Fashion designer Calvin Klein has done it again: He's created yet another controversial advertisement designed to raise eyebrows. It’s a television commercial so provocative, it’s been banned in America. (It’s also getting Klein a ton of attention.)

The spot for Klein’s new Secret Obsession fragrance features a nude Eva Mendes rolling around in bed. What really steamed up American censors is that viewers get a full-on shot of the sultry starlet’s boob — nipple and all.

The new ad is hardly the Nipplegate that was Janet and Justin’s half-time boobie shot, but at least one person is spitting mad. Fabien Baron, the ad’s creative director says, “You must be kidding me. This country really needs a new president — this country is so messed up. It’s such a joke and it’s quite upsetting, frankly, how hypocritical this country has become. It’s OK for children to see people killed by guns? Spreading a little love right now would be a good idea.”

Of course, Baron grew up in France where people are not terrified of a breast.

This isn’t the first time Klein’s ads have come under scrutiny. In 1981, Klein got into a lot of hot water (and banned from CBS)when the now-infamous television commercial for his blue jeans featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields looking at the camera and purring, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.”

The Shields commercial makes Miley Cyrus’ Vanity Fair pose look kittenish. … continue reading

I haven't gotten around to watching Lipstick Jungle yet, despite the fact that its leads make a gorgeous three-way trio.

The reviews have not been kind, just as our resident TV ranters, Sarah and Lori, predicted. But an upcoming guest may motivate me to give the show a chance.

Lorraine Bracco plays Janice Lasher (love the name), a venomous, Judith Regan–like book publisher with a grudge against Wendy Healy (Brooke Shields) and a tell-all manuscript by Wendy's former nanny. In a funny scene on a show that takes itself too seriously, Bracco delivers a meta zinger when Wendy tries to convince Janice not to publish the book. Wendy goes on and on about the trials of trying to balance the demands of being a movie mogul and a good mom. When she finishes spilling her guts, Janice waits a beat and says, "You must have me confused with your shrink." You go, Dr. Melfi. … continue reading

This weekend, Super Bowl XLII went down as one of the biggest upsets in football history, and I came in for one of the biggest shocks of my own recent history: I actually cared. It might make me a bad lesbian, but I'm normally the one who goes to the parties for the Cheetos and party favors (not to mention the real competition — who can score the craziest commercial). This time I found myself obsessively checking in online. I blame being overseas: As an expat, I find myself being called upon to explain everything from sloppy joes to Mitt Romney, so I sometimes feel a little nostalgic for the things I never really understood in the first place.

But Popsugar.com has posted something in a football spirit that I can understand. I personally like the ref outfit.

Yes, Brooke Shields recently posed in a pinup-style football spread for Parade magazine. The photos took me for a pleasant stroll down memory lane; I still remember her early Calvin Klein commercials. I mean, wow.

In an accompanying article, Shields discusses being fortysomething in life and in Hollywood, after growing up as a child star. I'm morbidly fascinated by stars discussing aging in a business (heck, a culture) that worships youth and beauty, so this article didn't disappoint. … continue reading

Brooke Shields attended the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony to promote NBC’s Lipstick Jungle, which will premiere Thursday, February 7, in ER’s slot (after ER runs out of original episodes).

Along with Shields, the series stars Kim Raver and Lindsay Price as three high-powered executives in New York City. It’s based on a bestselling book by Candace Bushnell about a jungle full of lipstick-wearing animals. Or something like that.

While we’re generally happy to see series that feature strong female roles, Lipstick’s review by our resident TV critics, Lori and Sarah, was not exactly stellar. OK, they hated it. Hop over and view the preview, then join me in saying “eww.” … continue reading

Seems I'm not the only one out there who thinks brains are an essential part of the beauty package. Personally, I can only look for so long before wanting to carry on a coherent, intelligent conversation about something a little deeper than fashion. I also like to be able to use words that contain more than a single syllable.

There are plenty of lists out there detailing beauties with big brains, but this one does a better job than most. The list includes some of the most obvious brainy beauties, like Jodie Foster, Natalie Portman and Jennifer Beals. But, like any list, it is far from complete. So because I know you are all simply beside yourselves waiting for another list, I will keep you waiting no longer. Here are some of the women who prove to me that smart is sexy. Think of it as my anti-Britney list.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

She has a degree in literature from Columbia University. She also tends to choose roles that involve a whole lot of brain power, and she isn't afraid to speak her mind. I love that in a woman. … continue reading

Leading off the first segment of our video blog this weekend, Lori and I detail the many reasons we hated the pilot Lipstick Jungle (NBC), the mid-season drama from Sex and the City's Candace Bushnell that stars Lindsay Price, Brooke Shields, and Kim Raver as high-powered business women who "aren't looking for Mr. Big, they are Mr. Big" (we wish!).

Then we discuss the latest episodes of Damages (FX), The Closer (TNT), and The Best Years (The N), the South of Nowhere (The N) season premiere, and what we'd do if we had Ashley's $12.5 million inheritance. … continue reading

Brooke Shields has just been cast as one of the leads in the NBC pilot Lipstick Jungle, based on Candace Bushnell's novel Lipstick Traces, about three rich, power-hungry professional women in New York. Shields, who plays a movie studio president and harried wife and mother of three, is the first of the three lead roles to be cast. Gina Gershon was previously attached, but no longer appears to be involved with the series.

Alas, none of the three lead characters are lesbian or bi, but the audiobook version of the novel is narrated by Cynthia Nixon, which sort of makes it kinda gay, no?