Kevin Federline seems to be mellowing with age, despite his hard-partying, blunt-smoking reputation. In a recent interview with In Touch, the former back-up dancer says he is trying to stay positive about co-parenting his children with ex-wife Britney Spears despite the drama of the last year.

Kevin Federline and his ex-wife, Britney Spears, have had more than their fair share of bad times. But as he turns 30, Kevin tells In Touch that he’s put his anger behind him — he has become a good father and a caring friend to his exes. “I will always love the mothers of my children, and I will always be there for both of them,” Kevin, who also has two children with his ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson, explains in an exclusive interview with In Touch. “I believe that any good energy I put out there brings more good energy into my own life,” he says. “The relationships with my kids and family will last my whole life and are the most important to me.”

Kevin’s behavior post-split with Spears certainly bears this out- although I’m having a hard time believing that Federline was that articulate, based on his less than stellar vocabulary and voiceover work from the ill-fated reality show, “Chaotic: Britney and Kevin.” But that’s beside the point. K-Fed says that the first year after the divorce, during which Britney had the mother of all breakdowns and was hospitalized twice, was “rough,” but he remained focused on his children throughout that time. Now, he says, he and Spears are in a better place as co-parents are get along better “for the sake of the boys.”

For nearly a year after they separated in November 2006, Kevin and Britney barely spoke. But in recent months, Kevin reveals, they’ve become close again, mainly for Preston and Jayden’s sake. As Britney gets help for her mental issues, she may soon play a more active role in their sons’ lives — and Kevin is glad for that. “It is so very important to me that my children will always know and never question, that no matter what happens, they have a mommy and daddy who love them very much,” he says.

On his long-term goals
Kevin shares, “I’m going to be the best role model for my kids. And if that example helps other young, single dads who might be going through the same experiences that I am right now, it would be a great compliment.”

[From In Touch]

While there is still a slight aroma of douchiness around Kevin, he does deserve credit for giving his children a safe, stable environment amid all the nuttiness of their mother’s lifestyle. The days of seeing those two boys, frightened and helpless in the back of Britney’s convertible, are thankfully long gone. He should also be commended for not giving up on allowing Britney to visit with the boys, even after the much-publicized stand-off with the cops that ultimately got her hospitalized. A lot of custodial parents would have pulled the plug on visitation after a stunt like that, but Kevin gave Britney some time to stabilize, and the supervised visits with the boys seem to be working well for everyone.

As long as Kevin doesn’t try to rap anymore, he’s cool with me.

Brad and Shiloh in her first photo shoot
Somewhere, Jennifer Lopez is seething. Page Six is reporting that first photos of the baby or babies currently gestating in the womb of Angelina Jolie could be worth $10 million.

THERE’S no limit to how much money celebrities are being paid to pimp out their babies in the magazines and tabloids.

After paying Christina Aguilera a reported $1.5 million in February for shots of her newborn, Max, People shelled out a whopping $6 million to Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for the first photos of new twins, Max and Emme.

One magazine editor who asked to remain anonymous said, “It’s at the point now where some stars might decide to have more kids just to collect the money from their photos.”

Pregnant stars are now “treating this like a game,” said National Enquirer Executive Editor Barry Levine.

“It’s become big business now,” Levine said. “It’s outrageous, they’ve gotten very sophisticated. The rights are bought up now even before the celeb enters the hospital. They hire extra security so it’s impossible to obtain a photo illegally.”

Levine said stars now realize that having a child is “akin to getting a role in a movie.” And the glossies don’t mind paying because they recoup the money over time with magazine sales, Web hits, and by re-selling the photos overseas.

Angelina Jolie, rumored to be carrying twins, could nab up to $10 million for selling the first exclusive photos of the babies, Levine estimates.

This is something we’ve been discussing here at CB for a while now- when does this sort of baby bargaining go over the edge? How badly to readers of gossip magazines really want to see those newborn pics- and is it worth the multi-million dollar price tags for these mags?

“That’s where the market is right now,” he said. “When I was the editor of Star in LA, we bought photos of Lisa Marie Presley’s baby back in 1989 for $100,000, and at the time I thought it was outrageous. Now it’s chump change.” He added, “I’d like to see more people like Sarah Jessica Parker standing outside the hospital and giving the shot away for free.”

American Media Editorial Director Bonnie Fuller said the payouts just keep escalating. “If J.Lo really did get $6 million, then I think Angelina can now command $8 million,” Fuller said. “The magazines must look at it as a long-term investment, but I think it’ll cap out at a certain point.”

Halle Berry, who just gave birth to a baby girl, falls below Jolie in terms of interest. “I can’t think at this point who could command more money than Brangelina,” said Fuller.

[From Page Six]

We live in a world where celebrity babies are a big business. A lot of celebrities figure that doing a formal photo shoot is better for them and their new baby than being stalked by paparazzi, but that doesn’t explain the outrageous price tag attached to it- and it certainly doesn’t stop the paps. These are people who are, in many cases, making millions of dollars per movie or project anyway. I think it’s rather tacky and unsavory to make that kind of profit from a baby picture, but that’s just me. And I have to wonder if magazines like People and OK! really make that money back from magazine sales. Magazines are a dying medium and most of us get our celeb gossip from the Internet anyway. And as we’ve seen, these “exclusive” pictures often get leaked online before they hit newsstands. So, who’s really raking in the cash in these million-dollar baby photo deals? The celebs.

Here are Shiloh’s debut photos from June, 2006.

Ryan Phillippe played the first gay teenager on television in his first acting role on the soap opera One Life To Live in 1992. He talked to Ellen Degeneres today and told her in an interview that he got discovered as a teen in a barber shop by a casting agent who asked him if he wanted to get into modeling. He did some modeling work and commercials before landing his role on the show.

Ryan Phillippe on “One Life To Live in the early 90s

Ellen asked Ryan if his people advised him against taking the controversial role and he said “you know, I had no people… no one stopped me.”

Ellen said that was a good thing because he probably made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.

On gay teens telling him he saved them from suicide
Ryan said “I wasn’t really aware at the time, I was 17 years old myself, but I remember getting fan mail and since it was my first big job - that’s exciting, getting fan mail… Some of them were pretty moving. There was one or two who said ‘you know, I was contemplating suicide and I saw a representation of who I was on television for the first time… and it made me feel good about myself…’ those things were pretty moving.”

On his kids
Ellen: “What do you do with them? Where do you hang out?”

“You can check the pages of most magazines and find out unfortunately. I take them snowboarding, we go to the beach, I’m teaching them how to skateboard, my daughter just learned to ride a bike. That kind of fun, fatherly stuff. We’ll watch Nancy Drew or Hannah Montana or something. All suitable stuff for a 33 year old guy.”

Ryan then talked about his film Stop Loss, which is out in US theaters this Friday. He said we need to stop the practice of the backdoor draft in which soldiers are called back to service after their tours of duty are completed, which is what Stop Loss refers to.

I’ve seen a lot of celebrity interviews and rarely are the celebrities as candid and quotable as Ryan Phillippe. This guy has really grown on me over the past couple of weeks when he’s been doing press for this film. He comes off as down to earth, open and matter of fact, but guarded enough to keep some things private, like his relationship with Abbie Cornish.

Ryan has been slightly struggling with his career and hasn’t reached the level of success of his Oscar-winning ex wife, but I see a lot of good roles in his future after this. He seems like a real stand up guy and a solid actor. Plus he’s a dreamboat, who am I kidding?

Here’s the video of Ryan on Ellen, thanks to clipper lindsey on Redlasso.

Ellen also showed this photo from Ryan’s high school year book.

Star has a truly bizarre story about “Grey’s Anatomy” star Justin Chambers engaging in some really questionable behavior at a bar recently. A few months ago - around the same time Britney Spears was hospitalized for her myriad of mental issues - Chambers made a statement that he was suffering from a severe sleep disorder and had checked himself into the same UCLA psych ward as Spears. It was assumed that he’d only informed the press since Spears was around, which increased his likelihood of somehow being discovered in a psych ward. Were it not for Britney, I doubt anyone would ever have noticed. It seems that Chambers was making a preemptive strike and letting reporters know why he was there. But something about the whole thing seemed a little off. Now Star has a story that either verifies that Chambers has some severe sleep issues, or makes you wonder if he’s got some other problems going on.

…when a Star eyewitness saw the married father of five 26 days after he was treated — at the Village Pub in tony Palm Springs, Calif. — sleep didn’t seem to be a problem as he drifted in and out of consciousness (at the bar!), rambled incoherently, annoyed patrons and even hit on a waitress!

“Everyone thought Justin was drunk because he kept passing out at his table,” the eyewitness tells Star. “But when I asked the bartender what they’d been serving him, she swore it was only non-alcoholic beer! He was acting as if he was on drugs, like some kind of downers. His eyes were glazed over. He slurred his words and staggered when he tried to walk,” the eyewitness added. “At one point, he was hunched over a table, then abruptly woke up and shouted out of the blue, ‘I am a father of five kids! I am a damn good father! Leave me alone!’ It was really unsettling.”

And that’s not all! Justin, who was without his wife Keisha, began hitting on a waitress! When she showed no interest, he slapped money out of her hand. “As she picked it up off the floor, he said, ‘That’s right, bitch, that’s where you belong. Pick up the money!’”

[From Star]

This story could legitimately make a person think, “Wow, he’s clearly got other issues and that sleep disorder thing was just a cover,” or it could make you say, “Wow, that sleep disorder is clearly not under control yet.” Lots of prescription sleep medications could explain a good deal of Chamber’s behavior (though the thing with the waitress is pretty hard to account for), and the sleep disorder itself could be the cause of Chambers’ nodding off. A ton of sleeping pills have the side effect of daytime sleepiness. But many of the things Chambers supposedly said seem pretty odd, unless he was so groggy and out of it that he just didn’t know what was coming out of his mouth. If any of this is attributable to the sleep disorder or medication for it, you’d think his wife would have kept him home. Which makes you wonder what’s really going on with the guy.

Update by Celebitchy: People has a new story that Chambers will open up in their new issue about his sleep disorder, calling it “a biological sleep disorder. Your mind keeps racing, and your body is tired. It wants to go to sleep, but it can’t.” If he is on Ambien it could potentially explain his behavior at the bar. My husband used to take it and he would stay up at night and do things like make a sandwich or get online and completely forget about it the next day, asking me if I was the one who left the dishes out.

Here’s Justin Chambers at the Enchanted World Premiere on 11/17/07. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Jessica Lange on 1/15/08
I don’t want to knock a woman for getting work done. I’m 35, and in about fifteen years I will be getting a face lift despite my husband’s objections. I will age semi-naturally and not get a lot of injections and touch up work, but I’m planning on surgery. It already bothers me that I have lines around my eyes and my face is looking sort of old. My mother had a face lift after her best friend did it, and her best friend is in her 70s and looks like she’s 50 without any feline characteristics. To me it is a personal decision and it’s not a personal failing if you decide to get surgery and/or botox or restylane. You shouldn’t go overboard with it and it’s a fine line between having an operation or two and looking like you’re wearing a kabuki mask.

When you’re famous and it’s obvious, though, you should either admit to it, maybe in a roundabout way or in general terms like saying you’re not ruling it out, or you should not address it. If someone asks you, you can say you don’t want to comment. Don’t deny that you’ve had plastic surgery when we can all see the evidence.

Jessica Lange’s rep has denied that the 58 year-old actress has had plastic surgery. All I could think of when I saw her face up close in Big Fish was that she looked really pulled and strange. She’s a great actress, but she’s not doing herself any favors with this fib:

Jessica Lange in “Tootsie,” 1982

The National Enquirer recently speculated, with photos and commentary from a Michigan plastic surgeon, that Jessica Lange has undergone plastic surgery that didn’t necessarily result in a change for the better.

“It’s absolutely not true,” Lange’s PR rep Carrie Gordon told me from NYC on Tuesday. “And Jessica will not comment on it because it’s not true.”

In our first conversation, before Gordon presumably contacted Lange to say I was seeking a comment, Carrie asked how I could write this after admitting that I’m a huge fan of Jessica’s work. Because I’m not blind?

The Enquirer asked Detroit-area plastic surgeon Dr. Tony Youn to analyze before and after photos of Lange and her “Bonneville” co-star Joan Allen, who has suspiciously smooth skin.

Youn gave the Enquirer precise observations about Lange’s “overly arched brows,” and unnatural Catwoman-like appearance.

But haven’t Lange’s eyes always had a cat-like quality?

“To an extent she has,” said Youn when I interviewed him. “Are her eyes a little more tilted than the average person’s? Yes. But not to the extent that we see now in her.”

[From The Star Tribune via Huffington Post]

The article goes on to talk about how hard it is to cast these very plastic-looking women in films because they can’t play average older women. They could play more affluent older women who have had plastic surgery I guess.

They quote a radio personality as saying that if you have plastic surgery at “39, you never have to get it again. You’ve matured into your face and your bone structure and skin are good.” It also matters whether you got to a good surgeon who works on giving you natural results of course. Is that true? Not that I’m asking for personal reasons or anything.

Compared to Priscilla Presley and Kathie Lee Gifford, she’s looking pretty good. Looking through older photos of Lange, I would vote for bad plastic surgeon over too many face lifts.

Happy Birthday Fergie! You Don’t Look A Day Under 45! No, really, you’re fabulous. [Dlisted]
“Run Fat Boy Run” is an innocuous romantic comedy whose only real offense is tiresomeness [Pajiba]
Mariah Carey apparently lost about 12 inches from her waist for the photos for her new album. And then gained it all right back. Or maybe the Photoshop guy was just a little too cocky. [Celebslam]
Britney’s dad is letting her drive, or “toodle around the block in her gated community” again. Best quote of the day [Yeeeah!]
After a long day of shooting, instead of jetting home Johnny Depp spent more than an hour shaking hands and talking with the hundred of fans that swarmed the set of his new movie “Public Enemies.” [I'm Not Obsessed]
Jessica Simpson almost had a Britney Spears moment… but had the class to cover up with her hand. When Jessica Simpson is significantly classier than you, you know you’ve fallen. Hard. [The Bastardly]
Inquest begins into the death of Corinne Bailey Rae’s husband [In Case You Didn't Know]
Jodie Foster manages to show absolutely nothing at the beach (Site NSFW) [Drunken Stepfather]
Christina Aguilera and husband Jordan Bratman’s late night skinny dipping is reportedly infuriating their neighbous, and they want the sexy noises and skinny dipping to stop [Hollywood Rag]
“Heroes” Masi Oka interviews the paparazzi as they interview him [Seriously? OMG! WTF?]
Mickey Rourke thinks that the city of Miami loves him, but that thought won’t last too much longer [Agent Bedhead]
More boring Adriana Lima and her thoughts on sex and the church [The Blemish]
Brad Pitt is the new Robert Redford [CityRag]
Lindsay Lohan spent an uber-productive meal at Nobu [Crazy Days and Nights]
After David earned his 100th cap on the field, the Beckhams Celebrate With Sparklers and Cake [Popsugar]
Katherine Heigl bought Hermès dog collars that sell for more than $350 each [WWTDD]
Kimora Lee Simmons filed for divorce from her estranged husband, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons [Websters is My Bitch]
You know you’re totally owning the thin-off when you’re beating even Mary Kate Olsen. [Lainey Gossip]
Girls Aloud Promote Low Fat Candy Bar [The Skinny Website]
Alyssa Milano knows what guys like. And why they should pay for dinner. [Derek Hail]
Lower Back Tattoo Stickers FINALLY Available For Kids At Toys ‘R Us [Best Week Ever]
Chris Rock & His Girls In Their Sunday Best [Celebrity Baby Scoop]
See the lost footage of Tom Cruise and John Travolta captured by aliens! [Circus Hour]

As much as we tried to stay optimistic about Amy Winehouse, it appears that she’s worse off than ever. The “skin infection” on her face no longer bears the one large roundish mark but is instead replaced with dozens of spots and scabs, including a nasty one near her lip. Amy also bears fresh cuts on her arms, leading most people to believe that she’s back to cutting again. The scabs on her face look like she’s been picking at them, and almost look worse for the concealer she’s used to try to mask them. Supposedly she’s still suffering from impetigo, though a lot of people think her terrible skin is a result of copious amounts of drug use.

After a harrowing visit to her husband in prison, no one would expect Amy Winehouse to be looking her best. But even by her own standards, the award-winning singer appeared to be in particularly desperate shape. Heavy make-up failed to conceal the spots and scabs on her wrinkled cheeks, chin and nose. There were also angry red welts on her arms, leading to fears that she has started self-harming again.

Miss Winehouse’s spokesman has insisted she is suffering from the bacterial skin infection impetigo - which is highly contagious and can develop by repetitive scratching of a sore. He said the 24-year-old has been put on a course of antibiotics to clear it up. But friends fear the scabs on her face are a sign that her drinking and drug taking is once again spiralling out of control. Her love of junk food has also not helped the condition of her skin. She was pictured emerging from a fast-food outlet with fish and chips and a bottle of Lucozade. A source said: “Her friends are worried these sores have been caused by an excessive use of crack cocaine, which can cause these kind of blemishes.” Pete Doherty used to have similar sores under his nose.

[From the Daily Mail]

When I was in London for six weeks, I found it nearly impossible to get a hold of any fruits or vegetables in restaurants. With the exception of ridiculous amounts of baked potatoes of course. But Amy Winehouse not eating a lot of fresh food doesn’t really come as a major surprise to me. The Daily Mail goes on to talk to a dermatologist who points out that whatever is going on inside the body shows on the skin. Any kind of imbalance – and certainly drug use – could show up there. It’s hard not to wonder how Amy can look in the mirror every morning and think her life is going well. She looks like she’s falling apart, and any health she gained during her brief trip to rehab seems to have left her a long time ago.

Here’s Amy stopping at a kebab shop after visiting her husband Blake in prison. Images thanks to WENN.

Former New York governor Eliot Spitzer’s life just gets more and more complicated. Which is what happens when you pay women to take your pants off, isn’t it? Spitzer has now been named as a client by a famous madam, Kristin Davis (not to be confused with the Kristin Davis of Sex and the City fame) who was arrested yesterday after her high-priced call girl ring, Wicked Models, was taken down by New York City vice cops. According to evidence obtained over the yearlong investigation into Wicked Models, Spitzer was a frequent client of Wicked Models, and Davis personally serviced him several time before 2004 when she was working as a call girl.

At the center of the new ring is Kristin “Billie” Davis, a busty bottle blonde who hails from a ough-and-tumble California trailer park. She has a reputation for hard-partying, shameless self-promotion and a rumored 10,000-name-long client list. Davis’ alleged multimillion-dollar empire was smashed by city vice cops as she made plans to skip town. Prosecutors say she netted some $2 million last year by pimping out ladies of the night for as much as $1,000 an hour through four Web sites.

A source said Davis personally serviced Spitzer. “She personally interfaced with Spitzer a number of times” since 2003 before she became a madam, a source close to Davis said. When asked about the allegation, Davis told The Post, “I can’t talk about it.” Spitzer’s spokeswoman, Anna Cordasco, countered that “Mr. Spitzer was not ever a client of Ms. Davis.”

Nor was there word on whether Spitzer wore his socks during his alleged escort encounters. Last week, it was revealed Republican dirty-tricks operative Roger Stone told the FBI that Spitzer kept his socks on during sex with a Florida prostitute.

[From the New York Post]

Boy Eliot Spitzer sure got around. This may sound naive, but I can’t believe his public imagine remained so impeccably untarnished for so long, considering his prostitution proclivities. Kristin Davis is even cheaper looking than Ashley Alexandra Dupre, Spitzer’s original high class call girl. In fact looking at Davis, I’m not sure what makes her appear high class… other than the amount she charges. New York State isn’t having a great deal of luck with our new governor either – who’s admitted to multiple extra-marital affairs and drug use. I’m not sure what makes public officials think they can get away with something like this. Yeah they have a lot of power – but people just aren’t good secret keepers. And the more women you pay to sleep with you, the more know your secret.

The Sun reports that Pete Doherty’s new girlfriend, DJ Nadine Ruddy, is into Scientology and that he has bought a bunch of books from the cult to try and learn more about it. If Doherty was just an average, unknown musician/former drug addict/low level criminal, he would simply be put on a mailing list after buying Scientology books. Now that the word is out that a semi-famous person is interested, those dead-eye creeps are going to after him with a vengeance.

The junkie rocker is hooked on the barmy religion which believes humans are an exiled race from outer space.

Babyshambles frontman Pete, 29 — who once dated supermodel KATE MOSS — has bought a pile of books on the subject since meeting Scientologist DJ NADINE RUDDY.

And he has been leaving his Wiltshire mansion to stay at her home in Reading, Berks, at least once a week.

A source said: “Nadine is really into Scientology. She takes her beliefs very seriously.

“Pete’s chatted a lot with her about it. He went out and bought some books to read up about it.

“He just wanted to find out more about Nadine and what she believes in.”

[From The Sun]

Despite all of Doherty’s very public failings: injecting a passed out girl with drugs (he claimed he was taking her blood for his art, which is somewhat less creepy), giving his cat crack, squirting blood at an MTV camera, all the drugs he’s been busted with, I kind of have a soft spot for the guy. He doesn’t seem all that bad, and when you check out his boyish face and ignore the messed-up teeth and greasy hair you can sort of see how some skinny half-wit models fell for him.

Best wishes to Doherty to come out of this with his critical thinking skills and wallet intact. Dump that girl, Pete, there are other confused young women who are into harmless new-agey stuff who would be pleased to shag you.

Vera from I’m Not Obsessed got profiled on CBS NY in a very nice segment that focused on her success working from home in Long Island. I love Vera’s site and was so excited to see her segment. Her kids are so cute and her husband seems very supportive. Congratulations Vera!