Celebs support Simone Biles after she withdraws from Olympic gymnastic events, citing mental health reasons
Gymnastics fans watching the 2021 Olympics unfold in Tokyo this week were surprised and concerned when the sport's biggest star, Simone Biles, withdrew after her first round on the vault on July 27. Hours later — though she'd qualified for the finals on all four apparatuses, which she didn't even do for the 2016 Games — she also withdrew from July 29's all-around competition. Why? To focus on her mental well-being. Jordan Chiles replaced her on the 27th and the U.S. team won the silver — and Simone, 24, spoke candidly in the hours that followed about having pulled out to protect herself, physically and mentally. Telling The New York Times she didn't "want to do something stupid and get hurt," Simone tried to explain the amount of stress she was under. "The scale of everything is a bit hard," she said. "At the end of the day, where we're human too so we have to protect our mind in our body rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do. With the year that it's been. I'm really not surprised how it played out." Simone also spoke to NBC's Hoda Kotb, admitting, "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment." After the interview, Hoda tweeted, "Someone said it best. @Simone_Biles already won. She is a class act. Withdrew from team competition after vault… stayed and cheered on her teammates… got them chalk for their hands.. encouraged.. hugged them. She already won. Congrats on the silver medal! @TeamUSA @USAGym." Other celebs who sent Simone love on social media included Rosanna Arquette, who tweeted, "Simone Biles is still the most amazing athlete ever" and Holly Robinson Peete, who posted, "Still. The. GOAT. 🙏🏾. We LOVE you @Simone_Biles." Former first lady Michelle Obama tweeted, "We are proud of you and we are rooting for you." Simone could still compete in the individual events next week.
Travis Barker's daughter Alabama already sees Kourtney Kardashian as part of the family
Travis Barker may not have slipped a ring on Kourtney Kardashian's finger yet, but as far as the blink-182 drummer's daughter, Alabama, is concerned, Kourtney's already a member of the family. The 15-year-old said as much in a game of "Never have I ever" on her Instagram Live earlier this month. Asked about the cast of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," Alabama — whose mom is former beauty queen Shanna Moakler — Alabama replied, "That's my stepmom," referring to Kourtney. Travis, 45, also shares a teenage son, Landon, 17, with Shanna; Kourtney, meanwhile, shares three kids with Scott Disick, who gave Kourtney and Travis his "blessing" last month on a "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" reunion. Shanna's comments about Travis' new romance have been less than glowing, but a source told E! News back in May that Kourtney and Alabama have become quite close. "Alabama knows she can always go to Kourtney for advice or support with anything going on," the insider added.
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Paris Hilton is Botox-free, filler-free — and baby-free, despite reports
At 40, Paris Hilton says she's Botox-free, filler-free — and baby-free, at least for now. "I've never done an injection – no Botox, no fillers," she says in a new interview with The Telegraph's Stella magazine (via the Daily Mail), adding that she's "so happy" she's avoided the needles unlike many of her friends. While Paris taken a natural approach to maintaining her youthful skin, the heiress did reveal in January that she and her fiance, Carter Reum, were anxious to start a family, noting that she'd been undergoing IVF treatments. But as she clarified in a 9-minute long podcast on July 27, a report from Page Six claiming she and Carter are expecting their first child was off-base. "… Woke up to about 3,000 texts – all my iPhones are blowing up, all five of them," she says in the mini-show, titled, "This is … I'm Pregnant??" "I've heard from people I haven't heard from in years. Thank you everyone for all the messages," she continues. "I am pregnant with triples." Paris goes on to assure listeners she was kidding. She and Carter are apparently waiting until after they say "I do" to go into family mode.
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Lizzo urges fans to give her 6-feet of space as Delta variant surges
As coronavirus cases surge among the unvaccinated, paving the way for mutations that could be more lethal than their predecessors, Lizzo has a little PSA for the general public: Stay. Back. In a video on Instagram this week, the singer reminded fans that the pandemic is very much ongoing and that means people should maintain a distance of 6 feet between them — and away from her. "You could be vaccinated. You could be quadruple-vaccinated. If you see me, please give me six feet. [COVID-19] is coming back … and people are being real sloppy with personal space," she says in the clip, posted one day before the CDC reversed course on mask guidance, recommending both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated people wears masks indoors in communities with growing caseloads. Unleashing a spray of Lysol onto the camera, Lizzo then jokes that she doesn't even trust Instagram Live. "I'm not trying to catch nothing," Lizzo assured her followers. "I don't even want to catch feelings, b—-. You think I'm trying to catch COVID?" Warning that she's about to get "slightly rude" when it comes to protecting herself, Lizzo adds: "Don't think, 'Ah, she a celebrity. She think she all that.' It's not that, boo boo. You know what I think I am? Healthy. You know what I think I am? COVID-free. You know what I think I am? Full of vitamin D and vitamin C. You know what I think I am? Safe for my friends and family to be around." Before signing off, she reminds fans that the CDC also recommends double masking for an extra layer of protection. All three vaccines now available (and free) in the U.S. are proven safe and largely effective at preventing severe COVID-19 illness or death. But as the World Health Organization reminds us, variants like the Delta, which is about twice as contagious as the original virus, are causing more breakthrough cases in vaccinated people.
Jennifer Lopez critiques Ben Affleck's 'awful' back tattoo in resurfaced clip
During a recent yacht excursion in the French Riviera, Jennifer Lopez basked in the sun in a bikini beside her on-again beau, Ben Affleck, who reportedly kept his shirt on — and we might do the same if we were in Ben's shoes. As fans continue to cheer for the couple amid their rekindled romance, a resurfaced clip has started making the rounds in which J.Lo reveals her opinion of Ben's giant phoenix tattoo. It's … um … honest? The video shows Jen being cornered by Andy Cohen on a 2016 edition of, "Watch What Happens Live" during "Plead the Fifth." Forced to answer two of three hard questions, the singer agrees to share her take on her ex-fiance's tat. "It's awful!" she hollers (via Fox). "But I would tell him that. I would tell him like, 'What are you doing?' It has too many colors. His tattoos always have too many colors. They shouldn't be so colorful. You know what I mean? They should be like… cooler, I don't know." Ben and J.Lo first dated in the early aughts and got engaged before calling it quits in 2004. As for the body art, Ben told Ellen DeGeneres in 2019 that it has a personal meaning for him and he's happy with it.
Kanye West is reportedly living in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz stadium until he finishes 'Donda'
Following last week's "Donda" album listening party, Kanye West is "living inside" Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium and plans to continue doing so until the album is done and ready to release. That's according to a person the Associated Press identified as a rep for the rapper who was "not authorized to speak publicly on the matter." The oddly secretive report comes after Kanye shared what was expected to be the final version of "Donda," his tenth studio album, with a sold-out audience — including Kanye's ex, Kim Kardashian West and their four kids — at the stadium. The album was reportedly due out the following day but never arrived. It's now slated for an Aug. 6 release. Kanye, meanwhile, was photographed at a soccer game at the stadium-slash-album editing HQ over the weekend.
Linda Blair says she wasn't asked to reprise 'Exorcist' role in new film
Linda Blair won't be joining her former co-star from 1973's "The Exorcist," Ellen Burstyn, in a new sequel that's in the works. On July 26 — amid a flurry of online excitement about the news Ellen will revisit her role as Chris, the mother of a possessed little girl named Regan, played by Linda — Linda hopped on Twitter to share an update with fans. "… As of now there has not been any discussions about me participating or reprising my role. I wish all those involved the best and I appreciate the loyalty and passion the fans have for The Exorcist and my character," she posted. Speaking to the New York Post, Linda said reps for the screenwriter and director of the new film "were polite enough to call" and give her a heads-up. "We spoke how amazing Ellen Burstyn is and that was as far as the conversation went," she said. "I have no idea what the project is about and I have not been engaged in a conversation of participation. It was just letting me know they were going to do the film." Linda, 62, and Ellen, 88, were both nominated for Academy Awards for their performances in the classic horror film.
Matt Lauer's Hamptons estate is back on the market for $44M
Matt Lauer has reportedly listed his estate in New York's Hamptons regions once again — and once again, he's asking just under $44 million for the 12-bedroom, 12-bath home. According to the New York Post, the former NBC anchor's home first appeared on the market in June 2019, two years after his exit from NBC amid a sexual assault and misconduct scandal. With news of his firing and looming divorce still making regular headlines, he reportedly had no offers and took it down for a bit. The North Haven, New York property was listed again later that year, about two months after Matt and Annette Roque's divorce was finalized. Despite the apparent lack of offers, he has successfully a number of other properties, the Post reports, including his $7 million apartment in New York City. He purchased the North Haven estate from Richard Gere for $35 million in 2016.