Last night, David and I cracked open a bottle of Absolut Mango and raised a glass to toast the season finale of the amazingly fabulous LOGO competitive reality TV program RuPaul’s Drag Race. As I mentioned on the blog previously, I was a late-comer to the show but managed to catch-up in time to really enjoy the series and watch as America’s Next Drag Superstar was crowned queen on last night’s finale ep:

For those of you who aren’t aware, LOGO aired an 8-ep season of RuPaul’s Drag Race which is a little bit Project Runway, a little bit America’s Next Top Model and a lotta bit fabulosity. Each week, drag contestants from around the world competed to become America’s Next Drag Superstar in the hopes of following in RuPaul’s trailblazing footsteps. I’m not kidding when I say that RuPaul’s Drag Race is the most entertaining competitive reality TV series that I’ve seen in a while … it was a great substitute for Project Runway (which has been kept off the air due to legal wrangling). Last night, RuPaul crowned her successor. After the jump, find out who won …

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Marilyn Manson has updated his official website with the news that he is planning to offer a new song off his upcoming new album The High End of Low (due for release in May) for free download. The track We’re From America will be available for download on March 27 on MarilynManson.com. Here is the new promo photo of MM (lookin’ a lot like Cap’n Crunch in his hat) that was released with this news and the full text of the press release announcement:

Marilyn Manson Releases ‘We’re From America’ From The High End of Low

The first one’s always free… Beginning with a small, slow dose on March 27th with “We’re From America,” the new era of Marilyn Manson and The High End of Low begins now.

It’s been a while since Marilyn Manson has been on the scene … and I’m pleased with the new line-up. Having Twiggy Ramirez back in the fold (who was kinda recently the live bassist for Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle after he left Marilyn Manson a few years ago) is good news. I’m also very pleased that Ginger Fish (an almost original member of MM) and Chris Vrenna (one of NIN’s greatest live drummers, I might add) are in the MM line-up. As much as I love Tim Skold, I don’t think he did much for Marilyn Manson’s last album as it was my least favorite disc. I’m anxious to hear what this new incarnation of Marilyn Manson sounds like … the prospect of MM, Twiggy and Vrenna producing this album is very good news. I’m not sure if there are many Marilyn Manson fans among you Pink readers but I still am and I’m really lookin’ forward to this new album.

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Here are a few photos of Hugh Jackman lookin’ all cute and stuff has he makes a run to pick up some art supplies from a Dick Blick shop in NYC this week:

It appears that the Jackmans are planning a bit of an art project together. By the look of the materials purchased, methinks that a fun family art project is in the works. It’s pretty cool, I think, that celebs like Hugh Jackman and Angelina Jolie (who has been photographed taking her children to art supply stores around the world) make it a point to get their kids interested in created art at such a young age. Sparking creativity when children are still young goes a long way in fostering well-rounded kids. My parents may not have taken me to huge art supply stores to buy canvases and paints but my mom was very good about supporting my creative desires to color, draw with markers and sculpt with Play-Dough. Some of the best memories that I have playing with my mom (who wasn’t the type to play G.I. Joes or Transformers with me) was when she would bring home a coloring book or a box of fresh Play-Dough. My dad and I would play with Legos. Sorry for the digression but it warms my heart to know that these kids will have the same kind of memories with their parents when they grow up. Lucky kids :)

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Last Thursday we learned that Project Runway season 5 loser Kenley Collins was arrested in NYC after she allegedly attacked her boyfriend, Zak Penley, with various objects — including a cat — and today we learn that Project Runway season 5 winner, Leanne Marshall, has got a thing or two to say about it. Additionally, it is being reported that Kenley has decided to let the ex that she allegedly attacked keep the cat that she allegedly attacked him with (it’s name is Arlo). If she thinks that’s gonna get her off the hook, she’s sorely mistaken:

“Project Runway” kook Kenley Collins said yesterday her ex-fiancée can keep the cat she allegedly hurled at him like a fur-ball-istic missile. The reality-TV fashion finalist who was arrested Tuesday on charges she assaulted Zak Penley, 28, with their cat Arlo, as well as a laptop computer, three apples and a glass of water told The Post they are splitting custody of their two pets. “The girl cat [Sandra] is mine and the boy cat [Arlo] is his,” she said. Collins, who placed third in the show to pick the best fashion designer, was reviled by fans for her rudeness to the judges and co-host Tim Gunn last season. Winner Leanne Marshall said the incident proves the Bravo show did not distort reality. “This should put a clear answer to the question I am most frequently asked, ‘Was Kenley really that awful, or was she just edited like that?’ ” Marshall told the Post. “When she got angry, I knew to keep my distance. Clearly, she needs therapy.” But though Collins frequently displayed her temper on camera and on the set, she never actually became violent. “I feel a little sorry for her that she can’t control her emotions and behavior, but on the other hand, absolutely nothing excuses physical violence and throwing a poor, defenseless kitty at someone who is sleeping,” Marshall said. “I feel bad for the cat, the bruised apples and Zak.” Gunn and supermodel co-host Heidi Klum declined to comment on her behavior. Collins was hauled away from the couple’s Williamsburg apartment Tuesday morning and spent the night in jail. She was released Wednesday morning without bail on charges of assault and criminal possession of a weapon the cat. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, authorities said. According to a police report, the violence erupted at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, while Penley was sleeping. After throwing Arlo at his head, Collins proceeded to pelt Penley with whatever she could get her hands on, cops said. She later said it was a “miscommunication.” Penley refused to discuss the cause of the fight, but according to Collins, she broke up with him. “He wanted to travel and I wanted to stay in New York,” she said.

LOL. Seriously, this whole ridiculous story is funny enough as it is but to hear these new details, well, it’s just absurd. I think it’s funny that both Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn opted out of commenting on Kenley’s alleged crime but that PR winner Leanne Marshall was happy to talk. It was clear that the ladies didn’t get along on the show and Leanne is prolly right that it was due in large part to Kenley’s behavior. I seem to recall that she managed to cause conflict with pretty much everyone on the show, which caused pretty much everyone on the show to hate her guts. It’s a good thing that no animals are allowed on the set of Project Runway cuz there might have been a cat-astrophe much sooner in Kenley’s reality life. While I doubt that she will actually get seven years in prison for her alleged crime but I do hope that she gets some form of serious punishment. Not only should she face the consequences of attacking her ex-fiancée but she should also be punished for abusing her cat. And just think, on the positive side, if Kenley does get locked up she’ll be restricted from committing any future crimes against fashion as well.

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Those of you who remember when MTV’s The Real World was the epitome of reality TV and was actually worth watching might recall that The Real World: New Orleans was one of the best seasons of the series. And those of you who remember the New Orleans season prolly also remember that the adorable little firecracker Melissa Howard was one of the main reasons the season was so good. Melissa, along with her cohorts Jaime, Matt, Danny, Kelley, Julie and David, is from the hey day of reality TV when shows were entertaining because people were being real … not because they wanted to become reality TV stars. I am very happy to pass along the info that Melissa Beck (she married Justin Beck of Glassjaw a while ago) gave birth to her first child, a girl, this past Friday night. Here is a beautiful photo of Melissa that was shot by my friend Brad Walsh and the Twitter announcement that Melissa sent out last night:

melissa and justin announce the birth of our awesome baby girl on 03.20.09 at 10:18 pm 6 lbs 3 oz 18″

This is the best news ever. Brad introduced me to Melissa and Justin a couple of years ago and I knew from the start that they were made for one another. When I heard that they got married, I wasn’t shocked in the least. Now that they have a baby girl together, well, I’m just thrilled that their lives are working out so nicely. Melissa is an absolute doll and Justin is a fine, fine gentleman … they are going to make the most excellent parents and I wish their happy family all the happiness in the world. Much love and congrats goes out to the newly expanded Beck family!!!

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Much love and early birthday wishes go out to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who celebrated her 67th birthday in Detroit, MI this past Saturday at Seldom Blues restaurant where 200 of her closest friends where on hand to help her party hearty. Altho Aretha’s actual birthday is tomorrow March 25, her friends decided to get the party started early. Aretha’s now world-famous hat, created for her by milliner Luke Song to wear to President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January, also made a cameo appearance at the shindig … in the form of her birthday cake … an naturally stole the show:

The Queen of Soul can throw a party, and she clearly gets a kick over the worldwide attention over her famous gray felt Inaugural Hat. To celebrate her 67 years on the planet, Franklin threw a party for 200 friends at Seldom Blues Saturday and the centerpiece was a cake that was a replica of her stylish gray-bowed chapeau, made out of yellow cake with buttercream frosting and fresh raspberries. Guests dined on chef Jerry Nottage’s famed gumbo, as well as on meat loaf prepared from one of Franklin’s own recipes. Entertaining the guests was President Obama impersonator Iman Crosson, famous for rapping and dancing as the president on youtube, and soul singer Kenny Lattimore, who did a special “President Obama” remix of his song “Something.” The plus-sized trio Secret Trois and Raheem Devaughn also appeared. The “Inaugural Hat” cake was made by cake designer to the stars, Sylvia Weinstock of New York. Weinstock also made tiny replicas of the hat cake, wrapped in a six-inch gift box that each partygoer received as a gift from Franklin. As for the big hat cake, one of Weinstock’s assistants flew to Detroit Friday with the hat cake in pieces, and assembled it at Seldom Blues.

Oh yeah, that settles it … Aretha Franklin’s inauguration hat is the break-out star of 2009. While the celebration was for Aretha, the hat ended up stealing her thunder. In any event, and just a wee bit early, I think we should send out all of our lurve and well wishes to Dame Franklin on the occasion of her birth. Happy Birthday, Aretha!!

[Source via Source, thanks Anna]

Now that we’ve had a couple of weeks to get used to the idea that Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are dunzo, again, folks are starting to dish as to what the cause of the break-up was this time around. As we learned a couple of weeks ago, John apparently broke up with Jennifer after she returned from a trip to Europe … but today, we’re hearing that it was Jen that broke up with John … reportedly (and laughingly) because of his obsession with Twitter:

People claiming to be friends of the actress have told Star magazine that she finished the affair after discovering Mayer, 31, spent hours on the networking website, despite telling her he was too busy to get in touch with her. The pair started dating in April 2008, but have broken up several times. However, they appeared inseparable at the Oscars last month. A source claimed Aniston decided Mayer was not committed enough to her and called time on their romance having found hourly updates on his Twitter page. The source said: “John suddenly stopped calling her or returning her emails and when she would finally catch up with him, he’d say: ‘I’ve been so busy with work. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to call you back.” The source added: “Jen was fuming. There he was, telling her he didn’t have time for her and yet his page was filled with Twitter updates. Every few hours, sometimes minutes, he’d update with some stupid line. And in her mind, she was like ‘He has time for all this Twittering, but he can’t send me a text, an email, make a call?’.” It has also been claimed musician John made no attempt to cover up his Twitters. The source said: “He didn’t even deny it. He knew he was avoiding her. So when she called him on it and ended things, he just said OK, and that he was sorry it didn’t work out. “He took the break-up like a man.” Even so, shortly after Aniston’s call, Mayer’s Twitter update read: ‘This heart didn’t come with instructions.’

LOL! Man, as much as I wish this report was true, I’m afraid that it’s prolly a bit too ridiculous to be totally true … right? Anyone that follows John Mayer on Twitter knows that he is an avid tweeter and does post many times a day. If he truly did chose Twitter over Jennifer Aniston then he prolly deserved to get dumped. My guess is that the truth is prolly somewhere in the middle … he tweeted a lot and she hated it a lot … and then dunzo. This might be the first reported case of celebrity break-up due to Twitter-related complications … which is really sad. I just hope that this report doesn’t turn people off to using Twitter … I love it and can’t get enough — a fact that David is well aware of and is fine with … I think :)

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