IT'S A GIRL FOR JESSICA SIMPSON: In case you didn't hear the sonic boom, JESSICA SIMPSON finally popped yesterday!

According to Jessica's website, daughter Maxwell Drew entered the world at a healthy nine pounds, 13 ounces.

Maxwell" is baby daddy Eric's middle name, and "Drew" is Jessica's mother's maiden name.

On a related note ... upon hearing the news Celebrity Twitterville blew up. "American Pie" star JASON BIGGS tweeted,  “Are the rumors true? Did Jessica Simpson just give birth to a couch?”

"Pie" co-star and "How I Met Your Mother" star ALYSON HANNIGAN tweeted, "Does this mean I now have the biggest baby bump in Hollywood?" What do you think, does she?

SO HOW MUCH WILL THE PHOTOS BE WORTH?: Now the question is how much will Jess get paid for the first photos of baby Maxwell? E! Online thinks the snaps could go for around $750,000 and that "People" magazine is most likely where they'll end up.

Jess could use the cash to pay her hospital bill. TMZ says she's paying nearly $4,000 a day for a VIP suite at Cedars-Sinai. Here's what that kind of dough gets you ...



BABY MAXWELL - CUTE OR CREEPY?: Radar Online hired a forensic expert to mock up a photo of what Maxwell will look like in a few years. This is what he came up with ...

So what do you think, cute ... or creepy -- like one of those "Children of the Corn" brats? We Report, You Decide!

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS FOR MAY 2 – DWAYNE ‘THE ROCK’ JOHNSON, DAVID BECKHAM AND MORE

KHLOE KARDASHIN GOING SOLO ON TV: Is KHLOE KARDASHIAN ditching hubby LAMAR ODOM? When it comes to reality TV, she just might be.

The couple recently pulled the plug on Khloe and Lamar, while he focuses on his real job as an NBA star. In the meantime, E! is reportedly working with Khloe on a solo show. Insiders say it would be similar to Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami.

'DANCING' UPDATE - ELIMINATION NIGHT: TV's Urkel, JALEEL WHITE, was eliminated on last night's "Dancing With the Stars".

Joining Jaleel in the bottom two and on the dance floor for the Dance Duel was Disney star ROSHON FEGAN. The two had a rumba dance-off, with the judges unanimously selecting Fegan to stay.



DANCING WITH THE STARS: CLASSICAL NIGHT RESULTS REVIEW

Here's To Life

I am so in touch with my inner 12 year old boy this spring, in part, because of my having been cut loose of the most difficult responsibilities & being cognizant of my audacious happiness, happiness that I may have given up ever living with again.


I was so happy today, even though I should be on the most cautious of budgets, I bought a turntable! In one week, a bicycle & a turntable! I appreciate that the same stuff that I swooned over 46 years ago still thrills me. I didn't even have to mow any lawns to come up with the dough. Getting old turns out to not be so bad. As long as I am still in the game, I’ll play.

When I chanced upon the tid-bit that May 1 is the birthday of Jazz artist Shirley Horn & my musical senses went immediately to her recording of Here’s To Life. Tonight, as the first day of May exits, I feel as if this song was being sung just to me.

She was decidedly not gay & not really a Gay Icon, but on her birthday, I want celebrate Shirley Horn’s amazing ability to accompany herself with nearly incomparable independence & ability on the piano while singing, something that I have only tried a few times, & when I did it in the musical- Pump Boys & Dinettes in the early 1990s, I only got away with it because it had a rock score.

Horn had a lush, smoky contralto, which begged the listener in close with her compelling confidential& vibrato-less delivery. Horn's reputation rode on her ballad work, with one of the slowest deliveries in jazz & a very unusual way of phrasing. I am looking forward to appropriating my parent's Horn albums on vinyl on my next visit to see them. I am also looking forward to my new life in Hi-Fidelity.

No complaints & no regrets

I still believe in chasing dreams & placing bets

For I have learned that all you give

 Is all you get

So give it all you’ve got

I had my share, I drank my fill

& even though I’m satisfied,

I’m hungry still.

To see what’s down another road

 Beyond the hill

& do it all again

So here’s to life,

& all the joy it brings.

Yes, here’s to life

& dreamers & their dreams

Funny, funny how the time just flies

How love can go from warm 

& those to sad goodbyes

& leave you with the memories you memorize

To keep your winters warm

How love can turn from warm hellos to sad goodbyes

& leave you with the memories

 You’ve memorized

To keep your winters warm.

There’s no yes in yesterday

& who knows what tomorrow brings

 Or takes away

As long as I’m still in the game I want to play

For laughs, for life, for love.

So here’s to life & all the joy it brings

Yes, here’s to life

& dreamers & their dreams

May all your storms be weathered

& all that’s good get better

Here’s to life, here’s to love, here’s to you.

May all your storms be weathered

& all that’s good get better

Here’s to life, here’s to love, here’s to you.

May all your storms be weathered

& all that’s good get better

Here’s to life, here’s to love, here’s to you.

Molinary/Butler

1962

Liebster Award Nominees

I recently had the honour of being nominated for the Liebster Award by Mark Means of the blog Left and Write. Mark's blog deals with writing and various other subjects. It is also one of the best blogs out there. Thank you for nominating me, Mark!

As to what the Liebster Award is, it is an award for blogs with under 200 followers that regularly contain great posts. Of course, the way the Liebster Award works is that once nominated, one nominated five other blogs for the award. Ultimately, it's a way of recognising those blogs one really appreciates. Here then are my five nominees:

1, Bobby Rivers of Bobby Rivers TV. If the name "Bobby Rivers" sounds familiar, it is probably because you have seen him on your TV. Bobby was at  one time a veejay and talk show host on VH1 and a host on the Food Network. In his blog  Bobby writes about classic film and television, often drawing upon his own experiences to do so.  I must also say that Bobby's knowledge of classic film is incredible!

2. KC of Classic Movies. KC's blog Classic Movies is about exactly that--classic film. The blog has such regular features as Classic Links (links to websites and articles of interest to classic movie buffs), Classic Birthday (the birthdays of various figures in classic film), and the Quote of the Week. KC also writes on classic film subjects that I have rarely seen covered elsewhere, such as animated shorts, silent film, and pre-Code talkies. I can guarantee if you love classic movies then you will love, well, Classic Movies.

3. Lyndsy of Culture in a Cold Climate. Lyndsy writes about heritage sites in Northern Ireland and always includes plenty of pictures of the various sites she visits. She also discusses the history of those sites.  Mixed in with Lyndsy's posts on heritage sites are book reviews and posts on the Mitford Sisters and other subjects. If you love historic sites or Northern Ireland, then her blog is definitely for you.

3. Toby of Inner Toob. Toby's blog is rather interesting and also unique in that it explores an alternate universe in which everything on television actually took place. Not only is Inner Toob really fun, but it can also be informative as well, as Toby at times goes into the history of television shows. Inner Toob is definitely a blog any television buff would enjoy.

4. Timony Souler of Is This Alt Lit? Is This Alt Lit is first and foremost a blog featuring the poetry of the talented Timony Souler. Timony's poetry ranges from being funny to being touching, and all of it is good. Timony also occasionally posts her thoughts on life and various other subjects. It is definitely a very interesting blog.

5. Lady Eve of The Lady Eve's Reel Life.  Lady Eve covers classic film with the occasional detour into television. Her posts are always well researched with an attention to detail. And she is perhaps the only blogger I know to devote a whole month to the movie Vertigo (1958).  The Lady Eve's Reel Life is definitely worth a look for any classic film fan.

Okay, I am not going to say you have to do this, but it would be nice if the nominees would:

1, Thank your presenter on your blog.
2. Link to the blogger in your thank you message (see above for a possible method of doing so… Props for   being original, if you feel so inclined)
3, Copy and past the award (see below).
4. Present the award to 5 other blogs (with fewer than 200 followers) if you think that they deserve it.
5. Let your nominees know through some means of social media.

You can copy paste your award right here: