This is Padma Lakshmi’s sexy cover shot for the winter issue of Page Six Magazine. I think she looks amazing here, and I love that she’s showing some skin, but in a cool, interesting way – but I’m pretty sure they made her skin look darker, yes? I’m sure they just wanted some sexy, faux-gritty lighting to make Padma look extra exotic, but the result is that her skin looks about two shades darker than normal. The complete interview hasn’t been released yet, but there are some interesting excerpts floating around. Unfortunately, 39-year-old Padma’s still not telling who her baby-daddy is (cough cough Jude Law cough), but she is still very open with talking about the changes in her diet and her body:

Padma on being naked: “I like me better naked. I don’t mean that in a vain way . . . When you put clothes on, you immediately put a character on. Clothes are adjectives, they are indicators. When you don’t have any clothes on, it’s just you, raw, and you can’t hide.”

On her pregnancy weight gain: “One of the reasons I think I’ve gained weight pretty quickly during my pregnancy is that I’m not exercising as much as I do normally … I can’t. I’m feeling tired, and I have this business to run.”

On aging: “You hope that with age, what you pay for in gravity, you gain in gravitas. I’m sure my thighs looked better when I was 25, but I think my mind is better today.”

On being a celebrity: “I went to a bar mitzvah on the Upper East Side last year, and not to toot my own horn, but I might as well have been Michael Jackson to these 13-year-old boys and girls. There were something like 30 children around me, and they were all practically hyperventilating. I had this swarm of little kids going, ‘Oh, my god! Oh, my god!’ Kids are so authentic, so pure, and they’d be telling me, ‘My sister and I had an amuse-bouche contest, and we need you to tell us who should have won.’ I think that’s really cool.”

On her divorce from Salman Rushdie: “I [have been] reconstructing my life and putting it back together in a way that looked more appropriate to who I was. At this point in my career, I’m still growing. Jewels, spices and teas – I sound like Magellan.”

[From assorted sources - People, Page Six and I’m Not Obsessed]

Padma is growing on me more and more. I used to not care for her in the least, but I’ve begun to watch Top Chef and I’ve started to read her interviews, and she comes across as a refreshingly professional, self-aware, intelligent woman. She’s not girlish or silly or playing dumb, which I appreciate. She’s a real woman, and there aren’t enough real women on television. Oh, but she was absolutely horrible on 30 Rock. That woman cannot act for sh-t, not even when she’s playing a version of herself. That was embarrassing. So, Padma, just stick to Top Chef and writing and giving interviews – those are your strong points.

Page Six Magazine cover shot and additional magazine photo courtesy of I’m Not Obsessed.

This is pretty much the worst time for excerpts from Fergie’s December cover interview in Cosmopolitan to come out. Fergie has been totally quiet about the scandal surrounding her husband Josh Duhamel and his alleged affair with Georgia stripper Nicole Forrester. Since the scandal broke in the Enquirer last week, Josh’s reps have issued denial after denial while Forrester talks to every press outlet that will have her and her epic tale of pr0n-filled seduction. Meanwhile, Fergie’s only “statement” seems to be the visual one she created yesterday, when she and Josh created a “we’re still together” photo-op for some photographers. Josh didn’t look like he was “in the doghouse”, but whatever.

In the Cosmo interview (which hasn’t been released completely), Fergie brags about how Josh was “excited” with the weight she gained for her role in Nine (in which she plays a hooker). She also claims that with her, we get both the “virgin” and the “whore”. Seriously. I’m not making this up. Worst. Timing. Ever.

Josh’s reaction to Fergie’s recent weight gain for her role in the movie Nine:“When I came home from filming he was excited. He enjoys having both: the extra meat to grab when it’s there and the tight stomach when that’s there. He always gives me compliments. He’s never been critical.”

Fergie on the virgin/whore complex:
“You know, in Italy, Catholic boys are raised to believe that there are two types of women: the Madonna and the whore. And me? I’m both.”

[From CoverAwards]

Oh, girl. Get it together. As this scandal gets dragged out – even making both People and Us Weekly’s covers this week – I’m feeling for Fergie more and more. And I kind of feel like Cosmo should have kept the interview excerpts quiet for a few more days. Hearing Fergie brag about Josh loving her curves is just… uncomfortable. Of course, it bothers me because I believe Josh screwed around with Nicole the stripper. Oh – and here’s something else, from Us Weekly’s cover story: Nicole allegedly kept the text messages Josh sent her during their brief fling. So… there’s probably proof. I wonder if that will change Fergie’s mind, and get her to leave?

UPDATE: Fergie just gave a one-sentence denial to Entertainment Tonight about the stripper stuff. She says: “”These allegations are nonsense.” That’s it? No humming of “Stand By Your Man”? Hmm…

Here’s Fergie performing with the Black Eyed Peas in L.A. on October 25th. Images thanks to WENN.com .

Sometimes I hate boys. Not men, mind you, boys. Boys that are all grown up with big-boy suits and big jobs at an advertising agency. Boys that think it’s hilarious to green light a cartoon ad mocking Jessica Simpson as fat. F-cking jock pr-cks. On Sunday’s Fox NFL Sunday, a cartoon sponsored by Burger King aired. According to Us Weekly, “In the clip, an animated version of Dallas Cowboys starter Marion Barber remarked, ‘Man, I still can’t believe Tony [Romo] dated Jessica Simpson, even AFTER she blew up bigger than Flozell Adams!’ Tight end Jason Witten says, ‘Unlike Tony, at least Jessica comes up big when it counts!’ Even Cowboys coach Wade Phillips chimed in: “Say Tony, is Jessica around? We could use a defensive tackle!’” Ugh. F-cking disgusting. God, I loathe this sort of jock-y, nasty humor where it just seems like men are bigger, snottier, bitchier, and nastier then the biggest Queen Bee high school girl.

Anyway, would you like some nicer Jessica Simpson news? She’s given a couple of interviews recently, and she’s seems to be in a good place considering her horrible year. Jessica spoke to People Magazine about getting back into the dating pool following her breakup with Tony Romo, and what she’s learning on her international adventure filming The Price of Beauty:

While the now-single Jessica Simpson may have had her fair share of heartache, don’t count her out when it comes to searching for Mr. Right on the Internet.

“I have to say I’ve never tried finding love online,” Simpson – who in July split with longtime boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo – told PEOPLE Tuesday at the QVC Presents FFANY Shoes on Sale event in New York City, to benefit breast cancer research and education.

Whether it’s building a relationship by emailing, chatting online or utilizing dating networks, the singer, 29, says she has no problems with finding romance and long-term friendships with the click of a computer mouse.

“I mean, anybody who can find love online, so be it,” says Simpson. As for getting her own feet wet in the online dating pool, she says, “Maybe. Who knows?”

Until such time, Simpson says she has learned the true meaning of beauty and love inspired by the women of Morocco, whom she recently met while filming her upcoming docu-series, The Price of Beauty, in the African country.

“Morocco is extremely empowering, and the women there are incredible,” Simpson says. “There was nothing repressed about the women … they carry themselves completely confidant, sexy, all-knowing, while completely covered. It’s all about what’s inside of them, and they really studied themselves. To me that is what beauty is.”

She adds, “It’s not anything about what anybody else says about you that can define what is beautiful. It’s what you define as beautiful. And that to me is pure love and beauty.”

[From People]

She should try online dating – she might meet someone really nice. I’ve been thinking for a little while that she might make a pretty good political wife. Like, a congressman’s wife, or the wife of a mayor in Texas or something. But maybe she’ll find someone decent and out of the public eye, like a doctor, or an engineer or something. Fingers crossed.

Jessica told Us Weekly that she thinks Daisy, her Malti-poo that was killed by coyotes, would want her to move on. Jessica said: “Daisy meant the world to me… I hold her memory very, very close. It was an unfortunate thing what happened. That I don’t have her every day… It’s a very hard thing to talk about. I haven’t really thought about another dog yet, but maybe sometime… she would want that.” Aw. Poor Jessica. But she sounds okay, doesn’t she? Like she’s going to get through this.

UPDATE: Early Wednesday evening, a Fox spokesperson released a statement and a general apology to “anyone who might have been offended”. That would be me, I guess. The spokesperson said: “Burger King Corp. did not have any editorial input in the creation of the animation that ran last Sunday, and no one from Burger King Corp. approved it before it aired. Upon reflection, our poor attempt at humor was insensitive and we deeply apologize to anyone who might have been offended.” A spokesperson for BK adds: “Burger King Corp. has a long-standing relationship with FOX Sports, as well as an extensive media partnership with the network. The specific content for this sketch involving Jessica Simpson was not developed or aired by BKC or any of its agencies.” So… I guess no one is going to issue a specific apology to Jessica. Whatever. Jock pr-cks.

Here’s Jessica at QVC Presents FFANY Shoes On Sale event in NYC last night. Images thanks to WENN.com .

After battling fly nets and enormous spiders in Uganda in the name of beauty (or The Price of Beauty), Jessica Simpson has returned to America. She commenced with making up for lost time by doing two big appearances over the weekend. The first was as the headliner for the annual Operation Smile Gala, held in Beverly Hills. Her outfit was a little sketchy for a gala – but I suspect Jessica was aiming for conservative and classic rather than her normal style, a buffet of T & A. Jessica gained some weight back, hasn’t she? It doesn’t really matter, I think she still looks great. Good gala hair, good gala makeup.

At the gala, Papa Joe talked up Jessica to Us Weekly - and as always, he probably did more harm than good. You know how Jessica looks a little heavier? Papa Joe says that’s because Jess went into a “fattening hut” in Uganda, because in Uganda, “fat is beautiful.” He also talks about Jessica’s valuable lessons learned about inner beauty:

As she travels around the world filming her upcoming reality show The Price of Beauty, Jessica Simpson – who underwent criticism for her weight earlier this year – is learning that “beauty starts within,” her father Joe tells Usmagazine.com.

“She’s always scrutinized by the world and [it's great] to watch her go to other countries and see women talk about what is beautiful there,” he told Us Friday at a gala in Beverly Hills for the international charity Operation Smile. “We were just in Uganda, and a beauty ambassador [there] knew Jessica’s total story about her weight and blah, blah, blah. [She said] to Jessica that it’s about who you are inside, which is the message of our show.”

Asked if he has given his daughter, 29, any advice on how to handle the weight issue, Joe told Us, “I don’t have to tell her anything anymore. She’s wise.”

He said he also brushes off any criticism aimed at Jessica or his other daughter Ashlee.

“The girls are wonderful kids who have so much to offer, and as a father, the greatest frustration in the world is that people are told who they are instead of knowing who they are,” he said. “So the hardest thing for me as a parent is to say that’s not who my child is; you don’t know the girl because she’s the same girl she’s always been. She’s with children in Uganda or children in Japan or Thailand — she has an open heart and loves these people. I think you’ll see that on our show. I think it’s the greatest show that women can experience because it’s all women all around the world talking about beauty and the message is always the same: It starts inside.”

What can viewers expect?

Jessica “becomes a Geisha in Japan,” Joe told Us. “In Uganda, we sat in a fattening hut because, in Uganda … fat is beautiful. So the bigger you are, the more beautiful you are. She was with a girl who had been in a hut preparing for her wedding for two months and 25 days on a 5,000 calorie-a-day diet.”

Next stop: Morocco.

“It’s going to be beautiful,” he said.

Jessica agreed, telling Us, “It’s going to be amazing … we’re leaving the day after tomorrow I think.”

[From Us Weekly]

Notice that even when Papa Joe is trying to make a larger point about both of his daughters, he always has to bring the conversation around to just Jessica? Yeah. Sometimes I really feel for Ashlee – it must suck for her in that family. Oh, and it was her 25th birthday on Saturday – she had a big party in Vegas. I can’t find any pictures of her dad at Ashlee’s birthday – but he was all over the Operation Smile gala.

Operation Smile has been one of Jessica’s causes for several years – I’m proud of her for sticking with it, even if she’s (maybe) not the most coherent advocate. I think her heart’s in it, though, and the organization does great work. According to its website, “Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 130,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in 51 countries. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.” Good for Jessica!

Photo credit: Apega/WENN.com

Kevin Federline has a genius career strategy. Is he using the Britney Spears angle? Nope. His dance skills? Not so much. His hot girlfriend? Nu-uh. K-Fed is capitalizing on the greatest of his assets – literally. Since he’s gotten all Santa fat, K-Fed’s been a little more popular in the media. He’s a gentler, slower K-Fed, if you will. Probably with higher blood sugar, judging from where he’s storing his fat. I worry K-Fed, I worry. Anyway, despite the stress his health is causing me, K-Fed’s decided not just to embrace the chub but to actually encourage it. He is actively trying to PUT ON MORE WEIGHT. You read that right. And yes, the caps were necessary. K-Fed figures the more he weighs the more he’ll lose on Celebrity Fit Club. And that’s what’ll turn his career around. Ditching the cuddly chub.

Another young famous-for-nothing celebrity who will cash in on reality is Kevin Federline, Britney Spears’ ex. When he joins the cast of “Celebrity Fit Club,” which premieres Feb. 14, he’ll land a $100,000 payday, according to several sources familiar with Federline’s negotiations.

That payday has come at cost, though. Federline has been overeating to get ready for the show. After he found out the casting was definite, “he started putting on even more weight on purpose,” a source told Us Weekly.

It’s all part of a grand plan to make him a bigger brand post-weight loss, another friend of Federline’s said.

“He thinks that if he goes on the show, loses a ton of weight, and seems really likeable, he’ll get more deals afterward,” the friend said. “The way he sees it, he could have another show after ‘Fit Club,’ and that would open the door to working on music again, maybe even a fashion line.”

[From MSNBC’s The Scoop]

This is so stupid on so many levels. First off, I don’t think K-Fed realizes how hard it is to lose weight. Since he started gaining he never seemed to even try to go on a diet. At least he never went through a phase where he was less fat. So I really doubt that he actually gets how hard a diet will be. I’m sure he knows it because it’s common sense, but you know it in a different way when you’re living it. He is going to greatly regret making a bad situation worse.

Secondly, I really am worried about his health. Storing all the fat in the midsection and upper body is really dangerous. It raises your risk of diabetes and heart disease dramatically. And while K-Fed isn’t old by any means he’s not so young that he shouldn’t worry. He’s also demonstrating bad habits to his kids. They see what you do, not what you say. If you’re telling them to eat their fruits and veggies while you inhale a jug of malt balls, that’s what they’re going to do. This whole plan is so short sighted and frankly ignorant. Do I expect more of K-Fed? Not really, no. But he got a lot of fame an credit for stepping up to the plate and being a good dad and setting a good example when Britney lost her marbles. How about continuing to work on fame based on making good decisions instead of bad ones?

I’ve mentioned this before, but I love the Bridget Jones character, and I love Renee Zellweger as that character. Even though I didn’t care for the sequel book or film, I still love the franchise, and I was thrilled when they announced the third film over the summer. At the time of the announcement, the start date for the production was left up in the air, and many people assumed that was because it would take Renee Zellweger months to put on her Bridget Jones pounds.

For the first film, Renee put on something like 25 to 30 pounds to play Bridget, and she looked lovely with the extra weight. For the sequel, Renee seemed to put on even more weight, and ended up looking rather puffy and sketchy. I was hoping for a return to the first film’s weight gain, but my hopes were just dashed. A source just told the British magazine Reveal (story via the NY Daily News) that Renee isn’t interested in gaining weight for the role for a third time, and that she’ll most likely wear padding and/or a “fat suit”.

Renee Zellweger famously packed on the pounds to play “Bridget Jones,” but she’ll be faking the fat for the third installment of the popular film franchise, according to a report.

“Renee will be wearing a fat suit in the third film, as it took her a while to lose the weight last time,” a source revealed to British magazine Reveal. “She’s also thinking about the effect quickly putting on and then losing 30 pounds has on her body.”

While some fans and bloggers are worried Zellweger’s portrayal of “Bridget Jones” will be less authentic the third go-round if she dons a fat suit, the actress has voiced concern over gaining weight for the famous role in the past.

“My body is whacked by the time we finish one of those ['Bridget Jones' movies],” Zellweger told the Daily Mail in December 2007.

She went on to tell the Mail how the 2004 fast-food documentary “Supersize Me” scared her.

“I had a panic attack with all the specialists talking about how bad this is for you, long term, putting on that much weight in short periods of time and they’re all saying, ‘You must stop this now or you’re going to die.’ “

[From the NY Daily News]

Oh for goodness sake, Renee. It’s like she never stopped to think that maybe she didn’t have to take off every single little pound she gained for the Bridget Jones films. It’s like she never looked in the mirror and said, “Yes, I am scary skinny, maybe putting on five pounds would be a good thing.” I like her and everything, but I do wonder if she has some serious body image issues. From her too-thin frame, to her trying-too-hard posing, I think Renee has gotten weird.

I also wonder if she’s refusing to put on the weight because she’s in a relationship with Bradley Cooper now, and she thinks that if she gains some weight, it will affect her relationship in a negative way. Maybe it will – God knows what kind of body type Bradley goes for, but I tend to think he would be understanding about the situation.

In one other piece of Bridget Jones-related news, I’ve been hearing some rumors that Colin Firth (Mark Darcy) hasn’t officially signed on for the third film. What’s the hold up? You can’t make the film without Mr. Darcy! The rumors go either way – some saying Colin hasn’t even been approached but that he’d love to sign on, or that Colin has been approached, and is making the producers sweat. The second one might be right on – Colin’s having a little career comeback lately, and many are pegging him for a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work in Tom Ford’s A Single Man. He might want more money. I know I would ask for more money if I had to star with Renee in a fat suit. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Here’s Renee spotted sipping coffee after going shopping in Vancouver on September 13th. Images thanks to INF Photo.

Kevin Federline, Britney Spears’ now beefed up ex husband and baby daddy, has signed on to join the cast of Celebrity Fit Club. This is great news for one main reason: it seems to indicate that the solo reality show deal that K-Fed was rumored to be working on is a no-go and he’ll have to join a cast of other z-list celebrities bickering and competing to lose weight. It won’t be only about K-Fed and his well-paid quest to drop the pounds.

Kevin Federline is about to slim down.

The father of four, who was married to Britney Spears, is joining the cast of Celebrity Fit Club, a rep for VH1 confirms to PEOPLE

Also appearing on the seventh season of the show will be Federline’s ex-girlfriend (and the mother of two of his kids) Shar Jackson, according to a source.

Federline, a former backup dancer, has been lambasted in the press for putting on weight since his split from Spears three years ago.

The newest season of Celebrity Fit Club premieres on VH1 Feb. 14, 2010.

[From People]

On Monday we heard from Federline’s ex girlfriend and the mother of his two oldest kids, Shar Jackson. Shar told US Magazine that K-well-Fed “doesn’t care” that he’s gained weight, and that “The beautiful thing about him is that he could care less [that he's much bigger now]” As JayBird pointed out, the increased girth has only afforded Federline more opportunities to earn money apart from the over $20k a month he gets for watching two of his kids half time. I wonder if that rumored $2.5 million diet pill endorsement deal has also fallen through. Surely VH1 has a clause in their “Fit Club” contract that participants can’t endorse outside diet and fitness products. Soon we’ll get to see if K-Fed’s ego is just as bloated as it was before his divorce or if his bravado has decreased in inverse proportion to his size.

Kevin Federline, Victoria Prince and Kevin’s children with Shar Jackson are shown out in Calabasas, CA on 8/15/09. Credit: Fame Pictures

Matt Damon just arrived in Venice to promote his new film, The Informant!, at the city’s annual film festival. It looks like the only questions Matt got at the first press conference were about food and his “doughy physique” for the film. First, some background: The Informant! (yes, the exclamation point is really part of the title) is based on the true story of an agribusiness price-fixing scandal in the mid-West, and the subsequent FBI investigation of the wrong-doings. It sounds like dry stuff, but the film actually looks hilarious. It’s directed by Oscar-winner Steven Soderberg and has a supporting cast full of funny oddballs, like Tony Hale (Arrested Development), Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) and Joel McHale (The Soup).

Matt Damon stars as Mark Whitacre, the vice-president of this price-fixing agri-business (it’s all about corn, by the way). Whitacre is being probed by the FBI, and they turn him into a mole and an informant… pardon me, I mean “an informant!” For the film, Matt put on thirty pounds (at least) and grew himself a God-awful walrus mustache. To his credit, though, Matt always does well with any kind of comedic role, so I suspect he’ll have a Golden Globe for Best Comedic Performance come awards season. Here’s Matt talking about his awesome process for gaining weight:

Matt Damon told today how he binged on junk food to pile on 30 pounds (2st 6lbs) in weight for a new film role.

The 38-year-old Hollywood star told how he would ‘eat everything he could see’ and gorged on McDonald’s meals, Doritos crisps and beer.

Damon was speaking today at the Venice Film Festival launch of his new film The Informant!, which featured a rare outing for his wife Luciana Bozan Barroso.

He said: ‘It was very, very easy to gain the weight. It was very, very fun, probably the funnest time I had working, because I didn’t have to go to the gym after work and I just ate everything I could see.’

The Oscar winner added: ‘I definitely got doughy. I started eating like crazy and drinking dark beer. Between meals on set, I’d eat a No. 1 Value Meal at McDonald’s and then Doritos on top of it. It was absolute heaven.’

However, Damon did say he faced a difficult battle when it came to shifting those extra pounds and was forced to take up boxing to burn extra calories.

He said: ‘If you put it on, it’s easier to get it back off. I’m just boxing. I figure if you get hit enough times, it will fall off! Now I’m the Sexiest Man Alive’s chunky cousin.’

Described as a dark comedy/thriller, The Informant!, which is released in British cinemas on November 20 in the UK, is Damon’s fifth outing with Steven Soderbergh, director of Ocean’s Eleven and Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind.

Damon plays bipolar whistleblower Mark Whitacre, an agribusiness executive who helps the FBI crack one of its biggest ever price-fixing cases by amassing reams of evidence.

[From the Daily Mail]

If someone was paying me to gain weight, I would do the same thing as Matt. I would make daily trips to McDonalds and get an epic supply of Doritos… and Fritos. Lots of French fries. Lots of fried chicken. Lots of pasta, too. Pasta with thick cream sauce. And steak and baked potatoes, with lots of butter. Mm… what were we talking about? The Informant! I think it’s funny that Matt describes himself as “the Sexiest Man Alive’s chunky cousin” – Matt didn’t even want to be named People’s Sexiest Man Alive! George Clooney and Brad Pitt had to campaign on his behalf – including one hilarious incident in which Clooney tried to buy a “For Your Consideration” ad in Variety. Matt was finally named Sexiest Man Alive in 2007… But if he keeps up the beer, Doritos and McDonalds, he probably won’t win that honor again. Just as well. He’s the sexiest man alive with a walrus mustache.

Here’s the trailer for The Informant! It’s out in the US on September 18.

Matt Damon and his wife Luciana are shown at the premiere of The Informant! on 9/7/09 and out in Venice. Credit: LAURENT/bauergriffinonline.com

For most of the year, we’ve been treated to reports here and there about how Russell Crowe is totally chubbing out – and not in the good way. I think the reports started when Sienna Miller abruptly pulled out of/was fired from Nottingham, which was filming earlier this year. Sienna left a trail of bitchy criticisms in her wake – namely that Russell was too fat and old, and that it would gross and ridiculous for someone as young, thin and gorgeous as Sienna to play his love interest. In case you think I’m giving Sienna a hard time for no reason – the initial reports came out in January, and by April, Sienna was still saying the same crap about how she was too young and gorgeous.

Here’s the thing – the pictures of Russell from the beginning of the year do show a pretty chubby guy, but Russell seemed to lose some weight and he was back to looking pretty hot in the still released from Nottingham. But some people weren’t placated – namely, an Australian gossip columnist who saw recent pictures of Russell pigging out and smoking. The columnist called the piece “Smokes and fatty foods the fitness regime for Rusty.” Oh, noes! So Russell responded with a challenge… a 12-mile bike ride/duel. Russell is quoted as asking the columnist, “Are you ready to die?” Damn.

An Australian newspaper mocked Russell Crowe for smoking and shoveling down a fatty meal during a recent bike ride, so the notoriously salty actor set out to prove he is still in gladiator shape – by challenging the paper’s gossip columnist to a duel by bicycle.

Crowe, who has been photographed looking slimmer in recent months, was apparently none too pleased by a column published in Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday entitled “Smokes and fatty foods the fitness regime for Rusty.” The paper mocked Crowe after he was photographed pausing during a recent bike ride with his personal trainer to puff on a cigarette and chow down on three tacos and a soft drink.

In a story published Friday, the paper said Crowe’s spokesman called up gossip columnist Annette Sharp the next day and said, “Get on your bike. Russell wants you to go riding with him. Are you ready to die?”

Sharp accepted the challenge and the pair met a dawn for a 12-mile (20-kilometer) ride through the city. Video of the race shows Sharp struggling to keep up while Crowe zooms along unfazed. At one point, Sharp fell off her bike.

Still, Crowe gave Sharp some credit, telling her she was a better biker than Australian director Baz Luhrmann. “You’re twice the man Baz is,” he said.

Crowe’s manager Grant Vandenberg had no comment. “I think everything’s been said in the paper,” he said.

[From the Huffington Post]

Well, that ended well. It’s always nice to hear that a gossip columnist fell off her bike. If it had been me, I would have passed out as soon as I saw Russell. I don’t really care how chubby the guy is, he still does it for me. It’s also nice to see Russell maturing – if the gossip columnist had said this ten years ago, I think Russell would have probably bashed her head in with a beer bottle. Well done, Russell!

Update: Here’s a link to the article and video of Russell and the gossip columnist’s biking challenge.

Maybe I just don’t get it. Maybe I’m not “cool” or “hip”. Maybe I just don’t “get” someone like Lauren Conrad, a “reality star” or “a vapid succubus feeding on the rotting corpse of insanely boring faux-entertainment”. I’m okay with not getting it. I’m okay with rolling my eyes whenever Lauren Conrad’s name is mentioned. I just don’t understand why she exists. Or why I know her name. Or why a care even a little bit, just enough to know that I can’t stand her and what she represents. I know in my heart that the girl is probably harmless. Hating her is like hating the proverbial dumb kitten. All I know is that her interview in Shape Magazine hasn’t helped matters one bit.

Lauren starts out by doing something gross – she refers to the “extra” weight she gained when she first started dating Kyle Chandler as her “boyfriend layer”. I suppose “the boyfriend layer” was the two pounds she gained from eating two pieces of pizza while out on a date once. No fear, though, because she quickly realized that she and Kyle could spend their time together working out. Thus, the cover shot in a bikini. My take? Lauren has always had a pretty, athletic, healthy figure. I’m not sure why she’s trying to sell it like she’s just lost a lot of weight, or she just got healthy. She looks fine. Whatever.

They don’t call them love handles for nothing! Former “Hills” star Lauren Conrad admits in Shape magazine that she got a little “soft around the middle” early in her romance with actor Kyle Howard.

“I call it the ‘boyfriend layer’,” she says. “We were having more romantic dinners out, and I was exercising less.”

So how did the California girl reclaim her stunning bikini bod in time to make the magazine’s September cover? By hitting the gym with her honey.

“I just ask Kyle, ‘You feel like working out?’” she says, adding that they spend most of their together time outside anyway. “We like doing outdoor stuff: tennis, bike riding, kayaking, surfing, hiking. It’s more fun than hitting the gym alone.”

The tanned, golden-haired reality star spills how she found more confidence in her life after “The Hills,” which premieres without her on Sept. 29.

“People I thought I could count on were undermining me, and my self-esteem took a hit,” she says. “I’ve learned that you’ve got to stay true to yourself. It’s the only way you’ll be really happy.”

She’s got a lot to be happy about. Besides her boyfriend, she’s also keeping busy with her LC Lauren Conrad clothing line for Kohl’s. Her affordable line of jeans and blouses hit shelves this October.

She says, “It’s all about finding silhouettes that highlight the best parts of your figure.”

[From the New York Daily News]

Oh, poor LC. People were “undermining” her. That’s what happens when you live your life as if the world was a perpetual high school. LC goes on to say, “I felt bad about myself because certain people were relentlessly attacking me and my reputation. My mom kept saying ‘Let it go, Lauren, It doesn’t matter’ … [I] realized I had to stop worrying about what other people think. The next day I got a tattoo on my lower back that says ‘sticks and stones,’ because they may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Oh, she got a tattoo! I take back everything I ever said about her! She’s so hardcore.

Header photo from CoverAwards. Photo below is of Lauren in a bikini on 7/19/07. Credit: Fame Pictures. It’s not really fair to compare a heavily airbrushed photo with a normal one, though.