The Reliable Source

Discussion Policy
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 13, 2007; 12:00 PM

Reliable Source columnists Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts were online Wednesday, June 13, at Noon ET to discuss your favorite gossip, what you think about their recent columns or who you want to see them writing about in future ones.

In today's Reliable Source: Did his Albanian fans steal the president's watch? We examine the photos. Everyone's favorite Hollywood-indie couple Dermot Mulroney and Catherine Keener call it quits after 17 years. And the latest you need to know about Paris Hilton, not much.

In recent days: Who's hotter, who's cuter -- Ryan Gosling or Ryan Atwood? Bob Novak was stuck on jury duty, and Itzhak Perlman stuck in a wheelchair lift, while Robert Bork took a tumble at the Yale Club, and Angelina Jolie finally got her seat on the Council on Foreign Relations. Parris Glendening's kid grows up and goes into politics and buys a house with his g-friend. And former Congressman Gopher investigates why there's no "Love Boat" DVD yet. Also: suspicious goings-on at a charity polo match that seem to have enriched one state lawmakers campaign treasury.

And finally, electronic ankle bracelets: What style works best for you?

E-mail and bookmark us.

Reliable Source Columns

A transcript follows.

A transcript follows.

____________________

Amy Argetsinger: Good morning everyone! And it's 11:59 a.m. at the moment, so I think I can say that. Looking forward to your questions, assuming you all aren't completely exhausted by Tina Brown's Diana chat...

_______________________

New York: You think Katie Couric has been "tarting" up the "CBS Evening News"?

Amy Argetsinger: Um. If I said I haven't watched a minute of the CBS Evening News -- or any nightly news show, except for that one time that I, Amy Argetsinger, was on NBC's show for 5 seconds a couple months ago -- since Katie's big debut, would you think that I'm a shallow philistine, or would you applaud me for having a life? The honest truth is, I'm usually still in the office and at my desk whenever the network news shows are on. So, I don't know. What do you all think?

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: RE: The president's watch caper. I laughed out loud this morning when I read your column. I've really enjoyed the mental image of someone taking Bush's watch right off his wrist -- like a sleight of hand trick. Whether it's true or not doesn't matter -- it's still funny.

washingtonpost.com: Stowing Away the Time? Bush's Suddenly Absent Watch ( Post, June 13)

Amy Argetsinger: Thanks! I don't know what's funnier -- the idea that he might have had his watch lifted in a crowd, or the fact that he makes a habit of removing his watch and ring before working a rope line, so that it can't happen. I mean, if I were president, it would never occur to me that someone would try to yank my ring off. All those snipers around would certainly lend a sense of security. But then again, remember, Barbara Bush's purse got lifted from the back of her chair in Buenos Aires last fall...

_______________________

Fushe Kruje, Albania: I have the watch and will only release it for a bottle with a rocket in it.

Amy Argetsinger: We've been waiting to hear from you!

_______________________

Eddie Murphy and Scary Spice: I saw where Eddie and Scary were due in court on Monday, June 11th regarding the paternity thing. What happened?

Amy Argetsinger: I haven't seen a whole lot of reporting on this. I guess he agreed to give up a DNA sample, and probably the next thing we'll hear is how the tests on that turned out.

_______________________

New York, N.Y.: I know we're all sick of/can't get enough of Paris Hilton, but I need to say one thing. All of this was predicted, or at least foretold, by a fantastic train-wreck of an article about Paris, Nicky and other spoiled New York rich kids in Vanity Fair in September 2000. I remember reading the article, my eyes popping out of my head, as I saw their exceptionally dissolute, narcissistic lives, even by New York and teenaged standards. There were some ghastly pictures of her, basically posing naked or at least topless (although she was wearing see-through clothing) IN HER OWN HOME in front of her younger siblings!

One irony -- her father's brother runs the family charitable organization, and that branch of the family is quiet, unassuming, dedicated to public service, and mortified by their better-known cousin.

I don't believe her discovery of God for one second. She will be out partying and decreeing things hot and not hot in the blink of an eye.

Amy Argetsinger: Hey, I remember that Vanity Fair story, and those quasi-topless pix. Was that really back at the dawn of the millennium?

Roxanne Roberts: I agree with your prediction. Nothing in her past indicates any real maturity, and the way she dealt with the prospect of jail time---the stupid petition to the governor, the MTV Awards red carpet walk, her meltdown in court when the judge threw her back in jail---screams spoiled brat. I doubt a month in jail is doing to be life-changing, although it will make her an even hotter property. Too bad for us all.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Was "The Sopranos" the best ending ever, or the worst? Or do you guys not watch "The Sopranos"?

Roxanne Roberts: As a casual observer, I'd say it was great---for David Chase. EVERYONE was talking about it. Personally, I find real life uncertain enough, so I like some kind of conclusion in my fake entertainment life.

Amy Argetsinger: I'm on Season 2 right now, and will probably plow through the entire thing within a couple of weeks, but I went ahead and watched Sunday night's finale -- figured I wouldn't be able to insulate myself from the spoilers, and it was nice to be surprised along with the rest of the nation.

Here's my one profound thought: It was probably the first moment in television drama that was specifically designed for our new TiVo/YouTube world. The ending was a moment that you HAD to watch again in order to make a decision about it. When we first watched it, my friends and I decided it was all a tweak at the conventions of storytelling, a demonstration of how in real life there are no tidy endings, life just goes on, etc. (That is, when we got passed the theory that the cable went out.) After watching it on the Internet the next day, I was more inclined to agree with the theory that he had gotten offed, without seeing it coming, and that his world, like the screen, just went blank.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.:"It's not unusual for the president to remove his wedding ring and watch before working a crowd."

Coincidently, my married friends do the same thing when we go out to bars without their wives and "work a crowd."

Roxanne Roberts: Meow.

_______________________

Ed Begley Jr.: Since St. Elsewhere was cancelled -- like 50 years ago -- is Ed Begley Jr just famous for being Ed Begley Jr? Or has he done anything else -- aside from becoming a tree hugger?

Amy Argetsinger: I was wondering the same thing. I mean, he's hyper-familiar to us all for being Ed Begley Jr. He's had dozens and dozens of roles in a lot of things you've seen over the past 20 years ("Arrested Development," "Six Feet Under," one of those Christopher Guest movies, etc.), but you don't really associate him with any of those roles, and meanwhile every time you do see him, you think "Hey, Ed Begley Jr." It's a peculiar kind of fame, isn't it?

_______________________

Nowhere: What do you guys do when a nobody like me meets a bit of a somebody in a detox facility? I ask because I'm going to respect this person's privacy, but what if someone else on our floor doesn't? I think the guy down the hall wants to spill to ESPN.

Roxanne Roberts: Celebrity culture---and we're part of it---is a temptation. I respect your restraint, even if her dormmates don't. Besides, we won't publish anyone's stint in rehab unless their reps confirm it, so your buddy down the hall might be a weasel for naught.

Amy Argetsinger: Well, maybe it doesn't have to be the reps per se (publicists are sometimes known to -- what's the word I'm looking for here -- lie?) -- but we'd have to have a lot of corroborating evidence of some kind. However, the guy down the hall is in luck -- lots of other media outlets will go with a heck of a lot less than that.

_______________________

HRC: Attended a fundraiser at which Hillary spoke this weekend. She was smaller in stature and more attractive than I had pictured her. Also, much less scary than the radio/punditry ranters depict her (no horns sprouting or venom spewing on the audience). She appeared to be a lot less scary than their beloved Maggie Thatcher.

Roxanne Roberts: Maggie has a good 5-6 inches on Hillary, and looks like she'd smack you for bad behavior. Interesting how perceptions are created, isn't it?

_______________________

Watch removal: Another reason for removing the watch is that people sometimes like to hold on too much to the prez while he's gladhanding. Some people don't let go, and the Secret Service has to nudge their hands away. Without a watch on, there's less to grab on to. At least, that's the inside scoop from a former secret service friend.

Roxanne Roberts: Interesting, and reasonable.

_______________________

Wesley Snipes: With Wesley Snipes being charged with tax evasion, it has me wondering ... who are some of the other celebs who have been accused of this? Of course, he's claiming it's racially motivated -- I've noticed that typically it's motivated by noticing that someone is making a lot of money [and] then not paying taxes.

Amy Argetsinger: Let me see here... Al Capone? Oh, and Richard Hatch from Survivor. Willie Nelson got hit with a massive bill for back taxes in the early 1990s, but I don't think he was ever charged with anything. Anyone else we're forgetting?

_______________________

Re: Paris Hilton Centerfold: Haven't we seen it all already? Enough. Maybe she'll become a Mennonite. Now that would be refreshing.

Roxanne Roberts: And the chances of that are........?

_______________________

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Hey -- any ideas what Bill Nye was doing in the Hyatt on H Street Friday evening? Maybe using Congress to prove that too many egos can cause backward motion?

Amy Argetsinger: No, not off the top of my head. Seems he comes to town every so often, but right now I can't recall if anything in particular was going on there that night.

_______________________

Richmond, Va.: What did you think of Angelina Jolie's Parade story? Seems to me like she agreed to a saccharine story as a PR move. Her supersmiling picture seemed so different from her usual Ice Princess facade. It seemed so fake since it was so different from her usually cold presence. What is she trying to prepare for ?

Amy Argetsinger: She's got a movie coming out -- "A Mighty Heart," in which she plays Marianne Pearl -- so you should be seeing a whole lotta magazine profiles of her these days (Marie Claire, Esquire), and stars are generally on good behavior when they sit down for a cover story that will help promote a movie.

_______________________

Re: Katie Couric:"Tarted" up? I tend to think she dumbed it down. At a minimum, she provides nothing of value to the broadcast.

Roxanne Roberts: Katie's timing was terrible----I mean, who's home at 6:30 p.m. to watch the news these days? But, to be kind, she hasn't exactly given us a reason to tune in, has she?

_______________________

New York: The New York Post is reporting that K-Fed may be a father again. Somehow it no longer has the same cache without Britney involved.

Roxanne Roberts: Although "K-Fed A-Preg" has a ring to it.

_______________________

Takoma Park: So, where was Ed Begley Jr. staying in Dupont? I've had a crush on him since St. Elsewhere!

Amy Argetsinger: Uh oh, stalker alert! I'm not sure if Ed is still in town -- after driving himself cross country, he may have decided to rest up for a while rather than bailing immediately like some celebs do -- so we'll continue to (sort of) protect his privacy.

_______________________

The Palm: New York Strip or the Lemon Sole?

Amy Argetsinger: On a hot day like this? The sole.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: You buried the most newsworthy item of the day: Catherine Keener is 48? Wow. She looks terrific.

Amy Argetsinger: We've gotten more reaction on the Catherine Keener/Dermot Mulroney split than just about anything. She does look terrific, doesn't she? Also: Who knew they were married for 17 years! Wow. I'm also finding that a lot of women are a lot more aware of Dermot Mulroney than you might think. One friend e-mailed in an irrational panic: "He's not gonna hook up with Claire Danes, is he?" I should note that we have no reason to believe he even knows Claire Danes, just that Claire Danes seems to symbolize a lot of women's worst fears. Another girl I know gushed, "Oh, I hope he'll start dating Jennifer Aniston now!"

_______________________

Eastern Market, Washington, D.C.: I'm not a bad person for preferring to see Adam Sandler movies than read The Fountainhead, am I? Just looking for some validation here.

Roxanne Roberts: No, but you'd be a really bad person for casting Sandler as Howard Roark in the movie version.

_______________________

New York, N.Y. (again): Yes, that Hilton sisters-NYC brats article in "V.F." was indeed September 2000. I got so obsessed with re-reading it that I tracked it down with the help of a very nice V.F. editorial staff member, and hope to have a copy of it soon.

I've wondered if the reason the sex tape was leaked was because the family felt that Paris wasn't rocketing to stardom fast enough, which was what the V.F. article was supposed to do for her, at least in part.

Amy Argetsinger: That's a provocative theory. I mean, by the looks of it, the sex tape certainly wasn't for fun, was it?

_______________________

He's hyper-familiar to us all for being Ed Begley Jr: St. Elsewhere notwithstanding, he's famous for being Ed Begley always on his soapbox for the environment.

He first used his SE fame to air his environment views and it went on for so long he's now famous for just airing his environmental views. Ed Begley buys the first hybrid car, Ed Begley uses Solar Power, Ed Begley reuses plastic bags ...

Amy Argetsinger: Okay, if you say so.

_______________________

Brooklyn, N.Y.: If K-Fed has another child, I think we can officially stop calling it fathering, parenting or child rearing. At this point, it's siring. The guy is like Man O' War once put out to stud.

Roxanne Roberts: As a Man O'War fan, I take exception to that.

_______________________

Kensington, Md.: Wow! Tuesday's Source made me feel all "Woodward and Bernstein"! Diverted donations! Scandal in the polo world! Good work, you journalists. The tone, hopefully intentional, was so conspiratorial!

Amy Argetsinger: Why, thank you. Kind of unusual, I know, having a Special Reliable Source Investigation. Took me back to my Metro days -- except that I rarely had anything quite that juicy in my Metro days.

_______________________

Paris in D.C.: Did either of you read the Got Plans discussion last Thurs? They asked for recommendations on where Paris would go if she was in D.C. The suggestions were hilarious. Everything from shopping in Friendship Heights to hooking up with a Georgetown boy with a popped collar.

washingtonpost.com: Got Plans? ( washingtonpost.com, June 7)

Amy Argetsinger: Thanks, will take a look.

_______________________

Ed Begley Jr.: He's kind of like Charles Nelson Reilly, who was famous for having a three-word name and for being Charles Nelson Reilly. May Mr. Reily rest in peace, of course. He was great in Cannonball Run 2.

Amy Argetsinger: I'm sorry I felt the need to check your assertion that CNR was in CR2. You're right, of course -- he was.

_______________________

Seattle, Wash.: The reason to turn into the CBS Evening News is Lara Logan: beautiful, fearless, and that breathy, earnest delivery: Heart, be still!

Roxanne Roberts: Seattle and Lara, sitting in a tree......

_______________________

Atlanta, Ga.: Does Whoopi Goldberg have the job on "The View," or are those just rumors? Honestly, I hate daytime talk shows, but I love Whoopi and might tape "The View" just for her. I really don't like the other ladies ... even Baba Wawa is getting tiresome.

Amy Argetsinger: Nah, I think she's just sitting in, until my schedule frees up.

_______________________

Jennifer Aniston can sing?: See that Jennifer Aniston is producing and starring in a musical, "Goree Girls." Didn't know she could sing. Is it really about women in prison? Probably going to sell a lot of tickets to men!

Amy Argetsinger: That's an excellent question -- right now she's slated to produce and *maybe* star in it. I guess we'll see...

_______________________

Ocean's 13: The guys are all looking a tad less fresh-faced and frisky than in 11. They all write touching (pen and paper!) letters to their ailing mentor Reuben. Never did figure out all the gadgetry/dirty tricks, but local computer guy says he couldn't achieve those same results. However, viewing Clooney in a tux and Sinatra singing "This Town is a Lonely Town" make it well worth the price of admission.

Amy Argetsinger: Really? I still can't get excited about it. The only movie you need to see right now is "Knocked Up."

_______________________

One of those Christopher Guest movies: I think he had a brief role as one of the ill-fated drummers in Spinal Tap.

Amy Argetsinger: He played John 'Stumpy' Pepys.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Dan Rather - bitter fired old man, or a truth speaker about the problems in TV journalism?

Amy Argetsinger: Oh, I don't know. Can't he be both?

_______________________

Katie's timing was terrible ...: Confused. Do anchors have the authority to change the time the evening news is on? Don't all of the networks do national news at 6:30?

Roxanne Roberts: Not THAT time. Her timing---i.e. her decision to take the job---when fewer and fewer people are watching nightly newscasts at dinnertime. Most people get their evening news at 10 or 11 p.m., after they get home from work, make dinner, squeeze in some quality time with the kids or dog, then catch a few headlines.

_______________________

What do you guys do when a nobody like me meets a bit of a somebody in a detox facility? : It's a wonder we don't hear more of that, I always wondered if they get their own "group" therapy so people don't sell all their childhood traumas to the tabloids. I guess the vow of secrecy is honored fairly well.

Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, I think if you're going through detox/rehab, you're going to have some sympathy and solidarity for those who are also doing it.

_______________________

Watch/No Watch: I watched the footage of Bush, too, and more than the disappearing time piece, I was shocked that he got so up-close-and-personal with the people. That one person kissed him! Can you imagine the Secret Service letting Americans get that close to him? The Albanians gave him a Beatles-esque reception. It was crazy.

Amy Argetsinger: It was total Beatlemania. And Albania! Go figure.

_______________________

News Tarting: Please, let's be real. I don't need an anchor to give me a reason to tune in. I want good reporting on real news. A little analysis, some good data, maybe even some background, for context. I don't want Paris Hilton or Anna Nicole, since Web sites do that better. The problem isn't Katie Couric, it's lame executives who keep trying to pander to random demographics, without actually providing the news that people tune in for!

Roxanne Roberts: Okay, but Katie doesn't seem to be helping, either.

_______________________

New York, N.Y.: Cameron Diaz was criticized for likening celebrities, such as herself, as the popular kids in high school.

Can you tell me why she got slammed? I see absolutely no flaw in her argument. She's 100 percent correct. They are EXACTLY like the popular kids and this whole celebrity obsession is so much like high school it's scary.

Amy Argetsinger: Did she say that? Did she get slammed? I don't know, maybe it was in the context, but sounds reasonable to me.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Is Tina Brown as lethally blond as they say?

Amy Argetsinger: She is very blonde.

Roxanne Roberts: And she can be very charming---if you're on the right side of the rope---and lethal if you're not.

_______________________

Dylan and Dermot: I just hope Dermot Mulroney and Dylan McDermott don't hook up because I will be like totally confused then.

Amy Argetsinger: Happily, they've never made a movie together, and I hope that doesn't change. Heck, I'd be confused if you just Dylan Walsh or Brian Mulroney into the mix.

_______________________

Dermot Mulroney/Claire Danes:"He's not gonna hook up with Claire Danes, is he?" I should note that we have no reason to believe he even knows Claire Danes, just that Claire Danes seems to symbolize a lot of women's worst fears."

He fell in love with her character in the Family Stone ... so not only do they know each other ... they've already made out!

Amy Argetsinger: Oh, okay, so that's why my friend was freaking out. Thanks. So she's not completely insane.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: I'm guessing that when you go to rehab that you have to sign some sort of privacy waiver concerning the other patients there. I wouldn't know for sure because I've never been to rehab -- I embrace my vices!

Roxanne Roberts: Not TOO closely, one would hope.

_______________________

Dermot Mulron,EY: He's available? I live in Alexandria -- does he come home for reunions or to visit family? He is utterly adorable.

Amy Argetsinger: And he's definitely grown into his looks. He was a baffling figure in "My Best Friend's Wedding" -- you couldn't help but think, why are these women fighting over him? -- but by the time of "The Wedding Date" (an otherwise dreadful Debra Messing movie) he was startlingly hot. I've probably already told you this, but I basically wrote my doctoral dissertation on Dermot Mulroney -- link to follow.

_______________________

washingtonpost.com: Chick Flick Boyfriends Guys Gone Mad ( Post, May 8, 2005)

_______________________

Anonymous: Didn't Billy Crudup leave his wife/partner /mother of his children of many years for for Claire Danes?

Amy Argetsinger: Exactly -- he left Mary Louise Parker when she was like seven months pregnant. Which is how Claire Danes has come to personify this amorphous threat in our society's collective unconscious.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Catherine Keener/Dermot Mulroney were also both in "Living in Oblivion." A great movie almost no one has heard of, it seems.

Amy Argetsinger: Haven't seen that one yet, but they were both great in "Lovely and Amazing."

_______________________

Hyattsville, Md.: Hi, ladies,

It was so fun to see Hyattsville featured in the "Surreal Estate" section of the Reliable Source last week. Usually it's multi-million dollar homes so I had to do a double-take when I saw our little community there. I guess I need to be keeping an eye out for celebrity sightings in the Arts District! Keep up the good work!

Amy Argetsinger: Thanks! The chatter is referring to our Surreal Estate item about Raymond Glendening, whom we last saw as a high school lad growing up in the Maryland governor's mansion, setting up a household with his girlfriend in Hyattsville, where they picked up a one-bedroom condo for a sweet $140K. We should all move there.

_______________________

Battle of the Ryans: Absolutely hands down Ryan Gosling is the hotter and more talented Ryan. He used to sing when he was on the Mouseketeers, and now he's an incredible (and incredibly hot) dramatic actor. Have he and McAdams broken up yet ...?

Amy Argetsinger: I get the feeling that their relationship is on-again, off-again, at least according to US Weekly. He never did much for me until I saw him in "Half Nelson" -- the most adorable heroin addict you've ever seen. But I gotta stand up for the other Ryan, Ryan Atwood, also known as Benjamin McKenzie.

_______________________

Dermot Mulroney: Right you are, Amy. So so hot in Wedding Date.

But is it weird that I always seem to mix up Dermot Mulroney and Dylan McDermott?

Amy Argetsinger: No. Everyone mixes them up. In addition to having distinctively similar names, they're both dark-haired, square-jawed guys who are roughly the same age. But they are completely different people.

_______________________

Wills and Harry: So, what prompted princes William and Harry to give an on-camera interview with Matt Lauer? I didn't think they even did that for their own. I don't get the strategy. And how did they get time off from the military?

Roxanne Roberts: I'm just guessing here, but:

* They probably want to get a jump on a flood of stories about the 10th anniversary of their mother's death;

* They are promoting a huge concert their organized on July 1 (her birthday) to honor her memory;

* They can get time off whenever they (or the queen) wants it.

_______________________

Dermot Mulroney: I've got dibs ladies. I've thought he was hot since day one. I'm not fair weather hottie craver.

Amy Argetsinger: Even back in "Young Guns"? Even back in "Point of No Return"? Even back in that mid-80s made-for-TV movie about step-sibling incest that also starred Anne of Green Gables?

_______________________

Reston, Va.: Dermott doesn't always play the perfect man. Wasn't he supposed to be a sleaze in "Must Love Dogs"? I mean Cusack has to always be the nice guy so there can't be two in a movie.

Amy Argetsinger: And he was a hilariously loser-ish boyfriend in "About Schmidt." Should have gotten an Oscar nomination for that.

_______________________

Anonymous: On Jolie: do you think her acting in "A Mighty Heart" will be any more convincing than her wonderful and oh so realistic portrayal of a international relief working in the exceptional "Beyond Borders" (also known as Completely Beyond Belief)?

Roxanne Roberts: Saw an advance screening of the movie, and have to say she does just fine in the part, except the role is mostly reaction shots to news. There's a dramatic scene near the end when she gets to let loose, but other than that she's mostly worried or ticked off. It's hard to forget it's her up there on the screen; the movie might have been better served with a less famous actress in the role, but then it might never have been made.

_______________________

Billy Crudup: Yuck, I don't get the fascination with him. Not cute at all. Blah

Amy Argetsinger: Oh, he's kinda cute. And he just won a Tony.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Hi,

A few weeks ago I saw about a half dozen movie trailers parked next to the Sculpture Garden. Any idea what was being filmed?

Amy Argetsinger: That was probably the shoot for "Get Smart," with Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway.

_______________________

Keener: It's particularly saddening for a celeb breakup cuz Kathleen seems so humbly self-confidant and down to earth and they seemed so private without paparazzi intrusion. It brings up the "if they can't make it, no one can" feelings like when the best couple you know breaks up.

Amy Argetsinger: Catherine, you mean. But yes. That's certainly the vibe they project.

_______________________

Us Weekly: Frankly, after giving a close and deep reading to the tabloids while standing in the supermarket line, I would recommend to Jennifer Aniston that she get married right quick just to shut up the whole, "Brad still loves Jen," "Brad wants to go back to Jen!", "Angie in tears after she finds Brad's love note to Jen!" thing. They've been split for how many years? For God's sake, if I'm screaming "give it up!" what must poor Jen be feeling? ("Jen feels Brad's pain! Angie moves out!")

Amy Argetsinger: I'm kind of creeped out by the daily tabloid reports of "Jen's new guy spends night at her house again!" How have we gotten to this point? New York magazine has a story in which they basically blame Tina Brown and the celebrity culture she created with Vanity Fair. But maybe we are all of us to blame.

_______________________

New York, N.Y.:

Cameron Diaz says that all the world's like high school -- and that celebs are the "popular kids" that everyone is just dying to know about. Good to know that Cam doesn't have a shrek of humility.

On the "Today" show this morning, Meredith Vieira just had to go there, asking Diaz what it was like to be on the same red carpet for the "Shrek the Third" premiere -- and share a kiss (on the cheek) with ex-beau and co-star Justin Timberlake. "We're friends, so we're okay," said Diaz. "All you want is that the person you care about to be happy ... It's like high school. We're like the popular kids. Everybody wants to know what happens to us."

... Until you reveal yourself to be just a little bit full of yourself.

Amy Argetsinger: Okay, I get it now. I see the point she's trying to make, but yeah, that came out kind of insufferable.

_______________________

Cameron Diaz was criticized for likening celebrities, such as herself, as the popular kids in high school. : It's self-absorbed and conceited to label oneself as the most popular kid in school. Then you're a HEATHER, not just a popular kid.

Sorta like "don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful" backlash.

Amy Argetsinger: a Heather! Snap.

_______________________

New York City: You have to see "Living in Oblivion." Absolutely hilarious. There is a great scene where Peter Dinklage plays an angry dwarf in an indie film. He demands that director (Steve Buscemi) explain why there has to be a dwarf in the film's dream sequence. "'Ooh, it's a dwarf, must be a dream,'" he yells. "I don't even dream about dwarves!"

Amy Argetsinger: That's hilarious. I'll Netflix it.

_______________________

Wheaton, Md.: Ed Begely Jr. was also the florist/lover to Mother Fischer in "Six Feet Under." Oddly effeminate considering her dead husband and the annoyingly Alpha male character that guy from "Babe" played.

Amy Argetsinger: That guy from "Babe" -- James Cromwell, you mean? He's the best. Loved him as Prince Phillip, loved him as Jack Bauer's evil dad.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.;: How do you know Maggie's height? I would doubt she's half a foot taller than Hil.

Roxanne Roberts: I've stood near her but let me check----well, can't find an official height, but in pictures of her wearing flats, she's almost as tall as Ronald Reagan.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Wait a sec. Anne of Green Gables was in an incest flick? Do tell.

I guess you could say they were more than kindred spirits.

Amy Argetsinger: Grrrrr, how many times are you people going to make me go to IMDb.com today? "Sin of Innocence" (1986), in which Mulroney played a teenager who falls in love with his new stepsister, played by the adorable Megan Follows from the mid-80s version of Anne of Green Gables. They don't make made-for-TV movies like they used to.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: I don't think Cameron was insufferable. I think it's the TMZ reporter who was bitter about the fact that she/he wasn't one of the popular kids. The fact that the writer can owe a living to covering a story like that proves Diaz's point.

Roxanne Roberts: TMZ reporter aside, don't you think ALL celebs are a little insufferable? Wouldn't you have to be to survive in such a cut-throat, vain business? There's a lot of spoiled folks in that world, and it's the rare star that doesn't get sucked into the vortex of, "Oh my God! I LOVE you!"

_______________________

"Living in Oblivion": I loved that movie! A little silly, but made me laugh hard. I think all the actors did it for free, if memory serves. Steve Buscemi directed, and it's basically about him directing a movie and all that goes wrong.

Amy Argetsinger: No, Steve Buscemi starred in it, playing a movie director, but it was directed by Tom DiCillo.

_______________________

Bush and fake soap opera: Bush in Albania reminds me of this scene in the Sally Field/Kevin Kline movie, "SoapDish," in which almost over the hill soap opera queen Sally gets over depression by going to the local mall to be mobbed by her diehard fans ...

Amy Argetsinger: Ha! I'm thinking maybe I should schedule a trip to Albania and pass myself off as a celebrity who still has high approval ratings there...

_______________________

Begley, Jr.: He had an recurring role on "CSI: Miami" at the end of last season. He also had an HGTV show about his eco-friendly house. His wife seemed to not like the friendliness of it but she would always give in.

Amy Argetsinger: What did I tell you? He's everywhere.

_______________________

From Tom's Chat:: SW Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom,

Two working girls. Only an hour for lunch and need a bit of privacy and relative quiet to catch up on the goings on in our personal lives! Meeting at Chinatown Metro Stop. First choice is Matchbox but it can't be done in an hour. Suggestions? Mid-range or lower budget ($30 each). Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: ("Working girls," huh?)

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Try Kanlaya Thai Cuisine on 6th St.

Reliable Sources: Amy, Rox!

Tom Sietsema just revealed that he can't resist "working girls"!

Tom Sietsema: Oh, Lord.

Amy Argetsinger: Oh lord, indeed! Poor Tom.

_______________________

Roxanne Roberts: Celebs? Did someone say something about talking about more important things? Nah. Now that we've discussed Katie, Paris and the rest, it's time to run out and pick up something nice for dad. Be nice to the little people, send tips to reliablesource@washpost.com, and we'll see you back here next week.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.



© 2007 Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive

Discussion Archive

Viewpoint is a paid discussion. The Washington Post editorial staff was not involved in the moderation.