After causing a sensation on the red carpet at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards Sunday evening on the arm of comedienne Kathy Griffin and then causing a stir as the pair walked out of a dinner date hand in hand afterward, we learn that Levi Johnston gave a short interview to RadarOnline to discuss his opinions on why former Governor Sarah Palin quit her job as the Alaska Executive. Earlier this month, AlaskaReport blogged that the Palins are planning to split due for various reasons, not the least of which was marital infidelity on both sides … while Johnston doesn’t make that claim in this new interview, he does insists that marital problems were part of the reason for Sarah Palin’s decision to quit her job as governor — and money was the other reason:

Sarah Palin’s marriage has been in trouble from the beginning, says Levi Johnston, the father of their grandson Tripp and ex-fiance of daughter Bristol. What’s more Levi told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive video interview that he believes marital problems were behind Palin’s decision to resign as governor of Alaska. When we asked if the couple had marital problems, Levi responded: “Oh yeah. There have been from day one.” RadarOnline.com then asked if Levi thought marital problems were the reason she stepped down from political office. Levi answered, “Oh yeah I do.” He didn’t stop there. He also told RadarOnline.com that he thinks Palin will be chasing an even bigger paycheck now that she’s out of public office and on the speaker circuit. “She took the money,” he said. “That’s what she’s talked about, that’s what I’m gathering and I think that’s what she’s doing.” He did add that he did not believe cheating was a factor in Sarah and Todd’s marriage.

While I contend that a 19 year old kid isn’t really the best source for this kind of information, it should be noted that Levi Johnston lived in the Palin home for many months last year and was privy to personal interactions that no one outside the family was privy to. Does the kid look like a famewhore? Yes. Does that mean that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about? No. My personal belief is that he is using true facts that he knows first hand in the hopes that he can parlay that information into a name for himself … Ricky Hollywood, I believe is what he’s going for. I’ve always been of the mind that Where there’s smoke, There’s fire. I don’t expect this is the last we’ve heard from Ricky, er, Levi Johnston … not by a longshot.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Here’s the real WTF?! of the day … fiery comedienne Kathy Griffin was spotted on the arm of a hot young buck here in LA over the weekend as the pair walked out together from dining together at Katsuya — after they attended the 2009 Teen Choice Awards together. It turns out that the “hot young buck” in question was none other than Levi Johnston — who wants to be known by the new name Ricky Hollywood and is babydaddy to Bristol Palin’s baby! Here are the photos:

When last we heard from Mr. Johnston Ricky Hollywood, he was dishing to the press about things he overheard from former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin while he was living with the Palins during “happier” times when he and Bristol were still together, raising their child. Now he’s playing toyboy to Kathy Griffin? I suspect that this hook-up is nothing more than a ploy by Griffin to whip up some publicity … after all, she previously stepped out with former photog/Britney Spears boyfriend Adnan Ghalib after Britney cast him aside as well as with Paris Hilton for a shopping trip on Robertson Blvd. We’ll prolly be hearing about/seeing this date on her Bravo reality TV show My Life on the D-List (cuz you don’t get more D-List than Levi Johnston). Truth be told … these two make a cute couple … perhaps this really wasn’t a publicity ploy and the couple are really involved. It would be a boon for both their careers … don’tcha think?

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Last night friends and longtime compatriots of Joan Rivers were invited to the CBS Studios Lot in Studio City, CA for the Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers. In previous years, Comedy Central has hosted roast tribute events in honor of actors and comedians but this year they’ve pulled out all the stops for one of the most iconic, most enduring comics alive today … barely. Here are some of the folks who came out for the Roast of Joan Rivers last night:

I was very lucky to attend last night’s taping and shared some of the zingers that were said about Joan Rivers on my Twitter account last night. There were so many more that I would’ve loved to have shared but they were wholly inappropriate and grossly offensive … and that was exactly the point. Whitney Cummings, sidekick to Chelsea Handler, was my fave roaster of the night … her bit was ENTIRELY hilarious and horribly offensive. Mario Cantone, tho I love him, was the worst roaster of the bunch. Kathy Griffin did an amazing job as host of the event but Joan, naturally, stole the show. A woman who has been in the biz for as long as she has and has achieved so much success absolutely deserves to be honored in this manner … with tasteless joke after offensive slur all night long. She looked like she had the time of her life. It was really a great event. I’ll have more personal commentary a little later on today. But I have to let you all know that the Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers airs on Comedy Central on Sunday August 9. While I’m sure it will be HEAVILY censored, be on the look out for the uncensored version of the roast that will air in the wee, wee hours of Comedy Central after it premieres on the network in a couple of weeks. It’s funny, y’all. I can’t wait to see it again myself :)

[Photo credit: Wireimage]

After yesterday’s ruling by the California Supreme Court to uphold the Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage, folks began rallying all around the State in an effort to peaceably protest that ruling. Here in West Hollywood, CA last night, celebs gathered with protesters to voice their displeasure with the court’s ruling and to begin building support for a new ballot initiative that will likely make it to the polls next year (2010) to Repeal Prop 8. Here are a few pics of some of the celebs who took to the streets in protest last night and some info about what went down:

After months of legal wrangling, the California Supreme Court announced on Tuesday to uphold a ban on same-sex marriages. Justices voted 6-1 to uphold Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban of gay marriage, dealing a major legal blow to the gay and lesbian community. California residents passed Prop 8 with 52 percent of the vote last November. The court also ruled that the roughly 18,000 marriages that took place before Prop 8 took effect are still valid. “It would be a shocking, strange thing in California law to essentially divorce those couples against their will,” said Jennifer Pizer, a lawyer from Lambda Legal. The crowd that had gathered outside the Supreme Court in San Francisco was mostly made up of gay rights supporters, and there was a huge outcry when the ruling was released at 10 a.m. After the announcement, the crowd began marching through San Francisco streets chanting, “Shame on you.” Crowds converged in West Hollywood Tuesday at 7 p.m. to oppose the state Supreme Court’s ruling. They marched to the intersection of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave., shutting down the intersection. That crowd was estimated to be approximately 5,000 strong. Five states have already legalized gay marriage, and gay marriage supporters had hoped California would be the sixth. The justices said the people do have the right to change their constitution through the ballot box. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a statement shortly after the ruling. “While I believe that one day, either the people or courts will recognize gay marriage, as governor of California, I will uphold the decision of the California Supreme Court,” he said. “Regarding the 18,000 marriages that took place prior to Proposition 8’s passage, the court made the right decision in keeping them intact.” The governor encouraged those responding to the decision to do so peacefully and lawfully … In Leimert Park, the ACLU and several faith-based groups held a news conference to respond to the state Supreme Court’s decision. “This is nothing short of apartheid in our own state, that some people were allowed to be married, and others will never have that right,” said Rabbi Denise Eger from Kol Ama Congregation. Local residents Eric Monriquez and Juan Ribera said the announcement was bittersweet for them. While they were happy their marriage would still be recognized by the state, they said they were very disappointed with the ruling. “We’re very sad for other couples,” Ribera said. Gay rights advocates had argued the ballot measure revised the state constitution’s equal protection clause, thus needing the legislature’s approval before it could be put to voters. Six months before Prop 8 passed, the California Supreme Court had ruled in favor of gay marriage, saying that denying gay marriage amounted to state-sanctioned discrimination. Gay rights supporters say the fight is far from over.

Very true, the fight is FAR from over … in fact, it has only just begun. The site RepealProp8.com was launched yesterday in the wake of the court’s ruling that seeks to put the issue back on the ballot for voters to decide again. Because California allows the amendment of the State constitution by a simple voter majority, the issue can go back on the ballot for voters to decide — again. The vote was so close last November that supporters, me included, believe that another vote would be sure to legalize same-sex marriage here in California. If YOU would like info on how you can help the cause, head over to RepealProp8.com. There is still a long road ahead but if we’ve learned nothing from the 5 States that have legalized same-sex marriage in this country, we’ve learned that true marriage equality for all will eventually come — even in places you’d least expect. Much props and love goes out to the celebs who came out to rally last night … including, Kathy Griffin & her mother Maggie, Deborah Gibson, Haylie Duff, Emmy Rossum, Lance Bass, Eliza Dushku and more. Eliza posted photos on her official Twitter page thruout the night. Props, too, to Governor Schwarzenegger for his support as well … here is a short vid clip of his comments to Jay Leno on The Tonight Show last night:

Marriage Equality will happen for all, I just know it … and now the work begins.

[Photo credit: X17, Splash News; Source]

Celebs from the big screen, the small screen, the stage and more made their way out to the Nokia Theatre here in downtown Los Angeles, CA yesterday evening to attend and participate in the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards … which honors achievement in GLBT visibility in the media. Here are a few photos from the awards show itself and some info from the glitzy ceremony:

Civil rights group GLAAD honored the movie “Milk” and singled-out Reverend Gene Robinson and comedian Kathy Griffin for their work at a Saturday night gala highlighting issues such as gay marriage and equality. Talk program “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was given a GLAAD Media Award for its episode “Ellen & Portia’s Wedding Day,” covering DeGeneres’ wedding to actress Portia de Rossi. DeGeneres dedicated the honor to Carl Walker-Hoover, an 11 year-old Massachusetts boy who killed himself earlier this month because school kids bullied him and called him “gay.” “In my opinion, we are not fighting for gay rights, we are fighting for equal rights,” DeGeneres told the black tie crowd at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater. The 2009 awards marked the 20th year that films, TV shows, performers and others have been honored by GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Milk,” about slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, was named best film. “Desperate Housewives” was chosen best TV comedy, and “Brothers and Sisters” was named top TV drama. GLAAD President Neil Giuliano spoke to the audience about the impact TV shows such as “The L Word” and movies like “Brokeback Mountain” have had on introducing audiences to all sorts of lesbian and gay characters and issues they face. Giuliano touched on marriage and said that despite setbacks like the passage of California’s Proposition 8 which denied gay men and women the right to marry in that state, progress has been made in other states where gay weddings are now legal. “As we learned in Iowa and Vermont, ignorance and hate does not stop the march of social justice,” Giuliano said. While many of the night’s speeches focused on social and political issues — as expected for the activist group — the night also featured a lot of comedy and music. Comedian Kathy Griffin accepted the Vanguard Award for her work in the gay community. She dressed in a bikini with a white, gay marriage ribbon, pinned to the bottom. The makers of video sensation “Prop 8: The Musical,” a parody of the conservative campaign backing Proposition 8, were singled-out with a special recognition award, and the musical number was performed on stage. The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop in the Episcopal church, was given an honorary award for his work as a religious leader and activist. Last month, GLAAD held a ceremony in New York City where it handed out other media awards. A similar event is planned for May in San Francisco.

I really love that the GLAAD Media Awards are handed out in LA, NY and San Francisco … issues of GLBT visibility are too large for just one ceremony. Much love and congrats to all the folks who work tireless to help foster and spread positive images of the gay community, pushing the boundaries of discrimination further and further away. The work is long and hard and nowhere near complete … until justice and equality for all is achieved in this country, the work carries on. Again, congrats to those folks who keep on keepin’ on. Click HERE for a full list of award winners from the LA portion of the GLAAD Media Awards. My dear friend Darion was able to attend the GLAAD Media Awards yesterday and he managed to get a fun photo with one of his fave celebs:

Don’t they look great? Kathy Griffin looks stunning. Trust me, Darion was geeked beyond words. Woot!!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Kathy Griffin, who just last weekend hosted the A-List Awards for Bravo TV here in SoCal, is featured in the new issue of OK! magazine showing off her rockin’ bikini bod … like, for real … check it out:

Kathy Griffin’s got a hot body and she isn’t afraid to show it! “I’ve become insufferable, tormenting my friends, saying, ‘Do you know I have a banging bikini bod?’ That should be my new name: Banging Bikini Bod Griffin,” she jokes to OK!. She recently showed off her slim figure during an outing with Paris Hilton. “A lot more guys were looking at me than Paris,” says Kathy, who, at 5 feet, 3 inches, weighs a svelte 118 pounds. “Granted, they were gay, but they were checking out my hot ass!” Don’t stare too hard though, fellas – Kathy says she’s not just another pretty face. “I am more than a golden, tanned sexpot. I am a woman, damn it, with thoughts and feelings!” she tells OK!. So how does she keep her trim figure? “I work out five days a week for an hour to an hour and a half, and my personal trainer comes to the house,” she reveals. “I need to have my ass kicked.” The reality star also claims her curves are au natural, telling OK! she hasn’t had any work done recently. “Not since 2003 when I had a face-lift,” she explains. “My breasts are very real and very floppy. Why have surgery when you could just get a good freaking bra?”

Folks, there is much more of this bikini hotness to be had. After the jump, check out a batch of new photos of Kathy showing off her fave bikinis for the upcoming Summer season …

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Bravo TV hosted the 2009 A-List Awards at The Orpheum Theater here in LA last night and they managed to attract a whole lotta D-Listers (and lower) to the event. The second annual award show (completely made up by Bravo TV to hand out awards to the the reality TV “stars” they created themselves) was, once again, hosted by Kathy Griffin and seeks to honor “the best in food, fashion, beauty, design and pop culture”. Here are a few pics of some of the supposed A-Listers who came out for the event yesterday:

Um, let’s be real here … there ain’t nothing A-List about the A-List Awards. How much do you wanna bet that Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan grabbed the closest scantily-clad woman in sight so that he would get photographed by the assembled media folks (and how much do you want to bet that Tila Tequila thought she was posing for a pic with Uncle Fester from The Addams Family)? I got $10. I mean, I get that Bravo is trying to start something akin to the MTV Video Music Awards with their little show but I’m afraid it ain’t gonna happen. The network boldly nominated some bona fide A-List people (David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Michelle Obama, Tina Fey) but when all you get on your red carpet is Pug Dilton and Aubrey O’Day, well, mebbe it’s time to change the name of your awards show … perhaps the A-Hole Awards? I keed, I keed … but seriously …. they should stop. That being said, I do love Kathy Griffin and if they keep getting her to host, I’ll prolly watch it in reruns or something. Or, you know, not.

[Photo credit: Splash News]