22-year-old woman in the United States is publicly auctioning her virginity to pay for her college education, sparking a heated online debate about sex and morality.
The student from San Diego, California, who is using the pseudonym Natalie Dylan for "safety reasons," said she had no moral dilemma with her decision and found it "empowering".
But few bloggers sided with her and some suspected her intentions.
"I don't think auctioning my virginity will solve all my problems," she told celebrity television show The Insider on Wednesday. "But it will create some financial stability. I'm ready for the controversy, I know it will come along. I'm ready to do this."
"We live in a capitalist society. Why shouldn't I be allowed to capitalize on my virginity?" she added.
The woman, who has earned a bachelor degree in women's studies and now wants to start a master's degree in marriage and family therapy, is hoping the bidding will hit $1 million.
The online auction site eBay turned her down so the auction will take place at a Nevada brothel, the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, where her sister is working to pay off her college debts.
The date for the auction was not immediately available.
In a flurry of media interviews and appearances, she admitted that her mother, a fourth grade teacher, does not agree with her decision. Many on the Internet also disapprove.
"Maybe this is the conservative in me coming out, but this seems so wrong," wrote one blogger, Mike. "Isn't this prostitution?"
"I must say I feel sad for the future of our society," said Mike from Montclair State University in New Jersey.
"What disgusts me about this whole thing is the fact that she is promoting it so heavily. It seems less about having some guy pay for her virginity and more about trying to get her 15 minutes and a reality show," said a blogger called "Ent Lawyer".
She does have her supporters -- not surprisingly Dennis Hof, owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch.
"I think it's a tremendous idea. Why lose it to some guy in the backseat of a Toyota when you can pay for your education?" he told reporters.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Student auctions virginity, sparks online debate
Anne Hathaway breaks silence on boyfriend arrest
Actress Anne Hathaway says she felt like "a rug was pulled out from under me" when her Italian boyfriend, Raffaello Follieri, was arrested on fraud charges and that she is still looking for a new place to live.
The "Princess Diaries" and "Devil Wears Prada" star broke her silence on the June arrest of her boyfriend of four years in an interview in the October edition of W magazine.
"As soon as I found out about the arrest, I had to get on a plane to Mexico to do a press tour for 'Get Smart.' And then I spent a week in shock at a friend's house. And then I had to go back and do more press, and I haven't stopped since," Hathaway, 25, was quoted as saying.
Hathaway declined to discuss specifics about Follieri or what she knew abut his business dealings. But the actress said she had been staying at a friend's house since moving out of the New York apartment she shared with Follieri, which was searched by investigators.
"I have to find a place to live," she told the magazine. "It's a situation where the rug was pulled out from under me all of a sudden, but just as suddenly my friends threw another rug back under me."
Follieri, 30, pleaded guilty in New York on Wednesday to 14 counts of fraud and money laundering. He admitted to lying about his links to the Vatican and taking part in a scheme in which he obtained more than $2 million in a web of shell companies with phony consultancies.
When he is sentenced in October, he could face years behind bars. He also has agreed to hand over gold and silver watches, rings, bracelets and earrings that he had given to Hathaway.
Prosecutors said Follieri used money from his scheme to buy expensive clothes, meals and a $37,000-a-month Manhattan apartment, as well exotic vacations and private jets for his girlfriend.
"I've been shown such kindness. Not everyone gets that. A lot of people go through tough times alone," Hathaway said.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Britney Spears' VMA triumph
A year after her disastrous comeback attempt at the MTV Video Music Awards, Britney Spears swept the event on Sunday, winning the first three "Moonman" statuettes of her career.
The pop singer, whose career has been overshadowed in recent years by a litany of personal woes, took home the awards for video of the year, best pop video and best female video, all for the tune "Piece of Me."
"I'm in shock right now," the 26-year-old starlet said, after taking the stage for the third time to receive the coveted award for video of the year.
In her brief acceptance speeches, she doled out multiple thanks to God, her family and her fans.
But the 25th annual broadcast of the lifestyle cable channel's flagship bash did not begin promisingly for Spears. After weeks of speculation, the channel announced last week that Spears would open the ceremony and promised some surprises.
All she did, however, was deliver four sentences, shielding her lower face with her microphone.
"Thank you so much. Thank you for all the love. I'm here tonight to celebrate a very important birthday, the 25th anniversary of the VMAs. This is the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards and it starts right now."
The audience, primed for fireworks, barely had time to digest her perfunctory delivery before R&B singer Rihanna belted out the the first of many musical performances.
Spears inadvertently stole the show last year. Clearly unsteady and out-of-shape, she badly lip-synched a song, drawing bewildered stares from the high-wattage audience and universal derision in the messy aftermath.
But the tabloid target seems to have avoided any calamities in recent months. While she puts her life back together, her ex-husband has full custody of their two sons, and her father and a lawyer have taken control of her business affairs.
Other winners included R&B singer Chris Brown's "With You" for best male video, Linkin Park's "Shadow of the Day" for best rock video, and rapper Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" for best hip-hop video.
The show was hosted by British comedian Russell Brand, who is known for his scene-stealing turn as a lovably sleazy rock star in the romantic comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
Brand implored Americans to elect Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, and described U.S. President George W. Bush as a "retarded country fella."
He also ridiculed the oaths of virginity undertaken by fresh-faced teen idols the Jonas Brothers, declaring that "Eight years of Bush is what the Jonas Brothers are going to have to cram into their bachelor parties."
But "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks came to the brothers' defence, saying, "It's not bad to wear a promise ring, because not every guy or girl wants to be a slut."
"High School Musical" star Ashley Tisdale also entered the fray on the brothers' behalf, telling reporters backstage that Brand's jokes were "not really nice."
Even Paris Hilton took pity on the threesome. "Don't pick on them. That's something cool for a kid to keep."
The awards were held in Los Angeles for the first time in a decade, on the historic studio lot of MTV's corporate sibling, Paramount Pictures. The lifestyle cable network used the faux city streets, rooftops, and sound stages all over the Paramount lot to show various performances.
Last year, 7.1 million MTV viewers watched the festivities, according to Nielsen Media Research. While viewership was up from 5.8 million the year before, the numbers were a far cry from the record 12 million viewers for the 1999 version.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Lindsay Lohan's Playboy snub
Lindsay Lohan has turned down a $700,000 offer to pose nude for Playboy magazine.
The 'Mean Girls' actress - who posed nude as screen icon Marilyn Monroe in New York magazine earlier this year - was approached by Playboy's creative consultant Hal Lifson who wanted her to pay tribute to 60s star Ann Margret's movie 'Kitten With A Whip' in a sexy eight-page spread for the magazine's 55th anniversary.
However, Lindsay's representative reportedly told Hal: "If there's nudity, then the answer's no. She's not going down the New York magazine road again."
Following the shoot for New York magazine, Lindsay insisted she was "comfortable" shedding her clothes to recreate the famous 'Last Sitting' shots of Marilyn, taken by photographer Bert Stern just six weeks before she died of a drugs overdose.
Lindsay said: "I didn't have to put much thought into it. Working with Bert Stern on a Marilyn Monroe shoot was really an honour. When is that ever going to come up again?
"I wanted to portray the look and get it point-on as much as I could, to bring it back to life. I was comfortable with it, the nudity and everything."
'Crazy' actress Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley says actress shouldn't be role models because they are too "crazy".
The 'Duchess' star - who plays Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, in the new period drama - insists young women should not be influenced by film stars because they will get the wrong idea about how to act in life.
She said: "You have to leave your emotions available to you. Which is why all actresses are crazy and why I don't particularly think they should be role models."
Keira also revealed she "expects" to star in bad films, because you can't have a trouble-free film career.
She added to the Big Issue magazine: "You never know what is going to happen. You can have the best script, the best everything and the film can still be c**p. Or you can still have c**p people and the film, for some reason, can still be good.
"So you have to accept that failure is going to happen - and it is going to happen - and I'm going to make shocking films and do really horrendous performances. It won't be intentional, obviously!"
'Buddhist' Victoria Beckham
Victoria and David Beckham have turned to Buddhism.
The couple - who live in Los Angeles with their three sons - have reportedly "embraced" the mystical religion and are now chanting every morning in a bid to help them deal with their hectic lifestyles.
A source said: "David and Victoria have gone completely Californian! David has begun wearing health, prosperity and performance beads around his wrist. He has started yoga and stretching classes after a knee injury, and then a teammate suggested Buddhist chanting to soothe his mind.
"Now he and Victoria do a short five-minute chant when they wake up to start the day off on the right foot, repeating, 'Homage to the blessed one, the worthy one, the rightly self-awakened one.' "
Former Spice Girls star Victoria, 34, has also reportedly incorporated holistic eating into her diet plan.
The source added to Britain's Look magazine: "David and Victoria are really getting into the whole holistic, healthy vibe too. Victoria often picks up a soya latte at an organic cafe called Urth Caffe, which is next to The Bodhi Tree bookstore, where she bought hundreds of dollars' worth of self-help books."
The pair have are even said to have employed a feng shui expert to ensure their mansion is appropriately arranged.
The source revealed: "They have had Chinese Feng Shui experts come in to rearrange their home, hope it will improve David's luck on the soccer pitch and their chances of conceiving. They have turned into the ultimate hippy power couple!"
Eva Mendes 'nipple Slip' Upsets Tv Censors.
Sexy Eva Mendes knows why her new Calvin Klein perfume ad caused such a stir - it featured a little "nipple slippage".
Few people have seen the Secret Obsession promo because it was pulled from U.S. TV networks last month (Aug08) before it aired for being too provocative.
And Mendes thinks she knows what all the fuss is about.
She says, "I was rolling around in bed for the commercial spot and I had a little situation - one of the girls (breasts) wanted to say hello... Basically, I had a nipple slippage and it made the commercial cut because it was so natural and so beautiful and it was very quick.
"(Yet) the censors wouldn't have me for it (sic) and they pulled it."
The actress admits she's a little upset the sexy ad won't be seen on TV: "We can show guns everywhere and stuff but we can't show a woman's nipple; that's a bit backwards to me."
In seperate news the Hollywood actress Eva Mendes is terrified of paparazzi car chases - insisting some photographers go too far by driving dangerously in a bid to get a picture.
Mendes is often the focus of snappers when she is out and about in Los Angeles, and while she accepts that dealing with the media scrum is a part of life as a celebrity, she is adamant that some should take more care, especially on the road.
She says, "I've been followed and it's scary. You're a young woman alone in your car and you have a few guys in Suvs (sports utility vehicles) following you that won't let up. And the scary part is that they actually run red lights.
"I hate it when people say 'You're in this business, that's what you have to deal with'. No. You don't have to deal with harassment. You have to deal with your life being somewhat public.
"I heard George Clooney talking a few months ago about how he was being followed on a motorcycle and they were running lights and almost getting into accidents with other people and I've totally experienced that."
Friday, September 5, 2008
Britney Spears' first love revealed
Britney Spears' first lover has come forward.
Reg Jones, now 30, has been revealed as the man who the 'Gimme More' singer lost her virginity to at the age of 14.
The troubled star's mother Lynne outed him in her tell-all book 'Through The Storm' which claims the former high school American football star had sex with the singer when he was 17.
The jilted lover - who Britney dumped for 'SexyBack' singer Justin Timberlake - admits he still thinks of the pop star and keeps a picture of his ex wearing a black bra.
He is quoted by Britain's Daily Star newspaper as saying: "We were madly in love and Britney was very passionate. I'd often stay over at her house and we'd fool around like any young couple.
"Although there was a couple of years difference in our age, it didn't seem to matter.
"She was everything a boy could have wanted - great-looking, always laughing and liked by everyone.
"One time she called me from Los Angeles, saying, 'Guess who I've just beaten at ping-pong? Leo DiCaprio.' How do you compete with that?"
Lynne's book also reveals how Britney - who broke down in tears when she found out her most intimate secrets were to be published - took drugs at 15 and started drinking aged 13.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Britney Spears' wild teen years
Britney Spears had sex at 14 and started taking drugs aged 15, according to her mother.
Lynne Spears' shocking revelations also include claims Britney began drinking at 13 and was introduced to drugs when she went to Los Angeles to record her first hit.
The 'Toxic' singer was even allegedly caught with cocaine and cannabis on a private jet when she was just 16.
Dispelling claims Britney lost her virginity to her former pop star boyfriend Justin Timberlake, Lynne says in her book 'Through the Storm' her daughter first had sex with an 18-year-old American football player while she attended her local high school in Kentwood, Louisiana, for a year before becoming a teen pop star.
Lynne admits she allowed Britney, aged 16, to sleep with Justin.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Lynne thought Britney was in love and Justin was good for her."
Lynne claims her daughter experimented with alcohol after joining Disney TV show 'The Mickey Mouse Club'.
Lynne - who has had a turbulent relationship with Britney since she split from ex-husband Kevin Federline in 2006 - admits in the memoir she regrets handing control of Britney's career over to her managers and allowing her to be promoted as a sex object at the age of 17 in the music promo for 'Baby One More Time'.
Lynne, 53, believes Britney's behaviour as a teenage star led to her public breakdown earlier this year, which involved her being put in a psychiatric hospital twice and losing custody of her two children, Sean Preston, almost three, and Jayden James, 23 months.
Retired actress Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson has no plans to return to acting.
The singer - who starred as Daisy Duke in movie 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and has since appeared in films including 'Blonde Ambition' and 'Employee of the Month' - admits she has lost her appetite for the industry following the lack of interest in her latest movie ventures.
She said: "I'm not closing that chapter of my life by any means. But I am all about the music right now. When it comes to acting, it's got to feel right for me at this point in my life.
"It's got to just be a really incredible director and production with an awesome studio and great cast. But for me right now Jessica Simpson is music."
Jessica - who will soon release her debut country album 'Do You Know' - also revealed she began to lose confidence in her vocal talents following her shambolic performance of Dolly Parton's '9 To 5'.
She added: "You know, what happened at Kennedy Center, I really thought I was done singing. I was just at a place where I'd lost a lot of confidence and I didn't even know who I was. But Dolly totally took me under her wing and helped me up and over the cares of the world.
"It went from the Kennedy Center to her being a part of this record and getting letters from her of encouragement. She told me she's never been more proud of anything in her whole life. And I have it written down in her handwriting! I do owe a lot of my confidence to her."
The 28-year-old star added she now wants to inspire other young singers.
She told E! News: "On stage, when I say, 'Thank you for giving me a second chance,' I feel like I'm having a comeback. I'm on solid ground again. They can look to me for inspiration. I want to be a role model."
Monday, September 1, 2008
Reporter proposes to Charlize Theron
New York, Aug 31 (IANS) “Monster” star Charlize Theron was embarrassed by a reporter at the Venice Film Festival in Italy when he asked the actress to marry him.The Oscar winner was promoting her new film “The Burning Plain” at a press conference in Venice when the unnamed reporter plucked up courage to pop the question. He also quizzed her about sleeping arrangements, reports hollywood.com.
He asked: “I really like you so much and have a lot of respect for you, but I would like to marry you, and I have a question: which side (of the bed) do you prefer to sleep on?”
The quick-thinking actress replied: “The side that you are not on,” before joking, “Security! Security! Security!”
She then added: “You are very cute, but you know my boyfriend will kill you.”
Theron’s is dating Irish actor Stuart Townsend.
She then further confused the world’s press by stating, “I am married, I am taken, whatever.”
Theron and Townsend have never officially wed, but the pair has always maintained they feel like a married couple.
