Sadly, none of the items today feel auspicious enough for the last gossip roundup of the year (maybe because Cin’s away roughing it in New Hampshire), though they’re pretty good for an average day. Like, Hillary Clinton apparently returned $2,300 campaign contributions to not only Caroline Kennedy (who endorsed O), but also Barry and DVF, Ben Stiller, Rita Wilson, Renée Zellwegger and Hill’s own best friend, Mary Steenburgen. Why? Did all those people endorse O before Hill dropped out and we missed it? Also about Hill and Bill, they’ve been seeing a lot of Broadway theater and getting standing O’s (for ovation, not Obama) just for showing up. Similarly theater-related: Daniel Radcliffe is tired of getting onstage every night naked with a fake horse for Equus and now wants to do a musical, which we could’ve told you would happen. And also Jeremy Piven is dating a model he met at Britney’s birthday party, and the News makes a lot of funny, bitchy cracks about his dropping out of Speed-the-Plow because of mercury poisoning.
On the Amazon page for the kosher cookbook of Bernie Madoff’s wife, Ruth, who did his bookkeeping, people are writing mean things like “her family should be nailed to the bull on Wall Street” and “She may be able to eat kosher in prison but it ain’t gonna be cooked by any great chefs!” They’re also saying her recipes are bad. Oprah is going to broadcast from the Kennedy Center in D.C. throughout Obama’s inaugural week and host a big bash with Gayle, but where’s Stedman these days? Total sweetheart Jennifer Hudson may be summoning the strength to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” at O’s inaugural, which would be her first time performing since her mother, sister, and nephew were brutally murdered in October. We may as well say it now: If she does sing it, we are going to cry so hard on so many levels. But Jennifer, don’t do it if you’re not ready yet, even for O!
Tonight in New Orleans, Britney’s brother and sometimes manager, Bryan, will marry the woman who manages younger sister Jamie Lynn. This family mixes it up! Spears clan, be stable and united in the New Year! Will Arnett says funny things about the upcoming movie version of Arrested Development. We can’t believe aggressively bland Beyoncé said the mean things she said about growing up rich versus Janet Jackson growing up poor with crazy parents who used her. Byon, if you thought it, then you should have put a gag on it! Bristol Palin sold the pics of her new baby with hot hockey guy Levi to People for $300,000. Girl, break the trashy family cycle and lock that money in a college fund. Happy New Year, famous people, get your acts together and be accountable and mature in 2009!
