OMG BILLY MAYS IS DEAD (pay just $6.95 shipping and handling.)

Whoa... This is out of nowhere. How bizarre. I guess the pressure's all on the Sham-Wow dude now.

Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman whose boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean made him a pop-culture icon, has died. He was 50. Tampa police said Mays' wife found him unresponsive Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. It was not immediately clear how he died. He said he was hit on the head when an airplane he was on made a rough landing Saturday, and his wife, Deborah Mays, told investigators he didn't feel well before he went to bed about 10 p.m. that night.....U.S. Airways confirmed that Mays was among the passengers on a flight that made a rough landing on Saturday afternoon at Tampa International Airport, leaving debris on the runway after apparently blowing its front tires. Tampa Bay's Fox television affiliate interviewed Mays afterward. "All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping," MyFox Tampa Bay quoted him as saying. "It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head." [yahoo]

All over this like white on rice...

HBO's latest original series premieres tomorrow night at 10pm ET. Hung is led by hottie Thomas Jane, who plays a character who is...well...hung. Down on his luck, he uses his one special trait to make ends meet. Tee hee. I said "make ends meet."

For those living in caves, "Hung" -- premiering Saturday at 10 p.m. EDT -- is not the heartwarming adventures of an Asian family. It's a description of Drecker's [Thomas Jane] sole useful asset. So when he meets un-cute with former one-night stand Tanya (Jane Adams as a self-righteous temp whose previous moneymaking idea was to put poems inside bread), they both get excited over the concept of pimping him out. Because, you know, he's hung. That's a lot of setup, and it's easy to be of two minds about it. The basic concept -- that these two entrepreneurs can make a bundle pimping Drecker out because he's a big man down below -- is ludicrous beyond sitcom and scientific standards. Dirk Diggler was a porn star; "Boogie Nights" never indicated that he was the greatest lover in the world.... The show is pretty darned funny, especially once you get past the 45-minute pilot and into the half-hour regular episodes (smaller is better, actually). [reuters/hollywood reporter]

It always happens in threes...

Conspiracy theorists and the superstitious are now totally convinced that celebrity deaths do indeed occur in threes. And you can count me among them. After today's turn of events, it seems truer than ever.

First, came the news of Ed McMahon. Johnny Carson's longtime late night cohort, pal to Dick Clark, 'bestower' of Publisher's Clearing House fortunes and all-around pretty swell guy.



Then the sad news that came earlier today. 70s pinup and Charlie's Angel Farrah Fawcett lost her battle with cancer. Relief finally for her, but the grieving has just begun for her family -- especially her on and off again, but completely devoted former husband, Ryan O'Neill. Just totally and completely heartbreaking. But a testament to true love.











Then, out of nowhere, reports of Michael Jackson being rushed to an LA hospital after suffering cardiac arrest. Thing about cardiac arrest is, if you're not revived within 5 minutes, you're a goner -- generally speaking. So, it wasn't looking good right off the bat. I remember saying to Melissa... 'my God -- could he be number 3?' Not much longer after that, my query was confirmed.

Michael Jackson, dead at 50.

Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead today after paramedics found him in a coma at his Bel-Air mansion, city and law enforcement sources told The Times. Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Steve Ruda told The Times that paramedics responded to a 911 call from the home. When they arrived, Jackson was not breathing. The paramedics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda said. Hundreds of reporters gathered at the hospital awaiting word on his condition. The sources, who spoke on the condition that they not be named, said family members rushed to Jackson's bedside, where he was in a deep coma. The circumstances of Jackson's death remain unclear. Law enforcement sources said that Los Angeles Police Department robbery-homicide detectives have opened an investigation into the death, though they stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. The detectives plan to interview relatives, friends and Jackson's doctors to try to figure out what happened. The L.A. County coroner's office will determine a cause of death. [la times]

RIP to all...

If you like your Oscars' broadcast long...then this is the post for you!

Because the Academy thinks the show is running a little on the short side, some genius decided to up the Best Picture nominations from 5 to 10. Let's face it, picking 5 some years is hard enough. I'm actually concerned that a Steven Segal picture is going to make the nominations list because of this. What they should have done is what the Globes have always done: have separate categories for Comedy/Musical and Drama. Boom. Done. Easy. But no...

The Academy Awards will have 10 best-picture nominees instead of the usual five starting next year, improving the odds for films such as "The Dark Knight," a fan and critic favorite that was snubbed last time. Doubling the field for Hollywood's top prize will make room for more worthy films and potentially give a jolt to the Oscar TV ratings, Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said Wednesday. The change takes effect with the 82nd Oscar show March 7. [yahoo]

Who da what? What? How?

Who the hell knew that Cameron Diaz and TomKat were friends? I mean, sure, Cameron and Tom were in Vanilla Sky (2 1/2 hours I'll never get back) years ago...but they've never really been seen together since. Yet, they show up to Cameron's induction onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame today... hmm. Perhaps Tom's recruiting yet again??? Or is this just damage control to cast aside those marriage trouble rumors???

How about that...?

Two things I can't stand rolled into one. Just.Friggin'.Great.

Kristen Stewart on set as Joan Jett. I will not be seeing this.

oh please oh please let this be true

...if only to wipe that smug smirk off her self-righteous face:

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, conservative co-host of ABC's "The View," is being sued over accusations her best-selling diet book plagiarized another author's work. Cape Cod author Susan Hassett filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Hasselbeck in Massachusetts federal court this week, saying parts of the book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide," were lifted from a book Hassett had written on the same subject. Hassett claims she mailed Hasselbeck a copy of her self-published book, "Living with Celiac Disease," in April 2008... Hasselbeck's book, which made it to The New York Times best seller list, was published in May and "includes dozens of paraphrased as well as word-for-word regurgitations of phrases and scrupulously researched factual data entries" from Hassett's book, according to Hassett's complaint. [reuters]

It's twin girls for SJP

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick have added to their clan... two baby girls. Do they make Manolos for infants?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Sex and the City" actress Sarah Jessica Parker and her actor husband Matthew Broderick had twin daughters via a surrogate mother, the couple's publicists said on Tuesday.... their daughters -- named Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge -- were born on Monday in Ohio. "The babies are doing beautifully and the entire family is over the moon," the couple said in a statement. [reuters]

The punch heard round the world

God, I do love a good action shot. The pap who scored this should get a bonus on top of what he got paid...

To catch you up in case you didn't know already. Mr. Sassy Pants, Perez Hilton, got into fisticuffs with Will.i.am -- who apparently had all he could stand and could not stand it no more. The two had some words outside a nightclub, Perez unleashed the "f" word (and not the four letter one) on Wills and well, that's when it got ugly... Now, GLAAD's involved, and well... it's just one big hot mess.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton took to his Twitter account early today to ask his followers for help after he says he was assaulted by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am and his security guards. Shortly after 3 a.m., Hilton sent a barrage of tweets about the alleged attack. “I'm in shock. I need the police ASAP,” Hilton tweeted. “Please come to the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel now. Please.” He continues, “I was assaulted by Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and his security guards. I am bleeding. Please, I need to file a police report. No joke.”...

After several more tweets for help, Hilton, 31, thanked his concerned followers, including Miley Cyrus, and asked them to stop calling the Toronto Police. One hour later, Will.i.am created a Twitter account of his own “because it isn’t cool for someone to blame you and blast you with lies."... According to the singer, the disagreement began at the Ultra Supper Club where the blogger “disrespected” Will.i.am’s bandmate Fergie and said he didn’t like their new album, "The E.N.D."... “I was the one that came to him with respect, and he was the one who called me a f----- outside the club," Will.i.am said of the openly gay blogger. [ny daily news]

I think the most disturbing thing about that article is learning that Miley Cyrus is "friends" with Perez Hilton... If he's not ragging on that toothy brat then he's not an equal opportunity employer. Can't have your cake and eat it, too, Perez.

Baby Boom in H-wood

Looks like Hollywood is having another baby boom...

• Gisele Bündchen Is Pregnant
• Judy Reyes of Scrubs Is Expecting
• Golden Brooks, D.B. Woodside Expecting a Baby
• Rachel Griffiths Welcomes Her Third Child!
• Joel Madden: Nicole's Second Pregnancy Easier, Less Intense
• Madonna's New Daughter Mercy Flown to London Overnight
• Kendra Wilkinson Names Her Baby!

But, of all these -- this perhaps is the most newsworthy: Matthew McConoughey is taking the fatherhood route yet again. And true to form, he revealed the news on his website:

"Happy Father's Day. It's my first, and the last 11 months with Levi and Camila have been the most rewarding adventure to date," McConaughey writes. "We have more blessed news to celebrate this Father's Day that [will] make this time next year double the fun. Levi is going to be a big brother... Yeah, we pulled off the greatest miracle in the world one more time, Camila and I are expecting our second child, bringing more life into the world, making more to live for. The future looks bright as the family grows.... just keep livin, Matthew and Camila." [people]

That'll learn him...

Gotta hand it to the legal system, this sentence will certainly send the right signal to domestic abusers everywhere... Los Angeles: Congrats on being totally f-ing predictable.

With Rihanna set to break her silence in her assault case, Chris Brown reached a plea agreement that spared him jail time, it was announced Monday. Brown, 20, will be sentenced to five years probation and 180 days of community labor to be served in Virginia. He will also complete a year of domestic violence classes, and pay fines. In exchange, he pleaded guilty to felony assault by means likely to cause great bodily injury. ... Brown also was ordered to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna – except at industry events, when it's 10 yards – despite a request from Rihanna's camp that the pair be allowed to be together. ... After the judge addressed him, Brown left the courtroom and Rihanna, wearing a black dress and pearls, was brought in for the judge to explain the plea deal terms to the singer. The two were never in the courtroom at the same time. She stood before Judge Schnegg who told her that the court will consider reducing the stay-away order to the least-restrictive one after he's sentenced. Rihanna's only words in open court were: "Thank you, your honor," before she was led out a special exit. [people]

It's Ovah! Sorta, Kinda...

Welp, Jon and Kate are about to separate...legally. SURPRISE!!!! Seriously, this is the least surprising divorce news ever. I can't believe he managed to hang in there this long...

After months of speculation, the 10-year marriage of Jon & Kate Plus Eight's stars Kate and Jon Gosselin appears to be coming to an end, a source close to the situation tells PEOPLE. Documents to initiate a legal split were filed in Pennsylvania Monday afternoon. ... TLC promotions of the show are promising a major announcement about the family in Monday night's episode of Jon & Kate Plus Eight. [people]

Fashion Week: Paris. Elie Saab

I see the fall fashion trend and I'M LOVING IT! 40's inspired necklines and hemlines with sophistication and class... just gorgeous and so femme. Elie Saab is a genius. Love, Love, Love!!!

Fall Fashion Week: Milan. Ferragamo

Ferragamo's Fall 2009 collection was unveiled earlier this month in Milan. And, can I just say, it was a masterpiece. His models looked as if they walked right on to the set of a 40s film noir set ready to do some major damage. Yet, there is a modern flair to the retro vibe that makes it extremely wearable and chic. Rich colors. Structured coats. Draping capelets... I'm seriously salivating. Take a look...

Shocker

According to Us Weekly, Hugh Hefner is having trouble telling his new twin gal pals apart... Shit, can that man tell his ass from his elbow anymore? I mean, does he know what he had for breakfast? I think figuring out which twin is in his bed is the least of his problems...

It's not easy dating twins. Just ask Hugh Hefner. The Playboy mogul admits he can't tell new girlfriends Karissa and Kristina Shannon apart. "I have one little trick, one has a little mark [on her neck]," Hef told Fox News at a recent Playmate of the Year party. "Other than that, I don't know." [us weekly]

Goodbye Chastity... Hello Chaz!

Hafta say, did NOT see this one coming:

Last week, Us reported that [Chastity] Bono began undergoing a sex change after turning 40 on March 4. A rep would not offer details on the procedure (gender reassignment typically involves surgery and hormone therapy). "Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity," the Bono spokesperson said. "He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones," the rep continued. "It is Chaz's hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his 'coming out' did nearly 20 years ago." [US WEEKLY]

Scenes from Splitsville

Hey, what a shocker? The marriage is over? No, really? She's a gold digger and he's a skeevy old man? Get out. Who knew?

Billy Joel and Katie Lee Joel have split. "After nearly five years of marriage Billy Joel & Katie Lee Joel have decided to separate," a rep for the couple tells Usmagazine.com. "This decision is a result of much thoughtful consideration. Billy & Katie remain caring friends with admiration and respect for each other."... Reports have linked Lee, 27, to 36-year-old Israeli-born fashion designer Yigal Azrouel, who has frequently escorted her to events. But a source tells Us that "had nothing to do" with the split and that Joel, 60, and Lee had just grown "apart" after five years of marriage.

Sure... It had nothing to do with it. OK.

Spoiling Grey's

If you'd rather be surprised for the season opener of Grey's Anatomy this fall, then ya better stop reading the tabs. It's pretty clear how it's all gonna go down...

T.R. Knight is finally confirming he's leaving Grey's Anatomy. "Leaving Grey's Anatomy was not an easy decision for me to make. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this character and will miss my fellow cast and crew very much," he tells Usmagazine.com in a statement. "I continue to wish them the very best, and wholeheartedly thank all of the fans who have supported me and the show with such passion and enthusiasm," he continues. [us weekly]

But, it looks like Katherine Shut the F Up Already You Ingrate Heigel is eating some crow and trying to keep a steady paycheck...

Katherine Heigl isn't leaving Grey's Anatomy, a source tells Usmagazine.com. "Katie will still be on Grey's next season," a source tells Us. Heigl's rep tells Us: "I am unable to comment."... While Knight is off the show, as confirmed to Us by former costar Melissa George yesterday, Heigl negotiated her contract to stay. [us weekly]

That sucks...

Eh, crapola. Another H-wood marriage bites the dust. And, I really didn't see this one coming. Bummer.

Actor Bradley Whitford and wife Jane Kaczmarek filed divorce papers Friday in Los Angeles, PEOPLE has confirmed. ... The former West Wing star and Malcolm in the Middle mom were married in August 1992, and have three children, Frances Genevieve, 12, George Edward, 9, and Mary Louisa, 6. [people]

In other divorce news... Jon and Kate Plus Gag Me with a Spoon are supposedly making a big announcement on their unwatchable reality show (in a desperate attempt to score some ratings). Apparently, the couple is divorcing after many, many (substantiated and unsubstantiated) rumors of infidelity. Yawn... I could really give a rat's ass.

In a new teaser video from Monday’s special hour-long episode of John & Kate Plus Eight, a teary Kate Gosselin says, “We haven’t really known where we were going but we’ve been dealing with this a long time." She can only be referring to the couple’s marital problems, which she and Jon addressed in the season 5 premiere of their show....A promo for the show, which aired Wednesday, promised that the couple, who’ve been married for 10 years, will make an announcement. [people]

Hey, whatever floats your boat...

...but do we really need to be seeing this crap up close and personal? For those of you who give a crap about these things, Bruce Willis got married recently. Surprise, she's way younger than him...and she's a model. Men are so predictable. Anyway, I guess he wants to make sure he stays current and relevant -- so the newlyweds did a pictorial for W magazine. And, it definitely outdoes the Posh and Becks spread from a year or so back. See for yourself...