Here are a couple pictures of new parents (for the second time) Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale (and presumably newborn baby boy Zuma Nesta Rock) making their escape from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center yesterday afternoon just 3 days after Gwen gave birth to her second child:

By the looks of the proud new parents, they both seem to be doing fine and appear very happy to be bringing their newborn son home with them. It’s unclear if little Kingston James was formally introduced to his baby brother at the hospital but he’s bound to have met the little whipper-snapper by now. Let’s see how long it takes before his happy little family expands again … something tells me that Gwen ain’t gonna quit birthin’ babies until she has a little Harajuku Girl of her own.

[Photo credit: INFdaily]

Nine Inch Nails played a show at The Palace of Auburn Hills here in the suburbs of Detroit, MI on Saturday night and posted a few photos from the show online on their official website … here are a few of those pics:

While I’m marginally bummed that I wasn’t able to get home to Detroit in time to see NIN live at The Palace, I am very much looking forward to seeing the band play at the SeaGate Convention Center in Toledo, OH tonight. Toledo is about 50 mins. south of where my parents live so Sarah and I will be trekking down I-75 this evening to see the guys perform. The SeaGate Center isn’t much bigger than a high school gymnasium so I am very much looking forward to the intimate nature of the show. At last … I will finally be able to see Nine Inch Nails on their current Lights in the Sky Tour of North America … any Michigander/Ohioans gonna meet me in Toledo ce soir?

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Can you guess which celebrity married couple, who spend 98% of their time joined at the hip, have now taken to wearing the exact same kind of blue jeans when going out together:

Same style, same color, same wash (not the same length tho, unfortch for him) … they’d prolly wear the same pair of pants at the same time time if, you know, it didn’t appear too crazy (this couple is working hard to bring their crazy level down a bit these days). After the jump, find out who the matchy-matchy lovebirds are …

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Here are a few pics of everyone’s favorite runner-up to Britney Spears, Xtina Aguilera singing her little heart out (and possibly busting a few blood vessels) on stage for a special celebratory performance for Trump Tower Dubai at a private residence in Bel Air, CA over the weekend. As usual, Xtina was rockin’ her too red lipstick (and a lovely Julien MacDonald dress, I might add) and was overdoing it a bit much up on that stage:

OK, don’t get me wrong … I honestly believe that Xtina is an insanely talented performer but I don’t know that I will ever get used to her overdramatic performance style. She, quite literally, looks like she is writhing in pain … or possibly giving birth … every time she performs. Her wild gesticulating always seems so forced and disingenuous … like she wants you to really believe she is giving the best performance you’ve ever seen and if she needs to look like she’s having a seizure to make you believe it, then so be it. I may be in the minority but I vastly prefer hearing Xtina perform over watching her perform.

[Photo credit: X17]

Boo. Very sad Britney Spears news coming out of LA this AM. Ryan Seacrest has just announced live on his morning radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest on KIIS FM in SoCal that Britney Spears WILL NOT be performing at this year’s 2008 MTV Video Music Awards:

Britney Spears Will Not Perform at MTV VMAs

After a week of a rumored return to the VMA stage, Ryan Seacrest exclusively revealed on his radio show Monday morning that she will not be performing at the awards show. Recently, promotional spots leaked online featuring Spears and show host Russell Brand further fueling the rumors of an on-stage performance. In the spots, Spears and Brand were alone in a large studio only accompanied by a 9,000 lb. elephant.

Ryan essentially reports that he spoke with Britney’s “general in charge of all things Britney“ Larry Rudolph (via email) about a report that came from E! News that claimed that Britney would be performing at this years’ VMAs. Ryan says that Larry told him that the report is “just wrong”, saying:

“Britney Spears will not be performing at the VMAs this year … I’m telling you officially and unequivocally that BS will not be there.”

Again, I say Boo! I am assuming that Larry Rudolph is referring to the E! report that quoted celebrity hairstylist Kim Vo who claimed he was designing hairstyles for Britney’s VMAs night — one for red carpet, one for the show and one for her PERFORMANCE. Sadly, I’d believe Larry Rudolph over pretty much anyone else … so unless this is a major cover-up to try and pull off a surprise, I guess Britters really won’t be performing this year. I gotta say, I think it’s a mistake for her not to. She is in a much better position to perform this year and, as I’ve said before, she can really undo the damage she did at last year’s VMAs with one amazing performance. I think it’s a bad idea for her not to perform. The end.

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American Idol producers have decided that the show needs a little something extra for their upcoming 8th season — a 4th judge. Now, with a show as popular as American Idol (arguably the most popular show in the US) you might imagine that this plum 4th spot might go to someone of stellar importance and fame but, in fact, the producers decided to go with someone with zero name recognition … and way more Paula Abdulness (at least in looks) than I would’ve guessed. Here is a pic of Paula Abdul making her way thru LAX airport this weekend bound for NYC and a pic of the new 4th AI judge, Kara DioGuardi, who is lookin’ to start wearin’ Paula’s hat:

American Idol is adding a fourth judge: Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi. DioGuardi will appear at the judges’ table with Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson on the eighth season of the hit show, which premieres in January. “We are turning the heat up on Idol this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” show creator and executive producer Simon Fuller said in a statement. DioGuardi’s songs have appeared on more than 100 million records by the likes of Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Pink, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey … “She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show,” Fuller added. American Idol was originally slated to have four judges, executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said in the statement announcing the news. “We’ve seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers,” she explained.

To be totally honest, this move to add a 4th judge feels really forced … like the producers felt like they needed to do something to jazz up the show which will be entering its 8th season in January. On the one hand, going with an “unknown” person as the 4th judge means that she will not take away too much from the already established judges on the panel. On the other hand, this new judge looks a lot like Paula Abdul … and the fact that she has written Grammy Award nominated songs for so many performers gives her a pedigree that Paula doesn’t have — should she be worried? I am actually very surprised that AI didn’t go for someone with more starpower to be the 4th judge … no offense to the obvs talented Ms. DioGuardi but she doesn’t really inspire any more desire to watch the show for me. In the end, I believe that AI will still be as popular as it would’ve been even if they didn’t add a new judge to the mix … I find it hard to believe that ratings will go up merely because of the addition of this new judge. I guess we’ll see come January.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

David Beckham, who was joined by Brits Leona Lewis and Jimmy Page, made an appearance at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China yesterday where all he had to do was look purdy and kick a soccer ball … but it turns out that Becks may have more Olympic dreams than that up his sleeve. Altho there is really no way that Becks could feasibly participate in the 2012 Olympic Games as an athlete, he is still hoping that he will be able to participate in the Games — as coach of the UK soccer team:

SUPERSTAR David Beckham kicked off the countdown to the London Olympics — and revealed he could be a COACH for Team GB in 2012. Becks sent 91,000 spectators into a frenzy at Beijing’s National Stadium when he appeared from within a red London bus at yesterday’s closing ceremony. Nine-year-old London schoolgirl Tayyiba Dudhwala handed him a football, and a deafening roar erupted as the smiling England ace kicked the ball into a crowd of Olympic athletes below him. The appearance by Beckham — a global sporting icon born just down the road from our Olympic site in the East End — was the highlight of London’s performance celebrating the official handover from Beijing. The eight-minute showcase for Britain also featured X Factor winner Leona Lewis, in a stunning gold dress, performing Whole Lotta Love with Led Zeppelin rock legend Jimmy Page. Afterwards, Beckham revealed he could coach an all-star GB footie team at the 2012 games, with his old Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as manager. Britain has been barred from Olympic football because England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete separately in international matches. But Mr Brown is determined to resolve the issue and has held talks with footie’s governing body FIFA. LA Galaxy midfielder Becks said: “We deserve to have a football Team GB at the Olympics and I hope it gets sorted.” Becks will be 37 in 2012 and says it is unlikely he will play. But asked if he would take a key role, he said: “I think it’s possible.”

2012 is still a long way off so it may be too early to know for sure exactly what, if any, role Becks may play in the London Games but I will not be surprised if Becks is able to realize his Olympic dreams.

Here are a few photos of the British Ambassadors as they posed backstage in Beijing after the Closing Ceremonies were completed:

I imagine London and all of Great Britain is looking forward to the 2012 Summer Games … here’s hoping they’ll be able to pull off a stunning Olympic Games … they’ve got a hard act to follow in the Beijing Games.

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