Celebrity Roundup: Blind Items

What z-list celebrity gossip blogger was seeing skipping work yesterday to see The Avengers? Rumor around the Twitterverse is that she and her whole geek squad team at work were invited on a team building exercise by their boss. 

And it ain’t…

Did you figure out that blind item yet? Oh, it’s me. For sure. And that foreally happened yesterday because my boss is a kind soul and superhero movie lover.

And now it’s Friday.He’s a smart cookie, all giving us some much needed down time so we can ramp back up for the one less than productive day of the week. Well played, boss. Well played.

Let’s talk about blind items. Ted Casablanca. Lainey Gossip. Page 6. I’m not very good at guessing, but when big stories come out about marriages, divorces and sex scandals, I love digging through the archives and trying to match them up.

There are some potentially juicy blind items to uncover after this week’s stories, so let’s get started.

First, John Travolta. Oh, John. Johnnny. JT.

John Travolta was sued by two masseurs this week who both claimed the actor sexually harassed and fondled them during in-room hotel massages in Los Angeles.

The first masseur claimed that on January 16, 2012, a rep for Travolta answered his web ad and demanded full confidentiality (including no photographs, autographs or video) in return for a $200 per hour in-room massage at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The masseur, known in the lawsuit as “John Doe,” believes John Travolta himself picked him up in a black Lexus SUV littered with chocolate cake wrappers and condoms.

Then they went to the hotel and lots of things happened. I’m trying to wash my eyes out from reading it still.

Then another masseur, who is being represented by the same lawyer as John Doe #1, came forward with allegations from a second massage in Atlanta on January 28, 2012 — with similar icky details. Both lawsuits are to the tune of $20 million dollars.

Of course John Travolta says the allegations are “complete fabrication and fiction”, and it looks like for at least one of the suits, that may be the case. John Travolta’s camp has released two photos and a receipt from NYC, all dated January 16 as well as flight records and more photos at a costume fitting the same day.

Despite the evidence against the lawsuit, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Okorie Okorocha, says there are “droves” of other victims who may come forward, and it looks like he might be right — just yesterday a third victim has claimed John Travolta accosted him on a cruise ship in 2009.

This story has blind item written all over it!

Now let’s chat for a moment about Johnny Depp and the “is he or isn’t he?” news about his lovely lady friend, Vanessa Paradis. After reports came out Thursday that the couple of 14 years had split up, Johnny Depp cleared things up at the London premiere of his new movie, Dark Shadows, saying the rumors are “absolutely not true”.

Yet. The rumors keep swirling. Vanessa Paradis hasn’t accompanied Johnny Deep on the red carpet in about 18 months, and the couple haven’t been spotted together publicly since the January edition of break-up rumors.

I’d be shocked if there wasn’t a blind item about them somewhere.

Hey, y’all, get your Cheetos and Mountain Dew ready and your DVRs set because Britney Spears is back! Britney Spears has signed on as a judge on  next season’s The X Factor. She will reportedly earn $15 million during her one-season contract (or, the amount equal to 15 seasons of former host Paula Abdoul) . Of course, Howard Stern is not a fan:

“Britney still thinks the earth is flat… I think we’re going to tune in to see her, to see if she can function through the thing. As far as any real criticism, I think Simon and LA Reid will do that. As far as criticism, I think Britney will sit there and eat a lollipop and wear a sexy outfit…”

My own personal blind item is that I love me some Britney Spears, y’all.

Wait, there’s more!

• Jessica Simpson designed a ‘gypsy’ ‘bohemian’ nursery for baby Maxwell Drew. Good practice for when she gets tired of her mother’s crazies someday and decides to be a real gypsy.
• Ryan Seacrest faked-out girlfriend Julianne Hough Wednesday night by pretending to propose, but handing her a note for Rock of Ages co-star Tom Cruise instead.
• Rihanna tweeted a picture of her arm with an IV Tuesday, causing widespread panic that we were losing this precious gem. Just kidding, nobody cared.
• Funny people Anna Faris and Chris Pratt are expecting their first baby later this year.
• Vidal Sassoon, hair icon credited with inventing the bob, died this week at 84. I’m pouring out a 150ml of shampoo in his honor.
• Talk-show host Kelly Ripa opened up about her husband, Mark Consuelos, past as an exotic dancer. Funny, of the two, he’s not the one I’d expect to have a stripper past.
• Reese Witherspoon’s mother, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Witherspoon, has accused her husband, John Witherspoon, of bigamy. Just in time for Sunday’s premiere of Sister Wives!
• The Voice judges Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine are embroiled in a nasty feud after Christina Aguilera called a contestant’s song  ”derogatory.” So, your nip slips aren’t bringing in ratings? Time to star a feud!

Have a great weekend!