In Search of a New Legend

First of all, deep, deep apologies for the long disappearance, and many thanks to those of you who wrote to check in if I was ok. I was, just took off to introduce the family to the new bubby. We are all back, and my thoughts are brimming.

I was one of those people who cried when I heard about the death of Michael Jackson. On the eve of his burial, it's fit to look around and wonder, who will be the legends in our generation of entertainment. I see contenders, but I will admit, I am not impressed. All the potentials have some characteristics of the master, but not all. For instance, when it comes to sheer entertaining capacity, we have some class acts like Beyonce. For new direction in music and dance, we could probably look to Justin Timberlake for the next couple of years (even though recent press has been more focused on his love life than on his career). We have seriously bad plastic surgery and family acts, drug addictions and failed romances but we don't have one living legend, who will roll it all together, and inspire us for decades on end. There was Elvis, and the Beatles, and then there was Michael Jackson. RIP, Michael. There will never be another.

(Thank you for indulging me - this post wasn't supposed to be a tribute. It just became one. Had to get it out of my system, I guess.)

Heidi and Spencer and "I'm A Celebrity": The Reality Behind Reality TV

The current controversy doing the rounds involving Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt and NBC's newest reality show (fiasco?), "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here", is doing more than providing entertainment, it's about to expose reality TV as we know it today. And quite frankly, it's about bloody time!

The newlyweds claim to be have been tortured to the point of death, and the network, while defending its safety arrangements, accuses Heidi and Spencer of being completely unprofessional and seeking to quit the show against their contract. Looks like the off-the-scene show is messier than the on-screen one. Now one must wonder: did Speidi understand the premise of the show, or were they so stardom-hungry that they jumped on the wagon for the next newest thing, without a thought to the fact that they may actually have to do some work? Let's face it, Speidi have been known to do the darndest things for fame, and they don't exactly have a reputation for authenticity. What kind of torture chamber was this anyway, where they were allegedly deprived of food and water, but provided with an internet connection that enabled them to twitter? Sounds very ominous!

Regardless of how this messy media war pans out, one thing is sure: it will reveal the fascinating truth about just how real reality TV is, for those who are interested. As a start, here's a read about the politics that brew alongside such drama behind the scenes. Aren't you glad HowLegit exists to help you make sense of it all? I certainly am!

HowLegit Seeking Star Ambassadors - Protect Your Favorite Stars from Celebrity Goss That Just Ain't True!

Don't you hate it when you want to learn something about a celebrity, and you have to sift through pages of dribble to find anything newsworthy or accurate? Or when bloggers or "journalists" throw out rumors and insinuations with sensationalist headlines, just to get your attention? Well, I do, too, and that's why I started HowLegit.com. Now you can be a part of the media revolution by signing up to be a HowLegit Star Ambassador.

As an Ambassador, it's your job to keep up with the news on your favorite star, and tell the world what's actually going on by using HL's unique voting system!

Can't wait?

Here's how you sign up:
Go to www.howlegit.com and create a user profile.
Then email kaamna@howlegit.com and let me know that you would like to be an Ambassador.

You'll even get a badge on your profile so everyone knows that when it comes to a particular celeb, you're the one in the know.

ACCEPTING AMBASSADORS NOW! SIGN UP BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE REPRESENTS YOUR FAVORITE STAR AND YOU'RE JUST LEFT, WONDERING WHAT'S LEGIT!

HowLegit's Celeb Moms We Love

In the world of celebrity news, we are always looking out for mothers who get it wrong. This Mother's Day, we decided it was time to pay tribute to the moms who do it right. (HowLegit did a piece on the other kind a while ago too. Check it out). These moms love being moms and we love watching them be moms. They're the kind of women who spend their off days in the park, and whose kids won't end up in rehab! Presenting HowLegit's Celeb Moms We Love:

Cate Blanchett


Cate is one of the few in Hollywood to shun plastic surgery, and it's a good thing too. Very rarely do you find a celebrity who is this true to her art form, and who looks so good doing it. When she is not dazzling the silver screen or running the Sydney Theater Company with her Director husband, Cate enjoys family time, and may well be planning a new addition!


Heidi Klum


Here's a lady who grows more elegant with each successive child. Having announced that she and husband, Seal are pregnant with their fourth child (a girl), Heidi Klum still dazzles us with her grace and beauty. While her career continues to evolve, Heidi still maintains her sense of humor, and quality time for the kids.

Jennifer Garner


What's not to love about Jennifer Garner? Although her first choice for a profession didn't work out, probably because she was just to good looking to be a librarian, Jennifer Garner juggles her current roles of mum and superstar with characteristic ease. How does she do it? A killer fitness regime, and a very well-trained husband, no doubt!

Michelle Obama


Not only is she the First Lady of the country, Michelle Obama is also the first lady to ever tell the White House staff not to do their jobs! Little Malia and Sasha live by the same house rules, no matter what color the house. In her first 100 days, Michelle has proven that she has her feet firmly planted to the ground, and her fashion ratings soaring to the ceiling. And she even loves animals!

Celebrity Twits

Ashton Kutcher has found his calling: he is the ultimate Twitterer. He now joins the ranks of Twitter Royalty like Oprah and others of the million dollar matrix. Eager to dethrone the reigning King Twit, Spencer Pratt has challenged Ashton to another race to see which one of them can add the most users in the next 30 days (couldn't really be a race to 2 million since Ashton has an 800k head start over him). While the general debate is entertaining, I can't help wondering, why do we care about what these people have to say (or twit, as the case would be)?

People today become celebrities by reciting other people's words and by executing someone else's vision. This certainly requires talent, but being profound in 140 characters is a totally different skill set. Yet, one million of us have tuned in to hear Ashton's thoughts on the government, or his favorite bedtime lullaby. If the celebrity in question were a writer or a politician (Spencer Pratt doesn't count), I would get it, and those on Twitter have a well deserved following for sure. But why we are so fascinated with the mind of someone who makes his living by thinking like someone other than himself confuses me a little. As if that's not enough, Kutcher's company, Katalyst media is spearheading a deal with UStream that will enable live streaming of celebrities. Your favorite celebs, unscripted, uncensored, and unairbrushed. Really? Ew.

Sure we get random tit-bits about their lives (Miley Cyrus likes Spanish boys), and perhaps even believe that we are one step closer to interacting with them directly (how much do you think Diddy's Chief Executive Twitterer makes?), but it seems as if they want their off-screen characters to get more attention than their on-screen ones. And it truly takes all the fun out of celebrity stalking. So, ease up, boys, leave a little to the imagination.

PS. If you have an opinion on whether Spencer will beat Ashton, vote here

Stardom Equals Singledom?

Celebrity split-ups have always been hot news, especially since they tend to be particularly dysfunctional or expensive, and we as human beings like nothing more than to see other people stripped down to their base survival instincts. By that standard, 2008 this year was a highlight with the very high profile divorce of Madonna and Guy Ritchie, which included all the regular gory elements like custody battles, mud-slinging, and interfering in-laws. And our focus on the final number of the settlement ($70 million) and the sensationalism of it all versus the emotions of the people (and not to mention, children) involved confirms the very obvious truth: Celebrity status and "in a relationship" status are mutually exclusive.

It seems that celebrities just can't be in relationships, and we, the onlookers, have become so acclimatized to this that we contemplate the "when" not the "if" of every celebrity break-up. The piece of information that confirmed this for me was the news that SJP and hubby of 12 years, Mathew Broderick are calling it quits. One can only speculate about what a celebrity couple has to fight about. It's not "normal" couple problems like who does the dishes, or spending too much money (presumably these are non-issues in a celebrity household). So it must be those usual hollywood predators like insecurity, infidelity, or .. competition? Two stars in one house is just too many to handle?

While celebrities have different problems, they also have many that are just too much the same. The recent RiRi and Chris Brown flare-up was nothing more than the familiar cycle of domestic abuse. Their celebrity status may have shone a very bright light on their relationship, but there is nothing unique about its emotional implications. And what about the kids in such situations? What happens to the Brat Pack if Brad and Angie split because Brad was really sleeping with the nanny? (Or his ex-girlfriend?)

I can count on my fingers some long-term celebrity couples, and the sad thing is, their remarkable achievement is never in the limelight. When was the last time you heard about Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, or Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones? On the other hand, maybe that's why they are still together. Because too much light can burn you, as these overexposed Hollywood couples can certainly testify.

Angie Does the UN and the Latest in Celebrity Adoptions

The latest in celebrity adoptions is that Angelina is looking to adopt an orphan from India, which was inevitable after the whole Slumdog craze. Apparently, the inspiration struck her on her trip to India in 2006, and has nothing to do with the success of Slumdog. If she succeeds, she would have covered Asia and Africa, and will perhaps turn her attention to the poverty stricken parts of South America. After that, it probably wouldn't hurt to check on the many orphans here in the US.

Angie's competition for "Adopter of the Year", Madonna, has conversely stayed loyal to her choice of place of adoption. Apparently the Queen of Pop is in the middle of another adoption from Malawi, the same country from which her last adoption was fraught with controversy. This time doesn't look so different, to be honest.

One could argue that all celebrities should adopt a child from an underprivileged country. After all, they have the money, and the space. They also inhabit what is arguably the least child-friendly environment, fraught with insecurities, substance abuse, and broken marriages. Suri Cruise is a classic example of a f#cked up Hollywood baby. And she doesn't have any adoption baggage to deal with. Or what if upstanding citizens like Amy Crackhouse went on an adoption spree?! Is that actually an improvement in these kids' circumstances?

At some point, I hope this craze in celebrities to collect children like china is going to be scrutinized a little more carefully by the authorities responsible. Personally, I think Oprah had the right idea.