Vanessa Minnillo: Flying with Wookie
Vanessa Minnillo: Flying with Wookie
Staying in Los Angeles for only a few short days following a recent trip to Salt Lake City, Vanessa Minnillo was once again spotted jetting out of LAX Airport on Saturday (June 28).
With her faithful pup Wookie in her arms, the former Miss Teen USA endured the painstaking task of going through check-in and security before finding her terminal and boarding the plane.
Less than a week ago, Vanessa, 27, took a trip to Utah to visit boyfriend Nick Lachey - where the two fit in a little pool time at his upscale hotel. Lachey, 34, has been situated there while he works on the reality show “High School Musical: Get in the Picture”.
Talking about his latest work, Nick told press: “Going into this project, I really wanted to be a little bit of a mentor to them. Obviously these kids are all here eyes wide open. It’s a great opportunity for them and I just try to tell them to relax and have fun, be themselves. I think they’re all talented.”
Meanwhile, Vanessa is currently looking forward to the August 29th release of her new film, “Disaster Movie”, in which she stars alongside Kim Kardashian and Carmen Electra.
Jerry Springer, Mel B Take on Miss Universe
The Miss Universe Organization is getting a dose of Spice. And chair-throwing sleaze.
The Donald Trump-owned brand has tapped Melanie Brown (aka Mel B) and Jerry Springer to host the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant, which airs live on NBC July 13, direct from the Crown Convention Center in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam.
“This is obviously a great honor and getting to work alongside Mel B makes it even better,” Springer, who’s currently enmeshed in his second season as emcee of America’s Got Talent, said of his fellow Dancing with the Stars also-ran.
“I’m thrilled to be a cohost of the Miss Universe Pageant,” Brown added. “I believe the diversity and dedication that the pageant brings inspires and empowers young women across the globe.”
And considering what a veritable gateway to the hosting world that DWTS has become, these two are only the latest ballroom types to mingle with the sash-and-tiara crowd.
Mario Lopez was behind the mic three times last year, for Miss America, Miss and Universe and Miss Teen USA (which he’d also hosted twice before DWTS even existed), on the third of which Joey Lawrence also served as a judge.
Drew Lachey cohosted the 2006 Miss USA Pageant, shortly after his season-two DWTS win and season-three champ Emmitt Smith served as a judge at Miss Universe that year, as well.
Further down the food chain, Shanna Moakleractually was Miss USA in 1995, as was Shandi Finnessy in 2004, and Willa Ford cohosted Miss Teen USA in 2002.
Ali Landry Salutes the Troops
Ali Landry Salutes the Troops
Former Miss USA Ali Landry attended a Microsoft sponsored United Service Organizations “Salute Our Troops” for the military community this Veterans Day.
Landry presented the Effort Award to Patti Patton-Bader, who, according to press, is “a mother of a soldier who started a group for volunteers to “adopt” soldiers. The group has now sent tens of thousands of care packages and hundreds of thousands of letters to make sure no soldier is forgotten while serving.”
“The holidays are a time for family and sharing, and Microsoft is pleased to help make the season brighter for those who are giving so much,” said a Microsoft rep, adding, “We hope to make this Veterans Day a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience for our service members, volunteers and their families, all of whom give so much for our nation.”
Other celebrities taking part in the day included actresses Connie Britton and Minka Kelly from the NBC show “Friday Night Lights”; actresses Joely Fisher, Selena Gomez, and Connie Stevens; Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling; actors Lenny Clarke, Mike Lombardi and Jim McCaffrey and actresses Sherri Saum and Callie Thorne from the FX Networks show “Rescue Me”; Miss Teen USA, Hilary Cruz; Miss USA, Rachel Smith; and Miss Universe, Riyo Mori.
Vanessa Hudgens’ Best Buddies Gala Fun
Vanessa Hudgens’ Best Buddies Gala Fun
After paying a visit to Ocean Drive magazine on Friday to promote the charitable cause, Vanessa Hudgens spent her Saturday attending the 2007 Best Buddies Gala in Miami, Florida.
With an orchid in her hair to set off a casual and cute outfit, the High School Musical star kept busy by chatting it up with former Olympian Carl Lewis, as well as former Miss Teen USA, Kelly Hu.
As previously reported by , Best Buddies is a program that provides employment opportunities and one-on-one friendships for people with mental handicaps.
Vanessa told press of her visit to the Sunshine state, “I’m here today in Miami to support Best Buddies. Best Buddies is an amazing organization that helps support people with mental disabilities. Today, it actually put them in jobs, which is why I’m here at Ocean Drive. My manager is the person who actually developed it, and I found out about it and I thought it was an amazing organization. It’s really neat to reach out to people who are, like, fans, too. Just to be able to be a part of their lives is really neat.”