If your response to the Ryan Seacrest/Julianne Hough breakup was anything like mine, then you probably yelled, “Friday afternoon, really? Not too surprising. Well, I thought she’d stick it out for another year at least.” The split occurred in mid-March after Julianne and Ryan had dated for over two years, and it seems the breakup is sticking. In the aftermath, Tom Cruise may or may not have called Julianne, who flirted up a storm with Alex Pettyfer at Coachella.

Now comes news that Ryan has basically accepted the breakup, or at least that is what one would infer by this week’s Star story that says Ryan is “trying to buy Julianne’s silence” in the shadow of their failed relationship. How so? By purchasing a $3 million house for Julianne so that she’ll keep her mouth shut about his … um, fetishes. Wait, what?

Ryan Seacrest’s checking account gets a lot of activity when he breaks up with a girl. A former pal of the “American Idol” host reveals that despite his squeaky-clean image, Ryan, 38, has some unusual appetites in the sack — so to avoid airing his dirty laundry, he coughs up the cash to keep his exes happy … and quiet. After recently ending his relationship with Julianne Hough, 25, friends say the media mogul bought her a $3 million home as a parting gift. “Ryan is a great boyfriend and an even better ex-boyfriend,” spills the pal. “Not that Julianne would ever badmouth him, but now she wouldn’t dream of saying he was anything but a great guy.”

[From Star, print edition, May 13, 2013]

Man, that part about Ryan’s “unusual appetites in the sack” has really got me giggling. Do these appetites have anything to do with a closet? No, not that type of closet. I clearly meant a closet full of sex toys, ala Russell Brand. Then again, Julianne was still sort of playing the virginity card last summer. Oh, nevermind.

I sort of hope this story is true though because a $3 million house is an excellent return on a two-year job relationship. I would probably put up with Seacrest for a few years too for that kind of payoff.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet

There were some new photos of Tracy Anderson this morning when I was looking through our photo agencies, and I offered the pics to CB. CB wasn’t interested (she really dislikes Tracy) and she sent me this lead explaining why Tracy was at this particular event. The event was the AOL Digital Content NewFront, which I guess is like an “upfront” for digital content. Yes, Tracy has a new digital series. And she’s teamed up with her BFF Gwyneth Paltrow AND Ryan Seacrest, because how could that ever go wrong?

Gwyneth Paltrow is teaming up with Ryan Seacrest for a new online series. The Iron Man 3 actress – who recently launched her second healthy cookbook It’s All Good – is fronting a 10-episode show called Second Chances on the AOL On Network, produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions, alongside her fitness guru pal Tracy Anderson, during which they will share stories of numerous women who have faced and overcome a variety of obstacles in their lives.

AOL announced they signed a deal to premiere the series and issued a statement saying: “Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracy Anderson spend time with women who’ve overcome hardship, injury, and setbacks to triumph in the face of adversity.”

“We’ll hear their inspiring stories firsthand, whether fighting back from a career-ending injury or transforming their lives and bodies through diet and exercise.”

American Idol host Ryan, 38, who already produces a number of reality shows including Keeping Up With The Kardashians told Variety.com that he is excited to focus on digital shows.

He said: “It’s a new focus for us, in the context of this company.”

[From Ahlan Live]

“We’ll hear their inspiring stories firsthand, whether fighting back from a career-ending injury or transforming their lives and bodies through diet and exercise.” Yeah. I knew it was going to be something like that. They got my hopes up with the “women who have faced and overcome a variety of obstacles in their lives” description, like the adversities these women faced were going to be something other than “being fat” or “not working out enough”. I’m not saying that the women profiled in the series won’t have legit ailments or troubles or adversities. I’m just saying that the only stories Gwyneth and Tracy will be attracted to will be about “being fat” or “not working out enough”. I’m sure Tracy and Gwyneth will tell these women to their faces that they’re terribly disappointed that they are so fat and they have “disaster bodies”.

Here are those photos of Tracy at yesterday’s AOL 2013 Digital Content NewFront.

Photos courtesy of WENN and Fame/Flynet.

After Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough broke up last month after a two-year contract relationship, speculation immediately began as to who Julianne would date next. My first guess was, of course, that Tom Cruise would give her a call (and perhaps he already has, and we just don’t know it yet), but then last weekend, Julianne was reportedly getting flirty and rubbing up on Alex Pettyfer at Coachella. I am quite curious to see who lands Julianne because, even though she’s not a good actress, she’s still a fairly hot commodity as far as the dating scene goes. I am assuming that lots of dudes would want to get with her.

In the midst of all of Julianne’s options, I never even thought about who Ryan Seacrest would end up with for his next coupling. Strange, right? The dude completely seems asexual to me, so I figured he’d retreat to his piles of money and maybe cry a little bit about his lost lady love. According to a new story in this week’s Enquirer, Ryan does indeed have his eye on a new girl … Selena Gomez. Are you giggling yet? Poor Ryan:

Ryan Seacrest has flipped for Justin Bieber’s ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez! The saucy Spring Breakers hottie apparently caught Ryan’s eye when she dropped by his L.A. radio show. But at 38, sources say the “American Idol” host is afraid he’s too old for the talented 20-year-old singer.

“Selena showed up looking super sexy n a low-cut top, and she totally flirted with Ryan,” said an insider. “At one point he asked her if the lyrics to her new single, ‘Come & Get It,’ were about the Biebs, and Selena said, half-joking, that they were actually about him!”

After the interview, Ryan — who recently split from former “Dancing with the Stars” pro Julianne Hough — told pals that he’d love to ask Selena for a date, said the source. “Ryan thinks they would have a great time together,” revealed the source. “The problem is that he’s afraid she’d laugh and tell him he’s old enough to be her dad — which in fact, he is.”

Despite that, Ryan hinted to Selena’s people that he’s interested, hoping to sidestep the embarrassment of asking her directly and being shot down, said the source. “Ryan is used to dating younger women,” the source continued. “After all, Julianne was just 24. So dating Selena wouldn’t be that much different. I’m sure tha tif Selena’s pals tell Ryan she’d go out with him, she’ll be getting a call. Selena’s expressed interest in seeing older, more mature men, but I’m not sure that means she’s looking for someone who’s pushing 40!”

[From Enquirer, print edition, April 29, 2013]

I can easily believe this story. Ryan seems like the type of guy who likes to call the shots, and he probably assumes that a very young lady (like Selena — she’s only 20, dude!) is more likely to put up with that sort of thing. Although the (alleged) fact that he told “her people” that he was interested is about as romantic as Julianne saying “the deal is done” about Ryan. It all just sounds so impersonal, doesn’t it?

Meanwhile, Selena has just been spotted touching down in Norway, which is also where Justin Bieber happens to be at this very moment. Ruh roh.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN

Guess who’s back? It’s Upstanding Citizen Chris Brown, who just happens to be the same guy who recently described the night he beat up Rihanna as “the greatest regret of my life” (even though he never bothered to complete his community service). I should have figured that when Chris said this carefully rehearsed phrase, he must have been promoting some new music. Sure enough, Chris is now promoting his new single, “Fine China,” which drops on April 1. Then he’ll keep doing publicity for his upcoming sixth album, X, which he describes as follows: “X is about life, it’s about me. X is the 24th letter of the alphabet, and I’ll be 24 when it comes out. When you see X on a vial, it’s like forbidden fruit. For me, it means being able to express myself without a filter, without boundaries.” Strange … I never realized that Chris ever had a filter since he’s usually so busy throwing tantrums.

Still, Upstanding Citizen Chris Brown has returned to the premises, and he would like us to forget all about his guidelines for “keeping a bad bitch in line” because he has a record to sell. In 2009, Chris freaked out because stores refused to carry his records after he beat the holy hell out of Rihanna, and he’s not about to let that happen again. As such, he appeared on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show to talk about how “eternally grateful” he is that Rihanna forgave him, and he’s trying to explain away the “raging at a valet” incident too. Here are some excerpts:

On winning back fans: “People are entitled to their opinions. I can’t go around blaming. It’s all about my responsibility and me growing up as a man. So I think now that I’m becoming older, and trying to mature in this life under the public eye at all times, I have to focus on doing the right thing and being more of a humble individual.”

His greatest lesson is “you can lose it all”: “I’m not just saying fame or stardom because that’s not what it’s about. I’m talking about dignity [and] integrity. You know, you lose yourself in a way. So that process of me having to deal with any trials and tribulations I went through at that time, it was a learning step for me. Everything was learning, and I learned from certain mistakes, and I’m getting better as the days come.”

Was his youth to blame for his violent ways? “I could put that on my age but that would just be making an excuse. I think for me that at age 18, 19 I was capable of writing and producing songs, so I’m also capable of making the right choices. So I think it’s about a learning process now. Being at that young age I can tell you I was arrogant and definitely hotheaded. Everybody has a temper, but for me it was not knowing how to control it when I thought I had the world in my hands.”

On Rihanna’s forgiveness: “Ijust tried my best to be the best man I could be over the years and just show her how remorseful and sorry I was for the incident and that time was probably the worst part of my life and being that she has and she’s a wonderful person I’m eternally grateful and thankful.”

He & Ri are in a better place now: “It’s still like we’re kids. I try not to be too grown and be like, ‘Lets have candlelight dinner every night.’ I try to make sure everything is fun. It has to be fun and it has to be genuine.”

About that valet situation: “Okay so I can elaborate on the situation. By all means, I’m a great tipper. Ten dollars is not a problem…[it] was five dollar parking at the place…but before we went in, I gave the man $100 dollars. We had two cars. It’s five dollar parking. Okay, do the math. So when we came out he was like, ‘You know what? We need $20 for each car.’ And I said, ‘Sir, I just gave you $100.’ So he was like, ‘No, no we need $10.’ So he was just going around trying to see if he could get more money and I was like, ‘no,’ so by that time it was a situation.”

On Instagram & Twitter: “Both [are a blessing and a curse]…for me now I’m not as hands on as I used to be. I totally deleted my Instagram and I get on Twitter every now and then to touch base with my fans because I love my fans. But sometimes when you’re a young kid and you have impulsive techniques you kind of get like, ‘Arghhh! I can’t stand you.’ People love [Twitter wars], they eat it up, so I’d rather not feed them that.”

[From On Air with Ryan Seacrest]

I find it amusing that Chris is now pretending to take the high road when it comes to Twitter wars considering he’s freaked out at everyone and deleted his account not once but twice. Then again, this is the “new” Chris, who is only around to promote his new single and upcoming album. After the first week of release, he’ll probably end up in another bar fight. Just wait for it to happen.

Here are some audio clips (with slide shows) from Breezy’s appearance on Seacrest’s show — in case you want to hear his insincerity instead of just reading about it.

Photos courtesy of WENN

Good lord, when was this announced? Like, at midnight on a Friday? That always signals something shady, in my opinion, but we’ll see. Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough are over, which is sad if you really thought they were an authentic couple. However, it’s good news for people who are really tired of Ryan using his connections to make his completely boring girlfriend “happen” in Hollywood. Is that mean? I’m sorry if it’s mean. I don’t hate Julianne Hough or anything, I just think her rapid rise to the B-list of Hollywood is nonsensical given her lack of star power, charisma or talent. Now that was harsh! I apologize.

After dating for more than two years, Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough have decided to take a break and are living apart, sources close to the couple confirm to PEOPLE.

The sources maintain that busy work schedules proved to be a great challenge for them both, although they are still in regular contact and remain friends.

Reps for Hough and Seacrest declined to comment.

The American Idol host and media mogul, 38, and former Dancing with the Stars pro and actress, 24, have spoken candidly in the past about juggling career and a relationship.

“It’s a hard thing to do, especially when you’re so caught up in your work and bettering yourself,” Hough recently told PARADE. “I think at the end of the day you have to find a balance with what’s really important.”

After ringing in the new year, the duo enjoyed a romantic getaway in St. Bart’s days later.

[From People]

Sources told Us Weekly that “their schedules were too hectic” and “It just got to be too much. I think they both just sort of knew they couldn’t do it anymore. The travel and lifestyle got to be too much. Who knows if this is just for now, but I think this is for good.” If that sounded weird because you’re like, “Seriously? Julianne works all the time?” you’re in good company. After mysterious sources claimed that, another source told Us Weekly that it was Ryan in particular who “works all the time” and “He never sleeps.” Julianne is said to want a “more low-key life,” which I’m guessing means something like “On to the next one!”

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

When Ryan Seacrest, 38, and Julianne Hough, 24, first got together a little over two years ago, a lot of us thought it was a publicity stunt. I remember that he took her shopping for luxury goods in Paris and made sure the paparazzi were there to document their PDA-heavy outing. The more time that passes, the more they come across like a regular, committed couple. It also helps that we’re getting to know Julianne and that she seems like she’s much wiser and more mature than her years. During his Golden Globe red carpet coverage, Ryan gushed about Julianne’s (goofy) dress a few times, and he was genuine about it. It’s like he was looking for excuses to talk about her.

In a new interview with Chelsea Handler, Ryan continued to praise his girlfriend, calling her “the best part of every day” and admitting that they were considering starting a family together.

“She’s so beautiful…stunning,” the American Idol host said about his girlfriend of two years, Julianne Hough, on Chelsea Lately tonight when Handler flashed a pic of the glamorous duo at the Golden Globes earlier this month.

Agreeing with Handler’s assessment of Hough as a “great girl,” Seacrest called her “phenomenal.”

“She’s the best part of every day,” he said—and, since Seacrest never sleeps, that’s a long day to be the highlight of!

Asked if he wants to get married and have a family, the 38-year-old multihyphenate said, “We both do,” but that the 25-year-old [sic] Hough—not Handler—would be the first one to know when that’s about to happen.

They touched briefly on American Idol, too, Seacrest diplomatically saying that Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj have “come to work and disagreed about a thing or two, here or there, but now, today, they’re fine.”

“It just sort of depends,” he added, a master of ceremonies, as always.

[From E! Online]

In the video segment posted on E!, Chelsea ribs Ryan and tells him that she’s heard that the decor in his new house “is very feminine.” She makes constant references to the rumors that he bats for the other team. It’s a testament to Ryan’s personality that he didn’t get defensive or deny anything. Plus he practically owns E! He could easily tell Chelsea or The Soup to stop making fun of him, but he accepts the ribbing and doesn’t pull rank. When Chelsea introduced the topic of Ryan’s girlfriend, she said “I believe this relationship, actually” later adding that unlike Ryan “I don’t have to prove to anyone that I’m straight.” That’s Chelsea for ya. (Also, Chelsea says in the interview that Julianne is 25, but she’s not. She doesn’t turn 25 until July.)

As far as Ryan starting a family, I just get the sense that the dude is way too busy to think about it now. He has a radio show, he’s on Idol, he produces multiple reality shows. He looked so tired on Chelsea Lately. He probably can’t even consider having kids at this point, but at least he has plenty of time for that with Julianne. She’s young and seems too busy with her career too.

These photos are of Ryan and Julianne in St. Barts on 1-4 and 1-5-13. Credit: Fame Flynet. They’re also shown at The GG on 1-13-13. Credit: WENN.com

Last week, we covered a story from Star about how Julianne Hough was dragging her feet on moving in with Ryan Seacrest because she’s holding out for a ring. One very sexy dress and one statement from Julianne about her enduring virginity later, we have a story from this week’s issue of The Enquirer that’s all about how Julianne is gunning for that ring by attempting to make Ryan Seacrest jealous. How exactly is she doing so? By talking about how “sexy” Tom Cruise is, which is admittedly a notion that is nearly as hilarious as that W mag model who (in a triumphant bit of fan fiction) was allegedly all hot for Tom too. This story is somewhat believable though, and The Enquirer has word from an insider that Julianne’s plan is working:

Turnabout is fair play for blone beauty Julianne Hough!

After steady beau Ryan Seacrest faked her out with a non-proposal on “American idol,” the former “Dancing with the Stars” pro got even by talking about steaming up the set of “Rock of Ages” with co-star Tom Cruise.

Her scheme to get Ryan jealous did the trick, and he’s set to propose for real!

“Ryan was sitting on the fence about when to pop the question — until Julianne started talking aobut her sexy scenes with Tom,” a longtime pal of the Hollywood dynamo told The Enquirer. “Now he’s finally ready to put a ring on it!”

The 37-year-old “Idol” host had wedding bells in mind when he recently bought Ellen DeGeneres’ plush Beverly Hills pad. Ryan, who’s worth a whopping $125 million, reportedly paid close to the $49 million asking price for Ellen’s sprawling three-acre estate.

“Ryan wants to settle down there and start a family with Julianne,” said the source. “And she pushed him into it by making him insanely jealous!”

But that was only after Ryan fooled her bigtime. Julianne, 23, was on “Idol” promoting “Rock of Age” in early May when Ryan announced that he had something to ask her. He reached inside his jacket pocked, but instead of producing a ring, he pulled out an envelope! “Will you give this note I wrote to Tom Cruise?” he asked a stunned Julianne. “Such a big fan! I loved him in ‘Cocktail.’”

The source said: “Julianne really thought Ryan was going to propose. After his practical joke, she told a pal, “Two can play at that little game!’”

So in recent interviews, she began gushing about working with Tom, who plays sexy rock god Stacee Jaxx in the film. “I have to say, [I] think he’s way more hot now,” she said, revealing that one of their scenes was so steamy it got cut from the film. “It was in the strip club, and I gave Tom a lap dance,” she said.

The source pointed out: “That was all Ryan had to hear! After that, he declared that he was going to make Julianne his bride. They’ll be hitched by Christmas.”

[From Enquirer, print edition, June 25, 2012]

The part about Julianne making remarks about Tom could actually be true because this week’s issue of In Touch quotes Julianne saying that, in this movie, Tom’s version of Stacee Jaxx is “the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Of course, I find the very notion of Tom as “sexy” to be hilarious, but I think that Julianne could safely be the very first person ever to successfully try to make her man jealous this way. What I’m saying is this — I can totally buy that Ryan would be threatened by Tom. Read into that what you will.

Meanwhile, Julianne’s also been talking up her faux-stripping scenes in Rock of Ages as well:

Julianne Hough is quite the multifaceted star with her many talents that include dancing, singing, and acting. As such a talented individual, when it came time for her to display her stripping and pole dancing skills for her new film Rock of Ages, the 23-year-old star says she had no trouble owning the craft.

“I’m actually pretty good at that, which makes me wonder what happened in my previous life,” Hough said. “Funny enough, I don’t wear a lot of clothes when I dance and it’s very sexy, so it wasn’t too hard to get into the motion of it.”

Although it wasn’t too hard for her to learn her moves on the stripper pole for the new musical film, the two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champion admitted that pole dancing isn’t as simple as it appears.

“My arms were ripped,” she said of the training she underwent for the role of a waitress named “Sherrie.” “Just the athleticism was more than people think. It’s not a bunch of booty shaking.”

[From The Insider]

I would safely bet that stripping employs a lot of muscles that one isn’t ordinarily accustomed to using, and I’m not even saying that in a pervy way either. However, the Rock of Ages brand of stripping is strictly PG-13, so it’s not like Julianne “stripping” will be anything but the dance moves themselves. And let’s face it, the girl is a great dancer. Actress? The jury’s still out on that one.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN

Julianne Hough is still busily promoting Rock of Ages ahead of this weekend’s opening, and now the topic of discussion has inevitably come around to her dating relationship with Ryan Seacrest. This story has been forecasted by a 2008 declaration by Julianne of her own enduring virginity when she said, “[I]f you’re just with one person, it’s only for one good reason, and [waiting to have sex] will strengthen that relationship.” More power to her, really. If I had stayed a virgin until marriage, I think that life would be at least slightly less complicated at this point. Just saying.

So my question is this — even though 3+ years later, it’s none of our business whether or not Julianne is still a virgin; yet I’m still admittedly curious about whether or not Ryan would be fine about not having sex with Julianne after they’ve been dating for two years. Of course, I’m not intending to seem judgmental right now, but it’s strange that an alleged virgin would wear this braless, underwearless dress to a premiere, right? Regardless of Julianne’s sexual status, she has now framed her argument in terms of being initially “afraid” of dating Ryan Seacrest because he is so “rich and powerful“:

Julianne Hough admits she was afraid of dating Ryan Seacrest — because he’s so rich and powerful.

The star insists she was never worried about Seacrest being 14 years older than her but resisted a relationship because of his wealth and clout in Hollywood.

“I’ve never dated anyone my age but Ryan is definitely the oldest man I’ve dated. Age is irrelevant I think,” she said.

“Mutual friends would be like, ‘You guys would match perfectly.’ And then eventually when I was single, he emailed me. I was very cold. I was nervous about dating him because he is a very scary person. He’s powerful and influential. I was like, ‘No, no, no’ but it just ended up happening. Our inside joke is that we have to schedule scheduling hanging out. But it somehow works.”

Julianne was raised Mormon and had a strict upbringing, and though she is more relaxed now, she admits some of the lessons have stayed with her. “We learned about being humble, thoughtful and grateful, always to see the good in people. No sex before marriage, no drinking alcohol, no drugs, no dating before you are 16, pornography is not good. The thinking is there are certain things that pollute your mind, that aren’t giving you great direction.

“I still try to be a good person — yeah, I like a glass of wine with dinner and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. I think a lot of rules are to guide and protect people from going too far, I know where my limit is — everything in moderation.”

[From Showbiz Spy]

From this latest interview, I would probably infer that “everything in moderation” in relation to Julianne’s perceived vices would mean that she’s possibly having sex at this point. I mean, she’s already admitted to drinking wine, which is a Mormon no-no, so it’s not too far of an assumption to conclude that she might have taken the “no sex before marriage” ban out of circulation as well. Just a thought, and I’m still wondering if Ryan will ever put a ring on it.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet

Here’s some photos of Julianne Hough attending a screening of Rock of Ages in New York City on June 6. Evidently, the screening wasn’t important enough for Tom Cruise to make room in his busy schedule and dust off the Katiebot, which is sort of a shame, but Julianne looks quite spiffy in her little black dress. Yes, she’s fairly boring from a gossip standpoint, but she sure is pretty.

Speaking of gossip, there’s a slightly interesting story in this week’s issue of Star that has Julianne putting some pressure on Ryan Seacrest to propose marriage. Of course, Ryan sort of brought this on himself as well by buying a huge $37 million estate from Ellen DeGeneres and then deciding that he’d like Julianne to share it with him. In response, Julianne said she needed a ring first, and now Ryan is allegedly plotting to make that dream come true:

He just purchased a massive $37 million mansion from Ellen DeGeneres in the Coldwater Canyon section of Beverly Hills, but Ryan Seacrest, 37, must have realized it’s too big for just him. So he asked his girlfriend of two years, Julianne Hough, 23, to move in! But the stunning Rock of Ages star, who comes form a strict Mormon family, won’t take that step until he proposes. “Ryan is totally in love with Julianne, and they have been talking about tying the knot,” says a friend. “But he hoped they could test the waters first.” Julianne, meanwhile, wants to make sure he’s in it for the long haul.

“Ryan respects Julianne’s decision, and he’s secretly been scouting jewelry stores for the perfect ring,” the insider reveals. “His plan is to propose by the end of the summer!”

“Ryan thought about Julianne’s family when he bought the place,” a sources says of the 9,200-square-foot house.

[From Star, print edition, June 18, 2012]

Yep, Julianne wants that ring so bad she can taste it, and I’d be willing to bet that if Ryan doesn’t propose this year, she’ll probably give him an ultimatum. I wonder if Ryan really bought the house with Julianne’s huge Mormon family in mind. Or maybe he just thought of holding pool parties and inviting Derek Hough to come and take his shirt off. One never knows.

Here’s Julianne doing more promotion of Rock of Ages in NYC on June 6. I love her skirt in these photos, and her dogs (which she took to MTV studios for some odd reason) are pretty cute too. By preference, I’m a “big dog” sort of person, but doggies of any size will usually score points with me.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet

In jaw-dropping celebrity real estate and out of control wealth news, Ryan Seacrest just spent $37 million buying Ellen DeGeneres’ massive estate in Beverly Hills or around $47 million, depending on which reports you believe. Ellen of course bought Brad Pitt’s former home in Malibu late last year for a reported $12 million dollars. Ryan is rolling in the Kardashian dough, with a net worth estimated at $125 million. TMZ reports that he makes $45 million a year.

Before Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi decided that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s beachfront home in Malibu was the pile of bricks for them, they put their Beverly Hills mansion on the market. (Added value alert: It was where they tied the knot!)

And now Ryan Seacrest has bought DeGeneres’ not-so-humble abode!

All things considered, how much money has been changing hands here?

First off, DeGeneres and de Rossi paid a bargain $12 million for Brangelina’s pad, which was originally listed for $13.5 million.

And it turns out that Seacrest may have scored a friend-of-the-family discount as well. Contrary to reports that he is paying the full sticker price—$49 million—for the 2.87-acre property, industry sources tell E! News that $37 million is the actual number.

DeGeneres and de Rossi swapped vows on the grounds of their soon-to-be-former home—which Ellen originally bought from Will & Grace cocreator Max Mutchnick for $29 million—in August 2008. And yes, Seacrest was a wedding guest.

The estate boasts a 9,200-square-foot main house, three guest homes, a pair of swimming pools, koi ponds and fruit trees.

That should be plenty of room for Seacrest, who revealed yesterday on The Howard Stern Show that he and girlfriend Julianne Hough are living together. He originally listed his Hollywood Hills West estate for $14.95 million in 2010, then unlisted it, then relisted it last month for $11.985 million, per the Los Angeles Times.

Further adding to the surreal-estate scrum: Seacrest’s current address used to belong to Kevin Costner! The American Idol judge moved in for $11.5 million in 2006.

[From E! Online]

So Ryan Seacrest is really, really rich I guess. He’s richer than I would have imagined, given the fact that I still think of him as a radio host and emcee for Idol. I know he’s a TV mogul, although I don’t consider foisting the Kardashians on the public as any kind of accomplishment. I shouldn’t talk, I gossip for a living and they’ve only benefited my career too.

Speaking of TV moguls, over the weekend I watched a special on HGTV on Candy Spelling selling her home, the largest in LA County, for $85 million. It was fascinating. Candy is an uber-wealthy, very organized hoarder and collector, basically. She had three gift wrapping rooms, a bowling alley, a barber shop, a huge room bigger than my house filled only with collectible dolls, every Beanie Baby known to man, and an attic filled with boxes full of holiday decorations. The wench that bought her house, Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone, gave Candy just 30 days to move out more stuff than entire hamlets of families will collect in their lifetimes. I found myself feeling sorry for Candy and actually liking her, despite her massive excess. She accomplished the move at the end of the first part of the series. (Spoiler I guess.) I still have to watch part 2, where she goes through and purges warehouses full of stuff.

Here’s a somewhat related Today Show segment this morning on celebrity real estate. It features the real estate mogul from Shark Tank (I just started watching that show and I love it!), Barbara Corcoran. She shows us homes for sale from Meg Ryan, Billy Joel, Barry Manilow, and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. I love Goldie and Kurt’s modern beach home. It’s amazing.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ellen and Portia purchased Brad Pitt’s former Malibu home

Another photo of Ellen and Portia’s new digs:

Ryan’s place

photo credit: Pacific Coast News and WENN.com