Beck/Smith Hollywood

By Emily-Fortune Feimster

Who’da thunk it?  The Ken doll was actually ahead of his time.  “Toy Story 3,” with Ken voiced by Michael Keaton, confirms what we all intuited long ago — the fact that this doll is… a metrosexual.

In case you hadn’t heard, “metrosexual” is a word to describe a fella who’s proudly concerned with his appearance, from his gelled hairdo to his manicured fingernails. A term first coined in 1994 by British journalist Mark Simpson, the metrosexual male, unlike his scruffy haired, t-shirt wearing counterpart, knows how to moisturize, shop, and behave in public.  He’d rather sip a glass of wine than down a 12-pack of beer.  And like Ken, he revels in having a walk-in closet full of stylish outfits.  It’s a phenomenon that confuses women and affects gaydar.

Just ask Ryan Seacrest, the mother of all metrosexuals.  He always wears fashionable clothes, has frosted hair, and normally a well-groomed 5 o’clock shadow. When asked by Larry King if it’s fair for people to call him a metrosexual, Seacrest responded, “Yes, I’m fine with it. I think it’s cool…I’ve made it no secret that I’ve highlighted my hair, and I’ve just — I’ve done these things that I never knew how to do until, when you start a TV show, you have somebody that helps you with things. I think it’s OK for a man to say, I want to take care of myself and be presentable for a woman in my life.” Riiiight.

Soccer icon David Beckham has been known for getting manicures before every match, changing his hair weekly and loving to shop. In fact, he and his Spice Girl wife Victoria, dubbed “Posh and Becks,” seem to enjoy wearing color coordinated outfits at many public events. Gillette gave Beckham a $50,000 diamond-encrusted razor so he can keep a clean shave at all times. He paints his nails and wears sarongs. He goes to the hair salon to get perfect highlights. What’s more, he doesn’t care if you know that. Among his favorite designers are Gucci, Prada, Diesel and Dolce & Gabbana, not to mention his earning around $1,757,000 for modeling Police sunglasses. He does sport the odd diamond earring worth around $12,300, an $87,850 wedding ring, and a limited edition white-gold Panerai watch.  It’s enough to make Ken jealous.

Always dressed to the nines on the red carpet, Australian actor Hugh Jackman made his mark with American movie audiences as the hairy, scary mutant superhero “Wolverine.” But we saw a different side of the man as the high-spirited, high-stepping Peter Allen in the Broadway show, “The Boy from Oz.” This wasn’t the first production for Jackman, who earned his spurs in musical theater, playing Curly in the West End London production of “Oklahoma.” Despite having an affinity for musical theatre, you definitely know a guy’s a metrosexual when he’s prettier than his wife. He’s married to actress/director Debra Lee Furness, who happens to be eight years older. Also, forget the hamburgers and chicken wings – his favorite food is sushi.

Will Smith started out as a rapper who wore big t-shirts and baggy shorts, but his machismo seems to have fallen down a few notches after making fluffy films like “Hitch” and doing that silly dance in his “Switch” video. Not your typical hip-hop artist, he avoids using profanity and is good to his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.  The two are usually decked out in designer duds, which happen to be color coordinated with each other.

Dave Navarro may be covered in tattoos but he’s no ordinary rocker. After all, how many times do you see guys like Tommy Lee traveling with Louise Vuitton luggage? No stranger to a nail salon, this guy takes more time to get ready than his wife Carmen Electra and even uses way more eyeliner. Not to mention the fact that he was way too into their wedding planning. Nothing’s more entertaining than watching a leather-clad, Satan-esque rocker talking about flower arrangements and making sure the bouquet matches his suit.

P. Diddy  is so concerned with fashion, he inaugurated his own highly-successful line.

Usher is often dressed in unbelievably expensive designer suits, he’s no stranger to wearing dainty gloves, and he’s always seen sporting his diamond stud earrings. He takes enormously good care of his body, doing over 1,000 crunches a day to keep those rock hard abs. He’s even the first to admit that he’s one of the biggest momma’s boys in the business.

The same goes for Justin Timberlake, who called his mom and almost cried the day he got “Punk’d” by Ashton Kutcher.  Though gone are the days of him wearing an all denim suit with a matching hat underneath his neatly gelled, curly hair, this is one guy who is meticulous about his appearance.

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are as much models as they are actors, welcoming the female gazes like the walking billboards they’ve become. Their million dollar smiles have made them cultural icons. Both look modernly sleek atop their crotch rocket motorcycles. The picture of how Brad looked at the “Along Came Polly” premiere, where he was wearing a navy blue suit with a matching scarf , stays emblazoned in the mind – it looked very metro. His bottle blonde ‘do was the antithesis of his old skuzzy look.

Though he has more of a Bohemian style, Jude Law is a metrosexual in that he’s more of the sensitive, soft-spoken, artsy type. He’s been into drama since he was a child, having started acting at age 12 with the National Youth Music Theatre. You’re more likely to find this vegetarian/yoga guy at a poetry reading than a boxing match any day.

Which brings us to everyone’s favorite “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom dancing heavyweight boxing champion, Evander Holyfield.

The hit show has surely advanced the metro trend. Joey McIntyre proved his terpsichorean artistry and looked metro hot in his toreador dance outfit. John proudly wore puffy shirts that would have had his old “Seinfeld” cohorts doing double takes while wowing the “Dancing” judges. Hey, having silver hair – especially the gorgeously groomed kind like John’s – doesn’t exclude you from being metro.

You think he gets it that way without a rinse? Come on.

Yes, the “Dancing With the Stars” list of ballroom boys is chockablock with metrosexual hotties – Gilles Marini, Evan Lysacek, Helio Castroneves, to name a few.

Considering all that, Perhaps Mattel ought to give Sugar’s Daddy Ken a rethink.  The pink polo shirt ‘n’ green patterned jacket-clad dolly never made it to market after an internet brouhaha last year, but we think his time has come.

– With Stacy Jenel Smith

It was sad to hear that ”Rules of Engagement” star Bianca Kajlich and her soccer hero husband, Landon Donovan, had gone separate ways last year — especially having heard the actress describe her mate in adoring terms on several occasions.   So it put a smile on fans’ faces when he blew her a kiss on camera after his stunning, last-second goal that kept U.S. World Cup hopes alive.

On top of that, as USA Today reports, Donovan says  he’s been on the phone with Bianca, that he’s carried her with him in spirit through these incredibly emotional days in South Africa, and that they’re not “officially” divorced.

Beautiful Bianca talked about her dual life as a network TV star and a futbol wife with humor and affection in ’08, and made it clear she’s a booster.   She noted, “People say that soccer is not a very popular sport here, but what most people don’t understand is that the league is only 13 years old.  You think about how long football and baseball have been around and they’re a part of our history as Americans — but soccer, it’s brand new.  This is a cool opportunity for people to jump on board and be a part of something that could be huge in 20 years.”

Or much sooner.

Bianca talks about being a soccer “WAG” in this 2007 story:

Rising Star Bianca Kajlich: Series Star Also Knows Life Among the Soccer WAGs

The British tabloids have been making rivals out of Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham and Bianca Kajlich – months before the most well-known soccer star in the world, David Beckham, is due to make his debut as the new $250 million player of the L.A. Galaxy.

Kajlich, you see, is wed to top American soccer star Landon Donovan, up ’til now the Galaxy’s top man.

That makes her tops among what U.K. soccer fans refer to as the WAGs – that is, Wives and Girlfriends of players — in the United States.

In England, “There is almost as much press and publicity about the WAGs as about the athletes themselves,” Kajlich notes.

The media – here and abroad – have talked a lot about the shift within the Galaxy thanks to the landmark Beckham deal. Referring to Donovan, who gets a reported $900,000 a season, one Los Angeles sports writer summed up, “the Designated Superstar of Major League Soccer for the past two seasons later this year becomes David Beckham’s Galaxy Sidekick.” The move would be “disconcerting” to many, he added, but Donovan is “the most level-headed star in sports.”

It’s nice to report that his wife comes off quite level-headed as well.

Beyond their spouses’ respective positions on the same team and their shared destiny, Bianca, like Posh, is very beautiful. And like the former Spice Girls pop singer, actress Bianca has her own claims to fame – starring in the CBS comedy “Rules of Engagement” after amassing a credit list that includes the series “Dawson’s Creek,” “Rock Me Baby” and “Boston Public,” as well as the big screen “Halloween: Resurrection.”

The 29-year-old, Seattle-born Kajlich admits, “I didn’t know anything about Major League Soccer before my husband and I got together.” But by now, she is used to the duality of her fame, her own projects being showcased in the entertainment section of the paper while she’s referred to as Donovan’s wife in the sports section.

“I love the dynamic we have,” she says. “We don’t have to come home and talk about ‘the biz,’ but still we each have someone who innately understands the craziness of it all. When we have to cancel plans on each other, we understand.”

With the high demands of their respective careers, “We make time to be together, and it’s not only that we make the time, but we make that time worth it. We make the most of the time we have. The great thing is that we both genuinely enjoy being at the other’s work place. There’s nothing more fantastic to me than going to see his team play.”

Bianca refers to her fellow Galaxy WAGs as “like a big family. When the boys go out of town, the wives and girlfriends get together and watch the games together, and it’s wonderful to have that network.”

Meanwhile, her work life is a whole different world. She and Oliver Hudson, who previously worked together on “Dawson’s Creek,” play a newly engaged couple, Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price play an established couple, and David Spade plays their single friend on “Rules of Engagement.”

“My first audition was last July, and I thought they hated me,” she recalls. “Then they called me at night and said, ‘We want you to come back again when more of the producers are here.’ Then I didn’t hear back again, so I thought I was done. Then the final time I was called I was in Seattle with my family, and I got word they wanted to test me for it. There were five different girls who could not have looked more different, so I realized they didn’t know what they wanted. They were going to throw the whole lot against the wall and see what sticks. It’s fine,” she adds. “I’m definitely willing to fight a little bit for a role.”

Bianca recalls, “You go into an auditorium-sized room with a bazillion people in it, none of whom are prone to laughing. All the network executives are there, and they don’t let on what they’re looking for.”

She admits she was “definitely” nervous, but notes, “I think the day I stop getting nervous about it is the day I should stop doing it altogether.”

Once the arduous casting process resulted in her nailing her role, she was happy to return to working with Hudson. They’d become friends back in the “Dawson’s” days, but hadn’t seen one another “in a couple of years.” His wife, Erinn, is also a friend, Bianca says.

She’s glad to have close relationships both inside and outside of Hollywood. “Actors’ lives are a little shaky,” comments Bianca. “It’s hard to find balance. You need to be flexible. When you’re in your twenties, you’re still figuring out who you are. It’s paramount to have family and friends who are not in the business.”

And she certainly does.

“So You Think You Can Dance” hostess Cat Deeley certainly has her own dance card full – not only with the popular Fox show, but also with her jewelry line. The Birmingham, UK-born fashionista started a slow roll-out of her line with a bib necklace in December. She’ll be introducing viewers to a new range of pieces on QVC today (6/18). She’d like people to know, “The thing is that I love it, I absolutely adore fashion and have since I was a little girl. It’s not like I’m taking something and slapping my name on it. I’ve really worked hard on this.”

Deeley describes her Cat Deeley Vintage line as “basically, vintage-inspired jewelry. Lots of times you’ll hear someone say, ‘Oh, it’s vintage’ when they’re asked about a piece of jewelry. If you flick through fashion magazines, you’ll see vintage all the time. But what vintage, what style? The normal, average woman does not have time or inclination to go out searching for great pieces. My whole idea was, bring all these treasures that I’ve found on my travels, adapt them, change their shape, size, color.”

Treasures? “When we’re out on the audition trail, I always go on the hunt for hidden treasures,” she explains. “I go into a city and – I always do research before we go, and find the best vintage places — then I out at five in the morning and by lunch time I’m finished. Or I hit the shops when we finish work on the show early. I always, always find treasures. New York to New Orleans, Miami to Memphis.”

Which cities are the richest to mine for such baubles?

”I like going to the cities where maybe people aren’t so clued up on vintage,” she answers. “If you go to New York or Los Angeles, there are a lot of people looking in the same places. But if you go to Salt Lake City or Memphis, or New Orleans, not everybody is looking for the same things.”

Busy Cat – who serves as her own stylist on “So You Think You Can Dance” — says “I might move into other articles as well, but this is a good starting point for me. When we presented ideas to the QVC guys, they said, ‘Okay, let’s start with jewelry.’”

MEANWHILE:  Cat admits that ‘SYTYCD”  revolutionized her view of the art form of dance.   “I’d get taken to the ballet to see ‘The Nutcracker’ at Christmas time and things like that, but I never fully connected with it before,” she says.  “On the show, you know, occasionally something really, really magic happens with the right choreography, the right music, the right dancers and you watch and your hair stands on end.  I didn’t know dance could do that.  I can’t tell you why in technical terms.  I don’t know the names of the movements.  Like any great piece of art, it gives you the chills.”

Deeley makes it clear she has no aspirations in the dancing realm herself.  Her talents lie in hosting.  “I do a lot of prep, yes, I’m a big old square about all that,” she says.  If she seems ready for anything, it’s due to experience:  “I did so much live television when I was back in England – a three-hour daily show, live, 52 weeks of the year for six years.”  As far as whether things ever went out of control on her old show, she recalls, “Slash once came on and, it was a morning show, and he said very inappropriate things.  But we moved on.”

With Father’s Day approaching, Jon Gosselin’s involuntarily back on the sleaze news circuit with the widespread play of a leaked (by whom?) video in which he and ex-girlfriend Hailey Glassman are giggling all over their Pringles on a San Tropez hotel balcony — stoned.

Such a really awful father.

He’s now Mr. Pot Head after having been Mr. Extra-Marital Carouser and Mr. Litigation. Last year, you may recall, once he learned that TLC planned to do “Kate Plus 8” — minus Jon — he demanded through he attorneys that the show cease production immediately or face criminal charges, and barred cameras from his/their property. The cable channel answered with its own breach of contract suit, then Jon answered that. Rumors of a sex tape and cocaine abuse surfaced.   Jon brought up child labor practices in his ongoing fight with TLC.   And even as the subpoenas flew, Jon’s other ex-girlfriend, Kate Major – another Kate — got into the act, reportedly planning her own suit, claiming violation of a contract they’d written up on a napkin, calling for the former Star reporter to become Jon’s personal assistant.

Jon settled with TLC in February, freeing him to do whatever he does. Roll joints with his 23-year-old lady, or whatever.

Gosselin is not alone. This past year has been quite a vintage for really awful fathers.

Still fresh in our minds is the spectacle of Joe Jackson attempting to squeeze more money out of his late son Michael – who pointedly left him out of his will.

Although a Superior Court judge ruled that Jackson, Sr., had no standing to challenge that legal document, he pursued getting an allowance out of the estate, saying he has living expenses of $20,000 a month and no income of his own, so of course he needs the dough.   He laid plans to appeal the appointment of the estate’s executors — even as he was eyeing Michael’s children for their performing potential, noting that he’s heard seven-year-old Blanket “can really dance.”  Another generation to exploit!

This is the man Michael once said made him feel sick to his stomach, just being in the same room with him.

This is the man who answered “I’m great,” when asked how he was feeling at the BET Awards, three days after Michael’s death – and proceeded to use the occasion to tell press on the red carpet about his new record company.

This is the man shadowed by accusations of abusing Michael as a child – who said once in a BBC interview, “I never beat him. I whipped him with a switch and a belt. I never beat him. You beat someone with a stick.”

The train wreck that is Michael Lohan and daughter Lindsay’s relationship goes from worse to worse — even without those disturbing reports that he asked to see Lindsay look-alikes doing their thing in a strip joint.

He has made a name and career for himself out of commenting on Lindsay’s latest reckless activity, getting mileage out of everything from Lindsay’s partying to her (he says) prescription pill abuse.   He released tapes that disclosed her relationship with the late Heath Ledger and confirmed suspicions of her self-harm – tapes including Lindsay crying and sobbing that no one cares about her — so that (to hear him tell it) the young star would get help. That he made the tapes without his family’s knowledge and sold them says it all.   Mother Dina (not averse to exploiting Lindsay herself) jumping in to point out that the tapes weren’t current makes it worse.

Mom ‘n’ Dad meeting about Lindsay, plans for a family intervention, Michael’s feelings about her recent missed court date, her alcohol-indicating ankle bracelet — it’s all fuel for his 24-hour news cycle.   He’s cozied up to the scandal press he keeps feeding nuggets about his wayward child — a thoroughly disgusting partnership.

This is the man who served a four-year sentence in the 1980s for stock fraud and has been back behind bars on parole violation. This is the man who fought with former wife Dina throughout Lindsay’s childhood, who has been accused by her of threats, domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse.

And now he reportedly plans to open a club in the Hamptons called…wait for it…CONTROVERSY! Ah ha ha ha.

Then we have the ridiculous Levi Johnston, showing up here, there – ‘most anywhere – to say a few disparaging words about Sarah Palin, the grandmother of his one-year-old son, Tripp.   Clearly, the 20-year-old amateur hockey player has a taste for the spotlight, including wanting to do a reality show – of his own, especially! — and showing off his nekkid body in Playgirl magazine.  Pays a lot better than training to become an electrician, which is what Levi was doing before fate and an unplanned pregnancy took a hand.

That baby mama Bristol Palin says he is “a stranger to me” now and hasn’t been around to see his baby, is no surprise.   Not to be negative – he’s young, maybe he’ll change — but the forecast for this daddy to turn into a father of merit is pretty bleak.   On Oprah’s show last fall, Palin noted that he’s taken to calling himself Rikki Hollywood, and that it’s “a bit heartbreaking to see the road he’s on right now.”

This is the man so overworking his 15 minutes of fame that he’s given Democrats and Republicans something they can agree on at long last: Levi Johnston is an embarrassment.

So this Father’s Day, if you’re fortunate enough to have a good Dad, take a moment to think the good thought for Tripp, Lindsay, the Gosselin kids and others who aren’t as lucky, and give your ol’ man a hug.

It’s almost June, and you know what that means! Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. We’re talking, of course, about the summer TV season and faces to watch this time of year, when things are looser and quirkier than during the school year. Here are 10 faces to watch:

Betty White. At 88, our favorite octogenarian Superstar is back in the series game with TV Land’s ‘Hot in Cleveland’ (premiering June 16) as the caretaker of a rental property inhabited by Jane Leeves, Valerie Bertinelli and Wendie Malick. Her Elka Ostrovsky character is full of vinegar and naughtiness.

Virginia Madsen. The ‘Sideways’ Oscar nominee brings her singular presence to ABC June 20 with ‘Scoundrels,’ playing the mother of a crime family — that is, her husband (David James Elliott) and kids are criminals. When hubby gets sent up the river, she decides it’s time to go straight, and lots of luck. Do as I say, kids, not as I do.

Rhona Mitra. What could really liven up a neighborhood? How about a sexy vampire? ‘The Gates’ has already been widely accused of brazenly trying to capitalize on the ‘Twilight’ craze, so we won’t bother. Other supernatural creatures are on the prowl in this community — a witch, a high school jock/werewolf — with Frank Grillo of ‘Prison Break’ as the new cop in town.

Jason Lee. All right, we have the something old, something new and something borrowed. Let’s call Lee’s ‘Memphis Beat’ something blues, since the new TNT cop drama (June 22 premiere) is drenched in bluesy sensibility, including Lee’s detective character’s proclivity for performing — his favorite way to let off steam after a hard day’s work chasing bad guys: Making a clean-shaven break from his ‘My Name is Earl’ title character as he trades comedy for drama, Lee already has critics excited.

Terry Crews and Ice Cube. With Crews (‘Everybody Hates Chris’) taking over Ice Cube’s role from the big-screen ‘Are We There Yet?’ in the small-screen version that debuts on TNT June 2 — Ice Cube is free to launch a new character of a SWAT team member/disapproving brother-in-law.

Beth Ostrosky Stern. If you like irony, then you’re bound to find something amusing in the fact that sleaze meister Howard Stern’s gorgeous wife is making her series debut Monday (5/31) on a reality show with a premise about inner beauty and moral rectitude being more important than outward appearance. Well, as important, maybe. It’s the second season of the Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher-produced ‘True Beauty’

Colin Hanks and Bradley Whitford. These two have fun chemistry as a two-generation cop team on ‘Good Guys,’ the Fox show that debuts June 7.

Piper Perabo. The ‘Coyote Ugly’ and ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ actress turns super spy in USA Network’s CIA dramedy ‘Covert Affairs.’ The cable channel has called the show, debuting in July, its most ambitious ever.

Plus…NBC has ‘Persons Unknown’ debuting June 7, with Alan Ruck of ‘Spin City’ and a group of actors unknown as a collection of kidnapped strangers trapped in a nightmare-worthy mansion, being watched by hidden forces via constantly-present cameras. It’s been compared to the vintage ‘The Prisoner.’

And…When it comes to faces to watch….ABC gets the prize for unique, OMG storylines coming up this summer, and wouldn’t you know? We’re talking about a non-fiction show: Among other things, ‘Boston Med’ will take us through the saga of a full facial transplant, including looks at the donor (a Hollywood marketing genius) and the recipient, a burned Vietnam veteran. The eight-part series debuts June 24.

By Stacy Jenel Smith

Anne Hathaway’s unfortunate taste in men was highlighted again last month, with news that the actress won’t be fighting the U.S. government’s plan to auction off the bling given to her by former boyfriend of four years, the now-imprisoned con man Rafaello Follieri. The baubles — including two Rolex watches, gold and silver rings, a Louis Vuitton jewelry box, a five-strand pearl necklace, a Tiffany clock and a Cartier figurine — will be on the block to help pay off the $2,440,000 judgment he has hanging over his head.

Also in May, her beau of the last several months, actor Adam Shulman, was accused of swiping a mural from a Manhattan construction sight. He subsequently gave back the street art and apologized, so all is well. We hope.

Even so, Hathaway fans are once again declaring that she deserves better, and wondering why someone as brilliant, accomplished and well-bred as she would get involved with unworthy men. Shulman is cute, but his biggest credits to date are his small role as a deputy sheriff in ‘The Dukes of Hazzard: the Beginning’ — and dating Anne Hathaway.

Fans wonder, just as they wonder about the also-classy Sandra Bullock and her soon-to-be ex-husband Jesse James. What drew someone smart and savvy enough to succeed as a Hollywood producer — on top of her Oscar-winning career as an actress — to such a cheating low-life?

What caused beautiful, beloved Jennifer Aniston to take back love ‘em and leave ‘em guy John Mayer in 2008, after he had already publicly humiliated her, telling TMZ he had ended their relationship because he just wanted to be alone and not ‘waste someone’s time.’ And that as far as cheating on her, well, those were ‘cheap lies,’ although seeing other people after a relationship has run its course is ‘the most normal thing in the world.’

In fact, for every generation of celebrities, there’ve been princess and bad boy stories.

Whitney Houston was an America’s Sweetheart when she hooked up with carousing, drug abusing bad boy Bobby Brown in 1989. Now, 21 years, a daughter, multiple rehab stints and a divorce later, she’s a wreck of her former self.

Doris Day, the ultimate Girl-Next-Door movie star of her time, had a weakness for men who were bad for her. Her turbulent 17-year union with svengali manager Marty Melcher was marked by his brutal treatment of her son, Terry. It was blamed for her emotional breakdown at one point, and for sieges of extreme ill health. And it was disastrous to her financially. She was presented with a $500,000 tax demand after his death, and was soon to find her fortune had been milked dry and she was broke save for personal possessions.

As Gwen Stefani asks in No Doubt’s ‘Bathwater,’ ‘Why do the good girls always want the bad boys?’

Hollywood shrinks issue answers. Talking about the Good Girl-Bad Boy conundrum in BettyConfidential.com, L.A.-based Dr. Morris Halperin declares, ‘It’s slightly egotistical behavior…It’s just like someone who wants an exotic animal as a pet. They actually think these guys will change their traits and be good to them….It’s out of touch with reality that they think, ‘I’m different. I can dance with this monster and control it.’ The reality is, you can’t have a tiger as a pet and control it.’

Obviously, that behavior certainly isn’t confined to women who are famous and successful. It’s hard-wired into society. Good Woman Reforms Bad Boy is a staple plotline we’ve seen play out in dozens of movies, going back to such chestnuts as John Wayne’s ‘Angel and the Bad Man,’ which was recently remade as a TV movie, through ‘Grease,’ ‘A Walk to Remember’ and the latest retellings of the classic fairy tale ‘Beauty and the Beast’ — the Disney animated film and this coming summer’s ‘Beastly’ with Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer.

Another psychological explanation — that can also apply to the famed and the everyday female alike — was expressed to Ebony magazine by psychologist Carole Stovall: ‘A ‘good girl’ is a woman who has followed the rules all of her life; she’s been taught to go along with the status quo of what everyone else thinks she should do, be and want. These women have not had an opportunity to be who they are, so they are attracted to the men who rebel against the rules, and they live vicariously through them.’

That brings to mind those who point to Bullock’s strict upbringing as an explanation for her attraction to James and other bad boys, saying she was fulfilling an old desire to cut loose.

Poor male role models and relationship models in childhood are cited by other experts as a root of some women’s attraction to the ‘bad boy’ types — they go with what they know.

Low self-esteem is also a contributing factor in many of these relationships, on both sides, experts say.

Of course, psychologists can only speculate on the reasons that personalities they’re not treating may act as they do.

Jennifer Aniston’s declaration to Vogue — ‘Love just shows up’ — may be the closest thing to an explanation we’ll ever really have as to why she chose to hang with Mayer, who is now, happily, just part of her history.

Is it helpful – or harmful – to conduct one’s battle against obesity in the public eye? “It’s both,” to hear Carnie Wilson tell it. “It’s definitely both.

”There are days I feel inspired and in control. When I feel that way, I can look at people watching and say, ‘Yes, now I’m sending out a positive influence.’ When I’m not in control, not feeling the results, those days I hear people saying to me, ‘What’s wrong with you? You gained all your weight back.’ Those are the time’s I’m sick and tired, just tired of trying to make it more simple, you know?.”

Wilson, who has weighed over 300 lbs. in the past and publicly pioneered gastric bypass surgery with a procedure shown on the internet in 1999, is at least as famous for her efforts to regain a healthy form by now as she ever was for her Wilson Phillips pop music stardom. Her latest TV go-rounds in the diet realm included a visit to the Dr. Oz show – on which the MD told her that she was pre-diabetic and fell into the morbidly obese category at 65 lbs. overweight. She’s since been attempting to follow his diet plan for her, but Carnie admits it’s even harder to focus on working out and dieting now that she has two young daughters. Viewers of her “Carnie Wilson: Unstapled” reality show on GSN are certainly aware of her struggles in that area.

But Carnie manages an upbeat tone as she talks about her life in general. Her GSN “Newlywed Game” is in its third season. And she has “Unstapled.”

Carnie admits she had trepidations about opening up her life for the reality show cameras, but has found “it’s opened up my eyes to a few things – like just how precious my husband is. He was a little hesitant at first, but once that reserve was cracked open, now I think he’s gotten excited about it. It’s like a little time capsule we get to share of our family unit.”

She and hubby Rob Bonfiglio have been careful about their daughters’ time before the cameras, she says. Luciana – “Luci” — who is eight months old and “my little dunkin’ donut” is too young to know the difference, while four-year-old old Lola seems to be taking it all in stride, as she did the arrival of her simbling, to hear Mom tell is.

”She is just the most beaming child, proud and fun and funny and just loving and – oh my God. She loves her sister. She’s funny because she’s really and she’ll say, ‘I love my sister and I want to kiss her and I want to hold her.’ And she’ll also say, ‘Mommy, I want you to pay attention to me now.’”

Sounds like she might have acquired Carnie’s gift for communication.

So Nick Jonas is heading to London’s West End, returning to “Les Miserables” as a star! Did you not see it coming, Jonas followers, that the 17-year-old creative engine of Jonasworld — Nick — would continue stepping out on his own? One year it’s Nick Jonas and the Administration, the next Nick starring in “Les Miserables.” In case you missed it, here’s the Twitter entry he posted last night, unveiling his deal:

“I am so excited to announce that I will be performing in Les Miserables once again! The amazing Cameron Macintosh reached out to me last year about portraying the role of Marius in London at the West End. When I was ten years old I was in Les Miserables as Gavroche. On my closing night in 2003 I told my parents that I would come back to be Marius one day. It is truly a dream come true. More details will be coming soon. Can’t wait to see the fans who make it out to the show! Love you all. Special thanks to Cameron for this amazing opportunity. “I Dreamed a Dream” and they seem to be coming true.”

Congratulations, Nick.

— Stacy Jenel Smith

The history of country stars plying the acting craft is a mixed one. Memorable low point: when a critic deemed Glen Campell in ‘True Grit’ the ideal cowboy to chase a wooden Indian. Memorable high point…Well, here are our Top Ten Country-to-Hollywood Crossover Stars.

Tim McGraw. Hailed by critics for his solid performance supporting Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock in ‘The Blind Side,’ he now has ‘Love Don’t Let Me Down’ with Gwyneth Paltrow and Leighton Meester in the can. With past credits including ‘Friday Night Lights,’ ‘Flicka,’ ‘The Kingdom’ and ‘Four Christmases,’ he’s got a great career going not counting his music. But, by the way, where’s his wife’s acting career these days? Since getting stung with some nasty reviews in 2004′s ‘Stepford Wives,’ Faith Hill’s been sticking to singing.

Reba McEntire. The energetic red-haired songstress proved her TV mettle with the 2001-2007 ‘Reba’ sitcom, sure, but before that she conquered Broadway with ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ and the big screen in the cult fave ‘Tremors,’ among other acting credits.

Dolly Parton. Icon. Legend. Superstar. One of America’s great songwriters. Yes, and she’s been a bona fide movie star — ’9 to 5,’ ‘Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,’ ‘Steel Magnolias,’ etc. Nowadays, she’s known to Miley Cyrus’ fans as Aunt Dolly on ‘Hannah Montana.’

Billy Ray Cyrus. We can’t get too far away from ‘Hannah Montana’ without mentioning Miley’s achy breaky daddy. In addition to his own ‘Doc’ series, he’s racked up quite a few TV guest roles, telepics and movies, including the big screen ‘Mulholland Drive.’ Extra credit: ‘Dancing With the Stars.’

Dwight Yoakam. But let’s talk about real acting. ‘Sling Blade,’ anyone? Yoakam’s searing portrayal of an abusive alcoholic left moviegoers stunned. And it wasn’t a fluke. He really does have those chops, as he’s proven again and again, in films from ‘Panic Room’ to ‘Crank.’ He has ‘Provinces of Night’ hitting the festival circuit with Val Kilmer, Hillary Duff and Kris Kristofferson.

Kris Kristofferson. Kristofferson’s ’70s-’80s reign as a movie star included a string of memorable films — ‘Blume in Love,’ ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,’ ‘Vigilante Force,’ ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ and ‘A Star is Born.’ Even in the high-profile failure ‘Heaven’s Gate,’ Kristofferson’s performance was singled out as good.

Willie Nelson. Okay, he’s always Willie Nelson, no matter what his character’s name is. But that hasn’t kept crowds from loving the unrepentant old pot-smoking outlaw in such fare as ‘The Electric Horseman,’ ‘Honeysuckle Rose,’ ‘Barbarosa,’ ‘Bones,’ ‘The Colbert Report’ or any of his other movie or TV acting gigs.

LeAnn Rimes. In addition to her Lifetime movie ‘Northern Lights’ providing her with a new real-life leading man, Eddie Cibrian, the made-for-television film showed she’s a credible thespian. She also starred along with Luke Perry in the comedy ‘Good Intentions’ and says it’s her intention to do more acting.

Randy Travis. A recurring role on ‘Touched by An Angel’ and dozens of parts on TV and in films (‘Young Guns,’ ‘Frank & Jesse,’ ‘The Shooter,’ ‘The Visitation’) put the affable, deep-voiced star on the list.

Taylor Swift. No, she hasn’t done much yet, but mark her name in the Most Promising category thanks to her guest starring stint on ‘CSI’ last year. The show’s viewership jumped by three million when the 20-year-old hot country It Girl was on portraying a murder victim. Then she showed up in ‘Valentine’ with then-boyfriend Taylor Lautner. Next, she’s playing Barbie Roberts in ‘Barbie, the Movie.’ What a doll.

RuPaul is certainly breaking barriers with his popular Logo show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” — which has attracted a viewership across genders, ages, races and sexual orientations, and is already green-lit for its Season 3.  First,  he’ll see whether his new spinoff series, “RuPaul’s Drag U,” debuting in July, will add to his success.

The latter show features RuPaul and drag queen pals taking on the task of makeovers of “biological women.” No doubt, mascara-fueled fierceness will ensue.

Despite the homophobia that still blatantly exists in today’s society, the famous drag queen tells us he’s lucky to have so much support.

“It just goes to show you the power of drag.  The truth is, everybody loves drag whether they admit or not.  Whenever I’m in drag and see babies in strollers, you see their eyes glaze over and all they see is color and dangly, shiny jewelry and they’re in love.  At their heart, that’s what people love about drag – the freedom and the color and all that,” says RuPaul, who hopes the rest of society begins to be more accepting of everyone.

“I think we’ve just come out of a real fear hostage situation.  I think it was self-imposed. People really get off on being fearful.  I think it heightens their experience. I don’t understand it,” he adds.  “Acceptance is really something between each person and themselves.  If you can love and accept yourself then you can love and accept all the people around you.”

However, what people say and what they do are two different things – as this sassy drag queen can attest.  “I’ve been doing drag for 28 years and I know what people are really like.  Our culture is such a hypocrisy and a dichotomy.  We say one thing but we do another thing,” he notes.

– Emily-Fortune Feimster