These are some photos from a charity dinner held in Paris on Tuesday night. The charity event was “Liaisons au Louvre” so I guess it benefited the Louvre? Sure. Anyway, I just wanted to cover the photos, even though they’re not really new. Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson were there, both of them looking adorable and loved up. I want Diane to get pregnant so much. I really do. I don’t care if she and Joshua get married or any of that, but I really want them to have a baby, because I think they would be wonderful, adorable parents.

Anyway, enough of my Joshua-Diane love, let’s talk about fashion. Diane wore this interesting Alessandra Rich, and she styled it straight off the runway, down to the weird, neon, plastic belt. I would absolutely hate this on anyone but Diane. On Diane, I’m merely impressed that she’s covered up. The girl loves the biscuit-grazing styles, and she’s very comfortable showing some skin. So, I applaud her rare modesty, and I also applaud how she still manages to make a glorified belted sack work in her favor. She is a true Fashion Girl.

Janet Jackson was also there. In harem pants. Ugh. I do think Janet looks great from the waist up, though. Yeah, she’s gained some weight back, which is fine. I still think she looks gorgeous.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Last night was the big AmFar gala at the Cannes Film Festival, so we’ve got lots of good photos and hit-or-miss fashion for you today. I’m splitting up the fashion into two posts, so we can talk about everybody that we need to. First up: The AmFar Crasher. I don’t know if Courtney Love actually crashed the gala mind you, but judging from the photos, it seems like she might have. Her face actually didn’t look bad, but the rest of her is a mess. I wish Court would decide who she is, what image she wants to give people. Does she want to be the grizzled rock star? The aging diva? The Beautiful Star? I think she wants to seem like all of that, and then some, which is why we get this mess. Courtney trying to sweet-talk Karl Lagerfeld, who isn’t having it. Courtney tripping over herself, her boobs hanging out. It’s all kind of gross. The dress is Givenchy, by the way. Never would have guessed that.

Next: Doutzen Kroes and her lover/baby-daddy. Kroes was one of the few girls to go short, and she was one of the few to do a bold color. I don’t think the dress itself is all that stunning, but Doutzen doesn’t need much to be magnificent.

Janet Jackson was one of my best-dressed ladies of the evening. I love this two-piece Haider Ackermann, and I think this looks absolutely gorgeous on Janet. She’s covered up, but the hint of cleavage is super-sexy, and her hair and makeup are gorge. Take notes, Courtney Love.

Donatella Versace! In Versace, I’m assuming. Orange skin, white-blonde hair, yellow dress. Sure. She’s like really gross yogurt.

Uma Thurman in Chanel… magnificent. Her last attempt at Chanel was really unflattering and fug, but this is so gorgeous.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Last night was the premiere of For Colored Girls, the Tyler Perry film based on the ground-breaking play. This is how Ms. Janet Jackson showed up – in this strange red and black pantsuit number that I have mixed feelings about. If I could see this as just the pants and the weird wrap top, I think I would have loved it. But with the added jacket and the strange skirt… it’s just too much. BUT – Janet still kind of rocks it. Hmpf. Anyway, Janet’s date last night was not her Qatari boyfriend Wissam al Mana! She took her nephew instead, although Janet did confirm that she and Wissam are still together, though not engaged:

Ignore the engagement rumors. Janet Jackson tells UsMagazine.com she isn’t getting hitched.

Asked Monday at the NYC premiere of her new drama, For Colored Girls, if her billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana popped the question, she laughed.

“No, no, no,” she told Us. “I’m not engaged.”

The two are heating up, however.

Since meeting last December at an event in the Middle East, they’ve been spotted a lot together lately.

The New York Post reports he even “whisked Janet off for a romantic break in Sardinia this summer and friends credit him with helping her cope with the death of her brother Michael.”

[From Us Weekly]

Even if they were engaged, I doubt we would know about it. Janet plays everything so tight, bless her heart. And while I don’t love the outfit, I will say that Janet is looking really good lately – I like her transition to dramatic actress, and her association with Tyler Perry. They seem to be genuinely tight, and this may be Janet’s year for an Oscar nomination. You never know.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Janet Jackson has been dating her Qatari millionaire boyfriend for the better part of 2010, by most accounts. His name is Wissam Al Mana, and according to various sources, it’s true love. Janet is said to have lost weight for Wissam, and he’s allegedly very, very good to her. So much so that Janet and Wissam might even be considering marriage and babies. But before any of that happens, Janet and Wissam needed to declare their love for each other via a photo op. Now, they’ve been photographed together in candids and paparazzi photos, but I believe these series of outings during Paris Fashion Week – like at Dior yesterday – were their first big events together.

Wissam is really cute, isn’t he? The Enquirer described him as Janet’s boy-toy, because he’s ten years younger than her, but I kind of disagree. He seems like he has the potential to be a good partner to Miss Janet. And he’s pretty cute, too. Even though The Daily Mail is saying he has weird elf ears (they’re so mean!). Oh, well. Whatever makes them happy!

He does need help with these pants though. WTF?

Janet and Wissam Al Mana on October 3, 2010. Credit: Fame.

A few days ago, Bossip put out the promotional one-sheets for Tyler Perry’s new film, For Colored Girls, the film adaptation of the play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf”. The play is something like 35 years old, and I read it back when I was in high school, although I had to consult Wikipedia for a recap. The play was basically written as seven acts/monologues it seems, with each of the seven main characters getting an act. Tyler Perry’s adaptation – which was written by Nzingha Stewart changes some things, but not the big things. Like, Perry gave each character a name, which is different from the play. But the film will still deal with all of the Big Topics: sex, domestic abuse, rape, violence, abortion, divorce/separation. The trailer just come out and it looks… difficult. Like it will be difficult to sit through because it’s so hardcore. Here’s the trailer:

Damn, I love Loretta Devine. I mentioned that the other day – for me, Devine can do no wrong. Janet Jackson looks interesting, and it seems like Kimberly Elise only gets roles where she has to look like hell, right? But damn, Phylicia Rashad is looking great, isn’t she? It’s great to see her working in a Tyler Perry movie. As for Thandie Newton and Kerry Washington… ugh. But they’re barely in the trailer, so who knows? Also: WHOOPI. Goodness. How did Whoopi get this gig? I always forget how powerful she is as a dramatic actress.

Also – I just want to say this, because I don’t think people say it enough about Tyler Perry: It’s wonderful to see a film dominated by so many talented African-American actresses (and Thandie). Tyler consistently gives work to so many women of color, and for that one reason alone, I really adore him. He does what no other director does, not even Spike Lee. Spike’s films deal with race, of course, but Spike doesn’t have as consistent a record of putting women of color to work.

Posters courtesy of Bossip.

Janet Jackson has a new, younger boyfriend! His name is Wissam Al Mana, and he’s Qatari, and he’s almost a decade younger than Janet. According to the Enquirer, they’ve been dating for about seven months, although various sites only started reporting the rumor back in May and June, so who knows? Janet and Wissam apparently went on vacation together in June – The Daily Mail had the photos here. Wissam is pretty cute, actually. He’s tall! Anyway, Miss Janet is in love, apparently, and so she’s taking better care of her body, losing weight and even thinking about having a baby with Wissam:

Falling in love with a younger man has Janet Jackson shedding the pounds and planning for motherhood!

Janet, 44, has fallen head over heels for a wealthy Qatar businessman Wissam Al Mana, 35, whome she met when he hired her for a private gig in the Middle East, say sources.

“Wissam and Janet have been dating since late last year,” revealed a source close to Janet. “He is extremely good to her, buying her jewelry, expensive designer clothes, taking her to exotic places, and filling their room with candles and white roses wherever they go. And spending time with a younger man who is handsome and fit has Janet paying closer attention to her diet. As a result, she’s lost 20 pounds in the last six months!”

Janet’s weight has been yo-yoing between 120 and 180 pounds for years, but now she’s started a new regimen of diet and exercise, cutting carbs, fast food, desserts and more from her diet, and sticking with fish, grilled chicken and salads.

Janet and Wissam have been inseparable since Christmas, continued the source, enjoying romantic getaways in London, Paris, and most recently, Sardinia.

Janet has never been ready for children – until now, says the source.

“The fact that Janet is in super shape and has been working out daily, etc, means her body is pregnancy-ready.” And since Michael’s death last year, Janet has been spending more time with her niece and nephews: “Janet adores them, and now she’s had the opportunity to see what it would be like to have kids of her own. She’s finally ready, and a younger man like Wissam would make the perfect father. All she needs now is a proposal.”

[From The National Enquirer]

Yes, the tabloids don’t know how to report anything without making it sound like every woman is stuck in the 1950s, just waiting for the ring and the baby to fulfill all of our little girlish dreams. I think we should give Janet a little more credit than this, honestly. She’s one of the most successful pop artists of all time, she’s got a solid career as an actress, and she’s already been married before, so why do we think that she will only be fulfilled by the ring and the baby? Eh. But good for her for taking better care of herself. Wissam sounds like a nice guy.

Header: Janet on March 6, 2010. Credit: WENN.

Here is the new print ad for Blackglama, the brand that is “all mink, all the time” (my tagline). In previous ad campaigns, Blackglama has hired Sophia Loren, Diana Ross, Lauren Bacall and Linda Evangelista for their campaigns, called “The Legend” campaign. Janet Jackson is the newest “Legend” and while I think she deserves the title, it’s off-putting seeing Janet front for mink. Blackglama’s press release claims: “Janet is an icon in the world of music and entertainment, a true legend. She represents everything that this storied campaign embodies. Janet is to entertainment what Blackglama is to luxury.” The ad is going wide in the September issues of Vanity Fair, Vogue, W, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Wear Daily worldwide. And as you can imagine, PETA is pissed:

Animal activists have taken aim at Janet Jackson for signing on as the new face of fur firm BlackGlama.

The pop superstar was announced as the brand’s new ‘What Becomes a Legend Most?’ spokes model on Thursday and she’ll model high-quality mink items in the ads – and PETA bosses have been quick to react.

Spokeswoman Amanda Schinke says, “It’s amazing what celebrities will do when their careers are on a downslide, but we didn’t think that Janet was this desperate.”

“Surely she knows enough about suffering and unjustified death to recognize that both occur in the production of a fur coat. We are asking her to think again and to donate these stolen skins to be used as bedding for animals orphaned by other human-caused disasters, such as loss of habitat.”

[From Starpulse]

Um, “downslide”? Really, PETA? You can’t just make the statement about animal rights, you have to disrespect Janet’s career? Note to PETA: this is why people dislike you. At this point, PETA should just stick with the cold hard facts of how mink coats are made, the details are disturbing enough without personally attacking someone’s career and calling Miss Janet “desperate”. UGH.

Ad courtesy of Dipped in Cream.

I’m honestly not trying to show off my lack of knowledge about black women’s hair, but I honestly don’t know if Janet Jackson’s newly-cropped look is a fashion statement or a styling necessity. Does Janet usually wear wigs? Or does she have a weave? Or was her previous hair all her own? Here’s a photo of her from early May, at the Costume Institute gala. My call? I think the roots are hers but she got some weaves/extensions happening, and probably a full-on hairpiece for the bun.

So, did Janet Jackson chop off her hair as some kind of dramatic fashion statement, or was her hair just over-processed and she needed a clean slate? Or has it been short for a while and she’s been wearing wigs? Whenever I have these kinds of questions about an African-American celebrity, I turn to Bossip. Bossip never fails… she asks “Did She Cut All Her Hair Off Or Is She Just Letting The Lace Front Breathe?!??” Bossip doesn’t know for sure either. However, Us Weekly kind of thinks that this is all because Janet and Jermaine Dupri broke up last year? No, Us Weekly. She would have shaved her head back then if it was about the split.

Oh, and Jesus Christ I want her purse. I LOVE her purse so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

Janet Jackson in London on May 19, 2010. Credit: Pacific Coast News.

Janet Jackson is back in the public eye to promote her new movie, “Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too.” Of course, the topic of her late brother, Michael, was bound to come up as she and Perry plugged the movie on Oprah’s show. Janet, who has remained pretty tight-lipped about her brother since his death revealed to Oprah that her family had attempted several times to stage interventions with Michael, but he was in such denial, and kept himself insulated from the family, they were not able to get through to him.

The notoriously private Janet Jackson opened up about her brother’s death on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” Friday, admitting that the family knew he had a problem.

“People think we were in denial but we weren’t. We tried intervention several times. He was very much in denial — he didn’t think he had a problem.”

When the news first broke that Michael was ill, Jackson said she first heard about it from an assistant while she was home in New York. The last time she saw her brother was about a month before, she said, at a party she had thrown for their parents. “He was thin then, and we knew that he had a problem; we all did,” she said.

His death, she told Winfrey, is “hard to believe still to this day. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about it — that all of us in the family don’t think about it — every single day.”

Her brother’s passing happened right as Janet Jackson had started production on Tyler Perry’s new film, “Why Did I Get Married Too?” and the emotional turmoil she was in comes through in the film, Winfrey said.

“It was very therapeutic,” Jackson said of her role.

Tyler Perry, she added, was by her side the entire time, asking her how she wanted to be treated on set, making sure no one had access to images of Jackson crying in character (lest a tabloid run them as evidence of what Jackson was going through at the time), and even changing the ending of the movie, which opens nationwide Friday, for her.

“I changed the ending because at first she was going to speak at the funeral, and the things that she was going to say, it was too eerie,” Perry, who also was on the show, told Winfrey. “She didn’t want to change it, but I did.”

Veering from the topic of his movie, Perry told Winfrey he felt the need to reiterate how hard the Jackson family worked to try to save their brother.

“I’m sorry, but I want people to know this,” Perry said. “I want people to know how much they tried. They really, really tried — the entire family. I want the whole world to know how much they tried.”

The family was worried, Jackson said, and did several interventions. At one of them, Jackson said she became so overwhelmed, “seeing him and knowing that there was an issue that he was in denial about,” she had to leave the room. “A lot of the relationships I’ve been in, they’ve had issues with addiction. It’s difficult when you see it. [I] recognize it so quickly because I’ve dealt with it in past relationships.”

For Jackson, it’s difficult to even look at pictures of Michael as an adult or listen to his music; the only images she can stand to view are those of the pair as children.

“When we were kids, we had so much fun together,” she said. “We used to spend every day, all day, together. I have a beautiful picture in my home of he and I when we were just babies. It takes me to that place, even when he was still here, that I missed, that we would talk about. That [picture] I can look at.”

The emotional turmoil Jackson was dealing with, both in her role in Perry’s movie as well as personally, began to affect her physically as well: Jackson said she’s definitely an emotional eater.

“When I’m feeling down, I do turn to food,” she told Winfrey. Her struggle with her weight has even led Jackson to write a book about it, to answer those persistent questions everyone always has about her weight.

“Instead of writing about nutrition, I decided to go into my childhood, where I’ve always had issues with my weight,” Jackson said, adding that the book would touch on issues like self-confidence as well.”

[From CNN]

Conclusion by Kaiser: I’ve always believed that out of the entire Jackson family, Janet was probably the closest to Michael, and I believe her when she talks about attempting to do an “intervention” for him. I really do think Janet’s heart was broken when her brother died, and it seems like she’s trying to find her footing professionally and personally after his death. But I also believe that Janet (and other Jackson family members) were probably busy, and had other sh-t going on, and ultimately, they couldn’t help someone who didn’t want to be helped.

Last week, Entertainment Weekly’s “Entertainers of the Decade” issue was released. Johnny Depp made the cover, and he was at the top of the list of fifteen, which included entertainers like Tina Fey, Peter Jackson and Oprah. Notably, Justin Timberlake made the list, and EW gave him a nice little blurb online:

He began the decade as ”just” a member of the hugely successful boy band *NSYNC and ends it as one of the most versatile and beloved entertainers in the world . ”I take my work very seriously,” says the singer-actor, 28. ”I just don’t take myself seriously at all.”

Few A-listers would have had the comedy cojones to put their ”D— in a Box,” as Timberlake famously did while hosting Saturday Night Live — and surely none would have been as hilarious doing it. But his pop-star day job is no joke to him, as evidenced by his two solo albums, 2002′s Justified and 2006′s FutureSex/LoveSounds, the latter of which featured the groovesomely lubricious ”SexyBack.’

[From Entertainment Weekly]

In the print interview, however, JT is interviewed more extensively about his decade in the spotlight. He was asked if he had any regrets, and JT said his biggest regret of the decade is not showing more support for Janet Jackson during Nipplegate, the epic SuperBowl half-time crap. Here’s JT’s take:

Justin Timberlake has reportedly admitted that he could have been more supportive of Janet Jackson in the aftermath of her famed wardrobe malfunction. Timberlake was performing on stage with Jackson at the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show when he ripped open her jacket to reveal her naked breast.

The incident resulted in the exposure of Jackson’s nipple to an estimated 140m TV viewers of the CBS show.

Timberlake said at the time that he had no idea that Jackson was topless and distanced himself from the furor.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the 28-year-old said that he regrets the way that he handled the situation. “I wish I had supported Janet more. I am not sorry I apologised, but I wish I had been there more for Janet,” he said.

[From Showbiz Spy]

From what I remember of the incident and the aftermath (and I’ve tried to forget the whole damn incident, including the bellowing, mind-blowing hypocrisy of many, many people), JT pretty much threw Janet under the bus. And I think Janet remembers it that way too. Granted, people were always going to get more geared up over Janet – it was her nipple, and there were likely other, sketchier factors about gender, race, subjugation, and media hypocrisy at play. But it would have been nice for JT to defend Janet more at the time, rather than more than five years later.