Kate Gosselin has a new book, "I Just Want You to Know," scheduled for release in April.
Christian book publisher Zondervan said Tuesday the book features excerpts, prayers and memories from Gosselin's journal, offering readers a look at her life during the three years her family went from obscurity to fame on TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
Zondervan says the book includes eight individual letters, one addressed to each one of her children, covering a variety of topics.
"Jon & Kate Plus 8" filmed the lives of the Gosselins and their eight children -- twins and sextuplets -- at their home in Wernersville, Pa. Their marriage dissolved, and the show ended last year.
Gosselin is the author of "Multiple Bles8ings" and "Eight Little Faces."
After months of "Idol" speculation, we get our first glimpse of the newest judge, Ellen DeGeneres, as Hollywood Week, and the annual culling of the herd, commences Tuesday night. And, like fans of the show everywhere, we're wondering: Is Ellen too nice? And can "Idol" support two megastars?
Ellen might indeed be nice, but recent reports of her complaints about Simon's "prima donna" ways indicate that she's not afraid to take on the king of nastiness. And after a career of huge highs and precipitous falls, she's more than equipped to handle whatever the show, or Simon, or hordes of teary, warbly teenagers throw her way.
Many years ago, there was a show called "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson — quite apart and significantly more influential than today's "The Tonight Show" with [insert name here]. So those of you under 30 will have to take our word for it: when Ellen appeared on the show in 1986 as a stand-up and was asked by Johnny to talk after her set, it was a really big deal.
Ellen's career was launched as other stand-ups were getting their own sitcoms (Roseanne, Jerry Seinfeld), but it was almost 10 years of random gigs in television and movies before ABC green-lit "Ellen" (and they wouldn't even call it "Ellen" at first; it was "These Friends of Mine"). The show was in most respects what any network could ask for: consistent. If it was never a Top 10 hit or particularly groundbreaking, neither was it troublesome for the family oriented network of "Full House" and "Boy Meets World."
Of course, as we know, it didn't stay that way. Tabloids had for years hounded Ellen about her sexuality, a more or less open secret within the comic community, but certainly not something she'd spoken of publicly. In 1997 Ellen confirmed what everyone really knew anyway, and strangely enough the world didn't end. The problems arose when Ellen the character came out of the closet as well.
It must have seemed like a great idea, but the execution was poor. After a clever and interesting start ("The Puppy Episode"), the show lagged. Whether or not it became "too gay," as some critics would charge, it just wasn't funny, and ABC allowed the show to wither another year before it dropped the ax.
Then... nothing. It's one thing to patiently pay your dues while awaiting your big break; it's quite another to be on top and fall into oblivion, and it had to be terrifying. For about four years Ellen threw herself back into stand-up, where she had complete control over content and delivery. In 2001 she appeared in a short-lived CBS sitcom, but her real return to the public eye was as host of the Emmy Awards that November.
After much network hemming and hawing about the appropriateness of hosting a silly awards show so soon after the September 11 attacks, Ellen immediately relieved any tension or misgivings with a routine that seemed to effortlessly flow with the tone of the moment, most memorably with the line: "What would bug the Taliban more than seeing a gay woman in a suit surrounded by Jews?"
Following a successful HBO special, Ellen reemerged with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," her current syndicated talk show. It's easy to forget, in light of its success, both critically and ratings-wise, that even after a strong Emmy Awards showing the talk show was a gamble. No one knew whether Americans would really accept a gay person (and not a flouncy gay character but an actual gay person!) in their living rooms every day. But it was a great format for Ellen, whose comedy was always more observational than personal-life oriented, and her daytime audiences loved her gentle teasing and playfulness. We'll see if prime-time "Idol" fans feel the same way tonight.
After months of anticipation, the former backup dancer and ex-Mr. Britney Spears made his debut on the new season of Vh1’s “Celebrity Fit Club.” K-Fed will compete with seven other “celebrities” willing to exchange their pride for a monetary prize.
The show kicked off with a hilarious scene where the contestants hop on a bus to meet their trainer, drill sergeant Harvey Walden, at the “Fit Club” bootcamp barracks.
Jude Law and Sienna Miller, the couple whose split was 2005's biggest gossip story, is ready to move in together after spending four years apart.
The Hollywood couple split when Sienna, 28, learned Jude, 37, had been cheating on her with Daisy Wright, his children’s 26-year-old nanny. Friends tell us the two got back together for good over the holidays and Jude would like Sienna to move in with him.
Hollywood Week starts next Tuesday! *squeal* But until then, we've got the usual shenanigans of our Idols and their ever-expanding universe to keep us entertained.
Howard Stern to Replace Simon?
"Idol" produces want to bring in shock jock Howard Stern to fill the empty seat at the judges table when Simon Cowell leaves at the end of this season, according to a Friday report in the New York Post. Stern undoubtedly would provide a nasty foil to Ellen DeGeneres' niceness, and his $100-million-dollar-a-year contract with Sirius XM is up next year. But even fans who adore Simon's sharp tongue might find the controversial radio host too brash for prime time.
This week Kelly Clarkson shot off an angry response to Taylor Swift's label boss, who'd defended Swift's widely criticized Grammy performance with a swipe at "Idol": "This is not 'American Idol.' This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note."
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have had a rocky romance the last 4 months, but friends tell Fox 411 that the couple has recommitted to making it work in the new year.
It seems despite breakups and disagreements, Justin decided that Jessica is worth the work their relationship will take.
"Things began taking a turn for the worse for Jess and Justin around the MTV Video Music Awards in September. Justin was staying in New York by himself, working a lot and going out with his friends. He and Jess took some time apart through the fall while she was working, but stayed in touch via phone. They visited each other a little bit and Jess missed Justin, but she was willing to give him space. It really worked out because by the time the holidays were coming, Justin was back and focused on Jess!"
On the heels of rumors that she and the latter are something more than friends, Taylor Swift has a word of warning to any guy who may do her wrong. She's in song writing mode, and this country crooner likes to get personal with her lyrics.
“Writing for my record is like opening up my diary for the last two years, so we’ll see what it says. It’s not over yet,” she told FOX411's Pop Tarts column. “(Guys will have to watch out) if they do questionable, mean or bad things.”
This past year has certainly been a crazy upward ride for Swift, who in 2009 won the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, and this week added a bunch of shiny Grammys.
“It’s been so great, I just had some time off over the last couple of weeks to reflect on everything and think how lucky I have been over the year, and I’ve been writing a lot for the next album,” she told Pop Tarts. “As I am looking back I’m always in the present and I’m looking forward at the same time.”
But one thing the talented youngster is enjoying is looking at billboards of herself.
“I’m very excited about the movie ("Valentine’s Day"),” she gushed. “It is crazy driving down the streets of LA and seeing a movie poster with my face on it!”
Looks like "American Idol" gave "Big Mike" a second chance.
Last month, it was widely reported that Orlando contestant Michael "Big Mike" Lynche, 26, was cut from the competition after violating a confidentiality agreement.
Big Mike, the personal trainer whom Kara described as a "singing teddy bear" in Wednesday night's final auditions episode, was reportedly booted after his father revealed to his local Florida paper that Michael had made the top 24.
Pamela Anderson will be joining the new season of “Dancing With the Stars,” according to a new report from RadarOnline.com.
The former “Baywatch” and “Stacked” star is no stranger to television, but few fans have seen Anderson apply her dancing skills in a competitive atmosphere.
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