Celeb Watch: Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, Cheryl and Ashley Cole

Christina Aguilera and Nicole Richie are both enticing a number of high-profile publications who want the right to print the first photos of their babies. Marie Claire reports:

A bidding war has erupted between OK! and People magazine for the first pictures of Christina’s son Max Liron, and the asking price has already reached $1.5 million.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden have already signed a deal with People magazine, where they will get $1 million for the photo debut of daughter Harlow Winter Kate.

I wonder at the lives of the rich and famous, yet the bidding war is only active because the magazines know that large sections of the general public want to see the photos. No doubt they’ll be leaked onto the Internet anyway. So much for the privacy of kids with famous parents.

Meanwhile, Cheryl Cole is being urged by her family and friends to leave husband Ashley, after claims from at least two women that he had affairs with them:

The latest claim comes from glamour model, Brook Healy, who is alleged to have been approached by Cole in December 2006 at London’s Funky Buddha club - just five months after the Coles’ marriage - and later slept with the footballer.

The Girls Aloud star [Cheryl] stated: “I was furious… but I’m determined to be strong. Ashley’s a wonderful husband and we’re in love. I won’t let this woman destroy our marriage.”

Celeb Watch: Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie, Mel Gibson, Mel B

According to reports, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are seeking to adopt a girl from Africa:

The couple already has a brood of four - adopted Maddox, six, from Cambodia; four-year-old Pax from Vietnam; two-year-old Zahara from Ethiopia, and their only biological child, Shiloh, one.

But the Mr. + Mrs. Smith co-stars have already expressed their desire to expand their young family, and Jolie’s brother James Haven reveals they are set to return to Africa to look for a little sister for their four kids.

He says, “They are creating one big family and will keep adopting as long as they are able to.

Mel Gibson’s son Christian has checked into a rehabilitation centre for drink and drug problems, according to reports:

Edward was admitted to the Cri-Help centre in North Hollywood back in September 2007.

Now the Enquirer claims that Christian also checked in just before Christmas.

Mad Max star Gibson, who was himself ordered to enroll in an alcohol abuse program after his DUI arrest and anti-semitic rant back in July 2006, is footing the bill.

He has been paying $5,500 a month for each twin in a bid to help them recover.

Spice Girl Mel B is planning to renew her marriage vows at a star-studded “second wedding”, after marrying Stephen Belafonte in private last June.

A source said: “Mel has made up with her mother Andrea and wants to get all her family and friends together and have a huge celebrity wedding in April - and she has even asked her fellow band members to be bridesmaids.

“She wants all of her and Stephen’s family to be at this wedding to make amends for them not being able to be present last time.”

Celeb Watch: Gwyneth Paltrow, Eddie Murphy, Britney Spears

Marie Claire speculates that Gwneth Paltrow may be pregnant:

The New York Daily News is reporting that Paltrow was taken to the hospital by husband Chris Martin because she is pregnant with her third child. A source revealed to the paper that Paltrow spent time in the maternity wing of the hospital, and added, “They looked very serious. She looked upset. They went right past everyone and into the elevator. It seemed like they were expected.”

Eddie Murphy has split from his wife, Tracey Edmonds, after just two weeks of marriage, reports Marie Claire:

The reason for the break-up? According to sources in America, the honeymoon was “marred by screaming matches and arguments all week”.

In fact, even on the wedding day there were warning signs that all was not right. “Eddie started yelling at Tracey in front of people,” one guests told People magazine. “He did it on a few occasions and it was very embarrassing.”

Troubled star Britney Spears is also rumoured to be pregnant, as she was allegedly seen buying a home pregnancy test:

…the singer and her new boyfriend, 35-year-old paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, were photographed in a drug store in LA shopping for home pregnancy tests.

However, given the photographs were released by Ghalib’s own picture agency, some are already crying foul and believe the snaps might just be a juicy little earner for the couple and a crafty joke at the media’s expense.

Or at Britney’s expense. Hasn’t she been through enough recently?

Lily Allen suffers a miscarriage

Sad news for the singer Lily Allen and her boyfriend Ed Simons. A spokesperson for Lily’s publicists confirmed “that Lily Allen has suffered a miscarriage… and we ask that her privacy be respected at this difficult time.”

The miscarriage reportedly occurred after returning from a holiday in the Maldives.

According to statistics, one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage, which accounts for nearly a quarter of a million each year. It proves to be a very tough time for a large number of couples, but the truth is that — in time — you can move on from the pain. Many women enjoy healthy pregnancies after miscarriage, so while it’s tragic at the time, it certainly doesn’t rule out starting a family.

Our thoughts are with Lily and Ed at this time, and I do hope the media give them space to come to terms with this.

Swarovski shows off celeb-designed denim jackets, supports World Orphan Week 1-7 Oct

In support of World Orphan Week (1st-7th October), Swarovksi has unveiled a collection of celebrity-designed denim jackets which will benefit SOS Children’s Villages, the world’s largest charity for orphaned and abandoned children.

Celebrities including Jessica Alba, Laila Ali, Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Angie Harmon, Finola Hughes, Stacy London, Reba McEntire, Katharine McPhee, Sara Ramirez, Jordin Sparks, Carrie Underwood and Vanessa Williams took part in this worthwhile endeavour.

Beginning September 25, each of the fashionable creations will be featured on eBay Giving Works and can be found at www.ebay.com/swarovski. The charity auction will end on October 5.

“By 2010 there will be more than 25 million orphaned and abandoned children around the world. SOS Children’s Villages and Swarovski believe in providing the vital care these children need to grow and flourish in their communities. During World Orphan Week, I hope everyone will take a minute to make a difference in the life of a child,” says Finola Hughes, General Hospital’s” Anna Devane and host of The Style Network’s popular makeover series “How Do I Look.”

Each of the jackets was designed using a combination of Swarovski brooches and iron-crystal transfers, ranging from a celestial theme from Reba McEntire to a floral theme from Carrie Underwood.

The partnership between SOS and Swarovski dates back to the founding of SOS in the Tyrol region of Austria (also home of Swarovski’s world manufacturing headquarters) in 1949. The company’s founder, Daniel Swarovski I, was a humanitarian who personally supported the charity and the crystal maker is happy to have continued the relationship through today.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt may retire to dedicate time to family

According to a recent press release, it seems that movie stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt plan to retire from the movie industry in a few years to dedicate time to raising their children.

They have four children, three of whom are adopted.

Jolie says, “I think both of us only plan to work for a few more years. Brad and I have a lot of kids. And we want to have more kids, and they demand a lot of time. You can’t balance everything.”

In an industry where it’s rare for couples to even stay together, I have to say “Good on you guys!”

I do hope you stay together and can fulfill what you want for bringing up your children.

(PR Inside)

Eva Herman sparks controversy in ’stay at home housewife’ comments

One of Germany’s top TV personalities, Eva Herman, has made some controversial comments about the role of women in society. She has suggested that they should be content to be stay-at-home housewives and mothers.

Whether this is just a big publicity stunt for her new book “Das Eva Prinzip” remains to be seen.

“Women simply cannot pursue a career and raise children properly at the same time,” she said in a news conference ahead of the book’s publication. “They can’t raise children properly and they can’t pursue a career properly. The two things simply don’t go together. And it is a grave mistake for women to miss out on raising children, which is their God-given duty.”

Not surprisingly there’s been a backlash:

“This is not the 19th century when women wore corsets and were not allowed out on the streets without chaperones,” said Regina Seidel, head of the German Businesswomen’s Association.

“This is the 21st century and this is Western Europe and we have the best-educated and most liberated women of all time. And a lot of them want to pursue careers and also raise families, and that is proving to be a very good development for humankind.”

An ex-husband (she’s been married four times) also joined the debate, writing a scathing retort in a German newspaper:

“Dear Eva,” wrote 55-year-old Werner Herman, “you were the one who always wanted to pursue a career and you were the one (not I) who did not want to have children.”

He added, “You didn’t do housework because we had a maid who took care of all the housework, except for flower arranging, which was your specialty.”

It’s an interesting debate, not so much because it’s fresh (it’s not) but because of who’s made the statements.

And, at the end of the day, every man and woman needs to work out for themselves what the best balance is between raising children and having a career. There are no absolute right or wrong answers. I’m sure not all of what Herman has said is wrong, and may have been taken out of context, but there’s no “one size fits all” approach to family, parenting, and work.

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