Cindy Adams wrote on Tuesday in two lines at the beginning of her column that “Boozing backstage during the Oscarcast is a no-no. But if you’re pregnant Nicole Kidman it’s a yes- yes. She wanted white wine. She got it….” and that was all she wrote about it before jumping into a story about Jack Nicholson.

I read this story yesterday morning but didn’t publish it because this tidbit was given without much evidence, along with the subject being controversial. Some doctors say that it’s ok to have one or two glasses of wine a week after you’re past the first trimester, but this is understandably a heated issue and many experts and groups recommend abstaining entirely during pregnancy.

Gwyneth Paltrow was eight months pregnant in March of 2006 when she drank a beer while out at a sushi restaurant, and then had two or three glasses of wine another night at dinner, according to a witness. Her rep confirmed that she drank the beer, but was careful to say she didn’t have any sushi. This led to a lot of criticism of how she was possibly endangering her baby.

Rachel Weisz made a controversial statement later that year by answering a reporter’s question about whether she thought it was ok to drink while pregnant by saying “Personally I do. They say not in the first three months though, but I think that after that it’s fine. I mean in Europe they drink it.”

When I was pregnant I gave up all alcohol, coffee, my favorite food sushi, and did just about everything I was told to do. I was super careful like that, but it doesn’t give me the right to judge anyone else for something that is a minor transgression at worst. If Kidman only had one glass of wine and she was really nervous, at least she wasn’t popping pills or anything. A lot of people were saying “with her history of miscarriage, she should be careful,” etc., but we don’t know if she had a sip, a full glass, if it was for someone else, or if her doctor told her it was ok.

According to Nicole Kidman’s rep, it’s not even true that asked for white wine backstage at the Oscars. Given the way this is so harshly worded, I tend to believe her:

“I try to ignore your [Perez's] column, unlike most of the rest of the world, because it is so nasty. But I have to tell you that Nicole Kidman most certainly did NOT drink white wine or any other alcoholic beverage backstage. She had water and lemon zinger tea. That’s it. I know, I was there with her I cannot remember that last time that Cindy Adams got anything right. She’s an idiot, and you can quote me.”

[From PerezHilton.com]

Maybe Kidman drank her water out of a goblet or something, because they’re probably fancy like that at the Oscars.

The thread for this story on Oh No They Didn’t mentioned the infamous picture of a very pregnant and topless Catherine Zeta Jones puffing away on a cigarette. The photos were taken in 2003, and Zeta-Jones and her husband Michael Douglas sued to make sure that the photo was pulled from websites where it was posted.

Sinead O’Connor similarly sent cease and desists to websites that posted photos of her supposedly smoking while pregnant, with her lawyer saying she wasn’t pregnant at the time the photos were taken.

Commentor JoiGirl on our article about Rachel Weisz semi-advocating drinking while pregnant said “I think we have a huge problem in our society right now with people viewing expectant moms as public property, and feeling entitled not only to grope their bellies but also to tell them how to be good pregnant women.”

And when we do this to the celebrities, most of them make sure to let us know that they weren’t doing anything wrong in the first place.

Never let it be said that all big stars have big egos. Okay maybe they do, but a couple of the biggest were more than willing to lend their famous faces to Jimmy Kimmel’s revenge video, “F’ing Ben Affleck.” The video was (not surprisingly) an instant internet sensation – really, you can’t get a better time slot for that type of thing than right after the Oscars. Ben Affleck says he was all too willing to don a shiny lame top and blow dry (what’s left of) Jimmy Kimmel’s hair - if it helped best BFF Matt Damon’s video with Kimmel’s girlfriend Sarah Silverman, “I’m F’ing Matt Damon.” Sounds like Kimmel and Silverman have a very mature, deep, and profound relationship. Screw that, it sounds like they have fun, and isn’t that more important? Affleck gave a great interview to Entertainment Weekly where he talked about the process of making the video, and how they got such big stars to agree to it.

What was the backstory on scoring Harrison Ford? Didn’t you hear that he was a fan of the ”I’m F—ing Matt Damon” video?
He either said that to my brother or to Jennifer [Garner, Affleck's wife]. So that kind of stuck in my mind when Jill [Leiderman, exec producer of Kimmel] called me and we were trying to get people. The first name that came to me — because I’m such a huge fan — was Harrison Ford. Jill called me back 10 minutes later: ”We got Harrison Ford!” And I was like, ”What??? Harrison Ford said yes???” He was awesome. I think people were naturally a little bit intimidated by him, and didn’t want to push him at all. He saw his wardrobe looked kind of normal and was like, ”Don’t we have anything here that’s mesh?” That beat gets the biggest laugh in the whole video, where he’s got his chain and he’s in the convertible and he blows a kiss. It’s the most incongruous moment in the thing because he’s the most rugged, masculine guy in the world, and there he is in his West Hollywood outfit blowing kisses.

Were you surprised that all of these celebrities wound up participating?
Brad [Pitt] said yes, and that was really cool. And then Don [Cheadle], Cameron [Diaz], I mean, Huey Lewis, all the musicians who populated the ”We Are the World” aspect of it… In some ways, my favorite part of it is Josh Groban. I mean, he’s just hollering. The way he sings just full-throated cheese at the piano and the shaft of light, I mean, it’s spectacular. Every time we got one of those people, I felt like, This is either really great or it’s really terrible for me, because I’m gonna have to be living with this ”I’m F—ing Ben Affleck” anthem for the rest of my life!… I hope it virals out by the time my daughter is using the Internet.

[From Entertainment Weekly]

Ben also says that he’s fairly sure there will be some kind of retaliation. He said maybe he and Sarah would hook up, there might be a three-way, but he worries it might sink into something with animals. “It will have to be taken to another level — a horrible, horrible level that will stop being funny and then stop being passed around on video.” I think he’s missed the most obvious form of payback: using his wife, Jennifer Garner. While I can’t for a minute imagine her being involved in something tawdry; a week ago I would have said that about Josh Groban too, and how very wrong I would have been.

Here’s the video again. Thanks to Splash News for the screenshots.

I love those “‘Memba Her/Him?” posts on TMZ. Yesterday I was pretty floored to see a recent picture of Blossom child star Mayim Bialik. Having opted for a non-showbiz life, Bialik doesn’t look like she’s made a trip to the hairdressers or even the local mall lately, judging by her fashion. But more power to her, she was at a charity event and it’s not like she’s looking for publicity.

The Oscar viewing party “Night of 100 Stars” was chock full of people I barely recognized from years past, many of which made me say “that’s her?!”

Here are my favorites. I had a lot of fun looking through the pictures and trying to figure out who everyone was. Some have appeared on reality television, but many have stayed out of the spotlight for years. I’m also including some older people just because they kick ass.

Lauren Holly: The 44 year-old Dumb & Dumber star dated Jim Carrey in the late 90s. Holly has been a regular on the USA Network show “Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service” since 2005 with Mark Harmon. She is shown below with Carey at the Liar Liar premiere in 1997.

Stefanie Powers: The hot detective from 1980s drama Hart to Hart is now 65. She put out a CD in 2003 called “On The Same Page” in which she sings “selections from the classic American songbook era.” Amazon reviewers rave about how suprisingly good it is. Powers works as a presenter on the BBC show Through the Keyhole in which guests try to guess which celebrity owns a home after they take a tour. She is also an accomplished polo player.

Buzz Aldrin: 77 year-old Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon. Since retiring in 1972 he founded a rocket company, earned a patent for space station he designed, and created a nonprofit organization to promote space tourism.

Chynna Phillips: 40 year-old Phillips was a member of the band Wilson Phillips. Phillips put out a solo album in 1995 after leaving Wilson Phillips. It was not a commercial success. She appeared in several TV movies and films in the 1980s, but has otherwise not had much of an acting career. She has been married to actor Billy Baldwin since 1985 and they have three children: daughter Jamieson, 7, son Vance, 5, and daughter Brooke, 3.

Jack Klugman: 85 year-old Klugman is known for his television roles in The Odd Couple and Quincy in the 1970s. Klugman lost one of his vocal cords to cancer in the 1990s and it has affected his voice, but his health seems to be otherwise stable. He married his long term partner, Peggy Crosby, last month in a small ceremony at the Little Brown Church in Hollywood.

Celeste Holm: You may not have heard of this 40s and 50s screen siren, but she’s 90 years old now and still looking fabulous. She was in All About Eve with Betty Davis in 1950 and Gentlemen’s Agreement in 1947.

Josie Davis: 35 year-old Davis played nerdy Sarah Powell on Charles in Charge from 1987 to 1990. She has kept busy with appearances in television and film. She was on the last season of 90210, and one season of The Young and The Restless. Her latest role is as the lead in Lifetime TV’s movie The Perfect Assistant.

Mimi Rogers: 52 year-old Rogers was married to Tom Cruise from 1987-1990. While I thought she was still an active Scientologist, Wikipedia notes that she’s since left the cult. She has been married to producer Chris Ciaffa since 2003 and they have two children, Lucy, 12, and Charlie, 6. Rogers is an avid poker player and plays both online and in competitive tournaments. Update: She was on the X-Files for 7 episodes from 1998 to 1999 as Agent Diana Fowley and has had multiple TV guest appearances as well as sfilm roles since. [Thanks anni and Jaclyn]

Jeff Conaway: Known for his roles on 80s comedy Taxi as Bobby Wheeler, and Kenicke in Grease, 57 year-old Conaway has had a rough go of it lately. He was on Celebrity Rehab for seven episodes earlier this year for his addiction to alcohol, painkillers and cocaine. He was wheelchair-bound at the time, but from the looks of these pictures he’s using a cane now. He is shown with his fiancé, musician Vikki Lizzi.

The open animosity between former spouses Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards just keeps boiling. After Denise went to court to gain the right to feature their two young daughters on her upcoming reality show, Sheen and fiancé, Brooke Mueller, have gone on the offensive, urging people to boycott the show and calling it exploitive. Now, Sheen is placing the blame squarely on the tiny head of the show’s executive producer, Ryan Seacrest.

Charlie Sheen is so furious with Ryan Seacrest for producing his ex-wife’s upcoming reality show that he wants to punch the TV host’s lights out–and that’s no “Idol” threat, say sources.

The “Two and a Half Men” star has been locked in a bitter feud with Ryan ever since Seacrest and E! Entertainment signed a deal with Denise Richards for a summertime series and her two small children with Sheen, Sam, 3, and Lola, 2.

“Charlie opposed this thing right from the start,” a pal told the Enquirer. “He thinks it’s wrong for Denise and Ryan to be exploiting the kids.”

Charlie, 42, was so livid her took the matter to court, but a judge gave the project a green light. After that, Charlie — who has been friends with Ryan, 33, for more than 12 years– called the “Idol” host several times, trying to convince him to stop working on the series.

But Ryan refused to budge, saying, “I’m sorry, but this isn’t about friendship, it’s about business.”

Charlie screamed at him: “How could you do this to me?” said the source. “How can you allow my children to be used as pawns like this just so you and Denise can make money off them? The two of you are despicable! You are the scum of the earth, lower than low! And you better watch out, pal. Right now, I’m so mad I could punch your lights out!”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, March 3, 2008]

The article goes on to say that Sheen’s publicist denies that this conversation ever happened. But I, for one, hope that this time, The Enquirer is right. I’d love to see Charlie wipe the floor with Ryan Seacrest, although it wouldn’t really be a fair fight. I’m so sick of Seacrest and his ridiculous antics. He’s been humping America’s leg for seven years as the host of “Idol,” and his ego seems to be out of control, as evidenced by his completely inappropriate interviewing skills during the red carpet segment of the Academy Awards.

The real victims in this whole situation are Sam and Lola. There has not been a single indication in these girls’ young lives that they have any desire to be in the public eye– in fact, every time Denise drags them to a movie premiere or event, they looks absolutely miserable. Why does she insist on thrusting them into the spotlight when they clearly do not want this kind of lifestyle?

Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller are shown below at An Evening with “Two and a Half Men” at The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on 2/27/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

Hulk Hogan and his daughter, Brooke. The woman Hogan allegedly cheated with is Brooke’s best friend, but is not as young as his daughter and is 33
Wow, just when I thought the Hogan family couldn’t sink any lower, reports have surfaced that Hulk Hogan, aka Terry Bollea, began an affair with a 33-year-old woman over a year ago– and the woman is one of his daughter Brooke’s best friends. Christiane Plante, who helped Brooke Hogan with her pop album and was close with the family, admitted to the National Enquirer that she began an affair with the former wrestler a year ago. She claims that Hulk and wife Linda Bollea were already separated by then and were only staying together for the TV cameras.

“My relationship with Terry [Hulk Hogan] began at a time when Terry and Linda privately knew their marriage was ending. She had left him already, although no official papers had been filed. Terry is a good man, good father and a good friend, and he and I grew close at a time when he was going through a very difficult period. It seemed right then, but I know it was wrong. Having felt the guilt and pain build up, I gave a note to Brooke apologizing for my actions. I will never be able to fully forgive myself for this. I have lost an amazing friend.”

[From National Enquirer, print edition, March 10, 2008 as found on The Post Chronicle]

Brooke Hogan blogged about the situation earlier in the week, but the blog has since been taken down.

It should be noted that Linda Bollea did not file for separation from the Hulkster until Nov. 20, 2007. While it is entirely possible that the couple stayed together to salvage their hideous VH1 reality show, it doesn’t change the fact that legally and publicly, Hulk was very much a married man at the time of this relationship.

For once, I actually kind of feel sorry for Brooke. It’s bad enough that her parents are completely dysfunctional human beings and terrible role models through their selfish, narcissistic behavior– but now it seems she can’t even trust her own best friend. This whole thing has to hurt.

Note: I tried to find a photo of this Plante woman, but she’s done a good job of staying under the radar until now. I’m still trying to figure out what motivated her to go to the Enquirer– I have a few gue$$e$, but I’m $till $peculating.

Whenever we write anything remotely critical of Scientology we invariably have new commentors chiming in saying that there’s some sort of religious bigotry involved and attacking other people on the thread and the authors. It’s pretty obvious these people are cult members although they deny it when questioned. We now may have our answer with insider information about how Scientology goes about trying to silence critics on the Internet.

Tory Christman was a member of the “church” of Scientology from 1969 to 2000, and reached the upper levels of the organization, having achieved OT7, or Operating Thetan Level 7. She said she worked her way up through Scientology and was able to pay for courses through an inheritance from her mother in law, who was also a cult member. She was cut off and declared a suppressive person when she started to question the way the cult operates, including limiting the reading material of members and ordering her to stop taking her epilepsy medication, which resulted in Grand Mal seizures. She’s dedicated to exposing the abuses of the cult, and although she’s not a member of the group anonymous who is currently organizing worldwide protests against Scientology, she’s encouraged by their efforts.

Christman has been interviewed by CNN and NPR and has been quoted in the LA Times. In a radio interview with “Point of Inquiry,” a weekly show produced by the Center for Inquiry in Buffalo, NY, Christman described how she was actively involved in silencing detractors on the Internet using multiple screen names and accounts:

You were part of the opposition to free speech [on the Internet]
Exactly, I didn’t know it, because they’re very good at lying and tricking people and that’s how they get people to do things, and they said “We can’t tell you, ’cause you’ll end up in deposition if we tell you. So you just go open these anonymous accounts and we’re going to do what we’re going to do to handle these evil, horrible people,” and I was like “ok” and I was kind of like, It was my best friend, I trusted this guy implicitly, right? So I was doing it, I’m opening these accounts, they had scared all Scientologists off of the Internet, so no one was reading the Internet, and really frankly they put a Net Nanny on the Internet so none of us could read the Internet. If you typed in anything the bad stuff wouldn’t come up.

In the 90s, I was part of that. They tried to shut down a newsgroup where people who had left Scientology were talking about Scientology, and Scientology themselves tried to crash that newsgroup…

I was OT 7 and I was in their top secret gang, right? Which is on the Internet and still is to this day I’m pretty sure covertly lying about trying to distract free speech off the Internet that had anything they didn’t want seen on the ‘net, they’re trying to drive it off the ‘net or put down anybody who says anything negative about Scientology…

I was in their top secret gang, where I was opening up these phony accounts… They’re complaining about anonymous. It’s like Hang on! These guys are way more covert, doing way more nastier things.

[Transcribed from mp3 of interview on Point of Inquiry's web site]

Christman came off as sincere and dedicated to exposing Scientology’s abuses. She said it’s not about the belief system, which isn’t any stranger than any other religion as many people point out, but about the way the cult cuts people off from their family members, denies them needed medication, and threatens and harasses detractors. Scientologists regularly make up wild claims and spread rumors trying to discredit anyone that dares to question them, and sue and threaten people they consider enemies under the “fair game” doctrine proposed by failed science fiction writer and founder, L Ron Hubbard. There are also many suspicious deaths and suicides of former cult members and critics, as Christman points out in her interview.

As for Scientology members themselves, Christman said that of course there were kind and friendly people involved in the cult. She compared their situation to the movie “The Truman Show,” in which you’re going through the motions in a closed set without knowing what’s going on behind the scenes. She told interviewer D.J. Groethe that she never had any kind of discussion with fellow members questioning the tactics of the organization during her 30 years of involvement. She said “It’s a high crime to speak about Xenu in Scientology. They can declare me an SP [suppressive person.]” Once you’re declared a suppressive person, you’re cut off entirely.

The group Anonymous continues to fight the abuses of Scientology, with particular attention to the way the cult tries to cut free speech online. In a press released they declared:

The so-called Church of Scientology actively misused copyright and trademark law in pursuit of its own agenda … They attempted not only to subvert free speech, but to recklessly pervert justice to silence those who spoke out against them.

Update:
Here’s a link to Tory Christman’s Website and her YouTube Channel
And to Enturbulation.org, where you can learn more about Scientology. The next major protest is planned for March 15.

Project Runway’s fifth-place designer, Sweet P., was asked by MTV to do a live blog on Oscar Night, covering the red carpet arrival of all the stars. Sweet P.’s first critique was of Project Runway’s host, supermodel Heidi Klum.

My first victim is … oh, how apropos …Heidi Klum in a great-fitting red Galliano gown. Of course, she is stunning, but I do not like the big collar thing — it looks as if Galliano was inspired by Christian & Chris’ avant-garde look. A bit too Cruella de Ville! She still looks gorgeous, though. I do like that her dress will be auctioned off to benefit a charity.

[From MTV.com]

Maybe it wasn’t the best move to criticize her former host and judge, but I have to say, I agree with Sweet P. In fact, when Celebitchy, Jaybird and I were chatting live during the red carpet arrivals, I had the very same opinion of the dress. Then again, if it weren’t for Heidi and her show, nobody would know who Sweet P. is, and she wouldn’t have landed that MTV gig. It also wasn’t very cool of her to slam Chris and Christian’s avant-garde look– after all, Chris and Christian beat out Sweet P. to the finals of the show and their avant-garde dress actually won the challenge. The whole thing has a faint whiff of sour grapes, if you ask me.

Heidi Klum was on the Jimmy Kimmel show last night to promote Project Runway, and they had a big trampoline on the stage. Heidi and Seal have one at home, so Kimmel brought one on to add some variety to the show. It’s pretty amusing watching them jump up and down and try and talk.

Klum took off her shoes and urged Kimmel to remove his socks, and he said “no” at first but then gave in. When he removed his socks he had polish on his right foot, and said “I have something embarrassing. Ben Affleck painted my toenails the other day, and there’s still some of it on there.”

Yesterday Klum was on Ellen, and there was a cute kind of flirty exchange between the two. Ellen gave Klum a t-shirt to cover up her legs because her dress was too short. The t-shirt featured Ellen’s face, and Ellen said “Hopefully we have an overhead shot of that, because that’s fantastic” Heidi looked down at it said “You have the bluest eyes.” Ellen said “Thank you” and looked a little embarrassed and laughed, saying “that’s ridiculous.” Heidi said “I’ll wear pants next time,” and Ellen answered “No you look great.”

Klum sure knows how to promote her shows, and she comes across as genuine along with being a lot of fun.

Britney Spears made a bizarre request at an exclusive boutique, asking that they recreate a dress from a different designer and have it ready by that evening. She got turned down, of course, but ended up with the consolation prize of a yellow wig that one of the mannequins was wearing:

She flummoxed staff at the Betsey Johnson on Melrose Ave. this month by turning up with a Dolce & Gabbana dress she wanted the store to copy - in all white - to be ready by that evening.

According to a witness, “the staff explained that they didn’t have a dressmaker on call who could do it in time.” Never mind that the frock she wanted copied wasn’t even their label.

“The only thing she wanted to buy in the store was the yellow wig on a mannequin in the window,” laughs the source. “The manager eventually agreed to offer it to her for $100.”

[From The NY Daily News]

This isn’t the first time that Britney has baffled employees at a designer boutique. This week’s National Enquirer reports that she went into top bridal designer Monique Lhuillier’s shop and said she was looking for a wedding gown.

Allowed to go on the Feb 16 shopping spree by her dad, the singer scouted Monique Lhuillier boutique for bridal attire. Britney told a clerk she dreams of getting married again in a big wedding - and wants a dress with a long train. Her assistant humored her, acting as if she was taking down info. The singer settled for a nice, brown dress, but instructed the sale staff to contact her when they receive the latest gowns.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, March 3, 2008]

I can see Britney just buying a wedding dress and wearing it out for attention. It would be a smarter ploy than trying to flash the paps for the tenth time.

In related Britney news, the LAPD has said they’re considering investigating whether she was drugged against her knowledge:

Police Capt. Kyle Jackon said in a statement Wednesday that the allegations “are being considered” by the Robbery-Homicide unit to determine if laws have been violated.

[From AP]

This is similar to a story reported by TMZ a little over a week ago saying that the investigation into Sam Lutfi’s drugging of Britney was “well underway” and that it has “been assigned to Robbery Homicide.” A police spokesperson denied that there was an investigation at that time.

Britney is shown out shopping on 2/26/08.

There was a photo in this week’s OK! Magazine of Gwyneth Paltrow out with Apple, 3, and Moses, 22 months, on Feburary 9th in NY. It was captioned “Gwyneth Paltrow, 35, visits the Kabbalah Centre in NYC with her children.”

It was the second time that Paltrow had been seen at the Kabbalah Centre this month. She was photographed sneaking out a week earlier on February 1.

Is Paltrow about to get bilked by Hollywood’s second favorite cult? It’s possible. She might have just been visiting her good buddy Maddona there. The “Raising Malawai” star-studded fundraiser for Madonna’s charity was held on February 6, and Madonna would have been in town around that time. Paltrow didn’t wear a red string bracelet to the event, but since she went to the cult headquarters twice it makes it seem like something is up.

Back in 2004 there was a story that Paltrow had pissed off Madonna by rejecting Kabbalah, but maybe the bossy pop star gradually wore her down with promises of stress-free days and a newfound purpose in life. Paltrow seems susceptible to that type of spiritual hokum.

Paltrow has a new public service announcement out for UNICEF. She provides the voice over for a clip emphasizing the need for medication in the third world to prevent the mother to baby transmission of AIDS.

She is shown outside Madonna’s Raising Malawai fundraiser on February 6, thanks to PRPhotos.