Cele|bitchy

Did Prince William propose to Kate Middleton because of his thinning hair?
Rachel McAdams & Michael Sheen: Is an engagement imminent?
J.Lo & Marc Anthony’s marriage is “cracking” because of money problems
Tilda Swinton & Chloe Sevigny in Hugo Boss: who looks better?
Madonna pulls support, funding from planned $15 million Malawi school
Keith Olbermann abruptly leaves MSNBC: Was he fired for being a jag?

Did Prince William propose to Kate Middleton because of his thinning hair?

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 07:10 AM PST

Yesterday, The New York Times published a "Field Notes" piece all about how balding men are horrible people, because they don't have hair. Well… it's not that bad, but it's still one of the dumbest "trend" pieces I've ever read in the NYT. The crux of this chick writer's essay is that men losing their hair will do dumb stuff to increase their own sense of manliness, like propose to women. The example used is Prince William, who apparently only proposed to Kate Middleton because of his hair loss. This might even be worse than Rogaine attempting to contact William via the tabloids. The full NYT piece is here, and here are the basics:

OF all the details surrounding Prince William's April marriage to his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton, few seem to have garnered as much attention as his rapidly receding hairline.

"You Can Leave Your Hat On" and "No Hair to the Throne" are among the many headlines that have appeared in the British tabloids. Which poses a question: Is it possible that the 28-year-old prince felt an urge to lock up a commitment from Ms. Middleton because his heart-throb status might be beginning to disappear with the hair? If so, what must the rest of the not-so-princely men in the world feel when youthful looks begin to fade?

In the past, only women were perceived to have a marital sell-by date. But thanks to a convergence of social and economic trends, some men feel the same pressures.

"The clock ticks for both men and women," said W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.

Michael Kimmel, a sociologist, said one contributing factor is the increasing economic independence of women. Mr. Kimmel, a professor at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, cited a 1930s study by Willard Waller that evaluated how women and men assessed each other's sexual marketability based on criteria including physical appearance, social skills and financial stability. A woman of that era valued a man's earning capacity above good looks and other traits. But now, Mr. Kimmel said, "women are able to provide for a family, so they are more able to focus as well on physical features."

Also, men have become more concerned with body image, meaning that they are more likely to measure themselves against culturally perceived standards of attractiveness, according to Ashley Mears, a sociologist. She traces the trend to the 1980s with more advertisements and magazines geared toward men.

In other words, those Propecia and Rogaine ads can wear on the psyche.

Men may give themselves some leeway when it comes to putting on a few extra pounds and having wrinkles (two typical areas of concern among aging women hoping to attract a mate). But hair loss — both androgenic alopecia, often referred to as male-pattern baldness, and alopecia areata, which typically involves temporary and localized shedding — can be emotionally traumatic, especially for men in their 20s. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology estimates 80 million men and women in the United States suffer from hereditary thinning or baldness.

Although Ms. Middleton and most other women aren't likely to admit having an aversion to balding men, Susan Jones, an executive at an accounting firm in Manhattan, said many of her female friends in their late 30s and 40s are alone, in part, because their "impossibly high" criteria for men have little to do with what it takes to be a good husband. "They want to date these good-looking men, but really, that's not going to get you very far in a marriage," said Ms. Jones, who pointed out that she has been happily married to Richard Jones, who is bald, for 13 years.

"I think we are very well matched," said Mr. Jones, an associate professor of accounting at Hofstra.

Dr. Neil Sadick, a dermatologist in New York who is balding, said, "There is more acceptance for balding." For proof, one need only look to athletes like Michael Jordan and Mark Messier and movie stars like Bruce Willis and Jason Statham who are popularizing the shaved head.

Lauren Dalrymple, 35, believes that hair loss "is more of an issue for men than it is for women." And so later this year she plans to marry 40-year-old John Christel, whose hair began thinning in his 20s.

The rise of the post-industrial workplace in which men (and women) are more likely to engage in face-to-face interactions has influenced men's self-image as well as their appearance, said Kathleen Gerson, a professor at New York University and author of "The Unfinished Revolution: Coming of Age in a New Era of Gender, Work and Family."

"Now, how we look matters," she said.

Of course there are plenty of bald and balding men living happily ever after. For starters, men, like women, are marrying later in life, according to Census data. And although women rank physical features higher on their future-husband wish lists, they also care about personality, said Mr. Wilcox of the National Marriage Project. "The good news is that women are even more attentive to a man's capacity to be a good friend or be emotionally engaged," he said.

Lucky for Prince William, Ms. Middleton doesn't seem bothered by what adorns his head — now or later.

[From The New York Times]

Ugh. Of all of the potential problems between Kate Middleton and Prince William, Will's hair loss is very far down the list, right behind "Kate is too lazy to do any charity work" and "William has some kind of weird Oedipus thing happening with his father." Oh, and "William and Kate must take their mandatory 13 vacations a year." Now, do I think William's hair loss bothers him? Sure. A few years ago, in a dual interview between Princes Harry and William, when Harry made a crack about Willliam's hairline, William's raging, touchy bitch came out. So it obviously bothers him - but does it bother him enough that it’s a major factor in why he proposed? No.

Now, I get that men are much more concerned with their baldness than women will ever be. But I just hate the idea that such a silly, narrow concern is "the reason" why any man - much less a prince - would propose. Does that make me naïve?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Rachel McAdams & Michael Sheen: Is an engagement imminent?

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 06:32 AM PST

Rachel McAdams and Michael Sheen have been dating ever since last year's Toronto Film Festival. Allegedly, or whatever, although there are many eyewitnesses who claim they saw them meet and spark immediately, and they've been all over each other ever since. The low-key couple has been spotted mostly in Canada, but we did get some great photos of Michael dropping Rachel off at the airport, including a cute airport makeout session. So… about five months. That's how long they've been dating, by most accounts. Is it too soon to start with the engagement rumors?

From Wedding Crashers to wedding belle? Five months into the romance between Rachel McAdams, 32, and Michael Sheen, 41, "they are heading towards a possible engagement," a source says of the pair. "He's head over heels - it's the real thing. There is no doubt they are made for one another."

[From Us Weekly, print edition]

I agree that there is something about this coupling that gives me the warm-fuzzies (and I'm not that kind of person at all)… they just seem to fit together. I enjoy the idea of them together. So it wouldn't surprise me if they were already talking about getting more serious, although Rachel doesn't strike me as the crazy, lovesick type. She seems like a planner, a list-maker, not the kind of girl who would run off with a dude she's been dating for five months. But maybe they just "know". Stranger things have happened!

Rachel and Michael on Sept. 12, 2010. Credit: WENN.

J.Lo & Marc Anthony’s marriage is “cracking” because of money problems

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 06:09 AM PST

Remember way back when Jennifer Lopez was the biggest star in the world? She was as big as Beyonce is now, except with Ben Affleck instead of Jay-Z. Now, J. Lo can’t buy a hit. Her latest endeavor, American Idol, debuted to lower ratings than hoped (although the show still topped of the night), and her new single “On the Floor” is getting poor reviews. Money problems are causing her and her husband, Marc Anthony, to drift apart, according to In Touch Weekly.

This was supposed to be one of the happiest times of Jennifer Lopez’s life. After suffering several career setbacks in recent years, she’s poised for a massive comeback as a new judge on American Idol. But as her good fortune increases at work, trouble is brewing at home.

Tension has been building between Jennifer and her husband, Marc Anthony, for a while. “They kept it bottled up while she was trying for the job on Idol, but now it’s all coming out,” an insider close to the pair tells In Touch. “Marc, especially, is cracking.”

At war over everything from money problems to Marc’s inability to stay in one place, the insider fears the once-close couple may be at the end of their rope. As In Touch has reported, Marc made the move to LA — a city he dislikes — to support his wife, but a friend admits he gets restless quickly. Now spending less time with their twins, Max and Emme, 2, Marc is so “money hungry,” the insider says, that he is heading on tour in February, just as Idol begins. And in their case, absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder. Marc, 42, doesn’t communicate well with Jennifer, 41, on the phone, the insider shares: “He either yells at her or doesn’t take her calls. From what I can see, they just aren’t getting along.”

Marc’s recent troubles with the IRS have deepened the rift. Reports surfaced in December that he owed millions in unpaid taxes. Although a rep says he quickly came to an agreement with the IRS, the debacle surprised and angered Jennifer.

Marc’s response? He added more tour dates to his schedule, says the insider, essentially pushing his wife even further away. And the prolonged distance could be a recipe for disaster. “On tour, he’s always drinking and flirting with lots of women,” adds the insider — a situation that a strong, independent woman like J. Lo certainly wouldn’t tolerate for long.

[In Touch, print edition, January 31, 2011]

Jennifer and Marc are trying to put on a strong front, like at the Golden Globe awards, but a witness told In Touch that the two barely spoke at the Globe after-parties.

It’s interesting that Jennifer and Marc are fighting over money, despite rolling in dough. I guess money problems are a universal issue in all relationships, whether you make minimum wage or millions.

I think the bad karma of Jennifer’s diva antics when she was on top are coming back to haunt her on her way down. But for the sake of MY karma, I hope she and Marc are able to work things out for their children. Namaste.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Tilda Swinton & Chloe Sevigny in Hugo Boss: who looks better?

Posted: 22 Jan 2011 11:56 AM PST

These are photos from the Hugo Boss show in Berlin, Germany yesterday. Chloe Sevigny, Tilda Swinton and Hayden Christensen were the big "gets" for the event. Hayden and Chloe I understand - they will promote stuff for a paycheck. But Tilda? What fresh hell is this if Tilda Swinton is doing paid promotional events? How does that even compute in her alien brain? You know what's worse though? Tilda looks pretty good. Hugo Boss suits her. The cut of her suit is wonderful - she belongs in menswear or menswear-inspired pieces. In lieu of her normal alien skin, I guess. Because on her home planet Zaldorg, there is no need for clothes.

I have to say that Chloe doesn't look half-bad either. Certainly better than she looked at her last big public appearance, where she was wearing an ill-fitting, belly-baring Rodarte that made her look ridiculous. She actually looks kind of cute in this little mini-suit. She also looks like Tilda's bitch. TEAM ZALDORG.

Hayden Christensen is filling out… I hate this, but he looks better with some added weight. He doesn't look like a 17-year-old rent boy/dealer.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Madonna pulls support, funding from planned $15 million Malawi school

Posted: 22 Jan 2011 11:30 AM PST

Before Madonna formally adopted her daughter Mercy from Malawi, Madonna spread around a significant amount of cash in-country, and made one huge promise: to build a $15 million school that would be a state-of-art facility… for girls. No boys. That was back in 2009, and shortly after that promise was made, Marcy got to come home with Madonna after months of international controversy. For a while, it looked like Madonna was going to keep her pledge to build the school - plans were drawn up, press releases were issued, photo ops were done. Now it looks like the initial plans have been scrapped. No $15 million school. In her defense, Madonna now wants to build and support "a series of secondary schools" in-country.

MADONNA is in hot water with the Malawian government after she scrapped plans to build a special school there. The Ray Of Light singer, 52, promised to fund an academy for underprivileged girls during a visit in 2009.

The facility was regarded as a gesture of goodwill after she adopted two orphans, DAVID BANDA and MERCY JAMES, from the poverty stricken African nation.

But plans to construct the £9million facility have suddenly been scrapped, and instead she intends to build a series of secondary schools across the country.

Speaking on her charity Raising Malawi’s website she said: “I want to reach thousands, not hundreds of girls.”

The Malawian education minister Peter Mutharika said of the decision: “We’d like to know why she has changed.”

The move has also upset residents who gave up ancestral land so plans could go ahead.
I never had her down as a brickie anyway…

[From The Sun]

Well… even though I think there are likely personal financial reasons why Madonna didn't go ahead with the school - the woman is reportedly really, really cheap - I think Madge actually was trying to avoid any additional controversy. The whole $15 million school seemed like a whim anyway, a typical Madonna-copycat of Oprah's South African girls' school. One of the biggest critics of Madge's school was Save the Children, who often pointed out that many schools could be built and maintained for thousands of kids, boys and girls, for the cost of one of Madge's special school.

But still, it's kind of funny to think of Madonna pulling out of the project because she's totally over this "whim" of hers. Did I say "funny"? I meant really sad. "Charity is SO hard," said Madonna, as she gets her gristle fanned by her latest lithe young boy-toy. “Why can’t I just announce things? Why do people expect me to follow through?!”

Photos courtesy of WENN & Fame.

Keith Olbermann abruptly leaves MSNBC: Was he fired for being a jag?

Posted: 22 Jan 2011 11:05 AM PST

While we don't usually cover purely media figures, there are the occasional people that are pop-culture phenoms all on their own. Such is the case of Keith Olbermann - not only a media fixture and a pop culture figure, but now it seems Keith just found himself in one of the bigger public breakups of the past few years. Last night, Olbermann announced that effective immediately, he was leaving MSNBC. Olbermann's Countdown is the highest-rated show on MSNBC, and KO gets credit (and has taken credit) for reshaping the news network. KO still had two years left on a four-year contract, and most say that he's still going to get paid $7 million a year for the next two years. $14 million for nothing! For sitting on his ass in his pajamas for two years. So it wasn't about money, it wasn't about ratings… what was it about? Because it's looking more and more like Olbermann didn't jump, but was pushed.

Gawker theorizes that Olbermann and his corporate overlords at NBC Universal were bitching at each other for months, and Comcast's soon-to-be buyout of NBC was a factor… according to business gossip (often juicier than celebrity gossip), Comcast isn't a fan. Comcast's lackey sent out this missive this morning, though: "Comcast has not closed the transaction for NBC Universal and has no operational control at any of its properties, including MSNBC. We pledged from the day the deal was announced that we would not interfere with NBC Universal’s news operations. We have not & we will not.”

So with Concast denying their involvement, the question keeps coming back to why KO was fired? Was it because he's such a dick? Seriously, I agree with many of KO's political views, but not his methods and not his personal attacks and unyielding arrogance. That's why I stopped watching his show - KO is an exhausting bastard. Could it be that KO just shot himself in the foot by being such a jag?

Also up in the air - what happens to the 8 pm timeslot. According to HuffPo's sources, Rachel Maddow is still in everybody's good graces, and she will most likely stay on at 9 pm. Laurence O'Donnell is going to be taking over at 8 pm for now - he's nicer than Keith, but still rather "meh". I'd like to see the Washington Post's Eugene Robinson, or The Nation's Christopher Hayes. Both are great interviewers, both have strong "likability" factors and both are smart as whips.

Here's Olbermann's final statement:

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