Blog Posts by Kathleen Perricone

Usher's mom was so upset about his wedding, she skipped it. (Rick Diamond/WireImage)The custody battle between Usher and his ex-wife Tameka Foster has gotten worse — if that was even possible. After arguing in court over everything from money to drug abuse, the two are now fighting over the R&B superstar's Georgia mansion: she lives in it with their two sons, and he wants it back. Under their divorce settlement, Usher, 33, is entitled to sell the property whenever he likes, as long as he gives Foster 60 days notice. According to a source who spoke to TMZ, the 41-year-old fears that her famous ex will sell it immediately just to spite her and leave her and their two sons homeless, so she wants him to buy her another — which he is refusing to do.

Ella, Travolta, Jett, and Preston. (Rogers and Cowan via Getty Images)Nothing can ever help someone get over the death of a child, but for Kelly Preston, her religion definitely eased the pain. In an interview with Amanda de Cadenet for Lifetime's "The Conversation" on Sunday night, the actress, who is married to John Travolta, opened up about how Scientology got her through the January 2009 death of her 16-year-old son Jett, who hit his head during a violent seizure while the family was vacationing in the Bahamas. "In Scientology, we have what's called 'auditing,' and that helps you to address things in your life and to strip them away," explained the 49-year-old. "It's a path of spiritual enlightenment. Also, it helps rid the mind of painful experience completely. Through that, the people at my church literally held my hand and got me through ... I will forever be indebted. You never forget, but I feel like the weight of the world was lifted."

Alba on the June cover. (Tesh)Jessica Alba's name is always at the top of many best-dressed lists for her chic, seemingly-effortless style. But there was a time when she was more fashion victim than trendsetter. In the late '90s, the now-married mother of two dressed pretty provocatively, thanks in part to her sexy character on the Fox sci-fi drama, "Dark Angel" — but she insists it was all for the sake of ratings. Even though she was only 19 at the time, "everyone formed a strong opinion about me because of the way I was marketed," Alba reveals in the June issue of Marie Claire. "I was supposed to be sexy, this tough action girl. That's what people expected … I felt like I was being objectified, and it made me uncomfortable. I wanted to be chic and elegant!"

Cruise rocks out for W. (Mario Sorrenti/W)For those who were left salivating after seeing Tom Cruise shirtless and tattooed on the June cover of W last week, there's more! The magazine has released three new photos, which show the actor — sporting long hair and fake ink — putting on his best rock star poses to promote his upcoming movie musical, "Rock of Ages." In the film, which is based on the mega-hit Broadway play, he plays Stacee Jaxx, a sleazy '80s-era rock star that's part Axel Rose, part Bret Michaels — but with Cruise's own special spin. After learning how to play guitar and training with the Guns N' Roses singer's vocal coach for weeks, "I was thinking about the character, and I said, 'You know what? I need a monkey,'" Cruise, 49, tells the magazine in its June issue. "Adam [Shankman, the film's director] said, "What the f--k are you talking about?' And I said, 'I'm serious — I need a monkey.' When Stacee's not onstage, he's kind of sad. And I thought this guy has to have a monkey that's his best friend."

Travolta was reportedly banned from a NYC hotel spa. (J.B Nicholas / Splash News)Although four men have come forward to accuse John Travolta of sexual assault, it seems the worst is yet to come. The second man, an Atlanta-based masseur, wants his case against the "Grease" star to go to trial, but with a private judge presiding, according to his attorney, Okorie Okorocha. This comes on the heels of a report claiming the plaintiff was planning to go to mediation with Travolta's lawyers and decide on the terms of his lawsuit out of court. "There is no mediation," Okorocha tells People magazine. "There'll never be a settlement. I want privacy for sex crime victims … "It looks like [Travolta's attorney Marty Singer] wants one hell of a fight, and that is what he'll get from me."

McCord on Tuesday. (Shahar Azran/WireImage)The photo she tweeted. (Twitter)Is AnnaLynne McCord trying to get herself a Proactiv deal? For the second time in a week, the "90210" actress has gone makeup-free — and blemish-full. On Tuesday, she landed in Israel for a charity event and proudly posed for awaiting photographers without a stitch of cover-up, blush, or even eyeliner. And from the looks of it, she didn't do anything with her hair either because her curly mane was wild. Just a few days before, the 24-year-old tweeted a photo of herself fresh-faced, which exposed her problematic skin. "I woke up this morning and decided I'm over Hollywood's perfection requirement," McCord wrote to her followers. "To all my girls (and boys) who have ever been embarrassed by their skin! I salute you! I'm not perfect — and that's okay with me!"

Brown. (Doug Meszler / Splash News)Rihanna. (Jackson Lee / Splash News)Rihanna and Chris Brown really have one volatile relationship. The exes, who reconciled very publicly in February, are apparently back on the outs because of a verse he wrote and sings on a remix he did of Kanye West's "Way Too Cold," which Rihanna thinks is aimed at her — so she unfollowed Brown on Twitter. In the song, the R&B star blasts, "Don't f--k with my old bitch/It's like a bad fur/Every industry n---a done had her/Shook the tree like a pumpkin just to smash her/Bitch is breaking codes, but I'm the password." Although Brown doesn't call Rihanna by name, she is the only famous ex he's had, so no wonder she's upset.

Isabella, her boyfriend, and new tattoo. (Coleman-Rayner)Tom Cruise may play a tattoo-covered rock star in his new movie, "Rock of Ages," but his daughter Isabella really got inked. The 19-year-old debuted the new marking — a peacock feather on her left forearm — during a lunch date with her boyfriend, Eddie Frencher, 23, at a Los Angeles-area Subway on Wednesday. The tattoo is just the latest way Cruise's oldest daughter, who he adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman as a baby, has asserted her independence. Isabella recently moved out of her family's Beverly Hills mansion and into an apartment with Frencher, who is also a Scientologist, reportedly in downtown Los Angeles' seedy Skid Row.