Denise Richards and Richie Sambora in Hawaii on 1/31/07. Credit: Reale/Bauergriffinonline.com
What do you do when your reality show tanks because everyone hates you? If you’re Denise Richards, you try to hook up with the one person on the planet who doesn’t think you’re a psychotic fame whore. Sources say Richards is desperate to get back together with her ex-boyfriend Richie Sambora- but the guitarist is definitely not interested.

“It’s Complicated” – but worse, it’s tanking!

DENISE RICHARDS’ highly touted E! reality TV show is (1) biting it ratings-wise; (2) ex-hubby CHARLIE SHEEN’s kicking her butt divorce court-wise; and (3) romance-wise, she’s gone crawling on her belly like a snake – desperately trying to worm her way back into ex-flame RICHIE SAMBORA’s life!

Now don’t drop dead from surprise, but the booze-challenged rocker won’t even take her calls.

Insiders say Denise started phoning and texting Richie nonstop, begging him to rekindle their romance, and he talked to her patiently at first – telling her he’s just not interested, and has a new relationship cooking.

Denise, refusing to take “NO!” for an answer, told pals she’s furious at Richie – yet won’t stop phone/text-stalking!

[From the National Enquirer]

In the numerous, insane interviews Denise has given over the last few months to promote her show, she has repeatedly said that she still cares about Sambora and that he is a great guy. I guess she was trying to grease the skids with him, hoping he’d want to get back together with her. But when Sambora entered rehab to quit booze, it looks like he quit his Denise addiction, too. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Richie’s habit flared up after being involved with this harpie- I can’t watch five seconds of her show without needing a stiff drink.

Heather Locklear emerged from rehab on Wednesday– and it only took two days for a rehab snitch to divulge some of what went on during her stay. Luckily, everything the source said was pretty good, and it sounds like Heather had a lot of support from her friends and family. According to the source, Heather’s ex-husband Richie Sambora called her every single day while she was there.

Heather Locklear’s ex-husband Richie Sambora (who struggled with alcoholism) called her daily during her recent four-week stint in rehab for depression and anxiety, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. (The paper claims she also may have been treated for prescription drug issues.)

The source says that Locklear, 46, told the other patients at the Arizona facility that she felt the world was closing in on her before she sought help. The source adds that Locklear felt people expected her “to be perfect, always beautiful.” During her stay, the source says Locklear “couldn’t have been warmer or more approachable. There was no diva behavior. She was totally genuine, down-to-earth and warm.”

She often enjoyed riding horses. She even told patients that she wanted to make a Western film “so I can better work on my riding skills,” the insider says. At one point during rehab, Locklear was overheard singing and said she’d love to record an album, the source says.

[From Us Weekly]

Heather might want to keep that album idea on the down low. That’s probably the only thing in the article you could say was slanderous. I kid, I kid. But I don’t think a Heather Locklear CD will be sitting on my shelf anytime soon – and I’m guessing the same goes for most people, unless they’re interested in the novelty factor.

Boyfriend Jack Wagner got a bit of flack for only visiting Heather twice during the month she was in rehab. There was no mention of how often he called, but supposedly their relationship is still going strong, and Heather thinks they might get married soon. I think it’s really great that Richie Sambora was there for her like that. I can’t think of a whole lot of ex-husbands that would care or want to be helpful in that way. And Heather is the mother of his child – it makes sense that Richie would want her to be as healthy and happy as possible.

Here’s Heather and Richie with their daughter Ava before their divorce. Images thanks to WENN.

Denise Richards really seems to have some problems with the truth. Not that that’s news to anyone, but she’s increasingly getting caught for all of her lies. The actress has long been called out on fudging the details in her relationship with ex-boyfriend Richie Sambora. Richie is the ex-husband of Denise’s former best friend Heather Locklear. Denise has always claimed that she and Heather hadn’t been friends for several months when she and Richie started dating – but most people agree that’s a load of crap.

Denise Richards claims to be “setting the record straight” on her new E! reality show, “It’s Complicated,” but several sources who know the actress say it’s a record that she’s making up.

On the show, Richards says more than once that she’s no husband stealer, claiming that she and Heather Locklear weren’t friends for months before she started dating Locklear’s estranged husband, Richie Sambora - and that the relationship started only after Locklear and Sambora split. But a Locklear pal says otherwise.

“Heather has phone records that prove Denise was calling Richie while Heather was still married to him,” our source said. “Heather was such a good friend to Denise. She gave Denise clothes and offered her a shoulder to cry on when she and [now ex-husband] Charlie [Sheen] split up - there are even photos in the press of Heather taking Denise out after she and Charlie split. And then a few weeks later - not months - Denise starts dating Richie.

“For Denise to claim that not only did she not initiate contact with Richie but that she and Heather weren’t friends for three months before she took up with him, well, that’s just absurd and an outright lie.

[From the New York Post]

Denise has also downplayed how many animals she has. It turns out she’s an animal collector, a la Paris Hilton.

On her show, Richards also says she has five dogs, four cats and three pigs. But an insider said, “Please - she has over 20 dogs, five cats, three pigs and several guinea pigs. Her place is like a zoo. She collects animals.”

Richards, via a rep, told us: “I will not respond to these tireless rumors. It’s such old news. I will say I have 10 dogs. Is there a law against having a lot of animals? My family loves animals, I live on a ranch, and I provide a great environment for them, so I am not sure why there is so much drama about how many animals I have.”

[From the New York Post]

First off, yes there is a law against having a lot of animals. Several laws. It obviously varies by county, and perhaps living on a ranch gives Richards a little more leeway, but yes, there is a law.

Secondly, on the show Denise specifically states that she has five dogs. In her response, she admits that she has at least ten. Yet she doesn’t seem to realize that she’s just been caught in a very obvious lie. And the phrasing “I will say that I have 10 dogs” seems odd to me. She didn’t say “I have ten dogs.” It’s more like, “I’ll admit to ten.” And considering five equaled ten before, it makes you think that ten might very well equal twenty. Which makes you wonder what other math Richards is fudging. Or dates.

Here’s Denise shopping in Malibu in March. Images thanks to WENN.

Police have recommended to prosecutors that they charge Richie Sambora with a DUI and child endangerment stemming from his arrest in March. The Bon Jovi guitarist was pulled over after cops spotted his Hummer driving erratically in Laguna Beach. Sambora’s girlfriend Jenn Mallini was in the car along with his daughter, Ava, 10 and her teenage cousin. He may serve jail time.

Police have recommended to prosecutors that Richie Sambora be charged with DUI and child endangerment – both as misdemeanors – stemming from his March 25 arrest, says a source close to the case. Last week, Laguna Beach Police handed over the case to the Orange County Calif. District Attorney’s Office, which has not announced any formal charges yet.

“Because the case is under review, I can’t discuss the details,” DA spokeswoman Farrah Emami told PEOPLE. “Ultimately, we have to base our decision on the available evidence.” If Sambora is formally charged with both misdemeanors, a jail sentence is likely, legal experts say. “Assuming Sambora was driving with over a .08 blood-alcohol level with a passenger under 14 in the car, he’s looking at probable jail time,” says veteran DUI lawyer Lawrence Taylor, who’s not involved with the case. “But it’s possible this can be plea bargained to a lesser offense, and/or he could get rehab in lieu of jail.”

[From People]

People notes that Sambora’s had a pretty hard last few years – not that it in any way excuses his behavior. He divorced Heather Locklear – Ava’s mom – his father died of lung cancer, he went into rehab – which clearly wasn’t successful – and supposedly Locklear has been suicidal recently (depending on who you believe), which has further concerned Sambora. I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten his butt back in rehab, if for no other reason than to help his public image. Bon Jovi performed in Las Vegas this weekend, where Sambora was on his best behavior and only drank water. Hopefully he’s working hard on his sobriety right now.

Here’s Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi speaking during the 2008 ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood, CA on April 10, 2008. Images thanks to Splash.

Attention whore Denise “Heather wasn’t my best friend” Richards is said to be engaged to Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora. The two lshot to fame at the beginning of the year when Denise went through a nasty finger-pointing divorce with Charlie Sheen at the same time Sambora was divorcing his wife, Heather Locklear. Richards and Sambora were neighbors, and Locklear and Richards used to be friends, with sources claiming that Richards encouraged Locklear to file for divorce from Sambora.

Denise was spotted with a diamond on her left ring finger back in mid-June, sparking engagement rumors. Denise and Richie spent a romantic vacation together in Paris at the time, and news outlets said that it was no coincidence that the paparrazi knew exactly where to find them.

It was rumored as early as late May that they were planning a wedding to take place early next year when both of their divorces were final. Now that Denise has reached an amicable settlement with Charlie, it seems like things are moving along and they’re now said to be engaged:

A couple of weeks ago there was a story that Richie wanted to get back together with Heather and sent her a $500 worth of roses, but that may have been fabricated.

Here are Denise and Richie at the Fashion Rocks Concert yesterday. Denise is also shown out in West Hollywood on August 24th. [

A new article in Life and Style claims that as Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear’s high-profile divorce is close to reaching a settlement, Richie is having second thoughts and realizes how much he loves his wife of 11 years. He even sent a $500 pink and red rose bouquet to Heather.

Wow. He must realize what he’s missing with Heather. Sambora was said to be totally surprised to be served divorce papers this February and even denied to the press that he and Heather were split. Maybe he’s not ready to let go.

If that’s true, it’s got to piss off his media-whore girlfriend, Denise Richards. Denise recently reached an amicable “interim” settlement with her ex, Charlie Sheen, who she famously skewered in the press on the eve of his children’s clothing line launch. Denise didn’t renew a restraining order against Sheen and according to their lawyers they’re getting along.

Denise and Richie were said to be planning a wedding for early next year, and Denise was seen wearing what looked like an engagement ring. She followed Richie to Europe while he was touring with Bon Jovi and seemed really needy in the relationship. If this is true then he’s obviously sick of her. Men don’t usually like women who hang all over them.