Morning Briefing:
Britney swaps Kabbalah for Hinduism? Because it can't hurt to have as many gods looking out for your baby as possible, sometimes-Kabbalist Britney Spears took her son, Sean Preston, to a Hindu temple in Malibu, Calif., to be blessed over the weekend. Is it a sign Spears' attachment to Kabbalah is weakening, or does she just prefer sporting a bindi to wearing red string? And what would Madonna do? "Apparently, Ms. Spears can't make up her mind which tune to dance to," Rick Ross of Cultnews.com tells the Scoop. "I'm sure her mentor Madonna will not be amused." (The Scoop, People)
Madonna getting too fit? Madonna may not be known for doing things in moderation, but apparently her friends are worried she's really working herself too hard this time, pushing her new album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor." An insider tells Rush & Molloy, "She looks way too thin. It's scary. Everyone around her is buzzing that she's working herself right into exhaustion." Madonna recently told Elle, "I wish I were comfortable enough to look zaftig," but blames her exercise obsession at least in part on her husband: "But I choose men who like carved-out women, the can-you-run-for-the-bus kind of guy. I'm naturally inclined toward men like that." (Rush & Molloy)
Howard Stern admits to going under the knife: Though he's known more for his voice than his face, Howard Stern says he's had some work done on his nose and chin over the years, admitting on his Sirius radio show that he got a nose job nine years ago, just after the filming of his movie "Private Parts," and some liposuction under his chin not long after that (though before-and-after shots raise the question of whether that was the only work he had done). Stern has denied rumors that he's had plastic surgery for years, and said he's kept it to himself all this time because, well, he thinks the whole idea of cosmetic surgery is "very gay." (N.Y. Daily News, City Rag)
How Brad and Angelina saved the tabs: After a poor fourth quarter for tabloid publishers, the Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt baby news may salvage things in the new year, according to Women's Wear Daily. Us Weekly's Jan. 9 issue, which merely hinted at the baby possibility, is poised to be one of the top five bestselling issues in the magazine's history, while Life & Style sold more than 800,000 copies for the first time ever with its Jan. 16 issue featuring "Angelina: I'm Pregnant!" as the cover line. No word yet on how the current issue of People, which officially broke the news, has sold, but even In Touch and Star have been touched by the golden magic, with sales numbers for both magazines getting a bounce with their recent Jolie-and-Pitt-heavy coverage. (Women's Wear Daily)
Also:
William Shatner has apparently sold his kidney stone for $25,000 to an online gambling site to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. (Associated Press) ... Someone was selling a sonogram on eBay purportedly showing Angelina Jolie's second-trimester baby, but eBay has removed the listing. (I Don't Like You in That Way) ... Kate Moss was spotted bumping and grinding with Jack Osbourne at a Golden Globe after-party, reports the Lowdown, which notes that the action was so raunchy that "even Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson and Jessica Simpson were aghast." (Lowdown, last item) ... The Smoking Gun has all the secrets of the Rolling Stones tour rider, including a traveling snooker table and satellite TV so Mick can stay up-to-date on all the cricket scores. (The Smoking Gun) ... Isaac Hayes has checked into a Memphis, Tenn., hospital, where he's being treated for exhaustion -- besides touring and lending his voice to the character of Chef in "South Park," Hayes appeared recently in "Hustle & Flow" and is slated to appear on "That '70s Show" later this year. (BBC)
Money Quote:
George Clooney on how he persuaded Hollywood studios to let him write and direct movies: "I conned them. And I have pictures of them with farm animals." (Contactmusic)
Turn on:
See former Olympians (like Scott Hamilton) and C-list celebs (e.g., Deborah Gibson) in Fox's addition to the make-old-stars-perform-new-tricks genre, "Skating With Celebrities" (9 p.m. EST). Also, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz is on "Charlie Rose" (PBS, check local listings).
-- Scott Lamb
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