Is Megyn Kelly trying to land the first post-scandal interview with Harvey Weinstein?
Facing poor ratings on "Today," Megyn Kelly is determined to make a splash by getting the first TV interview with Harvey Weinstein since his ouster from the Weinstein Company and Hollywood, in general, amid allegations he raped, assaulted and harassed multiple women over the years. Harvey is reportedly seeking treatment for his behavior in Arizona. When he's ready for the spotlight again, sources tell Life&Style, Megyn wants the first crack at talking to him on-camera. "She and her staff on Megyn Kelly Today are pulling out all the stops to try to make this interview happen," says an insider. "Megyn's been making the case to Harvey's team that she is the perfect choice to do the interview. She says he needs to come clean to a female journalist and answer the hard questions if he's ever going to rehabilitate his image." The source adds the Fox-turned-NBC News star has already contacted those closest to Harvey, including his lawyer, daughter and estranged wife, Georgina Chapman. "Everyone wants the first interview with Harvey — it'll be a ratings monster," says the source. "Megyn needs a huge get."
RELATED: The top celebrity stories of 2017
Meghan Markle will join Prince Harry in London for Christmas before the two head off on vacation
Meghan Markle may have missed out on the British caroling expedition where her fiance, Prince Harry, found himself singing Christmas songs at the same venue as his ex, Cressida Bonas, but Harry and Meghan won't be apart for long. According to E! News, the actress and soon-to-be new royal was in Los Angeles visiting her mom while Harry attended to his duties in London. A source tells the website Meghan's expected to join Harry in London for Christmas at Sandringham before the two depart on a sunny vacation. In the meantime, the couple are reportedly happy to keep using their tried-and-true way of dealing with long distance romance — daily texting and Facetiming, which an insider says has "played a huge role in their relationship." Harry and Meghan are reportedly set to say their "I dos" in May 2018.
Allison Janney gives Anna Faris' new man two thumbs up
Allison Janney and Anna Faris have a special friendship thanks to their costarring roles on "Mom." So when Allison gives Anna's new boyfriend two thumbs up, we gotta assume it's serious. "She's such an amazing … I can't believe all the stuff she does, in addition to 'Mom' she has her podcast and she teaches a class at USC and she's got her new man who she seems—she seems just great, she's really doing well and I'm so happy for her," Allison gushed to E! News at a recent junket for her new film, "I, Tonya." As for the guy — cinematographer Michael Barrett, whom Anna traveled to Venice with last month, Allison said she just wants to see Anna feeling good. "I met him once, he seems really lovely," Allison said. "I don't know him, but I'm happy for her. If she's happy, I'm happy." Anna and her ex, Chris Pratt, filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, earlier this fall, a few months after announcing they'd split.
RELATED: New celebrity couples of 2017
John Mayer resurfaces after appendectomy
Atta boy! Dead and Company postponed its scheduled performances in New Orleans and Florida this week after John Mayer was hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy in the Big Easy on Dec. 5. The day after the surgery, he surfaced on social media and shared this not-so-glam shot from what looks like his hospital bathroom. "Still got it," he captioned the shot. On Twitter, he shared a few more words about the unexpected change of plans. "Thank you everyone for the well wishes. Had surgery yesterday and woke up to see some amazingly kind and loving tweets," he wrote. "I'm so sorry that we couldn't finish out the last few dates of the tour. This band and these shows mean the world to me. Love you all dearly."
Matt Lauer is still wearing his wedding ring while refocusing life on family and golf in the Hamptons: Report
When Matt Lauer addressed multiple allegations he's harassed and assaulted women in his workplace at "Today" over the decades, he said, "Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I'm committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full-time job." The job appears to come with a few pretty nice perks, though. A source tells the New York Post the former anchor "has no intention in returning to public life." Instead, the insider says, "he plans to disappear and play golf." He's reportedly heading in that direction this week in the Hamptons, where he initially retreated from controversy around his firing from "Today" to spend time with his family. "He wants to be a regular Joe. To play golf and stay in the Hamptons. He has no intention of mounting a Billy Bush-style comeback campaign. He is going to stick to his one statement and not address the allegations further," said the Post's source. Meanwhile, his wife, Annette Roque, has reportedly taken her wedding ring off amid rumors she does not plan to reconcile. Annette's father has said she plans to end the marriage, according to the Post. Matt is reportedly still hoping to focus on his family. He's also still wearing his wedding, according to the tab.
Reese Witherspoon, David Fincher sued for 'Gone Girl'
A writer named Leslie Weller is ready to take Reese Witherspoon and David Fincher to court. TMZ reports Leslie is suing the actress/producer and director over "Gone Girl," which she claims was based on a screenplay she wrote in 2005 called "Out of the Blue." According to TMZ, Leslie believes someone stole her idea for a marriage in which the wife is not who she seems to be — and eventually turns out to be a dangerous mastermind of a plan to take down her husband — and wrote the 2012 book about it. She reportedly believes the screenplay for the movie was essentially stolen from her idea, as well. She cites details such as the development of the audience's relationship with the main characters and the way the husband eventually becomes seen as awful by the end, as more similarities that seem to go beyond a mere coincidence. Leslie is also suing the book's author, Gillian Flynn.
Sia: 'I feel very protective of' Maddie Ziegler
"If fame is so damaging, why pass it on to a child?" A headline in the Guardian asked that question in relation to Sia, who's currently on tour with Maddie Ziegler, the 15-year-old dancer who's starred in her videos since Sia noticed her on "Dance Moms" when Maddie was 11. In a series of tweets, Sia acknowledged it's her responsibility to be aware that Maddie is, in the words of the Guardian's writer, "exposed" in Sia's show while Sia herself remains hidden. "This article poses a question I have asked myself often. I do check in with Maddie weekly about whether she wants this, and assure her if she ever wants it to stop it stops," Sia tweeted this week (via the Daily Mail). "It's a conversation we should all be having. Not just myself, but all directors, stage parents and agents … with their children, clients, charges. Maddie was already famous when I discovered her, but I have certainly expanded her exposure and feel responsible for that." She went on to explain what factors into her dealing with Maddie as a tourmate. "'I feel very protective of her and my goal is to empower her in whatever choices she makes. Some would argue a teenager can't or shouldn't be charged with making sound choices for themselves and so I do try to choose the best for her always. But I think this is an important conversation," she tweeted. "What I learned from Maddie is that fame affects her differently than how it affected me. I can only trust that she is telling me the truth. If that changes, we stop." Speaking to News Corp. recently, Maddie admitted she had no idea her appearance in the "Chandelier" video would blossom into a full-time job. "I didn't know exactly who she was that well, being 11," Maddie said. "So when I met her I was 'Wow, she's so incredible'. I thought I would do this one video and never see her again. But we became a dynamic duo." In 2015, Sia found herself at the center of a torrent of controversy when viewers of her "Elastic Heart" video took issue with the fact that Maddie, then 12, was seen in a nude leotard fighting with Shia LaBeouf.
Lindsay Lohan talks 'Mean Girls' reunion dreams, music plans and more
Lindsay Lohan is reportedly taking meetings about potential film projects while she's home in New York City for the holidays, and it sounds like she wouldn't mind if one of those projects involved revisiting "Mean Girls." A new take on the hit Tina Fey film is headed to Broadway. And while Lindsay admitted she had only just heard about the forthcoming musical, she told E! News she'd love to see the original movie's stars reunited. "We need Rachel McAdams! We need the whole cast back!" she said at a holiday party this week. "I'd love to do it again. We had so much fun making it. Mark Waters is such a great director, Tina Fey is an amazing writer, Paramount was great to work with — we all had a blast." Lindsay, who now lives in Dubai, also said she hasn't given up on music. "I love writing. The thing is, with me, when I'm acting, I always have headphones on, because that really helps me get the character that I'm about to play. So, it has always played a very strong role in my life. And music can make you feel anything," she said, noting she'd love to work with Ed Sheeran or Eminem. "Nothing's set in stone," she said. "We'll see what happens while I'm in New York — what we can get done." It doesn't sound like her visit to the States will last very long, though. "For me, I prefer to come back to America when I'm working or to see family, because then there's no noise around when I'm back here, because you have no privacy. So, I like having my private life and feeling safe, and I feel very safe in Dubai," Lindsay said. "And it's very convenient for me to see the family I work with in Istanbul when I'm there; I have a lot of projects I'm working on that will take place/are filming there. It's a really, really beautiful world. I spend a lot of time in Phuket; I hide away a lot, I do meditation and I like to explore. That's who I am." Asked if there's a special guy in her life, Lindsay assured E! she's single, quipping, "I'm married to the UAE."
Leonardo DiCaprio negotiates for a six-figure Basquiat at Art Basel Miami
Leonardo DiCaprio is in full art collector mode at Art Basel Miami this week. The New York Post reports the actor was spotted having an intense, 45-minute-long discussion about about the cost of an $850,000 drawing by Michel Basquiat called "Wire." He reportedly spent over an hour checking out the work at the Van de Weghe booth during a VIP preview on Wednesday, Dec. 6. When he started talking price, he was accompanied by an art advisor named Lisa Schiff. "It seemed like they had a plan beforehand," said a snitch. "They brought the work into a private room with Leo, the advisor, and slowly the hat-clad entourage also poured in." Also on hand? Two blonde models (because Leo). What good is art if it can't be shared?
Are Billy Bush, Sydney Davis working things out?
In September, news surfaced that Billy Bush and his wife, Sydney Davis, had separated after 20 years of marriage. Now, it seems as if they may already be on a path to fixing things. "They are trying to reconcile and it seems like they're making progress. They're working on it," an insider tells the New York Post. he update comes on the heels of rumors Billy may have been involved with his former "Access Hollywood" coworker Tara Bernie, whom he was seen holding hands with this week. "We're friends. I was his producer for 15 years at 'Access'… He was walking me to get my Uber," Tara assured the tab. Billy's lawyer also denied the cheating rumors and said Billy and Sydney are on a"short-term break." Said another insider: "Billy still has his wedding ring on."