CelebrityWorld

Herman and Roma Rosenblat

The story of a World War Two romance that began in a Nazi concentration camp, which Oprah Winfrey proclaimed to be “the greatest love story we’ve ever told on the air”, turns out to be a complete fabrication.

Holocaust survivor Herman Rosenblat has for years been telling who ever would listen that he met his wife while in a German prison camp. The story goes that a young girl would bring him fruit and other food, passing it trough a fence, which helped him get through his ordeal. Years later, he met the girl again, after being set up on a blind date, and after recognizing one another, have live happily ever after.

Rosenblat has even penned a memoir entitled ‘Angel At The Gate’, which a Hollywood studio has already optioned for a movie, and the couple has appeared on “Oprah” twice.

But, though Rosenblat was actually detained in a Nazi camp, and he did meet Roma on a blind date in New York, she was not the girl passing food through the fence. As a matter of fact, there was not girl at the fence, and Rosenblat has admitted that his story was made up.

Rosenblot’s publisher is cancelling distribution of his book and is asking to have advance money returned. Hollywood, always in the market for a good love story, still plans to go ahead with plans for the movie.

Former “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston made a triumphant return to the big screen in the cute puppy flick “Marley and Me”, taking the holiday weekend honors of number one movie according to ticket sales.

“Marley and Me”, which also stars Owen Wilson, took in $37 million between Friday and Sunday, and a total of $51.7 million since opening on Christmas Day. It beat out such highly anticipated releases by industry heavyweights as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” starring Brad Pitt, which finished third with $27 million, and the Tom Cruise World War Two drama, “Valkyrie”, which earned $21.5 million. “Bedtime Stories”, starring Adam Sandler finished second with $28.1 million.

“Marley and Me” is the first film project for Anniston since the 2006 release of  “The Break Up”, and the ex-Mrs. Brad Pitt made the most of her new found exposure by exposing herself almost everywhere to publicize the film. The highlight of her publicity run was her controversial pose on the cover of GQ magazine in nothing but a necktie.

Despite the controversy, Anniston has proven that she can run with the big dogs. And I’d be willing to bet that she helped sell a few magazines in the process.

                                                     Alyssa Milano

Not every celebrity spent their Christmas Eve shopping for last minute gifts. Former “Charmed” star Alyssa Milano teamed up with other celebrities on the day before Christmas to volunteer their time serving food to the needy at the Los Angeles Mission.

Melissa Joan Hart also stopped by to lend a hand, as did Melissa Gilbert and her husband, Bruce Boxleitner. Kristen Renton from “Days of Our Lives”, and Corbin Bleu from “High School Musical” also helped out.

The Christmas Eve dinner has become a yearly event, as celebrities volunteer to show their support for those in need. One of the biggest highlights of this year’s dinner was spotting Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt cuddling and kissing in between serving helpings of turkey and dressing.

Tina Fey has had a huge year, even by entertainment industry standards. For starters, her highly acclaimed television show, “30 Rock”, which she created, won three Emmy Awards, and her debut movie, “Baby Mamma” topped 60 million at movie theaters. But her crowning glory for 2008 was her return to “Saturday Night Live”, where her dead-on portrayal of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin earned rave reviews, and single-handedly boosted ratings for the show.

For her efforts, Tina Fey has been voted The Associated Press’ Entertainer of the Year, an honor bestowed upon her by newspaper editors and media producers. Fey received more votes than Robert Downey Jr, who may very well be the comeback entertainer of the year for his performance in “Iron Man”.

Fey made a total of five appearances playing Sarah Palin on SNL. Her Palin impersonation became a huge hit after the SNL season premier, and catapulted Fey into a worldwide celebrity.

“The SNL stuff really changed things for me,” said Fey. “A lot more people seem to know who I am.”

Celebrity hooker Ashley Dupree seems a sure bet to win any call girl of the year award. Her now infamous relationship with former New York governor Eliot Spitzer ruined his political career. Now, Dupree is being named as “ther other woman” in a $1.5 million lawsuit for ruining the relationship between ex-model K.T. Mary Dunphy and her millionaire boyfriend, Robert Oppenheimer, Jr.

Dunphy, who ironically played a hooker in the film ‘True Friends”, is suing Oppenheimer for $1.5 million, claiming “emotional distress” after walking in on him having sex with Dupree during the summer of 2007. Dunphy says that she was also pregnant at the time.

This scandal comes only a month after Dupree appeared on the television news magazine ‘20/20′, in an interview with Diane Saywer, insisting that she just wanted to reclaim the innoscence of her life.

Dupree denies knowing Dunphy, but Dunphy claims that she recognized Dupree by her tatoos after the Eliot Spitzer scandal, and says that Oppenheimer also mentioned her by name.

Dunphy met Oppenheimer through the online matchmaking service, The Millionare’s Club, but I guess one golddigger can’t stand for another goldigger to step on her toes.

Taylor Swift may be the hottest female country star since Carrie Underwood, and the hottest teen phenomenon since Britney “Ooops, I Did It Again” Spears. And Taylor is swiftly making her mark in the celebrity world by dating hunks like Joe Jonas.

But when your career is as hot as Taylor Swift’s, and you look as hot as she does, you can virtually leak to the media that you’ve got a crush on anyone, and before long, you’re the main course for celebrity dish.

Swift admits in the most recent issue of  ‘Your Prom’ magazine that she has a crush on Chace Crawford. Crawford, 23, is best known for playing the character of Nate Archibald in the hit television series, “Gossip Girl”. But whoa, hold on to the open beer in your pick-up truck, Chace was also hot and heavy with Carrie Underwood for close to a year.

It looks like Chase Crawford has got a thing for country music, but I guess Carrie Underwood was just sooooo last year.

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                             Mickey Rourke (right) in ‘The Wrestler’

The celebrity world is buzzing about the role Mickey Rourke plays in his latest film, ‘The Wrestler’. Critics seem to agree that this is his best work to date, in a career that has spanned close to 30 years. There is even early “oscar” talk, for a role that hits Rourke pretty close to home.

Mickey Rourke is has made a career out of playing dark, anti-hero social misfits, and his role in the indie film, ‘The Wrestler’, is no different. What is different is the depth that Roarke brings to the role of Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a character who’s life seems to have been lived much like the actor who plays him. So close, in fact, that there are rumors that he hesitated on taking the role because of the similarities.

In ‘The Wrestler’, Rourke plays an aging grappler who has to work a day job in a deli just to make ends meet. He is not one of the bigger-than-life characters who struts in front of huge audiences on pay-per-view television. Rourke’s wrestler plays much smaller venues, for pay days that wouldn’t even cover his medical bills.

Randy “The Ram” Robinson’s body is aged and beat up. Nearing 50, he wears a hearing aid and needs reading glasses, but he refuses to give up his penchant for loud, heavy metal music and the sport that he loves. He is certainly not unaware of his frailties, but he dismisses them as a part of his course in life. He’s had regrets, but it’s been what it’s been.

If art really does imitate life, then Rourke would be the poster boy for celebrity misfits in the entertainment industry. From his earliest small roles in such films as ‘Heavens Gate’ and ‘Body Heat’, no one has ever questioned his talent. And after starring as Charlie in 1984’s ‘The Pope of Greenwich Village’ , a film which as achieved “cult movie” status, Rourke became one of the most in-demand actors of his generation.

In 1986, he played opposite Kim Bassinger in “9 1/2 Weeks”. The film was ground breaking in setting new standards for sexual content, and turned Mickey Rourke into an immediate sex symbol.

But, it has been his choice of taking gloomier roles in dark, off-the-mainstream films that has set the tone of his career. Films such as ‘Angel Heart’, ‘Barfly’ and ‘Wild Orchid’ were all critically successful, but gave Rourke the reputation for choosing roles in films that were on the fringes.

Also, he never seemed to care what Hollywood or the media thought of him. In 1991, he took a short sabbatical from acting to return to boxing, a childhood passion. He boxed professionally for four years, but admits that he may have been past his prime. “I just wanted to give it a shot, test myself physically, before it was too late,” he said. He retired in from boxing 1995 and returned to acting. Since then, he’s been a consistent figure on movie screens.

‘The Wrestler’ opens Wednesday in select theaters.

Madonna may be a “material girl”, but she doesn’t seem to mind paying for what she wants.

Madonna has paid her ex-husband, film producer Guy Ritchie, between 50 to 60 British pounds to be done with their eight year marriage, according to a spokeswoman for the pop queen. That’s somewhere between $72 and $92 million U.S. dollars. That’s a lot of money, no matter how you calculate it. The sum includes their English country estate, valued at more than $30 million.

Madonna and Ritchie had a combined net worth of over $525 million, but most of that was accounted for by Madonna.

Madonna is currently in the middle of a world tour, and Ritchie is directeing a remake of Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey, Jr. The couple are still working to finalize a custody agreement for their children, Rocco and David.

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President Bush and flying shoes usually have very little to do with the celebrity world. But like him or not he does qualify as a genuine celebrity, and during a press conference in Iraq, a pair of size 10 shoes thrown toward his head has made news around the world.

President Bush traveled to Irag to sign a new security agreement between the two countries. The agreement was signed by the U.S. president and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. At a press conference following the signing, an Iraqi journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, shouted “this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog” before throwing the first shoe. Zaidi then shouted “This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq”. He thne threw a second shoe.

Both shoes narrowly missed the head of the president, who displayed surprising agility in ducking both shoes.

The journalist was then wrestled to the ground and lead away by security personnel. White House Press Secretary Dana Perrino was slightly injured during the following chaos, but will continue traveling with the presidential party.

The World As I See It

It should come as no surprise, but Chris Brown has been named the 2008 Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine. The Billboard award is one of the most coveted in the music industry, and recognizes an artist for both record sales and impact on the industry.

Brown has had a huge year, touring on the heels of his most successful album release to date, “Exclusive”, and celebrating the hottest selling single of his career , “Kiss,Kiss”, which reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Another single from the album, “With You”, also did well, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard chart.

The award also caps a huge awards year for Brown. The 19 year old hip hop superstar has walked away with three American Music Awards and the BET Best Male R&B Artist award in 2008. He’s also collaborated with several other artists including Ludacris and T-Pain, and was featured on the single “Make the World Go Round” with Nas.