The Art of Breaking News: Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough

Yesterday, a big story broke at the end of the day and I talked about the thrill of breaking news on my Facebook page. When I say "big", I am not talking about important news that affects the world, I am talking about Hollywood fluff.  That's a part of my job, so that's what I am referring to here.

On Friday, at the end of a work day and the news cycle, it was announced via "sources" to People magazine that Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough had broken up.  I hopped on and wrote the breaking news article for SheKnows here as well as linking it to my Facebook page after my copy editor polished it up and published it. (I lucked out on the timing. I had to write one more article for the day just as the news was breaking.) The reactions to the breakup were interesting; everything from "the contract is up" to "I was rooting for them as a couple."

It's fascinating to me how the public interprets what publicists put out there and what the truth actually is. I usually read between the lines on the stories because it is Hollywood and it is all smoke and mirrors.  So, let me break down a few things about the Seacrest/Hough story.

And before anyone calls me heartless, I will go on record to say that breakups are tough and they are even tougher when they are public.

Also, I've interviewed Julianne twice now (here and here) and I think she is a total kick-ass awesome kind of gal. 

The Details
     1.  Ryan is 38 years old, Julianne is 24 years old.  There is a big age difference between the couple.
 
     2.  They both have huge careers. No one is busier than Ryan Seacrest, no one. Julianne
spent several months promoting Safe Haven. She has two other movies coming out this year. Her career is no.1 at this stage of the game. Julianne is young and she has to strike while the iron is hot.

    3.  Even though there has been no official statement from the couple's rep. Trust me, this is PR 101. You release a story at the end of the day and at the end of the work week. It lessens the impact of the news since less people are tuned into their TVs or the internet.  (Massive PR 101 strategy is releasing the news on a holiday weekend. See the Bethenny Frankel divorce announcement for an example of how it is done.)

     4.  The reason the news was released?  You can bet it relates back to the story about Julianne and the theft of her jewelry making headlines earlier in the week. Why was she staying at a friend's apartment when she lives with her boyfriend?  The media started sniffing around and the couple knew they had to make a move.

     5. "Sources" gave the exclusive to People.  People always does celeb-friendly articles.  They keep it light, tell the public they are still friends, etc. The source was most likely their publicist.

A few people have asked me if they will get back together?  My guess is that this is the end of the line for the couple. He's married to his work and she has a hot career to handle right now.  They were both supportive of each other's work though. In fact, Ryan was hanging out with the entire Hough family at the after party for the Safe Haven premiere.

As for the rumors about a dating contract because one of them is allegedly gay...I've never had any confirmation about those rumors in comparison to someone who might have starred in Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Pulp Fiction.  So, until I hear otherwise...I think it's a case of age, heavy work schedules, and life in the public eye.

Now, that I've broken it all down for you. I want to hear your thoughts! Hit me up in the comments below:

Hot Topic Tuesday: The Business Of Celebrity Babies

In the last few years, our country has endured a rough economy, layoffs, and a weak real estate market, but not in Hollywood. When a female star's career is waning, there is one key thing she can do to revive interest in her cooling career: get pregnant.  A baby bump has become a hot commodity in Hollywood and here are the ways a star can make money from having a baby:

1.  Paparazzi Photos:  Yes, this is Hollywood's dirty little secret, some stars (I'm looking at you, Lindsay Lohan and Jennifer Love Hewitt!) call their favorite paps and let them know where they are going to be.  Once the photographer sells that photo to media outlets, the star gets a cut of the sale.....and nothing sells better than a baby bump these days.

2.  Sponsored Baby Shower:  Yep, if you were famous, you could have sponsored baby shower filled with every trendy baby product on the market, all of your celebrity friends will attend (You probably have never met half of the attendees, but hey, they are famous celeb moms too!), and People will cover every precious moment.  You will go home with all of these free products and your baby nursery is now fully stocked.

3.  The Magazine Cover:  If the celeb is of A-List wattage, then several magazines will battle for that first sweet cover of mom, dad, and baby posing together.  Take a look at this article, it breaks down some of the numbers for celebrity babies:  The Brangelina Twins rang in $14 million, The Lopez-Anthony Twins were worth $6 million, and little Sean Preston Spears-Federline was worth $500,000.  Some of the celebrities donate the money to charity and some keep it all to themselves.

4.  People's Celebrity Baby Blog:  This is where the stars prove they are just like us!  They nurse, change diapers, have sleepless nights, and then get paid to blog about it!  If you look over the list of celebrity baby bloggers, you will find everyone from current TV stars to a few names you haven't heard of in years.  It's a great way to get your name back into the public eye.



5.  Weight Loss Contract:  There is nothing like eating your way through your pregnancy then receiving $4 million to lose those 70 lbs. from Weight Watchers like Jessica Simpson.  The pressure is on because she has to lose 20-30 lbs. by a certain date so they can film the first commercial.  Mariah Carey did the same for Jenny Craig last year.  I'm sure we would all like to get paid to lose weight, at least there is an incentive built in.

6. Hollywood Moms' Club:  This is currently a show (Now called Hollywood Moms Night.) on the TV Guide Network hosted by Alison Sweeney and Ali Landry.  However, this club started out as a non-televised neighborhood event with the duo plus Denise Richards, Lisa Rinna, Candace Cameron Bure, Brooke Burke, and Nancy O'Dell.  In fact, it was considered so cliquey and exclusive, that a few famous women who lived in the neighborhood started trying to get pregnant just to join the clique.   It sounds like junior high all over again.  Well, now this club is televised after a bit of a rift between the group (It's good gossip!), but the show goes on with only Alison and Ali and a few guest moms each week.

Don't you wish your baby bump garnered as much money and attention?  What are your thoughts on Hollywood's baby boom?  Join the conversation in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Google +.

My own disclaimer, I love babies, they are cute. I am sure lots of celebrities have babies because they want to start a family, but I am just disclosing ways they also make money from this endeavor.  


Join me tomorrow for my first video version of Behind The Red Carpet!  I've been taking your questions at all of the usual social media outlets listed above, so I hope you will join me tomorrow!

Behind The Red Carpet: Sources In Hollywood

Often times when I provide insider scoop on entertainment topics and state that it came from one of my "sources", I will receive comments asking, "Who is your source?" or "Who told you?"  I always chuckle because if the person wanted to be named, I would definitely name them.  In most cases, the information was slipped to me by someone who is in the inner circle of that celebrity which means I cannot reveal the source.  I try my best to deliver honest and reliable information from quality sources.  I have been fairly successful with scoop like this and this, however, this story continues to stump me.  I may just call off that Baby Bump Watch, but the real question is who are these sources?

In Hollywood, the information comes from personal assistants, stylists, makeup artists, publicists, chiropractors, fitness instructors, valets, hotel staff, waiters......well, you get the idea.  The juiciest stories tend to come from the nannies because they often reveal the struggle of being a working parent, a celebrity, and trying to balance the public versus private image.  It isn't easy.

If you work at a high end property or business, chances are you are going to encounter many celebrities.  Some places like Chateau Marmont are known for their discretion with its no photo/Tweeting policy, but almost everywhere else, it is open season for celebs.  Staff members at hotels supplement their income by selling their stories to the tabloids or provide tips to the paparazzi as to who is staying at the property. There is very little privacy when you are in the public eye. (How do  you think the paparazzi know about flight schedules at LAX?  Yep, some airline staff member sold that celebrity out.)

For someone like me, I develop relationships with people from all different sectors of the industry since I cover entertainment, fashion, events, and more.  I find that the more people know about my job, the more they dish.  Everyone wants to be on the inside and have information, so they like to share what they know.  I hear it all.  From a tabloid love triangle that constantly makes the press due to the Twitter war between the two women to the sweaty and gross film director who is rude to just about everyone he encounters, people love to talk. The worse the star's behavior, the more dish you get.

How do stars protect themselves? Well, the bigger the celeb, the more likely they are to make their household staff sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).  Employees of A-Listers often have to sign binding confidentiality agreements because the actors need to trust those that are a part of their daily lives.  They do it to protect their reputation, their children, and most importantly, their safety and privacy.  While I am sure some staff members find loopholes in these agreements and sell off a story to TMZ (Have you noticed how accurate their stories usually are?  Remember, Harvey Levin is a lawyer, he's not messing around.), most staff members will take an NDA seriously. In fact, I have a friend who worked for one of the biggest stars of our lifetime and she still doesn't dish on the star. That NDA has kept her mouth shut for years and she had an enjoyable experience working for this person.  So, the next time you read People and they quote a "source", remember this article, you can guess who the source actually was.

What are your thoughts on Hollywood sources?  Does it change the way you think about fame and Hollywood?  Join the conversation in the comments below or on Twitter or Facebook.

I plan on moving the Behind the Red Carpet series to video, so I will be answering your insider questions each and every Wednesday.  Let me know what you want answered!  Leave it in the comments below and I will give you the insider scoop on how it all works.....Behind the Red Carpet!

She's Pregnant!

.......but here at Red Carpet Closet we already knew that.  If you've been here the last few weeks, you know I made a visit to InvenTORI in Sherman Oaks.  Lucky for me, Tori and Dean were in 'da house and that is when I declared, "Don't be surprised if you read a Tori Spelling pregnancy article soon.  I can't be 100% sure since I am not her OB, but she sure looked like she might be sporting a baby bump. (Just remember you heard it here at Red Carpet Closet first!)"  Well, well, look who scooped Perez, People, and US Magazine.  Oh yeah, Red Carpet Closet!  That is a first for me and I am going to pat myself on the back for knowing a baby bump when I see one.  


Mazel Tov, Tori and Dean!
See the original article on InvenTORI from Tuesday, March 29th here.   

Who Wore It Best?

Okay, I've never had this happen, but it finally did!  Someone wore the same dress that I did, different events, but the exact dress from Chagoury Couture.  You've seen the this feature in US Weekly and People, it's time we do it here at Red Carpet Closet!  In this corner, the tall and lithe, Taylor Armstrong, from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and a true champion of Chagoury Couture wearing the dress to the Bravo upfronts.  In this corner, KB (me!), also a lover of Chagoury Couture, noticeably shorter than Ms. Armstrong, but rockin' the curves of the dress at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills after the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.  (You may have seen the dress in this post.)

It's time to vote!  You have 4 options to choose from and the winning response will be announced on Monday, April 11th.  That means you have until Sunday, April 10th at 11:59PM PST to vote.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Just as a reminder, this dress was kindly loaned to me from Chagoury Couture for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. This poll is just for fun. I am okay if I lose this poll, I already won by having the privilege of wearing this beautiful design.

Oscar Round-Up

With only twenty days until the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, I am furiously gathering dresses, shoes, clutches, and hair styles together so I look somewhat assembled on the big day.  If I am worried about my ensemble, can you imagine being a nominee?  The pressure is on!  Here are some great articles, photos, and news floating around the interwebs to catch up on:

Photo:  Ruven Afanador, Los Angeles Times Magazine

1.  Mila Kunis:  She has looked divine all season long on the red carpet.  It's hard to even believe she is only 5'3" tall because that girl looks downright statuesque in each outfit she adorns.  Check out this fantastic LA Times Magazine article on her and the equally stunning photos by Ruven Afanador.  

Photo:  National Photo Group, People Magazine

2.  Oscar:  Okay, I am not a mama, but don't tell me Natalie Portman is four months along in her pregnancy.  I know a third trimester when I see one. I think we are seeing what I call "Oscar Math". Let's pretend the front runner for the Oscar is only four months along lest the voters do the real math and realize that her fiancé might have overlapped with the ladies.  Yes, it is gossip, but Natalie is not giving birth this summer, it is going to be much sooner than that.  Or, as my friend, Ali, says, "The baby will be 8 lbs. and two months premature."

Photo:  MFL/ZUMAPRESS.com for US Weekly

3. Red Carpet Dress Etiquette:  I've taken some heat for my red carpet dress opinions for The Golden Globes and The SAG Awards, but I still stand by what I said.  The Hollywood Reporter wrote a great article about "The Psychology of The Golden Globes Dress".  Also, Giuliana Rancic, host of E! News, runs down what it is like to prep for the red carpet as a TV host.  It isn't as simple as hopping in a gown and showing up to work.  A lot of thought and consideration goes into choosing a dress even for the red carpet presenters.  I hope this gives you some more insight on what I am talking about in my other articles.

Okay, so now it is your turn.  What are your thoughts on Mila Kunis, Natalie's sketchy math, and all of that darn wardrobe etiquette?  Chime in below.  I am on my way to the Nominees Luncheon today, so I will have all of the scoop from inside the pressroom tomorrow.

Scenes from a 3-Hour Delay at Burbank Airport

                                                  
Oh, you know it isn't going to be a good travel day when you are in the Super Shuttle on your way to the airport and American Airlines gives you a call.  "Your 11:55 AM flight is delayed until 2:15 PM."  Um, it would have been nice if I had this information BEFORE I LEFT THE HOUSE.  That delay turned into an eventual 3PM departure.  Okay, so I parked my butt at Starbucks for the free WiFi and here is the result in photos:

It all started with me taking pictures of my Kelsi Dagger bronze sandals.

And then a cheese/cracker/fruit plate with Green Tea at Starbucks.

Reading the tabloids online. Yep, J. Lo and Steven Tyler are the new judges on AI.  Worst kept secret in the industry.  Yawn.

I was so bored I utilized my Photo Booth on my MacBook.

I'm quite bored, but I do like my new $10 hat even if my BF calls me "Strawberry Shortcake".

Oops, not enough barrier cream during my Versa Spray Tan yesterday.  

Relaxing outside of Burbank Airport since I still have 2 hours to go.

Oh look, an airplane.  It's too bad TWA is defunct, I bet they could have gotten me to Dallas faster than American Airlines.

I promised, promised, promised myself I wouldn't buy this week's People.  I don't care about Kate Gosselin, her tummy tuck or her bikini.  Boredom rules, I bought it.  Darn.

Thank goodness for Plants v. Zombies for carrying me through the last hour of my flight delay. 

Well, I made it!  Dallas, Texas.  My home for the next 24 days.

Get ready, because my posts are going to be deep-fried fantastic.  My show begins Friday, so get ready for some Texan-sized fun!