When stars shave their heads, couch-jump, spend countless minutes in jail, commit a fashion faux pas and/or other random acts of ego-inspired inanity, washingtonpost.com Celebritology blogger Liz Kelly is on the job. Every weekday, Liz shares the buzz, offers perspective and provides crucial links to juicy alternate news sources and, of course, takes your reaction in her daily blog.

Join Liz LIVE every Thursday at 2 p.m. ET to gab about the latest celebrity pairings (and splittings), rising stars (and falling ones), and get the scoop on the latest gossip making waves across the Web. Oh, and now that the season has kicked off, we'll sneak in a little "Lost" talk, too.

In her pre-celeb obsessed days (as if!), Liz ran washingtonpost.com's Discussions section, where she enjoyed talking to really interesting people -- sometimes even Post reporters -- on the phone. She still produces both Carolyn Hax's advice discussion and Gene Weingarten's Chatological Humor.

Celebritology Live Archive

----------

Liz Kelly: Welcome to this week's edition of the chat that doesn't cover "Lost."

Because I'm a serious news person, all sorts of questions of import occur to me -- unbidden -- all the time. My mind is constantly questioning the world around me, seeking the truth. Last night, the poser that hit me was "If I didn't have to pay and I knew that they would be done by a good stylist, would I try hair extensions?" I'm still undecided. This is hypothetical, but the answer could get at the heart of my symbiotic relationship with the stars I cover. Should I walk a mile in their shoes and experience what it's like to tote a weave around on my head? Just once? Or, repudiating unrealistic standards of beauty, should I remain forever unchanged -- a monument to the limitations of one's own hair? It's a conundrum, for sure. One I doubt Bob Woodward ever had to wrestle into submission.

Oh, some late-breaking news: Prince Harry has apparently been serving in Afghanistan since December. Clever boy. And here we thought he was barhopping his way through London.

Let's get started...

_______________________

Dearest Cool Liz: I've just so long stopped caring about Nicole Ritchie, Britney, the Olsens, etc., and don't really care to get into Christina Ricci's repugnance...The coolest thing in your blog today was the blurb about Mister Rogers Sweater Day!

Remember a few years back when his car was stolen and it made headlines, and then the day after, it was returned to its parking space with a note on it that read "I'm sorry...I didn't realize it was YOURS." So cute.

Liz Kelly: So, less Nicole Richie, more Fred Rogers?

_______________________

Baltimore, Md.: What did you think of the Oscars? I was impressed by Jon Stewart this year; maybe last-minute panic is his most productive mood. In any case, he seemed more relaxed and funny than he did during his first gig. Good times, particularly with a side of rum and coke.

Liz Kelly: I thought Jon Stewart was great. He was everything he was not two years ago -- comfortable, relaxed, totally on-time with his punchlines and funny. Too bad hardly anyone watched (as his own show pointed out, too. Lowest rated Oscar broadcast ever.)

Aside from that, the Oscars struck me much the same way they have for years -- as a front row seat at an industry convention. Sure, actors are prettier to look at than electricians (with apologies to electricians), but it's still an insular group patting itself on the back.

I'm much more interested in the (mostly) unscripted red carpet. And this year's was very exciting, what with Gary Busey roaming around free and accosting Jennifer Garner. Good times.

_______________________

Re: Hair Extensions: I don't understand them. Are they glued in or clipped in? Don't they cause your real hair to break off if you wear them too long?

Liz Kelly: See, all questions I need to answer. I believe there are several varieties. Some glued, some knotted.

_______________________

EP: I thought the poll came out that the Lost Dueling Analysis on Fridays would be in addition to, not in place of a regular Friday Celebritology column? That way those of us who have never watched Lost and really could not care less about all the alleged existential meaning are not deprived of a column.

Liz Kelly: Actually, EP, the poll asked whether or not we should continue to spend the last 15 minutes of this chat talking "Lost." The resounding response was that "Lost chatting should be done during its own Friday discussion.

We've given this all some thought and here's where we ended up:

Lost chatting will continue in the two very good venues which now exist -- the Thursday night live forum and Friday's "Lost" analysis comment thread. To add a discussion would only dilute the good talk that goes on there.

Course, you don't care. You hate "Lost." You want an additional Friday post to make up for our blog-munching Friday analyses. That's a tall order considering the amount of work that goes into our "Lost" obsessing. Not fair to you, I know, but the season only has seven or eight episodes left.

One last option is turning the blog over to a guest poster on Fridays who will write an additional non-"Lost" post. I'll run that by my boss lady and see if she goes for it.

Failing all of the above, it's never too late to start watching. If you can't beat em, and all that.

_______________________

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: After seeing the great "reveal" photo of Angelina and her bump, it occurred to me that there must be some sort of calculation for rumors that eventually prove to be true. Given that this is your field of study, maybe you could do some sort of tracking, wherein rumors about, say, possible pregnancies, are matched against what actually happens. My hypothesis is that they are true more often than we think.

Liz Kelly: Right. I think so, too. The outer ring of tabs generally start reporting this stuff a few weeks ahead of the mainstreams, then official word is often close behind.

A good example is Nicole Kidman, who was outed by the tabs late last year. A hasty denial soon morphed into a grudging acknowledgement.

By the way, I think Angie looks great. Good on her and B-rad.

_______________________

Hair extensions: OMG, if you won't do it but The Post will pay, I will SO do it! I am very interested in hair extensions. I love long hair, and love changing hair color.

Liz Kelly: Maybe I can use my Post Points.

_______________________

Interven,TN: Liz -- Please answer one of the great mysteries of life that keeps me up at night.

I know you're a fan of "Intervention" my favorite show...why do they have the interventionees/addicts spell out their names at the beginning of the show?...as in, I'm Liz, L-I-Z, and I'm addicted to vegetables and "Lost."

It drives me nuts. It's not as if these people are named "Mr. Sietsema." They're all Brads, or Joes and Christys and Bettys. The most unsual was "Mondo" and even that wasn't really out there!

Liz Kelly: I'm glad you brought that up because I've been wondering the same thing. It seems like it's just something they continue to do because they've always done it. But, what's most idiotic about it is that it isn't always the addict who spells out his or her name. Sometimes it's a family member. It's just who happens to be interviewed first.

In fact, wasn't "Mondo" a dad -- he had that methed out stripper daughter who lived in a hovel in the back yard.

_______________________

Richmond, Va.: What's the matter with Christina Ricci? The fact that she dares to be sexy even though she doesn't fit a Hollywood version of immaciated blonde 'beauty'?

Liz Kelly: No! Please read today's main post. I like Christina when she's at her dark, gothy best. Lately, though, she's gone all sunshine and pastels.

_______________________

I never thought the song Imagine: would make me think of shrunken heads of cute boys hanging in Paula Abdul's car. "I want to squish you, squeeze your head off and dangle you from my rear-view mirror." That is one scary compliment she gave that dude.

Paula, please just stick to squeezing the Charmin, preferably in the privacy of your own home.

Liz Kelly: It starts to become clear why Paula is single.

_______________________

Atlanta, Ga.: You were talking about where the Obama kids would go to school if he won, right?

It really irks me when politicians say we don't need school choice -- even when they send them to public school. Cause they have school choice. 'I' have school choice. Because I can choose to live wherever I want to, even if I send my kid to public school -- I can choose any of the ones I would like to send my kids to. And then the politicians tell OTHER people THEY can't have choices. Really angers me.

Sorry for being so serious in your discussion. Didn't you love Anne Hathaway's dress at the Oscars?

Liz Kelly: Ummm, hmm, no -- don't think it was me. You must have me confused with some other perfectly inappropriate person to be discussing the schooling choices for the Obama kids.

Up with school choice. Down with Ann Hathaway's dress. And pony tail.

_______________________

Liz Kelly: For some reason Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" is stuck in my head. It's been looping the line about "Hands, touching hands, reaching out, touching me, touching you" over and over for the past hour.

I need a vacation.

_______________________

U Street, Washington, D.C.: My friends and I have our own Thursday night LOST pary, so we can't enjoy your little during show chat. Are you guys going to archive that online? I love me some more LOST talk.

Liz Kelly: Unfortunately we can't keep the transcript of the live forum up online. Besides, there's so much cross talk, it kind of loses something with age. It's great live, but the breathless "OMG, it's Locke" comments just don't hold up 24 hours later.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: I was reading a gossip magazine today at the gym (I can't remember which one) and it said that Angelina Jolie is expecting twins. Is this true?

Liz Kelly: That's the scuttle. Twins seem to be the Hollywood accessory du jour. J.Lo just gave birth to her boy and girl twins last Thursday or Friday.

More importantly -- Angie wrote another oped piece for The Post today about a recent visit to Iraq and the need for humanitarian aid there. Oddly, there's nothing in the Oped pages from J.Lo.

_______________________

Towson, Md.: Why didn't you like Anne Hathaway's dress? I thought it was beautiful, even if it did look a little like Kate Winslet's from a few years back.

Liz Kelly: I just didn't like it. I dunno. Something about Anne Hathaway rubs me the wrong way. I think there's a little Diane Keaton-style aversion going on -- inexplicable, but very real.

_______________________

Hairi: Does the velvety substance (moss? Ultra-suede?) on John Travolta's scalp at the Oscars count as a hair extension?

Liz Kelly: I think it counts as more of a fungal growth.

_______________________

washingtonpost.com: A Reason to Stay in Iraq (Post, Feb. 28)

_______________________

No No No: Please give Lost its own discussion on Fridays. That's what I thought I was voting for. If I knew I'd be left with less I'd not have voted for that option. I can't join in Thursdays because we usually start late on our TiVoed version. And the comments don't really include you guys in a fun back and forth.]

Liz Kelly: I don't think you're left with less, btw -- there is now a two hour "Lost" forum on the site every Thursday night in addition to the show taking over the blog on Friday.

That said, we'll weigh this and try to figure out the best way to handle "Lost" talk.

_______________________

Tampa, Fla. "would I try hair extensions?"

I am an African merican woman with shoulder length hair that I really like, but that takes a LOT of work --washing, conditioning, blow-rying, flat-roning and styling takes well over an hour. And, if my hair gets rained on, or it's a humid day- that was a wasted hour, let me tell you. So, a few years ago, I sat in a beautician's chair for about 8 hours while she microbraided extensions into my hair. It was great initially -- my hair always looked great, no matter what. I kept them in for about 2 months but the problem was that I couldn't really wash my hair -- I had to just massage the shampoo into my scalp and through the hair, which meant that I never felt like my own hair got really clean. And of course, once I decided to take the extensions out (which you have to do about every 8-12 weeks regardless due to the growth of your own hair, etc.), some of my own hair came out too because the extensions had to be braided in so tightly in order to stay in place. That was it for me in terms of extensions.

Now, I just take the hour or so to do my hair every week, wrap it in a silk cap at night, and if it rains or will be humid (which in Tampa is all the time between June and October) I wear it in a pony tail or in a twist. So I have bad hair days, but at least it's my own hair and it is in good condition.

Liz Kelly: Thanks for sharing. That does sound kind of nightmarish. You'd think the salon industry could come up with something a bit more user friendly.

In any case, I'm sure hair extensions aren't in my future. I'll just have to content myself with playing with those clip on ponytails at the mall kiosks. They look so good, yet so fake all at once.

_______________________

You can't ahve it both ways: You deride the Oscars here, yet extoll Diablo Cody and her Oscar win in your posting this afternoon. Which is it?

For what it is worth, I love the Oscars because they celebrate the magic of the movies. They teleport us to a different world. Much the same as being obsessed and reporting gossip. Diablo Cody? Overrated.

Liz Kelly: I'm deriding the Oscar ceremony in itself as entertainment worth watching. I praise Diablo Cody as an Oscar-winning screenwriter. Big difference.

_______________________

Hands, touching hands..: ... reaching out, touching me, touching you -- whose hands are these? I am not a Neil Diamond fan, to put it mildly, so this question has never vexed me before. But now that a chatter has brought this up, it makes me wonder if there is a third party involved. Kinda creepy.

Liz Kelly: They've always struck me as multiple hands -- like more than one set. Like some kind of freakish tunnel with weird hands reaching out of the dark to grab one's hair extensions.

_______________________

Addicts spell their names: I think it's just the show's shtick. Reminiscent of what folks say at AA meetings, "Hello my name is Liz and I'm an addict."

Liz Kelly: I resent your example.

If that was the case, tho, they should stick to having the addicts do it and not the family members.

_______________________

Chicago, Ill.: Hi Liz,

Re: Hair Extensions,

There are many types of hair extensions. Some are glued in. They don't last as long because as soon as you break a sweat you're in trouble!. The other kind is sewn in. The hair is braided first and the extensions are sewed to the braids. These last longer but look soo fake. I am an African American and for years I wore weaves/extensions. One day I finally decided that I couldn't do what the rest of the world was doing and I went back to my natural hair. I still wear braids occassionally but I feel so much more comfortable now. My suggestion...wear your natural do and leave the extensions to the star wanna be's. You will love yourself soo much more.

Love your chats!

Liz Kelly: Thanks for writing Chicago. What's the temp there today? We're sweltering at 36 today here in D.C.

Just once it would be so cool to have long luxurious hair. But, with my luck, I'd turn out somewhere closer to Britney's busted weave.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Before you try extensions, just do pregnancy. It's cheaper (if you have good insurance), but the results are admittedly somewhat more permanent.

Anyway, for the better part of a year, your hair grows superfast (nails, too), and you don't shed it like you usually do. It gets incredibly thick and shiny and beautiful.

Then, about 3 or 4 months after you stop being pregnant, it starts falling out in clumps. This, I believe, is why Britney shaved her head, by the way.

Liz Kelly: Not having been preggo before, I only have legend to guide me -- but isn't it the vitamins that cause the superhuman hair growth?

Wait -- hold up -- falling out in clumps? What the!?!

_______________________

Capitol HIll: This beauty blog just did a multi-part special on hair extensions. Everything you did and didn't want to know: BellaSugar

Liz Kelly: Thanks. I'll check it out.

_______________________

Pinching Paula: Is she a closet "Kids in the Hall" fan? Didn't they have a recurring bit about pinching people's heads off?

Liz Kelly: Yes, but I don't think that's what Paul was getting at. She didn't do the little pinching/squinting motion thingy.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: So, I know the Oscars are old news by now, but I'm really surprised that no one had the same reaction to Rebecca Miller's look that I did. Three words:

Bride of Frankenstein.

Really!

Liz Kelly: Umm, scuse me? You must not be a regular. We had an in-depth convo about Rebecca's dress in Monday's blog post.

_______________________

Richmond, Va.: Gee, thanks for the "Sweet Caroline" earworm. It spread to my head now! And have you heard any criticism about Angelina visiting Iraq while pregnant? It seems pretty risky, if only on the surface.

Liz Kelly: There was some eyebrow-raising about her choice to travel to dangerous places while preg, yes. But that's her prerogative. She'll do what she wants to do.

_______________________

Oscars: I get it. It not the message but the medium. Oscars are cool but the ceremony sucks. If you listen closely, you can hear the soft crackle of the ice below your feet.

Liz Kelly: Thanks, I think.

_______________________

Angie: See, I have a visceral reaction to Ms. Jolie. She's strikes me as incredibly full of herself and insincere. And while she does good things, I always got the impression it was to prove to the world how good she is versus wanting to do it for the good of the world. Moreover, while she begs for privacy (i.e., giving birth in Africa), she has no problem telling mags how she and Brad manage to find "alone time."

I dunno, can't explain it, but as you said it's very real.

Liz Kelly: Right -- I don't get that from her at all. When she says she wants privacy, I think she genuinely wants privacy. And, ya, I know she sold pix of Shiloh as a baby but that was largely to nip invasive paps in the bud. And she donated the money to charity. And when we do hear from her it is to talk about Iraq or Darfur or other places in the midst of humanitarian crises -- and not to glad hand about her fabu life.

_______________________

Hair extensions: According to the Millionaire Matchmaker, you MUST have long, straight hair for a Millionaire a--hole to be interested in you. She even introduced one of the women to a millionaire dude by saying "she tried to get extensions today, but they didn't have an appointment available. She got an appointment for tomorrow." Just to let this guy know that she wasn't perfect looking today, but by the next date she will be up to par.

Liz Kelly: I saw that episode! Do you think that mop on the matchmaker herself is courtesy of extensions?

_______________________

Neverneverland: Can we take up a collection and buy it?

Liz Kelly: Only if we agree to seal it for all eternity.

_______________________

The Moon and NYC: Better Sweet Caroline than the theme from the movie Arthur. I had that stuck in my head all day yesterday.

Liz Kelly: Okay. Touche.

_______________________

Silver Spring, Md.: Thanks for the excellent story on Jane Fonda and her pregnancy prevention project. That oughta be on the front page.

Also, we have been utterly glued to the TV at 9:00 every Sun. night for The Wire. Any Wire-watching parties at bars? We can't believe it's about to end...

washingtonpost.com: Catching Up With Jane Fonda (Celebritology, Feb. 27)

Liz Kelly: Any "Wire" watchers out there care to weigh in?

And thanks for the kudos on the Jane Fonda interview. I had a great time talking to her, though I wish she'd have opened up just a little about the "Today Show" incident. She's a smart woman and very committed to her adopted state, Georgia, and preventing teen pregnancy there. She not only funds programs, but does actually boots on the ground work to ensure that the needle is being moved. Can't fault that.

_______________________

Braided hair extensions: Occasionally I find one on the street that's fallen off someone's head. Kind of yucky.

Liz Kelly: Okay, I have never found a stray hair extension on the street. Anyone else or is it just this person -- who may in fact be an extension magnet?

_______________________

Michael and Janet Jackson: Why do they keep putting out CDs? He's trapped in the '80s and she's mired in the '90s. Isn't it time to say enough is enough and go the place where crazy, plastic surgery-enhanced people go?

Liz Kelly: Because there is still money to be made for Janet and Michael. Someone, somewhere is buying this stuff. Jacko's anniversary edition of "Thriller" made it to the upper reaches of the Billboard charts if I'm not mistaken. So someone ain't fessin' up. There is a big contingent of closet Jackson fans out there.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Saw Delta Burke on Good Morning America today. If Congress can get involved with the baseball steroid scandal, can't it also get involved in ending the celebrity addiction to cosmetic surgery? Delta's face is another over-stretched, plasticized mask of horror, a look that seems so popular in Hollywood these days. Please, for the protection of average Americans, I beg lawmakers to get involved.

Liz Kelly: I'm just passing this along as a public service.

_______________________

Sweet Caroline is...: Didn't Neil Diamond admit last year that "Sweet Caroline" was written about Caroline Kennedy as a girl. Extra creepy hands!

Liz Kelly: Yep.

_______________________

Obama: Don't you think that if he isn't elected president, he'd be great on 'Lost' ?

Liz Kelly: Oh good, two topics that aren't really on the docket here. Maybe we can bring the Redskins into this somehow.

_______________________

Methinks: I would absolutely do the hair extensions if someone else was paying for it. I have 'elevator' hair anyway, up/down, short/long, so going really long on someone else's nickel would be great. If I hated it, I'd cut it off and start fresh.

Now...my question has to do with the sale of celebrity's baby pictures. Who should get that money? The parents? Charity? How about a trust fund for the kid? I think it's a bit unseemly to sell the pictures of your child, but then, $1 million for a good cause would be hard to pass up.

When faced with a question like that I find myself asking WWLKD? Ya know?

Liz Kelly: LK would probably put the money in trust for the kid, being sure not to let the kid know this money would be coming to him/her one day.

Of course, no one's clamoring for pix of my baby. Speaking of which, here's my new baby, Andy.

_______________________

Songs: Stop with the songs or I will be forced to mention "Hey Mickey"

Liz Kelly: "Hey Mickey" is a relief compared to the theme from "Arthur."

Although it must be said that "Arthur," while cheesy and totally fantastical, was not the worst movie in the world. John Gielgud was fantastic in it.

_______________________

Re. long hair and nails: That's the prenatal vitamins.

Liz Kelly: So what's with the clumps of hair falling out?

Ooh -- whoever it was that wrote in about finding hair extensions in the street -- perhaps they weren't extensions, but clumps of some post-natal woman's tresses.

_______________________

Union Station, Washington, D.C.: How high up on Celebritology does Benji Madden maybe dating Paris Hilton rank? I'm afraid we've lost those poor boys permanently. Benji, Joel remember, you're from WALDORF, not The Valley.

Well, I guess Joel did alright. He and Nicole seem to have settled out. Maybe we could get Benji to date Nicki instead. She's certainly a heck of a lot smarter and put together.

Liz Kelly: That's one I'm keeping a close eye on. It's definitely a big deal for Celebritology. Could make for an interesting dynamic if Paris does anything more to follow in Nicole's footsteps -- like say getting preg.

Interestingly, both Benji or Joel are totally sober these days. Could be a good thing for Paris. Who knows?

_______________________

Anonymous: Liz :

I've been having wierd celebrity dreams lately -- last night it was Penelope Cruz as the teller at my bank -- is this something that's happening to other people or was it last night's chilli ?

Liz Kelly: I wouldn't worry unless your dreams suddenly start involving Vincent Gallo and a no-tell motel.

_______________________

Anytown, USA: Awww. Andy is so cute, and bored looking.

Liz Kelly: He was kind of chilled out, relaxing on the counter. Not bored so much as half asleep.

_______________________

Angelina: I don't know, she always strikes me as pretty sincere about the humanitarian stuff... and even if she's not, do you criticize "ordinary" people or businesses for doing good things to look good publicly or getting tax deductions from charity donations or whatever?

You can donate money for breast cancer research by donating money, going door-to-door asking for handouts, whatever. Walking 60 miles in public doesn't do any additional good for breast cancer, it just announces to people that you're selflessly donating your time and energy to raise money AND AWARENESS for a good cause. Why is it good if I do it but self-serving and obnoxious if a world-famous movie star does it? (especially considering a movie star is able to bring a lot more attention to a subject than I am?)

Liz Kelly: As Weingarten would say: noted.

_______________________

Hollywood: Can we get serious for a moment here? How ugly is that canary yellow jacket Hillary keeps wearing? Can't she afford better than leftover "Dynasty" wardrobe?

Liz Kelly: Maybe Rebecca Miller could lend her a few pieces.

_______________________

The Wire: I can't imagine watching The Wire at a bar. The dialogue is dense and that B'More lingo makes it hard enough to catch.

P.S. I have On Demand so I've already seen next week's show and you won't believe what happens when...oops gotta go.

Liz Kelly: Just putting this out there for the "Wire" fan.

_______________________

Elmhurst, Ill.: About Angelina: I'm one of the doubters. I don't get how a girl who makes her millions glamorizing violence, martial arts, assassins, is the poster girl for world peace and humanitarian impulses. Or: how do we the public let someone do both -- enrich herself as a movie-screen bad-a__ heroine, then pass herself off as Mother Theresa at Davos and UNICEF. It's us, isn't it?

Liz Kelly: You think the two are mutually exclusive?

_______________________

They do fall out...: I used to work at a pool and we would find cheap extensions in the grates and drains on a fairly regular basis. I think it all depends on the quality of extension you get

Liz Kelly: I wonder if some kind of recycling program can be worked out for those things. Seems a shame that they'd all end up in a landfill somewhere.

_______________________

Philadelphia, Pa.: "Liz Kelly: Okay, I have never found a stray hair extension on the street. Anyone else or is it just this person -- who may in fact be an extension magnet?"

Around here, we call them tumbleweaves.

Liz Kelly: HA!

_______________________

Millionaire Matchmaker: I only watch sporadically -- has she given any ladies the boot for too much lip collagen and overapplication of shiny gloss? That would be great.

Liz Kelly: Meow.

_______________________

The Wire: Love, The Wire, but for me it's bittersweet since Baltimore is my hometown and I loved it. What other city in America would have John Waters and Edgar Allan Poe as its "poets Laureate" and be proud of both? So, when I watch The Wire it is alone, in my apartment in the same way that I would watch old family movies. I don't know if I want to share those moments while they unfold. But would after the fact. If people are up for a post-Wire decompression session, that would be worthwhile.

Liz Kelly: Thanks.

_______________________

Reston, Va.: So, I know we're not being mean to Britney anymore, but this is relevant to today's hair topic...

Did her hair not grow back in all the way after she shaved it? Reason I ask is that her forehead seems to be twice as large as a normal person. Is it just me? Or the photographs? I'm perplexed.

Liz Kelly: I think it's just the way her hair is styled -- or not styled. The hair on top of her head is so short that it stands up away from the weight of the weave. That gives the impression that her head is way taller than it used to be. An optical illusion. Only one of Britney's hidden talents.

_______________________

Where's Gene?: NFT

Liz Kelly: Back next Tuesday. He's writing a cover story.

_______________________

So what's with the clumps of hair falling out? : Because one doesn't take PRE natal vitamins after giving birth...

Liz Kelly: Yet another reason that adoption continues to look more and more attractive.

_______________________

Andy needs new batteries: ...or at least shake a can of treats to make sure he's still with ya...

Liz Kelly: He had just eaten. Here's another look at him. It's the YouTube video the shelter posted to try to get him adopted (it worked!).

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: I don't understand -- why can't they throw those technical awards (sound...blah, blah, blah) into the Geek Awards? Why must we be subjected to them? For that matter, I think they also need to cut the short clips for those ugly clay creatures. They do nothing but creep me out. Cinematography is fine though since it can make a movie.

Liz Kelly: Ya, they could've cut out a lot of the pre-taped montage stuff. Who cares about previous hosts? Gladhanding, I tell you.

_______________________

Raleigh, N.C.: I have long hair, no extensions. It brushes the top of my jeans waistband, if that is a good visual for how long it is. I do really love my hair, love the way it feels against my back, how it moves, that sort of thing. I have no desire to cut it. But..if you want long, flow-y tresses be prepared for:

Catching it in your seat belt as it retracts in the car and sucks your head in.

Having it trapped under your shoulder as you roll over in your sleep and it wakes you up because you're either suddenly immobile or in pain due to the harsh hair jerk on the side of your head.

Always having to wear a hat when you're cooking.

How hot and sweaty the back of your neck will feel when it's 98 degrees with 72 percent humidity in the summer.

I could go on, but that's the price of the hair. Trust me.

Liz Kelly: Thanks for the warning, Crystal Gayle. But it is just not possible for my hair to grow that long. I've tried. I can't seem to get past the upper third of my back.

_______________________

I love Andy!: He's so cute!

Liz Kelly: Me too!

_______________________

Decatur, Ga.: I think Elmhurst, Ill., had a point about the consistency of Jolie's choices. Violence in entertainment has an impact on how things play out in the real world and Jolie has contributed to that violence w with some of her movie roles.

However, I think she's passed that phase of her career and you have to allow for the arc of professional growth. I think the last major movie she made, prior to Beowulf, was "A Mighty Heart," hardly a vehicle that perpetuates the glamorizing of violence.

Liz Kelly: Right. And I think it's stretching it a bit to blame "Tomb Raider" for a world at war -- especially when we start talking about the third world where most people probably have no idea who Angie even is.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: Seems that the Oscar organizers really messed up with the slights to Whoopi and Brad Renfro. I realize that you can't include everybody in the tributes, but these seem like some pretty big oversights. (But it was pretty petty of Whoopi to publicly whine about it a la Aretha Franklin.)

Liz Kelly: Yes, lots of flack has been caught over those omissions. Producer Gil Cates said the Whoopi thing was a genuine oversight and that the Renfro decision was an editorial decision because of time constraints.

As I understand it, Norman Mailer -- who penned several screenplays -- was also left out. Where, I ask you, is the outcry for him?

_______________________

Let me get this straight: We can't talk about Lost but we can spend half the chat on hair extensions?

Liz Kelly: Point taken.

_______________________

Ponytails: Have can you diss Anne Hathaway's ponytail when Cameron Diaz's hair was a mess, as usual. What's Cameron's problem?

Liz Kelly: Excuse me, but I don't recall defending Cameron Diaz or any of Sunday night's ponytails. In fact, in Sunday's live Oscar red carpet chat I made note of ponytails as inappropriate Oscar wear.

_______________________

Pittsburgh, Pa.: Yes but Paula seems so much more coherent this week. I think her eyes are actually open.

Liz Kelly: Right. That's a big step for our girl.

_______________________

Madison, Wisc.: Nicole's baby is cuter than Xtina's

Liz Kelly: Tsk tsk... all babies are cute.

Well, most of 'em.

_______________________

RE: Andy needs new batteries: my work blocks YouTube, but not you. I'll look at Andy after the Daughtry/Bon Jovi concert. (my partner got me the tickets for our anniversary last fall).

Liz Kelly: Oh boy, a double bill of anthem rock. Enjoy!

Mr. Liz and I are looking forward to our Saturday night date to see Tracey Morgan at Lisner. We're so gonna get our laugh on.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: I work near the Verizon Center and walk past a parking lot used by artist tour buses. I see a 'lot' of stray extensions.

Liz Kelly: Okay, there's a story in these bushels of stray extensions floating around our cities.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: So how about that sweet little Archuleta boy on American Idol? Is he not the best we've seen...ever? I find myself wishing all the rest were done just so I could hear only him. And I can't believe that someone who has already been a Star Search winner and who is so clearly the best of the pack has absolutely no attitude (not like that Aiken guy who came across as nice and then turned out to be a huge jerk). David is just sweetness and goodness. So nice to see.

Also...Lost!!! Yay!!! What's up next? Is this season not THE BEST?! What are the prevailing theories (especially related to the 31 minutes)?

Liz Kelly: I've been watching "Idol" only sporadically, so make sure you save your questions for Lisa de Moraes and her Friday chat. I saw a bit of the Archuleta boy and his "Imagine" cover. I dunno, I'm totally turned off by toned down covers so I'm prolly not the target audience. I kind of wanted to kick the TV last night when I saw that nanny woman with all the hair cheerily singing Carly Simon's "You're So Vain."

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Can't talk about ponies either but you don't hear me complaining...

Liz Kelly: Right. You are an example to us all.

_______________________

Methinks: Liz,

I finally watched In Treatment last week while out of town on business (don't have HBO at home). Have you seen it? What do you think? Are you a Gabriel Byrne fan at all?

Liz Kelly: Haven't watched it yet, Methinks. It's on five nights a week, right? That's a big commitment.

_______________________

Arlington, VA: Andy.Is.Too.Cute.

Our "baby" is 18 years old, and while he's doing so-so health-wise, he's very cheerful and loving. Thanks for the reminder that there are other great cats, and other animals that need good homes.

Just don't get Ellen DeGeneres involved!

Liz Kelly: On this neutral (non-"Lost"/non-celebrity) comment, I'm going to beat a hasty retreat. Time to hang upside down in my cave for a few hours before coming back for tonight's live chat about, well, you know.

See you here next week.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over 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.