Celebrity Mound

Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden is about to become a culinary battlefield.

The Food Network announced Wednesday that an episode of “Iron Chef America” will be taped at the White House featuring Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse.

The three chefs, joined by White House chef Cristeta Comerford, will be welcomed by the first lady and allowed to use anything found in the garden to help create their meals.

The competition will then move back to the network’s Kitchen Stadium in New York, where Flay and Comerford will face-off against Batali and Lagasse to produce five dishes showcasing the ingredients.

The judges will include chef Nigella Lawson, Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin, and actress Jane Seymour.

The episode airs Jan. 3.

(source)

“Real Housewives of NYC” resident male Simon Van Kempen and movie producer Dana Brunetti didn’t get a chance to have it out at a New York bash last week, so they’ve taken to Twitter to properly brawl.

The rumble started at Sunday’s Stella Artois Short Film Bash when Kevin Spacey — Brunetti’s partner in the Trigger Street production company — thanked the crowd for attending. John Stamos, Gina Gershon and Jeff Goldblum were all in the house, but Spacey made sure to single out two partygoers who didn’t quite fit in with the exclusive guest list.

“Clearly, the most remarkable pair we have present are the Real Housewives of New York City,” Spacey jested, referring to Van Kempen’s wife, Alex McCord, and her reality TV cohort Ramona Singer.

But the two housewives didn’t think the backhanded compliment was so funny — and neither did Van Kempen. “Alex had to physically hold Simon back from getting in Kevin’s face later on in the evening,” a spy said. “They were completely livid.”

And Van Kempen was still fuming after the bash, tweeting that Spacey’s comments were “derogatory.” Brunetti promptly complained about the after-party altercation, saying he and Spacey were attacked by the “skeletor housewife” for no reason. “Who the f— let her into the party?” he asked.

The feud hasn’t simmered down since.

Van Kempen was quick to avoid blame, claiming that Brunetti and Spacey had started the spat — not him and his missus. “Neither of us made a speech referencing to those in attendance & disdainfully referenced Real Housewives,” he tweeted.

During his flight back to L.A., Brunetti responded: “I love that I’m 30,000 feet [in the air] and having a Twitter battle with a Real Housewife of NYC …” He then added that he has nothing against Singer. “Ramona was very appreciative, and she was polite,” he posted.

But McCord’s man made sure to have the last word — as always. Said Van Kempen: “If this dialogue continues, it can do so off Twitter.”

(source)

It’s at this time of year when Brits start wearing their gloves and hats as the autumn nights set in and the temperature plummets.

Despite coming from New York, which experiences colder winters than London, Lady GaGa appeared to be unperturbed by the chilly weather when choosing her latest outfit last night.

Enjoying a late night meal at the Soho branch of Balans, Lady GaGa braves the cold temperature in a revealing lace Dolce & Gabbana bodysuit, which left her black bra and knickers and skin exposed to the cold.

The Pokerface singer, real name Stefani Germanotta, enjoyed a two hour dinner with members of her entourage at Balans this morning.

After feasting on the popular restaurant’s international menu, GaGa finally left at 2am and got into a waiting car back to her hotel.

Clearly enjoying the paparazzi attention, GaGa declined to wear her studded jacket so her risque ensemble was in clear view as she walked the few feet from the Old Compton Street eaterie to her car.

After spending the weekend in New York celebrating Halloween, GaGa arrived in London yesterday, before she is expected to travel to Berlin today for the MTV Europe Awards.

Lady GaGa is nominated in five categories, including Best Song for Pokerface, Best Live Act, Best New Act, Best Female and Best World Stage Performance.

Earlier this week, the eccentric singer was honoured for her original fashion style at the Accessories Council Excellence (ACE) Awards in New York.

Wearing Marc Jacobs lingerie and a bizarre lace face mask at the ceremony, GaGa was given the Stylemaker Award for being ‘well-appointed in accessories’.

Despite her well-publicised love of bizarre hats and sunglasses, GaGa insisted condoms were the number one accessory.

She said: ‘I think we must all remember that the ultimate accessory is the condom.’

Despite rumours to the contrary, GaGa insisted she is currently single after splitting from an entrepreneur named Speedy.

She said: ‘I don’t have a boyfriend yet. I am just really happy being single and working on my music and traveling.

‘I think there is a time for that stuff but that time is just not now for me.’

(source)

She may have gained a few pounds since her last swimsuit photoshoot, but Mariah Carey is clearly feeling confident with her hourglass curves.

The 40-year-old flaunted her figure in a revealing satin swimsuit with plunging neckline as she frolicked on the beach during a video shoot yesterday.

But it appeared the clingy costume didn’t prove quite enough support for her famously ample cleavage.

As she ran around the beach posing and singing for the promo, she narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction as her breasts came dangerous close to falling out of her skimpy beachwear.

She also changed into a better-fitting white swimsuit with cut-out sides which complemented her honey tan.

Mariah was shooting the video for her third single release H.A.T.E.U, which is due for release in the new year.

With her new album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel riding high in the charts and her personal life better than ever, Mariah is feeling more confident and happier than ever before.

Speaking earlier this summer, she admitted her happy marriage to toyboy husband Nick Cannon, 29, had affected her waistline.
She said: ‘I’m a curvy girl and switch around with my diets all the time.’

When she first started dating Nick in March 2008, she was slim and toned thanks to daily workout sessions in her swimming pool.

Mariah has denied reports she was pregnant with her first child, insisting her life is too busy to focus on parenthood right now.

She explained: ‘It would be the happiest thing in my life, but what I’m saying is right now with this movie coming out, with the next few singles from the album and those things that I’m doing, I need to focus on that, because I cannot do the having-a-child thing halfway.

‘I wouldn’t be just like, “Oh, I’m having a child, Yay! Let me get a nanny so I can give her the baby. Take the kid.” That doesn’t work for me. I don’t believe in that.’

Earlier this week, Mariah found out her single Obsessed went platinum, meaning she is the most successful female artist ever.

(source)

After bearing two children, then quickly piling on and losing weight, Britney Spears wouldn’t be alone in needing some support to keep her figure in shape.

But as she left her hotel today she revealed a distinct lack of underwear.

The cold weather, combined with a thin cotton white top, showed her curves as she waved to fans.

On her Circus world tour the Toxic star has already performed an impressive 83 dates in North America and Europe, but has never before taken a concert tour to Australia.

The 27-year-old couldn’t resist Twittering as soon as she landed in Sydney.

‘Longest flight ever but we had a great time – so excited to be here,’ she twittered.

She even gave her thanks to the plane staff who looked after her and her crew, adding: ‘Really cool plane and the V staff took great care of us.’

Britney boarded a private jet to Perth immediately after she arrived at Sydney Airport, avoiding the group of fans who waited for her.

Britney will perform in Perth on November 6, and she will perform in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before finishing in Adelaide on November 29.

(source)

John Legend

Dana Delany

The other Housewives’ faces are HILARIOUS!

Kate Hudson joined A-Rod in 27th heaven last night, celebrating the Yankees’ World Series win with a night on the town.

The third baseman and his “Almost Famous” arm candy were spotted at Manhattan hotspot 10ak after the game, where they partied with Derek Jeter and his girlfriend Minka Kelly, plus A-Rod’s mom, Lourdes Navarro, and his sister, Suzy, Usmagazine.com reports.

Rodriguez and Hudson “got there at 2 a.m., but Kate left after half an hour while A-Rod stayed close to 5 a.m.,” a spy tells the mag. “Minka and Derek seemed really happy, as did they all, and didn’t leave until 5 as well.”

Hudson cheered the Bronx Bombers along with her dad, Kurt Russell, at Yankees Stadium on Wednesday in a sold-out crowd that included A-list New Yorkers like Spike Lee, Donald Trump and Regis Philbin, as well as Mary J. Blige, who belted out the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Since hooking up with the All-Star player last May, Hudson has followed the 2007 MVP throughout this winning season, including away games in Miami and Toronto.

Rumor has it that she loves rounding the bases with the studly slugger.

“They love sex!” one snitch tells the mag. “They talk about it all day. Kate gets graphic talking about his body, even to her parents.”

Rodriguez is rumored to be something of a player, so he’s had plenty of bedding practice. He was photographed with a stripper while he was still married, has been linked to Madonna, and one fling remembers seeing portraits of the slugger as a centaur hanging over his bed.

But a source close to the pair claims Kate is a good influence on the pinstriped playboy.

“Kate is changing him for the better,” says the pal. “He’s less of a jerk.”

(source)

Oprah Winfrey is removing gospel singer BeBe Winans from her show’s “karaoke challenge” until charges against him for allegedly pushing his ex-wife to the ground are resolved.

Winans appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” last week and was seen in promos for future appearances. Now he’ll be cut out of the segment, said Winfrey spokesman Don Halcombe on Thursday.

Winfrey was criticized by some bloggers this week for including Winans after she had taken a strong stand against domestic violence earlier this year. She did a show on the topic when singer Chris Brown assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

The daytime TV leader said at the time: “Domestic violence is something that I wouldn’t tolerate. Period.”

Halcombe would only say that the decision to eliminate Winans was made this week. It was not clear if Winfrey had been aware that Winans was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault in the Feb. 13 incident, where Winans and his ex-wife Debra were allegedly arguing about their children. Winans has a court date set for Jan. 20.

Winans’ manager did not immediately return a telephone call for comment.

“Let’s just not have a double standard on domestic violence or even accusations of domestic violence,” said Joni Reynolds, a woman from the Baltimore area and author of a blog called Ebony Mom Politics.

She had called attention to Winans’ participation and wondered if Winfrey had overlooked the charges because the Winans were friends or because there were no photos that had become public as in Rihanna’s case.

Reynolds commended Winfrey for deciding to take Winans off the show.