It’s Sexiest Man Alive season, which means one of my favorite Hollywood rumors is getting trotted out again: Ryan Gosling, everyone’s favorite Canadian with a Brooklyn accent, reportedly turned down People magazine’s offer of the heady title — multiple times. “They tried a few times, especially during his huge year in 2011,” a source tells the Wrap. “The consensus was he’s too serious for it, too artsy.” I was going to say too bashful, but sure. People’s editorial director, Jess Cagle, for what it’s worth, insists that there was no turning down by the Goose for this go round, at least. “While I look forward to the day when Ryan Gosling is named Sexiest Man Alive, this was not his year,” Cagle says. “Our 2014 honoree Chris Hemsworth was our first and only choice. If you want to know why, just look at him. I mean, seriously.” Former Sex Pistols front-man John Lydon — or, you know, Johnny Rotten — has some serious impulse control issues, which isn’t that surprising. What is surprising is that he’s been unable to curb a crippling appetite for iPad in-app purchases. No, really. “I wasted — you’re the first to know this — 10,000 f—ing pounds in the last two years on apps on my iPad,” he tells the Telegraph. (By the way, by current exchange rates 10,000 f—ing pounds translates to about 15,600 f—ing dollars.) “I got into ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Game of War,’ ‘Real Racing,’ and I just wanted to up the ante,” he says. “And like an idiot I didn’t check myself. I’ve been checked now. But theres a kid in me, see? A bit of my childhood was taken from me and I’m determined to bring it back.” At whatever cost, apparently. Reese Witherspoon has some opinions about the recent attention Renee Zellweger’s received — very, very strong opinions, as it turns out. “It’s horrible. It’s cruel and rude and disrespectful. I can go on and on. It bothers me immensely,” she tells the Hollywood Reporter. “Why do they have to tear women down? And why do we have to tear other women down to build another woman up? It drives me crazy. Like, this one looks great without her makeup but that one doesn’t look good without her makeup, and it’s all just a judgment and assault that I don’t — look, men are prey to it as well. I just don’t think it’s with the same sort of ferocity.” Ariana Grande has been making a point of saying she isn’t a diva despite rumors to the contrary. “There’s a difference between being determined and being a bitch,” she’s insisted recently. And while I’m all for a semantics argument about how a diva and a bitch aren’t the same thing, some of Grande’s past contractual demands are surfacing to undermine her argument. Life & Style has obtained a contract for Grande’s time on the Nickelodeon show “Victorious” that required the show to provide her with a dressing room superior to all other cast members save for series star Victoria Justice. It’s kind of tough to claim reports of your diva-ness are exaggerated when you’re worried about Leon Thomas III having a nicer place to nap between scenes than you. Good news, people who care about what ’80s action stars think of each other! Sylvester Stallone apparently no longer regards Bruce Willis as “greedy and lazy” — which is how he described him in a Twitter rant last year after Willis priced himself out of an appearance in “Expendables 3.” Stallone took to Twitter to let everyone know that he’s buried the hatchet with Willis and everybody’s friends again, posting, “Made up with Bruce [Willis]. A stand-up guy, my mistake.” Aw, you guys.
Made up with BRUCE W. A stand up guy, my mistake….
— Sylvester Stallone (@TheSlyStallone) November 18, 2014
Of course, given the sluggish box office performance of the third “Expendables” movie earlier this year, the two might not get a chance to show off their newfound amity on screen.
When President Obama does his annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning bit, pay close attention to the bird’s eyes. Does it look like its seen some terrible, terrible things? The folks at Nerdist obviously think so, as they’ve created a wonderful turkey-themed “Hunger Games” spoof, “the Gobble Games,” for you to enjoy. May the odds be ever in your flavor. Follow Ned Ehrbar on Twitter: @nedrick
