Elizabeth Wagmeister-Senior Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentIs Britney Spears headed to Washington D.C.?The pop star and her attorney, Mathew Rosengart, have been invited by Congress to speak about guardianships and conservatorships. The outreach from Capitol Hill follows Spears’ recent legal victory — the singer was freed from a 13-year conservatorship in Nov.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentTwenty years ago, “Crossroads” hit theaters. The first feature film to star Britney Spears, the teenage road trip movie was panned by critics, but loved by audiences.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentHugh Hefner was revolutionary. Praised for his part in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the Playboy founder was ahead of his time as an early proponent of gay rights, abortion and birth control.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentThe death of Cheslie Kryst has spurred an outpouring of emotions around the world, as well as sparked a conversation about mental health awareness.Now, Kryst’s mother is publicly sharing that her daughter privately battled depression — an inner struggle that she did not disclose with even her family and friends.“I have never known a pain as deep as this. I am forever changed,” Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins, said in a statement.“Today, what our family and friends privately knew was the cause of death of my sweet baby girl, Cheslie, was officially confirmed,” Simpkins’ statement continued. “While it may be hard to believe, it’s true.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentFor five years, Janet Jackson has been filming a documentary, preparing to share her accounts of the most intimate — and the most widely reported-on — moments of her life.In “Janet,” which aired its first part on Friday and continues on Saturday on Lifetime and A&E, the groundbreaking and private singer digs into everything from her childhood as the youngest in the Jackson family to long-held rumors that she had a secret baby in the 80’s to her relationship with her brother, the late Michael Jackson.“I wanted my own identity, but at that time, my father was in change of my life and my career and he was my manager. So, there were things I wanted to do and just a direction that I wanted to go in,” Jackson said in the documentary, discussing her decision to part ways with her father, Joe Jackson, who managed the early days of her career.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentAfter Lena Dunham’s new movie “Sharp Stick” was criticized on Twitter by an autism activist who claimed she was approached to be a consultant on the project, the filmmaking team behind the Sundance film says that the central character, Sarah Jo, was never written to be on the spectrum. Producers say the drama about a young woman’s sexual awakening was inspired entirely by creator Lena Dunham’s personal journey, dealing with severe endometriosis which resulted in a hysterectomy.“Sarah Jo was never written nor imagined as a neurodivergent woman,” a spokesperson for the film says, in part, in a statement to Variety.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentIn the early 2000s, Jesse Palmer played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. In 2004, he moved from the football field to television as the star of “The Bachelor” Season 5.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentThis week, Daphne Oz launched a new nationally-syndicated daytime show, “The Good Dish.”The television host, writer and chef has been ready for this moment all her life — but when the opportunity came, Oz had to pull it off in record time.Oz, who became a best-selling author as a college student with her first book “The Dorm Room Diet,” is known to daytime audiences as one of the original hosts of ABC’s beloved foodie show, “The Chew,” which she departed one year before its final season. More recently, the mother of four has led a weekly cooking segment on her father’s daytime show, “The Dr.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentFireworks went off in court on Wednesday at Britney Spears’ latest hearing, as the singer and her father’s attorneys went head-to-head in a continuous and contentious legal battle that last roughly three hours.Though the conservatorship has been terminated, the fight between the pop star and her father, Jamie Spears, persists, primarily revolving around a disagreement over payment for ongoing attorney fees and allegations that the pop star was eavesdropped on by a secret surveillance apparatus with her father’s involvement.“Lies!” exclaimed Spears attorney, Mathew Rosengart, pointing his finger at Alex Weingarten, the elder Spears’ lawyer, accusing him of making “nonsensical” and “preposterous” claims. “He should be admonished,” Rosengart told Judge Brenda Penny.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentBritney Spears has sent a legal letter to her younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, stating that she won’t be bullied in her new book.The cease and desist letter, sent by the pop star’s attorney Mathew Rosengart, comes amid a public back-and-forth on social media between the two sisters that has exploded during Jamie Lynn’s media tour for her new memoir, “Things I Should Have Said.”“As you know, I represent your sister Britney Spears, and I write at her request concerning the above-referenced matter,” Rosengart wrote in the letter, which has been obtained by Variety. “We write with some hesitation because the last thing Britney wants is to bring more attention to your ill-timed book and its misleading or outrageous claims about her.” “Although Britney has not read and does not intend to read your book, she and millions of her fans were shocked to see how you have exploited her for monetary gain,” the letter continues.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentJamie Spears and lawyers took more than $36 million from Britney Spears’ estate throughout the course of her conservatorship. Her father even used some of his earnings in his role as conservator to pitch his own reality show — this, all according to new court documents, filed ahead of Wednesday’s hearing in the pop star’s continuous legal battle.The docs were filed by the singer’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, in response to Spears’ father asking the court to have his daughter continue paying his legal fees, despite being suspended from her conservatorship, before it was terminated.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentAnother woman has come forward with allegations against Chris Noth, becoming the fifth woman this month to accuse the “Sex and the City” and “Law & Order” star of sexual assault.In a press conference with her attorney Gloria Allred, a singer-songwriter, Lisa Gentile, alleged she was “sexually victimized” by Noth in 2002. She claimed Noth forcibly pulled her, kissed her and touched her breasts.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentSPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 18 finale of “The Bachelorette,” which aired on ABC on Dec. 21.“The Bachelorette” wrapped up its 18th season with a franchise-first: the dating series, which premiered nearly two decades ago, had its first Black winning couple.Leading lady Michelle Young fell in love with Nayte Olukoya, who ended the season with a televised engagement.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentIn 2017, at the height of the #MeToo movement, actor, comedian and writer Sarah Ann Masse came forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein.In the years since, Weinstein has been convicted of rape, sentenced to 23 years in New York prison and awaits another sexual assault trial in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentJamie Spears, who was suspended by a judge from his famous daughter’s conservatorship, is asking that Britney Spears’ estate continue to pay his legal fees.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentJeff Garlin — who walked away from his starring role on “The Goldbergs,” after an HR investigation into his on-set behavior — joked about being in trouble at the ABC sitcom at a recent standup show in Los Angeles, Variety can reveal.Performing to a jam-packed crowd at Hollywood Improv on Nov.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentJanice Min’s first hire in her new role as editor in chief of the Ankler newsletter will not be joining the Hollywood news startup and is headed to Rolling Stone, Variety has learned.Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that Min — the editor who led the Hollywood Reporter into revived visibility but big financial losses as a glossy magazine — is moving to The Ankler, a Substack newsletter launched in 2017 by entertainment journalist Richard

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentActor Chris Noth has been accused of sexual assault by two women. The “Law & Order” and “Sex and the City” star has denied the allegations, asserting that the encounters were consensual.“The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,” Noth said in a prepared statement.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentJamie Spears is denying his involvement in a 2003 Diane Sawyer interview that made his daughter cry, prompting the pop star’s legal team to question … why?Earlier this week, Britney Spears slammed Sawyer for a sit-down that took place when she was 21 yearscold.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentOne month ago, Britney Spears’ long-standing conservatorship was terminated, but the legal proceedings continue.On Wednesday, Spears’ attorney Mathew Rosengart appeared at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse on behalf of his famous client for the latest hearing in the case, as the singer continues to fight an uphill legal battle.Though the matters on the table were relatively minor, the judge granted Spears the power to execute documents herself, meaning

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentKyle Richards is reprising her original “Halloween” role once again in “Halloween Ends,” the final installment in David Gordon Green’s new trilogy of films in the iconic horror series, Variety has learned exclusively.Richards recently closed her deal for “Halloween Ends,” which heads into production next month and is set to be released in Oct.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentThe production team behind Colton Underwood’s new Netflix show asked his ex-girlfriend Cassie Randolph to appear on the series, but she declined to participate, numerous sources tell Variety.Randolph was offered compensation to appear on the show, according to two different sources.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentIt’s official: ABC has announced Clayton Echard as the next star of “The Bachelor.”Echard, a suitor on the current season of “The Bachelorette” with Michelle Young, will lead Season 26 of the long-running dating show.Echard was first reported by Variety back in September to be the new “Bachelor” when photos of him filming with a camera crew were leaked by the press.At that time, sources close to the show told Variety that producers had fallen in love

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentColton Underwood’s much buzzed-about new series is coming to Netflix very soon.The unscripted six-episode series, titled “Coming Out Colton,” will launch on the streaming service on Dec. 3.“Coming Out Colton” will chronicle Underwood’s coming out story, as he reveals he is gay to his family and friends, with cameras following his journey.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentHot off the heels of a major victory for pop star Britney Spears, Hollywood litigator Mathew Rosengart is stepping into yet another guardianship case for a high-profile individual: iconic artist Peter Max, whose family is fighting to get him out of the court-ordered arrangement.Max, the German American artist known for his use of bright colors, psychedelic style and pop art that often includes American symbolism, is under a guardianship that his family

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentBritney Spears is free, and she certainly is not holding back any longer.The Princess of Pop took to her Instagram Stories on Friday evening to post a video of fellow ’90s pop star, Christina Aguilera, who refused to answer a question about Spears during a recent interview.The video is from the red carpet at Thursday’s Latin Grammy Awards, when Aguilera was asked by a reporter if she has been in communication with Spears following the termination of her

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentBritney Spears’ conservatorship is over — an outcome that just a few months ago seemed impossible for the pop star, whose personal life, work, finances and medical decisions have been controlled by the court-ordered guardianship for almost 14 years.But a legal battle still lies ahead for the singer, who is putting up a fight against her father and her former management company, both for her hard-earned money and to seek justice for the abuse that she

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentBritney Spears is celebrating her new chapter.Just days after her 13-year conservatorship was terminated, the pop star enjoyed her first weekend as a free woman, and took to Instagram to share her happiness with her fans.“What an amazing weekend,” Spears posted onto her Instagram on Monday afternoon. “I felt like I was on cloud 9 the whole time.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentBritney Spears’ conservatorship has been terminated after 13 years, a California court has determined.Friday’s hearing marked the most pivotal hearing for the star, who has been living under a court-ordered conservatorship that her father Jamie Spears placed her under in 2008. Around that time, the singer had endured a series of public pitfalls that were heavily covered by the tabloids.But, over the years, circumstances changed.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentAfter more than 13 years, a new beginning is on the horizon for pop star Britney Spears, who has been living under a restrictive conservatorship since 2008.It was at that time the singer, then in her mid-20s, had endured a series of public pitfalls — arguably brought on by the media’s heavy scrutiny of her sex life, personal life and parenting decisions — causing paparazzi to swarm around her.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentThe Kardashian-Jenner family has offered their condolences on the tragedy that struck Travis Scott’s Astroworld music festival, leaving eight dead and at least 300 injured from a crowd surge during Scott’s performance.Scott shares a three-year-old daughter with Kylie Jenner, and the couple is currently expecting their second child together.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentImagine if “Pawn Stars,” “American Pickers” and “Storage Wars” created a mashup spinoff, but with a higher purpose.That’s what viewers will find when they tune into “Operation Hidden Treasures,” Discovery Channel’s new reality series that puts the spotlight on America’s veterans, as so few TV shows do.The half-hour unscripted series follows members of the world’s biggest military veterans’ enterprise, JDog Junk Removal and Hauling, as they turn someone’s

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentGal Gadot will soon take on another iconic character in a live-action adaptation of a classic story: the “Wonder Woman” star is set to play the Evil Queen in Disney’s upcoming “Snow White” remake.Gadot was beaming while speaking for her first time about her villainous Disney role.“I’m so excited,” she told Variety on Wednesday night at the premiere of her new action film, “Red Notice,” which launches Nov.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentDwayne Johnson’s new movie, “Red Notice,” has the A-list actor handling guns. Netflix’s upcoming big-budget film stars three of the biggest celebrities on the planet — Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot — and is one of many Hollywood films that feature firearms for the sake of action-packed storylines.“Red Notice,” which launches on the streaming service on Nov.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent“The Bachelor” is back on Monday nights this winter, as the dating show enters a new era with a new host.“The Bachelor,” which will be hosted by Jesse Palmer, will premiere on Jan. 3 at 8:00 p.m., returning the flagship show to its normal and coveted timeslot.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentProduction is officially underway on the Kardashian-Jenner family’s new Hulu series, and the famous clan has teamed up with Fulwell 73 to produce their first project with the streaming service, Variety has learned exclusively.Few details have been released about the show, which is currently untitled, but it is described by Hulu as the Kardashian-Jenners’ next chapter as they bring viewers a “new, intimate journey into their lives.”The project is the