Russell Brand’s off-stage and off-screen antics have made him as famous as his actual career. He’s known as something of a wicked, naughty, (skeezy?) lothario. While he doesn’t seem to be too concerned with the fame or even basic attractiveness of his sexual conquests, the sheer number of them is probably astounding. The British papers follow his antics a lot more closely – they seem to be reporting weekly on random women Russell has picked up in bars and shagged, often two or three at a time.

So you’d think that Russell Brand would be easy pickings for someone as cracked-out and “hungry” as Lindsay Lohan (sorry, that was the nicest way I could think to say it). As it turns out, even Russell Brand is wary of Lohan – this, according to The Sun’s questionable sources. But if Lindsay had a cracked-out affair with Russell Brand, don’t you think we would know it? Wouldn’t she have tweeted all about it in some cryptic “Russy B, drunkie peen8** lick” message? So I feel pretty good saying that Russell and Lohan haven’t hooked up, and that Russell is probably the one doing the rejecting:

I never thought I’d live to see the day that Russell Brand turned down a bit of bedroom action. But it is with regret that I bring you the news that my three times Bizarre Shagger Of The Year does in fact have a line which he is not prepared to cross.

The dandy funnyman is refusing to give the dinkle treatment to actress Lindsay Lohan. Li-Lo has been trying to cosy up to the Forgetting Sarah Marshall star at various Hollywood parties over the last few weeks.

Her latest attempt at seducing Russ was at his new best friend P Diddy’s annual White Party last weekend. But he politely declined her advances.

I can’t say I blame him. The flame-haired thrasher is a one-woman car crash at the moment. Still, it’s fair to say Russ is not the most selective of blokes when it comes to notches on the bedpost. He’s definitely had worse looking women in the sack.

Once he even boasted about doing it with someone 30 years older than him.

I’d have thought the whole lipstick lesbian thing would’ve tickled his fancy as well. But apparently Lindsay’ s immature behaviour and desperate attention-seeking is a massive turn-off for Russ.

A source said: “Lindsay is a very good-looking girl and she is used to getting what she wants. Russell has been on her radar for a while now but he doesn’t want anything to do with her. He finds her constant craving for attention and her heavy drinking a turn-off. It’s not like he is short of female attention anyway.”

I’ll second that. Wherever Russell is there’s a stream of lusting women waiting to be inducted into his hall of fame. But it doesn’t look like randy Russell will be going without bedroom action for long.

The comic jetted to Las Vegas with P Diddy yesterday and on a video blog, filmed en-route on the rapper’s private plane, the pair joked that they would be using the services of some ladies of the night.

Diddy said: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

Russell replied: “Thanks Diddy. You provided the plane, the hotel and the big fight tickets.”

Diddy then butted in saying: “You provided the whores.”

And Russell said: “OK then, but I’m not a misogynist. I like to think of them as damsels.”

[From The Sun]

I was sort of chuckling along with the report, especially the part about Russell being the “Bizarre Shagger Of The Year”. Just a quick note about that – The Sun’s Gossip/Entertainment section is called “Bizarre”. So they’re saying he’s the Gossip section’s Shagger of the Year, not that he shags in a bizarre way, although I’m sure he does shag bizarrely. Anyway, I was laughing until I got to the part where P. Diddy called the ladies they were meeting with “whores”. Now, maybe Diddy and Russell really did hire hookers, or maybe the girls they were meeting up with were just groupies or whatever. But I still find it disgusting that Diddy would so casually refer to them as “whores”. When did Diddy get so f-cking gross? I never was a huge fan, but I seem to remember a time when he wasn’t so disgusting.

Lindsay Lohan is shown out on 7/11/09 (with shopping bags) credit: WENN.com and 7/12/09 (bizarre open-toed boots) credit: INFPhoto.com. Russell Brand is shown on 6/9/09. Credit: WENN.com

Singer Cassie pulled a “partial Britney” – as the Daily News called it – shaving half her head over the weekend, and then posting the pictures on her Twitter.

“Yeah I did it,” the 22-year-old wrote on her Twitter page next to a photo of her partially shaved head. Coincidentally – or not – she just released a new single.

Cassie didn’t exactly explain why she pulled a partial-Britney, but wrote a series of messages on her page: “Sometimes in life, you need a change … Something deeper than what you thought you were capable of … Something that displays the ‘I don’t give a f—’ attitude that was always present, but never showcased … & something that will shock your mother, but make her call you a ROCK STAR.”

Cassie later answered fans’ shocked responses with the message, “I woke up and felt like it!!! Yeeeahhh!!! LOL.” Uh … whoa.

The singer hasn’t had a hit since 2006′s “Me & U,” but is scheduled to release a new album, “Electro Love,” later this year. No word if she plans to grow her hair back before then.

[From the Daily News]

The difference is obviously dramatic. Before Cassie looked lovely and very womanly. Now she looks tough but still beautiful. Perhaps it’s the contrast between her bald head and her gorgeous, feminine face. I can’t explain why, but for some reason I actually like it. Some women look striking like this. Others (cough cough Britney) just look psychopathic.

What other reason could be behind Cassie’s change – aside from her upcoming CD? Well, she was recently spotted making out with Diddy – and as Celebitchy said to me, that could drive anyone to do something drastic.

Party king Diddy and gorgeous singer Cassie put on quite a show during a blowout bash at his Miami mansion on March 27! “They were making out all night,” says a source. “And they weren’t hididng it!” Together since November, Cassie, 22, and Diddy, 39, had kept their affair hush-hush. Why so open now? Because after a series of rocky relationships – with Jennifer Lopez as well as mom to three of his kids Kim Porter, from whom he split in July 2007 – it’s true love for the hip-hop playboy, insiders believe. “he’s a goner over her. he buys her expensive gifts, takes her on tips,” says a source. “he hasn’t seemed this happy in a long time!”

[From Star, April 20, 2009, print ed.]

The rumors of Diddy and Cassie have been going around for so long (way earlier than Star’s cited November date), that I think they must be true. It’s an odd pairing, except that he’s often been accused of hooking up with his young female stars. Though on her most recent Twitter update, Cassie wrote, “They ask why?? Lol… B/C I WOKE UP AND FELT LIKE IT!!! YEEEAHHH!!!” So… it might be as simple as that.

Here’s Cassie before and after. Her tattoo says “amour.” Images thanks her Twitter page.

For the new ads promoting Ciroc vodka, Diddy is looking for attractive girls – but only those with light skin. The casting call, released by Imperative Management, requests girls of certain height and size requirements, as well as only white, Hispanic, and fair-skinned African Americans. Understandably, the casting has sparked considerable controversy.

Hip-Hop renaissance man Sean “Diddy” Combs will be shooting a new television commercial for Ciroc Vodka and only African American women with a light/fair complexion need apply, according to the casting information sent out to by Imperative Management.

The casting call, which is also open to white and Hispanic women, goes on to specify both height and size requirements, stating that only those who meet their criteria will be contacted. The management company’s requirements are sparking controversy, as bloggers cry discrimination.

In 2007, Diddy announced his partnership with Diageo, the spirits company that owns Ciroc Vodka. Under the terms of their agreement, Diddy and his company Sean Combs Enterprises handles all brand management decisions for the vodka. As such, Diddy has appeared in several Ciroc ad campaigns, and also receives 50 percent of the company’s profits.

[From The Boombox]

I don’t want to touch this one because it is such a delicate and controversial issue. I will say that casting calls often rule out entire populations of models – no brown eyes, no blondes, certain weights, etc. However, this is also an issue of discrimination based on race and ties into the issue of skin lightening in print media. While some magazines and makeup companies have been praised for featuring models who don’t fit into the “5’10” 120 pound, blonde, blue-eyed” look, they have also been accused of using lighting and Photoshop to make black women look white. L’Oreal, for one, got flak for supposedly lightening Beyonce’s skin in their ads.

You’d think that Diddy would have thought this one through, but you never know – even though he has a 50% share of profits and stars in many of the ads that may not mean he has final say on what the commercials will look like.

Here’s Diddy leaving a medical building in Beverly Hills on February 29th. Images thanks to WENN .

Diddy recently recorded a video blog in which he premiered his new short film for his fragrance “I am King.” The mogul dedicated the perfume to hard working men and groundbreaking African American leaders. He name dropped Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, and Mohammad Ali, as if there was some tie between their world-changing efforts and Diddy’s constant need to promote his products, amass wealth and stroke his ego. Diddy added that the video he made to promote “I am King” was also his audition tape for the James Bond franchise. He said that we have a black president now and we may as well have a black Bond. Diddy will make an appearance on “CSI: Miami” and apparently he think that qualifies to carry an entire action series:

This blog is about my new fragrance, “I am King” available exclusively at Macy’s. I am debuting the movie for “I am King.” I would like to dedicate this fragrance to all the men out that take care of their children, families, and respect and treat yourself like the kings that we all are.

I would also like to say that this is my audition tape. I’ve been out there getting my hustle on in Hollywood. I just landed a role on CSI Miami, about to announce this movie. I feel like I am best suited to be the next James Bond. We’ve got a black President, it’s time for a black Bond. This is also my audition tape and it’s also the movie for the fragrance “I am King.”

I would like to dedicate the fragrance to Martin Luther King, Mohammad Ali, Barack Obama, this fragrance is dedicated to you, strong powerful intelligent black men.

[Transcribed from Diddy's video blog]

Diddy then premiered the film, which opened with a laughable shot of him trying to look serious and deep. It was filmed in the South of France where Casino Royal was set and included scenes featuring gambling, a jet ski, helicopter and scantily dressed supermodels liks Bar Rafeali hanging on Diddy without much motivation. There wasn’t any kind of loose plot and the promotional film meandered around in its attempt to make Diddy look like a jet-setting guy who gets the ladies.

Diddy has little chance of being named the next Bond. Daniel Craig is a huge success and is likely to stick around for many more movies. Bond is also British. Years down the road there might be a hot young-ish black British actor who can nail the role, but that’s a while off. Diddy should console himself with the millions he’s wasting on luxury items and just live the hollow lifestyle he’s become accustomed to. He can always continue to fund his own Bond-like movies if he wants. Judging from the comments on YouTube, though, it’s likely to be as ridiculed as this first feeble attempt. At least he got us to pay attention to his perfume.

[Story idea and cost of video details from Highbridnation via Gossip Rocks]

Diddy is shown below performing on 12/9/08. Credit: WENN

Sean Combs has decided to do good this New Year’s Eve.  He and his team have joined forces with New York’s Taxi and Limousine Commission to provide free cab rides home to New Yorkers who choose to celebrate the holiday with bottles of booze.  $15 vouchers will be handed out at Times Square and in Chelsea from Wednesday at 11pm until early in the morning on Thursday.  Combs says that even though New Years Eve should be fun, that doesn’t mean people should be taking risks:

New York is the world’s most iconic New Year’s Eve city, so let’s lead by example and show everyone that a sophisticated holiday celebration doesn’t just end when the ball drops, but when everyone gets home safely.

[from ContactMusic]

This is sort of like a PSA in action.  Instead of filming an ad, he’s actually taking it to the streets.  That sounds pretty good to me.  I’m wondering what the response would be if someone like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Barron Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, Shia LeBeouf, Heather Locklear, or even Mischa Barton (to name a few) had thought of this.  At least Sean Combs/Puff Daddy/P Diddy (just pick one!) isn’t being a complete hypocrite here.  Still, I wonder how many people will take him up on this.  Sure, it’s a free cab ride, but if you’re going to be a moron and drive drunk, you’re going to be a moron and drive drunk.

But he may have an ulterior motive to all of this. He also wants to redesign the New Year’s Eve Ball to resemble the “well-known blue stone emblem” of his brand of vodka, Ciroc.  He’s promised to give $1 million to charity if the city lets him go through with it.  That’s not a charity donation; that’s a payment for an advertisement.  But if he looks like he’s doing good by giving out free cab credits to revelers who may have gotten drunk on his vodka, he might get the public on his side.

Clever, but somehow I doubt Michael Bloomberg would agree.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Diddy and his son, Justin Combs, getting some last minute Christmas Eve shopping done on Robertson Blvd. in Los Angeles. Images thanks to Fame. Header of promo flyer for Diddy’s New Years Eve party. Images thanks to Mavrix.

P. Diddy is showing some sensitivity for the rest of us by toning down his bling during the recession. He’s demonstrating a good deal of common sense and respect for his fans and their financial situations, which probably aren’t as luxurious as his own.

Rapper P Diddy is trying to hold back on his over-the-top fashions and dress less flashy – out of respect for his fans.

The Bad Boy For Life star – who recently grounded his private jet due to the increasing cost of gas – says he is going to scale back on his bling until the credit crunch is over.

He says, “Out of respect, I’ve been trying to dress less flashy. It’s one thing to be stylish, it’s another to be over the top. You gotta know when to hold back and not to rub it in.”

[From Showbiz Spy]

That’s also a smart business move. Diddy doesn’t want to risk alienating people. Part of his branding is having a flashy lifestyle that his fans can emulate by buying his clothes, his music, and the items he promotes. Right now that’s really not possible for a lot of people, and he could lose fans if he were walking around sporting diamonds and drinking Ciroc all the time.

Jim Carrey’s response to the credit crisis is less sensitive towards the common man, but certainly honest.

Jim Carrey insists he hasn’t been affected by the credit crunch – because he has plenty of money.

The actor – who stars in new movie Yes Man – says the current economic climate hasn’t affected him at all – as he has so much money he doesn’t know what to do with it all.

He says, “I’m not in a recession.

“I’m doing incredibly well. I don’t know – I just want to be honest, because I am really kicking ass. It’s so wonderful to have money.”

[From Showbiz Spy via Gossip Rocks]

Well… it’s true. I guess there’s no point in saying it’s hard for you too when it isn’t. And acting like he’s dramatically affected by it would just piss off people. Jim could probably have kept the “It’s so wonderful to have money,” comment to himself though. But the man’s been banking $20 million paychecks for the better part of fifteen years. He’s probably going to be fine no matter what. Or find a lot of people camping on his doorstep.

Here’s Jim at the “Yes Man” premiere and leaving Scott’s restaurant in London yesterday. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin. Header of Diddy sans bling performing at the Power 106FM Cali Christmas Holiday Concert in Los Angeles yesterday. Image thanks to WENN.

Diddy is out promoting something, surely, given the volume of sound bites he’s been given. Either that or he’s just feeling particularly competitive with Kanye West this week. Diddy first claims he wasn’t black enough to star in Tropic Thunder.

He joked: “I have not been in any of Ben Stiller’s movies. I guess I wasn’t black enough to be in Tropic Thunder. Robert Downey Jr. was a little bit blacker. I tried out for the role but I came up short. I put Ben in the video for my single Bad Boy for Life and I thought he would return the favour.”

Sydney Morning Herald

It sounds suprising that Diddy admitted he ‘came up short’ on acting talent, until you realize he’s referring to his skin color. I think he probably lost the role because of Robert Downey Jr’s superior acting chops, and also his lack of ego. Who wants to be knocking knees with Diddy’s ego for three months? Robert Downey doesn’t have that kind of attitude.

Diddy also likes to manscape, he shared with us, and this wasn’t the first time he’s talked about it.

Sean Combs has a strict maintenance policy for Cassie, or any other lady he’s dating. First order of business: Brazilian waxing. Also, he tells Allure: leg-waxing, brow-threading, manicure and pedicure. But then, giving us a little TMI, he notes, “I shave and groom my private areas. It’s a better presentation for me. If men require women to go through the pain, we should return the favor.”

New York Daily News

So Diddy basically wants you to wax from your eyebrows down. At least he has the decency to return the favor. Kudos to Diddy for taking one for the team, and especially to David Beckham for doing the same in those Armani ads.

Diddy is shown at the finale of TRL on 11/16/08. Credit: Bauergriffin

Tuesday night was an incredibly emotional evening for many Americans. Knowing you are witnessing history is a deeply profound feeling – especially when it’s such a needed change. I was truly touched to see the joy on people’s faces, as well as the deep displays of emotion.

Several celebs have said how excited and happy they were to watch Obama being declared the next president of the United States. Both Diddy and Beyonce said they cried that night – and I’m sure they’re one of millions.

Mr. Bad Boy himself, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, could not keep it together when Barack Obama was announced President-elect Tuesday night. “I was straight up crying,” he confesses. “I was with my kids. It was a beautiful thing. I just thank God my prayers were answered.” A greater gift? It happened on his 39th birthday.

“I don’t know why God blessed me by having my birthday [on Nov. 4], but we’re here to celebrate 80 percent of Obama being elected and 20 percent my birthday,” Diddy told reporters Wednesday night at a celebration sponsored by Ciroc Vodka at Mansion nightclub in New York.

[Beyonce] Knowles watched the election results at home with friends and family – while wearing a blue suit and tie with matching red, white and blue stilettos. “I’ve never been so patriotic!” she said. And, like Diddy, she was moved to tears. “I fell asleep crying and smiling at the same time … I woke up with mascara running and a smile on my face!”

Should Obama require her services, the singer is game: “Whatever they want – if they need me to volunteer, they need me to sing, I’m there and I’m ready.” But what is most important, Knowles said, is that the newly elected president has provided inspiration for African Americans.

“My nephew, who is 4, when we say, ‘You can do whatever, you can be whatever,’ it’s not cliche,” she explained.

[From People]

I heard a lot of people echoing that sentiment: that it was very powerful to be able to say to their children, “Anyone can grow up to be the president” and it was true. I think I was most moved by Jesse Jackson. He was clearly deeply overcome with emotion and was shown weeping in Grant Park throughout the night.

Tuesday’s election was the second most watched TV event this year – with the Super Bowl being the first. 40 percent of American households tuned in. The general public seemed to be much more involved and passionate in this election than in many others in recent years. The Huffington Post has some great pictures of people’s emotional reactions on Tuesday night.

Thanks to everyone who voted.

The list of celebrities that Carrie Underwood doesn’t respect must be getting pretty long. Yesterday she told website Just Jared that she thinks celebs should keep their politics to themselves, and she doesn’t respect them if they publicly support a candidate.

Carrie Underwood has a message for Oprah, Diddy, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and even Heidi and Spencer: Don’t publicly back candidates for office.

“There is someone I do support, but I don’t support publicly,” she tells TV Guide, as excerpted by Just Jared. “I lose all respect for celebrities when they back a candidate.

“It’s saying that the American public isn’t smart enough to make their own decisions,” she goes on. “I would never want anybody to vote for anything or anybody just because I told them to.

“Music is where you go to get away from all the BS,” adds Underwood, who recently apologized for saying ex Tony Romo still calls her. “Whether it’s from politics or just the world around you, music should be an escape.”

[From Us Weekly]

I think it’s fine to keep your political opinions to yourself, but it is just as okay to shout them from the roof. Music is no one thing. It shouldn’t just be an escape. That’s one of many things it can be. It can also be about a cause, about a change, and moving people towards action. That’s pretty much the opposite of an escape.

Underwood would probably have a big problem with Beyonce, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, and Diddy. All of them have shown up in Philadelphia encouraging people to vote for Obama.

“Everyone is excited and it’s time,” the singer tells PopEater. “I feel like we have grown so much as a nation and we will continue to grow because of Mr. Obama.”

Beyoncé’s admiration goes beyond just the Democratic candidate himself, and extends to his entire family. “I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Obama, his wife and his children, and they are the American dream,” she says. “They are so elegant, so classy, so intelligent and everything that I want to be. They make me really proud of my country.”

The Grammy winner’s husband Jay-Z has already been a strong supporter of the campaign, performing at Obama benefits and rallies across the country.

[From OK! Magazine]

Jay-Z and Diddy both talked about how important Pennsylvania is to Obama, and encouraged everyone to get out and vote today.

“John McCain desperately needs Philadelphia, but you can tell him ‘You cannot have Pennsylvania,’” said Jay-Z.

But McCain does have a chance to win Pennsylvania’s 21 electoral votes, if voter turnout is low in urban centers like Philadelphia.

The star-studded cast of this block rally is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen.

They’re working hard to get new voters to the polls.

“It’s about the youth vote, it’s about the long lines and getting them prepared. The youth vote will decide the next president of the United States,” said Sean “Diddy” Combs. “They said we wouldn’t come out, they said we wouldn’t vote, but we’re going to shock the world tomorrow.”

[From ABC Local]

I remember actress Patricia Heaton complaining several years ago about how hard it is to be a conservative in Hollywood. Certainly they are in the minority, and I understand why a lot of people there would simply prefer to avoid political discussions completely. But I think Underwood’s assertion that celebs speaking about political issues that matter to them somehow makes them unworthy of respect is rather extreme. I seriously doubt many people who were going to vote for McCain will switch their vote around because Jay-Z and Beyonce like Obama.

Here’s Carrie at The American Idol Grand Finale 2008 in LA in May. Images thanks to Fame.

In all my life, I would never have imagined that Sean “P Diddy” Combs would ever have any illicit substances served at one of his fancy parties. Certainly not his super posh White Party, which has such specific rules as ladies being waxed and professionally manicured before they show up. But shockingly, Diddy had a plate of special brownies being passed around by waiters. Which was not good news for a desperately hungry Mark Ronson, who hadn’t eaten all day and gobbled three down before he realized something was odd.

MARK Ronson learned to watch what he eats at P. Diddy’s famed White Parties. “I hadn’t eaten all day, and I was starving. They were coming around with this bowl of brownies, and I grabbed three of them and just started scarfing them down,” the deejay tells Paper. After that, “every lyric sounded like it was the Cookie Monster yelling in my ear, and I started feeling really [bleep]y, but I had to play through the set. I couldn’t just go up to Puffy and say, ‘Sorry, I ate a [bleep]-load of hash brownies, I can’t do your White Party.

[From Page Six]

Poor Mark. I don’t care what kind of lifestyle you lead or whose party you’re at: when brownies are being passed around by waiters and you’re ravenous, the first place your mind is going to go to probably isn’t pot brownies. Though it sounds like Mark was so hungry he probably wouldn’t care. I love the image of Cookie Monster yelling in his ear. If that doesn’t keep all but the boldest toddler away from drugs I don’t know what will.

Here’s Mark at the Diesel 30th anniversary party held at the O2 arena in London on October 11th. Photographer: Lia Toby. Images thanks to WENN. Header of Mark and Diddy at the Belevedere Vodka Party in May. Images thanks to Fame.