JESS & JOHN STEP OUT
Jessica Simpson and John Mayer shared New Year's kisses all night long
If Jessica Simpson's resolution for 2007 is to have fun, dance and smooch up a storm, she has made a solid start. On Friday, Dec. 29, she hopped a private jet to ring in the new year with singer John Mayer in New York City (where earlier that week he performed two stand-up comedy gigs—who knew?—at the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village). Later that night, the pair—who sources say have been seeing each other on and off since August—grabbed dinner at the Mercer Kitchen and the next day shopped at Barneys New York before lunching at Dos Caminos Mexican restaurant in SoHo. Simpson and Mayer "were very flirty, obviously so engaged with each other," said a source who was there. "They were leaning into each other giggling." As for the big night? Mayer, 29, and Simpson, 26, arrived hand-in-hand to the Christina Aguilera-hosted New Year's bash at the Hudson Hotel, where they relaxed in the VIP section sipping champagne. "Where's Jessie?" Mayer was overheard asking before finding his date and heading to Stereo with her at 2:50 a.m. for dancing and beers. They were "holding hands and occasionally kissing," until past 4 a.m., said an eyewitness. "They were just being themselves."
heart monitor
NEW YEAR'S EDITION
MIDNIGHT MAKEOUT
So what if his ex-wife was steaming up Manhattan with her new guy over the holiday? Nick Lachey and girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo kept things reasonably hot themselves at MTV's Times Square New Year's Eve party—and later at Marquee nightclub, where Minnillo shimmied on a sofa while Lachey chatted with Trace Ayala (Justin Timberlake's BFF). When that conversation wound down, "Vanessa let loose, giving him a lap dance," says a fellow clubgoer at the JoonBug.com shindig. Though Lachey only boogied once (to Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls"), he "enjoyed Minnillo's wild dancing," says the source. The couple followed up with multiple makeout sessions, but as the night wore on—and the champagne flowed—Lachey played dutiful boyfriend, putting his arms around Minnillo's waist to steady the slightly wobbly star. The two finally closed out their tab and left at 4:30 a.m.
BACK ON?
Wilmer Valderrama & Mandy Moore
Sure, he dished about their bedroom exploits to Howard Stern last March, but now all seems to be forgiven. Moore and her ex "had their hands all over each other" at Miami's Mansion Dec. 31, says a source—but there was no New Year's kiss. His rep says, "They are just great friends."
MARITAL MYSTERY
Kate Moss & Pete Doherty
In stunning news, notorious Brit bandman Pete Doherty was not arrested last week. For, like, anything. However, British tabloids report he and longtime girlfriend Moss did share a candlelit commitment ceremony Jan. 1 on Thailand's Phuket island. But hold off on the wedding gift (for now): A rep for the model calls the story "false." Doherty's camp had no comment.
NEW COUPLE
Kristin Cavallari & Nick Zano
The Laguna Beach alum and What I Like About You hunk (the ex of Amanda Bynes) brought added heat to Miami over the holiday—dirty dancing at Mansion Dec. 29, then counting down to the New Year at Privé. "They were in each other's arms all night," says a source. "They look so in love."
People.com POLL
SCOOP ASKED, YOU ANSWERED
TORI SPELLING'S HUSBAND PROPOSES—AGAIN!
43,825 VOTES
26% HOW ROMANTIC.
74% GIVE ME A BREAK!
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY'S LONG LOCKS:
30,893 VOTES
66% LOSE 'EM
34% LOVE 'EM
ROCKY BALBOA:
43,815 VOTES
28% CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT!
72% HANG 'EM UP, SLY.
MICHAEL JACKSON IS REPORTEDLY PLANNING A COMEBACK IN LAS VEGAS:
43,818 VOTES
24% BRING IT ON!
76% JUST BEAT IT.
WHO'S BEHAVING BETTER POST-DIVORCE?
30,895 VOTES
28% BRITNEY SPEARS
72% KEVIN FEDERLINE
SHOULD PRINCE HARRY SERVE IN IRAQ?
43,820 VOTES
51% YES, HE'S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SOLDIER.
49% IT'S TOO DANGEROUS—FOR HIM AND THE OTHER TROOPS.
VOTE ON NEXT WEEK'S QUESTIONS AT WWW.PEOPLE.COM/POLLS
PARTY POOPED
Apparently 2006 left Britney Spears exhausted—and ready for a nappy New Year's. Spears hosted a party at Pure in Las Vegas on Dec. 31 but took her leave not long after midnight. Four witnesses at the club told Scoop she had to be carried out. Said one: "She was really drunk." Not so, Spears's manager Larry Rudolph tells Scoop: "She was traveling all day. She was tired. By 1 or 2, she started to fall asleep, and we took her out of there." A source with the nightclub told Scoop Spears walked out on her own with the help of security but "absolutely was not carried out of the club."
K-FED'S SMACKDOWN
Kevin Federline has proved he can take a beating—from the music industry, Britney fans and now the WWE's John Cena, who took him down in 10 minutes in a New Year's Day match in Miami (minutes earlier K-Fed, 28, had bested Cena with the help of wrestler Umaga). "I'm a huge Britney fan, so that gave me more motivation," said Cena, 29. Does K-Fed, who in October said he wanted to wrestle professionally, have a shot? "I applaud his efforts," says Cena. "But anyone can talk a good game. It's another thing to show your true talent in the ring."
JAKE TO THE RESCUE
No celeb divas here: When an early morning fire broke out Dec. 27 at Manka's Inverness Lodge, north of San Francisco, guests Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal—who were staying there with their family—didn't start speed-dialing for new digs. Instead, they pitched in. "When there was something to help out with, [Jake] did it," says co-owner Daniel DeLong. "He wasn't just standing around with his hands in his pockets." While Jake helped sort wreckage and charred personal belongings from the fire, Maggie consoled DeLong's partner, Margaret Grade, during the blaze, which destroyed the main lodge but left some cabins intact. The Gyllenhaals, who regularly spend holidays there, are undeterred, says DeLong: "They said they want to be here again next year."
Q + A
WAR & PEACE
Born and raised in Japan, Ken Watanabe explores his country's painful past as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Clint Eastwood's World War II drama Letters from Iwo Jima. (This companion piece to the director's Flags of Our Fathers shows the siege from the perspective of Japanese soldiers.) The 47-year-old actor—with occasional help from his translator—shares the epic experience with Scoop.
Did you get to visit the real Iwo Jima?
I visited only once with Clint. We couldn't get a permit to film there. There are still thousands of bones and unexploded shells. We climbed Mount Suribachi and prayed at the top. [I held] the American flag in one hand and the Japanese flag in the other. It was amazing. Sixty years ago we were enemies. But today we can make this film and help understand each other.
What was your perception of WWII before shooting this movie?
Most of [the Japanese] didn't know what happened. That lack of knowledge is a standing tradition in Japan.... It's dark and deep and no one wants to talk about it.
Was this an emotional role for you?
It was a challenge. I felt a lot of pressure as a Japanese actor. Many soldiers died on this island—I felt responsible for their spirits.
- Contributors:
- SCOOP CONTRIBUTORS Danielle Dubin,
- Rennie Dyball,
- Ashley Williams,
- Bryan Alexander,
- Paul Chi,
- Laura Figueroa,
- Mark Gray,
- Julie Jordan,
- Amy Elisa Keith,
- Mary Margaret,
- Lesley Messer,
- Pete Norman,
- Aaron Parsley,
- Courtney Rubin,
- Jeffrey Slonim,
- Kerri Smith,
- .
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
