Hollywood Celebrities Gossips

This! Is! Not American Idol. So why am I here? What could I possibly be doing functioning in recap form without Coke cups (Wha?! Pepsi? Aw, remember this?) and utterly predictable song choices involving hits from artists whose names rhyme with Fitney Blouston (Oh wait!)? Filling in for your vacationing X Factor recapper, Shaunna Murphy, that's what!

But never fear — we're in this together folks. And prior to seeing the episode, I thought we would go through this like Simon Cowell got through Season 9: Slowly and begrudgingly. Because unlike your dear Shaunna, I am somewhat new to the X Factor train, which, from what I know, rides you straight past our judges "homes," into a Pepsi commercial, and straight out onto the Island of Forgotten Misfit Reality Stars. But this season is different! This season we have bright-eyed promise, Britney Spears, and, of course, Canadian wonder Justin Bieber. So what’s all the fuss aboot? Let’s get into it!

As screaming host man made clear during his voiceovers (nope, Dunkleman is still worse), on Wednesday night, our judges were handed their teams. And first up tonight was L.A. Reid’s group of youthful twenty and thirtysomethings. Oh wait, did I say youthful twenty and thirtysomethings? I meant slowly decaying corpses. At least if you ask L.A., a man who passes much judgment despite a friendship with a man named Scooter. (Did he learn nothing from Valerie?) Yes, the big news was the Biebes and his manager, Scooter Braun, were on tap to coolly bop their heads and say insightful things like, “They have to give it their all,” “He has a good voice,” and “She was singing, eh?” Let’s roll through L.A.’s lineup of moving carcasses:

Jason Brock: “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” by Fergie: The former misfit delivered an impassioned — if a bit overstated — performance of the hit single. The judges, however, seemed unimpressed until Bieber perked up halfway through the song, possibly simply identifying with the lyrics, “I’m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket.” Poor Bieber blanket. All alone. A decent start that would have been made better if Jason’s speaking voice didn’t sound like he was constantly stumbling out of a Watch What Happens Live taping.

David Correy: “Domino,” by Jessie J: The man who chose the most complicated method possible to reconnect with his birth mother delivered a strong performance of the Jessie J single. Negative points, however, for pointing at the skyline while singing about the “Hollywood stars.” 1999 called, and Backstreet Boys want their moves back.

Daryl Black: “She’s Gone,” Hall & Oates: I agreed with Bieber here when he essentially stated that Daryl was, in fact, a human who made noises from his mouth. Sorry, Daryl — you were as forgettable as Johnny Mnemonic. Oh, Canada.

Tate Stevens: “One,” Brian McKnight: X Factor’s resident cowboy may be unique, but his vocal chops need plenty of work to be fit for a $5 million prize. But, likely for him, this isn’t a singing competition, silly! It’s about the package. And when you have Bieber rooting for you, you know you’re the Toronto Maple Leafs. Or you have a leg up in the competition. Bonus points to Tate, however, for singing “One” on 10/11/12, a day dedicated to the art of counting.

Vino Alan: “Sober,” Pink: I wanted to like Vino after hearing his horrific backstory, but, unfortunately, if I wasn’t sober, I’d swear he was the seventh member of Crazy Town.

Tara Simon: “The Reason,” Hoobastank: You know that girl back in drama club who only loved the Rent soundtrack more than the spotlight? That was Tara, a vocal coach who claimed in the course of 60 seconds, “I feel like I will win the whole thing,” “I’ve always been a star — people have just now caught onto it,” and “I want to be America’s darling.” Typically, however, darlings don’t use the meat cleaver that is their voice to murder a song that was already a bloody mess. Then to clinch the whole audition with, “Thank you, Jesus.” Well, there’s “The Reason” to show yourself straight out of L.A.’s door.

Following the ghoulish sight of people who have outlived puberty, it was time to move on to Britney Spears group of teens, guest mentored by will.i.am. And we finally learned why the Black Eyed Peas singer gave himself the nickname — as a reminder that he is Will, and not a series of objects and things he associates with people. “She’s like a caterpillar … he’s like a used hairbrush … she’s like that plastic thing that sits in the center of delivery pizza … he’s like lamp. I love lamp!”

Meanwhile, the children sat waiting for their turn to sing, “joking” about “fighting to the death.” You see, they’re all competing against one another, but no, they really aren’t, because they’re all the same, but no, they’re really competing and they all better watch out, cue teenage eye rolls, and BAM! At least two of these girls suddenly became emotionally damaged. Hooray for child stardom! Ready for precociousness?

Diamond White: “I’m With You,” Avril Lavigne: Funny how the episode didn’t hit its stride until the introduction of this young teen, who managed to deliver a beautiful rendition of a hit that’s a song version of hangnails. Plus, Diamond is adorable, sparkling, and ripe for plenty of jewelry puns. A writer’s dream.

Reed Deming: “Hey There Delilah,” Plain White Ts: Remember Idol’s Eben Franckewitz? Short, tiny, poised? Extinguished “Set Fire to the Rain” until it was a heap of semifinal rubble? Well, Reed was like a slightly more talented and robotic version of Eben. And, I have to admit, I dug it, despite wondering what will happen when his voice eventually changes. (Ohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease on the live X Factor stage!) will.i.am labeled Reed “The Emperor,” which makes me wonder why he’s imagining Reed without clothes and oh my god does this mean I am too? Do I have to report myself to my neighbors?

James Tanner: Nondescript Rap Song: This child raps. It’s adorable. But, sorry, James — you’re about as gansta as Eminem is a Southern Belle. Next.

Arin Ray: “Starships,” Nicki Minaj: The boy formerly known as an inTENsity group member irritated me for two reasons: 1) The unwillingness to take responsibility for his Season 1 failure, claiming that now he doesn’t “have to rely on anyone,” and 2) Being part of a group with unnecessary caps that my computer autocorrects, forcing me to go back and reformat my text. That said, Britney liked his stripped down version of the hit, meaning my wish to see him escape to the island over overly complex titles — ruled by President HawtoRNe — will likely go ungranted.

Beatrice Miller: “Titanium,” David Guetta: Beatrice is like a baby, 2010s version of Fiona Apple: She has a mad cool voice, is incredibly artistic, and is an emotional loose cannon. The young singer almost crumbled under the pressure of having to perform in front of Britney, giving us uncomfortable Season 1 Rachel Crow feelings. Still, she pulled through with an excellent, unique performance of Guetta’s hit. Britney, however, might not think she’s emotionally ready. But if they cut you, Beatrice, just remember: This X Factor is bulls**t.

Carly Rose Sonenclar: “Brokenhearted,” Karmin: Beatrice’s biggest competition, however, is teen frontrunner Sonenclar, who boasts a voice so mature, I think it just purchased a fine Malbec. Smooth, silky, and absolutely refined — is there any beating her at this stage? Word to the wise: Stay away from the Cornucopia, Carly.

What did you think of the episode? Which eight will advance to the live shows? Were you as disappointed as I was that the ho-hum “Overs” proved L.A.’s first instincts right? Did you feel like checking yourself into a retirement home every time the teens said they’ve been working towards this their whole. Entire. Life? And are you, too, disappointed that we were treated to no pool-centric slapstick at Britney’s home? How did no one fall in?!

[Image Credit: FOX]

THG is counting down the 100 Hottest Bikini Bodies of 2012!
From now until the end of the year, we'll be paying tribute to the hottest of the hot with bikini photos galore. The competition is guaranteed to be sweltering.
Keeping the hotness rolling today at #66: Maria Menounos!
Previously, we paid tribute to Ali Landry bikini pictures. Today, it's Mario Lopez's co-host.
Maria Menounos is Extra hot, you could say.

It should come as no surprise to The Real Housewives of New Jersey viewers that Teresa Giudice dislikes Melissa Gorga. With a passion.
But what is the source for this total and complete hatred?
According to In Touch Weekly, it centers around Teresa's husband, Joe, who reportedly has a wandering eye for more than just Atlantic City hoes.

The Bachelor's Molly Mesnick is pregnant with her first child.
It will be the second for her husband, Jason Mesnick, who was the first single dad to star on the ABC reality show. He has a seven-year-old son, Ty, with ex-wife Hillary.
Jason and Molly tied the knot in 2010.

Justin Bieber is a distant cousin of several other celebs you are quite familiar with. Call it a Canadian dynasty of music (and a little acting) stardom.
According to Ancestry (dot) com, Biebs is related to ...
... Celine Dion, Ryan Gosling and Avril Lavigne! Wow!
We're talking 10th, 11th and 12th cousins, but still.

Vanity Fair alleges that La Toya Jackson raided and pillaged Michael Jackson's house just hours after he died, and the late singer's sister is infuriated.

La Toya is threatening to sue the magazine if it doesn't retract the story.
The article, entitled "Estate of Siege," claims she showed up at MJ's mansion shortly after his death and began stuffing plastic bags filled with cash into a duffel bag.

Two things are rather clear at this point:

1. Ashton Kutcher is dating Mila Kunis.
2. Mila Kunis really is the Sexiest Woman Alive.

Combine these two facts and there's little wonder that an insider tells Us Weekly Moore is "not psyched" about her ex moving on with the gorgeous actress.

"She was always insecure over the course of her marriage," a friend says of Moore. "So, yeah, it's hurtful that he's with someone he knew the whole time he was with her."

Nicole Kidman has really transformed herself...into another famous actress. The Aussie star has taken on the title of princess in her new role as the screen legend Grace Kelly for her upcoming film Grace of Monaco.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all, and Kidman has Kelly's iconic look down to a T. Rifling through some old images, the visual comparison between the two is striking: from the coat, to the curled bob--heck even the sunglasses are on par. Demure and sophisticated ladies both, Kidman's portrayal of Kelly will focus on her involvement with Monaco's Prince Rainier III (whom Kelly married in 1956) and the attempts she made to make peace between her adopted country and France (particularly then-President Charles De Gaulle) over tax laws in the 1960s.

Don't believe us about the uncanny resemblance? Take a look and judge for yourself, below. Kidman is on the left, Kelly on the right.





What do you think about the resemblance between Kidman and Kelly? Did they make the right casting choice? Sound off in the comments!

[Photo Credit: WENN.com (2); FlyNet (2); Getty Images; Bauer Griffin]

Hello, X Factor fans! Your beloved recapper Shaunna is otherwise engaged this evening, so you're all going to just have to deal with me (Alicia) this evening. So, if my opinions are different and the tone is completely inconsistent with what you're used to, you're just going to have to deal. I promise that I'll try to make it good for you guys though, OK? Let's get right down to business. Music business!

THE CONTESTANT CUTS
The show got started with a symphony of melodrama. The gaggle of folks we knew before had to face the music and brace for the final cut to make it to the judges' house. Everyone was sad! Everyone was nervous! Dreams were in peril! So, of course, the producers decided to spend about 59 years dissecting all the nerves. Overall, the judges seemed to be on the same page, though judge Britney Spears seemed a bit surprised from time to time when Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato didn't agree. No one is really all that surprised by L.A. Reid's crazy hissy fits though, huh?

The singing categories were broken down as such: The Fetuses (Teens), The Incorrigible Youths (Young Adults), The Olds (Over 25), and the groups.

YOUNG ADULTS:
CeCe Frey (duh)
Willie Jones (and his fly ombre jeans)
Fennel Jennel Garcia
Nick Youngerman
Paige Thomas (and her Lauren Conrad tear.)
Jillian Jensen

OVER 25s:
Jason Brock
Daryl Black
David Correy
Tara Simon
Tate Stevens
Vino Alan

TEENS:
Beatrice Miller
James Tanner (what the what is this Baby Bieber doing wearing his sunglasses inside?)
Carly Rose Sonenclar
Diamond White
Reed Deming
Arin Ray

GROUPS:
...and here's where the TWIST THAT'S NOT A TWIST AT ALL happened! They're calling people back to make some GROUPS. Three originally made it as-is, and the last three groups were created by the judges. They are:

Sister C
Dope Crisis
Emblem 3
Playback (new all-boy group)
LYLAS (new all-girl group)
ONE4FIVE with Lyric

So there are our top performers! So now it's time to run over to each judge's not-actually-their-own-house-house to perform and meet their judge and mentor. First, the groups show up at Simon's Miami abode (on a boat!), and some of them even think they're at an imaginary home that people can't actually own (Fact: they just make these houses for show and they sit empty!). Their mentor is...Marc Anthony? Random-seeming, but OK! Moving on.

For the young adults in LA, everyone is talking about how much they belong in Hollywood! LA the dream-maker, rump-shaker. You know. Demi's fake downtown LA apartment is so edgy with its exposed brick and sparse layout. She's so cool and hip and understanding of the youngs. and Nick Jonas is their mentor. [Insert screaming girls here.] The tweens are off to Britney's house and OMG LOL! Welcome to the 'bu (sorry, Malibu). Who was there to greet them? Mentor and part-time space DJ Will.i.am, y'all! What...a letdown (yeah, I said it).

Now onto the olds heading to L.A.'s house in the Hollywood Hills. And this one is sure to be hilarious because L.A. is P-I-S-S-E-D that he has the non-young, non-sexy, non-easily-marketable group (because the music industry sucks the blood of its young. People over 25 should basically just go live in retirement homes rather than try to be in the music industry. Duh!) Not one to shy away from his feelings, L.A. quickly tells his group about how disappointed he has to pretend he wants one of them to win. Ugh! What a drag! To calm his nerves L.A. Reid has brought the Biebs himself--aka Justin Bieber for you olds out there--in his corner as mentor. Phew! For a minute there we were all afraid L.A. was going to run off to a nursery school to stave off the vapors.

Stevie Nicks has issued a public apology.
A couple days after the Fleetwood Mac singer got involved in the Nicki Minaj/Mariah Carey feud by referring to the former as a "little girl" who needed to be choked, the artist has come out with a statement.

“I want to apologize for my remarks about Nicki Minaj’s behavior toward Mariah Carey which I said during a long and exhausting day of interviews,” Nicks tells Just Jared.
“It was very out of character for me and I deeply regret what I said. I feel very protective toward Mariah Carey who has gone through many difficulties in her life and I spoke without thinking. I think all artist should be respectful toward one another and that includes me. I am truly sorry.”

Taylor Swift covers the latest issue of Rolling Stone and makes something very clear in her feature:
She never kidnapped boyfriend Connor Kennedy!
Responding to an odd story that alleged Swift missed her man so much that she flew him out of Nashville unannounced, Taylor tells the magazine:

Emily Maynard and Jef Holm called off their engagement and broke up over the weekend, according to a reliable source who seems to never be wrong.
Reality Steve claims that while no official announcement of their engagement ending has been reported, he knows for certain that the couple is done.
Steve posted the following about Emily Maynard and Jef Holm:
"I don’t care if you say I’m crazy ... until Jef and Emily [confirm it], I guess that’s when you’ll believe it, but I can tell you right now that Jef and Emily broke up this weekend."
"Done. Over. No longer engaged."

Jennifer Lawrence may star in The Hunger Games, but she's glad she isn't hungry in real life.
In a revealing interview with Vogue UK, the actress - who has somehow been referred to as overweight by ridiculous critics - comes down on the Hollywood culture and many rail-thin bodies out there.
"I’m so tired of the lollipops,” Lawrence says of other stars out there. “It’s hilarious, the way I’m supposedly the overweight one? Like, they got me at the movies yesterday and the caption read something like ‘Curvy star cannot wait to dig into tub of popcorn.’ I mean, C’mon!”

Justin Bieber is currently on tour. Not all fans can snag tickets to the singer's sold-out shows, however.
But THG is making it possible to feel like you're inside an arena, as we've uncovered a high-quality video of Bieber's soaring concert introduction.
Watch now to see a clock tick down... Justin spread some wings and descend on to the stage... and then make the fans go truly wild with a rendition of "All Around the World."

It's official: Jason Sudeikis is the luckiest human being on the planet.

Tori Spelling is out of the hospital - and on to the cover of Us Weekly!
The actress, who underwent surgery last month due to complications from a c-section, is all smiles inside the latest issue of this tabloid. And for good reason:
She's holding newborn son Finn...
"When they put him in my arms I was like, 'We made it.''" Spelling tells the tabloid. "We have an insane bond. We've been through hell and back."

In shocking and yet not-at-all shocking news, Lindsay Lohan and mom Dina Lohan were involved in a blowout, violent altercation early this morning, according to TMZ.
So bad it ended in a 911 call. Unreal.

Lindsay and Dina Lohan went to a nightclub in New York City last night, staying out until 4 a.m. before heading home to mom's home on Long Island.
Who the hell goes clubbing with their mom until 4 a.m.?

HG is counting down the 100 Hottest Bikini Bodies of 2012!
From now until the end of the year, we'll be paying tribute to the hottest of the hot with bikini photos galore. The competition is guaranteed to be sweltering.
Keeping the hotness rolling today at #67: Ali Landry!

Previously, we paid tribute to Stacy Keibler bikini photos. Today, it's Mario Lopez's ex-wife.
Mario Lopez is officially an idiot.

Lady Gaga brought her controversial new song about Princess Diana, "Princess Die," to the Princess' home country at Twickenham Stadium in London Saturday.
Gaga explained that "Princess Die" is a commentary on the effects of fame, including Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston and even herself, to a degree.
"Since I was a very young girl, the people's princess was the most important person in me and my mother's life," Gaga said before performing the ballad.
"I swore if I ever had an audience like this in London, I'd take a moment to appreciate her ... This is for her, Amy Winehouse, Alexander McQueen, Whitney Houston and me."
True to Gaga's nature, the lyrics of the song are rather dark. Among them:
"Leave the coffin open when I go / Leave my pearls and lipstick on so everybody knows / Pretty will be the photo I leave / Laying down on famous knives so everybody sees."
Also true to form, Gaga invited a lucky female fan on stage for the performance, placing a tiara on the Little Monster's head as she sat beside her. Aww.

Chris Brown insists his absurd new neck tattoo is not Rihanna.
As always, we're never sure what to believe with these two.
Sources close to Chris say all similarities with Rihanna's face are coincidental, and that "it's just a random woman." Okay, but 1. Who the heck gets a random woman tattooed on their neck, and 2. That random woman totally looks like Rihanna.
Speaking of new ink, you gotta check out Rihanna's new under-boob tattoo in honor of her grandma. It's massive. As for Chris, the tat was implied the week before last, when Rihanna and Chris Brown kissed at the VMAs.

Another partially exciting season of Bachelor Pad is in the books, and the finale of ABC's guilty pleasure smash certainly packed in something for everyone.
Who won it all? Who broke up? Who got engaged?
Let's break it all down in THG's final BP recap ...
Kalon McMahon and Lindzi Cox are still together! Plus 20.
Erica Rose, in a desperate attempt to stay relevant, tells Lindzi to be careful because she's spotted Kalon at different events with other women. Minus 10.
Lindzi didn't know what to say or do. So, yeah. Minus 5.
Jaclyn said she was still hurt by being betrayed by her "best friend" Rachel on the last episode, when the latter did not take Jackie and Ed to the finale.
Rachel said Nick pushed to oust them because they would have been a bigger threat, which makes total sense. Jaclyn? Not altogether stable. Minus 50.
Blakeley Shea, or Blakeley Jones, or Blakeley Shea Jones ... whatever she wants to be called, she may not have won the money, but she won in love.
Seriously. She and Tony Pieper are still together! And then some! T-Piep surprised everyone, including his lady, with a proposal on stage! Plus 150.
She said yes, you guys. Obvi. Plus 10.

The best actor award was split between Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix for The Master.
Inspired by Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, the film also picked up the Silver Lion prize for best director.
Directed by Paul Thomas Andersen, The Master tells the story of a sect leader who takes a war veteran under his wing.
Hoffman, who also collected Phoenix's award, said: "Joaquin Phoenix is a life force in this film ... and I kind of rode that life force and that was my performance.
"It was really riding his life force because it was something that was untameable and my job was to try to and it was almost impossible, which is kind of the movie."
He also praised Anderson, who was not at the ceremony, calling him: "Friend first, collaborator second. And he happens to be one of the great film-makers."
Pieta, directed by Kim Ki-duk, centres on a debt collector who is forced to examine his life when a woman turns up claiming to be his mother.
On accepting his award, Ki-duk sang a song to the audience while thanking the jury.
Speaking after, he said: "This is a song that we Koreans sing when we are sad, when we feel alone, when we feel desperate, but also when we're happy."
The Venice jury, which was headed by US director Michael Mann, picked Hadas Yaron for best actress for Fill the Void, a film delving into the life of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

Will late-night, SNL and the cable shows have just as much fun?

After a three-year engagement, The Avengers' Cobie Smulders married SNL actor Taran Killam in California on Saturday.

According to People.com, the couple — who have been dating for eight years, and have a three-year-old daughter together — tied the knot at the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in the town of Solvang. Smulders' How I Met Your Mother costars Alyson Hannigan and Neil Patrick Harris were among the 300 guests who witnessed the quick 15 minute ceremony. After which partygoers were taken to the lakeside reception by hay ride. The cost to rent the place for the night? $43,000. 

Good thing the couple both return to work later this month: the new season of SNL airs on Sept. 15, and season 8 of HIMYM premieres Sept. 24. Sounds like they've already spent those paychecks!

There's a second step to early stardom that's hard to muster. You break in with a few movies that wow audiences; for Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, it was The Hangover and Winter's Bone (and a little thing called The Hunger Games. In an instant, both actors became household names — but could they keep up the critical momentum or were they one-hit wonders? That's the stage both are in now, starring in projects that prove they can carry their weight in any movie and knock it out of the park each time.
Well, good news for fans of Cooper or Lawrence: They're the real deal, their Toronto Film Festival premiere Silver Linings Playbook being solid, wildly entertaining of the two performer's talent.

A character drama with a twisted sense of humor, Silver Linings Playbook follows Pat (Cooper), a recently released psychiatric hospital patient who moves back in with his parents and begins a quest to reclaim his broken marriage. Despite the warnings from doctors Pat's mom Dolores (Jacki Weaver) and dad Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) take him in, hoping familiar settings and a little Eagles football may be the perfect cure. It isn't — Pat continuously loses his s**t over his ex-wife Nikki, frantically stressing over her high school English classes reading syllabus (he toss Hemmingway's A Farewell to Arms straight through a glass window) and breaking down every time he hears their wedding song. There's no hope for him and Nikki — catching her with another man and beating him to a pulp led to his institutionalizing — but Pat's focus mind doesn't let him deviate.

After being invited to a friends house for dinner, Pat meets Tiffany (Lawrence), who sees a friendship in the bipolar patient. After the death of her husband, Tiffany went off the deep edge, engaging anyone and everyone for sex. She's sees a companion in Pat, and although he's reluctant, the off-kilter pair can't fight the magnetic power of their psychological issues. Most of their conversations end in screaming or blunt admissions — but they're relatable.

Mental illness and human connection may sound like an equation for eye-roll-worthy saccharine, but director David O. Russell mines Cooper and Lawrence's comedic strengths to turn Silver Linings Playbook into one of the funniest movies of the year. Nothing's off limits for Russell; one reoccurring joke is that Pat can't stop bringing up the fact that Tiffany's husband is dead. As Tiffany puts it to Pat, "You say more inappropriate things than appropriate thing." To make Pat aware of how his bipolar existence affects the people around him, and to make us, the audience, feel for this heart-wrenching experience, O'Russell shoots and paces Silver Linings Playbook for awkward comedy. He also returns to the always-reliable family dynamic. The Fighter is to Boston as Silver Linings Playbook is to Philadelphia, De Niro perfecting the Eagles-loving everyman with a collective of betting buddies who may just be as delusional as Pat. The legendary actor proved he had comedy chops in Meet the Parents, but here he blends it with gravitas that earned him a legacy in the first place. Rush Hour actor Chris Tucker also pops up as Pat's good friend from the institution. More restrained than ever, Tucker helps add warmth to the picture. Pat has a support system everywhere he turns. In turn, the film emanates with positive vibes.

Even with a great ensemble, Silver Linings Playbook is Cooper and Lawrence's show. To the bitter end, Pat and Tiffany never get sappy with one another, always at each other's throats over the feelings they harbor and the pasts they can't shake away. Cooper loses himself in the chaotic mind of Pat without ever slipping into a caricature of the mentally ill. He can have stir up laughs with his desperate search for Pat's missing wedding video and then shock us in the blink of an eye when things turn violent. Impressively, Lawrence's Tiffany is never written down. She never succumbs to being a comforting presence, always provoking Pat to push himself. She's a strong woman, but a strong woman juggling her own set of issues. Lawrence conveys all of that without missing a beat. That dynamic should be make Silver Linings Playbook the talk of the town come Oscar time.

Welcome to THG's Week in Review! Below, our staffers look back at the stories, stars and scandals that made the last seven days some of the craziest all year.
If you don't already, FOLLOW THG on Twitter, Google+, Tumblr and Facebook for news 24/7/365. Let us be your celebrity gossip source across the board!
Now, a rundown of the week that was at The Hollywood Gossip:

• Actor and all-around good guy Michael Clarke Duncan died at age 54.
• The iPhone 5 release date was totally announced! For next week!
• Amy Poehler and Will Arnett announced their separation.
• The world's first Snooki baby photo was released!

• It was probably nothing, but when Rihanna and Chris Brown kiss ...
• ... and she apparently calls Drake and Lil Wayne a$$holes ...
• ... the story dominates the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.
• Even when a Breaking Dawn Part 2 clip is played

We interrupt the latest Miley Cyrus hair hullabaloo - OMG, she looks just like Pink, people! - to give fans an update regarding this singer's music career.
First, the artist has updated her official website to include a wealth of promotional photos in honor of her upcoming studio album, which is expected to drop in early 2013. An example:
Next, Cyrus has also released a cover of James Shelton‘s 1950s track “Lilac Wine” as part of the Backyard Sessions, which took place earlier this summer when the new blonde brought her band together to perform some of her favorite singles....