Cover Girl: Mandy Moore on Self Magazine

Beautiful pop singer and actress Mandy Moore hit the cover of the June issue of Self magazine and dished a little on her new album, and life without a boyfriend. Her new album, Wild Hope, is coming soon. For even more of Mandy, you can sign up for her e-mail newsletter.

SELF: Is singing more personal to you than acting?
Mandy Moore: I think singing is more personal because it's totally vulnerable and you're totally putting yourself out there. I also feel that it is more rewarding. I love what I do and when you love what you do, you don't even give yourself the option of saying, "Maybe this won't work and maybe I'll fail somehow."

SELF: What do you think people's perception of you is?
Moore: I think musically, people think of me as the underdog. I understand why they think that because when I first came out, it was at the same time as Britney, Christina and Jessica Simpson, and I was kind of like the third or fourth wheel, just sort of tacked on there because I was the youngest. I understand that. I hope that people out there will respect the fact that I've grown and am a different person now with different musical taste. I hope the people who didn't like my music then will give me a chance.

SELF: Are you a person who tends to hold emotions in?
Moore: Well, I used to, but I've gotten much better about that. I am a totally open book with people I love and trust. I talk about anything with them, but there is that certain side of me that will contain how I feel about stuff. I'll only put stuff out there so far, and then I'll wrap it up in this little box, put it over there, and then digest and deal with it after I've had time to figure out how I really feel.

SELF: And when you have all these movies [Moore has three movies being released in 2007], you don't really have a lot of free time.
Moore: Yeah, it's been a little crazy and I know that there are definitely some things that I'm going to have to hunker down with later and go, "OK, let me really think about how I feel about this."

SELF: What are those things?
Moore: You know, just personal things. Actually none of it is relationship-related, they are more personal things that are going on in my own world. I am really feeling like a woman for the first time. I have come into my own and have spent a lot of time reflecting and working on myself for the past couple of months and am continuing to do so. I just want to make sure that I'm still in control and very much a part of all the decisions that are being made in life. I guess I'm just really realizing the power that you actually have. So I really need to figure out how I feel about everything and about myself in the scheme of things.

SELF: Are you overly self critical?
Moore: I think I can be. I try to stay with the positive, but sometimes I feel like my self-criticism pushes me to do and be my best. I am my own harshest critic, but I've always been that way, even as a kid. I don't think it's completely out of control. I have come to terms with the idea that it's never going to be good enough, and that's OK. If I'm looking at a picture, listening back to a tape of a song or watching a film, it's just like, "Ugh, eew, I don't like the way I look, I don't like the way I sound." Nothing is really ever good enough for me, but I've come to terms with that. I'm not going to be happy 100 percent of the time.

SELF: Do you give yourself pep talks?
Moore: The only time I do is before I go onstage to perform. I just tell myself, "Mandy, this is what you love to do and this is what you're lucky enough to do with your life. Just go out there and have fun, because that's what it is." I think back to being a kid and doing local community theater. I loved it. When I go onstage now, I just keep trying to find and capture that feeling again. There's just nothing better.

SELF: You've said that this was a pivotal year. What was the fulcrum?
Moore: I had a lot of time to be alone and in my own head, which I don't have very often. I used to shy away from that. And now if I don't have time, especially in the morning, I start to get really anxious. I wake up early so that I have an hour and a half or two hours before I have to be somewhere and do something. I have really come to appreciate my me-time.

SELF: So for the first time you faced yourself and...?
Moore: It was scary! I was scared to be alone. But then it was like, let's jump into this life thing. I'm still sort of figuring out how I want everything to work. Every facet of who I am—as myself, as a friend, as a daughter, a girlfriend, a business associate, a recording artist—I have to take each one at a time and figure out how that definition of me has now changed and therefore how I want my relationship with the people involved in that part of my life to now be.

SELF: You have said in the past that you want to leave Hollywood by age 40. Is that true?
Moore: I don't know why I ever said that. It was really silly of me. To put a limit on anything sounds ridiculous to me at this point. I want to do it as long as I want to do it.

SELF: There's no goal, like "I have arrived, I will be complete, if...?"
Moore: No, because once you realize the finish line, then it's time to just pack it in and go home because there really shouldn't be a finish line.

SELF: Are you ready to date again?
Moore: I'm not looking. If someone finds me, I'm more than open to it. I would love to have some new people in my life. Not necessarily in a romantic sense, but I am currently accepting applications for friends!

Christina Aguilera Denies Pregnancy Rumors

The rumor mill has been abuzz lately with news that Christina Aguilera is pregnant, but her rep denied the news to Usmagazine.com. In fact, the rep even said: "It's all made up."

The rumors started when a Beverly Hills kids boutique employee told the New York Daily News Christina went on a shopping spree and confided that she is pregnant. Unfortunately for that employee, Christina was on a plane to Vegas at the time the incident occurred.

Photo from Us Weekly.

Grammy Party Pics

Who needs all those silly red carpet pictures? Let's look at pictures from the parties afterwards, when the stars have imbibed some adult beverages! Here you go:

Winner of odd girl pair of the night - Mischa Barton and Christina Aguilera:



And winner of odd boy pair - Ryan Phillippe and Ludacris:



Here's Sting putting the moves on Don Henley as his wife looks on:



Somebody color-coordinated their outfits! Here's Richie Sambora and his girlfriend, Denise Richards:



Maybe I gave away the odd boy pair too soon, here's James Blunt with Cee-Lo from Gnarls Barkley



Whitney was looking good at Clive Davis' party:



Photos from People.

Fashion Police 2007: The Grammys

Madison and I love a good awards show. Even though we're on separate coasts, we sat transfixed to E!'s red carpet coverage last night, sharing our opinions on the stars' hits and misses. Like the recent Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, there were not many "Oh my God, what was she thinking?" fashion choices. Perhaps the stars are playing it a bit safer - all the better to stay under our radar. Here we go.

Fergie from The Black Eye Peas. From the neck down, I think she looks fine. But the neck up is another story. Between the hair, the overly done make-up and the ridiculous amount of holes in both ears, I think she was a tad overdone. Stacey's a beautiful girl, but hon, less is more:

Christina Aguilera has long been evoking the pin-up stars from the 50s with her blonde bombshell hair, bright red lips and skin-tight dresses. Lucky for her, she can work it. Last night at the Grammys was a slight departure for her, and she looked great. Only criticism would be the overdone-baked tan:

Sigh, Mandy, seriously, where is your stylist? I like Mandy Moore just fine. She's cute, a good role model and has her head firmly on her shoulders. But this outfit? Fine for perhaps a lunch with a friend at the Ivy, but not so much for the Grammys:

The Dixie Chicks. The good news is that the Dixie Chicks won a few awards last night. Their die-hard fans have stuck by them through all their controversy - good for them. The bad news? While their fashion choices aren't complete misses, they certainly good use a bit of help:

I have no idea who Imogen Heap is, but she gets the award for "Are you kidding me?" Pity the person who had to sit behind her during the show:

Carrie Underwood has award show gear down solid. For someone who is so new to the red carpet, the former American Idol winner seems to have a very good stylist and she knows what works for her. Gorgeous.

LeAnne Rimes was there last night with her husband, Dean. Nice and understated, I just wish she'd take a bit more of a risk. The dress and styling is ok, just nothing to write home about.

Finally, Vanessa Minnillo breaks out of her usual rut of prom girl dresses, and tries something different. It's a simple sheath and appropriate for the evening. But where was boyfriend Nick Lachey?
Other than the fact that her curls needed a tad bit of taming, I think Shakira's dress was my favorite of the evening. Simple and gorgeous, I loved the red bow. Her makeup was subtle and just right.
Hilary Duff. I think the top of the dress looks eerily reminiscent of lingerie, but she's young and fun and can make it look cute. Madison and I differ on our opinion of her hair color. She prefers her blonde. I liked the blonde, but thinks the dark locks look much more striking.
Photos from People.

Men Everywhere Are Jealous of Jordan Bratman

Pop star Christina Aguilera was on Ellen recently, and let the talk show host in on how she and her husband of one year, music executive Jordan Bratman, like to spend their Sundays together.

Ellen: So Jordan your husband and you are at home on a weekend…when you have time off...give us a typical day, what do you do with your weekend?

Christina: "We claim ourselves to be coziest couple ever. We have something called naked Sundays."

Ellen: Excuse me? Did you say naked Sundays?

Christina: "You have to keep marriage alive, spice it up."

Ellen: Because it’s been how many years?

Christina: "A big whole year, we just celebrated our first anniversary and on Sundays we just do everything in the house and we’re just cozy and laid back, we don’t need to go anywhere we’re just with each other and have naked Sundays. We do everything naked. We cook naked."

Ellen: You cook naked?

Christina: "Yeah, we cook naked."

Ellen: Nothing with grease... that could splatter.

Christina: "Well, unless you want the grease."

Photo from US magazine.

Smell Like Christina Aguilera

Pop singer Christina Aguilera is following in the footsteps of Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, and Beyonce, signing a deal to come out with her own perfume.

Joining forces with Procter & Gamble Prestige Products, she announced last week that she will be creating a signature scent.

"I love trying new things in my music and in fashion," Aguilera said. "To have a perfume of my own is the beginning of an exciting adventure. P&G is the ideal partner for this new experience."

Photo from E! Online.

Newsstand Friday: Star Magazine

EXCLUSIVE: HEROES STARS GET PERSONAL

STAR TOLD YOU FIRST: JUSTIN & CAM OFFICIALLY SPLIT!
VIEW FEUD NEWS

CHRISTINA AGUILERA GETS FRAGRANCE

POSH AND BECKS L.A. BOUND

BRIT BLOWS OFF RECORDING SESSION

KATEY SEGAL WELCOMES BABY

ROSIE AND BARBARA ATTACK DONALD AGAIN...AND DONALD BITES BACK IN EXCLUSIVE STAR INTERVIEW!

NELLY FURTADO'S TV GIG

UPDATED! PREGNANT MARCIA CROSS ON BED REST

JEN AND COURTENEY BACK TOGETHER -- ON DIRT

JOHN WATERS PROPOSES MARRIAGE TO K-FED

EVANESCENSE'S AMY LEE ENGAGED

BROOKE BURKE GIVES BIRTH

STAR HAD IT FIRST: GIRL'S NIGHT OUT FOR CAMERON, LINDSAY & DREW

Christina Aguilera is in the Gift Giving Spirit

The two most popular pop princesses, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, seemed to patch up their ongoing feud with the birth of Britney's second son, Jayden James.

People magazine is reporting that Christina called up Nina Takesh of the baby boutique, Petit Tresor, to get that perfect little something for Britney's kids for Christmas, requesting, something "adorable for colder weather" and settled on these cashmere schoolboy sweaters. I agree, they're adorable.

Photo from People.