Dear Joss Stone,

Joss, I feel we never talk. True, the burden of that lies squarely on my shoulders because you don't know me and I am the one with your CDs, a television and a subscription to People, so I know all about you. I admit the main thing keeping me from introducing myself to you is that I am totally nervous because you are this amazing soul singer and though I do have a soul, I doubt it translates into melodic crooning in any capacity.

Even if we were best friends acquaintances, I realize that you probably wouldn't have much time to talk to me because you are a busy singer-songwriter. These days you are even busier because you are the new face of Coco Mademoiselle; you just wrapped the movie Snappers, where you play a lesbian (I have already reserved my ticket on Fandango, so in case you were thinking about it, I cannot attend the premiere with you); and now I hear that Barack Obama has asked you to sing his campaign song for the presidential election. Wow, that is an honor.

Are you nervous? I mean, that is a huge. You would be joining a prestigious list of such great artists who have lent their voices to presidential campaigns, like Fleetwood Mac who let Bill Clinton use their song "Don't Stop" for the 1992 election. John Fogerty voiced the song for George W. Bush's campaign with "Fortunate Son." (Were truer words ever sung, Joss? I suppose only if a song titled "Nepotism Is Awesome" existed.) And more recently, John McCain has been using ABBA's hit song "Take a Chance on Me" (although between me and you, I'd rather not). … continue reading

Generally, I see Fashion Week and events like it as nothing more than overpaid stick-people walking around in clothes I wouldn't want to be buried in. So the likelihood of me paying attention to anything related to the fashion industry is somewhere in the area of slim and none. (Sorry, Project Runway addicts; I've tried.)

However, thanks to Dorothy Snarker, about this time last year I stumbled across a fashion event I could learn to love. For the past five years, New York's Fashion Week has kicked off with the Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection. The event is designed to raise awareness about heart disease among women. And it involves beautiful ladies strutting their stuff in fabulous red dresses by some of the industry's top designers. Last year's celebs included a coy Kelly Ripa.

Kristin Chenoweth was there, with her little dog too.

This year's event, which took place on Feb. 1, included an equally stunning list of beautiful ladies. The group included some talented Latinas, a few singers you might have heard of, one L Word connection, a runway veteran in a skimpy little dress that came in a bag and a First Lady who can't tell red from white.

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I know you have an opinion on the Ellen brouhaha. So do I. So does, well, everybody. But I believe that in the midst of the most heated controversy, we can find common ground. Women. We all love women. And where you find women who love women, you find women who love animals. In the spirit of unity, then, let's look at women we love and their pets. OK, yes, it's an excuse to post pictures of cute women. Starting with Joss Stone and Dusty.

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Alicia Silverstone is showing skin instead of eating it. The long-time vegetarian is appearing au naturel in a new PETA campaign promoting vegetarianism. I have to say, if this is what happens when you eat your veggies, someone pass the broccoli.

The former Clueless star takes it all off in a new TV ad that began airing today in Houston and Dallas (picked because they rank among the least healthy cities in the United States; sorry, Texans) and will expand cross-country later. The spot features a naked Silverstone emerging from a pool and slinking around while extolling the benefits of meat-free living. “There is nothing in the world that has changed me as much as this. I feel so much better and have so much more energy,” she says. “It’s so amazing.”

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The idea of Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah and Joss Stone on the same stage seems ridiculous. What will happen if all that soul is concentrated in one place?! Add hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Alicia Keys, and I do feel the need to pinch myself.

You can behold this dazzling array of talent on Sept. 18 if you go to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Dream Concert at Radio City. Tickets are pricey (starting at $250), but very likely worth it. The event is a benefit for the building of the MLK, Jr. National Memorial on the National Mall. For more info, visit the official website.

I used to think tabloids were sort of fun. When I had a particularly bad trip to the dentist at age 8, my mom bought me a copy of the National Enquirer and the 45 of Barbra Streisand's "The Main Event" and I promptly forgot my pain. (Yeah, I'm sure that was mostly thanks to Barbra, not the gossip rag.)

But now I pretty much loathe tabloids and tabloid-y stories. Case in point: Here are some recent headlines from various gossip sites, covering some offhand remarks British soul singer Joss Stone made this week:

"Joss Stone Says She May Turn Lesbian"
"Joss Stone's Lesbian Plans"
"Joss Stone Considers Going Lesbian"
"Spurned Joss Stone Considers Lesbianism"

As far as I can tell, Joss was joking. She was lamenting the fact that a recent boyfriend sold a story to the tabloids, and then she added, "I think I'll have to turn lesbian. Every girl my age wants to be in a relationship. I haven't had one in two years and look how that ended. I only wish I had something to tell the gossip columnists." Clearly they decided she did have something to tell them. … continue reading