While their lawyers battle with court custody paperwork, ex-spouses Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are focusing on business. With her MTV Video Music Awards performance coming up fast, Britney’s been spending time at L.A.’s Alley Kat dance studio, reports In Touch Weekly. “She’s planning it to be a big comeback performance,” a Spears insider told the magazine, who claims that Brit’s goal is to make it “shocking.”
Lothario magician Criss Angel is reportedly part of Britney’s spectacular VMA opening act, according to In Touch, which leaked word on a couple of other exploitive spectacles that got the kibosh early on in VMA planning. The magazine reports that one of the canceled acts we won’t see Britney perform is a “My Prerogative” medley with images of exes Justin Timberlake and Federline flashing onscreen behind her. Also out, Britney’s rumored duet with Justin. “Totally, patently false,” a source told In Touch.
Meanwhile, K-Fed’s been doing his best impression of a responsible adult, winning nice guy accolades from the set of “One Tree Hill,” where he recently filmed a two-episode stint, reports Us. “People know a more bombastic version of him, but he seemed very humble and sweet to me — hardworking and well-intentioned,” producer Mark Schwahn told the magazine. If things work out, Schwahn added, K-Fed might be asked back for more episodes in his role as a rock singer.
But while Britney and K-Fed appear pretty busy, the custody battle still looms. In Touch reports that Britney’s hired a private detective agency to tear down K-Fed’s new responsible persona. “Britney has an arsenal of dirt on Kevin,” a source told the magazine. “She is not going to just hand over their sons and more money to Kevin. She is going to fight him tooth and nail.”
Meanwhile, Spears’ new single “Gimme More” had its . The song is typical Spears with breathy vocals and an electronic dance beat.
The single is off her upcoming album, which Jive Records tells People magazine will be out Nov. 13
Baby’s first magazine deal falls apartOK! magazine dropped a cryptic bomb by very publically canceling birthday party coverage of Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter, Dannielynn. While reserving details for its next issue, the magazine announced that it has “uncovered explosive allegations” regarding Dannielynn’s pop, Larry Birkhead and Anna Nicole’s former lawyer, Howard K. Stern.
According to OK! editor Sarah Ivens, “It breaks my heart that OK! has to pull out of a shoot that would have chronicled the next great chapter of Dannielynn’s life. That sort of celebration is what the magazine enjoys most. But first and foremost, we care dearly about the well-being of the young one, and my moral obligation lies with her. So, it’s unfortunate, but at the moment, my biggest fear is that Larry and Howard may have tricked us all.”
While the mind reels over what these “explosive allegations” might be be, baby daddy Larry told TMZ that OK! is merely miffed because Dannielynn’s photo showed up on the cover of a competing magazine. According to TMZ, Birkhead has an exclusive $1.7 million deal with OK! and claims that it’s not his doing if other mags run his daughter’s photos.
“I was just threatened via email by (the reporter) that OK! would do a negative story on me if I did any stories with any other mags,” Larry told TMZ. “Ridiculous!!! I am not sure what planet she’s on but I am not going to be threatened. She blew it!”
Keith Richards learns that critics are meanYou’d think after all these years as a professional rock legend, Keith Richards might’ve learned to handle criticism… or at least ignore it. Nope! NME reports that the leather-faced guitarist demanded an apology from two Swedish tabloids, Expressen and Aftonbladet, for their less-than-glowing reviews of recent Rolling Stones concerts in that country.
The Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter published a letter penned by Richards, which reads in part, “Never before have I risen to the bait of a bad review. But this time... I have to stand up ... for our fans all over Sweden ... to say that you owe them, and us, an apology.”
According to NME, Aftonbladet’s music critic Markus Larsson had this response: “It is Keith who should apologize. After all it costs around $145 to see a rock star who can hardly handle the riff to ‘Brown Sugar’ any more.” Rock on!
Dish on the flyKeira Knightley has locked lips with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, so she knows a thing or two about A-list kissers. All the more reason to pay attention to her latest revelation about her “Atonement” costar in People. She told the magazine that, “James McAvoy is the best kisser ever!” No word on what her boyfriend, actor Rupert Friend, feels about missing out on the top spot. … Former funnyman Andy Dick is at it again. Never one to stay cool and collected when the paparazzi abound, TMZ reports that Dick made like Brad Garrett and roughed up one their cameramen. … Accepting his role as male accessory to wife Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher offers words of wisdom to other boytoy collectors in the latest Harper’s Bazaar. “When it comes to getting dressed, men are a little bit more important than handbags but less important than shoes.”
Tabloid Tidbits is compiled by Helen A.S. Popkin and Ree Hines.