Oh to be a spoiled little Scientologist! Suri Cruise sounds like she’s got it made – at least for now. According to Us Weekly, the tot almost never hears the word “no.” In Scientology, it’s considered better to explain why actions are wrong. I can’t argue with that – but I think a “no” now and then might be useful, like “No! Don’t lay down in the train tracks!” It might be a little quicker than explaining what the force and weight of a train can do to a body. But that’s just me, and I’m close-minded like that. This article makes it sound like Suri is spoiled, so it’s hard to tell if it’s due to Scientology or overly-doting parents.

“Everyone knows that Suri Cruise, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ adorable little daughter, leads a charmed existence but her upbringing as a Scientologist remains largely a mystery. How does the religion started by L. Ron Hubbard influence Suri’s life on a daily basis? Us Weekly has learned that while Suri — who as a baby was breastfed and nursed on a mixture of barley water, milk and corn syrup which Hubbard advocated as being healthier than formula and breast milk — is too young to take classes at the Scientology Centre, the 18-month-old is constantly surrounded by believers, including her two nannies.

“‘Tom doesn’t like associating with people who aren’t Scientologists,’ says an insider. Additionally, Holmes, 29, and Cruise, 45, have a hard time saying no to Suri. But it’s not simply because they’re pushovers. ‘It’s all about being positive and supportive,’ says the couple’s friend (Hubbard advised parents to ‘try to be the child’s friend.’) As for discipline, one former church member tells Us that Scientologists do not scold their children, but instead explain that bad behavior (like throwing a toy) is the ‘wrong action.’ (A Scientology rep tells Us, ‘How a parent disciplines their child is left up to the parent.’)

“Cruise and Holmes, says their pal, are very lenient and do not like to give Suri too many rules: ‘Suri pretty much does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. If she fusses before bed, they let her stay up later. If they want her to go swimming and she cries, they’ll take her out. If she whines about food, they’ll ask her what else she wants to eat. They always want to please her.’”

[From Us Weekly]

Ooooohhh, Tom and Katie are such bad parents. They want to make their kid happy! I’m kidding, that’s a pretty natural inclination. On the one hand you want to be firm, and on the other you want your kid to like you. I can’t help but wonder if L Ron Hubbard would have the same ideas about parents being their children’s friend if he’d seen the way Lindsay Lohan turned out. Yeah, when your parent/friend snorts coke with you, you may have blurred the lines a bit.

What are some other scientology pearls of wisdom regarding child rearing? Here’s a recap of what Celebitchy wrote a year ago:

“In yet another disturbing chapter of the TomKat saga, Mike Wallace of the National Enquirer reports that Scientologists plan to commandeer Katie’s baby for three days after its birth. What’s more, the baby will be isolated for a day after it’s born. Despite reports that she’s spending 8 hours a day being indoctrinated into Scientology, Katie has come to her senses and is questioning this counter-intuitive practice:

“furious KATIE HOLMES warned fiancé/daddy-to-be TOM CRUISE that she’ll absolutely refuse to allow Scientologists to commandeer her newborn at birth for what their church calls “Processing a New Mother” - a bizarre ritual which involves separating mother and child for three days, allowing only minimal contact! As her time approaches, sources say, Katie’s becoming hysterical over the idea that her baby will be controlled by the sect’s handlers from the moment he/she enters the world. In a raging confrontation, Katie told Tom she flatly rejects Scientology’s edict that newborns should be left totally alone for the entire first day after birth.

“Any human who’s not brainwashed would agree that it’s harmful and cruel to leave a newborn baby alone at any time, especially on its first day in the world. It’s also quite difficult, if not impossible, to breastfeed if you don’t start up within the first three days after birth. This is wrong for so many reasons.”

Want to know some other freaky stuff? If you’re a Scientologist and your kid trips over the root of a tree and hurts himself, you’re supposed to take the kid back to the tree and press the root against the injury, and give the pain back to the root. True story.

“Parents are encouraged not to comfort or nurture young children because Hubbard believed children are small adults, able to think and fend for themselves from a very early age. For example, a child who falls and hurts himself is taken to the place where he was hurt and the injury is pressed against the object that caused it. It is believed the pain can be made to flow back into the object.

“‘That’s called a contact assist,’ Teresa Summers said. ‘There is also a fever assist. We were discouraged from seeking medical help or giving medication, even Tylenol, to bring down a fever. Instead, you get the child to hold an object still. That’s supposed to bring down the fever. When it doesn’t work, it’s because you aren’t doing it right or didn’t repeat it often enough. I tried it on my child. Naturally, it didn’t work.’”

[From the New York Post]

Good luck Suri!

The pastor of a church in Wichita, Kansas where Clay Aiken is scheduled to sing at their Christmas concert wanted to assure elders that Aiken is not the heathen the media make him out to be. He sent out a letter saying that Aiken is a good Christian boy who is not gay. He even compared the stories that Aiken likes guys to the rumors that Mister Rogers was gay because he was a little light on his toes, too:

“There has been a lot of controversy surrounding Clay’s concert,” a church source told The Enquirer. “Some members didn’t want him to perform there if he was indeed homosexual.”

“The church received a lot of attacks when it was announced Clay would be performing, so Pastor Posson thought it was in the church’s best interest to circulate a letter.”

In the shocking letter, obtained by The Enquirer, Posson stressed that 28-year-old Clay is a Christian who does not “drink, smoke, swear or womanize.”

Posson also referenced a July 2003 interview with “Rolling Stone” magazine in which Clay denied being gay. Posson wrote that Clay also gave an interview with a Christian Web site in which he said he was not gay.

The pastor also makes a bizarre comparison in the letter, saying that Clay’s mannerisms and “soft” nature are similar to those of TV’s Mister Rogers. “If appearance and voice alone determine sexual orientation, then Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers), a conservative ordained Presbyterian minister, must have been one as well,” Posson wrote.

“By the way, (Rogers’) 51-year-old marriage ended upon his death in 2003.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, October 15, 2007]

That’s precious that he compares him to Mr. Rogers! All Clay needs to do is stop soliciting sex online and get married to a woman and the churches where he’s set to perform won’t need to issue statements to assure everyone he’s straight.

The pastor also says in his letter that the Green Beret guy who said he got with Clay Aiken has recanted his story about a night of passion with the singer. The Enquirer points out that it’s not true, and the man never took back his claim that he and Clay had sex in a hotel room in January of last year.

It was unclear to me what religion this church follows, so I googled them and sure enough they have a pretty extensive website, which only makes sense considering that they could afford to have Clay Aiken sing at their Christmas concert.

Skimming over the statements on their website (which is the only way I could get through them since I have an aversion to all things religious - blame it on thousands of hours clocked in Catholic church as a child) it seems they are your standard Bible-believing church, and say the word of the Bible is supreme. A lot of people quote scripture to claim that homosexuality is wrong, but there are a ton of other random things in there that people would never consider the ultimate word because they’re just ridiculous. Commentor Fabiola Thing points out quite a few in her comments on a post about Wentworth Miller:

Homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says so? Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. Exodus 21:7 sanctions selling one’s daughter into slavery. Exodus 35:2 clearly states anyone working on the Sabbath should be put to death.

Clay Aiken will be performing on November 26th at the church, and if you live near Wichita, Kansas or are enough of a Claymate to drive or fly to the event, you can get tickets on the floor for just $35.

Clay is shown in the header image on 8/8/07 outside his hotel in NY. Thanks to WENN for this photo.

Brad Pitt, who was raised as a Southern Baptist, has a pretty interesting interview in the upcoming issue of “Parade” magazine. He says that as he entered college, he began to doubt religion, and that doubt stays with him today. He says he believes in his family and the goodness of people, and that’s where he puts his faith. In a way, it helped him discover himself by really thinking about things. I know a lot of our commenters have said they don’t think Brad is very smart, and while I wouldn’t accuse him of secretly attending Mensa meetings, I think he’s got a lot more going on in his brain than most celebrities.

Now the head of Hollywood’s most famous family finds comfort in his partner Angelina Jolie and their four children, Maddox, 6, Pax, 3, Zahara, 2, and one-year-old Shiloh. “I still have faith in that,” he says. In the new issue of “Parade” magazine, Pitt discusses his evolution from college journalism student to actor to philanthropist. Is a run for office in his future? See interview excerpts below to find out…

On inequality:
“Whoever said all men are born equal never left his own backyard. I see people everywhere without opportunity. I want to help level the playing field.”

On whether his charity work is the result of his relationship with Jolie:
“That’s idiotic! I do it because I’m a member of the human race. In Africa you see people on the street dying from AIDS, children left without parents. We’re all cells of one body, with the same emotions and desires for our families–for a little dignity and a chance for a better life. Let’s focus on that! I believe in the founding principles of America. I want to fight for that. I know most Americans feel the same way.”

On whether he’ll ever run for office:
“Oh, my God! I never thought about it. I have no desire at this point. Maybe I serve better by not going through that door. George [Clooney] should do it! He’d be quite good. I think Ben Affleck should run.”

On being famous:
“When fame really hit me was when Legends of the Fall was released three years later. You get no warning about what celebrity is or how to deal with it. It’s sort of multitiered. The initial stage is feeling discombobulated and not up to the task. I didn’t understand the incessant attention when I went outside, the way people completely focused on me. It made me very uncomfortable.

On the paparazzi:
“I mean, yesterday Angie was taking Maddie off to school. There were 30 paparazzi outside. One guy sticks a video camera in Mad’s face, yelling, ‘Maddox! Maddox!’ He doesn’t get a response. He doesn’t know my boy. Mad is already savvy to this, unfortunately. But my 2-year-old dreads being anyplace there are cameras. It scares her. They’re all in her face. My kids are faced with this every day! It’s disgusting. So we’ve been run out of L.A., all the major cities. We just can’t live there. You don’t understand–this is the hunt, the hunt, the hunt! I thought it might be over a year ago. It’s gotten worse.”

On turning away from religion:
“I didn’t understand this idea of a God who says, ‘You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I’m the best, and then I’ll give you eternal happiness. If you won’t, then you don’t get it!’ It seemed to be about ego. I can’t see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me.

On the ways of the world:
“We’re basically all the same. There is so much focus on our differences. Again, this thing of ego—my high school is better than your high school! We forget that we all have the same feelings on any side of the world. Why can’t we find common ground instead of this obsession with our hatreds?”

[From Us Weekly]

While I may not agree with Brad on everything, it’s hard to deny that it sounds like he’s actually thought a lot of things through that many people never bother to wrestle with. I think Angelina has been a good influence on him in terms of charity, but he was a bit of a do-gooder before he met her, just a less public one. I think Brad’s still smarter and more caring than 9 out of 10 celebrities out there, and I hope he keeps up the good work.

Picture Note by Jaybird: Here’s Brangelina at the Assassination of Jesse James premiere on September 18th. Header image of Brad at the Clayton’ New York City Premiere on September 24th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Malaysia is one strict country. Recently Gwen Stefani gave a concert there in which she had to cover up from head to toe, a move she called “a major sacrifice.” But she did it for her fans (or for the cash/publicity) and the world kept spinning. Beyonce, however, has refused to comply with the dress code, and her concert has been canceled.

“According to the rules introduced by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage in 2005 there must be no hugging or kissing audience members or fellow artists, no jumping or shouting, no throwing objects onstage or at the audience and no foul language.

“Clothes cannot have obscene or drug-related images or messages, and female performers must show no skin from the tops of their chests to their knees.”

[From Us Weekly]

As I said when I covered the Gwen Stefani story, I’m a big “when in Rome” type. Beyonce wears some nastily skanky outfits, in my highly-cultured opinion. I’d love it if they could force some dress code on her here, too. Some type of pledge, maybe, like “I, Beyonce Knowles, promise never to wear anything designed by my mother, Tina Knowles. I promise never to wear anything designed by her clothing line, the House or Dereron. I pledge never to wear fur, or outfits with bizarre cutout patterns. I promise to stop exposing my armpits every chance I get.” I think that’d be fair not just to Malaysia, but to the whole world.

“Beyoncé apparently isn’t ready to restrain her jelly. Not even for the sake of her fans. The Grammy winner has canceled what was due to be her first concert in Malaysia next month, in the wake of protests over her booty-baring stage antics and increased pressure to conform to the country’s hard-line Muslim regime’s ultrastrict dress codes for female performers.

“Knowles’ International Creative Management agents, however, said the scuttled show was “due to a scheduling conflict” and nothing more. ‘It is with regret that we announce the cancellation of the Beyoncé Experience. It was to mark the very first time the performer would bring her show to Malaysia.’

“The statement confirmed Friday’s announcement by Kuala Lumpur-based concert promoter Pineapple Concerts that the plug had been pulled; Pineapple, however, declined to give a reason. The news follows an uptick in protests by several conservative groups, including the nearly 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, urging the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage to stop the concert from taking place.

“While Kuala Lumpur is a tour no-go, the singer has scheduled a gig to take place in nearby Jakarta on Nov. 1. While Indonesia is also a Muslim state, it has not set any guidelines in place for visiting performers, and Beyoncé will be able to don any of Mama Knowles’ cleavage-baring outfits she pleases and will also be able to jump, shout, curse and embrace audience members onstage—things she would not be allowed to do in Malaysia.

“Other than Stefani, acts that did recently make the highly restricted trip to the Malaysian stage include Kanye West, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Pussycat Dolls, whose promoters were fined nearly $3,000 after the girl group wore too-skimpy outfits onstage and danced in a ‘sexually suggestive’ way.”

[From E! News]

I can’t believe any country would ever let the Pussycat Dolls perform if they could find a reason to keep them out. I think they’re too slutty for pretty much everywhere… except porn. They could do well in porn. Seriously, Beyonce, covering up a bit won’t kill you. I’m not even saying this from Malaysia’s standpoint, I just mean it in life in general. I know I’m going to sound like grandma here, but must we expose our cleavage and our legs and our arms and our butt? Can’t it just be about the performance, instead of your booty? I mean I know the booty is nice, but will keeping it under wraps for just one night be so hard?

Picture Note by Jaybird: Here’s Beyonce leaving “TRL” on 02-28-07. Header image of Beyonce, actually looking decent and keeping her armpits to herself, at the party for Usher’s new fragrance last Tuesday. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Madonna, the woman with an ego that knows no bounds, has declared herself “an Ambassador for Judaism.” I’m pretty sure most people consider her an ambassador for narcissistic personality disorder, but don’t ever say that to Madonna or her red string bracelet. Madonna took a trip to Israel for Rosh Hashanah, along with husband Guy Ritchie, Rosie O’Donnell, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, and Donna Karan. If Ashton Kutcher doesn’t lend legitimacy to the stars’ love of Kabbala, I don’t know what does.

“Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie rang in the Jewish new year with Israeli President Shimon Peres and declared herself an ‘ambassador for Judaism,’ local newspapers reported Sunday. The singer arrived in Israel on Wednesday, the eve of Jewish new year, to attend a conference on Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism.

The 49-year-old Material Girl met Peres at his Jerusalem residence on Saturday evening and the two exchanged gifts. Peres gifted Madonna with a lavishly bound copy of the Jewish Bible. She gave Peres a volume of The Book of Splendor, the guiding text of Kabbalah, inscribed ‘To Shimon Peres, the man I admire and love, Madonna,’ the Yediot Ahronot daily reported.

“‘You don’t know how popular the Book of Splendor is among Hollywood actors,’ Madonna told Peres, according to the Yediot. ‘Everyone I meet talks to me only about that. I am an ambassador for Judaism.’”

[From Us Weekly]

Um… yeah. Too many ways to mock. Can’t choose. Hurting brain. So let’s talk about people’s reactions in Israel. They’re not too pleased. Kabbala is only supposed to be taught to Jews. Madonna is not Jewish and has never converted. It’s also only supposed to be taught to strictly adherent Jews, generally Orthodox Jews, who have learned the Talmud backwards and forwards (so to speak… if you’re Jewish, you get the joke) and meticulously follow all of the commandments. So Madonna – and I’m guessing most of Hollywood – is pretty much out. A lot of rabbis have been pretty offended by her inclusion in Kabbala in general, and her flouting the rules of the religion. Her stupid quotes don’t help either.

“Orthodox teachers of Kabbala reacted with disdain Sunday to pop idol Madonna’s Rosh Hashana visit in Israel, during which she took part in a study session of Judaism’s most esoteric texts. ‘It is a known fact in Kabbala that impurity and evil are inherently attracted to sanctity,’ said a director of one of the most respected Kabbala yeshivot in Jerusalem who preferred that he and his institution remain anonymous.

“‘That’s why people of Hollywood, a place of iniquity and lasciviousness, are naturally attracted to the holiness of Kabbala.’ The director of the yeshiva said he was explaining a basic Kabbalistic concept according to which ‘sparks’ of holiness tightly connected to ‘shells’ of impurity are waiting to be let free. These ‘shells’ [klipot] are naturally attracted to their polar opposite - holiness.

“Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri, son of Jerusalem-based kabbalist David Batzri, head of the Shalom Yeshiva, said that it was forbidden to teach Kabbala to non-Jews such as Madonna.”

[From The Jerusalem Post]

Did he just call Madonna evil? I think he just called her evil! And I laughed and agreed. I think it’s great to be interested in other religions, and there’s a lot we all can learn by exploring them. But it’s incredibly important to be respectful of that religion’s rules. If Judaism strictly states that you have to be a strictly adherent Jew to read the kabbalist texts, than it’s important to respect that. I live in a Orthodox/Hassidic community in New York, and though I’m not Jewish, I can’t help but respect their piousness. It annoys me that I can’t shop on Saturdays… or this past week because of Rosh Hashana… and some other dates I never know about until I walk to the grocery store and find it’s closed… but it’s a nice place to live, and it’s interesting to see people constantly reading the Talmud on the subway instead of reading Hustler. I don’t quite understand why Madonna hasn’t converted, but it’s none of my business and she doesn’t have to explain her spirituality to the rest of us. I do think it’d be nice if she made it a little more personal and a little less commercial though.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Madonna’s exercising with her famous red string bracelet. Images thanks to PR Photos. Header image of Madonna and Guy Ritchie meeting Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem on Saturday. Images thanks to WENN.

So there’s this awards show called the Creative Arts Emmys. It has categories like “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation,” “Outstanding Costumes for a Variety/Music Program,” and “Outstanding Special Class Program” where they nominate other awards shows. Think of them as the Junior Emmys. I believe the show is held in a high school gymnasium’s empty swimming pool, or something close to that. They generally didn’t get a lot of publicity, until E! came around and had hours and hours of time available to devote to otherwise passed-over content. Hence the Creative Arts Emmys are now shown on TV a week after they actually take place. I have no idea why. Comedian Kathy Griffin won an award for “Outstanding Reality Program” for her show, “My Life on the D-List.” I haven’t seen the show and couldn’t give a flip about Kathy Griffin, but she gave an acceptance speech that really riled some people.

“‘Mel Gibson. Michael Richards. Isaiah Washington. Imus. Jerry Lewis. Every time a celebrity offends a segment of the population, he pays a price, in one way or another,’ said [Catholic League president Bill] Donohue in a Monday statement. ‘The question now is whether Kathy Griffin will pay a similar price for her outburst. And as we have learned, her verbal assault was calculated.’

“‘I guess hell froze over,’ Griffin told a receptive audience as she accepted her Emmy statuette. ‘A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this. He had nothing to do with this… suck it Jesus, this award is my God now.’

Donohue described Griffin’s remarks as a ‘kind of vulgar in-your-face brand of hate speech’ coming from a self-described ‘complete militant atheist,’ and pleaded with The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ chairman and CEO Dick Askin to help in condemning what she said.

“‘Kathy Griffin’s offensive remarks will not be part of the E! telecast on Saturday night,’ the Academy said in a Monday statement, according to The AP.

[From Reality TV World]

It’s pretty clear to me that Kathy Griffin wasn’t mocking Christianity, she was just mocking how important awards are to Hollywood, by joking (in a cutting manner… but hey, humor beyond formulaic jokes can be cutting) that her award is now her God. It doesn’t seem that she was mocking Jesus; she was mocking herself by acting like an award mattered more than anything else in the world. She could also be mocking the way so many celebrities suddenly thank God when they get an award, but never acknowledge religion at any other time. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I really don’t think this was that offensive. Think of all the Jesus/nun/pope joke toys out there.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Kathy performing at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida three weeks ago. Header image of Kathy at the 59th Annual Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards this past Saturday. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Jennifer Lopez has confirmed all the speculation that she wants to have a baby with husband Marc Anthony, but seems to be taking a more natural and laid-back approach to fertility than a lot of people. She said, “‘I love kids. I can’t wait to have a baby, believe me. I’m ready and so is Marc. We’re waiting for it to happen, but I guess it’ll happen when God wants it.’” That’s great that she’s not too worried about it or letting it get her down. A lot of people have speculated that the couple is having fertility problems, apparently based on the fact that they’ve been married three years, and Jennifer is 38 years old. A lot of people wait longer than that to have kids, and it’s not weird for women to have their first in the forties anymore. J-Lo also says she finds happiness in her three step-children, so it’s nice to know they haven’t been thrown by the wayside.

“Jennifer Lopez believes she will have a baby when God wants her to have one. The singer-and-actress admits she and husband Marc Anthony are desperate for children but doesn’t think they have any influence over when it will happen. Jennifer - who was raised a Catholic - told Grazia magazine, ‘I love kids. I can’t wait to have a baby, believe me. I’m ready and so is Marc. We’re waiting for it to happen, but I guess it’ll happen when God wants it.’”

“Although she doesn’t have children of her own, the 38-year-old star is enjoying being a stepmother to Marc’s three children from two previous relationships - Ariana, 14, Cristian, six and four-year-old Ryan. She revealed, ‘It’s a blessing having them as part of my family. I call them my three little angels.’ Jennifer has also credited Marc for making her a more rounded and mature individual.

“The ‘I’m Real’ singer who has been married twice before, and said, ‘These past years I’ve gained maturity and stability, which have bought new perspectives into my life. My priorities have taken a different lead - I mean, Marc is the most important thing in my life. He’s my partner, he’s the love of my life. He makes me a better person and I think I do the same for him. He gives me a balance which is hard to describe.’”

[From AZ Central]

I think the tabloids have made up a lot of those “Jennifer Lopez is devastated she can’t conceive” just like most of the “Jennifer Aniston is lonely and miserable without Brad Pitt” stories. They kind of assume they would feel that way in that position, so it’s probably safe that Jennifer Lopez is dying for babies and can’t think of anything else, and Jennifer Aniston is dying of sadness. They’re both successful career women…of varying talent, depending on your opinion. I know most people don’t like J-Lo… I’ve never been able to explain why, but I really like her. Marc Anthony scares the bejezus out of me, and makes me concerned that they’d have babies with shrunken heads, but other than that, it’s all good.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez are shown at the El Cantante LA Premiere on 7/31/07. Thanks to PRPhotos.

I wouldn’t call Gwen Stefani’s clothing trashy on any given day. Unusual, sometimes bizarre, perhaps, but she’s not constantly baring her nipples or anything. So I guess by American standards she’s pretty much the norm – not conservative, but not slutty, either. Well before performing in Muslim-majority Malaysia this past weekend, Gwen was faced with quite a backlash over her clothing, and had to agree to cover up.

“Stefani had promised to dress modestly after the 10,000-member National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students charged that her skimpy outfits and cheeky performances clashed with Islamic values. The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party also accused her of promoting promiscuity and corrupting the country’s youth.

“In an interview with Galaxie, a local entertainment magazine, Stefani said she had made many changes for Malaysia, calling it a “major sacrifice.”

“’I’ve been in the music industry for 20 years and this is the first time that I’m facing opposition from people who have misunderstood me,’ she was quoted as saying. ‘I’m not a bad girl,’ she said.”

“Media photographers weren’t allowed to take pictures for copyright reasons, and those attending the show had to leave their cameras outside. Most fans in the stadium said protesters had gone overboard with their criticism.

“‘I think they were making a big ho-ha for no reason. Even the local artists, they dress even much worse, much more indecent,’ said Denise Chan, a 15-year-old ethnic Chinese. Fans also said Stefani had shown respect for Malaysia’s cultural values. ‘All international artists have to dress down a bit to respect our religion,’ said Linda Yusof, 33, a Malay Muslim.

“Under government guidelines, a female artist must be covered from the top of her chest, including shoulders, to her knees. No jumping, shouting or throwing of objects onstage or at the audience is allowed. Performers also cannot hug or kiss, and their clothes must not have obscene or drug-related images or messages.

“Ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60% of Malaysia’s population of 26 million, with ethnic Chinese, who are Christians and Buddhists, making up 25%. Ethnic Indians, most of them Hindus, are about 10%”

[From USA Today]

I’m a big “When in Rome” type, so I’m glad Gwen was respectful of local customs. I don’t quite understand why it was a “major sacrifice.” It was a change. But then again I’m not a singer; maybe she felt it compromised her artistry or something. It also doesn’t really sound like she was necessarily “misunderstood.” Her clothing isn’t raunchy for America, but it is for Malaysia. It’s not culturally appropriate, and every country has different levels of tolerance. It sounds like she was pretty good about it if she dressed more conservatively than local performers. I really wish photographs had been released, I’m interested to see what she came up with.

Picture note by JayBird: Header image of Gwen performing live on her Sweet Escape at Acer Arena in Sydney. Does anyone else think she looks like the Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak? Thanks to WENN for the photos.

Zombie Gandhi … coming soon to a stadium near you

Also she would like to be an Un-dead John Lennon, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus. Satellite Radio really is changing the world not just making Howard Stern richer . These insight into Madonna’s role models, past and future, are perhaps the best example to date of how Sirius Radio is getting us the hot stuff:

Madonna has in the past styled herself after Marilyn Monroe and Eva Perón, but they’re not the ones she hopes to emulate.

“I want to be like Gandhi and Martin Luther King and John Lennon – but I want to stay alive,” the singer said during a Valentine’s Day interview on Sirius Satellite Radio.

via People Magazine

In fact Madonna’s recent tour was a real clue to this future Blonde ambition. The requisite controversy was all about her appearance on a cross, a big disco ball cross, crucified –just like Jesus – but without the spear in the side, dead part. Which if you read above is just where she likes the story to change up a little.

Defending the scene which featured images AIDS orphans in Africa, she says: “Jesus’s message was to love your neighbor as yourself, and these are people in need. I hope that people got that message.

“Of course some people thought shes just being controversal she’s just getting on a cross to piss people off, but that wasn’t my intention at all”

In a further informative aside Mrs Richie talked up the gay thing –cause the kitchen sink wasn’t available:

“Gay men are perfect men for girls who are tough. They’re not threatened by strong women, and they’re usually very in touch with their feelings and pay attention to details. I’ve always had an affinity with gay men.”

So to recap: Madonna wants to be an undead, pro-gay Gandhi/Jesus with a little Lennon and Luther King thrown in. Also please stop AIDS.

Well at least she doesn’t want to make any more movies.

pics via spaceport, Drowned Madonna, and Madonnalicious.

Picture Note by Celebitchy: Here are pictures from Madonna’s new H&M campaign, because they didn’t learn that people don’t want to look like Madonna the first time.

In related news Oxygen No Longer Free … Bush wins Nobel Peace Prize … Paris Hilton births new Jesus … Up officially moved to Down.

But seriously folks … in some truly hilarious although theologically and historically ignorant reporting the folks over at handbag write:

Naomi Campbell has dismissed rumours that she is planning to join a Brazilian religious group with links to witchcraft

The supermodel was linked to the Candomble faith, which was traditionally practised by African slaves in Brazil.

As if Naomi Campbell would need a religious justification for her blatantly evident witch-ness — Religions usually require faith … Campbell’s witch status is largely in the realm of scientific proof … like gravity … which she also uses for her own evil purposes when chucking bejeweled cell phone missiles at her cowering minions.

However, she has now said that just because she knows people who are involved with Candomble, that doesn’t make her a follower.

Demonstrably true as she also know several people who don’t beat their employees bloody and has shown no signs of following their example.

She told the New York Daily News: ‘I’m Church of England, Protestant. I was christened that.”

As if the Church of England didn’t have enough problems … what with Charles and Camilla and the questionable parentage of the less important ginger Prince …

Naomi, 36, did admit she uses prayer to try and calm her famous fiery temper.
She said: “I work on myself daily. I work on my programme of meditation and prayer and try to stick to it. It’s important to me.

(via Female First)

That’s pretty much the nail in the coffin on discussions about the efficacy of prayer … good we finally got that one settled.