The eternal optimist in me finds it really nice when messed up people get their lives together. Case in point: Britney Spears. Now Brit did it with the help of her parents, older brother, the courts, psychiatrists and a team of lawyers. But she’s really doing a good job of getting her life in order.

Someone who hasn’t gotten as much attention for improving her life is Lindsay Lohan. Perhaps it’s because Lindsay didn’t fall quite as far as Britney – she never ended up in a mental ward, and had no children to lose. But she did spend what seemed like three quarters of her life either drunk in clubs or in rehab. She was also very publicly shamed for her poor work ethic on the set of Georgia Rule by Morgan Creek CEO James G. Robinson in the summer of 2006.

However Lindsay is clearly trying to turn things around. Cheryl Hines, one of Lohan’s costars in the upcoming comedy Labor Pains, has praised her work ethic.

Cheryl Hines can’t curb her enthusiasm for working with Lindsay Lohan on the set of their film Labor Pains. “I have had a great time shooting with her, and when we have scenes together we have a lot of fun improvising… It usually ends in a big laugh fest, and they have to cut because we can’t talk anymore.”

Hines, who has starred with Larry David in the HBO hit Curb Your Enthusiasm since 2000, insists she expected nothing less from the 22-year-old star – even in light of Lohan’s past troubles on set. “It was what I expected,” Hines said of Lohan’s professionalism. “I honestly expected that she’s gotten herself together, and really wanted to work and that’s what she’s showing us. I’m very proud of her.”

Lohan’s movie career has been stalled by stints in rehab, but a Labor Pains producer confirmed to PEOPLE in June that those days appear to be over – Lohan showed up for work June 9 on the L.A. location and has consistently been early and well-prepared for the grueling 12-hour shoots.

[From People]

It took Lindsay almost two years to get her act together (I’m not going to go so far as to say she’s cleaned it up entirely) but it seems like she’s managed to gain a bit of maturity. And to be fair, Lindsay had to do it without the help of her parents.

No one’s saying Britney Spears’ mom and dad are examples of awesome parenting, but they at least saw their daughter had a problem and tried to step up. Dina Lohan has always maintained that nothing’s wrong with Lindsay, while Michael has begged her to find God. They’ve pretty much done whatever they could to make her problems worse.

It seems like whatever improvements Lindsay has made, she’s made on her own, or perhaps with the help of her not-quite-acknowledged girlfriend Samantha Ronson. And Labor Pains looks like it might actually be funny. Good for her.

Here’s Lindsay Lohan on the set of ‘Labor Pains’ in L.A. on Friday. Images thanks to WENN.

There’s a priceless interview with the band McFly in the British Magazine Heat. The band appeared with Lindsay Lohan in the 2006 film Just My Luck, during which Lohan had a brief relationship with drummer Harry Judd, 22. Judd’s bandmates wrote a song teasing him about hooking up with Lindsay, called “Please Please Lindsay Please.” Lohan denied having anything to do with Judd, saying “I didn’t date him. I didn’t fancy any of the McFly boys. But they’re really nice.” She went on to say she doesn’t really like their music either and is more into Arctic Monkeys.

I’m not too familiar with the band McFly but you can tell from the interview that they have a wacky sense of humor and a lot of fun together. The journalist is a bit of a fan girl and asks them if any of their four members are single. They say they all have girlfriends, and when she expresses dissapointment bassist Dougie Poynter, 20, quips “we’re swingers. When we say we’re going on holiday together, we’re actually on a swinger’s cruise.”

Then she brings up the issue that drummer Harry used to date Lindsay Lohan and asks if he’s heard from her. She also asks the band what they think about Lohan’s relationship with Samantha Ronson and most of them express surprise. It’s unclear if this is news to Harry exactly, but you can tell it’s the first his bandmates have heard of it.

Harry, have you heard from Lindsay Lohan recently?
Harry [laughing] Yeah, she sent me a text earlier. [Danny, Tom and Dougie all laugh.] No, of course I haven’t!

What do you make of her going out with Samantha Ronson?
Tom: Is that true?!
Danny: She’s a lesbian?
Harry: [sarcastically] Oh dear… I must have put her off guys.
Dougie: I don’t believe she’s a lesbian! I find it really weird, though, that you’ve been there.
Harry: Whatever she gets up to is her own business.

[From Heat Magazine, print edition, July 12-18, 2008]

That’s a good answer from Harry and maybe he already knew about Sam and Lindsay. The journalist also brought up the fact that guitarist and lead volcalist Danny Jones, 22, set fire to his pubes during a show at G.A.Y. last year. He did something called a “flaming lady,” which is where you tuck your man parts and then burn your pubes. There’s video of this on YouTube and the announcer encouraged him to do it and he just went along with it. It looked mildly painful but he didn’t really burn his skin or anything.

When asked if they have any secrets that we don’t know about, Danny said he “bleached [bassist] Dougie’s bum hole.”

These guys marveled for about half a minute that Lohan is with a woman now, and then they moved on to the next goofy thing. Kind of like celebrity gossip in general.

As I was reading through old stories looking for the news about Lohan’s relationship with Harry Judd I came across an old quote she gave that seems particularly telling in light of her relationship with Sam. She told Harper’s Bazaar “I’ve become like the guy in relationships. Lately I just cannot be in a monogamous relationship.” She seems like she’s in a monogamous relationship now.

Here are links to a GMTV Interview with these guys if you’re interested in seeing them speak. They’re goofy.
GMTV web interview with McFly part 1
GMTV web interview with McFly part 2

And here’s their video “One for the Radio.” It’s pretty solid pop.

Thanks to my husband for bringing back a stack of gossip magazines from his business trip to London.

Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson are shown on 7/2/08, Credit: WENN. All the photos of Lohan in various outfits below were taken on the set of Labor pains on 7/11/08. Credit: WENN. McFly are shown in February and May, 2007. Credit: PRPhotos.

I never thought I’d say this, but I am really impressed with Lindsay Lohan. At least for her. If you were to hold Lindsay up to a regular person, probably not so much. But considering she’s nearly on par with Paris Hilton, she’s made some pretty big changes in her life – for the better. Lindsay’s relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson has really seemed to mellow her. She’s been acting much more mature lately, focusing on her work, not getting into any car accidents, and seemingly not drinking to such a ridiculous extent that she ends up in rehab. All big steps for her.

And it seems pretty clear that Sam is just as in to Lindsay. For her 22nd birthday last week, Ronson bought her a $22,000 diamond ring from Cartier. Not too shabby.

Samantha — the sister of super-producer Mark Ronson — reportedly splashed out the hefty amount on a Cartier diamond ring for Lindsay’s 22nd birthday.

Lindsay was later seen sporting the band when she and Samantha were shopping in LA. A source says, “Sam took Lindsay shopping to celebrate her 22nd birthday.

“Although Lindsay is the major breadwinner, Sam has her own money and is very proud.

“It’s not an engagement ring - simply a token of her commitment. Lindsay is thrilled and she and Sam are very content.”

[From Showbiz Spy]

According to a good deal of internet gossip, Sam not only pays her own way, she generally pays for Lindsay too. Considering the rumors of money problems that have been hounding LiLo for well over a year, that’s not too surprising.

Lohan made a cryptic comment about her birthday wish to Ryan Seacrest - and everyone is saying it’s as good as if she actually admitted that she and Sam are together.

“I just wanna live a happy, healthy year, continue on the path that I’ve been on and be with the person that I care about. And my family.”

[From the Mirror]

Samantha also posted a picture of the two of them kissing on her MySpace page. I’m not sure what else the two of them can do to make it more obvious to us that they’re together. You know, except actually publicly acknowledging it.

Here’s Lindsay and Samantha on their way to eat with friends at La Scala in Beverly Hills on July 2nd, Lindsay’s birthday. They went to Cartier earlier that day. Images thanks to WENN

Paris Hilton has supposedly come up with an absolutely genius idea. And by genius, I mean for her. Which means not all that smart, but not the very stupidest thing she’s ever come up with either. Paris wants to get all her favorite paparazzi victims together to dish (and I’m guessing bitch/complain) about their lives, and what it’s really like to be them. I’m guessing there will be a lot of complaining about being followed by photographers, with no appreciation for all the money and free stuff.

I know it seems like another reality show is about the last thing the world needs. But I’ve learned Paris Hilton — herself no stranger to the reality TV experience — has dreamed up an intriguing concept for a new show.

According to a Paris pal, the hotel heiress got an inspiration watching both Dina Lohan’s and Denise Richards’ new reality series. Her plan? To try to gather together as many targets of the supermarket press and paparazzi as she can.

Just imagine Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Tori Spelling — as well as Richards, Hilton and her former ”The Simple Life” co-star, Nicole Richie — together in one big two-hour special sharing ”their side” of what it’s like to be them.

That concept alone reportedly has intrigued a couple of cable channels initially contacted about the concept: Bravo and Lifetime.

[From the Chicago Sun-Times]

Even though I find the idea pretty annoying, I’d still watch it. If for no other reason than to see who Paris actually talks into doing this. Tori Spelling and Denise Richards have nothing to lose. The other starlets could go either way. But if some kind of fantastic crazy fight were to break out, that’d be pretty much the best thing ever. I cannot imagine what could happen with all the egos in that room. Diva behavior could very well rise beyond Diana Ross proportions. It could be epic.

Photos are from the beginning of Britney’s breakdown a few years ago. That’s what happens when you put Paris, Britney, and Lindsay in such close proximity.

I have no idea how she’s done it, but Lindsay Lohan has somehow defied the odds and is now aged a fine 22 years. She’s also managed to go an entire year without any new arrests, car crashes, or rehabs. Though to be fair she was in rehab on her 21st birthday last year, and for a couple months afterwards as well. But she hasn’t been admitted into rehab again in a whole year. This is big. Huge.

She’s been working on her next film, Labor Pains, and has actually been complimented for her good work ethic. Supposedly she shows up on time, knows her lines, and generally gets along with everyone. It’s not like she’s made as dramatic a change as Britney Spears – though you could argue that’s because her life didn’t fall apart to quite the same extent.

But either way, she seems to have spent the last couple months getting her act together a bit more – and many attribute that to the positive influence of her never-officially-acknowledged girlfriend Samantha Ronson.

LiLo definitely has reason to celebrate this year – and apparently plans on doing it right.

Lindsay Lohan’s 22nd birthday throw down is toned down from what it was supposed to be — ‘memba this? — but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a wild affair.

We’re told her full sister Ali and loony mom Dina are flying in for the private party. It’s being held tonight at Teddy’s inside the Roosevelt Hotel — where LiLo has several suites lined up. There won’t be a sponsor, but word is it will be a celeb-infested soiree. Sam Ronson won’t be working the gig — the two pals wanna be able to spend some precious time together.

And don’t think about crashing the celebration — sources tell us that security is so tight, everyone entering the party must be cleared by La Lohan herself.

[From TMZ]

I’m not going to go all out and actually say that Lindsay is all better now. But she’s definitely less messed up than she used to be. Baby steps. That’s all we can ask for. It seems like seeing less of her parents and more of Samantha has brought a bit of much-needed stability into her life. Let’s hope the next year is even saner.

Here’s Lindsay Lohan learning her lines on the set of “Labor Pains” in North Hollywood yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.

Michael Lohan dropped a bomb on his family – he has a secret love child. Michael claims the girl, now 13, was conceived when he and now ex-wife Dina were separated, thus implying that he wasn’t cheating on her. This is the first I’ve heard of an earlier separation. Michael’s definitely not talking about the separation that eventually led to divorce – he and Dina have 14-year-old daughter Ali and 12-year-old son Cody.

Linds’ father, Michael Lohan, has admitted to OK! that, while married — but at the time separated — to now-ex-wife Dina Lohan, he had a relationship with another woman which resulted in a pregnancy. In a statement to OK!, Michael says, “Years later [the woman] contacted me, convincing me that I was the only person she was with and that she had my child.”

In fact, OK! has seen letters Michael wrote to the girl’s mother where he says that his secret daughter “is beginning to look a lot like Linds, with a mix of [younger brother] Cody, believe it or not.” He also sent his daughter a photograph of himself while he was still in Collins Correctional Facility which he signed “Love Daddy.”

Michael’s secret daughter has had many conversations with her dad, the girl’s mother tells OK!. He even called her for her 13th birthday on June 12. But he has never visited her or provided financial support. “It’s time for Michael to take responsibility,” the girl’s mother tells OK!

[From OK! Magazine]

Can you imagine finding out that Lindsay Lohan is your sister? I would throw up so hard. This poor girl has obviously known for a little while, since Michael got out of prison a little over a year ago. Though he never specifies how long ago the girls’ mother contacted him, so who knows how long this girl has had to grow up knowing she’s genetically linked to the Lohan clan.

I have to wonder if the other Lohan children were informed before Michael dialed up OK! You’d think Dina would have used it against him publicly by now, had she known. So I’m guessing this is brand new information for most of them. I can only imagine what the first family picnic will look like. I imagine it’ll involve fried chicken, alcohol, and tears.

Here’s Lindsay Lohan on the set of her upcoming new film ‘Labor Pains’ in Los Angeles yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.

Lindsay Lohan had a brief stint on Ugly Betty this season, for which she was put on the long list of actresses who might eventually be nominated for a guest actress Emmy. Also sharing that list was Britney Spears, for her How I Met Your Mother spot. Like Katherine Heigl, Lohan has removed her name from the list of actresses in contention for a nomination. Her rep said that “We made a decision to wait” since Lindsay is planned for a 5-episode arc next season. I bet she just couldn’t stand it that Britney might got nominated for an Emmy while she could be left out:

Lindsay Lohan is following in the footsteps of Katherine Heigl by pulling her name from consideration for this year’s Emmy Awards.

Lohan, who made a guest appearance on the season finale of Ugly Betty in May, bowed out in hopes of increasing her chances next year, when she’s scheduled to appear in five episodes as a down-on-luck high school pal of Betty’s.

“The appearance was brief,” a rep for the actress told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday. “We made a decision to wait.”

Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta raved about Lohan to Usmagazine.com in May.

“She was terrific – a pleasure,” Horta said. “She came in early and was very pleasant.”

[From US Weekly]

US also has quotes from Ugly Betty’s creator about how professional and charming Lohan is. She’s also been praised for showing up on set and actually doing the work for her new film, Labor Pains, in which she plays a young woman who fakes a pregnancy to keep her job. Lindsay has developed a new talent of faking to keep her job, so she surely can relate to her character. At least she’s hanging in there and trying to do her work, but it seems like she shouldn’t get any more chances at this point. There are plenty of brands she could represent and commercials she could do that would be more fitting for her at this stage of her career.

Lindsay Lohan is shown on the set of her I Know Who Knocked Me Up movie, or whatever it’s called, on 6/16/08, thanks to WENN.

I don’t know why, but I find Lindsay Lohan’s relationship with Samantha Ronson absolutely fascinating. I think anytime you assume someone is one thing, and then find out they might be another, it’s kind of interesting. But what really intrigues me is that we just don’t know what’s going on there. Lohan was all kinds of a skank with men. Has she turned to women permanently? Is she bi? Is she just going through that “I experimented in college” phase, without bothering with actually going to college?

Well no matter why she’s in to Samantha, Sam’s brother, producer Mark Ronson, seems to have confirmed that the pair are indeed a couple.

Mark Ronson has fuelled rumors that his younger sister Samantha is dating Lindsay Lohan. The pair were spotted kissing and cuddling at the Cannes Film Festival in France last month.

And Mark, 32, reckons they’re a great pairing. ‘My sister and Lindsay make a cute couple, don’t they?’ he tells the Sunday Mirror.

Neither Lindsay, 21, or Sam, 30, have confirmed they’re an item. Earlier this week they were spotted partying with singer Lily Allen in LA.

[From NOW Magazine]

There were rumors floating around that Lohan, Ronson, and Lily Allen were engaged in some kind of lesbian three-way… but that’s obviously complete speculation. The Enquirer also has a story about Pink flirting with Ronson at a party on June 4th. Supposedly Lindsay bugged Samantha in her DJ booth until Pink eventually gave up and walked away.

The story doesn’t sound all that true – simply because Lohan is known more for freaking out and screaming at the top of her lungs when someone tries to even talk to Samantha. Pestering her for attention doesn’t seem like Lohan’s style. At least she’s still got some drama – the most important ingredient for a Lohan relationship.

Here’s Lindsay and Samantha on the set of her new movie “Labor Pains” on Tuesday. Images thanks to Splash.

I believe that the bigger the celebrity ego, the more second careers they try to have. And if they keep trying new careers instead of working on just doing one thing right… well that’s what I like to call the Lindsay Lohan formula. No one would really call Lohan a good actress anymore. She was great in Mean Girls and a few other films back in the day. But everything since Herbie Fully Loaded has pretty much sucked – the pinnacle of suckitude of course being I Know Who Killed Me.

Instead of working on becoming a non-sucking actress (yes I mean that the way it sounded) Lohan decided to get her ass to the music studio, with varying results, depending on your opinion. Now that that’s done with, Lohan has moved on to the number one favorite celebrity second career: fashion designer, or more accurately known as product endorser. Lohan has put out a line of leggings, which will range from $40 to $140.

LINDSAY LOHAN’s leggings are getting closer to store shelves! ET has learned that the starlet’s new line, named “6126″ after MARILYN MONROE’s birthdate, has been picked up at L.A.’s posh Fred Segal boutique and online retailer www.revolveclothing.com and will start shipping around August 30th, “6126″ LLC partner KRISTI KAYLOR says.

Last month, Lindsay caused a frenzy in Beverly Hills when she and two models posed for publicity shots wearing the pieces. So far, the “6126″ collection includes “footless tights” made from “Supima cotton and Modal ribbed knits” along with other fabrics spruced up with zippers, foil prints, yarn dyes and sexy metallic and screen prints.

Cashmere leg warmers and something called an “ankle glove,” a modified warmer that covers the ankle, are also part of the line, which will start at $40 and go up to $140.

[From Entertainment Tonight]

Well thank goodness. I had this extra $140 sititng here, and I was trying to figure out the best way to completely blow my money on something generally unnecessary and ridiculously overpriced. And $140 for leggings seems to be just about the stupidest thing I could possibly do – so I’m going with that.

In other LiLo news, she and Samantha Ronson haven’t broken up. The pair had a fight at a sushi restaurant the other night, prompting mass blog panic that the two were headed for splitsville.

Forget those break-up rumors. On Monday, Sam Ronson visited Lindsay Lohan on the Los Angeles set of her new comedy Labor Pains.

Blogs had speculated that the pair were on the rocks after they got into a fight Saturday at Glendale, California, sushi hot spot Katsuya. (A witness tells Usmagazine.com that Lohan, 21, stormed out of the restaurant in tears. Ronson, 30, was overheard saying “it was just a joke.”)

But on the Pains set, the two were photographed hugging and laughing.

[From Us Weekly]

Here’s Lindsay having dinner with Samantha Ronson and Lily Allen at Il Sole in Los Angeles last night. Images thanks to WENN.

In many ways it seems like Lindsay Lohan’s relationship with deejay Samantha Ronson is probably the healthiest one she’s ever been in. Though the two have yet to come out publicly as a couple – and Lohan has never acknowledged her (likely) bisexuality or lesbianism – it seems like their relationship is remarkably strong and fairly stable, at least as a Lohan affair goes. According to several of their friends, they key to their happiness is trust – the pair have been friends for years.

Why does Lindsay Lohan spend so much time with good pal Samantha Ronson?

“Lindsay just feels safe with her,” socialite – and Lohan friend – Cory Kennedy told PEOPLE at Billabong’s 2nd Annual Design for Humanity Event Wednesday night in Hollywood. “I just feel like they have a very loyal and trustworthy relationship, which is really hard to come across in the world that Lindsay’s in. It’s a trust thing.”

[From People]

It seems like Lindsay and Samantha’s friends are trying to be sort of discreet by not actually calling them a couple or saying they have a romantic relationship, but still want to make it known that they’re supportive of the pair.

“DJ Steve Aoki, a close friend of both Lohan and Ronson, said their bond is easy to understand.

[Samantha] truly is a friend to her,” he explained. “She’s a very positive influence …. [Lindsay] sees that and sees a genuine, good friendship.”

“I think the most important thing in a relationship is, really, trust,” agreed Kennedy. “I feel like that’s what their relationship thrives on. I love the fact that they’re both really happy.”

[From People]

Though it is a little unusual to go from dating just men to women, it definitely happens, especially around Lindsay’s age. 21 is a pretty common time to figure out your sexuality. I do find it interesting that so many articles are calling Lohan gay, when it’s just as possible that she’s bisexual. Or perhaps she doesn’t feel the need to define her sexuality, and just goes with what works for her. Either way, it seems like she’s pretty happy and relatively drama-free, for a Lohan. Whatever influence Samantha has had on her seems to only be good.

Here’s Lindsay and Samantha doing some late night shopping at Mayfair Market on May 3rd. Images thanks to WENN.