The Awful Truth

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Many of you know Ted's passion, besides celebrity gossip, is animals; mine is music. I've always been particularly fond of DJs and the nightclub scene, and DJ AM, without a doubt, was one of the most skilled performers I've been fortunate enough to see live.

I witnessed Adam Goldstein's work up close and personal while interviewing him last November; I was impressed he could carry on a conversation with me while still meticulously focused on his turntables, which he treated as an extension of his hands.

Even more fascinating was his positive attitude less than two months after miraculously surviving a plane crash. Most people could not bounce back so quickly after such a traumatic experience, but Adam was familiar with facing personal struggles all his life—with drug addiction, with food (for which he eventually underwent gastric bypass surgery) and with the constant harangue of the press—particularly when he was romantically involved with some of Hollywood's biggest starlets. He handled all his problems with humility and bravery, something extremely difficult for anyone to do, especially someone in the public eye.

I was a huge fan of DJ AM's for years, frequenting nightclubs just to hear him spin. He knew how to read a crowd and get everybody on the dance floor, which is much easier said than done. Adam often took other people's songs as the groundwork for his beats, but he always unmistakably made them his own.

My colleague Taryn Ryder and I both saw Adam and his friend (and fellow plane crash survivor) Travis Barker perform together at this year's Coachella as TRV$DJAM, and they managed to upstage every single headliner at the music festival. As a music lover, it was one of the most thrilling performances of my life, a visceral experience that is difficult to fully describe in words. I vowed the next time they played in Los Angeles I would be at the front of the line to see them again. I'm heartbroken there won't be a next time.

Besides being incredibly talented and at the top of his game, he was one of the nicest, most down-to-earth people I've ever met. Regardless of the circumstances of his death, we lost a gifted musician and a decent human being, one who will truly be missed.

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We had such high hopes for Britney Spears' so-called "picture perfect" return to form, but we knew it was nothing but. Her "Womanizer" music vid was superfun, "If You Seek Amy" was kinky hot and now Brit-Brit's dropped the vid for "Radar," and we couldn't be more disappointed. Or absolutely bored!

It's like staring at three minutes of soft-core horse porn while Britney just stands there in a forgettable outfit making eyes at shrug-worthy equestrian men.

What's worse than putting out a video of a two-year old song? It was one of her best dance tunes, and there's not even a friggin' box step in it! Artistic choice, or was it 'cause Brit just couldn't stand still on the set? Totally reminds us of B's "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me" videos, which were filmed at the height of her insanity, where it was a miracle just to get Spearsy in the room to lip-synch. And even those had some sort of choreography!

We've known for a while B.S. is far from mentally healthy, Bbt is she finally unleashing her repressed wild side to the public?

Let's make a Trainwreck Warning checklist, shall we?

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Update: Jive Records, Chris' label, confirms this is not his next single: "There are no 'new' songs from Chris Brown currently being promoted by Chris or his record label. There are several old demos circulating that are being falsely promoted as new material from Chris."

Figured.
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Chris Brown's rumored new single, "Not My Fault," is supposedly hitting the radio tomorrow. What a friggin' title, huh?

Although, must preface, don't have total confirmation that this was written after the Rihanna situation, but either way, this kid has some balls to release a track with that name as his "comeback".

Take a listen to the song (unconfirmed, but most likely Brown's). It's about a singer who accidentally breaks his girlfriend's heart. Jeez, nothing about punching "her" in the face? Lyrics specifically like, "I picked up the paper and the headline reads/ It says a singer brokenhearted..." and "She's caught up/ That's not my fault, right."

And for what it's worth, we think the track sucks. What about you?

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"It exists. It's good. They're still trying to get the album out for the holidays."

—Clive Davis music insider who claims to have heard Whitney Houston's collaboration with will.i.am for her upcoming "comeback" record, which has been coming back for, like, 263,000 years. Such a tepid early review, coupled with Whitney's underwhelming and weird concert last month, does not bode well—again

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Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon, taking a long-needed vacay from Brentwood coffee runs, headed out to the hotass desert to check out musicfest Coachella.

I think they wanted folks to think they actually sweat from things other than hikes and runs.

The pretty pair brushed off watching headlining act The Killers in favor of grooving to hipster fave Jenny Lewis. Jakey and Jenny used to date way, way back in the day, but Reese must not be much of a jealous lady since she mouthed the words to every song while Gyll-hon wrapped his Prince of Persia biceps around her.

What a sweetie! How perfectly protective, bro! But what was this, a People Who Have Dated Jake Gyllenhaal Convention?

'Cause another J.G. ex at the fest was...

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Kim Kardashian might be happy with the new Eminem video for "We Made You," but I'm sure not. Does the dude know what year it is? Kim K. aside, every damn reference in his new vid is more dated than Paris Hilton.

Poking fun of Brit's "Gimme More" vid and Jessica Simpson's "These Boots Were Made for Walking"? Spears is already back in shape, her VMA mess a thing of the past. And Pink already parodied Jess in her Daisy Dukes, two albums ago. Try again, Em. How about oh-so-timely Sarah Palin references (who's that again?) and bitching about Linds and Sam's relaysh (too bad they broke up this week, so close on that one!).

If Em is serious about this return to rapping, he'd better grab an autotuner like T-Pain and Kanye West, 'cause that's how people like their rap nowadays—robotically voiced, not full of lame pop-culture jokes. I mean, I simply expect something more from the douche who so notoriously gay-dissed his way to infamy all those years ago and then had the fabulous gall to collaborate with Elton John.

Where's that nerve now? Up Kardashian's big ass? What a letdown!

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Jessica Szohr and Ed Westwick, having date night at the Mondrian South Beach, celebrating her Ocean Drive cover. Onlookers say the Gossip Girl duo were "canoodling" so much they couldn't even be bothered to allow fans to snap their pic together.

Whaaa? (On so many levels.) Don't be getting too big for your britches now. They ate at Asia de Cuba before partying it up later in the night. Ed puffed on a cig, while Jess looked stunning in black. Another gang having more of a bromance weekend was...

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The Grammys are coming up this weekend, and they actually don't look as boring as years past. Rihanna, T.I. and Justin Timberlake are all confirmed, so that obviously fulfills our "hot people attending" requirement for us to watch. That's really the only reason we tune in to all this awards stuff, anyways, right?

And the only reason Brangelina is invited (half of Brangie, that is), too. We already predicted the night's winners (go Lil Wayne and, Coldplay, you can suck it), so click here to see our thoughts and chime in on the PG gambling fun. Should be X-rated with this crowd, but whatever.

As announced by the great Britney organ itself, britneyspears.com, Brit-Brit's third single off Circus will be "If You Seek Amy." No, she isn't wondering what alley Amy Winehouse is stumbling through. If ya haven't heard the tune already, give it a listen above and see if you hear what our naughty ears are hearing.

B-Brit's still not that innocent, and neither is the song's chorus. So is the pop song gonna be censored for radio play or what? Would they bleep out not only the catchiest part of the song, but the song's title? There are gonna be tons of angry parents out there once their impressionable youths start chanting "ef you cee kay me" along with the Britster.

Sly how they got away without slapping a "parental advisory" sticker on Circus. Brit could use that sticker herself, taped right to her forehead. Me, too, for that matter!

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Hey, all you squeaky pop dudes, somebody's not too pleased with your success. But first, gotta tell ya some even sadder news: Sorry, John Mayer, Pete Wentz has a new BFF. Maybe Ashlee wasn't so fond of Aniston? See, Petey invited pal Travis McCoy, frontman of Gym Class Heroes and Katy Perry's man, to live with him for a month and create art—the result of which was put up on exhibit at Gallery 1988, Melrose.

Guess you and Wentzy are pretty tight? We inquired at the reception. "We have best friend tattoos," said Travis. Immediately, he grabbed Pete's hand and showed off their heavily tattooed wrists. "Mine says 'Young Hearts' and his says 'Be Free.' It's the friendship bracelet you can't take off."

Too sweet 'n' cozy, really. Hey, are you mad that Katy didn't get more Grammy nominations? "Not to sh-t on the Jonas Brothers, but they got like three albums out, so to be nominated for Best New Artist?" he asked, his pained face making it quite clear this was a bitchy rhetorical job, to be sure.

"Despite the Grammys, it's definitely her year. I'm so proud of her," offered, McCoy, very good boyfriend-like.

So can we expect some collaboration between the two of you hot young things? Don't count on it. "I don't know if we'd do the Sonny and Cher thing." Hey, worked for Sonny and Cher. For a while, at least.

—Additional reporting by Becky Bain

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Madonna's Argentinean fans don't have to cry anymore for her—M's returning to Buenos Aires for her Sticky & Sweet (and Botoxed and Buff) Tour, the first time she'll be in South America since filming Evita in 1995.

Guess the Argentine are still head over heels for their faux Eva Perón, since three more shows have been added for die-hard M fans, and three of the four dates completely sold out. That's the best news Madge could get, no?

Unless, of course, Maddy finds out she's expecting more than a big payday. Last time she was in South America, Ms. Ciccone found out she was pregnant with Lourdes. Should we, and A-Rod, be prepared for another not-so-immaculate conception this time around? Or is being the big 5-0 reason enough for Madge to stick to her skanky sexual ways without worry? I totally vote for the former. You just know it's only a matter of time before that scare starts up, partick with a stud like Roddy baby.

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“Being introduced to vegan food because they eat very well. The catering will be very healthy. My catering is like Guinness and burgers and fries. So that’s refreshing.”

—Brit singer Duffy on the best part of touring with Coldplay. We’re betting this healthy nonsense is all Gwyneth Paltrow’s doing