Several months ago, one of the tabloids ran a story about how Aniston’s beloved dog Norman hated John Mayer. Something about Norman growling at Mayer, treating Mayer like the beta dog that he is. Well, according to the NY Daily News, the feeling it mutual – Mayer has banned Norman from Aniston’s house.

Jennifer Aniston is promoting her new doggy comedy “Marley and Me,” but her real pooches have been temporarily banished to the dog house . . . thanks to boyfriend John Mayer.

“John hates Jen’s dogs,” an inside source snitches to us, adding that Jen has left her beloved four-legged friends — Norman, a Corgi-Terrier mix, and Dolly, a white German Shepherd — at home in L.A. while promoting her film and playing with Mayer in New York City.

“John also hated [ex girlfriend] Jessica [Simpson’s] dog Daisy,” our insider laughs. While Jen’s rep calls said allegations “ridiculous and untrue,” we think John needs to honor Jen’s puppy love. After all, the film isn’t called “Mayer and Me.”

[From the Daily News]

I’m having a severe giggling fit just imagining Norman looking up at Jennifer and saying, “I don’t have a problem, you have the problem.” And I’m not even stoned. But here’s the lesson: if your guy hates your dog, kick the guy to the curb. No joke. There are other life lessons to be learned about dating John Mayer (something about “dark dicks” – I forget), but I won’t get into that now. But this isn’t Aniston’s only puppy problem! Marley & Me is receiving lukewarm reviews, with one reviewer even pointing out some fatal flaws in the script.

The screenplay by two Hollywood heavyweights, Scott Frank and Don Roos, derives from journalist John Grogan’s memoir about his young family’s amazingly untrained yellow Labrador. As he (Wilson) and wife Jenny (Aniston) pursue newspaper careers, and when babies start to arrive and Jenny turns into a full-time mom. Meanwhile, their dog consumes sofas, eats dry-wall, drinks from toilets, overturns garbage, breaks everything and swallows a valuable necklace.

The dog is shown in one sequence failing obedience school despite instructor Kathleen Turner’s stern demeanor. But the film never explains why the family failed to train Marley.

Since the dog endangers the small children in one scene, this particular nonchalance toward canine behavior can be construed as highly irresponsible. It might have helped if the filmmakers had worked out a scene showing that Marley, as dogs usually do, behaves differently around children than adults.

More troubling from a storytelling viewpoint is the total absence of conflict. An hour into the film, Jenny has a bad day with screaming kids and a misbehaving dog so she flips out, yelling at John and momentarily banishing Marley. But it’s over by nightfall. Otherwise, John’s editor (Alan Arkin) is pleased with his work as a columnist, John and Jenny love each other and the healthy family prospers. Marley’s erratic and explosive activities supply all the suspense, action and drama.

[From Reuters/The Hollywood Reporter]

So I guess they’re saying that the dog is the most interesting part of the film? Fascinating. Who would have thought that a film couldn’t rest on Aniston’s hair and body alone? (Me.) And I had no idea that the book or the movie had parts where the dog mistreats or roughs up kids. That’s seriously the one exception all dog-owners need to draw: if your dog is rough with children, the dog is no longer a family pet. No “ifs, ands, or buts” about it. But if your dog is just rough with John Mayer, that dog’s a keeper. *giggling fit imagining Norman biting Mayer*

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Jennifer outside the CBS studios where she was a guest on “The Late Show with David Letterman” on December 17th. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

Kate Hudson has been criticized in the past for jumping into super serious relationships too quickly and scaring off guys. Kate seems to have realized this herself – she says that her current goal is to wait as long as possible before she gets into another relationship. The way she phrases it is kind of cute, as though it’s something that might happen to her, or like she has no control over it. But the ultimate point is clear: she realizes you can learn a lot about yourself when you’re single.

Kate Hudson may be “a hot ticket” in the dating world, according to her good friend, designer Stella McCartney, but the actress says she’s in no rush to jump into a relationship.

“I’m actually enjoying being single right now because I really never have been,” Hudson – who’s dated Lance Armstrong and Owen Wilson – tells InStyle magazine for its January issue.

“I feel good in relationships,” says the 29-year-old actress. “I enjoy them, so I feel my best when I’m in something solid. But it’s also the first time I’ve ever taken a step back and gotten a new perspective.”

“So,” concludes Hudson, “I’ve made a conscious decision to try to stay single as long as possible.”

McCartney, who interviewed Hudson for the magazine, chimes in, joking, “What’s it been – all of two weeks? Congratulations!”

“Exactly,” quips Hudson, who McCartney says has “always been in demand.”

[From People]

Kate’s gorgeous with a bubbly, ebullient nature. I’m not at all surprised that she’s “always been in demand.” It sounds like she realizes she can learn a lot about herself and have a good time by staying single for a bit. And it’s probably less confusing for her son if he doesn’t have men bouncing in and out of his life. Nonetheless, Kate’s explanation for why she prefers being in a relationship makes perfect sense. Hopefully she can take some time for herself, and then get into a relationship that works even better for her.

Here’s Kate arriving at LAX on Thursday. Images thanks to WENN.

Part of being a teenager is making both good and bad decisions. Most kids make a lot of mistakes, and it’s part of the learning and maturing process. But for celebrity teenagers, there’s the added complication that someone may be using you. And that’s just the accusation that’s floating around about 16-year-old Miley Cyrus’ 20-year-old boyfriend, model Justin Gaston.

Miley Cyrus’ underwear model boyfriend, Justin Gaston may just be using her for her fame, a source has claimed. The 16-year-old Disney star met her hunky 20-year-old boyfriend in Nashville earlier this year after Justin appeared on country music talent show hosted by Miley’s dad Billy Ray Cyrus. Since then the pair have been spotted hanging out (in a completely non-physical and totally innocent kind of way) on numerous occasions. But the question on everyone’s lips is: is it a genuine relationship? A source close to Justin revealed:

“He’s got more modeling jobs since he’s been with Miley and is telling people they’re writing songs together so her fans will get interested in his music. You start to think he’s in this for fame.”

But apparently, says the source, it’s not a one way thing: “After her photo leaks, she needed someone discreet and Billy Ray thought this was perfect for her image. They talk up how he is a good Christian like her and he won’t overshadow her like someone like Nick Jonas might.”

Not that we mean to state the obvious, but asking whether Justin Gaston is using his relationship with Miley Cyrus for publicity, is a bit like asking someone whether Dolly Parton sleeps on her back. Of course he is! Or are we just being cynical?

[From Mr Paparazzi via Gossip Rocks]

I agree that it seems sort of like a “duh” question. It never occurred to me that Justin wasn’t using Miley in some way or another. She was 15 when they started dating, and there is a big difference between 15-year-olds and 20-year-olds. Why would he want to be with her if there wasn’t something in it for him? Whether he’s using her for fame or money or just a good story to tell later on in life, I’ve never seen any reason to think Justin cares about Miley. He’s also often been reported flirting with other girls.

What I find creepiest about this article is the thought that Billy Ray Cyrus thought Justin was perfect for Miley – just because he’s not as famous as her. You’d think any rational father would have a problem with their big age difference. But considering all the complimentary things Billy Ray has said about Justin, clearly he’s daddy-approved. This is just one of those lessons Miley is going to have to learn the hard way.

Here’s Miley and Justin at the movies in Burbank, CA on November 7, 2008. Images thanks to Fame.

I want Jennifer Aniston to find long-lasting, true love. Not because she’s any less of a woman without a man, but because she honestly seems to be looking for it in her life. And just as much as it doesn’t make you less of a woman without one, it doesn’t make you less of a woman to want that in your life, either. I don’t think Aniston worries too much about the past, I think she’s just looking to make herself a happy future. No one ever thought that would include John Mayer, though.

Jennifer, though, clearly sees something in Mayer that the rest of us have missed. She dated him once, and was so into him he couldn’t live up to the expectations and broke up with her in order to not “waste” her time. How… thoughtful of him. And then, as will happen, when he realized he had a pretty good thing going before he walked away from it, when Mayer wanted to grow up, Aniston let him back in. And even the second time around, Jen is enamored.

Speaking for the first time about John Mayer – the man dubbed “Hollywood player Mayer” due to his insatiable appetite for sexy A-listers – Jennifer gushes like a smitten schoolgirl.

In an exclusive interview, she blushes: “He’s a rare one. He is extraordinary and it is wonderful to watch him… the way his brain works and the way he thinks thoughts… it’s beautiful.”

“It’s an amazing thing to watch a musician think,” she reveals.

“I don’t know many musicians but when his guitar is on him it’s just like a channel.

It’s something I’ve never ever seen before.”

[From Daily Mirror]

Oh, yes, musicians can make the most logical woman somehow make sense of the most illogical things and feelings. Especially, if you haven’t had that experience before. I’ve been there, and kicked myself plenty of times afterward.

There are plenty of thoughts that John Mayer has made public that are neither extraordinary or beautiful, which is why so many of us have such a hard time understanding how Aniston could be so serious about her relationship with him. But people change, people grow, and often times love is a catalyst for growth and change. So, whereas Jessica Simpson wasn’t the platform to pass from self-serving, over-sharing blogger to rare, beautiful, husband material, maybe Jennifer Aniston is. I will keep my fingers crossed for you, Jen, but I still can’t hold my breath.

Jennifer Aniston is shown out on 11/13/08. John Mayer is shown at the airport on 12/2/08. Credit: Bauergriffin

Thanks to falling for Alex Rodriguez, it seems like Madonna is never going to get another piece of good press again. To be fair, it’s not like she’s gotten much good press in a long, long time. But she’s coming off as more unlikeable than ever, and that’s really saying something.

Madge and A-Rod have been reported to be looking at new homes in Manhattan for quite awhile. Madonna wants to keep Alex close enough that she can have him whenever she wants, but not so close that they’re living together. She also has a bunch of other requirements, like a non-nosy doorman. But despite the way they’re shifting their lives around for each other, a source told the Daily News that the pair doesn’t have the deep, mystical, soul-stirring connection they want everyone to think they have.

Alex Rodriguez insists that he’s not moving in with Madonna – but a source says Her Madgesty is on a mission to find him a new home base just a stone’s throw from her own. “Before his divorce, Alex was searching for houses on the upper East Side and Madonna offered to help him,” an insider tells us. “She wanted Alex to have a big house that would be suitable for kids, and she didn’t want a building with a nosy doorman who would talk. Madonna wanted a place where they could go and be together without prying eyes.”

Added a pal of the slugger: “They don’t want to be in the same apartment, but they do want to be near one another.” In addition to Madonna’s apartment sleuthing, A-Rod’s friend says, “Both sides have sent their reps to look at places.” Regardless of all the house-hunting, A-Rod claims that he and Madonna are “just friends,” despite the fact that both were conveniently in Mexico City last weekend. Rodriguez says his time was focused on running a baseball clinic for kids, but one source has a slightly different view of the all-star’s relationship with the Queen of Pop.

“Alex and Madonna are very, very cozy,” the insider reveals. “Yes, they are intimate, and they are intoxicated with one another. Alex can’t get over that he’s with Madonna.” But the insider has some sage words of wisdom for Rodriguez: “This isn’t a deep and serious love affair. It will last as long as Madonna wants it to,” our leak predicts. “She could get five or six years out of it – but only if it’s in her best interest to keep him around.”

[From Gatecrasher]

Well I think that sums up Madonna pretty well. She’ll be into Alex for a while and use him while it benefits her, but as to the long-term, there’s nothing substantial there. It sounds like Rodriguez has a bit of puppy love going on. Which is funny since he’s long been reported to be quite the player. Now it seems like he’s being played. Madonna ultimately needs someone who is more complex and will challenge her and stand up to her. Though she’s drawn to people that follow her commands, in the long run they’ll likely get tired of her, or she’ll tire of them. No matter what, it sounds like A-Rod and Madge shouldn’t be exchanging keys quite yet.

Here’s Madonna appearing in Britney Spears’ “For The Record” documentary. Images thanks to WENN.

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have a joint interview in this month’s Essence Magazine in which they talk about their marriage and how they make it work. Will, 40, and Jada, 37, have been married 11 years and have two children together, Jaden, 10, and Willow, 8, and are raising Will’s son from his first marriage, Trey, 16.

Will told Ellen Degeneres this spring that divorce was not an option for them and he repeated that claim to Essence. The two spoke in general terms about the pitfalls and benefits of marriage and they came across as very committed to their family and to each other.

Jada on Will’s immaturity when she first met him and how they grew together
“Trying to be with somebody who you know doesn’t deserve it is too hard,” Pinkett Smith said when recollecting about the early stages of their relationship. “I knew you deserved it, but it had more to do with your relationship with your God and yourself than with me. I thought, Okay, this dude just wants to be a good dude. When we got together, both of us were going through rough times. I loved the relationship you had with your grandmother GiGi and the commitment you had to Trey. I remember watching how you dealt with Sheree [Will's ex], which was admirable, and I thought, If this is how he treats somebody who he ain’t really feeling, imagine how he’ll treat somebody he loves. I know that was hard for you. I could see that you were struggling. Most people would have been trying to figure out, How can I pay this person back? But you were always thinking, What is the right thing to do? It took me a long time to get on that page. I felt like you were strong where I was weak, and then in some instances, I could offer you strength. We were like puzzle pieces.”

Jada on sex
“Sex is a very, very important factor for me, especially when you’re talking about being with somebody for the rest of your life,” she added. “It worked out nicely.”

Jada on being vulnerable and getting hurt by your partner
“I wish there was a formula that said, ‘If you follow this right here, you will have a successful marriage,’ but it’s so different for everybody,” she also said. “In order to have a good relationship, I think you’ve got to give yourself. There’s so much beauty in having that vulnerability and openness, but it’s also a double-edged sword because nobody can hurt you more than the person who’s closest to you. Your partner knows all your buttons, and there are times when it feels like things are unforgivable.”

Will on “removing divorce as an option”
“When you’re married, you can no longer hide from yourself, which can be excruciatingly painful,’ Mr. Smith chimed in. “The secret is removing divorce as an option. Anybody who gives themselves that option will get a divorce.”

Will says he’ll take a half year off
“I’ve lived a totally unbalanced life, and this has been the first time that I’m actually shutting movies out for five or six months so I can really focus and spend some extended time with family and friends,” he revealed. “I’m just starting to believe in the idea of balance, but you’ve always been the one to keep the ship from falling over. I found balance when I met you.”

[From Essence Magazine, print edition, December 2008 via BlackVoices]

I wonder what Jada was talking about when she said that “there are times when it feels like things are unforgivable.” She could have meant fights in which Will said just the right thing to get to her. Our spouses know us better than anyone that sometimes works both ways, as Jada mentiones.

I like these two a lot and they’re really growing on me after some skepticism. If they are closet Scientologists they’ve become pretty skilled at hiding it. Will personally spoke to protestors from the group Anonymous in front of his new private school this summer and told them that he wasn’t starting a Scientology school and was just incorporating some of L. Ron Hubbard’s Study Tech, which he said has helped his son. The people he talked to say he seemed earnest about it and that he was believable and upfront when he said he wasn’t a Scientologist. The ties with the cult are about the only thing that comes to mind that’s negative about this couple, and they seem to be trying to appease their friend Tom Cruise while remaining distanced from Scientology.

Will is promoting his film Seven Pounds, which is out in the US on December 19. Jada has Madagascar 2 out now.

Jada is shown at a photocall for Madagascar 2 in Madrid on 11/25 and at the London premiere of the film on 11/23. Will is shown with fans at the Seven Pounds premiere on 11/17. Will and Jada are shown at the Madagascar 2 premiere in the US with Willow and Jaden on 10/26/08. All photos credit: WENN

Miley Cyrus got all giggly when asked about her boyfriend on the Ellen DeGeneres show yesterday. I’ve read a lot about Miley lately but haven’t actually heard her speak in a long time – I’d forgotten how utterly grating her voice is. She sounds twenty years older than she is. Somehow the combination of her sounding so old and acting so young is really annoying.

When Ellen asks about boyfriend Justin Gaston – who Miley refuses to confirm even is her boyfriend – she starts giggling hysterically, throwing her body sideways on the chair with her legs flung over the arms, as though she weren’t on a stage but instead in her rec room. It’s hard to tell if she’s really that giggly or if she’s just playing it up for effect.

Miley Cyrus continues trying to be coy about her relationship with Justin Gaston, but her body language on Ellen gives it away.

Just watch how giggly and squirmy she gets as Ellen DeGeneres tries to make her admit they’re dating.

“No,” says Miley, before breaking into a fit of laughter. Then she adds: “I giggle about everyone!”

Right. While Miles refused to dish on dating, she did say he was accompanying her to the Bolt premiere later that night. “He’s funny!” she exclaims, cracking up maniacally again.

Clearly.

[From E! News]

Maybe I’m cynical or perhaps it’s just been too long since I was a teenager – but my first thought was, “Is she on some sort of drug?” I swear it seems like Miley is under the influence of something. But it’s probably just the influence of love. Yuck. If love makes people act like they’re half as old and twice as stupid as they really are, I want nothing to do with it. I know the segment was supposed to come off as all cute, adorable, and innocent, but really it just made me feel uncomfortable. It was so cheesy.

Although to be fair, if I ever saw half my celebrity crushes in real life, I’d probably act the same way. I’m going to have to start carrying around a chair so I can fling myself over it hysterically.

Here’s Miley Cyrus at the “Bolt” World Premiere on Monday. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer seem to be doing pretty well on their second go. Aniston’s got some fire in her lately which has been nice to see, and John Mayer, while often seen as a doucheY player, certainly has his own kind of self-effacing humor which is charming in its way. Even though I don’t trust Mayer because of his track record, I find myself liking him despite my best attempts not to. He can be a paparazzi whore but he’s still funny, and few celebs have mastered the self-deprecating humor like he has.

Aniston and Mayer went out on a date last night and ran into Nicole Richie and Joel Madden. The couples gabbed for a bit before parting ways – according to People, Jen and John were totally into each other.

Sunset Tower Hotel was the place for star gazing Monday night, when Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer dropped by for a late-night meal. “They were positively glowing in the candlelight,” an onlooker said of the couple, who took a corner table in the dimly lit Hollywood landmark, where the couple is frequently spotted. “You could see her classic ‘Aniston smile’ on her face.”

The on-again couple – just back from their jaunt to New York City – talked closely in low tones. But they did take time to chat with another celebrity couple, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, who were dining nearby. “There was a lot of excited talk between the two girls,” the onlooker noted, “with Nicole’s head bobbing up and down as she talked to Jen.” (When Richie star-exited the restaurant a short time later, she gave an “exaggerated, very happy wave” to her new Friend.)

But for most of the night, Aniston, 39, and Mayer, 31, only had eyes for each other. “They were very happy and goofy,” the source added. “They seemed to revel in their privacy.”

[From People]

John and Jen are really growing on me. I still don’t think John’s going to settle down until he’s in his late seventies, but that’s not necessarily the only measure of his worth. It just depends on what Aniston is looking for from him. Since the day she and Brad Pitt divorced, people have assumed that Jen’s done nothing but try to find someone else to marry. The thought that she might be happy dating and remaining unattached in the long run seems unfathomable to most. But perhaps that’s exactly what she wants.

Here’s Jennifer meeting up with John at La Esquina in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan on Thursday. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

If you’ve been wondering what the yummy John Corbett has been up to since his character, Aidan the sensitive furniture maker, was dumped by Carrie Bradshaw on “Sex and the City,” don’t shed too many tears for him. John has been shacking up with Bo Derek, whom he met on a blind date in 2002. The couple has kept their relationship very low key over the years, but Bo finally discussed their life together in a recent interview.

Bo Derek has broken her silence over her relationship with Sex And The City star John Corbett, describing their love as ‘a gigantic bonus’.

The 10 actress, 51, was widowed in 1998 when her husband, film director John Derek died of heart disease.

After five years alone, Derek started dating former Northern Exposure actor Corbett in 2002 after they met on a blind date.

The pair soon moved in together and are now sharing a 10-acre ranch in Santa Ynez, California.

The animal rights advocate has open the doors of the couple’s ranch in the new issue of Hello! magazine and describes how she found happiness again after coming to terms with the death of John.

She tells the magazine: ‘I was alone for five years. Having a love is a gigantic bonus in life, but I wasn’t unhappy when I was single, either.’

Speaking of Corbett, who is four years her junior, Derek enthused: ‘He’s just fun, so much fun. I’m very happy now.’

[From The Daily Mail]

From the few photos I’ve seen of John and Bo together, I must say they really look great together. I am more than a little envious of Bo – first of all, there is no way she looks anywhere near 51 years old, and she swears she’s never had plastic surgery, although she wouldn’t rule it out. Second, she gets to snuggle up to that giant hunk every night. As far as I’m concerned, John was the real “Mr. Big” of Sex and the City.
John Corbett and Bo Derek are shown at the Carousel of Hope Benefit on Oct. 25. Photo credit: WENN.

Jessica Simpson is still yapping on about her relationship with Tony Romo. I think the woman is physically incapable of talking about anything other than whoever she’s dating. In a way I understand it, but it makes an already shallow seeming person come off as even more vapid.

Jessica says in the past she’s always fallen for men that she wanted to save – implying that ex-husband Nick Lachey was one of them. She says with Tony Romo, he saved her.

In December’s Cosmopolitan, Jessica Simpson says Tony Romo is different from past men she’s romanced — including ex-husband Nick Lachey.

“I’d always fall for guys I wanted to save,” she says. “For the first time, I fell in love with someone who saved me.”

She says she wouldn’t rule out wedding the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, whom she began dating last year. “I think any person who I’m gonna date for longer than six months, I definitely am investing in something long-term,” she says. “If I get married again, then it will be the last time.

“Nick will always be a part of my life,” says Simpson, who divorced Lachey nearly three years ago. “But next time, I’m marrying the right one.”

[From US Weekly]

Obviously I don’t know the personal details of his life, but Nick Lachey seemed to have his act together, especially when compared to Jessica. It didn’t seem like there was a whole lot of saving needed. But then again she clearly knew him pretty intimately and seems to feel she needed to help him in some way. A lot of women feel that way about men – it’s why some are always attracted to “fixers.” Not that Nick is/was a fixer.

I think Jessica tends to lose herself in her relationships a bit. That’s probably why she wants to be with guys that she can save – so they need her more. She just doesn’t talk about anything other than men. I don’t expect anything of depth or consequence to come out of her mouth, but I’d like to hear about something other than “Tony/John/Nick” all the time. I can understand why she’d want to avoid talking about her acting career (ahem, “Major Movie Star”), but she can talk about her music, her family… hell even her dog would be an improvement at this point. Find new words Jessica. Please.

Here’s Jessica at Macy’s 150th Birthday Gala Celebration at Gotham Hall in New York City last Tuesday. Images thanks to WENN.