The trend in amateur celebrity news blogs – Part 1

“Kelly Rippa rips Rosie a New One!”"Scarlett Johansson No Nudity Clause?” “America’s Still Moony for Clooney!”

Amateur celebrity news blogs have the potential to be more interesting than regular celebrity news sources, in part because the blogger is under less pressure to meet journalistic standards and can embroider the truth to make it more interesting.

Bloggers are less likely to be sued by a celebrity, so they can give more thorough coverage of sightings and scandals, and not worry about holding back when giving personal opinions of a celebrity’s behavior. Major celebrity news magazine, in contrast, have to keep at least a neutral relationship with the big names, or risk getting scooped if the celebrity refuses to work with them.

If you have ever tried to read a celebrity news magazine, you’ll know that they are essentially monthly photo collages. The magazines have loads of interesting pictures, but the writing, even the feature articles, have the depth and information of a photo caption. When the cover of a magazine reads, ‘Jennifer Spills All About Her Relationship with Brad!’ upon purchasing the magazine you’ll be disappointed to discover that the article has maybe one publicized comment from Jennifer, and a long description of her outfit along with a list of her career choices since the split. Not exactly news.

The magazine covers are often the most interesting and informative writing in the whole magazine. The one exception I’d make to this description is Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair is stylish and well written, and they push the envelope in celebrity reporting, giving readers if not a balanced representation, then at least an interesting angle to a well known personality.

You get a bit more from the feature interviews in women’s magazines. Good Housekeeping, Fitness Magazine, these usually feature a celebrity article about once every issue, in between recipe’s and ‘Dressing Slim for Summer’ articles. These interviews don’t tend to be wildly revealing, as the magazine is doing it’s simpering best to kiss up to the celebrity and maintain a good relationship with them for future purposes, but at least you’ll get the occasional revealing comment within the context of the interview.

Blogs have a lot more freedom to say what they think. The author of a blog isn’t worrying so much about making the celebrity look good so that they can keep them coming back to give interviews. Blogs are more honest because the writer of the blog is usually volunteering. They don’t stand to make money from their reporting, and that’s the best thing that can happen to news.

But they also don’t have stringent journalistic standards to live up to, so they might be feeding their readers some fibs. The upside of this is that it makes for a very entertaining read. As I said earlier, amateur celebrity news blogs have the potential to be a lot more interesting than more conventional celebrity news outlets.

The Exclusive Haunts of London’s Elite

It’s not uncommon to see famous faces walking through the streets of London, with the city long being a hot bed of celebrity sightings and activity, particularly the exclusive clubs and bars that are scattered across the city.

Indeed, many bars in London’s more fashionable areas boast an almost exclusively celebrity clientele. Bungalow 8 for example, located in the Covent Garden area of London, is a regular haunt of many famous people. The brainchild of popular New York hostess Amy Sacco, Bungalow 8 is a fashionable, subterranean with regular guests including Kelly Osbourne, Kate Moss, Damien Hurst and top designer Christopher Kane, who held his Dazed and Confused Fashion Week after party in the club. With bottles of water alone costing £10 though, you’d better be ready to spend like a celebrity as you rub shoulders with them.

Maddox is another upmarket establishment. A top members-only bar situated in the Mayfair area, this bar was designed by renowned designer Sammy Chams, who created a minimal space with room for a bar, boutique club area and an Italian restaurant with the main focal point being the glass encased DJ booth at the top of a staircase. Playing a mix of funky house, R ‘n B and chart hits, Maddox has a wide range of cocktails and food on offer, sure to please even the most discerning of London clubbers, with top names seen at the club including P Diddy and Keira Knightley.

Arguably the hottest West End late night haunt is Maya in the Soho area, decorated in stunning colours with walls clad with transparent screens etched in a mosaic effect, which alternate through a spectrum of vivid fluorescent colours during the night. With most nights in Maya packed full of upbeat and friendly club goers the atmosphere is always vibrant, with table service being provided by a fleet of waitresses clad in bright yellow hotpant-length playsuits. With a music policy ranging from current rock acts to 70’s cheese, the dancefloor is busy all night long helping to sustain a tremendous atmosphere.

Of course it’s not just pubs and clubs where London’s social elite can be found. Many spas in London, particularly establishments in the Notting Hill, Chelsea and Mayfair area of the city, generally count at least a few famous faces as customers, eager to look their best for the next big social function. With services ranging from facials, manicures and pedicures to the use of facilities such as saunas, swimming pools and gyms, London spas offer members of the public the chance to look and feel as good as their favourite celebs.

Of course, you don’t have to spend like a celebrity to live like one. Plenty of London establishments, be they bars, clubs or spas, offer great services at reasonable prices and, with a little research, they’re not too hard to find.

Top celebrity comeback predictions in 2008 – Part 1

“Sightings of Elvis Presley in Budgewoi”

Thursday 17 January 2008…People from all around the world, who predicted Elvis was alive, will have their minds, dreams and thoughts finally put to rest and fruition!

It has been reported to the local media, by a number of age groups visiting their local Friday night hangout “The Halekulani Bowling Club”, (where impersonating acts perform regularly), that the real Elvis Presley appeared at 10:40pm that evening.

“This has been an amazing shock to the local community, to see him in real life, after all these years”, said James, aged 48, from Toukley.

It was rumored, a local physic named Jenny predicted two days earlier, that Elvis would be appearing late into that evening. Taking note of her strong vibes and gut feelings, she brought a pocket sized lie detector, which she ended up attaching to the King’s tongue, turning it gold when the truth was told.

The crowd was silenced and shocked. As Elvis began to address the audience, club members were unable to close their mouths in disbelief. Some ladies lay motionless on the club floor.

The King asked all of us to reflect and just imagine for a minute if we all changed places with him, how we would cope and deal with the paparazzi always hounding us? What would it be like having to be with one of his minders, every minute of the day? Having so many women chasing and wanting you? Not being able to walk down the street in your local town, without being touched, prodded or crushed. Your lifestyle demanding that you are up late every night? Having to experience irregular sleeping patterns because of an oversupply and consumption of so many sleeping pills, antidepressants, mixed as a champagne cocktail. Seriously is it any life at all?

Kimberley Saull, aged 18, who was visiting from the Hornsby area said, she could see the pain in and around Elvis as he explained how deeply depressed he felt, as his body and state of mind slipped away from his personal control. His life was spiraling downwards and he just wanted to be free and had an urgent desire to be anonymous. “Faking his death was the only way out!”

In order to keep his family in an environment they were accustom too and wanted to still please his millions of fans with a piece of his life history, song and legend, he chose to open and continue with the operation of the Graceland property and memorabilia; “opening it to the public”, he said, was like sharing his life with us all, so the separation of his legend, wasn’t so harsh to the world!

“The King” believed he had waited long enough and enjoyed his life as a single man, out of the spotlight to finally reappear and prove how easy it was to fool the world and to say his final goodbyes, as he grasped for breath, his heart stopped beating, he died on stage, being struck by the hand of god above for lying and faking his death.

The body laid stone cold straight on centre stage, no one moved, the only sounds to fill the air, were the sounds of the poker machines calling out for you to be fair and play.

The sexiest man alive…

I think it’s impossible to say who the sexiest man alive is, since I am never likely to meet all the men on the planet in order to assess them. I also think sexiness is subjective; one woman’s meat is another’s poison.

I assume the person who initiated this topic was talking about famous celebrities. Even then, there are so many delicious specimens that it is hard to pick out just one. However, I can give you a list, in no particular order, of a few men I think are sexy along with the reasons why.

Antonio Banderas

I doubt that there are many women who would throw Antonio out of their bed just for eating potato chips. He has eyes so soulful they could melt stone. He also has a very sexy accent. I once saw him wet in the bath in a movie called The Assassin., and it was such a beautiful sight to behold that I almost fainted.

Rufus Sewell.

I like Sewell because he is a diverse actor that can play any role. I also think he is very easy on the eye. His curls are cute and I love his unusual coloring. The sexiest thing about Sewell has to be his voice, which is smooth and velvety.

Jack Black

I can almost hear some of you women saying “eeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww” at the thought of Jack Black being sexy. However, it is Black’s sense of humor that I appreciate. Nothing is sexier than a man who can make you laugh. I also think his eyes are lovely. Try to look beyond the fact that he carries a few extra pounds and you’ll see what I mean.

Heath Ledger

I think Ledger is attractive because he epitomizes masculinity. It is very easy to imagine him rescuing you on a white stallion.

David Boreanas

Boreanas is in the American TV series Bones. He plays the part of Special Agent Seeley Booth. As far as I am concerned, he is devastatingly handsome. I think it is because he reminds me of someone I once had a secret crush on.

Danny Marsterson

Danny plays Hyde in the sit-com entitled “That Seventies Show”. Not only is he good looking, but also his bad boy attitude definitely appeals.

Taylor Hicks.

Ok so he has gray hair and he’s a little chubby. Nevertheless, he’s cute. There is something about seeing Hicks perform that appeals to a good number of women, which is why he won American Idol in 2005. I also love his Southern gentleman persona.

I will end the list here although I could go on, perhaps indefinitely.

Your reactions to Heath Ledgers death

My reaction to Mr. Ledger’s death came in phases. I as usual was at work and got a call from my significant other. Simple question was asked. You know that guy who’s supposed to play the joker in batman? I of course immediatly knew. My knowledge of the celebrity world knows no bounds. I replied back that “yes I knew who he was why? he responded by bluntly stating “he’s dead. Dead silence of about 15 seconds on my end with my heart just sinking. In those fifteen seconds many thoughts and emotions went into my head. Supreme shock was one. Disbelief and horror the next. The verbal thoughts entered. I was not that much of a fan of the guy so why is my heart sinking? I only watched a few of his movies. Is it because I have been reading so much about the new batman franchise and people’s high expectations of him? like a signal from the heavens something told me to look to my right and there posted on the big screen tv of my workplace was cnn (which is hilarious considering the fact that political discussion is not allowed in the workplace yet it stays on a political channel 24/7). What I see on the screen further shocks me. The body of heath ledger being led by paramedics in a black body bag to an ambulance. I began to get angry at the sight. Such a bold image to be displayed like that without warning and to a man who I knew valued his privacy seemed not only tacky, but sacreligious in a way. Watching this scene became a morbid experience that I had to detach myself from to hear my boyfriends ramblings on how the makeup for the new joker did not look realistic in a bored voice. If there was a way to virtually slap someone through the phone I would have made heavy use of that power in that moment! How could he not feel as sad or as shocked as I do? He feels more for the friggan joker character then the man behind the character!

Throughout the day I began to analyze my feelings and I came to the conclusion of why I was sad and shocked in the first place. As I said I was never a big fan of his to begin with. The handful of films that I saw him in was brokeback mountain and the patriot. Both films I thought he did a major job in, but as a human being he seemed very soft spoken and a good person who was dedicated to his work and was on the road to big things. When I see or hear of a celebrity dying a part of me expects to not be shocked by it. Normally because the celebrities that now pass were from the older eras or who’s death’s you see coming from a mile away. How

Testimonies: Meeting celebrities – Part 1

Darana (Darshan, Sanskrit: ) is a Sanskrit term meaning “sight” (in the sense of an instance of seeing or beholding; vision, apparition, or glimpse. It is most commonly used for “visions of the divine,” i.e. of a god or a very holy person or artifact. One could “receive darshana” of the deity in the temple, or from a great saintly person, such as a great guru. In the sense “to see with reverence and devotion,” the term translates to hierophany, and could refer either to a vision of the divine or to being in the presence of a highly revered person. In this sense it may assume a meaning closer to audience. “By doing darshan properly a devotee develops affection for God, and God develops affection for that devotee.”[1]

It was a warm fall night, the worst kind of fall night in some ways, the middle of the week, “hump day” in the first week of October. What should have been a crisp brisk walk from subway stairs to the front of the United Palace Theater was only a cotton-thin-wisp-of-jacket cool and I began to sweat. Sweating is unpleasant in and of itself, but the very .persistent nausea and the general agitation of my body was borderline unbearable. And what was it exactly that was beginning to bubble up deep inside, a fit of hope, a spark of depression, the most intense belief in the possible or an assured sense of inevitability? To write about it is only slightly more mortifying then to remember the desperate hold this man has over me. Beck: to know him completely and utterly and to know nothing about him at all; to “give the finger to the rock and roll singer as he’s dancing upon your paycheck;” to walk quietly beside Maryam and try to imagine that for a moment I can be special enough to be singled out in this impossible crowd of likely stories; to be his “cool fan.” But the fear, the icy hot flash of human comprehension, does nothing to prepare me for what will take place inside of me when I do, in fact, stand in front of him and return his gaze.

Inside the theater I do not feel better; not from lack of excitement or longing to have that “experience” of music that a rock concert promises, not from the agonized pleading of my heart that he will be ok up there, when in recent months he has seemed so far away and gloomy and unsatisfied. All of the articles that reference this disconnect in him, all of the photos that reveal some internal turmoil swirl in my mind: the comments about scientology suicides, the end of tours, the lyrics of his new albumdeeply introspective

Will the Beckhams be able to give their children a normal life in America despite media attention?

We seem to place a great deal of importance on the lifestyle choices of the rich and famous. And typically, once celebrity off-spring becomes part of the fray, media attention does not shy away from its constant attention of waiting and watching.

And as far as David and Victoria Beckham are concerned, they are no strangers to the vigilant and often intrusive eye of the lens. However, what sets them apart from celebrities who often resort to temper tantrums or violent outbursts at the sight of yet another flash-bulb- is their adeptness at dealing with the situation. These are two people who’ve learnt the art of self-promotion- but on their own terms. And in saying as much, as much as they love making the headlines, they’ve gone to great lengths to preserve their keen sense of family life, out of the public eye. And in an industry where marriages seem to fizzle out within hours, they’ve managed to maintain a sense of domesticity without the drama or tragedy demonstrated by some of their peers. Secluded homes, private jets, private schools and bodyguards make up a large part of their existence. The veritable Posh Spice has been known to have a store shut its doors just so she is able to shop in seclusion, with kids in tow. On rare occasions, the Beckham kids are snapped with their parents, conscious of the press but oblivious to the attention. Clearly, this is their normal- it’s what they were born into and it’s all they know. So why would it be different in the States? Actually, it won’t be. The Beckhams have all the money in the world to conserve what they regard as ordinary. Apart from the obvious trappings of their wealth, they’ve been astute in choosing their new circle of friends in Hollywood. Tom Cruise and Will Smith ranks among the closest. Why? These are celebrities who share their values of privacy and convention. No scandal or indignity fuelling the rumor mill here. So it seems, that despite the gossip-mongery and suspicion that Mrs Beckham is only out to conquer the States, she may still be able to hold onto what she professes comes first: the wellbeing of her kids.

Flauntla – The ultimate fashion destination for women

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FlauntLA.com is also looked to by stylists for a fresh perspective on the latest trends. We offer pieces that reflect the eclectic yet wearable fashions Los Angeles and the United States is known for.
We offer a haven for every girl who wants to find that perfect piece that suits both her individuality and sense of style.Just like you, we wanted a place where we could go and find high quality items at a great price. We demand great value, and we loved the idea of shopping from the comfort of home.
As we know, there are innumerable retailers — brick mortar and online — from which to choose.We have done our share of shopping at the retail level and KNOW what it takes to produce a pleasurable and unique experience. An extraordinary assortment of beautiful clothing and our talented staff will create a truly memorable shopping experience for everyone who clicks into flauntLA.com
It isn’t hard to find celebrity-style clothes if you know where to look. By shopping with flauntLA.com, you’ll have access to all the latest celebrity styles. Our high-end clothes include the latest celebrity must-haves. If you are curious to see what celebrities are wearing, check out our Celebrity Sightings section.Another great feature for our online shoppers is our Best Sellers section where we bring you the hottest items available now. Using our convenient Shop by brand tool you can search for your favorite designer’s items that way while filtering out what lines you may be into more than others.
Our mission is to please our customers and our success is dependent on you. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome and encouraged.

Are Celebrities Driving The Trend In Designer Perfumes?

Going back a few years there were but a few designer perfumes on sale at your posh department store. The big names were Estee Lauder, Chanel and Guerlain. Whilst these names are still around and still make some wonderful perfumes it seems that celebrities are now the driving force behind the perfume sales. It seems that every Hollywood starlet must have her own perfume and range of cosmetics.

Do Celebrities Get A Hand In Designing Their Perfume?

I guess this depends on the celebrity and how much they interested. Those that have a long term vision of their career I guess may take an active role in the design and development because they want a fragrance that reflects their image long term. Image is everything in Hollywood. It’s what drives sales and keeps you in the headlines. Those perhaps that are short-sighted may be inclined to slap their name to any product, take the cash and run.

Apparently, Celine Dion took a very active role in the development of her designer perfume. That’s not to say she personally picked the ingredients from the fields but rather she was involved in the development process that decided what kind of fragrance she wanted along with the packaging and marketing of the product.

Another celebrity that was heavily involved in the production of her perfume was Jennifer Lopez. She once worked on a cosmetics counter so probably knows a little more about what she wanted than some others. She worked with a cosmetics company that worked out the primary scent and then she added a hint of sake that tops off the fragrance just nicely. When designing the perfume bottle she took it upon herself to add some finishing touches by adding a fake diamond ring on the neck of the bottle. This is to reflect her love of wearing jewellery. This was Jennifer’s way of branding her own personality onto her perfume.

Paris Hilton, on the other hand, had very little to do with her perfume design. Apart from taking part in the marketing campaign she had very little input and left everything to someone else to sort. Perhaps this was a true reflection of her personality. Someone who has had to do very little for herself because there was always someone else there to do it for her.

Celebrity Designer Perfumes Grow In Popularity

One of the first celebrities to introduce her own perfume was Elizabeth Taylor. The launch was met with a mixed reaction. Many critics felt that celebrity perfumes were just the latest craze and would soon fade away. But today the growth looks strong. As new celebrities emerge from the limelight so it seems does a new designer perfume. It must be working though. Perfume sales are at an all time high but I suspect unlike the original designer labels that have stood the test of time as celebrities fade away so will the sales of their perfumes.

Newport Beach Sights You Should Not Miss

Newport Beach is located 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 85 miles north of San Diego in Orange County. It is comprised of the villages such as Balboa, Balboa Island, Corona del Mar, Harbor Island, and Newport Heights. It is famous all over the world because of the picture-perfect sandy beaches and the long stretch of coastline. That, in itself, should be reason enough for you to visit.

Many famous celebrities frequent this place, if not call it home. But celebrity or not, you can still explore Newport Beach and its villages for a luxurious and adventurous experience.

Nature Trip

Environmental Nature Center

Go exploring the more than 2 acres of wildlife habitat with trail guides as you discover California’s unique flora and fauna. Admission is free.

Upper Newport Bay

A free two-hour tour is available every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. It starts at 9 in the morning from Shellmaker Island. You can explore the areas that are home to more than 200 species of birds and wildlife. You can also avail of canoe tours and campfire activities for the family.

Culture and the Arts

City Hall Art Gallery

Visit Newport Blvd from between 9 am to 4 pm from Mondays to Fridays and drop by the City Hall Art Gallery to see works by exhibits of paintings, sculpture and photography by homegrown artists.

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum

The museum is set in the Pride of Newport, measuring 190 feet. It features the traditional and local sea-faring culture of the region. Galleries focus on several themes ranging from the recreational to commercial. The museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission fees for adults are $4, while for children are $1.

Newport Theater Arts Center

2501 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach, CA; (949) 631-0288; Call for Schedule:

The local community theater features veteran and new actors. Swing by Cliff Drive and look for the Theatre on the Cliff for schedules of current plays and upcoming shows.

Don’t confine yourself to going around just the Newport Beach proper. Be adventurous and take a trip to its outlying villages.

Balboa Island

You could spend a day walking along Marine Avenue just browsing more than 70 shops, galleries and restaurants. Specialty boutiques and sidewalk cafes also add flavor to the area. To get there, either take a ferry from Balboa Peninsula or drive down Jamboree Road.

Balboa Peninsula

If promenading is your thing, try the Balboa boardwalk where you can bike, skate and/or walk as you take in the sights of Newport Harbor. An amusement park established in the 1930s still stands and is a local, as well as a tourist, favorite. Rides the merry-go-round and Ferris wheel in between trips to shops and restaurants. It also features the Balboa Pavilion, which was an electric railway terminal back in the early 1900s.

Cannery Village

What used to be the hub of commercial fishing with boat yards and canneries (thus the name), this village is now mostly comprised of fine restaurants, vintage shops and a good number of art galleries. For a sampling of the local art, visit Cannery Wharf Park every Sunday to see local artists exhibiting their works towards the afternoon.

Lido Marina

This waterfront village is situated by the Via Oporto. Don’t be fooled by the out-of-the-way location of this enclave by the harbor side. It is home to boutiques, jewelry stores, art museums and galleries, and restaurants by the boardwalk.

Mariner’s Mile

Whatever you speed is, you can take a charter for either sports fishing or dinner cruise. All restaurants and galleries have a strong maritime feel to them owing to their location. You can also take a gondola ride for a romantic tour around the New Port Harbor canals. Find Mariner’s Mile by West Coast Highway and is in between Dover Drive and Newport Boulevard.

McFadden Square

McFadden Square has been famous with chefs and professional seafood buyers since the late 1890s. People would come to get their choice picks of fresh seafood and you can see such activity still go on which starts everyday at 9 in the morning.

There’s a lot Newport can bring to your vacation, whether you are on a luxury spree or on a modest budget. You can experience nature at its best while sampling local crafts as well as some high-class shopping. Whatever your speed, Newport Beach has something for everyone.

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