Well now … I guess now we know why Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t have time to hang out with his buddies Matthew McConaughey and Lance Armstrong here in SoCal these days … Jakey poo has been bizzy training in the UK for his upcoming role as Prince Dastan in his new movie Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (which is based on the video game of the same name). Here are a few pics of Jake as he practices his horseback riding skills somewhere in England earlier today:

I’m actually very surprised that Jake has to prepare at all for any role on horseback … did he forget all of his training from working on Brokeback Mountain with Heath Ledger? Tsk Tsk. Well, I suppose he didn’t have to wield a sword while riding on top of a horse (tho, if memory serves, he may have learned how to wield another kind of sword in those steamy tent scenes) so I guess some training is in order. Le sigh. I forgot how good Jake looks sitting atop a bucking bronco. I hope we get to see more training pictures of Jake over the coming weeks. Shirtless jousting, perhaps? ;) Just as long as he butches things up a bit …

… the limp-wristed look does nothing for him.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Here is today’s update on Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, happily betrothed to one another, as they continue to enjoy their little pre-wedding honeymoon in Italy this week. Yesterday we saw pics of the happy couple, de Generossi lets call them, walking hand in hand on the cobblestone streets of Rome and today we have pics of the pair heading out into the open sea on a massive yacht in Naples:

But, the ladies weren’t relegated to just enjoying the sights while on the yacht, no siree, they actually ventured forth and got into the water as well. Here are a few more pics of de Generes frolicking in the waters near Capri Island:

Other water sports enjoyed by the ladies include snorkeling and kayaking in addition to the jet skiing seen above. It really looks like they are really loving their Italian getaway this week. It’s so nice to see them looking so happy. I wonder what they’ve got planned for tomorrow.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Anderson Cooper is featured on the cover of the new issue of The Advocate as the spokesmodel for the magazine’s coverstory on so-called “Silver Foxes”. The article talks about how a touch of grey (or an entire head of grey, as in Anderson’s case) makes some older men the “objects of lust”. Here is The Coop’s cover shot:

I have to say, I’m not normally a fan of the grey hair … that being said, I don’t really look at Anderson Cooper as a man with grey hair. Because it’s entirely silver, it just looks like a different hair color and not merely like grey hair. I think a touch of grey can add a bit of distinction to some men but not in every case. Whether or not such matters are worthy of an entire magazine coverstory is beside the point … I suppose the “age of the Silver Fox” needed to be discussed at some point. Who else but Anderson Cooper would be chosen as the spokesmodel? After all, wasn’t the term Silver Fox named after him?

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Mariah Carey has just released her newest music video for her latest single I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time from her E=MC² album. Here are a few screencaps from her new video which features an appearance from rapper T.I.:

The video is pretty simple … but it’s sexy as hell. Mimi in a bikini — you can’t beat that. It appears that Mariah is on a bit of a bikini kick these days, she is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of i-D magazine wearing a sexy little black thing … which you can see after the jump …

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AWWWWWWWWWWWW SHIZZZZZZZZZZZ! It looks like the Ladies Wimbledon Finals are gonna be very interesting this year … after they each handily defeated their semi-final opponents Elena Dementieva and Zheng Jie in the tourney this year, the finals match-up will pit sisters Venus (28) and Serena (26) Williams against one another for the crown — this is the first time the ladies have faced each other in a Grand Slam Final in 5 years:

Elena Dementieva and Zheng Jie managed to make their second sets against the Williams sisters very interesting, but power, pressure serving and grass-court experience ultimately prevailed Thursday as Venus and Serena earned the right to make this year’s Wimbledon final a family affair. Such occasions were once the rule in women’s tennis, but it has now been five years since the sisters faced each other in a Grand Slam final. Venus, 28, and Serena, two years her junior, have both survived a wild, upset-filled Wimbledon in style this year. While their usual rivals Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic, who were seeded above them, were beaten early, the Williamses managed to sweep through their respective draws without dropping a set. Venus, the defending champion, went first on Thursday, serving and moving impressively to defeat the 5th-seeded Dementieva, an elegant Russian with a suspect serve, by 6-1, 7-6 (3). Serena played next against Zheng, the first Chinese woman to reach the semfinals of a Grand Slam tournament in singles. The two women of disparate builds and strengths had to work their way through two rain delays: the first one brief, the second one lasting more than an hour. And though Zheng lifted her compact, counter-punching game to a remarkably high level in the final set, she could not manage to push Serena into a third set, as Serena won 6-2, 7-6 (5) … Serena looked relieved and delighted as she clenched her fists and looked over at her parents, Oracene Price and Richard Williams, and at Venus in the players box. “We’re going to stop talking to each other now until the final,” Serena joked later. That would be difficult, considering that the sisters are in the semifinals of doubles here and are scheduled to play together on Friday. But Saturday’s match is the one that matters most to the sisters. Venus will be going for her fifth Wimbledon singles title. Serena will be going for her third. The last time they played in a major final was at Wimbledon in 2003, with Serena winning in three sets.

Venus is out for blood … I just know it. After they play their doubles game on Friday, Venus is gonna go straight for her younger sister’s throat … after all, she can’t let little sis have the last win ;) I keed, I keed … I’m sure the sisters will play very fair and very hard against one another. And no matter which Williams sister wins, I’m sure it will be much deserved.

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Yesterday was a good ol’ fashioned, nice and boring day. After a week of traveling, running around in airports and partying with my friends, I enjoyed a very nice day yesterday of pretty much doing nothing. I did venture out into the warm afternoon for a meeting but for the most part I just did nothing at all. I wanted to pick up a replacement wallet for the one I lost in NYC but I couldn’t find the exact one … it wasn’t even anything special but a part of me feels like I need to get that wallet back, even if it’s a replacement of the original. My credit cards have all been canceled and now I’m waiting for them to be mailed to me — it’s hugely annoying. I have an appointment at the DMV this afternoon to replace my driver’s license … ugh!

The good news is that Kirsten, Darion and I are getting together tonight to celebrate our anniversary. We’re planning an intimate dinner for just the 3 of us and mebbe a movie afterwards. I haven’t seen them together since our fun Le Gang^TM photoshoot last month so I’m really looking forward to spending time with them.

Other than that … all’s quiet on the Western Front … it’s good to be home, that’s for sure. I see a trip to the beach in the very near future :)

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• Christie Brinkley takes to the stand in her divorce proceedings.
• Grace Jones prepares for her comeback.
• The Dandy Warhols are streaming their 6th album for free online.
• Chace Crawford to Rumer Willis: Do Not Want!
• Chris Martin thought he was gay until he discovered boobs.
• The Big Penis Book is released. (Marginally NSFW)
• Levi’s goes for the Unbuttoned look.
• Ashley Tisdale hits the beach.
• Megan Fox back on the market?
• Vicki B. shops The Grove with one of her BFFs.
• Jay-Z <3s his fans.
• Yeardley Smith (The Simpsons) is 44, Hunter Tylo (The Bold and the Beautiful) & Tom Cruise are 46 and Montel Williams is 52 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
• Tom Cruise has no plans to make the move to Broadway.
• “Honey, I’m sorry. I am telling you, I just love you. And I promise you, I absolutely promise you, I will not mention your name in the press, at all, ever again.” — Michael Lohan to Lindsay Lohan
• BOOOOOOO! No Emmy nom for Britney Spears :(