of the support system.” He’s sure getting a lot of good press for a failed wannabe rapper that recently slept with Paris Hilton.

It seems like Jamie Lynn is going to have a troubled life whether she choses to get married or not. If she doesn’t want to end up like Britney she’s better off not talking to her much.

Header image is of Britney and Jamie Lynn together in October when a woman was harassing them. Thanks to WENN. Amazingly, there are no new photos of Britney today, but it’s still early. Give it a couple of hours.