Whitney Houston’s woes continue.
Fans of the once clean-cut singer were shocked by recent photos of her that ran in tabs along with allegations of cocaine use. And now there are charges that some of her problems may have been complicated by her dealings with a group that has been labeled a cult.
“Houston and husband Bobby Brown first hooked up with the so-called ‘Black Hebrews’ in 2003 on a trip to Israel,” notes Rick Ross of Cultnews.com. Houston has reportedly sought help from her “spiritual advisor” with the group in recent months. “The strange group is led by Ben Carter, a former Chicago resident who now calls himself ‘Ben Ammi Ben Israel’,” according to Ross, who reports that the group has been plagued by controversy. One of Carter’s henchmen was convicted of “operating an international crime ring” in the 1980s, and recently, the group was linked to the death of a child — allegedly because of the diet the child was given.
“Does Whitney Houston really need this kind of help?” asks Ross. “Perhaps Houston’s friends should come up with something better than a choice between either crack or a ‘cult’ for the troubled singer.”
Simpson not serious about adoption?Is Jessica Simpson’s decision to adopt just one of her wacky whims?
While Simpson was married to Nick Lachey, her impulsive behavior — like spending $750 on two sets of bras and panties or $1,400 on sheets — was “expensive but harmless,” points out Life & Style Weekly, which reports that insiders say her ex-hubby “fears that adoption is just another one of Jessica’s spur-of-the-moment decisions that she’ll end up regretting.”
“She could be a great mom, but she’d have to concentrate, which I can’t see her doing,” Lachey told “a friend” according to the mag. “She just has too much going on. I don’t know how she thinks she can do this on her own.”
Lachey’s rep denies that he has doubts about Simpson’s adoption plans, but the “friend” insists that he was somewhat wistful, telling the mag: “Nick was distant when he talked about it. You can tell he still loves her and wants to be part of this baby thing.”
Notes from all overWere you the kid who got picked first or last for kickball, Life magazine asked 5'9 ½'' Molly Sims? “I was the girl who was taller than all the boys. At 14, I was as tall as I am now. I was also athletic — I swam, played basketball — so I was never picked last,” she replied. “But there’s a point in everyone’s life when they’ve felt uncomfortable or haven’t been included, so I can relate. I wouldn’t dare wear anything but flats to my prom, because I was already a giant towering over the boys.” . . . Tom Jones went to a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, who told him his face will collapse if he gets any more work on his face, the hip-swiveling crooner told the London Mirror. “He advised me against having anything else done,” Jones told the Daily Mirror. “He said: ‘You’ve got to be careful with your lower eyes.’ He told me: ‘Your eyes will be bloody popping’.” . . . Art imitates life. Well, maybe not in this case. Gossips are buzzing that Denise Richards is smitten with "General Hospital’s" Tyler Christopher, Eva Longoria’s ex-sweetie. The two co-star in ABC's upcoming drama series “Secrets of a Small Town,” and were spotted in a smooch. “It’s no secret on the set that Denise seems smitten,” a source told Star mag. “Tyler has this sly smile and soft way of speaking that draws her to him. Denise says he has a quiet, calm way about him that’s probably reassuring after dealing with an extrovert like Charlie!” But a rep for Richards — who recently split from hubby Charlie Sheen — tells The Scoop there’s no romance. “That is so one hundred percent wrong,” she said. “They kissed on the set [as part of the show]. Do you know how many freaking calls I got because of an on-set kiss?”
Mondays through Thursdays on MSNBC.com