Blog Posts by Kathleen Perricone

Usher is alive and well. (Neil Mockford/FilmMagic)What do Usher, Jackie Chan, and Luke Perry have in common? They have all been the victim of an Internet death hoax. The R&B singer is the latest to "die" via an untrue online report. On Tuesday, a Global Associated News article broke the "news" that the 33-year-old perished in a car accident near his native Atlanta — and even included a photo of an overturned car. According to the article, Usher "was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics" after he rolled his friend's car while speeding at 95 miles per hour down Georgia's Interstate 80. Worse yet, GAN reported that the crash was so gruesome, Usher's funeral was going to be closed casket due to his head trauma. Nice, right?

Monica and Brandy. (Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup/Getty Images)Fourteen years ago, Monica and Brandy were the two biggest names in R&B and when they joined forces for the chart-topping "The Boy is Mine," it was pop music perfection. But the warring divas persona they played up in the #1 hit song — about two young women fighting over the same man — turned out to be the case outside of the recording studio as well. But over the years, the feud mellowed and the two ladies, who are now both in their 30s and mothers, have become close friends — with a new duet, "It All Belongs to Me." "Over the process of 14 years, she and I both experienced a lot of the same things: love, losses, becoming parents, a lot of the things that brought us full circle," Monica, 31, tells omg!. "Six years ago, she said, 'Monica, I want to do another song together, you and I as adults, let's make it happen.' The hard part was actually finding a song that made sense to the both of us because we didn't want people to think we were trying to tamper with the history of what 'The Boy is Mine' was. We were trying to make a continuation … where you could hear that we were reunited and we had grown as women and as artists … because we kind of stand together in this song."

Judd's puffy face in question. (Dario Cantatore/Getty Images)Some actresses don't like to get plastic surgery and tell. But in Ashley Judd's case, she insists, her "puffy" face really was not the result of going under the knife. In a two-page rant that was published on TheDailyBeast.com, the "Missing" actress reveals her shocking appearance in March was due to a medical condition. "When I am sick for more than a month and on medication (multiple rounds of steroids), the accusation is that because my face looks puffy, I have 'clearly had work done,'" Judd wrote. "When my skin is nearly flawless, and at age 43, I do not yet have visible wrinkles that can be seen on television, I [must] have had 'work done,' with media outlets bolstered by consulting with plastic surgeons I have never met who 'conclude' what procedures I have 'clearly' had."

Deschanel on May cover of Marie Claire. (Tesh)Sure, she's considered "adorkable" now, but Zooey Deschanel's quirkiness wasn't always considered to be so cool. The "New Girl" star reveals in a new interview that she was bullied as a pre-teen because she was "chubby" and one classmate in particular was so cruel, she once spat in Deschanel's face. "I was ridiculed," the actress says in the May issue of Marie Claire. "I really don't know why she spit at me. I just talked to her. I guess I wasn't allowed to talk to her. I remember I couldn't believe it." But after she dropped 30 pounds, the doe-eyed actress adds that the kids at Crossroads — whose alumni include Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, and Deschanel's pal Jonah Hill — "treated me differently."

Lohan is at it again. (PacificCoastNews.com)Well, that didn't take long. A little more than a week after Lindsay Lohan's probation finally ended, she's been hit with an assault accusation by a woman who claims the sometimes-actress attacked her in a nightclub Thursday night. It all went down at The Standard in West Hollywood, California, just one day after Lohan was spotted partying with Robert Pattinson at Pour Vous until the wee hour of the mornings. According to the battery report the woman filed with police, Lohan, 25, shoved her for talking to her male friend during a wild night inside the club. According to TMZ, the alleged victim claims Lohan inflicted injuries to her back and there are visible bruises.

Burke is a busy woman. (Paul Redmond/WireImage)Although "Dancing With the Stars" is a fun show to watch, that's not always the case on the other side of the camera. Long hours practicing, paired with sore feet and lots of nerves can sometimes manifest into meltdowns. Case in point: Jaleel White's reported blow-up at pro partner Kym Johnson after he accidentally stepped on her foot in practice last week. "You know, there's always controversy and always drama," Brooke Burke, who co-hosts "Dancing With the Stars" with Tom Bergeron, tells omg!. "And I think this is because the emotions run so deep and everybody's vulnerable and out of their comfort zone, so there's always bound to be pressure and stress. I'm sure we'll see some of that this season."

Odom as a Maverick. (Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)The basketball season has ended early for Lamar Odom. For the second time in a matter of weeks, the NBA all-star is off the Dallas Mavericks roster — but this time, it's for good. The forward has had a rough time this season after being traded to the reigning NBA champs by the Los Angeles Lakers back in December. In early March, Odom was dropped by the Mavs and briefly relegated to their D-league team, the Texas Legends, after missing practices and games due to "family issues," yet after just one game he was back with the Mavs. Unfortunately, things did not get any better for Odom, husband of Khloe Kardashian, so he's out yet again.

Lopez, her twins, and bodyguard. (INFDaily.com)Everyone say cheese! (INFDaily.com)Jennifer Lopez and her 4-year-old twins Max and Emme enjoyed an egg-tremely fun day with the Easter Bunny on Thursday in Los Angeles. The trio — joined by the "American Idol" judge's 17-years-younger boyfriend, Casper Smart (and a bodyguard) — were all smiles as the little ones made their way to the giant white rabbit for their Easter portrait. Although Max and Emme didn't seem scared, Lopez, dressed down in a pair of white sweats and sunglasses, joined her kids for the sweet picture. According to E! News, Lopez, 42, had the Easter Bunny House attraction shut down so her twins could have their moment without any other non-famous children in the way.