Miss USA Admits Coke Use

In her first television interview since completing her 31-day stint in a Pennsylvania rehab center, second-chancer Tara Conner opened up on the Today show, admitting to Matt Lauer that some of the more salacious tabloid tales that preceded her decision to get treatment were indeed true.

"I have done cocaine," she said in an interview scheduled to air on Dateline this Saturday but teased on the morning show Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Kentucky sash wearer had already copped to an alcohol addiction at a press conference last month in which pageant purveyor Donald Trump allowed her to keep her crown, provided she seek treatment.

However, her sit-down with Lauer is the first time in which she's publicly admitted to anything more than a fondness for libations.

Of her decision to actually tell all during the tell-all, Conner said that admitting her problem "gets it off my chest."

"In being honest with you, at first I kind of held back on it a little bit but there's no sense in it," she said. "Luckily, the great thing about getting everything out, and being completely open and honest about things, it frees me from it. So the more I get it off my chest, the better I feel about myself."

"It's not healthy for my recovery to sit here and hold things back."

Her road to recovery kicked off on Dec. 21, when Conner, amid allegations of toxic partying—the lowlights of which centered around men, drugs, clubs and booze—and the threat of losing her crown, entered into Pennsylvania's Caron Foundation for a monthlong go at treatment. She checked out of the center on Jan. 21 and has since moved from her Trump Tower apartment to a smaller abode in uptown Manhattan, which she reportedly shares with a roommate: a Trump-approved minder.

Conner, who earlier this week copped to the fact that she had her first drink at age 14, also told Lauer that despite the rocky road she's traversed in the past few months, she nevertheless wouldn't change a thing in her past "because it gave it me my future."

While Conner's full interview won't air until Saturday, the reigning Miss USA will appear live on Today Thursday morning to answer questions sent in by viewers.

One unlikely inquirer: Lauren Nelson.

The 20-year-old Oklahoma native was crowned the new Miss America Monday night and while her pageant has traditionally been regarded as the more aspirational of the national Miss competitions, her crowning moment has been all but overshadowed—Trumped, as it were—in the wake of the ongoing Miss USA saga.

Sienna Miller's Sex Scenes Were Real

Sienna Miller and Hayden Christensen are said to be convincing in their "Factory Girl" love scenes. The reason? The sex is for real, a source told the New York Daily News.

"It's not simulated," the insider said. "They're really doing it"

In the movie, which opens this weekend, Miller plays the beautiful, rich and ultimately doomed protégé of Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick. Sedgwick died of a barbiturate overdose in 1971 at age 28.

Christensen plays a folk rocker modeled after Bob Dylan, with whom Sedgwick is rumored to have had an affair.

The News reports that Miller had a romance with "Star Wars" actor Christensen while on a break from her ex-boyfriend Jude Law — but then jilted him.

"They spent about a month hanging out," a Christensen pal told the News. "But then she decided that she didn't want a relationship. Hayden was devastated. He really fell for her."

Added a friend of Miller, "Sienna wanted to try to make another go of it with Jude. But again, it didn't work out. At the end of last summer, she and Hayden ended up in Toronto for more shooting. They hadn't talked in six months. But it turned out to be a great reunion."

It was during this "reunion" that the two former lovers, both 25, reportedly did the deed for the world to see.

At the movie's premiere on Monday, director George Hickenlooper told the News: "Sienna and Hayden grew close during the filming. It was an emotional experience for all of us."

As for whether the sex was for real, he said:

"I can't comment. You'll have to ask Sienna about it."

Tuesday, Miller's publicist said the lovemaking was merely good acting.

"She's just a really good actress," the rep said.

At the premiere's after party, Miller changed into a strange black outfit that looked like granny panties worn over black tights.

Miss Oklahoma Lauren Nelson Crowned Miss America 2007

'There She Is ...' Miss Oklahoma Lauren Nelson beat out 51 other gorgeous ladies tonight to become Miss America 2007 and the winner of a $50,000 scholarship.

Within minutes of winning, the 20-year-old from Lawton, OK brushed back tears to tell Luxe Life, "This organization saved my life. I'm so very excited. This is a dream I never thought would come true. I watched Miss America as a little girl, since I was two-years-old, and never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be Miss America. But that's what's wonderful about this organization."

The victory is nothing new for the state of Oklahoma, which was represented in 2006 by outgoing Miss America Jennifer Berry, who gave Luxe Life her final interview as Miss America, which we posted earlier today. It's also the third time that one state has had back-to-back winners. In 1935 and 1936 it was Pennsylvania, and in 1959 and 1960 it was Mississippi. With Nelson's win, Oklahoma becomes the most winning state, with six winners in the 87 years of the pageant.

Nelson said she will soon be seeking Berry's advice on what life will be like as the new Miss America. "Jennifer and I are friends," she said. "I haven't spoken to her in a few days, but her phone number will be on speed dial. I'll probably be talking to her tonight."

After 90 minutes of competition, it came down to five finalists, all from the southern part of the country. In addition to Miss Oklahoma, the other finalists are (pictured below in order) Miss Georgia Amanda Kozak, Miss Texas Shilah Phillips , Miss Alabama Melinda Toole and Miss Mississippi Taryn Foshee.

The Miss America Pageant has the swimsuit and evening gown competitions, but is different from other pageants in that it features a talent competition with the five finalists performing live.

"After i was one of the top ten semi-finalists, everything else was icing on the cake and I said 'Now I can just have fun,' said the new Miss America. "Being in the top five, I was just so excited to sing on national TV."

After the the talent competition, the five ladies stood nervously before a theater audience of 7,000 and another 30 million watching the live broadcast on CMT from the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Then it was narrowed to three, Miss Oklahoma, Miss Georgia and Miss Texas.

Each lady was interviewed and then the judges -- Chris Matthews, Debbie Allen, Michael Feinstein, Nigel Barker and Susan Powell -- cast their final vote and decided that Miss Oklahoma would hold the Miss America crown for the next 12 months. Miss Texas was first runner up and Miss Georgia was named second runner up. The other popular award of the night, Miss Congeniality, went to Miss Alabama.

"When Mario Lopez said my name, my knees buckled. I went straight to the ground," said Miss America. "The emotions inside are so surreal to know I have the crown on my head and the sash says 'Miss America 2007.'"

When football players win the Super Bowl, they usually say they are going to Disney World, but after winning Miss America, the one-time Miss Teen Lawton said she wants to go somewhere else. "I'd like to eat some caramel cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate," she said.

There was also another beauty queen celebrating in Las Vegas last night, as former Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees won a crown to replace the one she lost when nude photos of her surfaced on the Internet.

Mandy Moore Kicks Her Parents Out

Mandy Moore has kicked her parents out of her California home, because they over-stayed their welcome. The singer/actress and her family relocated from Florida three years ago and her parents moved in with her when she bought a luxury Los Angeles property. But the 22-year-old is keen to become independent and is looking forward to having more space to herself. She says:

“My parents moved in with me, I’m very close with my family, but the time came about a year ago to actually kick my parents out - because it’s my house! So I had to have the awkward talk with them like, ‘I think it’s about time you guys moved back to Florida,’ which is where I grew up. Not only did they lose me, they lost my younger brother who was going to live with me as well, and stay in the house. They became homeless and empty-nesters at the same time.”

JT's Love Nest with Jessica Biel

Why would Justin Timberlake skip the January 24 afterparty for his new drama, Black Snake Moan, after it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival? You would too if you had Jessica Biel waiting at home for you.

Tinseltown’s sexiest bachelorette flew in that very night to stay with the boy-bander-turned-actor at his $1,950-a-night, four-bedroom condo at the Trail’s End Lodge in nearby Deer Valley.

“He called her and asked her to come,” says a source close to Biel, 24, who was spotted snowboarding with Timberlake, 26, the next day at the picturesque Park City Mountain Resort. “And she was like, ‘What the hell? I’ll go!’ She is really spontaneous and fun.”

Though the two rarely left their cozy digs, a mutual pal who spent time with the couple tells Us, “their relationship looked like it was definitely working for them.”

The pair stayed until January 26 and, says a source at the resort, “Justin and his group were fantastic guests.”

Biel’s rep, who won’t comment on Timberlake, tells Us, “Jessica was in Sundance for a couple of days to see some movies.”

Paris: The Real Mastermind

Although Paris Hilton and Joe Francis reportedly filed a civil suit and a temporary restraining order against the owner of the ParisExposed.com, new details are coming to light that suggest Paris herself may have had a hand in the release of the pictures and video footage. The Post-Chronicle reports:

As more details emerge about the purchase of Paris’ personal items from a storage unit which was owed a $208 bill, the story just seems to get juicier but something simply doesn’t seem right. We have been directed to a “credible source” that claims Paris Hilton owns the leaked sex tapes, nude photos and info from the website Parisexposed.com.

The source has not revealed the extent to which Paris is involved in the site, but as of Saturday, January 27, Hilton is allegedly financially involved. Some things to ponder which lends some credence to the claim: why have the Paris Exposed videos been edited? How come there are none of her friends in the videos? And who films themselves in the buff but doesn’t partake in any sexual activity?

Kevin Federline Nationwide Insurance Commercial

Kevin Federline's Nationwide Insurance commercial has been released and I guess you gotta give the guy credit for being able to laugh at himself.

This week Paris Hilton Shocks us with another video scandal

Ok seriously who was shocked? Of course we were all expecting another video scandal from this girl, if you spend that much time out of it that your tit seems to be hanging out half the time and you're asking guys for coke to be fucked in the ass I don't think you're going to notice a camera while someone fucks you!

On the other hand the other rumour going round is that Daddy has cut her off and she needed a way to make some cash for a habbit, this quickly came down to a mate that's good with computers and a stupid story about a look up garage. Once that had been arranaged a staggard release of tapes of her naked, pics with friends showing her tits any time they need new content they say "lets open another box" and paris just spreads for them. Why not just do what other strap cash blondes do? Work in a Sydney brothel!

A Death in the Family for Jolie

Angelina Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died Saturday afternoon at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the Associated Press reports.

Bertrand, who had endured a long-term battle with cancer, was 56. According to a family statement, Jolie, 31, her older brother, James Haven, and her boyfriend, Brad Pitt, were at the hospital when Bertrand passed away.

"Angelina came to visit her two weekends ago and spent the afternoon with her in her room," a source at Beverly Hills' Raffles L'Ermitage hotel, where Bertrand kept a residence, tells Usmagazine.com.

Bertrand, a former actress, raised Jolie and her brother as a single mother after she and Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight divorced in 1978. She appeared in the movies Lookin' to Get Out in 1982 and The Man Who Loved Women in 1983. A private funeral is planned. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Women's Cancer Research Institute at Cedars Sinai.

Hilary Gets Sloppy at Hyde

Hilary Duff was far from her usual goody-two-shoes self on January 25 when she and older sister Haylie showed up at L.A. club Hyde with a huge entourage.

Usmagazine.com tattler tells us that Hilary -- who has been single since splitting in November from Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden (he's currently dating Nicole Richie) -- arrived arm-in-arm with her sis' a little after 11 p.m., looking tipsy.

Hilary, 19, soon was teetering over to the women’s restroom with one of her girlfriends and a "flamboyant" male friend.

“It was kind of inappropriate,” the onlooker sneers. “She was pretty drunk and staggering around the bathroom, bumping into people and shrieking that her gay male friend had a vagina so it was okay for him to be there.”

The sisters continued to party Paris Hilton-style throughout the night at a VIP table, where our source says they were “all over” their two man-dates. Haylie 21, whispered in the ear of her 30-ish-year-old date while kissing his neck. Hilary perched on her date’s lap, laughing and flirting with her own older man.

Says the source: “When I’ve seen Hilary out in the past, she has been relatively composed, but tonight she was acting pretty wild.”

Jennifer Hawkins Ad Banned!

First it was "bloody" Lara Bingle, now humourless airport officials in New Zealand have banned a billboard of Jennifer Hawkins because of its sexy slogan.

Exposing the Kiwis' thin skins, management at Auckland International Airport has rejected a sexy shot of Hawko dressed in lacy red lingerie, holding a stuffed rhino, because the ad's tagline - "Feeling horny?'' - was deemed too raunchy for its pure-as-the-South-Island-snow passengers.

The Lovable campaign, which features our multi-million dollar babe, launched in Australia last July, was so popular here the collection, which Hawkins helped design, sold out.

At a VIP party to reveal the campaign to media and advertising industry experts, the playful puns on the animal theme were considered as hot as the TV star herself.

However this latest shot, created to target Valentine's Day sales, was deemed inappropriate for those sensitive souls across the ditch.

When Confidential were required to email the airport's corporate spokeswoman for comment, even the Kiwi server censored our correspondence, blocking the request because of the word "horny''.

Lovable's divisional manager Dianne Lane said the brand was "bemused" by the airport bosses' response.

"Our campaign is really tongue-in-cheek and playful. We're surprised they took offence because we haven't had a complaint here,'' she said.

"It wasn't the imagery they objected to, but just the word horny.''

We'll take it as read, those soft Kiwis just aren't up for it, then, eh?

Aishwarya Rai Gets Engaged

MUMBAI (AFP) - India's hottest cinema couple are engaged to be married, their representatives has said, setting the stage for Bollywood's most glamorous wedding bash in years.

Superstar Aishwarya Rai and heart-throb Abhishek Bachchan, son of screen legend Amitabh Bachchan, became engaged Sunday at his beachfront home in the exclusive Juhu district of Mumbai, Rai's secretary Hari Singh told AFP Monday.

"This news is true. They got engaged Sunday morning in Mumbai," Singh said.

Relatives said the marriage was being scheduled for February or March.

"The children have decided. We are very happy and thought we should go ahead with the engagement ceremony," Amitabh Bachchan told the Times of India.

Later he told news channel CNN-IBN that Abhishek proposed to Aishwarya after the premiere of their new film "Guru" in New York.

"I was the first person he called to break the news. I was overjoyed and gave them blessings and I asked them to come home soon," Amitabh Bachchan said.

The 30-year-old Bachchan put a ring on the finger of the former Miss World, 33, during a ceremony attended by family and close friends late Sunday, just hours after they arrived back from New York, Singh said.

Most of the Bachchan family attended the ceremony, along with Rai's relatives, industrialist Anil Ambani and his actor wife Tina.

Hundreds of fans thronged the house jostling for a glimpse of the celebrities. They were served soft drinks and bottled water by family retainers.

The engagement capped months of fevered speculation in the movie-mad nation about the relationship, which the golden couple had refused to comment on.

Rumours of impending nuptials had spread since the pair visited a temple in late November to pray and emerged with marigold garlands around their necks, usually a tell-tale sign of a traditional Hindu engagement.

Meanwhile, prayers were being offered on the banks of the sacred river Ganges at the holy city of Varanasi to clear up potential conflicts in their stars, media said. Hindus traditionally match horoscopes to ensure marital compatibility.

Rai reportedly suffers a poorly placed Mars, which could have a negative influence on her own and her husband's life. According to Indian astrologers, in the worst cases, those who wed a person with an inauspicious Mars will die early.

The couple and the Bachchan family have also made several rounds of temples and offered prayers to counter any negative forces from the planetary stars.

Bachchan was previously engaged to former leading Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor in a high-profile ceremony on his father's birthday, but they never married.

Rai has also been romantically linked to several Bollywood stars.

The couple have been dubbed "India's Brangelina" after Hollywood's A-list couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Rai is one of the top Bollywood actresses with several hit movies including "Bride and Prejudice", a Bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice.

Bachchan has starred in several successful films and was voted the sexiest Asian man by a British newspaper last year.

Both also earn large amounts from endorsing major brands.

The green-eyed Rai, who will be marrying at an age usually considered "over the hill" in India, where most women wed in their early 20s, and Abhishek, 31 next month, have starred together in several major films in the past 12 months.

The latest movie, "Guru", tells the story of an ambitious young villager who rises to become newly independent India's biggest homegrown industrialist.

The film, whose release in Toronto was touted as Bollywood's chance to break through to Western audiences, is reported to be loosely based on entrepreneurial legend Dhirubhai Ambani, who built India's biggest private company, Reliance. But the film-makers say the tale is fictional.

Jennifer Hawkins $4m Birthday Present

Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins has signed what is believed the most lucrative contract ever for an Australian-based model.

Hawkins secured a $4 million, four-year deal with Myer, including share options to give her a direct equity stake, on her 23rd birthday on December 22.


Celebrating yesterday she said: "We opened a bottle of champagne and I said: 'Don't give me any presents, I don't need them'."

Myer chief executive Bernie Brooks said Hawkins's phenomenal selling power was the driving force behind the company's interest.

"When Jennifer wears a dress to say a racing carnival, we would have no difficulty selling 1000 of those dresses over the ensuing weeks," he said.

He said during the Spring Racing Carnival last year people came into Myer stores every day after Hawkinso wore a particular outfit, looking for that outfit or one in different colours.

"She has significant enterprise value and that includes her ability to sell the product she wears and endorses."

Hawkins said yesterday the shares element of her deal came as a shock.

"It's not something I was familiar with," she said.

"I spoke to my mum and dad and they said 'whoa, it's amazing'.

"Now that I've got equity it makes me want to work even harder to make the company successful," she said.

Under the terms of the contract, the options will turn into shares on fulfillment of any one of three conditions:

- THAT the Myer business is sold;

- THAT Myer refloats on the stock market; or

- THE option expiry term of between three and five years elapses.

The shares will then begin to pay dividends to their owners.

Whichever way it goes, the one-time Newcastle Knights cheerleader looks set to do very well.

In addition to almost $1 million a year in cash and an as yet unspecified number of shares, she's also on course for a bonus at the end of the contract.

"At the end of the four-year period, if specific levels of sales have been achieved she can earn a cash bonus as well," Mr Brooks said.

A Myer source said the company was planning to relist on the stock exchange through an initial public offering of shares as early as 2009.

"I think they'll want Jennifer Hawkins to be the face of the float," the source said.

Rival David Jones, which employs Megan Gale under an annually reviewed rolling contract, hinted that Ms Gale might own shares in the share market listed retailer.

"Megan is very motivated for David Jones to be successful," was all group general manager marketing and financial services manager Damian Eels would say.

McNaught Fills In For Hawkins

She has made a buck as Australia's back-up beauty queen, but yesterday Erin McNaught managed to trump Jennifer Hawkins in the Myer spotlight. While Hawkins was expected to announce a new two-year deal as the fashion face of the retailer next month, McNaught stepped into her shoes - for a day - as part of the store's latest national clearance sales campaign.

And keeping up to her McNaughty name, the new Channel 10 presenter showed off what she's got as a model, stripping down to her knickers during the intimates in-store appearance in Brisbane yesterday.

But quick to keep Hawkins happy, Myer executives confirmed an announcement was imminent about their star signing, who sent their sales registers into overdrive last year when she fronted as their fashion ambassador for the first time.

"Jennifer is still under contract with us at this stage, but we'll have more to say in two weeks on a new deal," a spokeswoman told Confidential, after we questioned McNaught's apparent grass-cutting appearance yesterday.

Hawkins will appear in Myer's autumn/winter catalogue, which was shot late last year and is expected to take to the catwalk again for the store's season launch in February.

Not suprisingly McNaught's model management were talking up her talents as fill-in for the Myer job. The store said it had "no plans to use Erin again."

Lara's Love Life Sparks A Furious Bingle

The devastated wife of AFL star Brendan Fevola is outraged over the flippant way in which model Lara Bingle has begun dating cricketer Michael Clarke, just weeks after she was accused of breaking up the Fevola marriage.

As Bingle's manager yesterday confirmed the controversial glamour girl had been in a relationship with the test batsman for two weeks, an emotional Alex Fevola expressed her heartache and dismay over the 19-year-old's devil-may-care approach to wooing Australia's leading sportsmen.

"She's destroyed a family - we've been left here in an absolute mess while she's casually moved on to the next guy," Mrs Fevola said. "I've got two children and their lives - and mine - have been turned upside down, but she doesn't seem to care about that at all.

"She obviously wasn't desperately in love with Brendan so why did she pursue it in the first place?"

Bingle, obviously thinking she'd put the messy incident behind her, resurfaced at the weekend linked to yet another high-profile sportsman - and has subsequently commenced the new year embroiled in controversy.

The Cronulla beauty had been in hiding since Mrs Fevola publicly accused her of having an affair with her husband after discovering a voicemail message - allegedly from Bingle - on his mobile phone.

Bingle was first linked to Clarke in September, but Mrs Fevola said she believed the model lost interest in the cricketer "as soon as she met my husband".

Brendan Fevola and Bingle were introduced on Channel 9's Grand Final Footy Show.

Brendan Fevola has continually denied having an affair with Bingle, but despite his best efforts to reconcile his marriage, Mrs Fevola said a future together was unlikely.

While Bingle's latest bungle may not help her local profile, she is to skate into international fame this March when competing in the UK series of Torvill and Dean: Dancing on Ice.

Bingle's manager Priscilla Leighton-Clarke denied Bingle had ever been romantically involved with Fevola.

Britney Passes Out on NYE

Seems like Britney's hard-partying ways may finally be catching up with her. The pop princess reportedly passed out shortly after leading a New Year's Eve countdown at Caesars Palace's Pure nightclub in Las Vegas.

At 12:45 a.m., after swigging some champagne and dirty dancing to her own "I'm a Slave 4 U," the party mom "went into a dead faint and just fell right on the floor," reports the New York Post. Her entourage picked her up, shielded her from gawkers with an oversized, hooded poncho and quickly whisked her out of the club. We're guessing this isn't the kind of attention Caesars was expecting when they paid Spears the big bucks to show up at the bash.

Spears' manager, Larry Rudolph, claims that "nothing out of the ordinary" happened to Miss Brit. "She was not drunk," he says. "She was just tired and falling asleep."