User Blog - Erin

I felt very worried as the familiar musical strains began last night's episode ("MILF Island"); would the episode live up to my high expectations after all of this time or would I be disappointed after I built up this moment for so many months now? I'm happy to see that the answer to the latter question is a resounding NO. I thought that "MILF Island" was textbook 30 Rock: slick, sly, and ...

Well, there it was. I’m kind of drawing a blank at the moment. . . we learned that Michael was the next Omar, Dukie the next Bubbles. Almost all the loose ends got tied up, with some wonted cynicism and a few happy endings. And like at Jimmy’s wake, we all realized that, uneven as this season has been, this show rules and there’s a lot we’ll miss about it. If that sounds empty, it’s because ...

Each week, The Hype Report will analyze the celebrities whose stars have risen in the past week. Calculations are based on a celebrity's total hype for the week (tracked links and votes on ShowHype) compared to the previous week. Proof that basic math can take you far. Mouse over the chart to view the details on any of the celebs and their top story of the week.

In the same week that 22-year-old Lindsay Lohan dropped her knickers to re-enact 36-year-old Marilyn Monroe's last photo shoot, she received an award for her performance in I Know Who Killed Me. If that's not validation of your career choices, I don't know what is.

Lindsay Lohan	Lindsay Lohan 175 stories, 517 points. Top Story: Lindsay Lohan Recreates Last Nude Photo Shoot of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe	Marilyn Monroe 70 stories, 247 points. Top Story: Lindsay Lohan Recreates Last Nude Photo Shoot of Marilyn Monroe
Jennifer Lopez	Jennifer Lopez 80 stories, 266 points. Top Story: EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony Welcome Twins!
Marc Anthony	Marc Anthony 42 stories, 134 points. Top Story: EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony Welcome Twins!
Pink	Pink 35 stories, 107 points. Top Story: Pink & Carey Hart Divorcing
Carey Hart	Carey Hart 35 stories, 107 points. Top Story: Pink & Carey Hart Divorcing
Angelina Jolie	Angelina Jolie 85 stories, 193 points. Top Story: Brad & Angie to Pax: You're Officially One of Us!
Jessica Simpson	Jessica Simpson 55 stories, 165 points. Top Story: Jessica Simpson Rules the Box Office – in the Ukraine
Gene Simmons	Gene Simmons 38 stories, 97 points. Top Story: Rock Star: Gene Simmons sex tape leaked on Web (NSFW)
Ashton Kutcher	Ashton Kutcher 40 stories, 99 points. Top Story: HEALTH SCARE AT ASHTON'S BIRTHDAY

Speaking of twins, Jennifer Lopez gave birth to a boy and girl on Friday, her first children with husband Marc Anthony, who already has three kids. After practicing pink drills for a week, the hospital was fully prepared to protect the reported $6 million invested by People magazine for the first photos of the babies.

Breakups are always sad, but when it's two of your favorite celebrities, who just exude warmth and genuine affection for each other, it's ... it's just too hard to take.

But this should cheer you up. Jessica Simpson's Blonde Ambition is ruling the box office in the Ukraine. If ticket sales keep up and momentum builds to number one spots in neighboring Belarus and Moldova, getting sued by people who love fat people won't be a problem.

Congratulations to little Pax Thien, who is now officially a Jolie-Pitt. Like his siblings, he is cute as hell, and even better, he's old enough to know that as long as he doesn't do anything too criminal, he's now set for life. The slice of the pie just got a little smaller, however, with one or possibly two more babies on the way.

The most-used letter combination on the web this week: NSFW. And I'm not saying it's related, although anything is possible, but Ashton Kutcher's guests all need to get tested for Hep-A.

Each week, The Hype Report will analyze the celebrities whose stars have risen in the past week. Calculations are based on a celebrity's total hype for the week (tracked links and votes on ShowHype) compared to the previous week. Proof that basic math can take you far. Mouse over the chart to view the details on any of the celebs and their top story of the week.

Beyoncé grabbed many headlines early last week after the Grammys as video clips and photos of her performances appeared on the tubes. One outfit that caught people's attention was a shiny green number that was judged by many to be a little too tight, crotchally speaking.

Beyoncé Knowles	Beyoncé Knowles 70 stories, 174 points. Top Story: Beyonce's Cameltoe at the Grammys
Kanye West	Kanye West 75 stories, 194 points. Top Story: Video - Kanye West - Flashing Lights
Bai Ling	Bai Ling 39 stories, 128 points. Top Story: Bai Ling to Sing Sing? Wacktress Arrested at LAX
Paris Hilton	Paris Hilton 179 stories, 418 points. Top Story: Like His Big Sister, Paris' Bro Gets a DUI! - TMZ.com - Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors
Natalie Portman	Natalie Portman 41 stories, 117 points. Top Story: Sister Act
Gary Coleman	Gary Coleman 35 stories, 103 points. Top Story: Video - Gary Coleman - Sexless Marraige
Amy Winehouse	Amy Winehouse 127 stories, 323 points. Top Story: Video - Amy Winehouse performs at '08 Grammys
Barron Hilton	Barron Hilton 28 stories, 100 points. Top Story: Like His Big Sister, Paris' Bro Gets a DUI! - TMZ.com - Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors
Fergie	Fergie 53 stories, 161 points. Top Story: LOVE & LUST AT THE GRAMMYS
Lily Allen	Lily Allen 41 stories, 96 points. Top Story: Audience walks out in 'sick' Lily Allen BBC chat show debut

Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" video is out, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Oh, and if you think the nice lady in the video is hot, she's selling her used underwear online for only $24.95.

Everyone's favorite haphazard dresser, Bai Ling, was the rising star of the week, and this time it wasn't because she forgot to wear a shirt with working buttons. She stole some crap from an airport shop, then blamed it on boy problems.

Paris and little bro Barron made for excellent tabloid fodder this week. In what appears to be the first time tough love in the Hilton household, his parents let him stay in jail following a drunk-driving incident until he was bailed out by his friends. Paris, meanwhile, stripped down at her many birthday parties, leaving her brother and her 17 dogs to fend for themselves.

Ah, Natalie... Brains and beauty both, we're honored to have you grace The Hype Report. Natalie has been vamping it up with her Other Boleyn Girl co-star in magazines and on the red carpet. Interestingly, she's also been critical of the lack of good female roles in the scripts she receives, which are mostly prostitutes or strippers.

Gary Coleman: Mazeltov to you and your much younger, much taller, and eBay seller extraordinaire wife. They're so obviously not media-ready that if he weren't admittedly abusive, it would be kind of endearing. But the Gary-on-printer violence  and sexless marriage really make you wonder if they can keep it together through even one season of Gary and Shannon: The Honeymoon's Over.

Also this week, Amy Winehouse's drug addiction musical talent was rewarded at the Grammys, Fergie may or may not be pregnant, and Lily Allen's new talk show is a snoozer.

Each week, The Hype Report will analyze the celebrities whose stars have risen in the past week. Calculations are based on a celebrity's total hype for the week (tracked links and votes on ShowHype) compared to the previous week. Proof that basic math can take you far. Mouse over the chart to view the details on any of the celebs and their top story of the week.

We have a curious mix of rising stars in the entertainment world this week. At the top, tabloid mainstay Amy Winehouse, who's recently been out of sight, mostly out of mind in rehab. The news this past week concerned her rejected, then accepted, visa application to the U.S. embassy to travel for the Grammy Awards, and therefore didn't have anything to do with tattoos, drugs on tape, or hair color... Or did it?

Amy Winehouse	Amy Winehouse 93 stories, 201 points. Top Story: EXCLUSIVE: Amy Winehouse Going to the Grammy Awards
Heidi Montag	Heidi Montag 47 stories, 135 points. Top Story: Heidi Montag on the beach for her Music Video HIGHER
Scarlett Johansson	Scarlett Johansson 29 stories, 96 points. Top Story: SAPPHIC STEAM
Penelope Cruz	Penelope Cruz 22 stories, 82 points. Top Story: SAPPHIC STEAM
John Mayer	John Mayer 33 stories, 76 points. Top Story: EXCLUSIVE! John Mayer Speaks: On James Blunt, Culottes... and Murder
Woody Allen	Woody Allen 23 stories, 82 points. Top Story: SAPPHIC STEAM
Kirsten Dunst	Kirsten Dunst 45 stories, 135 points. Top Story: Star Exclusive: Kirsten Dunst In Rehab!
Jesse Metcalfe	Jesse Metcalfe 12 stories, 70 points. Top Story: Video - Jesse Metcalfe Knocked the Hell Out!!
Hillary Clinton	Hillary Clinton 54 stories, 110 points. Top Story: Hillary Clinton cries in Connecticut
Brandy	Brandy 20 stories, 66 points. Top Story: Brandy: Kim Kardashian Abused My Credit Card

In other music news, Heidi Montag dropped a truly awful single and video.

Woody Allen has managed to make himself relevant to men younger than 60 by sharing that he too has fantasies of Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz getting it on.

John Mayer models Sacha Baron Cohen swimwear and governments the world over attempt to outlaw the "mankini." Kirsten Dunst apparently has a drinking problem, to the point that many bloggers call her "Drunkst" and has checked herself into rehab. Jesse Metcalfe longs for a time machine to take him back to the days when a celebrity could be on the losing end of a brawl and no one would know.

And finally, not to be messed with: protective mamas. Hillary Clinton is turning her icy glare onto MSNBC and David Shuster for saying Chelsea Clinton's been "pimped out." Brandy's mother, meanwhile, is suing Kim Kardashian and clan for credit card abuse that occurred several years ago.

David Shuster on MSNBC's Tucker, says Chelsea Clinton is being pimped out by her parents because she's making calls on behalf of her mom.

We have a new contest up over at ShowHype for the Academy Awards. See how many of the major categories you can pick correctly. If you watch the broadcast, it’ll make the 4 hours feel more like 2, and if you don’t, you may be all the more delightfully surprised the following morning to find out you’ve won.

Each week, The Hype Report will analyze the celebrities whose stars have risen in the past week. Calculations are based on a celebrity's total hype for the week (tracked links and votes on ShowHype) compared to the previous week. Proof that basic math can take you far. Mouse over the chart to view the details on any of the celebs and their top story of the week.

The news of Heath Ledger's sudden death dominated the tabloid and mainstream media this week, as shown in the chart below.

Heath Ledger	Heath Ledger 530 stories, 1483 points. Top Story: The Death of Heath Ledger
Amy Winehouse	Amy Winehouse 113 stories, 365 points. Top Story: Amy Winehouse | Caught on film | Smoking crack pipe
Michelle Williams	Michelle Williams 52 stories, 177 points. Top Story: Heath Ledger is Dead
Mary-Kate Olsen	Mary-Kate Olsen 67 stories, 180 points. Top Story: EXCLUSIVE: Heath Ledger's Friend: "We Saw It Coming"
Brad Pitt	Brad Pitt 47 stories, 146 points. Top Story: STAR EXCLUSIVE: ANGELINA PREGNANT WITH TWINS
Angelina Jolie	Angelina Jolie 48 stories, 142 points. Top Story: STAR EXCLUSIVE: ANGELINA PREGNANT WITH TWINS
John Gibson	John Gibson 22 stories, 82 points. Top Story: John Gibson Mocks ‘Weirdo’ Heath Ledger’s Death: ‘He Found Out How To Quit You’
Jerry O'Connell	Jerry O'Connell 21 stories, 78 points. Top Story: the parody video Tom Cruise WANTS you to see! from Jerry Minor and Jerry O'Connell
Denise Richards	Denise Richards 29 stories, 79 points. Top Story: Denise Richards Taking Charlie To Custody Court
Charlie Sheen	Charlie Sheen 27 stories, 74 points. Top Story: Denise Richards Taking Charlie To Custody Court

Contributing factors to the sheer volume of stories: people were genuinely shocked and grief-stricken, whether they knew Ledger personally or not; he was highly respected in the film industry so many celebrities paid public tribute; and the nature of his death raised a lot of questions about his physical and mental health.

Several other figures in this week's Hype Report are linked to Ledger in some way, including of course Michelle Williams, his Brokeback Mountain co-star, former fiance and mother of their 2 year-old daughter. Mary-Kate Olsen was the first, second, third, and possibly fourth person called by the masseuse who found Ledger. And John Gibson made and then "apologized" for grossly inappropriate and offensive comments about Heath Ledger's death on Fox Radio.

Any other week, the video footage of Amy Winehouse snorting ecstasy, cocaine, and smoking crack would have been the top story. She's finally agreed to enter rehab, so let's hope she stays put and doesn't show up on The Hype Report until she emerges sober, with or without a Riley Giles in tow.

We also had two celebrity couples in the news this week for very opposite reasons. Angelina Jolie is rumored to be pregnant with twins, making Brad Pitt the insane happy father of six. Denise Richards, on the other hand, is making do with her two girls by putting them on a reality TV show to be produced by Ryan Seacrest. Charlie Sheen is up for Hollywood Father of the Year 2008 by refusing to allow the pimping out of his daughters, but in this case justice is indeed blind to common sense, and the judge ruled against him.

That leaves Jerry O'Connell, who did a funny send-up of Tom Cruise's infamous Scientology recruitment video -- both are now enshrined on the tubes.

Each week, The Hype Report will analyze the celebrities whose stars have risen in the past week. Calculations are based on a celebrity's total hype for the week (tracked links and votes on ShowHype) compared to the previous week. Proof that basic math can take you far. Mouse over the chart to view the details on any of the celebs and their top story of the week.

It feels rather like Halloween this week on The Hype Report, what with the release of Tom Cruise's creepy Scientology recruitment videos hitting the internets and Adnan Ghalib's purplish face looking at us askance from his thumbnail image. That Tom Cruise still has the ability to command so much attention that he tops the chart this week speaks to the number of people in my unspecified age bracket who watched this guy go from The Outsiders to Risky Business to Top Gun to Mission Impossible with at least a touch of envy. He seemed to have it all: good looks (ignore the stature part since that didn't seem to stop him), the gorgeous wives, the ridiculous amounts of money... It's kind of comforting to know that he is as crazy as you hoped he was.

Tom Cruise	Tom Cruise 169 stories, 476 points. Top Story: The Cruise Indoctrination Video Scientology Tried To Suppress [Exclusive]
Adnan Ghalib	Adnan Ghalib 138 stories, 327 points. Top Story: Exclusive: Britney's nude shopping tirade!
Gwyneth Paltrow	Gwyneth Paltrow 48 stories, 162 points. Top Story: EXCLUSIVE: Gwyneth Paltrow Admitted to New York Hospital
Matthew McConaughey	Matthew McConaughey 43 stories, 157 points. Top Story: Matthew McConaughey's Journal - Havin a baby
Brad Renfro	Brad Renfro 38 stories, 128 points. Top Story: Brad Renfro Dies
Eddie Murphy	Eddie Murphy 37 stories, 121 points. Top Story: Eddie Murphy, Tracey Edmonds Suddenly Split
Zac Efron	Zac Efron 64 stories, 147 points. Top Story: Zac Stars in High School Medical Emergency!
Oprah Winfrey	Oprah Winfrey 28 stories, 96 points. Top Story: oprah to dr. phil: 'you're fired!'
Rachel Bilson	Rachel Bilson 52 stories, 110 points. Top Story: RACHEL BILSON IS THE NEXT_______
David Spade	David Spade 22 stories, 61 points. Top Story: Is Spade Going to Be a Daddy?

Adnan Ghalib, who up to a month ago was just another photographer on the trail of a certain tragic popstar, is now the target of paparazzi himself. Why did Britney need to get a restraining order against him? Are they really dating? Is he going to leave his wife or is this all part of an elaborate scheme hatched by the two of them to get Britney's money? And why is Sam Lufti copying his facial hair?? Do we care? Not really, but dammit, it'd be nice to know.

The next group of celebrities are relatively new faces to The Hype Report: Gwyneth Paltrow, who's kept a pretty low profile recently, was admitted to the hospital for an unexplained illness; Matthew McConaughey announced his impending fatherhood on his blog (he sounds so happy you can feel the dimples); and the untimely death of Brad Renfro.

Ah, back to lighter fare. Eddie Murphy, it turns out, never actually got married to Tracey Edmonds. What's the etiquette on gifts here? Does Charlie Murphy get his china place settings back? Zac Efron, by the way, no longer has an appendix, in case anyone is interested. He does still have emo bangs and some really great painkillers. Oprah Winfrey was in the news again this week for two unrelated items. First, she's going to launch her own cable channel; and second, she has to make noises about firing Dr. Phil for his stupid, brazen attempt to cash in on the Britney trainwreck. My guess is she's not too happy about the latter stealing her OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) thunder. And finally, Rachel Bilson is hot; and David Spade had sex with someone hot and has the bun to prove it.

Each week, The Hype Report will analyze the celebrities whose stars have risen in the past week. Calculations are based on a celebrity's total hype for the week (tracked links and votes on ShowHype) compared to the previous week. Proof that basic math can take you far. Mouse over the chart to view the details on any of the celebs and their top story of the week.

Welcome to the first installment of The Hype Report. I know you're going to scan the chart first so let's get this out of the way. Q: Where's Britney? A: Mexico! Just kidding... The Hype Report compares changes week to week, so while she continues to be in the center of the universe and the rest of us just occupy the periphery, the minute-by-minute reporting on her standoff with police and being forcibly admitted to a hospital on January 3 settled down last week to hourly updates on the latest outing with pap-turned-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib and fallout from Dr. Phil's attempt to "help."

Katie Holmes	Katie Holmes 101 stories, 268 points. Top Story: Katie Holmes: Nicole's Pregnancy is 'Wonderful'
Nicole Kidman	Nicole Kidman 71 stories, 254 points. Top Story: Nicole Kidman Is Pregnant
Nicole Richie	Nicole Richie 65 stories, 201 points. Top Story: Nicole Richie, Joel Madden Have a Girl
Dr. Phil	Dr. Phil 81 stories, 198 points. Top Story: Just In: Britney Spoke With British Accent at Hospital
Christina Aguilera	Christina Aguilera 63 stories, 194 points. Top Story: Christina's New Genie on the Bottle
Joel Madden	Joel Madden 45 stories, 160 points. Top Story: Nicole Richie, Joel Madden Have a Girl
Janet Jackson	Janet Jackson 34 stories, 155 points. Top Story: Janet Jackson - Feedback (Official Video)
Tom Cruise	Tom Cruise 99 stories, 250 points. Top Story: Katie Holmes: Nicole's Pregnancy is 'Wonderful'
Adnan Ghalib	Adnan Ghalib 56 stories, 126 points. Top Story: Adnan Takes Britney to the Big Apple
Paula Abdul	Paula Abdul 18 stories, 78 points. Top Story: Exclusive: Paula Abdul to Sing Live! For Real!

Enough Britney. On to the big changes last week: we've become celebrity baby-obsessed. There was talk of who might be pregnant (Avril Lavigne), who wants to get pregnant to solve her drug addiction and marriage woes (Amy Winehouse), announcements confirming what a few days before had been denied by PR flacks (Nicole Kidman), and finally, a couple of rare celebrity baby births, capping what for most people is a 9-month process but for celebrities begins with a year of public speculation, putting celebrity baby gestations closer to that of elephants (22 months).

At the top of the chart this week was Katie Holmes, whose biggest story was that she gushed her congrats to Nicole Kidman through the media. Just being polite wouldn't get you the top spot on The Hype Report, however. A kind of perfect media storm surrounded Katie this week as she pulled off wearing a toga to an awards show (soon to be a Get This Look For Less! gathered bedsheet) and attended the premiere of her movie Mad Money in a fashion-forward, old-lady-bra--backward dress. But that was nothing compared to the intense interest in the details of her relationships with Tom Cruise and Scientology (including, posthumously, L. Ron Hubbard). Andrew Morton (unauthorized Princess Di biographer) has turned his attention to Tom Cruise with a new book out Tuesday, descriptively titled: Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography. The Cruises just love the jolly Brit nosing about their business, unearthing such delicious tidbits as Katie's purported $3MM payout per year of marriage in the event of a split. Oh, and the charming speculation that Katie was impregnated with L. Ron Hubbard's freeze-dried sperm. Love him! (That could apply equally to L. Ron, Tom, or Morton.)

Anyway, back to earthly babies... Yes, Nicole is finally expecting. After years of trying to conceive with Tom Cruise, she is now pregnant with her first biological child with Keith Urban and is far enough along that they've confirmed the news publicly. Nicole is understandably protective of the baby and withdrew from filming The Reader, which announced that she's been replaced with one of my favorite actresses, Kate Winslet.

And in the past couple of days, the celebrity baby blogs have had a field day with Nicole Richie pushing her baby girl out the day before Christina Aguilera's baby boy arrived. In fact the media got so excited by the proximity of the Richie-Madden and Aguilera-Bratman families in the Cedars-Sinai maternity ward that many outlets mistakenly had the two babies being born near-simultaneously

Speaking of Cedars-Sinai, that is where Dr. Phil famously stalked counseled Britney at the request of her family. Dr. Phil's plan to have Britney and her family on his show, as well as his parking lot diagnosis of the patient, drew much flack and he is now dead to the Spears.

Also on the rise last week: Joel Madden, baby-daddy to Nicole Richie's daughter; Janet Jackson for her comeback video, Feedback; Adnan Ghalib, the gallant Gregory Peck to Britney's Audrey Hepburn in their own bizarre Roman Holiday adventure; Tom Cruise for being Tom Cruise; and Paula Abdul for agreeing to perform live at the Super Bowl.

If you are a Jane Austen fan, this is pretty funny. Sadly I have been humming Maneater ever since I watched. Good for the treadmill, not so much for morning meetings.

Dave Chappelle has broken his own Laugh Factory endurance record. The 34-year-old comedian topped his record of six hours and seven minutes, set in mid-April, by taking to the stage Sunday and telling jokes for six hours and 12 minutes. "Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break (his) record," club owner Jamie Masada said ...

Well I guess things are going well on the set of The Incredible Hulk because Edward Norton and co-star Tim Blake Nelson seem to have become serious BFFs. Coming Soon.net reports that Norton and Nelson (sounds like a vaudeville team doesn't it?) will work together on the crime comedy, Leaves of Grass. Norton will direct the comedy about twin brothers who get mixed up with "murderous potheads" – ...

Ultimate dork-themed wedding guide - from where to throw the bachelor party, to what to wear on the wedding night.

The NYT Book Review has selected this list from books reviewed since the Holiday Books issue of Dec. 3, 2006.

'Desperate Housewives' star Eva Longoria totes pizza for striking writers - but they weren't in the mood to forgive her for filming despite their picketing.

THERE are three things people think they know about Jessica Seinfeld, the semipublic wife of the popular comedian: 1. Nine years ago she dumped her first husband shortly after their honeymoon, in favor of the richer and more famous Jerry Seinfeld, whom she met at a gym. 2. Recently she published a cookbook, “Deceptively Delicious,” and was accused of plagiarizing another writer’s ...

It's like Laura Ashley married a Poison video and then got really inappropriately drunk at the wedding and threw up all over Jennifer Connelly. And, bless her, she's putting on a happy face about it, but inside, you just know she's thinking, "Damn, I hate the 80s. If Frank Whaley thinks this is some kind of coded message for him to call me, I'm going to cut a bitch."

Even though "Youth Without Youth" is his first movie in a decade, Francis Ford Coppola insists he isn't making a comeback to film-making. "I never went anywhere," the Oscar-winning director said in an interview Sunday with The Associated Press. "A comeback is like when a fighter stops fighting and then goes and says I'm retiring and then makes a comeback. Who is to say what a film ...

Brandy actually looks really good. Jennifer too. Kelis not so much.