Kristen Stewart is doing a bit of apologetic back-peddling today as she issues an apology statement in regards to comments that she made in a new British Elle magazine interview where she compared being photographed by the paparazzi to being raped. Stewart started her day promoting her new film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in Seoul, South Korea with her BFF and co-star Taylor Lautner but she spent the rest of her day doing damage control over her irresponsible rape comments … so, yeah, it was a pretty bizzy Thursday for K. Stew. Here are photos from the Eclipse press conference in Seoul and the deets about her apology:

No sooner did excerpts from July’s British Elle make their way to the Internet on Wednesday than the blogosphere exploded in outrage. In an offending quote, Twilight saga star Kristen Stewart compared paparazzi photos of herself to images of a woman being raped. Almost immediately, everyone from fans to spokespeople for rape victims’ advocacy organizations were publicly criticizing the actress. “I really made an enormous mistake – clearly and obviously,” Stewart, currently in Korea to promote the new installment of the Twilight series Eclipse, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “And I’m really sorry about my choice of words.” Stewart, 20, is not known as one to mince words. “I’ve made stupid remarks before, and I’ve always reasoned: ‘Whatever. They can think what they want,’ ” she says. But in this instance, the Los Angeles-born actress feels compelled to address the situation. ” ‘Violated’ definitely would have been a better way of expressing the thought,” she notes.

On the one hand, I can understand why many folks were offended by Kristen‘s comments … comparing being photographed to being violently raped was a huge misstep on her part. That being said, the girl is still very young and we are all well aware of her awkwardness in interviews. I, for one, never took her comments seriously … then again, I can’t possibly understand what her comments might’ve meant to people who have truly been violated by rape. I think it was the right thing to do for her to issue a public apology quickly … I’m very sure she understands her mistake and is sorry for it. I know I like to poke a bit of fun at Kristen Stewart (mainly because she is a young celeb and that’s kinda what I like to do) but I have to commend her for speaking up and acknowledging her mistake in this instance. Here’s hoping she will, from here on out, be more aware of the things that come out of her mouth and how her words may effect others.

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Happy news about Lindsay Lohan to pass along today … homegirl managed to pass not one but TWO of her court-mandated random drug tests with flying colors. You may recall that earlier this week we learned that L. Lo had to have her wisdom teeth extracted and won permission from the court to take pain medication prescribed by her oral surgeon so those meds weren’t counted in her drug tests … but she did test clean for all other drugs, that’s good news right? In celebration of her successful drug tests, Lindsay made her way to the Superdry At Kari Feinstein MTV Movie Awards Style Lounge At Montage Beverly Hills yesterday to do some free shopping … here are a few photos from that event and the deets of Lindsay‘s successful drug tests:

Lindsay Lohan has taken two drug tests as part of her probation and passed both, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively. What’s more, there have been no problems with the star’s SCRAM bracelet, which she wears also as part of her probation. RadarOnline.com found the answer to the question that everyone following Lindsay’s case has been asking and to the surprise of some and happiness of others, the Mean Girls star is clean. “She is clear of illegal substances,” a source with knowledge of the situation told RadarOnlne.com exclusively. “She has already taken two tests and passed both.” As RadarOnline.com was first to report, Lindsay told friends that she would not have a problem with the random drug testing or giving up alcohol. And her friends say that she has seemed better and sharper than ever.

Well this is great news!! And just yesterday we saw photos of Lindsay making her way to alcohol education school like a good little girl … see, I knew she could behave if she really put her mind to it. Well, okay … maybe Lindsay is being good in large part because the judge overseeing her probation is watching her like a hawk … but still … being good is being good. Here’s hoping she keeps it up for as long as possible … after all, with her addictive personality, it’s entirely possible that she might actually pick up some good behavior as a result of all of these court-ordered restrictions!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Congratulations are in order for the now Sir Patrick Stewart — star of stage, television and film (who, most notably, played the iconic character Captain Jean Luc Picard in the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series and film franchise) — because he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in an award ceremony in the UK yesterday. Here is a photo of Stewart‘s knighting ceremony and some deets from the event:

Actor Sir Patrick Stewart paid tribute to a former teacher as he was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The 69-year-old said he owed “literally everything” to the English teacher who first encouraged him to perform. “Although many people in my life have had great influence on me, without this man none of it would have happened,” he said following Wednesday’s investiture. The classically trained actor is best known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men films. He was recently seen on the London stage appearing alongside fellow actor knight Sir Ian McKellen in Waiting for Godot. Sir Patrick said his knighthood – announced in the New Year Honours List – had been “an unlooked-for honour”. “But as I grew up as a child, falling in love with the theatre and Shakespeare, my heroes were Sir Laurence Olivier [and] Sir John Gielgud,” he continued. “The knights of the theatre represented to me not only the pinnacle of the profession but the esteem in which the profession was held. To find myself, to my astonishment, in that company is the grandest thing that has professionally happened to me.” The Yorkshire-born star said he would be celebrating his knighthood with Cecil Dormand, the teacher who first encouraged him to consider acting as a profession. “He was the one that put a copy of Shakespeare in my hand [and] said, ‘Now get up on your feet and perform’.” Earlier this week it was announced that Sir Patrick would chair a jury and deliver a talk at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival. The actor was recently seen at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester playing William Shakespeare in the Edward Bond play Bingo.

I must admit, we don’t get much news of all the knighting that goes on in the UK here in the US but as far as I’m concerned, Sir Patrick Stewart is just the kind of man that I would expect to be honored as a knight. His career has been a stellar one and I have loved every single project that he has been involved in. As Capt. Picard, Sir Patrick Stewart won the eternal love of Trekkies the world over … for that reason alone, the man deserves to be a knight. After the jump, check out a couple more photos of Sir Patrick Stewart at yesterday’s knighting ceremony …

Fans have been asked by the family of Rue McClanahan to pay their respects to the late Golden Girl, who sadly passed away early yesterday morning after she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on Monday and then a massive stroke late Wednesday, on a new official Facebook tribute page … particularly because Rue asked that no funeral be held for her after her death. The family explains that there will be memorial services for Rue later in the Summer in both NYC and LA but, for now, fans are asked to share their love for Rue on this newly launched Facebook tribute page:

McClanahan requested that no funeral be held for her, but memorial services will be announced for later this summer in New York and Los Angeles, California, Lawrence said. Fans can pay their respects online, a family statement said. “Please join us in celebrating Rue’s amazing life” by visiting a memorial page established for her on Facebook, the family said.

This is what the Rue McClanahan Memorial Page at Facebook looks like …

… which you will find HERE. In lieu of a very public funeral, I think this is a great way for family, friends and fans of Rue McClanahan to not only share their grief but to share their fun, loving memories of Rue‘s amazing life! It’s still very sad to think that Rue is gone … but, I gotta say, reading thru the tribute messages on Facebook does seem to lessen the pain just a little.

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