Britney Spears can't have nice things because men will take them from her. Yesterday her dad got permission from a judge to sell off at least some of the singer's cars, and it emerged that former hanger-on Sam Lutfi allegedly intercepted "hundreds of thousands of dollars worth" of jewelry, fur coats and other luxury items intended for Spears.
On the bright side, Spears may actually be getting healthier under her father's conservatorship: The cast of How I Met Your Mother claims she was "surprisingly easy to work with." Star Neil Patrick Harris said she was "rather shy and intimidated." Classic politician's gambit: Set expectations low, then exceed them!
Designer Donatella Versace will be a live mannequin at Barneys today. [P6]
Tom Cruise historically does this weird thing where he will sometimes awkwardly make "friends" with people for PR reasons, and fellow actor Will Smith is his newest victim. Cruise has been basically stalking Smith, flying to New York for his movie opening and surprising him at Smith's Hollywood Walk of Fame installation. The horrific result: Charitable Smith and his wife donated $20,000 to a Scientology literacy campaign. [Fox]
Michael Stipe of ancient alternaband REM is gay and about to say so in Spin. [P6]
Here is a picture of actor Ashton Kutcher in tight Calvin Klein briefs, to kick off or ruin your morning. [LA Rag Mag]
Madonna's flack said the singer's marriage to Guy Ritchie is a happy one and the whole family is "joyfully back together" after the wife and husband finished far-flung movie projects. Page Six is so not buying it and points out that, to the Brit ear, Ritchie clearly has an affected gangland accent that sounds as fake over there as Madonna's faux-British accents sounds in the U.S.
The whole thing about actor George Clooney returning to TV show ER was, of course, total bullshit. [People]
Perez Hilton does not seem to realize Amy Winehouse has an actual skin disorder and registered a false drug-related accusation against the singer-druggie, perhaps the first in her entire life. [Perez]
Oil heir Brandon Davis is now disrupting lives in California instead of South Florida. He made a scene at designer Lauren Conrad's fashion show and was removed by security [P6]
Kirstin Davis of Sex and the City is not the one in that porn photo allegedly from a sex tape. [OK, P6]
