In tabloid-ville, everyone is pretty sure Nicole Richie is expecting a boy for her second child with her boyfriend/partner Joel Madden. Now that we’ve got gender out of the way, Star has this hilarious story about what Nicole’s favorite boy baby names are. Perhaps “Jack” or “Michael”? Oh, no, of course not. Nicole prefers the kind of baby names that Donald Trump would come up with - like “Baron”. And to mix it up, Nicole also likes “Martavious”. Oh, joy:

Nicole Richie picked a unique name for her adorable daughter, Harlow Winter, and she plans to do the same for her son!

Top on the 27-year-old’s odd wish list for her second child with Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden, 30? Baron!

“When she heard Donald Trump named his baby that, she told Joel she really likes it,” says a friend of the couple.

And if that’s not the right fit for the little guy, who’s due in August, “she also like the names Kypher, a mythological creature, and Martavious, which means ‘special one’” adds the pal.

“She wants something that’s going to get a lot of attention.” Those choices would do the trick!

[From Star Magazine print edition, June 8 2009]

I actually like unusual names, because for my generation, I had a weird “ethnic” name. So I really don’t think “Kypher” is all that bad. They could call him Kyph (pronounced “kife”). Little Kyph Madden… that’s cute. Perhaps they could save Martavious for the middle name the kid never acknowledges. But Baron? Just say “no” to anything Donald Trump says “yes” to, that’s my rule. Chances are that Star made up this whole story anyway.

Nicole was also on Larry King Live last night (quotes via Showbiz Spy), and she talked about how she and Joel aren’t in any kind of rush to get married, saying “When I was a little girl I dreamed about getting married and that is definitely still a dream of mine one day… But right now, we’re really, really focused on our family, we’re focused on our foundation and as far as feeling that need of commitment, we both really have that in each other.” I’ve often wondered about that with Nicole - and I’ve come around to the conclusion that Joel is the one who probably wants to get married, and Nicole is the one saying no… just an opinion.

Nicole Richie and Harlow, one and a half, are shown outside “Larry King Live” on 5/26/09. Credit: MATEI/bauergriffinonline.com. Nicole is also shown out on 5/15/09 and 5/28/09. Credit: Fame Pictures

Rumor around In Touch Weekly is that Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are expecting a boy. This comes from a source close to the couple, who mouths off to In Touch
about how the nursery and all of the baby toys are totally blue. Could it be that Nicole Richie just likes the color blue? It’s a Virgo thing - both Nicole and I are Virgos, and one of out favorite anal-retentive Virgo activities is to decorate in blue. Right after we organize our sock drawer and make a grocery list organized by aisle. So, is it a Virgo thing or is she really having a boy? I’d bet on the newest addition to the Richie-Madden household being a boy!

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are already the proud parents of an adorable 16-month-old daughter, Harlow, and now, they’re getting ready for the arrival of a bouncing baby boy in August, a friend tells In Touch.

“Joel bought water-based paint for the nursery and — surprise, surprise — it’s blue,” reveals another pal of the couple, who adds that Nicole refers to the baby as “he.”

“Plus, she recently ordered some plush animals and infant toys from FAO Schwarz, and everything just happens to be blue.”

[From In Touch Weekly]

Ho-hum, doesn’t anyone decorate in neutrals anymore? I take that back, I think beige nurseries are sad. Blues and pinks might be retro, but at least they’re lively. This breaking baby news isn’t the only thing Nicole is getting press for - she also is speaking out on environmental causes, urging schools to begin early childhood education on organic food, recycling and energy reduction. Nicole just joined the Young Hollywood Board of the Environmental Media Association, and has begun to spread the word on environmental causes. She gave a mission statement to HollyScoop (story via The San Francisco Chronicle):

Socialite Nicole Richie has urged schools to help save the planet by teaching kids about environmental issues from a young age.

Richie, who has a 16-month-old daughter, Harlow, with boyfriend Joel Madden, has become a passionate green campaigner in recent years and insists her family only eats organic food.

And Richie hopes educational institutes will heed her advice and encourage children to recycle, save energy and maintain a balanced diet.

She tells Hollyscoop.com, “Being in a school with the environment of education, it really doesn’t make sense to educate children on math, science, history and not educate them on nutrition and taking care of our planet. It seems that it is our responsibility to make sure that happens.

“Anyone that is going to eat organic is going to feel different. We only eat organic. We don’t really have plastic in our house, we mostly use glass bottles. People can even help by turning off their lights when they leave the house, it’s just so easy for everyone, if they helped just a little bit, if everyone helped a little bit, it would make such a huge, huge difference.”

[From The San Francisco Chronicle]

Of course, it all comes down to putting your time and money where your mouth is. Which it seems Nicole is doing. Not only living a more environmentally-conscious personal life, but actually going out and working to expand environmental awareness. Nicole recently participated in planting organic gardens
at various Los Angeles schools, all so students attending public school can develop a taste for organic food.

Nicole Richie is shown out in LA on 5/8/09. Credit: Fame Pictures. There’s also a cute picture of Harlow with her dad, Joel, on 5/7/09. Credit: Scott/Bauergriffinonline.

The National Enquirer claims that Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are fighting like cats and dogs. My first assumption was that Joel’s heart wasn’t into it, but as it turns out, Joel is committed. So committed he’s demanding that Nicole end her friendship with someone he sees as destructive, and a horrible influence. That person is Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist, star of Bravo’s The Rachel Zoe Project, and professional whack-job. I’m saying that as a devoted fan of The Rachel Zoe Project - Zoe knows everything about clothes, but beyond that, she is a horrible, limited, selfish, vapid person. It’s actually great television.

After the styling stuff, Rachel is most famous for the rumors of her handing out diet pills to her clients, and encouraging them to cultivate eating disorders, all for fashion and fame. Where Hollywood’s motto is “You can never be too rich or too thin”, Zoe’s philosophy is “You can never be too thin.” On The Rachel Zoe Project, she never eats, not even for the cameras. She just downs copious amounts of coffee and mohair.

It seems that Nicole cut Rachel Zoe out of her life around May 2007, when Nic found out she was pregnant, and became a rehab out-patient. According to the National Enquirer, this was when Joel gave Nicole an ultimatum to clean up and cut out every bad influence. It seems that Nicole did just that, because within a few months she seemed utterly transformed and healthy. The following January (of 2008) Nicole gave birth to Harlow, who was totally healthy. Since then, Nicole has been maintaining a healthy weight, and has seemed drug-free and well-adjusted. But Joel fears that Nicole’s past behavior may come back, especially since Nicole has resumed her friendship with Rachel Zoe:

At a time when Nicole Richie and Joel Madden should be picking out baby names, they’re instead locked in a bitter feud over Nicole’s renewed friendship with celebrity fashion stylist Rachel Zoe.

Joel believes Rachel, star of Bravo’s “The Rachel Zoe Project,” is partially to blame for Nicole’s struggles with an eating disorder - and he’s fuming that the two women have reconnected, say sources close to the couple.

“Joel is very protective of the mother of his child, and he thinks Rachel is a terrible influence on Nicole,” an insider told the Enquirer. “He and Nicole have had some pretty heated arguments over the issue.”

Nicole broke off her personal and professional relationship with pin-thin Rachel in November 2006 amid claims that the fashion maven was an unhealthy influence. It was also around the time that she and Joel started dating.

The former “simple Life” star also entered rehab on an outpatient basis to focus on nutrition and proclaimed she “wanted to surround herself with positive people and influences.”

Just weeks later, Nicole posted a thinly veiled jibe at Rachel on her MySpace page, referring to her as “raisin face,” saying she “hides her deathly disorder by pointing the finger at me.”

Despite Joel’s steady influence and a period of recovery and healthy weight gain, Nicole continued to drift off-course. In May 2007, 5-foot-2-inch Nicole - pregnant and weighing just 83 pounds - checked into rehab to battle a prescription pill addiction and anorexia.

“Joel gave her an ultimatum and threatened to leave her unless she cleaned up,” said the insider. “He associates that nightmare period of Nicole’s life - the pills and the dieting - with Rachel. He is convinced that she corrupted Nicole.”

Rachel, who has styled weight-challenged starlets Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton, has fought back against charges that she’s encouraged clients to use dangerous weight-loss aids.

But the insider insisted, “Joel doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that as soon as Nicole erased Rachel from her life, she got healthy and gained 20 pounds.”

“Now with Rachel back in the picture, he’s scared of Nicole relapsing.”

Nicole, already mom to 16-month-old daughter Harlow, is expecting her second child with the Good Charlotte rocker this summer. She reunited with Rachel in November 2008 because she thought it was time to “forgive and forget” and because she believed Rachel could be an asset as she launches her new fashion and accessories line, says the insider.

Nicole has assured Joel that she’s in a different place in her life now and won’t fall back into her dangerous habits, but Joel refuses to drop the issue.

“It’s a shame that Nicole and Joel are bickering when they should be bursting with happiness over the impending arrival of their second child,” added the insider.

“But Rachel has become a big sticking point in their relationship.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, May 18]

I think there’s a lot to the idea that Nicole re-friended Rachel because Nic “believed Rachel could be an asset as she launches her new fashion and accessories line.” If it’s just business, Nicole is being smart. Rachel’s good word can launch a new clothing or accessories line.

I’m a huge fan of this new-and-improved Nicole Richie, but I still worry about her. She got healthy very fast, and she put her life on track within a matter of months. I want to believe she’s going to stay healthy for Joel, Harlow, and the baby she’s carrying, but old habits die hard. I have to admit, a relapse might be possible. But Nicole’s weathered worse, so here’s hoping she comes out ahead, no matter what.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are shown out on 5/2/09. She is also shown with adorable Harlow on 4/28/09. Credit: Fame Pictures. Nicole and Joel are also shown at the launch of House of Harlow on 5/6/09. Credit: Johnny Louis/WENN.com

Earlier today Celebitchy sent a message to British Airways regarding their employee who would not let Joel Madden board a flight until he covered his tattooed arms.

She sent the following message to British Airways Public Relations via e-mail and are waiting for a response:

Dear British Airways public relations,
On a Saturday flight from Heathrow to Lisboa, Portugal, rocker Joel Madden was told by a British Airways staff member to cover up his arm tattoos before boarding. Madden has tattoos of religious figures on both of his forearms. He quietly complied with the request although he told the BA person that he felt he was being discriminated against. Madden immediately posted this on his Twitter, which has nearly 100,000 followers.

Does British Airways have a policy of making all airline passengers cover visible tattoos or was this an isolated incident? Will the staff member who did this be disciplined if it was not in accordance with airline policy?

[Sent via e-mail to BA Public Relations]

In the article, Celebitchy proposed that it was likely just the one British Airways employee who had an attitude problem instead of an actual policy by the airline. Not surprisingly, she was correct. We just got a response from BA.

Katie,

British Airways does not have a policy against tattoos.

We are speaking to the staff member involved.

[Sent via e-mail by BA Public Relations]

Joel noted in his Twitter account of the incident that there is nothing offensive about his tattoos (presumably meaning there’s no nudity, violence, curse words - they appear to be religious in nature), so it’s hard to guess what this employee’s problem was. It must have been with tattoos in general. Joel also noted that another employee was disagreeing with the first – though obviously the insistent, anti-tattoo guy won. I can’t help but wonder how the guy thought he’d get away with that. Unfortunately British Airways didn’t say what’s going to happen to the employee, but I hope it’s more than just a simple reprimand. The guy was out of line and had no right to enforce his personal preferences as though they were rules.

Here’s Joel leaving Ron Herman at Fred Segal in Los Angeles on January 7th. Image thanks to WENN.com .

Joel Madden had a flight from London to Lisboa, Portugal on British Airways on Saturday. Madden has full arm tattoos and was outrageously told by a British Airways employee that he would have to cover up with a long sleeve shirt before boarding. He quietly put on a shirt, it’s unknown if he had one in his carry-on luggage or if he had to buy one, and boarded the plane. Madden also chronicled the whole incident for his nearly one hundred thousand followers on Twitter. I wonder when we’ll hear a statement from British Airways that they don’t discriminate against passengers’ tattoos and that this was just one rogue employee acting out of order:

Was just told by a british air person I can’t get on the plane till I cover my tatts. Should I fight the power?
7:56 PM Apr 25th from TwitterBerry

I really actually am in shock he won’t let me on the plane till I put long sleeves on and other BA rep is disagreeing
7:57 PM Apr 25th from TwitterBerry

Finally in Lisbon. What a long trip.
about 23 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I still can’t believe Brit Air discriminated me for tatts. Unheard of. the guy was literally disgusted by me. I’m gonna write a letter!!
about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Long ass trip. Finally got to the hotel and geuss what!! No rooms!!! Ahhh!!! Haha gotta laugh sometimes
about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I did end up covering my tats. Its not my style to cause a scene I just had a convo with the BA guy told him how it was discrimination
about 22 hours ago from TwitterBerry

IN Lisbon at the LOST video shoot. Having fun. Long day though!
about 15 hours ago from web

@BritishAirways would i be allowed to bring my tattoos if took advantage of this offer?
about 15 hours ago from web in reply to BritishAirways

yes i covered up to board the BA flight. I didn’t want to miss it. And honestly i was embarrrassed all the people were staring and laughing!
about 14 hours ago from web

its not in the rules that i can find.my tatts arent offensive.looking into it. i havent felt this small since the first time i asked nic out
about 14 hours ago from web

Finally in bed after a good 36 hours of craziness. 3 flights. Tattoo discrimination from BA. and a music video later here i am……..
about 7 hours ago from web

[From Joel Madden's Twitter]

Madden did look up the British Airway regulations and of course there’s nothing about people with tattoos or piercings not being allowed to board flights. He’s not going to have to write a letter because this will be in the national news within a few hours and make BA look like complete asses. PR messes like this hardly matter when these companies have a monopoly on flights though. For months they were losing basically everyone’s luggage that went through that airport and yet they still remain in business. I’ve had some of the most demoralizing experiences flying and can commiserate with Madden. When someone treats me like that I try to rationalize that it’s their problem, and that they must hate their job so much that they have to take it out on someone. At least Madden has a much larger audience than most of us to witness that he was discriminated against, as upsetting as it must have been.

Update: This post previously had photos of Benji Madden that were incorrectly labeled as Joel. Those have been fixed and thanks to Ima for pointing it out.

We have sent the following message to British Airways Public Relations via e-mail and are waiting for a response:

Dear British Airways public relations,
On a Saturday flight from Heathrow to Lisboa, Portugal, rocker Joel Madden was told by a British Airways staff member to cover up his arm tattoos before boarding. Madden has tattoos of religious figures on both of his forearms. He quietly complied with the request although he told the BA person that he felt he was being discriminated against. Madden immediately posted this on his Twitter, which has nearly 100,000 followers.
http://www.celebitchy.com/48287/joel_madden_forced_by_british_airways_to_cover_tattoos_before_boarding_flight/

Does British Airways have a policy of making all airline passengers cover visible tattoos or was this an isolated incident? Will the staff member who did this be disciplined if it was not in accordance with airline policy?

[We sent this via e-mail to BA Public Relations, at media.relations@ba.com]

Joel Madden is shown out on 4/8/09. He is also seen with girlfriend Nicole Richie on 4/26/09. Credit: Fame Pictures

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are having space issues. When Nicole was pregnant with Harlow, they were still living in Joel’s bachelor pad. After Harlow’s birth, they began renting a slightly bigger Hollywood home, with room for a nursery and Joel’s office. Now that Nicole is pregnant with their second child, she is kicking Joel out of his office. Nicole has big plans for his man-cave, too. It involves lots of frills and pink bunting.

Mom-to-be Nicole Richie is giving boyfriend Joel Madden the boot — out of his in-house office, that is.

The pair, already parents to 15-month old daughter Harlow, need to make room for their new baby the in the home they’ve been renting on Hollywood’s Outpost Drive since late last year. Unfortunately, that means converting Joel’s home office into a third bedroom.

With the second child on its way, Nicole, 27, wants Harlow to move out of the nursery and into her own “big girl’s room.”

“Nicole plans to redo Joel’s office in pink and frills,” a source tells OK!. “She’s told him he either has to move to the garage or put his laptop in the kitchen!”

Joel, 30, hates the idea of being kicked out of his office, but knows it’s for a good cause. Says the source, “He’s thrilled to death that they are expecting another baby.”

[From OK! Magazine]

Joel seems like he’s being a very good sport. Not to be crude, but he’s probably thrilled Nicole’s got her pregnancy boobs back, and he’ll do anything the boobs ask. It would be nice if Joel had his own space for his man-lair, but Nicole is probably nesting like crazy. I bet she is having a field day decorating Harlow’s big girl room too. Perhaps now’s the time to buy a bigger place? Real estate is a buyer’s market right now, they could probably easily afford something larger. Perhaps a five-bedroom with a big backyard? That would be plenty of space for Joel’s office and a third baby!

Here are Joel and Nicole at the Esprit Grand Opening Celebration in Santa Monica on April 3rd. Images thanks to WENN.com .

Nicole Richie got fed up with reality sleaze Tila Tequila flirting with her boyfriend, Joel Madden, at a recent party. According to the latest issue of the National Enquirer, Nicole screamed in Tila’s face to “back off” when she didn’t take a hint and kept bugging Joel:

Pregnant Nicole Richie lashed out at MTV’s Tila “Tequila” Nguyen at an Oscar-night party when the sexy reality TV star seemed to make a play for Nic’s baby daddy, Joel Madden.

Nicole and Joel were celebrating the news that Nicole is expecting the couple’s second child at a party at the Hollywood Hills on Feb 22 when Tila showed up.

“As soon as Tila saw Joel, she ran up to him and started acting super flirty - grabbing and hugging him,” an eyewitness told the Enquirer.

“Nicole had her back turned, but when she realized that Tila was all over him, she ran up and yelled, ‘Joel… JOEL!!’

“When he didn’t respond right away, Nicole pulled Joel away to their table.”

But Tila wasn’t about to give up - and she tried approaching Joel a second time.

“That was the last straw for Nicole,” revealed the eyewitness. “She got right in Tila’s face and screamed ‘Back off and get out of here!’”

Tila stood her ground for a few seconds, but left when she realized her fight with Nicole had become the center of attention at the party, says the eyewitness.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, March 16, 2009]

That’s the old Nicole Richie we know and love. You wonder if Joel and Tila have some kind of history together and that’s why she was being so pushy. He’s been with Nicole pretty much since Tila hit the scene, but maybe they know each other as friends and Tila thought it was harmless to continue talking to him. Now she knows she’ll have to answer to Nicole if she keeps it up.

Here are Nicole and Joel outside the Vanity Fair Oscar party on 2/22/09. They just announced earlier that day that Nicole is expecting their second child. Tila Tequila is shown on the same night outside the same party. How did she get invited?

Credit: WENN.com

Just a few days ago, Nicole Richie was taking her daughter Harlow apartment-hunting in New York while Nic’s boyfriend Joel Madden played it cool in Los Angeles. I wondered at the time if a New York move was in Nicole’s future, and if there were problems with Joel and Nic. Apparently not - Joel Madden just announced on the Good Charlotte blog that he and Nicole are expecting their second child!

Baby Harlow just celebrated her first birthday in January. OK! Magazine has more:

Congratulations to Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, who announced this morning that they are expecting their second child!

In a post on the official Good Charlotte blog, Joel wrote: “What’s better than winning an Oscar? I am so happy to tell everyone that Harlow is going to be a big sister! God has truly blessed my family. Hope you’re all feeling as good as I am right now…”

This will make the second child in under two years for the couple, who are already parents to adorable baby girl Harlow Winter Kate Madden, born on Jan. 11, 2008.

Only a couple of months ago, Joel told OK! that he and Nicole were already thinking of expanding their young family.

“Eventually we’d love to have more kids,” he said at the time. “Especially if they can all be as easy and wonderful as Harlow!”

From OK! Magazine

There have been rumors on and off about the state of Joel and Nicole’s relationship, and I’ll admit to being one of the worriers. I really like how Nicole has grown up, and I think she’s probably a really great mother, but I’m not so sure about Joel. Perhaps they’re much happier than I suspect, though.

Nicole Richie and Harlow are shown at LAX on 2/20/09. Credit: Fame. Nicole and Joel are shown outside “Cruz Beckham’s 4th Birthday party in North Hollywood at XMA Martial Arts place.” Credit: WENN

Nicole Richie and baby Harlow have been in New York for several days. Nicole’s been attending Fashion Week shows all week, but for the past two days, Nicole pulled an Angelina Jolie - she went apartment hunting. I have no idea if Nicole is planning to move to New York alone, or with her boyfriend and baby-daddy Joel Madden.

Meanwhile, Joel Madden is in Los Angeles dreaming about Brad Pitt. He attended a charity fundraiser and was asked about his Oscar plans, and who he was rooting for. Joel said, “I think Slumdog’s gonna win. I hope Brad Pitt wins ’cause he’s never won an Oscar, right? Well I’m rooting for him then. I hope he gets it this time.” Sweet. He also talks about his girls:

Joel Madden is rooting for Brad Pitt to win an Oscar.

The Good Charlotte frontman and boyfriend of Nicole Richie said he would sit on the couch to watch the ceremony this weekend.

Speaking at a party in LA to support charity work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joel said: “I think Slumdog’s gonna win. I hope Brad Pitt wins ’cause he’s never won an Oscar, right?

“Well I’m rooting for him then. I hope he gets it this time.”

Brad is up for Best Actor for his part in The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button - his second Academy Award nomination.

Joel, who has a one-year-old daughter, Harlow, with Nicole, said being a dad was “great” and spoke about how it affected his views on the suffering in the Congo.

“I have a woman and child - two girls, you know - so it’s important to me. I love my girls, and every woman and child, especially when I see first-hand - when I was in Africa seeing it… it’s like looking at your own family and you just wanna do something”.

Joel’s twin brother Benji, lead guitarist in Good Charlotte, also attended the bash while Nicole was in New York.

From The Press Association Hosted by Google

Even though I was half-joking about Nicole “pulling an Angelina”, I do think that Nicole and Joel probably admire Brangelina, and I can easily point out several instances where it seemed like Nicole and Joel were following in The Brange’s footsteps. I don’t think it creepy/scary Octomom stuff, I think Joel and Nicole probably just admire the celebrity couple. I really hope Nicole and Harlow aren’t leaving LA alone though - even though I worry about the state of their relationship, I hope they make it work.

Nicole and Harlow are shown in NY on 2/19/09. Credit: Fame. Nicole is also shown outside the Zac Posen show on 2/19/09. Credit: WENN Joel is shown on 2/18/09 at a charity event in LA for Children Mending Hearts. Credit: Fame.