When I heard that Justin Timberlake and Kate Hudson were seen out together I thought that sounded random, but then searched the site and realized that these two were once briefly linked and that I even reported on it.

There was a rumor last year that Kate Hudson and Justin Timberlake hooked up at Kate Hudson’s New Year’s eve party to celebrate 2007 and that they suspiciously disappeared together upstairs at Kate’s place for several hours. Timberlake was still with Cameron Diaz at the time, which led to a story that Kate told Cameron the next time she ran into her that it wasn’t true that she slept with Justin that night.

Now Kate and Justin are said to have gone out to a club together and to have been spotted making out there, a claim Justin’s rep denies. Justin is supposedly still with Jessica Biel while Kate Hudson is thought to be single after a breakup with Dax Shephard.

While his girlfriend Jessica Biel is away in England filming her next movie, Justin Timberlake has been hanging out with a former hook-up buddy.

JT and Kate Hudson were seen arriving at West Hollywood club Villa at the same time on Friday and then leaving just minutes apart a few hours later.

Star magazine even reported that the pair made out at the club, but JT’s team have strenuously denied those claims.

[From News.com.au]

Maybe it’s true that these two met coincidentally at the club and that the makeout part is fabricated. Either way, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to go one to suggest they’re anything more than friends until there are more photos and sightings.

Kate Hudson and her Fool’s Gold co-star Matthew McConaughey are among the presenters at next week’s SAG awards, which will proceed despite the writer’s strike as the WGA has granted the awards a waiver. Look for more star power than usual as the celebrities try to get their awards show fix.

Kate Hudson is shown at 2007 Movies Rock on 12/2/07 and Justin Timberlake is shown on 9/9/07 at the MTV VMAs, thanks to PRPhotos.

Justin Timberlake didn’t make any friends on his recent Australian tour – he apparently got a free meal at The Jade Buddha, valued at $150, but didn’t leave a tip. Which is probably okay since it isn’t customary to tip in Australia. However, going outside and telling people that he “can’t believe they let you reproduce children” is not okay, even in Aussie.

So, I’m on Justin watch in Auckland ready for some rude and lewd behavior, and he’s apparently being absolutely charming. He and girlfriend Jessica Beil (are they official yet?) indulged in some local culture by seeing a Maori Haka welcome.

“Justin wanted to see the ‘Ka Mate Ka Mate’ haka, so we incorporated that into the welcome,” Kylie Poihipi, who was Timberlake’s usher, said.

“He was scared as [radio DJ] Stacey [Morrison] and I ushered him towards the kapa haka group. He asked, ‘Are they going to kill me’? We explained that we had to see if he came as a friend or an enemy. He said, ‘I come in peace’.”

Morrison and her Maori TV presenter husband Scott were asked to organise the welcoming party for the superstar at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. Morrison had printed flyers for Timberlake’s 100-strong crew with explanations of Maori tradition and expected behaviour.

New Zealand Herald

JT was then expected to respond in kind with a song, as all guests are. If you have ever seen a haka performed, then you won’t say no. He responded with You Are My Sunshine, and said “Kia Ora” a few times, which is a Maori greeting and after three years here I still can’t pronounce it.

Justin was significantly more generous to the welcoming committee than he was at the restaurant – he gifted them with 50 tickets to his show. This is extra generous as only 30 people were in the troupe.

Jessica and Justin lingered after the show and mingled with the performers. Maybe his Brisbane behaviour was just bad shellfish.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Justin Timberlake is shown in the header image during his satellite acceptance speech at the American Music Awards on 11/19/07, thanks to Splash News for this photo.

Sir Ian McKellen, best known for his portrayal of Gandalf in “Lord of the Rings,” is one saucy old cat. He is so deliciously gay and open about anything that is on his mind. His gay rights lobby group, Stonewall, fights for equality and has been a passion of his for years. But his current wish is to have Justin Timberlake portray him in a musical about his life.

“The ‘Lord of the Rings’ star is keen to see his eventful life played out on stage and thinks the pop heartthrob would be the perfect person to portray him.

‘Justin vaguely resembles people in my family, and I think he is really talented.’”

[Monsters and Critics]

While Ian is a Justin Timberlake fan, he is first and foremost fiercely protective of his sexuality. Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t make an impression on him while answering questions about “Brokeback Mountain” last year during an interview.

“I got very upset when one of the actors (Jake Gyllenhaal) said it was the most terrifying job he’d ever had because it involved him kissing another man. Imagine how rude that is. Suppose I’d said the most appalling thing I ever to do was kiss Helen Mirren!”

[From Female First]

This is just a prime example of his personal views on Hollywood and homosexuality. In his experience the industry encourages gay actors to keep their gender preference under wraps. At times he was even asked to deny any gay allegations.

“I think to myself, ‘Can people whose minds work like that make good films? And if at the heart of Hollywood there is that lie, how many other lies are there?’ And it’s the producers who have this problem – God knows what sort of people they are – who think that it’s impossible for you and me to fancy the same person. Well, what dull lives they must have.”

[Monsters and Critics]

It is no secret that his goal is to prove that who you love, despite their gender, should not be an obstacle in any career path. Ian has also lent advice to educate the young gay community is Britain. His thoughts, along with 19 other prominent homosexuals across the pond, have been printed in a booklet designed to educate, encourage and provide help for the target audience of gay adolescents.

He is such a talented actor. I am so glad that people like Ian are out there fighting for rights like a curmudgeon superhero.

Ian McKellan is shown at The Orange British Academy Film Awards on 2/12/07, thanks to Splash News.

Justin Timberlake recycled a gift idea for a present for his girlfriend, Jessica Biel. Not only did he give the same gift to Biel that he once presented to Cameron Diaz back when they were together, it’s one of those gifts that’s more for the giver than the recipient. It wasn’t a power tool, but it was close. Timberlake gave Biel a customized surfboard and a year’s supply of surfboard wax because he wants to teach her how to surf. On the surface, that sounds sweet and all, but when you consider that she doesn’t know how to surf it’s just about as thoughtful a gift as a set of golf clubs for a non-golfer.

Justin Timberlake is planning to surprise his sweetie – with a customized surfboard! Justin, 26, telephoned Evolution Surf and ordered a longboard with a blue, yellow and gold design for his girlfriend, Jessica Biel, 25. According to a pal of JT, “He also put in an order for a year’s supply of Sex Wax. He thought it’d be fun to surprise her with a board and a trip to Hawaii to teach her how to surf!” Talk about déjá vu dating: JT gave the same gift to his ex Cameron Diaz four years ago.

[From OK! Magazine, print edition, November 19, 2007]

I guess if it’s a gift to announce an unexpected trip to Hawaii it’s not as bad as a toolbox, but it did strike me as a bit of a “guy gift,” especially considering that he did the same thing for Cameron a few years ago.

Jessica Biel was recently announced as the lead in the upcoming film Nailed opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. She plays a shy secretary who is accidentally injured with a nail gun, which results in uncontrollable sexual urges. When she goes to Washington to campaign for others with odd injuries, she meets up with a randy congressman, played by Gyllenhaal. It is being created by I Heart Huckabees director David O. Russell and was co-written by Al Gore’s daughter, Kristen Gore. It could be oddly humorous.

Jessica Biel is shown on 10/30/07 at a screening of “Darfur Now help” at the Directors Guild of America. Thanks to WENN and Splash News for these photos.

While Justin is having some issues on his Australian venture, he is already slated to do a show in Abu Dhabi. The last stop on his “FutureSex/LoveSounds tour will be at the Emirates Palace Hotel. December 6^th will be a date on the calendars of at least 10,000 people.

“Sheeraz Hasan, the founder of www.Dubai.TV, says, “The concert will take place in the grounds of the hotel in front of a predicted crowd of 10,000. “He’ll be accompanied by a gang of dancers and an 11-piece band.” Tickets for the once-in-a-lifetime concert will go on sale on Thursday (25Oct07).”

[Contact Music]

Lets hope his Middle Eastern experience will outshine his troubles in Australia. While in Brisbane a newspaper reported that Justin was eating lunch at “The Jade Buddha.” A group of fans who eagerly waited to get an autograph from ol’ Sexyback waited pen and paper in hand for him to finish eating. Before heading into the restaurant he promised them he would do pictures and sign autographs after he ate. Not only did he bolt leaving fans disappointed he insulted people as he ran.

“When an mX photographer told him, “If my kid could see me now, he’d be so excited!” Timberlake replied: “ I can’t believe they let you reproduce children.”

Not only did he get a free pass on the tab ($150), he didn’t even leave a tip for the free lunch. Perhaps he was still angry at the radio station morning crew of B105. The Aussies pretended to be the CEO of Sony BMG Australia, Dennis Handlin.They managed to get a hold of Justin in his room at the hotel he was staying at. After revealing their true identity he hung up immediately without saying another word. Did the radio jockey take it too far in bugging Justin? Or should the singer realize his celebrity status will entail a loss of privacy and the occasional fan being annoying?

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Justin at the VMAs on Sept. 9th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Ahh, Nipplegate. Not something any of us want to revisit. And while most of us have moved past it (except for a few of you sickos – yeah I see you there, watching it on YouTube on a loop) Jermaine Dupri definitely hasn’t – but who can blame him, it was his girlfriend’s nipple that was exposed for all the world to enjoy. Justin Timberlake pretty much bailed on Janet Jackson during the whole thing. Supposedly he thought she’d done it on purpose and felt betrayed. He also famously had a crush on her growing up, and the two were rumored to have dated briefly. Jermaine Dupri thought it was Justin who betrayed Janet, and he hasn’t let the grudge go. He’s just published a book titled, “Young, Rich and Dangerous” in which he says some not-too-flattering things about Timberlake.

JERMAINE Dupri takes some potshots at Justin Timberlake in his new autobiography, “Young, Rich and Dangerous.” Dupri – still furious at the “Sexyback” star for not standing up for his lady Janet Jackson during her Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction,” when Timberlake was onstage with her – writes, “I think Justin Timberlake is a talented performer. But he’s very ordinary-looking. He could be any skinny white kid from the suburbs of Orlando. You could go to the mall and find another Justin. He doesn’t make his style interesting even when he’s onstage. To me, he just doesn’t look like a star.” Timberlake’s rep declined comment. Dupri also reveals his love for the power of Page Six, writing that he tested our influence by having a pal call to report how he paid $300,000 for Cartier earrings. “I wasn’t so sure they would [print it] . . . But they did! People were tripping over it. I got calls from other celebrity magazines, like Us Weekly, which even did their own follow-up story,” Dupri writes. He adds, “I call the kind of fame you can get through the media The Force. That’s sort of like how Anakin became Darth Vader.”

[From Page Six]

Ohhhh, snap! But really, I have to agree. I don’t know what people get all hopped up about regarding Justin Timberlake’s appearance. I think he’s a really talented singer, but I don’t think there’s anything really attractive about him physically. He’s not ugly or anything, but he’s just sort of generic looking to me. Not that Jermaine Dupri is a bowl full of eye candy either. But who would have thought he and I would agree on so much? He also has a good outlook on the media. He understands the power it holds and how it can help careers if you use it wisely. You can also royally mess your life up if you’re famous and piss off some very powerful people… like me. That’s right Britney Spears, you best get it together. Wait, we’re not talking about you for another week. That’s Whitney Bears to you.

Both Star Magazine and The National Enquirer are running stories this week that Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake are having relationship trouble, so it must be true. Biel and Timberlake, who just went public with their relationship through a series of outings last month, are said to be fighting over Timberlake flirting with other women.

The Enquirer has him flirting with “a young beauty at a turn out the vote event on September 27,” while Star Magazine names the woman he was flirting with that night as actress Kirsten Bell. Both gossip rags have The Hills‘ Lauren Conrad making a unsuccessful move for Justin, with Jessica Biel hearing about the evening afterwards and angrily confronting him.

Supposedly Justin invited Jessica to Toronto to visit him on the set of his film The Love Guru to try and make it up to her after that had that big fight over him flirting with other women:

The trouble began at a Beverly Hills “Declare Yourself 2007″ turn-out-the-vote event on Sept. 27, where, an insider says, Justing made a beeline for Heroes cutie Kristen Bell, 27. [Jessica Biel was not there that evening.]

“He was flirting heavily and being touchy-feely with Kristen,” says the insider. “They were talking very closely and holding each others’ arms. They hung out for more than an hour, whispering and laughing with each other.”

At the same time, The Hills star Lauren Conrad, 21, was making a play for Justin’s attention, too. “Everywhere he was, Lauren popped up,” the insider adds. “I don’t think either of these women considered him to be attached to Jessica, based on their behavior. (Though Kristen and Justin were both at the event, a rep for Bell claims they’ve never met.)

When word got back to Jessica, she went ballistic. “Jess just about dumped him on the spot,” says another source. “Justin got angry and said he and Kristen were just friends – but then Jessica ripped into him, demanding to know why all his friends are women and telling him that he needs to focus on her.

“Justin yelled back, saying that’s what he’s been doing. And Jessica told him, not when he’s all over someone else!”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, October 29, 2007]

Star claims that Justin and Jessica patched things up during her visit to see him in Toronto, but that it’s still rough going for them since photos of the two taken on October 9 show then walking apart and looking grumpy. It seems like they could just be annoyed with paparazzi and not with each other, but it could be true that they were fighting, especially if Justin’s flirting was well known.

Jessica is supposedly looking for more of a commitment from Justin. After dating him for ten months, she is said to want him to ask her to move in with him. She is also rumored to be looking for a token of their relationship, like a “friendship ring.”

Justin might have his own reasons to be jealous of Jessica’s friends. While out at a Packer’s game, a female friend of Jessica’s was seen grabbing her butt when Justin had his back turned.

Header image is of Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake at a Packers/Bears game in Green Bay, Wisconsin on 9/10/07. Thanks to WENN.

Lou Pearlman has been in a Florida jail since June after he was finally arrested for a ponzi scheme in which he took hundreds of millions of dollars from investors and just moved it around without investing it, taking at least $150 million for himself. He was on the run from the law for eight months on that charge, having been seen in June Indonesia by German tourists, who tipped off authorities.

He’s best known for starting the careers of several successful boy bands, including NSYNC, The Backstreet Boys, Take 5, and LFO. Pearlman screwed all the musical acts he represented out of significant shared of income, using legal tactics and methods to take 75% of revenue off the top, and insure he received an ongoing percentage of merchandise and tour revenue. Every musical act he’s worked with except one has sued him.

Pearlman also started a talent search agency that bilked people out of millions. It was the subject of multiple lawsuits and was eventually closed by the state of Florida.

Not only is Pearlman an accomplished con artist, he’s said to be a pedophile too. There’s an upcoming story in Vanity Fair, covered by Page Six today, that details alleged incidents of molestation of the young boys Pearlman worked with:

“I would absolutely say the guy was a sexual predator. All the talent knew what Lou’s game was,” Steve Mooney, an aspiring singer who was Pearlman’s assistant, told VF’s Bryan Burrough. “Some guys joked about it. I remember [one singer] asking me, ‘Have you let Lou [fellate] you yet?’ ”

Mooney said he once asked Pearlman, who was known as “Big Poppa,” what it would take for him to get into a band. “I’ll never forget this as long as I live. He leaned back in his chair, in his white terry cloth robe and white underwear, and spread his legs,” Mooney told Burrough. “And then he said, and these were his exact words, ‘You’re a smart boy. Figure it out.’ ” Mooney added that a singer groped by Pearlman told him, “Look, if a guy wants to massage me, and I’m getting a million dollars for it, you just go along with it. It’s the price you got to pay.”

Phoenix Stone, an early member of the Backstreet Boys, tells Vanity Fair Pearlman was “definitely inappropriate” with Nick Carter. Nick’s mom, Jane Carter, wouldn’t get into specifics, but said, “Certain things happened and it almost destroyed our family. I tried to warn everyone. I tried to warn all the mothers . . . I tried to expose him for what he was years ago.”

Tim Christofore, a member of Take 5, recalls that during a sleepover at Pearlman’s house, the music czar swan-dived onto his and another boy’s bed and wrestled with them wearing only in a towel, which came off. “We were like, ‘Ooh, Lou, that’s gross.’ What did I know? I was 13,” Christofore told Vanity Fair.

Rich Cronin, lead singer of LFO, recalled Pearlman told him of an “ancient massage technique that if I massage you and we bond in a certain way, it will strengthen your aura.”

[From NYPost.com]

And as I was researching this story, I came across a statement by Justin Timberlake in a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone. Timberlake got his start in the business in the band NSYNC, managed by Pearlman. He said “Looking back at those days… I was being monetarily raped by a Svengali.” [From Wikipedia]

This guy should go away for the rest of his life. It turns my stomach to think of someone taking advantage of young boys like that. The only way he could be a lower form of human is if he was a serial killer, but he’s not too far from that level.

Justin Timberlake went on Oprah today, and without naming names he said he’s dating someone and that she “smells lovely.” To keep in touch with his unnamed love while he’s away on tour, he said they use webcams through the iChat program. He didn’t say they cyber or anything, I just made up that headline to be sensational because that’s my job. He also said he enjoys using webcams to talk to his friends as it makes him feel closer to them:

Justin has been involved in a few high-profile relationships in the past, but he’s keeping his latest romance under wraps. “I’m dating someone,” he says. “But all I can tell you is she smells lovely.”

Oprah may not get a name out of Justin, but he does share a few secrets about his personal life. “I get pretty romantic around her,” he says. Justin admits that he even sings to her sometimes.

While he’s away on tour, Justin says he stays connected to his mystery woman through iChat, a computer program that lets you see the person you’re talking to with a webcam. “Technology is a wonderful thing sometimes. … I find that to be really cool, when you can actually see someone’s face. I do it with my friends, as well, just to have a conversation back and forth. It just makes you feel closer, that’s all.”

Dating isn’t easy—especially when your relationship gets played out in the public eye. In a past interview, Justin said tabloids create soap operas out of people’s lives. “If two famous people are dating each other, what I found—and I could be wrong—but just in my personal experience, [they think] if you’re not going to get married, then you’re breaking up.”

[Oprah.com via GossipRocks]

It’s cool to hear a celebrity extol the virtues of technology. My husband and have used webcams when we’re away from each other and I use them with my family so they can see their grandson, they’re a lot of fun and do make you feel closer to the person. There’s also something romantic about it if you’re using them with your significant other, like the person is so real to you but so far away.

Oh and Justin talked about Britney to Oprah, and pretty much said he was too young to know her that well, that they were both kids, and that she has a big heart. He said he has nothing but love for her but hasn’t talked to her in years. He pretty much dispelled any myths that he was helping her out during her divorce or that he had talked to her while she was in rehab, as has been rumored.

Oprah: What do you think is going on with Britney?

Justin: I don’t know, to be honest with you. I haven’t spoken to her in years. I mean, there’s no ill will—I have nothing but love for her. It’s funny because we dated each other at a time…wow, I haven’t talked about this in a long time. It’s interesting.

Oprah: But you’ve never talked about it to me, so it’s okay.

Justin: Hey, let’s get it in, girl.

Oprah: Let’s get it in.

Justin: We were teenagers, you know?

Oprah: Yes, famous teenagers.

Justin: I think that’s basically the best way to describe what happened to us. I think she’s a great person, and I don’t know her as well as I did …. What I do know about her is she has a huge heart, and she is a great person.

[From Oprah.com]

He answered that quite diplomatically and was non-committal. He probably practiced it and gave Oprah the go-ahead to ask about Britney.

Meanwhile Justin hints at his rage at the paparazzi by saying they’re constantly around, even when he tries to do something boring like go grocery shopping. He said that if he thinks too hard about it, it can “consume” him”

Even when he’s doing something mundane, like grocery shopping or walking his dogs, Justin says he has constant companions…the paparazzi. At first, he says their presence was surreal.

“[When] you drive out of your [driveway] and people are kind of sitting waiting to follow you, you know, ‘He’s going to go to Whole Foods. We need to capture that.’ You’re just like, okay, this is kind of weird. … You kind of try to pretend it’s not there.”

Over the years, Justin says he has become defensive and protective if the paparazzi followed him while he was with friends and family. Now, he tries to come to an agreement with photographers. “It’s like, ‘Look, you guys have the technology of telephoto lenses and you can shoot those pictures [from far away],’” he says. “I think it’s one of those things that, if you let it, it will consume you.”

Justin was recently videotaped bitch-slapping a paparazzo and has been involved in well-publicized scuffles with them in the past.

Justin credits his success to his hard work, and says that it doesn’t come by luck. As for how he leads his everyday life, he says it’s kind of boring and that he enjoys golf, having game nights with his friends, and getting off remotely with Jessica Biel. Of course I made that last part up, but it’s all I could picture when hearing this story. Someone please hack into that stream and tape it for the benefit of the Internet gossip community.

All pictures from Oprah.com.

It turns out that Kanye West is a much bigger man than we all thought. Remember his embarrassing tantrum after losing in all five categories for which he was nominated at the VMAs? Well it turns out that wasn’t the real problem – according to him. Britney opening up was sorta a problem, but the real problem? He was one of four singers performing in an “intimate performance suite” instead of on the main stage. The Foo Fighters, Fall Out Boy, and Justin Timberlake/Timbaland were also given performance suites, and we didn’t hear them screaming and hollering about it.

“Kanye West has revealed the real reason behind his angry incident at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday (September 9). For Sunday’s event, West was among four performers who were given intimate ‘performance suites’ at the Palm’s Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters and duo Justin Timberlake and Timbaland were also given suites.

“MTV broadcast many performances from the suites throughout the ceremony, though West was upset at not being on the Main Stage explaining: ‘Everybody thinks I snapped from not winning, but there’s a lot of things that happen behind the scenes where you’re just not given a fair shake.’ Speaking on BET’s 106 & Park yesterday, West says he was ‘talked into’ performing at a suite. He recalled: ‘It was always my dream to open the award shows with “Stronger”, and they talked me into doing the suite thing. Then when they had Britney open, I said “How are you going to have Britney open? Because she’s not ready”.

[From NME]

Apparently Kanye was told the main stage didn’t look good – though it’s unclear why from his vague phrasing. It seems like he means people would all be seated instead of standing and cheering, and that wouldn’t look as good on television. So he was talked into the performance suites, which would have a more relaxed vibe or something.

“‘We’ve been touring across the world. Give it to the artists that deserve it, you know what I’m saying? I wouldn’t have been mad if they opened it with Fall Out Boy or if they opened it with Timbaland.’ West said when he pushed the issue, he was told that the Main Stage did not ‘look good’. ‘They told me, “That theatre stage, man, it don’t look good, you don’t want to perform on that, they’re gonna be sitting down. You don’t want that, you just need the suite.”’

“‘So I’m sitting backstage, and I already hate the fact that I didn’t win no awards, and I see Justin getting ready. I say “Where are you going?” and he says I’m going to perform” and I say “Where?” and says “On the Main Stage”, and I said “The stage that they won’t let me perform on?” And that’s when I was like “Give a black man a chance!”’ West explained before sarcastically apologising to US conservatives ‘I’m sorry middle America, I’m sorry red states.’”

[From NME]

So it seems that, according to West, what actually set him off was Timberlake perform on the main stage even though he’d been in an “intimate performing suite” too. Oh the complications and drama of the VMAs. He obviously did admit that he was already pretty riled up about not winning. It seems like at that point, Kanye was just looking for a reason to explode. He gave the interview in a tone that made it sound like, “Oh here’s my really good explanation that makes it all okay.” It seems like, instead of being petty about one thing, he’s just admitting he was being petty about a different thing. I’m not sure how that helps him seem like a better sport, but whatever. In other news, West’s new album “Graduation” is outselling 50 Cent’s “Curtis” by about 200,000 so far. I hate that someone with his attitude is winning. Someone go buy 200,001 of 50 Cent’s CD, please. You can throw them off a pier for all I care, just don’t let Kanye’s ego get any bigger. I think it might endanger his health.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Kanye at his 30th birthday bash in New York in June. Images thanks to PR Photos.