The Bachelor returned last night – and America’s “Most Hated Bachelor” returned with 30 women vying for his affection. First, I have to say that I don’t understand why he’s the most hated man in Bachelor’s history. It makes me crazy that everyone hates him for doing the right thing! He didn’t love either girls – so why choose them! Wasn’t he ultimately doing both girls a favor by breaking up with them early on – rather than lead them on for months? Drives me nuts.

Second – how awkward was last night’s 2-hour episode! The arrivals were painful to watch – Brad was awkward and weird. The girls are for the most part completely crazy. When several of the girls claimed they would love him – and want to marry him – even before they knew who the Bachelor was…was just plain creepy. The brief meeting between Brad and the girls exiting the limo makes me embarrassed for them all. How weird to have that first impression caught on tape – for millions to watch.

So does Brad find true love this time around? According to Pop Eater, ABC made Brad guarantee a proposal in the end!

“Everyone knows reality TV isn’t very real, however, promising that you will find a wife before you even meet the contestants is a new low,” a TV executive tells me. “It makes total sense to bring Brad back for a second chance and it will totally result in huge ratings. I just hope the woman are in on this deal as well.”

Brad insisted throughout the first episode and the press interviews leading up to last night’s debut that he was “a changed man.”

After three years of therapy and self-reflection, he discovered he was a commitment-phobe that tended to push people away before they could hurt him. However, friends of the bachelor tell me Brad’s problem isn’t a fear of intimacy but rather his love of fame.

“Brad was dying to get back on TV,” a friend of the Texas native tells me. “He hasn’t done anything since he was the ‘Bachelor’ and missed the cameras and the attention every single day. Now, he can pretend for America that he is falling in love all over again and in the process make a ton of cash.”

The girls this season are – call me crazy – 99% crazy! There are a couple girls that seem cute (single mom Emily, who lost her fiance in the plane crash) but for the most part – I just kept thinking – where does ABC find these girls? A girl with fangs? Seriously? When Brad kept her last night – that just goes to show that this is pure entertainment. Brad can’t possibly really be looking for love. Fame is more like it.

This season looks to be even more staged and fake than ever. Of course that won’t keep me from watching it, but I’m just saying it looks like it’s going to be a bit painful to tune in every week.

What did you think of last night’s episode?

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Fergie and husband Josh Duhamel were spotted leaving Nikki Beach last night in St. Barts.

The happy couple spent some time at the exclusive beach club, before heading out and stopping to pose for pictures with fans.

Yesterday Fergie was pictured in a gold bikini while yachting.

Bauer Griffin

Actress Vivica A. Fox got engaged over the weekend to her much-younger boyfriend, Omar “Slim” White.

Page Six reports her boyfried, a 27-year-old concert promoter, proposed on December 26 with an 8-karat rock. The couple were spending their holidays at the Ritz Carlton in Miami Beach.

Fox, 46, showed off the ring at LeBron James 26th birthday party a few days later.

Fox told ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ in December that she and Atlanta native White are hoping to have a baby in 2011.

“My career has been my baby for such a long time and I’ve done well by that,” she said. “I waited for God to send me a good man, and he’s a good Southern man.”

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A lipstick covered Justin Bieber graces the February cover of Vanity Fair. In the interview he opens up about what it’s like to be poor ol’ Biebs.

On his mind:

“I’m crazy, I’m nuts. Just the way my brain works. I’m not normal. I think differently – my mind is always racing. I’m just … nuts. But I think the best [musicians] probably are.”

On staying sane:

“It’s hard to really balance myself. A regular kid, if he catches the flu, he just gets to go home. But I can’t do that…. Everything is important. But, you know, my sanity is important, too. Even if I’m angry, I’ll just put a smile on my face and fake it.”

On his insomnia:

“I just turn over all night and think. My mind races. I think about all the things I didn’t have time to think about during the day – like family and God and things that should be more important but you don’t have time to think about, because you just get caught up [in everything else] during the day.”

At least he’s not letting fame get to his head:

“Not trying to be arrogant, but if I walked down the street and a girl saw me, she might take a look back because maybe I’m good-looking, right?”

On liking black artists – but for their music, not their color:

“Music is music, and I’m definitely influenced by Michael Jackson and Boyz II Men and people who were black artists—that’s what I like. But I like their voices and I like how they entertain—it’s not about what color they are.”

Read more here!

Gwyneth Paltrow stopped by the Jimmy Fallon last night to promote her new movie, ‘Country Strong’. While she was there to promote her new movie, something tells me all anyone is going to be talking about is this 90′s music video she performed with Jimmy Fallon.

Last time Paltrow appeared on the show, she and Fallon joked about a made up group they claimed to be in the 80′s, called Shazzazz. This time, she and Fallon made three separate, hilarious videos for spoof songs called, ‘Let’s Do It,’ “Do It Again,’ and ‘We Did It.’

I laughed my butt off!

Source

Lindsay Lohan’s new place in Venice, CA doesn’t just have great views … it’s also conveniently located right next door to her ex-girlfriend Samantha Ronson.

Interestingly, Samantha arrived back home yesterday – as a crew was moving Lindsay in.

Lindsay’s renting the 3,100 sq. foot place in Venice, CA for just under $7,100 a month — and it comes with 4 bedrooms, 4 toilets and an awesome view.

SEE PICTURES FROM INSIDE LINDSAY’S NEW HOME HERE!

I sure hope they’re on friendly terms – or this is just creepy.

Bauer Griffin, TMZ

Earlier today I reported that ‘No Doubt’ was gearing up for the release of a new album in 2011. Well, from the sounds of it – they’re already in the studio! The group tweeted these pictures of Gwen Stefani and fellow ‘No Doubt’ band member, Tony.

First day in the studio!!! Yummmmmmm:) First day in the studio!!! Yummmmmmm:)

Here’s what guitarist Tom has to say about the new album!

We worked (in a little studio) most of last year writing songs. We ‘demo’ them as we write, which is like making rough draft recordings.

At one point we did go into a ‘real’ studio last year in May I think to really record some of them for the final album versions.

But we didn’t finish those songs completely in that session. After that we resumed in the writing studio and wrote more tunes during the rest of last year.

Now, starting today, we’re back in a real studio really recording again. Excitedly!

There are two new ND babies coming soon, mine and Tony’s, so there will be a little delay for that.

This process does take us awhile, it always has. Plus life is a little more complicated and busy than it was before we all had kids etc.

So the goal is to write a couple songs more this year and of course finish recording all of them.

We’re really really happy with the new songs and feel this great sense of momentum going into the new year.

Tom