Most people think cash is the laziest gift to give, but when Birdman handed Lil' Wayne a Louis Vuitton briefcase filled with one million dollars in cash, the older man probably felt pretty good about his choice of present.
No, it wasn't ransom money-Lil' Wayne celebrated his 26th birthday on Monday at the Miami nightclub Mansion with a party boasting a lavish theme that seems more than a little ironic, considering the current state of the economy.
Birdman, who sports a cross tattoo on his forehead that matches Lil' Wayne's, took Lil' under his wing when the younger man was eleven and had started recording freestyle raps on the answering machine of the owner of Cash Money Records. Since then, Birdman has become Lil' Wayne's "adopted father"-and he certainly knows how to spoil his kid. The party celebrating Lil' Wayne's September 27th birthday featured several ice sculptures with hundred-dollar bills frozen inside... More >> ..

You'd think that for $20 million, most people could remember which watch to put on, but apparently Oscar winner Charlize Theron has a harder time than most. The endorsement extraordinaire was paid $250,000 by Chopard to wear its jewels to the Oscars and BAFTA awards in 2006 and also received over $50,000 worth of jewelry for wearing Cartier. But the jewelry model was apparently double-booked from October 2005 to December 2006, when she was required by contract to wear exclusively Raymond Weil watches.

It seems that during the time in question Theron was simultaneously the face of Dior's perfume campaign, and so chose to wear one of their watches instead of a Weil watch to a Texas press event in March of 2006. Cheating Charlize was also caught canoodling at an AIDS charity campaign in a necklace...how could she? But Theron's not the only one violating contracts here. According to The New York Observer, Raymond Weil ran an ad featuring model Thema Thormasdittor, which lawyers argue is also a breach of contract... More >> ..

While "Top Gun" star Tom Cruise tries to fly under the radar after failing to carry a fleet of box office flops (his life preserving cameo in Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" can only drag him so far), Katie Holmes is earning her wings at Center Stage. Holmes' Broadway debut in Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" originally provoked poor reviews and controversial Scientology protests, but last week the show surprised critics, selling out 98% of its seats. During its eight previews, the full house grossed a total of over $684,000-the highest in ticket sales compared to other Broadway performances that week-despite the fact that its official opening night is still two weeks away. While most tickets are priced just above $100, seats for select shows are grabbing almost $300 a seat next to Tom and Suri? Priceless. Protective pads not included.

The Super Bowl champion (who is now out for the season) found the time to purchase a new piece of real estate, valued at $11 million dollars. Given that Brady has only purchased the 3.6 acres of land and that building property should cost three times its value, it looks like Brady is set to spend at least $44 million dollars on his recent investment. At least he will get to hang out with with Brentwood celebs like the Govenator Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, and Antoni Banderas, just to name a few of his close new neighbors. Brentwood is known for its expensive real estate and celebrity  population.
Brady is well-equipped to afford such a high price tag. He is the spokesmodel for numerous products, demands a high fee for speaking appearances, and is one of the leading quarterbacks in the NFL. It is rumored that he bought the plot of land so that he could be closer to his child. Bridget Moynahan says that is a load of, well, you know what... More >> ..

A recent ad on Craigslist with the subject "Need Sarah Palin lookalike ASAP for adult film" has generated a lot of buzz. Think about it: this could be the ultimate role for you budding actresses out there. It seems that Larry Flynt was the person behind the ad's posting, and offered up $3000 for the role, just over the average going rate in the industry for such a film. Flynt was quoted as saying "Look, Palin's not that extraordinary looking. With a little make up and prosthetics anyone can look like Winnie the Pooh." Palin has yet to comment. I'm sure she has much more important issues to stay on top of (no pun intended).

At only two, Matilda Ledger has a lot going on beyond the confines of her playpen. Her parents split last year, her father passed away in January, and now she stands to lose the $12.5 million owed by Heath Ledger's insurance company. All this and she can hardly mutter the word "inheritance," let alone spell it.
When Aussie actor Heath Ledger unexpectedly passed away earlier this year, a flurry of speculations surged through the media. Some called it suicide; others wove their own "Murder, She Wrote" conspiracy theories to explain the shocking death of one of Hollywood's most promising stars.
The public eye continues to stare at Ledger as news regarding the late actor's estate surfaces. Heath's parents have ensured Matilda's future-she will inherit all of Ledger's estate (estimated at $16.6 million) once she turns 18. However, the case is far from closed. Ledger's insurance company is refusing to grant the $12... More >> ..

There's a new kid on the block at Hollywood's Citrus at Social. Just last week, 28-year-old Chef Omri Aflalo was officially promoted to Chef de Cuisine, replacing Rémi Lauvand as LA's latest hotspot chef on Sunset. Chef Omri carries the prestigious mantel of world-renowned Chef Michel Richard's light, fresh, and innovative French-Californian cuisine. Richard pioneered his own seasonal tasting menu, and he is now trusting Aflalo to run the show.
Angelino's love the lemon, lime, and orange hues of the hip cocktail bar's interior, in addition to the classic martinis with a citrus twist served to LA's club-hopping crowd. But the star attraction is the excellent food-the 72-Hour Short Rib Frites are already a legend as is the Lobster Burger that Britney Spears was rumoured to have recently devoured. And don't miss the delicious staple dessert, formerly known as the Kit Kat-Hershey demanded Social rename the ganache and hazelnut praline dessert when the dessert became popular... More >> ..

Like a true artiste, Dane Cook surrounds himself with the muses of comedic past. A few years ago, he moved into the apartment complex that once housed his comedic heroes, Steve Martin and Jim Belushi. Their former presence may inspire jokes, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to appeal to his domestic side. He isn't even cleaning up after his dog.

Dane Cook's Hollywood landlord is suing the foul-mouthed comic for neglecting his duties as a renter. Apparently, the strong fecal stench emitting from Cook's apartment is disturbing his neighbors. The comedian offered the landlord a $40,000 as a peace offering in order to remain in his apartment; however, prior to the offer, a judge ruled to have Cook evicted.

According to PerezHilton.com, Dane's court documents plea, "I know that the presence of those that have lived there before me affects me deeply and provides me with inspiration. In the same way that writers can get writer's block, comedians can really easily run out of ideas and 'stories'; I am extremely frightened that this will happen to me if I am forced to move out of my apartment... More >> ..

For most of my life, my hair was much like Oprah's body: in a constant state of flux, yet always drop-dead sexy. My luscious locks have often changed style over the years due to personal influences, differing eras of fashion, and convincing shampoo commercials.

From 1980 to 83, I usually donned a purple top hat with small strands of crimped, multi-colored hair falling over my right eye, as I was in a three-year long process of wooing Anne Heche, who was a huge Boy George fan (even then she was unsure of which gender she wanted). '1983 to '1990 was a time of yearly rotation from short and spiky to long, teased and feather banged, paired with various denim outfits and facial hair to match, depending on what George Michael looked like.

It wasn't until the early 90s that I saw a life-changing Pert Plus commercial of a dashing young man showering joyfully; and later, while he's toweling off, a beautiful woman runs her hand through his hair. It inspired not only a sexual connection to green shampoo, but also the noble, left-parted, perfectly whisked across look I have sported ever since (I call it the "Whimsical Duke").

There's a saying that in Texas everything is bigger, and from what I saw while I was in Dallas for my book signing, that rings especially true when it comes to hair.

My friend Gigi set me up with an appointment at the Frederic Fekkai salon on the day of my party at the Oscar de la Renta store, and since I was in Dallas and wearing a jaw-dropping Oscar dress for my book signing, I thought I would give big hair a whirl.

My scalp has never had to endure so much teasing and my hair has never undone such a curling, but the end result, I have to say, was actually pretty great. Which brings me to the latest lesson I've learned on my book tour: While I might need to get my hair professionally done from time to time, I'm better off doing my makeup for myself. I just don't like the way most makeup artists make me look. They put on too much eye shadow and blush, and the end result is that I look older, not better... More >> ..

Britney's imminent return has finally come. After last year's Dance of Shame, Britney secured a much-needed victory and swept at the VMAs. Supposedly she's stopped drinking caffeine-laced frappuccinos long enough to remember that those two toddler's yelling "mommy" are her children. Mama Brit, reincarnated, has also suddenly found the restraint to stop jamming umbrellas into parked cars while speaking in a choppy British accent. Tears of nostalgia are being shed by the paparazzi that typically survive off of OMG Britney footage. Luckily, for those fans that knew she had it in her, the "Hit Me Baby One More Time" pop princess has been cloned, and the tan, toned Britney we know and love is back.

Trimming the fat was only the first step. For the past few months, Ms. Spears has been living a normal life with her kids, and she has a new album expected to drop in December. Next up, the pop star is looking to relocate to Calabasas, about an hour north of Los Angeles, to provide a more open environment for her boys to play... More >> ..

This week I flew down to Nashville for my fifth book party. The event was held at the Fiandaca store in Green Hills in conjunction with the designer Alexandra Lind Rose, who is often erroneously referred to as a socialite.
Alexandra represents everything good about New York society. Yes, she is social and involved in many charities (in addition to being quite beautiful), but more than that, she is a clothing designer who has worked hard her entire life to hone her aesthetic and design techniques. Her line for Fiandaca is a dream, and I was lucky enough to wear one of her gorgeous frocks.
The evening book signing was a ton of fun. I saw many of my old friends from Nashville, and some of their mothers even dropped by as well. One mom even dropped by with my friend's wedding album and a folder of old pictures (twelve was not a good year for me, looks-wise). What struck me most of all was how little my friends had changed. We're older and have babies and careers under our belts, but we're still the same twelve-year-old girls squealing and squabbling and laughing our way through life... More >> ..

It's a well-known fact the Kendra Wilkinson, Hefner's sporty girl, has always had a thing for athletes. Lately she's been making her way to the end zone with Philadelphia Eagle Hank Basset. Now it looks like Chris Angel is stepping in to step on Hugh's toes. Chris has been seen with Hef's number one girl-Holly Madison, and since Chris has a history of being a bit of a ladies' man, well, this magician just made Hefner's favorite girl disappear.
The only one staying loyal to the Master of the Mansion is Bridget Marquardt, but maybe that's because she is still married to a man in Ohio! Hefner himself is still legally married to Kimberley Conrad, who is the mother of his four children. As for Holly and her fling with Angel, Hefner was quoted as saying "One hopes...that when she starts dating, she'll have better taste."

Dubbed the "Nutritionist to the Stars," Oz Garcia, Ph.D. (not to be confused with Oprah's ubiquitous "Dr. Oz") employs the latest information and thinking in nutritional science when formulating personalized programs for clients that include an array of Fortune 500 CEO's and celebrity A-listers such as Hilary Swank, Winona Ryder, and Kim Cattrall (in case you were wondering how our dear Sam Jones kept her luscious body so luscious).

Garcia is a nutritional counselor whose aim is to establish a lifelong program for clients that will introduce them to a whole new way of eating. He individually crafts each plan to meet an individual's lifestyle, and believes that by following his methods you will not only live longer, but you will live better.

Generally, clients meet with Garcia once a week for the first month, and then every other week for the remainder of the year. During a typical consultation Garcia will inquire about current living habits, along with extensive biological factors that include heredity, age, sex, and blood and oxygen types... More >> ..

Since 50 is now the new 18, MILFs and "Sex and the City" wannabes are rushing to make their half-century hoorahs celebrations of youth, life, and all things rejuvenating-
with a little help from the scalpel. Oprah did it, Madonna followed, and Susan Lucci lifted her face about six times. Famous celebrity birthdays abound, but somewhere on Manhattan's Upper Eastside, a more monumental 50th awaits.

On May 14th, 1959, President Eisenhower plunged a celebratory shovel into the ground outside what is today New York City's Lincoln Center. Opera singers serenaded while Leonard Bernstein conducted the New York Philharmonic in recognition of the city's movement to gift the arts with a proper home. John Rockefeller funded more than half the project (or $184.5 million) in the spirit of New York City's mid-20th century urban renewal project.

Fast forward through the Cold Wars and decades of bad trends and hairdos to the present day, when Lincoln Center prepares for another massive movement... More >> ..