Rob Kardashian calls Blac Chyna's bluff on child support claim
Rob Kardashian has a theory about Blac Chyna's recent claim he's not paying child support. In a nutshell, he thinks she's intentionally provoking him for legal reasons. On Father's Day, Chyna posted "wow Tyga and Rob … no child support …" on Instagram Stories, calling out the exes with whom she shares a King Cairo (Tyga) and Dream (Rob). But a source tells TMZ Rob "never skips a visit" with Dream and has been dutifully paying his child support, though he is trying to get it reduced from $20,000 a month. According to TMZ's insider, Rob believes Chyna's post was meant to provoke him to attack her on social media, which would be a violation of the terms of their custody agreement.
RELATED: Celebrity splits of 2018
Kanye West is a 'very different' version of himself today than he was a few weeks ago
Kanye West's work-focused exile in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, may have been just what the doctor ordered. This spring, Yeezy issued a slew of statements and tweets that had some worried he was struggling with mental health issues again. Having completed much of the work on five new projects out West, however, the rapper and producer is reportedly in a much better headspace than he had been when he told TMZ slavery was a "choice" in the United States and posed for a photo in a "Make America great again" hat. "Kanye has been so busy with all the new albums," a Kanye insider tells Us Weekly. "Kanye is very clear, super focused right now. The version of him today is very different than the one we saw a few weeks ago. He's focused on his craft right now and is excited [about] how much everyone is liking his new music." In addition to his own new album, "Ye," Yeezy's been working on "Kids See Ghosts" with Kid Cudi, plus three albums on which he served as a producer.
RELATED: Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen troll Kanye West on Twitter
Jennifer Garner is reportedly dating again
Has Jennifer Garner been quietly dating someone in recent months? Though she's said she's single and not ready to date again, Jen's Father's Day tribute to her ex, Ben Affleck, sparked Celebitchy to reprint a quote given to Us Weekly in April that casually mentioned the actress was seeing someone. "A few weeks before the kids' spring break, Jen decided along with Ben that she would spend a bit more time on the island [in Hawaii with him] than she originally planned," a source told the mag at the time. "This was only done because of the kids. Ben and Jen are spending no time together alone without their kids, this absolutely isn't a romantic trip for them. Ben is very serious with Lindsay [Shookus], and Jen is enjoying dating a very special someone back in Los Angeles." The insider never elaborated on who the special someone might be …
RELATED: New celeb couples of 2018
Miranda Lambert: 'I am honest about being flawed'
For Miranda Lambert, songwriting serves as therapy. The singer, who battled rumors that she started dating Evan Felker while one or both of them were still involved with other people, recently opened up to HITS Daily Double about channeling her personal life through her music. "2015 pushed me into a writing mode I've never been in before," she said in reference to the year she split from her now ex-husband, Blake Shelton (via People). "It's very humbling to be hurt, and I have to be honest. My fans expect that from me. I was going through a divorce very publicly, and thank the Lord I am a writer. That meant I could find some way to deal with it, that people could say, 'I get it — I've been there too.' And 'It's why I related to you because I went through the same thing,' It made me feel so alone, as much as it does anybody else. " she continued. As for her new double album, "The Weight of These Wings," she says, "There's fun stuff on there too. I feel like I've captured the seven stages of grief, but it took me 24 songs to get there," adding that she sees no alternative but to accept herself. "I am who I am. I am honest about being flawed. That's all I can be, you know? I cuss. I drink. I get divorced and get my heart broken. I break hearts," she admits. "With social media, it's a whole other thing. And it's such bulls—. I'm thankful for the drama of it all because it gets sillier and sillier … They make up so many lies, no one can know the truth. The truth is it's in my music if you listen close enough," Lambert explained. "I took three months off all socials in 2015. I loved it. I realized I wasn't picking up my phone looking at Twitter and Instagram. I wrote 75 songs in six months because I wasn't using my mind staring at mindless s—. I took a week off a little while ago, and it felt so good."
Asia Argento gets back to work a week after Anthony Bourdain's death
From her "stayin' alive"-captioned selfie to her "legends never die" T-shirt, Asia Argento's Instagram has been filling up with posts that suggest she's determined to stay strong as she and countless others mourn the June 8 death of her boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain. The New York Post noticed Asia's back to work at "X Factor Italia" this week and sharing videos and photos that show her making the best of being on the set of the Italian spinoff. But she's also dealing with a plethora of negativity and even threats from trolls, which might explain the "body guardians" and "protectors" pic she posted of herself with security guards on either side of her. Asia also clarified her post from a few hours before Anthony's suicide was announced, in which she wore a T-shirt that read "F— everyone" and bore the caption "you know who you are." Though it was construed to have been related to Anthony's death, she explained this week it was a reference to her #MeToo-focused Cannes Film Festival speech. After telling the crowd she was raped by Harvey Weinstein in 1997, she looked into the audience. "And even tonight, sitting among you, there are those that need to be held accountable for their conduct against women for behavior that does not belong in this industry, does not belong in any industry or workplace," she said. "You know who you are. But most importantly, we know who you are, and we're not going to allow you to get away with it any longer." On Instagram, she explained, "It was exactly that. The Cannes speech. 'You know who you are.' Why are these sick people twisting truth into morbid fantasies?" Finally, on Monday, June 17, she posted a photo of a pice of paper that read, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always."
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan to visit Ireland next month
Ireland-bound! Royal newlyweds Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are slated to take their first official trip to the Emerald Isle next month when they head to Dublin on July 10. The couple will spend two days in the city, according to the Kensington Palace Twitter feed, and are "looking forward to learning more about Ireland's history and experiencing its rich culture, as well as meeting the people who are shaping the country's future." The palace recently announced Harry and Meghan plan to tour Australia, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Tonga and Fiji this fall.
Frances Bean Cobain lists Hollywood Hills home for $2.7M
Now that she and her ex, Isaiah Silva, have reached a property settlement in their nasty divorce proceedings, Frances Bean Cobain is looking to sell her house in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles. Variety reports the artist and model has listed the vintage Spanish-style home for $2.695 million, which would turn her a small profit, as she bought the pad for $1.825 million in 2011. The four bedroom, three-and-a-half bath pad was built in 1930 and features a separate, two-car garage that's been transformed into a recording studio. In 2010, Frances reportedly inherited 37 percent of her father, Kurt Cobain's estate, which pays her more than $100,000 a month.
Was XXXtentacion's death a planned murder?
The family of rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot and killed in Florida while leaving a motorcycle store on Monday, June 18, believes the 20-year-old's death was a planned murder. "This was not random," a source told The Blast. Other insiders have agreed, telling the website they think the official claim that he was shot during a botched robbery doesn't hold water. While it's unclear who might have wanted him dead, the New York Post reports XXXTentacion was facing a domestic violence trial as well as charges related to alleged harassment and witness tampering. The late rapper's death has already caused a shock wave in the music industry. "Rest in peace I never told you how much you inspired me when you were here thank you for existing," Kanye West tweeted after learning he'd been shot. Diplo, J. Cole and Travis Barker, among others, have also memorialized XXXTentacion on social media in the wake of his death.
Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer offer a closer look at the truth about factory farming
Longtime vegan Natalie Portman is busy promoting "Eating Animals," a new documentary she produced with writer Jonathan Safran Foer based on his book of the same name. "The focus of the film is these farming practices that we've lost — the traditional, really American ways that really pay attention to the beauty and the detail and the hard work it takes, and the respect for the land and animals that's really being disrespected," Natalie tells the Associated Press (via the New York Post). Explaining that she and Jonathan didn't want to make a film that was too upsetting or repugnant for people to sit through, she says there are alternatives to the factory farm system and the many issues it raises and problems it creates. "There is definitely a new generation who is paying a lot more attention to this and we do see the possibility for people questioning and overturning the status quo in a short amount of time," she says. The film urges viewers to consider skipping the meat they don't consider essential as part of the solution to cutting down on the use of factory farming.
Janelle Monae talks choosing freedom over fear in Allure
Just in time for the Fourth of July, the new issue of Allure takes a look at what freedom means in 2018. Inside, the magazine's cover star, Janelle Monae, opens up about "choosing freedom over fear" and tackling sociopolitical issues in her music. She also dismisses the notion that celebs have no right to take part in conversations about what's happening in the U.S. these days. "You strip away the makeup, the costumes, and everything you know about Janelle Monáe the artist, and I'm still the African-American, queer woman who grew up with poor, working-class parents. When I walk off a stage, I have to deal with these confrontations. I have to deal with being afraid for my family," she explains. Janelle also stands by her proclivity for speaking her mind. "There's lots of fears that I have about just living openly and freely and criticizing those who are in the position of power. You just never know. You never know what could happen when you are outspoken. It's a risk. It's a risk that I've prayed on and I'm willing to take," she says.