At 11:30am today, the madness will officially begin and so will your chance to win. But hurry and sign up for the SoBe Lifewater™ Zero Inhibitions Bracket Challenge by clicking here.

It's true, he's very rich. Also today: A romantic comedy duo for the ages, a softer approach from a 24 man, Nickelodeon has deep pockets, and The Hobbit begins its journey!

One is a Cambridge-educated starlet. The other is an "ink-stained hellcat" who kissed and told. Tabloid coincidence and famous actresses' husbands bring them together. Alec Baldwin gets in a homophobic/homoerotic war of words. Thursday gossip is full of surprises.

NYT editor Bill Keller sent out this staff memo about the departure of political writer Adam Nagourney, who's leaving DC for the West Coast. It takes three writers to replace him:

Today, we bring you two brutal face-to-ground mishaps and a precocious little girl who already knows more about herbs than I do.

What is "trampy?" "Sleeping with a married guy on the day you meet him = trampy. Keeping your pants on during a date or photo shoot = not trampy." Thank you, Andrea Peyser, sex addict. [NYP]

[A drunken very very tired Twilight star leaves the Ivy in London; image via INF]

Can you guess what movie this image comes from? Check back for the answer at 4pm today.

Mercury levels emitted from three Ohio power plants have more than doubled over the past few years. Why, you might ask? So the power company can save money, of course. We're in a recession, people!

The university's law library, which is said to have the "best collection of rare law books in the world after Harvard and the Library of Congress," is now focused on preserving toys depicting Supreme Court justices.

The Pentagon is upset with the non-profit website WikiLeaks.org for publishing documents it says are a "threat to the US Army" — like hiding Gitmo prisoners from the Red Cross — and for being supported by the CIA. Huh? [NYT]

Remember that sweaty guy who helped lots of people make terrible decisions with their life savings before, and during, the financial crisis? Yeah. Well, he still does that. And now the SEC is investigating his website, TheStreet.com, over poor accounting.

In a single hour, Macy's sold 72,000 bottles of Beyonce's new perfume yesterday. If you think that's impressive, check out all the other stuff she uses her famous face to sell. A portrait of the artist as a commodity.

So... Dakota Fanning. You know, that cute, innocent little actress. Isn't she so cute and innocent? Not anymore! Fanning was on Late Night tonight, wearing a too-short dress and discussing "steamy" lesbian scenes in The Runaways. This is not OK.

Your daily racist WTF: A New Jersey Wal-Mart is "reviewing security tapes" after someone used the intercom to calmly announce, "Attention Wal-Mart customers: All black people leave the store now." They have since apologized. [NBC via flugennock]

Sunglasses are "my burka" and porn is how the poor may approximate his escort-laden life. Chanel's dramatic creative director gave a ridiculously long interview to Vice in which he dismissed Anna Wintour and supported wearing fur. A Cliff's Notes guide.

Alex Chilton, singer and guitarist for Big Star, has died. He was 59.

In case you haven't heard, the debate over health care reform has reached its boiling point. Luckily for us, we have Jon Stewart and The Daily Show to summarize the most ridiculous rhetoric that's being spewed by Republican lawmakers. Huzzah!

The Journal is confirming speculation that Bernie Madoff was beaten in prison last December.

Earlier tonight, Tyra Banks received a somewhat brutal bitch-slapping from Chelsea Handler. Handler believes that Banks' America's Next Top Model, now in its 14th trimester, should have been aborted long ago. To be honest, we have a hard time disagreeing.