Celebritology Live: Susan Boyle; Lindsay Lohan; Mel Gibson; Miss California

You've Been Served... a Heaping Plate of Gossip

Join Celebritology blogger Liz Kelly 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.

Celebritology Live Archive

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Liz Kelly: Afternoon -- welcome to today's show.

First, an order of business. The headline on

today's main post

was originally "Britney's Not Pregnant, Y'All. Carm Down." Until an editor not familiar with our little Celebritology-coined word edited it to Calm down. Sigh.

In afternoon headlines: TMZ is reporting that Hayden Panettiere was the victim of an in-home burglary last week, to the tune of $15,000 in stolen jewelry. A few sources around the Web are reporting that (one of Mel Gibson's alleged Russian mistress(es) has been told to keep quiet for fear she have an adverse effect on the divorce settlement. And, without coming right out and saying he's not involved with Miss California Carrie Prejean, Michael Phelps has issued a statment saying he's "single." Hmmm. Maybe he's had his fill of controversy for one year.

Okay, what do you want to talk about? Terrence Howard? Britney's 24-hour pregnancy rumor? The nice weather?

It's showtime...

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Fairfax, Va.: I cannot quite get as worked up as some over whether or not Susan Boyle has ever played kissy-face.

Do you think this woman is approaching the end of her 15 minutes of fame, or will will our fascination with her continue?

washingtonpost.com: Susan Boyle -- From Obscurity to Stardom to Unlikely Lightning Rod

Liz Kelly: I think she'll definitely get more mileage than William Hung and that guy got an album deal out of his horrific "Idol" audition. At least the Boyle can sing.

I doubt she'll be the next Jennifer Hudson, but I'm envisioning a CD of standards marketed to the Three Tenors or Andrea Bocelli fan base (aka my mom) that will do respectable business and keep the Boyle on hand for anthem-singing and the like.

All in all, not a bad deal for a few minutes of humiliation.

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Terrance Howard seems like a jerk: I get being angry about getting passed over for Iron Man 2, but between his pro-Chris Brown comments and general demeanor -- he strikes me as kind of a jerk.

washingtonpost.com: Terrence Howard Whines About Being Dropped From Iron Man 2

Liz Kelly: He does seem to have a rather unfortunate compulsion to open his mouth and befoul whatever goodwill has been created by his good on-screen work.

In the case of his protracted "Iron Man" belly-aching, he's now claiming Gwyneth Paltrow was similarly shafted. The difference being, of course, that Paltrow is still actually a part of the "Iron Man 2" cast.

If I were Terrence, I'd get a good publicist and shop him around to people like me for image-building Q&As.

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At least the Boyle can sing. : We are calling her "The Boyle" now?

Liz Kelly: I guess that just came out. But it kind of works. Like "the Donald," but not.

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Nosy Parker: Enjoyed Tom Bergeron's online chat on the Post today. Liz, have you interviewed him yet? I assume that, with a new book out, he'd be agreeable to at least a phoner.

washingtonpost.com: Dancing With the Stars Host Tom Bergeron Talks Live: 'Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood'

Liz Kelly: I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but count this as another win for the live chat team. Is there anything left to ask after such an enjoyable chat?

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Dupont Circle: So Liz, any word on what's happening with Bret and Taya? Do you think it's true love forever? I'm trying to figure out how they'll play this so there can be a "Rock of Love" season 4, but I'm stumped

Liz Kelly: I'm sure won't hear much at all about Bret and Taya's chances while VH1 is figuring out whether or not it's worth it to bring him back for another round.

Here's the thing -- if they do -- would anyone care if the network just admitted the whole thing is a total farce? I wouldn't care. We know it anyway.

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McLean, Va.: Can we have today's chat under that big tree outside?

Liz Kelly: I have a feeling a good portion of the audience is under that tree and neglected to bring their laptops. I can't blame them, though -- it is ridiculously beautiful out there this afternoon.

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Washington, D.C.: I could see Susan Boyle being asked to sing in animated movies, when the actress doing the speaking voice can't sing very well or at all.

washingtonpost.com: She would make a great Mrs. Potts from "Beauty and the Beast."

Liz Kelly: I'm going to take the high road and avoid any "Shrek" references.

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New England: Hi Liz,

What does Lindsey Lohan have to do to restore her career? She was terrific in "Parent Trap" and "Mean Girls"; so at one point, she could act, right? Can you lose that ability? did she?

I thought she would have had more respect for the privacy of her previous relationship than to say it was easier to get over than she thought..disappointed that she shared that with us.

But I love that she is a redhead again and showing the freckles. She is stunningly beautiful.

Finally, is it wrong for me to hope that she adds 10 pounds so that her shoes fit again?

Liz Kelly: A few years back it looked like Lindsay was starting to do the hard work to get back her career. Although I wasn't a fan, she didn't totally stink in the "Prairie Home Companion" movie, she was working with Jane Fonda and showing up on time to work.

That, of course, all slipped away as her life turned into an endless DJ night at the side of Samantha Ronson and, it would seem, a return to her old unhealthy habits. Her split with SamRo only seems to have pushed her deeper into party mode. So things aren't looking up for salvaging her career just now -- unless a pathetic Funny or Die skit counts as career rehab.

Can she act? Like you, I liked her work in "Mean Girls." It's possible she's not holding herself back from being the next Kate Winslet, but I'm guessing she could have had a respectable run in rom-coms if things had gone the other way.

Right now she's headed straight for Tara Reid territory.

And, no, it is so not wrong to hope she adds 10 pounds. I hope she adds 20. She's looking way unhealthy lately -- not surprising for someone whose diet staples would seem to be Red Bull and vodka.

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re: A few sources around the Web are reporting that (one of) Mel Gibson's alleged Russian mistress(es) has been told to keep quiet for fear she have an adverse effect on the divorce settlement.: I had not been following this story. Who knew Mel had a gumar. It's too funny.

washingtonpost.com: Kudos for the use and proper spelling of gumar.

Liz Kelly: Oh, the man has like 4 of 'em. You should definitely catch up on this story. It's a good'n.

By the way -- I had a dream last night that I was one of Gibson's mistresses and that he had hidden me away in an Alaskan fishing village. Too much TMZ and "Deadliest Catch," I'm guessing.

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Terrence Howard: He has said some really incredible things, the most jaw-dropping and snort-worthy of which was to lament that more women did not wipe themselves with baby wipes after peeing.

It's so awful it's hilarious.

There are some other gems too--he's kind of like a mysognist-lite.

Liz Kelly: Yep, he's a goldmine.

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LA: So, I was doing dishes late last night, after the husband and child were in bed, very deep in thought. My husband is out of work; I'm having an existential "is this it?" crisis; my beloved 11-year old dog, who was sprawled out at my feet hoping for scraps, is really starting to slow down. But I wasn't thinking about any of this. I was thinking about Madonna and Guy and Jesus and the kids and Kabbalah and wondering why celebs turn to obscure, members(with big pocektbooks)-only religions. And I just wanted to say thank you, Liz, for providing me with all things celeb now that I'm too busy/tired to watch the E!s and Access Hollywoods or browse the Oh No They Didn'ts or Go Fug Yourselfs. This fluff is a valuable community service and don't let anyone ever tell you different!

Liz Kelly: All I can say is hang in there. And that I am so honored to be your happy place.

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Marcia, Marcia, Marcia: So I just popped into The Daily Beast to see what Marcia Clark has to say about the "Craigslist Killer."

Did she get one of those newfangled face transplants? There is nothing original left.

washingtonpost.com: Craigslist Killer's Role Model

Liz Kelly: At first glance the transformation is pretty jawdropping, but looking more closely I think the biggest factor is the change from curly-haired brunette to ramrod-straight-haired blond.

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Who knew Mel had a gumar. It's too funny.: how does this fit in with his Church teachings?

Liz Kelly: Yes, shocking to think a Catholic would do something in direct contradiction to his stated beliefs. I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked!

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I was doing dishes late last night---My husband is out of work: your epiphany should have been: "let HIM do the dishes since I'm working and he isn't."

Liz Kelly: You have a a point there, though I'm not sure what she needs is another battle on her plate right now.

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Californi,AN: It's gorgeous out here on the left coast too. Several questions today. Think Camp Britney put out a pregnancy rumor to give her more publicity (she is on tour, right?) Aren't there more effective ways of helping those in Darfur than going on a 3-week hunger strike (as per Mia Farrow's doctor's estimate of how long her thin frame could stand it)?

And, of course, Page, Andy and Opie's fan club requests its weekly photos.

Liz Kelly: 1. I'm doubting the pregnancy rumor originated from Britney herself. I wouldn't rule out someone on her team going rogue.

2. Re: Darfur -- I believe Farrow has done plenty of other things in ------

Whoa -- stop the presses -- La Lohan is on "Ellen" right now. I'll chime in if any interesting additional details surface.

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Terrence Howard: Perhaps he was cut from "Iron Man II" because his highly acidic urine caused an insurance problem. And with AIG being in such financial trouble these day, you've got to mitigate whatever risks you can.

Liz Kelly: I like the way you think.

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"let HIM do the dishes since I'm working and he isn't.": Maybe he cleaned the house while she was at work and put the baby to bed. Let's give him a break.

Liz Kelly: Now we're inventing a whole backstory -- maybe he cleaned the house because she had single-handedly performed a life-saving operation on their dog that afternoon.

In other news...

Lilo just slammed her dad as a cheater by way of explaining why she would never cheat on anyone. And says she's ready to get her career back in shape.

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Richmond, Va.: "The Boyle" sounds like she has a boil on her face--and we don't want to go there. Give the lady a break on nicknames! I wish her good luck on her hour or more of fame.

washingtonpost.com: Can we take nickname suggestions?

Liz Kelly: Of course... bring 'em on.

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Denver: I began following this chat after the "Carm down, fatty" genesis. Care to enlighten me?

Liz Kelly: I believe the genesis was the first BKD, in which Lindsay hordes of tween Lindsay Lohan fans invaded the blog to defend their queen. I could be misremembering. Anyone out there remember?

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Unfortunately Inside: This morning on Eonline, Ted C wrote this: "And trust me, Clooney is not done surprising you yet, not by a long shot."

Can we speculate as to what he may mean? Pretty please? What is George up to?

Liz Kelly: What was the context?

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Chicago: Hi Liz,

It's days like today that I am glad that you come on at 1 our time and 2 your time. I had a chance to go outside and enjoy this lovely day and now I can enjoy your lovely chat! Okay, down to business....do you think there is any truth to the Jennifer Hudson pregnancy rumors? And if it is true, I don't understand why celebrities are quick to deny pregnancy rumors when in fact it turns out they really are. Unless, they are embarrassed that they aren't married yet.

Liz Kelly: From what I understand, Hudson's camp confirmed the pregnancy to Essence magazine.

And I think in most cases the denial has to do with wanting to maintain a level of privacy -- and who could possibly begrudge them that?

--

Lilo claims Natalie Portman has been there for her throughout her troubles. I wonder if Natalie is aware.

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luvlinsey: U shut up! linsey is awsum and wll get an oscar and a grammy and a tony and a goden globe somedya!

Liz Kelly: Well said, luvlinsey. Shame on us for thinking otherwise.

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Outside the beltway: Looking at a recent People Magazine at the beauty salon -- of course not at home -- I saw an interview with David Gregory. Would People look for him or would "his people" look for the magazine? He also said his wife is a trial attorney, I thought she quietly left Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.....

Liz Kelly: I think a little of both happens -- People goes after A-listers and B-listers and below have publicists doing their best to get coverage for their clients.

I talked to one publicist last year who reps an extremely popular cable show host and she was confounded by People's continually taking a pass on her guy. Considering the guy, I agree -- they should have him on the cover. Every week.

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Houston, TX: Am I the only one who thinks it's hysterical that Lindsay is on Ellen, since there is speculation that she is the next Anne Heche?

Liz Kelly: I doubt the irony is lost on many of us.

Ellen is annoyingly positioning herself in the role of mentor, telling Lilo how talented she is and that no one is perfect. And, now, to the important stuff -- Lilo's promo'ing her tanning spray.

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Seattle: WOW -- what a horribly biased thing to say. I'm no William Donohoe, but would you EVER say, "I'm shocked SHOCKED that a Jew would cheat people out of billions!"

Liz Kelly: My thought is that most things are best done in moderation, anyone who goes overboard on something -- whether it be drugs, drinking, food, political opinion or religion -- usually ends up throwing his or her life out of balance. And Mel is a notoriously super-Catholic Catholic. If memory serves he basically presides over his own splinter group of Catholicism, which returns his parishioners to the pre Vatican 2 days. And his father is a longtime member of Opus Dei.

As to what I said specifically -- I grew up Catholic and was raised with a healthy respect for the church, but also a healthy respect for leaving some of the church's teachings at the church door. Coming from a rather large Catholic lineage on both sides of my family, I can tell you that I'm not alone in this view.

If anything, I should have said it wasn't a surprise to see someone who describes himself as a devout man behaving in a hypocritical fashion.

But, hey, we're only human.

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Fatty, Carm Down!: Was uttered by someone who did not like a comment that Rosie O'Donnell made about... Star Jones getting a stomach thingie? Whatevs...it was an O'Donnell comment that got the whole thing started.

BDK = Booby Kennedy Day which hails from a Fruedian typo about the LiLo spread in which she was posing a la Marilyn Monroe, in the same GQ (?) edition that featured Bobby Kennedy. We were all over the irony, which sparked a declaration of "Booby Kennedy Day," which we declare whenever we bombard the site with comments about one particular topic.

washingtonpost.com: Was it New York? Lindsay Lohan as Marilyn Monroe in "The Last Sitting"

Liz Kelly: Ahhhh, thank you for the refresher!

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Dirty Jobs, MI: You better believe Mike Rowe should be on People every week.

Liz Kelly: It's possible that was the person I was referring to above.

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methinks: Actually I think BKD (Booby Kennedy Day after someone mistyped Bobby Kennedy in reference to the cover of Vanity Fair) took place re: the Miley Cyrus fans rushing to defend their queen when the Annie Liebovitz photos hit the newsstands. Carm down fatty was one of the admonitions we received from said fans.

Liz Kelly: Wait -- we have a conflicting account. I need to go back and find my link to the official Celebritology glossary.

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DC: I thought celebs and their publicists don't confirm pregnancy rumors because it's before the 2nd trimester, when there's still a chance of miscarriage. So you don't have situations like Lily Allen, who confirmed her pregnancy and then had to announce she miscarried.

(Of course you can still miscarry after the first trimester, unfortunately).

Liz Kelly: That is all part of the privacy thing. Most people tend to keep the news to themselves -- or to a very limited set of family and friends -- before the second trimester begins.

Unfortunately, if you're a celeb, a pregnancy is big news. As is a miscarriage.

Well, maybe not even big news. But news all the same.

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Washington, DC: Re: Rock of Love is "a farce." If that's the case, then what about "Flavor of Love," for Flava Flav, or "For the Love of Ray J?" All of these reality TV shows involve having a lot of ladies vying for the affection of a zillionaire singer, with lots of back-stabbing actions by the ladies.

Liz Kelly: Tell me you're kidding.

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Woodbridge, Va.: You had a dream about being Mel's gumar? I had a dream about being Mike Rowe's...something wonderful. Ain't springtime grand?

Liz Kelly: Indeed.

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Quasi-celebrities: You know who's incredibly hot and charming? Matthew Goode. Remember, he was in "Match Point." And then he was in "Brideshead," I think, which I haven't seen.

Anyway, I think he should be way more famous than he is. More Matthew Goode.

I'm telling you because surely you have influence over these things and you can put in a good word for him with all the stuidos.

Liz Kelly: You heard it here first, Hollywood.

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washingtonpost.com: Glossary (scroll down a bit)

Liz Kelly: It's there, but sadly, no etymology.

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Can we take nickname suggestions?: SuBo?

Liz Kelly: Too close to Sumo?

Hmm, now Prince is performing on "Ellen." A cover of Crimson and Clover with Sheila E behind the drums. I'm having some kind of 8th grade roller rink flashback.

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Lilo claims Natalie Portman has been there for her throughout her troubles. I wonder if Natalie is aware. : Does this mean Natalie Portman is the next starlette to hit the crazy party scene and end up in rehab?

Liz Kelly: I'm wondering if Natalie's support is more of the Jack Nicholson variety -- as in his support was limited to Lilo showing up at his gate at 3 a.m. and begging admittance.

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Mel Gibson's father...: ...is a Holocaust denier.

Liz Kelly: Right, I didn't think we needed to take the conversation there.

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Zooey Deschanel: Having recently watched two of her movies ("Elf" & "Yes Man") can we say she is arguably the least expressive actress in Hollywood? Is this her real personality? I don't think she cracked a smile in either movie.

washingtonpost.com: 10 Characters Zooey Deschanel Should Have Played

Liz Kelly: I'm glad you asked. I actually think she's pretty adorable -- I have a mild girl crush. But Mr. Liz thinks she is less talented than a block of wood.

What does everyone else think?

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Ellicott City, Md.: Why is everyone so ticked at Perez Hilton and the Miss California thing?

Liz Kelly: I don't know that everyone is "ticked." I think we'll have forgotten the story by next week.

In all honesty, I don't agree with Miss California at all, but I'm not sure she should be totally crucified for expressing an opinion held by many of the candidates for president in the last presidential election. She was honest and despite the fact that Perez disagreed with her, she stated her position in a non-inflammatory way.

I think it's been a bit blown out of proportion. Am I wrong?

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Breaking News: I have just received an email from Christina apologizing for the policy change that will require a prescription unless I order soon.

Liz Kelly: I'm not sure they issue prescriptions for whatever it is you're on.

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Above the Apple Store: Is there any money in going the way of the Tara Reid? I mean how do these people survive in Los Angeles? I assume they get free clothes and accessories. And they probably get paid to make appearances at parties and nightclubs. But if there is more money in being a rom com actress, why not seriously pursue it? I just don't understand why she can't see that following in Tara Reid's footsteps is bad. Maybe I'm being too "rational" and not understanding what it means to be an addict. I suppose being an addict is not about not being smart enough. But as someone who's worked her entire life, I would think Lindsey knows the value of money and hard work. Why is she throwing all of that away? Is it just the naivete of youth? The idea that she has infinite chances to bounce back? I suppose if there's any place in the world to make a come-back, Hollywood is it. But it would be a shame if she thinks she can bounce back from all of this and get $5 mil a picture whenever she wanted.

Liz Kelly: Lindsay knows the value of money and hard work, but she's not able to stick to that plan. I don't think I'm going out on a limb when I say her parents didn't provide the best examples of how to get by in the world. As you say, she's in all likelihood an addict -- even if her addiction is limited to alcohol, that's going to be the prime mover in what she does. And if hanging out at a club until 4 a.m. is a priority, then she's not going to get anywhere with her acting.

The Tara Reid route is, I believe, scraping by by endorsing lackluster products and appearing in straight-to-DVD "American Pie" sequels. It ain't skid row, but Lilo can do better.

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Zooey Deschanel:: she was great in "Tin Man"

Liz Kelly: Okay -- haven't seen that.

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Amen on the Mattew Goode: I hope I dream tonight I'm his gumar.

Liz Kelly: From your lips to Matthew's ears.

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Deschanel: I'm with Mr. Liz on Zooey. Her sister Emily, however, is awesome.

Liz Kelly: Okay, one vote for Mr. Liz.

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She was honest and despite the fact that Perez disagreed with her, she stated her position in a non-inflammatory way. : No, actually, she stated her position in an almost incomprehensible way.

Liz Kelly: This is incomprehensible?

And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Again, I disagree 100 percent -- but I respect her right to her opinion.

Personally, I'm not convinced her opinion will stay that way. I have a feeling she's going to grow up a bit and have a realization that maybe the way she was raised was, well, wrong in that respect.

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BKD :

Here's the link: Insta-Poll: Miley's Mileage?

washingtonpost.com: Are you trying to put me out of a job?

Liz Kelly: You rock, anonymous hero.

Paul, take a lesson.

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Liz Kelly: Okay, that's it for today. Thanks for hanging out inside with me for an hour. Now I strongly urge you to concoct some reason to get out and spend a little time in the sun.

Unless, of course, you want to stick around for the Lost chat.

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washingtonpost.com: Time for the Lost Hour.

Liz Kelly: Join me there...

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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.