Perez has the scoop on Hollywood’s latest marriage: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. They have been together for about 4 years, and earlier this year Ellen announced plans to wed on her talk show. Well, on Saturday, the couple was married in a small ceremony of only 20 guests at their Beverly Hills home. Congrats!
Exclusive Hanson news! People tells us that Taylor and his wife, Natalie, are expecting their FOURTH child together! Also in the works: plans of a Walk Around the World Tour. Where can I get tickets? Moving from former to current ‘it’ band — Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers celebrated his 19th birthday on Friday at the Radio Disney studio. They served strawberry shortcake and the fam gave Joe a motorcycle with sidecar. Happy (belated) Birthday, Joe — and be safe on your new ride!
And in Olympics news (I know it’s a bit old), I just can’t get over Michael Phelps! On Saturday evening, 66 million viewers tuned in to see him make history as the only individual to ever win 8 gold medals in a single Olympics! (Mark Spitz held the former record of 7 gold medals.) I swear Michael has got to be part fish — he’s just amazing! Did you guys watch?
Can’t wait to hear from you,
Katie Amey
Entertainment Intern
P.S. Don’t forget you can stay up-to-date on all celeb rumors by adding our widget!
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The Hush Sound's Greta Salpeter, Bob Morris, Chris Faller, and Darren Wilson give us the scoop about rooming with Phantom Planet and going green on the road — and reveal their presidential dreams.
WHAT'S THE BEST AND WORST THING ABOUT TOURING?
Bob: I love it. I never really get off the bus. The dangerous part is not getting off the bus when you get to a place, because sometimes we'll sleep real late.
Greta: I think the worst part is when you wake up and you have no idea where you are, who you are, or what you're doing, and it's like 2:30 in the afternoon.
Bob: Playing the shows is the best part.
Chris: But it's sad that it's such a small part of the day.
Bob: Just half an hour of our other 26 hours.
Greta: 26?
Bob: We've upgraded.
SO, GRETA, WHAT'S IT LIKE TOURING ON THE ROAD WITH ALL THESE GUYS?
Greta: I'm the only girl on the bus. Surprisingly, I'm having a really great time. I'm learning a lot from everybody on the bus. We're sharing a bus with Phantom Planet and it's fortunate that we get along.
Bob: And she's got plenty of boys to flirt with, especially Alex [Greenwald] from Phantom Planet. Now she's blushing.
WHAT DO YOU DO ON THE ROAD TO BE ECO-CONSCIOUS?
Greta: I think the biggest thing is sharing a bus instead of taking two. Also, there's a company called REVERB [that worked on the Panic at the Disco tour] to keep the tour from having negative effects on the environment. They've been helping us recycle and giving us biodegradable cups and plates. I'd really like to work with them to develop our tour too.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO STOP ON THE ROAD?
Greta: We really don't stop that much. For food, there's catering at the venues, and then if we stop at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, we'll get groceries. We prefer to shop at organic stores if there's one nearby. As soon as we get to a city, we'll Google the nearest Starbucks, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's.
Bob: It sucks how hard it is to get anything good for you in middle America, though. Anywhere John Mellencamp is popular, it's difficult to get organic food.
Greta: Hey! Want to hear a joke? Where do cantaloupes and honeydew go in the summer? To John's "Melon"Camp.
IF YOU WERE ELECTED PRESIDENT TOMORROW, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO?
Greta: I would make music a required course in every school. Actually, the first thing I would do is to make sure that every city had recycling available. Where I live in Chicago, it's such a poor system. I've written letters to the mayor. I don't know why he hasn't written back.
Big surprise – I'm obsessed with Michael Phelps. I've been Tivo-ing this year's Olympics like you wouldn't believe just to watch him swim. While I wish I could connect with Michael on a more personal level (wink, wink), that isn't happening any time soon.
Honestly, the closest I can get to Michael is supporting him through AT&T's Team USA Soundtrack. A whole bunch of today's hottest artists (like one of my personal favorites, Chris Brown) are recording exclusive tracks just for the Olympics to get Team USA pumped up. Other artists who have recorded songs for this soundtrack include Taylor Swift and Kate Voegele!
Lots of those songs that you hear between events during the Olympics are from that soundtrack – and you can even purchase ringtones of them for your AT&T cellphone. It's a great way to show your support for our Olympic athletes all year round.
Interested in buying some of these songs? Check out AT&T's website for the scoop on how to get the soundtrack and exclusive ringtones.
Honest to blog,
Margeaux Lippman
Web Intern
Can you believe that I had never heard of a High School Musical until my freshman year of college? My roommate, Hayley, introduced me to it – and ever since, I have been a sucker for all movie musicals. From the classics Grease and Wizard of Oz to the cult-favorite remake of Hairspray and the made-for-TV obsession Camp Rock, I just have to check them out! So, when Rachel gave me the newest MTV musical flick to watch, I was thrilled to find that not only did it feature some rockin’ songs but that it also starred Degrassi: The Next Generation favorite, Nina Dobrev, and newcomer (and hottie!) Rob Mayes.
The American Mall is the name of this film and it’s full of incredible dance sequences - it was choreographed by Bonnie Story who also did High School Musical - and musical numbers that you will not be able to get out of your head. With a little bit more edge than other made-for-TV movie musicals, American Mall will appeal to a wide audience. (Check out Autumn Reeser’s performance as queen-of-mean Madison Huxley - she gives Sharpay a run for her money!)
On Tuesday, Rob and Nina stopped by the Hearst Tower to have lunch and chat with us about their new movie. They were both so sweet and excited to share funny stories from set and from the press tour that they had been on promoting this movie in NYC.
They appeared on TRL on Monday with the Jonas Brothers – who then invited them to their Madison Square Garden show that night. (They couldn’t make it because of their premiere that night!) Nina shared a story about arriving at TRL to absolute pandemonium. “I was like, ‘Okay, this movie is going to do really well.’ And then they told me the Jonas Brothers were also on and I was like, ‘Now it makes sense,’” she laughed.
Nina, who you might recognize from Degrassi, is from Toronto, so of course, we immediately had things to talk about – she even has friends that go to McGill with me! Rob, a former Naval Academy cadet, also had some great stories to share about the response that he got from his old college buddies – now Navy SEALS – on his leading role. One told him that he was looking a little scrawny and that he needed to hit the gym! (In response to that friend: I thought Rob looked great!)
Rob and Nina are also big fans of CosmoGirl Magazine – in fact, it was the first mag that they ever saw themselves in. Check out our Hot 100 feature in the June/July 2008 issue – American Mall is #41 (in no particular order!) Rachel gave Rob a copy the first time that he came into the office and as soon as he saw it, he called Nina who ran out and bought it. Nina even revealed that her mom has at least 5 copies at home!
Did you watch The American Mall on MTV on Monday night? Snagged the DVD yet? (Sears has a special edition with even more bonus features!) And what do you think of two of my favorite new rising stars – Nina Dobrev and Rob Mayes?
Can’t wait to hear from you,
Katie Amey
Entertainment Intern
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After months of nothing but reruns and reality TV (I’ll admit I was addicted to Living Lohan and Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods), it’s almost time for a new season of must-see TV! From returning favorites to much-hyped newcomers, here’s a rundown of my picks for the best shows to tune in to this fall …
1. Gossip Girl (Sept. 1)
OMG! Nate’s dating an older woman! Blair has a hot new man! Last season’s finale saw breakups galore and left the romantic lives of our fave Upper East Siders up in the air. The new promos are so fun and have me counting the days ‘til the premiere. Half the reason I love Gossip Girl so much is because of the amazing fashion (who knew there were so many ways to wear a uniform!) and with season two kicking off in the Hamptons, I can’t wait to see everyone’s preppy vacation wardrobe.
2. Grey’s Anatomy (Sept. 25)
After Katherine Heigl said she wasn’t given good enough material on the show to deserve an Emmy nomination this year, it will be interesting to see if the Grey’s writers let Izzie play a bigger role this time around. She’s one of my favorite characters, so I really hope they do. They could start by reviving the Izzie-Alex romance; I’m convinced it’s only a matter of time before Alex (Justin Chambers) loses his tough guy act, exposes his inner sweetie, and sweeps Izzie off her feet again!
3. Fringe (Sept. 9)
Everything producer J.J. Abrams touches turns to gold – Felicity, Alias, Lost – and Fringe promises to be no exception. I was sold as soon as I learned Joshua Jackson (best known as adorable Pacey Witter on Dawson’s Creek) was set to star. Like any good mystery series, the intense previews leave me wide-eyed, intrigued, and more than a little confused.
4. One Tree Hill (Sept. 1)
They’ve made us wait all summer to find out who Lucas asked to go to Vegas and get married in those last seconds of the season finale. Did he call Peyton, Brooke, or Lindsey?? Oh, and is Dan really dead? This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen a Dan death fake-out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up pulling through to stir up more trouble in Tree Hill during season six.
5. Privileged (Sept. 9)
For some reason, I’m way more excited for this show than the new 90210. Privileged revolves around Megan Smith (played by Reba’s Joanna Garcia), a Yale graduate who gets fired from her magazine job and ends up working as a tutor in Palm Beach for two billionaire teen socialites. Sounds like the perfect gig, except her tutoring charges turn out to be complete brats, and Megan is a total outsider in the glamorous world of mansions and Manolos.
6. Ugly Betty (Sept. 25)
Did Betty choose to spend her summer with Henry or Gio? (I’m hoping Gio!) We caught a glimpse of her last season, but I can’t wait to see more of Lindsay Lohan’s six-episode guest role as Betty’s former high school enemy. It’s been way too long since LiLo’s been in the spotlight for her acting, instead of her personal life.
7. The Office (Sept. 25)
I’m still furious at Andy for ruining Jim’s proposal plans, but hopefully Jim will try again when Pam returns from her three months at design school in New York. Will Angela call off her engagement to Andy since she and Dwight make the perfect odd couple? (I still can’t believe the cameras caught them sneaking around in last season’s finale!)
Are you as excited for these premieres as I am? What do you hope to see happen this season on your favorite series? Which new shows are you most likely to get hooked on?
XOXO,
Ashley Spencer
News & Features Intern
Everyone loves to say that despite being 14 years old Ali Lohan looks like an older woman, and I’ll admit in some pics she really does. The weird thing is I interviewed her last year and she was the tiniest little young thing ever. Anway, these days Ali is looking even “older” than usual and the rumor mill is brewing. Some supposed before and after pics in US Weekly have lead people to believe Ali had a boob job. But according to Lindsay, it's not true. Dlisted tells us that Linds took to her Myspace Blog in defense of her little sis. Hopefully she speaks the truth, Ali is so young. What do you think?
Here’s a funny little rumor about our man Zac Efron, I’ll let you decide if you think it's true. According to Perez Zac is a little more than obsessed with his looks — especially his hair. First it was rumored that he spent much of Ashley Tisdale’s recent Bday bash in the bathroom flat-ironing his locks, and now we find out that Zac was having a little bit of a bad hair day at the Teen Choice Awards and he was not happy about it. Zac was so upset that the humidity was messing up his hair that he went backstage in search of a flat iron for his “girlfriend Vanessa” and minutes later was found desperately trying to bring back the life to his flat do. Ha! So what do you think about high-maintenance guys?
Xoxo,
Megan
P.S. Don’t forget you can stay up-to-date on all celeb rumors by adding our widget!
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When I first picked up Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling, I was a little thrown by the flowery cover. I always try to not judge a book (literally) by it’s cover – and I’m so glad I didn’t. Dream Girl is about Claire Voyante, the new girl at a school for math geniuses, where Sheila, her former-friend-turned-archenemy, can have free reign to publicly embarrass her, which bothers her almost as much as her black-and-white dreams. Claire has been having visions since she was a little girl but it’s not until her eccentric grandmother, Kiki (permanent resident of the Waldorf-Astoria and couture connoisseur), gives her a very special cameo necklace that she realizes there’s more to her crazy dreams.
As Claire settles into school and fends off Sheila and her crew’s Mean Girl-esque antics, she learns to follow clues in her visions – and it’s nothing like the Agatha Christie novels she reads. Claire is soon running around New York and Paris (in vintage Dior, courtesy of her grandmother) trying to piece together the mystery that surrounds her new friend, Becca, whose family owns a billion-dollar ketchup empire and the secret recipe that keeps it afloat.
I really enjoyed reading about quirky, clumsy Claire and her crazy parents and friends. I feel like anyone can relate to the awkward silences she had with her crush – who hasn’t been there? I also loved that Claire is different from the protagonists in a lot of other novels I’ve read – she’s smart and witty, and she accepts that her life isn’t flawless. Claire’s peculiar dreams made me want to solve the mystery alongside her like a modern-day Nancy Drew. As a plus, Mechling’s snappy writing reminded me a bit of a mix between Meg Cabot’s and Melissa de la Cruz's style.
Even though there are some references to trendy NYC spots and designer clothes, Dream Girl is about a genuine mystery and a strong female character – I can see someone like Hayden Panettiere or Ashley Tisdale playing Claire in a movie version.
I really enjoyed Dream Girl, and if you’re looking for a fun, intriguing read, you should definitely check this book out.
Have you read Dream Girl yet? What did you think? Have you ever had crazy dreams?
Sweet dreams,
Allyson Ayers
Editoral Intern
More than four decades before Grey’s Anatomy, General Hospital began addicting viewers. In fact, it’s been Valerie Medina’s favorite show for 25 years! Well, on Tuesday night, Valerie made the leap from religious GH TiVoer to guest star! Her sister won her the guest appearance in a Charity Folks (www.charityfolks.com) auction with a winning bid of $5,000 and gave it to her as a surprise.
Valerie made sure she arrived early at The Prospect Studios in Los Angeles, where both General Hospital and Grey’s Anatomy are taped. She ended up spending three hours getting ready, filming and chatting it up with the cast, which includes some very steamy guys!
While Valerie was getting her hair done, Bradford Anderson, who plays Damian Spinelli, voluntarily started conversation with her. Several of the other cast members also came up to Valerie and introduced themselves throughout the evening, including Kirsten Storms (remember Zenon?!), who plays Maxie Jones. But Valerie was most excited that cutie Jason Thompson, gladly posed for several pictures with her and her sister.
During her scene, Valerie played a nurse who handed Thompson’s character, Dr. Patrick Drake, a chart, to which he replied, “Thank you nurse.” After the filming, the cast, production staff and director all clapped in support. Bradford even shouted out Valerie’s name. “It was really great. They really made me feel at home,” Valerie said.
After this exciting and unexpected experience, Valerie is starting to reconsider her future career path. She said she plans to send out some headshots soon and look into media careers. “After being out there, I’m more energized.” But for now, you’ll catch Valerie in General Hospital on August 27 on ABC.
XOXO,
Emily Moorhouse
Editorial Intern
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Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are no longer together says Perez. Apparently, John was the one who ended things. But before we start feeling bad for Jen, the New York Daily News is reporting that she’s already dating someone new. Did you think they were going to last or did you see this coming?
I will admit that I have a soft spot for Disney celebs — as if anyone hasn’t already figured this out — so I kind of feel bad for Vanessa Hudgens if this is true. It is rumored that she is being sued for $5 million. According to the Huffington Post, Vanessa and music producer, Johnny Riviera, signed into an agreement before her huge HSM success which claims that he is entitled to equal share of all her earnings. Wow. That’s a lot of earnings. Thoughts?
I just can’t escape the Jonas Brothers this week — the’re everywhere I turn — literally. I’ve been seeing homemade JB signs as I head home from work. Since Friday, they have managed to attract over 10,000 people to Bryant Park with a performance on Good Morning America, sell out three shows at Madison Square Garden, shut down Times Square at midnight with an appearance at the Virgin Megastore, and cause pandemonium with an impromptu performance at Soho’s Apple Store. Can’t get enough? They’ll be on TRL all week long as part of Jonas Fan Week and new CD “A Little Bit Longer” is in stores now. Tell me, what songs should I download off of their new album? Give me your faves – I’m totally going to be taking your advice!
Can’t wait to hear from you,
Katie Amey
Entertainment Intern
In "OMG, HOW COOL" news, Pink is the New Blog posted a MTV VMAs promo featuring host Russell Brand and (drumroll please) Ms. Britney Spears. If you're looking for a trainwreck, look elsewhere. It seems like MTV teleported in a circa-2002 Britney for the ads. Excited, much? I am…
Finally, to balance out all of the celeb arrests, car crashes, and drama of the past few weeks – here's a good story. According to Popsugar, Shia LaBeouf was out and about with just a splint on his hand. It seems that the damage was less extensive than initially reported. Does this means Transformers 2 is going to finish shooting on time? Let's hope so.
Honest to blog,
Margeaux Lippman
Web Intern
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Some sad news in Hollywood this weekend — funnyman Bernie Mac passed away due to complications from pneumonia. Apparently he was admitted to the intensive care unit of a Chicago hospital a little over a week ago and his immune system just couldn’t fight against the virus. People has full coverage of this tragic event (he was only 50) and comments from his family. So sad.
More bad news! Hayden Panettiere’s father, Alan, was arrested early Monday morning on allegations of spousal abuse. Hayden’s mom has accused him of hitting her in the face! Perez has the whole story. Wow, Hollywood is having a rough couple of days, huh?
And now, something completely gratuitous – and happy, after all of this sad news – here’s a link to a picture of the JoBros leaving their hotel yesterday in NYC. Check it out on Perez. And notice that Kevin’s shirt reads “Team Demi and Selena!” Sending a message, Kev? This made me laugh, and then ask, where can I get one? Thoughts?
Can’t wait to hear from you,
Katie Amey
Entertainment Intern
Are you the kind of girl who likes "hip hop and rock and roll"? If so, you’ll probably love 22-year-old MTV star Shwayze’s self-titled debut, a breezy yet beat-filled album he made in conjunction with legendary socialite Cisco Adler (release date: August 19.)
Cisco and Shwayze stopped by the offices last week, and I had a hilarious time listening to them talk about their friendship and their new show, "Buzzin". I must say — It’s pretty sick that my job includes challenging rock stars to a game of CosmoGirl truth or dare. We made them reveal intimate childhood details and show us pictures from their phone — they had me and my lovely fellow intern, Katie, cracking up as they tried to yodel and do "the worm" in our tiny conference room. In the middle of their visit, Cisco even told us his last text was from fellow socialite/Gossip Girl guest star Lydia Hearst!
Cisco and Shwayze then talked about how they met in Malibu — a town they referred to as "24 miles of scenic backstabbing", which I loved — and about how their laid-back beach-party lifestyle soon became more than just a way to pass the time when they decided to start writing songs about it. The end result is an album and a reality show that follows their exploits, on on Mondays at 10:30 on MTV (watch the first episode here!).
If you’re lamenting the fact that there’s only a month left of summer, check out Shwayze’s tracks — "Corona and Lime" and "Buzzin'" are out now. They’ll at least help you pretend that you’re on a beach somewhere in California.
Tell me what you think!
Fern Diaz
Editorial Intern
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Katie: "I don’t know about you, but the last rock/punk/alternative concert that I went to was in my freshman year of high school – I saw New Found Glory and Good Charlotte in Toronto. So you can imagine my excitement when Ashley and I were offered the opportunity to go to the Blender Theater to see Secondhand Serenade headline the Stay Classy USA 2008 summer tour. (Also on the bill: My American Heart, Playradioplay!, The Graduate and Rookie of the Year.)"
Ashley: "Unlike Katie, my concert history was largely of the bubblegum pop variety, flavored with the likes of *NSYNC, Britney, Jessica Simpson, and Aaron Carter (oh, you know you loved him too!). So I was more than a little apprehensive about going to the Stay Classy show. Wasn’t punk just a bunch of whining and screaming into the mike? And how bored would I be with no backup dancers and synchronized moves to watch? As soon as the show started, however, my worries were cast aside. As the crowd clapped and sang along, the bands took turns pouring a heartfelt range of emotions into every song. I felt like I was part of a really loud, extremely fun poetry reading set to music. Added bonus — the artists were all way cute (esp The Graduate!). I may have just found a new favorite genre."
The show had an awesome line-up and we had the chance to meet headliner, Secondhand Serenade (real name: John). John’s stage name comes from a reference in which the songs he sings are ‘serenades’ to his wife – and that because they were sung for her originally the crowd is hearing them ‘secondhand.’ Sweet! His 2008 sophomore album A Twist in My Story features the radio-friendly hit single “Fall For You.” Check it out on his official MySpace. (Katie’s been singing it ever since he closed the show with it last night!)
We were also lucky enough to also get to chat up newcomers, The Graduate. (An ironic name since none of them graduated college!) Haven’t heard of them? Check them out on their official site We asked the lead singer, Corey, if CosmoGirl readers were only going to listen to one song on the album, what should it be – his recommendation? Download the title track, “Anhedonia,” now!
So, what do you think of Secondhand Serenade? Tell us!
Can’t wait to hear from you,
Katie Amey & Ashley Spencer
Entertainment Intern/News & Features Intern
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