It's An XX Thing

Crap!

2006-08-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

I've had to resurrect xxthing from the unread ashes, because nearly a year and a half's entries on coolnina97 don't appear to be visible. Fortunately the posts still seem to be saved in my account directory - but for some reason they are not appearing in my blog. Anyone got any ideas?

More on Cherie Blair's bathing suit in a bit ... .

xx thing has been bought and has moved

2006-03-01T01:57:00.000-08:00

OK, so not exactly bought - but that sounded pretty impressive didn't it? Wishful thinking.

xx thing is now part of coolnina97 so please visit there in future.

I have also set up a forum for women to talk, ask questions, review stuff, and have a good old bitch. Check out the coolnina97 forum here. Feel free to register or post anonymously on there.

It's time to admit defeat ...

2006-03-01T01:30:00.000-08:00

I had a comment from what is probably my one and only reader on this site asking me why I haven't updated in yonks. I probably should have posted this notice ages ago, but think maybe there was a part of me which thought, just maybe, I could keep it going.

Originally xx thing was started due to some nagging from female friends about having a place where they could post things, comment etc. That lasted for all of 5 seconds, and I pretty much kept things going on my own, which ordinarily, for someone as bloody opinionated as me, is fine. However, I also write coolnina97.com, so juggling two blogs became heavy going, especially when I've got a job on. Also, for those of you who don't keep one, it actually takes ages to get a good readership, and whereas xx thing gets about 5 hits a week (if that), coolnina97 gets about 80 or so a day. OK, so most of those are people looking for the Michael Jackson Thriller image rather than my profound observations , but hey, why knock it?

I've therefore decided to spew all my catty, and uncatty celeb remarks on coolnina97, and for the girls out there who like to have their say, I've created the coolnina97 forum, which is slowly (ever so slowly) getting a bit of momentum. If you also like the idea of a blog, but don't have time, and still want to vent on subjects relating to women - everything from health to gossip etc, please visit it.

I'll keep XX thing up because I think there are a few gems on here that are worth revisiting from time to time, but effectively this is my last post. I do however make a solemn oath to continue surfing the underbelly of celeb gossip blogs/images to bring you the best links.

Adios

coolnina

Stars pile on the pounds!

2006-01-05T03:09:00.000-08:00

OK, not really, but someone with a lot of Photoshop time on their hands and a twisted sense of humour came up with these.

Photo: Liz Hurley c/o fun.as.ro

Who flies dressed like this?

2006-01-03T02:25:00.000-08:00

I can only imagine, or hope, that VB was either meeting her husband or a friend at the airport and didn't actually wear this freakish getup to fly in. Man, can you imagine the metal detectors when she walked through?

Personally I opt for comfortable clothes, as opposed to skin tight ones, and don't wear an oddly shaped hunk of animal skin on my head. Clearly I still have so much to learn about fashionable flight apparel.

Perhaps the hat and sunglasses are supposed to be a disguise so people don't recognise her. I'm thinking she could have saved herself a lot of money, not to mention the death of ten cows to make that leather hat, and just put a big neon sign around her neck which read: "I am no one, do not look at me."

Poor little Brooklyn Beckham's expression says it all.

Photo: c/o thesuperficial.com

Amazing celeb transformations

2005-12-31T04:56:00.000-08:00

Yup, your eyes are not deceiving you, this is Kirsty Alley, after losing 55 pounds.

According to people.aol.com she did it by "... limiting herself to up to 1,500 daily calories of Jenny Craig food, plus fresh fruit and vegetables, and enlisting choreographers Rich & Fly to create cardio routines."

For more inspiration on losing that festive period flab, check our more amazing celeb transformations here.

Photo: X17: Robert Ascroft c/o people.aol.com

From buxom babe to skinny minnie

2005-12-21T01:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we all love seeing before and after shots. Check out Nicole's dramatic transformation pics.

And were they hot then, or do stars get better with age?

Also, check out People's collection of celeb hits and misses. Oooh, Madonna, I love you, but those purple jodhpurs were nasty, nasty, nasty!

Photo: Fred Prouser / Reuters / Landov; Brian Lowe/ JPI c/o people.aol.com

Yet another celebrity tome

2005-12-19T04:24:00.000-08:00

The emaciated one has published a book which is loosely (totally) based upon herself, and even features her ex friend Paris Hilton (Simone).

"More of a character study than an actual story, The Truth About Diamonds is told by "Nicole" about her friend Chloe Parker, the adopted daughter of a 1970s superstar music producer - the character is clearly based on Richie herself. ("If I didn't feel like dealing with the paparazzi, she could even pass for me," writes Richie.) The somewhat tenuous plot has Chloe and her friend Simone, whose penchant for appearing in "night-vision skin flicks" marks her as a Paris Hilton stand-in, starring in a Simple Life-like reality show. Chloe goes to rehab and then bounces back with the help of a DJ boyfriend, whose "gastric bypass made him half the man he used to be." Even the sporadic reader of InTouch knows that Richie is a former heroin user whose (now ex, as of last week) fiance, DJ AM, underwent surgery to go from not to hot. "

Click here to continue reading the Slate review.

I'm confused, is it an autobiography or not? Come to think of it, perhaps Richie doesn't know what an autobiography is, which may explain the confusion. We do love the cover though, anorexia never looked so glamorous.

Angelina Jolie likes girls. Apparently.

2005-12-13T03:55:00.000-08:00

So, it looks like Angelina digs chicks. Are we surprised? Her alleged lover, supermodel Jenny Shimizu, apparently spilled the beans on Sky One last night, saying that their relationship was an ongoing one. "There has never been an ending to her and I. I think there never will be," said Shimuza, before going into other details of their so-called 'steamy' relationship.

Oops, Jenny, I think you just shot yourself in the foot dear. From what we've heard about Angie, she doesn't much care for people talking about her private life, and daddy has already been cast into no-man's land after talking about her adoption of Maddox.

I cannot understand why, after an apparent 10-year relationship, Shimizu would dish the dirt now. She's apparently a supermodel (though to be fair, any eejit who models for Marks & Spencer's these days calls themselves one), and if this is true, then I cannot imagine she needs the cash. The alternative, is that she's a woman scorned and getting her own back by causing a bit of trouble. Either way, I don't think she's going to be getting any more calls for a late night romp.

Images:Jenny Shimuza - thesun.co.uk

Angelina Jolie: memo.ro

Keira's big eyebrows. Anonymous post

2005-12-09T05:58:00.000-08:00

Did anyone else notice just how big Keira Knightley's eyebrows are? I had no idea the Martin Scorcese look was back in fashion. In fact, I had no idea this look has ever been in fashion, except for hairy old men.

And am I just being a complete bitch, or is the dark eyebrow and blonde hair thing just a little bit trailer trash?

Picture: thesuperficial.com

Extras

2005-12-09T04:12:00.000-08:00

I joined an online extra's agency this year, and paid £75 for the privilege. If you are looking to do the same thing, don't. OK, I'm being cynical, but the work, or even flicker of interest I've got out it amounts to a big fat zero.

Perhaps I'm not the best looking or fittest female on there, and so there's no interest from the so called hundreds of big names in production that supposedly peruse the sight daily to spot talent. That I can accept, and even live with.

What annoys me is that the emails I get sent, supposedly filled with 'opportunities', are either looking for people aged between 16 and 25, women's magazines 'wanting your story', or for audience members on TV shows. Most of these gigs are unpaid, or in the case of the women's mag stuff, you get paid if your story is printed.

So in other words for someone like me that wants to be an extra in a film or TV production and is 30-years -old, there is nothing going. The agency in question, because I'd like to warn other unsuspecting narcissistic eejits like myself, is Envenio. Who knows, perhaps you'll get lucky, but so far I've not been impressed.

There are other agencies like them, who take a fee for a year's membership up front, and if you get nothing out of it, well, what can you do?

If you are serious about becoming an extra, I found this link which looks quite helpful. There is also this one, providing a list of extra agencies in the UK, and this one.

Picture: Ricky Gervais' Extras from thisislondon.com

Why?

2005-12-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

That's the only word I could muster, when I stumbled across the above in this week's issue of Closer magazine.

I believe this is Sam Ramplin. Er, yeah, I didn't know who she was either, but apparently she was in Hell's Kitchen, and is a mother of two.

Yes. Mother of two.

The last time we saw a getup of this kind was on our very own national treasure and Jordan wannabe, Jodie Marsh, though to her credit she wore two belts.

Apparantly, Closer asked Miss Marsh what she thought of someone stealing her incredibly stylish signature look, and she replied (and this is the god's honest truth), "I'm flattered, but she needs a wider belt - there's too much nipple on show."

Well girls, now you know; wider belt and you're sorted.

Picture: Closer Magazine10-16 December 2005

Love that look

2005-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

OK, so most peope think she's a bit of fruit, but I still love this hair and makeup look on Ashlee Simpson, as seen at the Billboard Music Awards this week.

Picture: thesuperficial.com

Mariah needs our help

2005-12-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is about Mariah Carey. I mean, she's got all the ingredients: an amazing voice, nice face, hot figure, big boobs, and probably loads of cash to afford the best clothes, hair and makeup people. But despite all of it, she just fails to be sexy. I know this from extensive research, OK, after speaking to about five of my male friends, and not a single one of them think she's hot. Not a single one.

I think it's because there's something creepy about her. It's hard to put my finger on, but she's like a little girl dressed up in her older sister's slutty clothes. It's just odd, and unappealing to probably everyone aside from a handful of twisted individuals who like that sort of thing.

She continually makes the worst dressed pages, and you have to ask yourself, doesn't she have a stylist? Don't these people get wind of the fact that everyone thinks she dresses like a cheap street walker? I distinguish here by use of adjective, because some street walkers make a lot of money and dress rather well, making them expensive street walkers.

There are celebrities with enviable bodies, like Angelina Jolie, who don't deem it necessary to attend every party and premier showing off their midrifs, thighs, and cleavage, all at once. Sometimes more really is more, Mariah, it's as simple as that.

See here for her latest roadkill. And what about the time she actually drew abs on her stomach? I kid you not.

Picture: foro.univision.com

Getting em out

2005-12-08T02:48:00.000-08:00

It was a fairly typical Wednesday morning. My cleaner had arrived and I needed to get out of the study so she could do her thing. So I sat down in the lounge, and had a well deserved break by flicking through Heat magazine. I was happy enough until I came across the most unpleasant sight of Michelle Bass's melons falling out of her top. No. Stop. ''Falling out of her top' would imply that she were actually wearing a top, as opposed to something masquerading as one.

Jaysus, I have no problem with a bit of cleavage, or even a lot of it for that matter. But wearing something which well, reveals your breasts completely, is just so incomprehensible, probably to everyone other than that other style icon for wannabe prostitutes, Jodie Marsh, that is.

Nasty, nasty, nasty.

Equally nasty, and in the same issue of Heat, were photos of an naked oiled-up Chico (from this year's X Factor) doing some sort of strip in a previous life. I have only watched the X Factor about three times, and Chico always strikes me as someone who has as much sex appeal as your own brother. It's a good thing I wasn't eating at the time.

Picture: Heat magazine 10-16 December 2005

Gossip

2005-12-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

"1: light informal conversation for social occasions 2: a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people; 3: a person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others." dictionary.com

We all do it, and we all have it done to ourselves; gossip and be gossiped about. It's a horrible, ugly, nasty sort of thing born out of our own insecurities. After all, how bad could our lives be if there is always someone else that is worse off? That and the fact that some people have absolutely nothing going on in their own lives, and need the finer details of yours to fill in the gaps.

Each year I make a resolution that I'm not going to gossip, or as I like to rationalize it, make observations and have opinions about my friend's and family's lives. And each year I fail. Yes, there is gossip, and there is gossip; like the difference between saying someone really is too fat to wear the clothes she does, and commenting that a friend would look great if he exercised more. And though the degree and even intent of malice may well vary, it effectively boils down to the same thing.

I worked for a controversial person a while back, and regularly had to listen to people moan and bitch about them in my company. I refused to join in because of loyalty issues, and one day found out that some of my colleagues didn't trust me, simply because I didn't join in the gossiping. How weird is that? Well, not really when you think about it; when you are being bitchy about someone and the person you are sharing this with doesn't contribute, well, it makes you feel guilty. Far better to have someone to commit the sin with then feel as though you are being judged for being a bitch. I use the word bitch here to refer to both women and men, because as we all know (or should know) men can be as big if not greater gossips, as Mopey Chick so rightly pointed out.

When I was 12 years old my best friend told me something that I have kept with me to this day: "If everyone likes you, you're doing something wrong." And you know what? I think she's absolutely right. Somewhere along the way you are compromising yourself to suit the company you keep, effectively being a sort of human chameleon. Yes, I do believe that some people are genuinely nice and easy going, but even they are going to annoy some sort of A-Type personality they come across, who thinks they're a bit of a goody-two shoes.

As we move closer to the New Year, I've decided I'm going to stop worrying about gossiping and focus instead about not giving a shit if people gossip about me. Because if you're OK about the fact that someone out there has some sort of little bitchy issue with you (and believe me, insecurity, jealousy and competitiveness know no bounds with some people) then you realise that it's OK to be imperfect/not liked by some. And if you are OK with that, then you don't need to find fault with everyone else to feel better about yourself. See, it's all connected.

Some of the finest people I've met have been completely unconcerned about other's opinions of them, and I always think to myself, how cool would that be? I think I'm going to give it a try.

Celebs finally admit it

2005-12-05T02:49:00.000-08:00

I for one never thought for a second that Victoria Beckham had an eating disorder, much in the same way as I don't believe her husband cheats on her, or that her boobs are fake.

So I was shocked, truly, to see that VB and other celebs have actually admitted to some unhealthy eating habits. I don't know what on earth they're all on about, I mean, let's be real for a second, it's pretty easy keeping the emaciated look while still eating three meals a day. You just need to have that weird kind of super fast metabolism that so many celebs unfortunately suffer from. You know, the kind that makes you drop like 20 pounds in the week after giving birth, and returns your stomach to it's prior flat state.

I'm thinking this metabolism thing may also have something to do with inflated lips and mysteriously unlined faces. Yeah, it all makes perfect sense.

Image: expeditopaz.blogspot.com

The Clique Factor. Posted by Mopey Chick

2005-12-02T07:23:00.000-08:00

Female relationships are more difficult to manage than male ones because there is more of an emotional connection in how women communicate with each other, and beneath this a level of deep seated competitiveness that has potentially damaging effects.

After having been devastated in my teens by close female friends who would turn on me overnight and sometimes even rally a team of other girls together to strengthen their cause, I made a subconscious decision to give women a wider birth than men. Although I have witnessed men being much nastier and bitchier than women, I seem to find it easier to deal with. Possibly, deep down I expect more from the fairer sex, or have a stronger bond with them and that is why I get hurt more when they turn on me. Who knows?

I still prefer socialising with women to men, but I also have a deep seated fear that I cannot shift that they are going to divulge my secrets to people, judge my appearance harshly, and make me compromise my individuality. The result is that I try not to get too close so that I am not disappointed when it happens.

I long ago developed an iron constitution against the feeling of being left out by groups of tittering, overtly huggy women who carefully mastermind their social circles or cliques based on some sort of unspoken pecking order. A close friend once turned on me and never spoke to me again after discovering that my parents had a small black and white TV in the 80s, when video’s were becoming the trendy thing to have.

I find the women’s world a terrifying environment to operate in, but am secretly flattered when I am included in it.

Image from: gettyimages.com

And the winner is...

2005-12-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

This week's issue of Heat magazine did a round up of 2005's skinniest celebrities. And guess who won? Yes, I know I was totally surprised too. Who would have thought it - Nicole Ritchie. What, she's really that thin? Really? We hadn't noticed.

I have to say, it filled me with, what I can only refer to as spiteful glee, to see that our very own Liz Hurley didn't make the list. At all. For someone who goes on about having to kill herself if she were fat, well, hmmm, best not buy this week's issue of Heat love.

In fact, I can imagine quite a few celebs looking at that list and saying something like, "What? I'm only number 23?!?, I'm like way thinner than her, and she made number 15!!!" Hahaha, you have to laugh, because it's all so very sad.

What Liz said...

2005-11-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

Actress/Estee Lauder spokesmodel Elizabeth Hurley was recently named "Babe of the Century'' in some poll. This apparently caused her to lose her senses, because she went on to gratuitously dump on Marilyn Monroe - who's hardly in a position to defend herself. Hurley says that the screen legend was overweight, peaking at a dress size of 16. "I've always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I'd kill myself if I was that fat,'' Hurley told Allure magazine in an amazingly tactless moment . . . ."I went to see her clothes in the exhibition, and I wanted to take a tape measure and measure what her hips were. (laughter) She was very big." [Columbus Dispatch, 2000]

Hmm, yes Liz, we can see how huge she was; the rolls of fat made it difficult for us to see her in this photo.

*****
Liz Hurley hits out at Sienna Miller again. After she has called her earlier this summer "a bit pedestrian", now she found another flaw: Sienna's new hair cut. As Liz said, "That's the thing about valuing trends above sexiness. It exposes your flaws. That cut exposes the poor girl." [Softpedia News 2005]

Let's see; beautiful fresh-faced young woman, versus the ageing drag-queen look with trout pout and cantaloupe breasts. Yup, we're having a tough time deciding too. Sienna may have adopted a bad haircut of late, but well, hair can grow. Liz, we hate to say it, but in your case all the hair extensions in the world couldn't help you.

Just one more thing: Sienna cut her hair because she is playing the part of Edie Sedgwick, the 60's fashion icon and Warhol muse. Liz apparently turned down the chance to play (and this is ironic) the part of Mariln Monroe because she didn't want to bleach her hair. Yup, clearly a dedicated actress and not in the least bit vain. What really amazes me is how anyone in their right mind would think she (a) can act (b) looks even vaguely like Marilyn Monroe, who was one of the greatest beauties of all time.

The real reason Elizabeth Hurley no longer wants to wear bikini's. Anonymous post

2005-11-29T06:02:00.000-08:00

So Liz says her bikini days are over? Clearly all that junk food and lack of exercise has taken it's toll, not to mention slagging everyone else off. It's OK dahling , we completely understand, and thanks for sparing us.

We hope your newly acquired girth humbles you somewhat and you stop having a go at poor Sienna (who we might add is so way out of your league in terms of her natural beauty and style), Marilyn Monroe (ditto on out of your league) , and larger ladies.

More on why she's just a big arse here.

And here

It makes me so mad. Anonymous Post

2005-11-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

I saw this in last week's issue of Closer magazine, and it really irritated me. All of these women are well past their 50's, and have been photographed without makeup. I am 30 and look like crap without makeup on in the morning. Also, all of the 'before' shots of them are either publicity shots or red-carpet ones, which again would have meant they'd had their hair and makeup done professionally, and in the case with the Farah Fawcett pic, there was also probably photo retouching.

So now you shouldn't gain weight when pregnant and you should loose it all in like five days after giving birth, and you aren't allowed to age either. Great.

Another magazine had pics of young celebs with a bit of their stomach hanging over their jeans on the front cover, like it was some big deal. So what! This same rag will then go and publish pics of Nicole Ritchie looking anorexic and tut tut about how horrible it is and what a bad example she is setting for younger people.

I hate it, and it makes me angry. It's all part of a self-loathing culture we exist in today and I don't care what anyone says, the media do perpetuate and encourage it. I'd be very keen to get some of these magazine people in a room and see just how perfect and well dressed they all are.

Check out this link for more on the skinny trend.

See a secret...share a secret. Posted by: Becky

2005-11-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

I’ve just discovered a lovely blog called www.postsecret.com. I thoroughly recommend it.

Better than Heat or OK! and free. Posted by: Lucille

2005-11-23T09:22:00.000-08:00

Do you like to catch up on your celeb gossip? So do I, and I've found this site to be brilliant. It's not only constantly updated, but whoever writes it is incredibly funny, in a totally sarcastic way of course.

Check it out: thesuperficial.com

Welcome to 'It's an xx thing'

2005-11-22T05:21:00.000-08:00

I have so many friends and women I've met through coolnina97 who have great stories, opinions, experiences, and advice. I created this blog for them and for any other woman out there who wants to have her say, but doesn't want to commit to a full-time blog of her own.

Guys have their techy forums, and personally, I'm tired of feeling embarrassed about the fact that I like to talk about things such as which are the best hair straighteners, or how awkward it is to go and have an internal exam at the doctors. Let's face it, these are just some of the things we have to go through as women, and sometimes it's good to be able to talk about them.

If you are tired of reading about diets in magazines, had one bad first date too many, have found a great new website for cosmetics that don't cost the earth, want to warn other women about a dodgy nightclub, or even just want to have a bitch about the day you've had, then this is the place for you.

You can email me your say, and please state clearly if you want your name to accompany the post, or if you want it to be anonymous - either are cool with me. Also, if you want a photo to accompany your post, feel free to send that on too.

I can't hand out my username and password because unfortunately it falls under my coolnina97 profile, but I assure you that should you wish to remain anoymous when you post, I will not divulge your details when I put it up.

Effectively, my role is to act as a sort of host and moderator, and now and again I might inject a comment or blog, but really, this is a forum for you.

Anything goes, so feel free to start sending stuff.