From the Los Angeles Times’ Ministry of Gossip blog:
Demi Moore, who was reportedly rushed to a hospital after a 911 call Monday night, has pulled out of the movie “Lovelace,” according to a source close to the production, even as stories and rumors swirled about what led to her decision to seek professional assistance for what her rep on Tuesday called “exhaustion” and “her overall health.”
Moore was to have played Gloria Steinem in the film, about “Deep Throat” actress Linda Lovelace. A replacement has not been announced.
The bigger situation could be serious: Though the allegations are unconfirmed, TMZ cited a source who said Moore had a reaction Monday night to “whip-its” — a type of nitrous oxide inhalant — and a Radar Online source said that in addition to substance abuse issues, the actress was being treated for anorexia.
The night before she entered treatment, the 49-year-old actress was reportedly at Beacher’s Madhouse at the Hollywood Roosevelt, flirting with men including 27-year-old “90120” actor Ryan Rottman. “She found ways to touch him all night, and at one point when he was in front of her, she was grinding on his butt,” an onlooker told People.
She “ordered about a dozen Red Bulls” at Beacher’s on Monday night, Us Weekly reported.
Juxtapose that with another report from Beacher’s, which had her “table dancing while three guys sat there watching” on Jan. 11, according to another Us source.
Moore’s rep had no further comment for The Times on Wednesday beyond the statement issued Tuesday: “Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health. She looks forward to getting well and is grateful for the support of her family and friends.”
— Christie D’Zurilla
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You may have suspected it, but now it’s fact: Pat Sajak used to host “Wheel of Fortune” while drunk.
Genial game show host Sajak (who also moonlights as a conservative columnist) appeared on the ESPN2 talk show “Dan LeBatard Is Highly Questionable” on Tuesday and answered that burning question.
“Yes,” Sajak said. “When I first started and was much younger and could tolerate those things. We had a different show then.”
He went on to explain that the show was much more reliant on “cheesy prizes,” which required long set-up times between shows, allowing Sajak and his “Wheel” cohort, Vanna White, to take 2 1/2-hour dinner breaks.
“At NBC in Burbank we had a place called Los Arcos across the street — which is Spanish, as you know, for ‘The Arcos’ — and they served great margaritas,” he said. “Vanna and I would go across and have two or three or six and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet.”
Exactly how many margaritas did Sajak down before doing the show? “I think the average number was cuatro (Spanish for ‘four’),” he said.
“I had a great time,” Sajak continued. “I have no idea if the shows were any good, but no one said anything, so I guess I did OK.”
Does Sajak still run the “Wheel” after a few drinks, or was that a relic of the crazy, anything-goes ’80s?
“Now, if I were to inhale the cork in a bottle of wine, I’d probably keel over,” he said. “I’m getting a little older.”
Sajak, who appeared happy to answer any question asked of him, also revealed that White smells, well, “great.”
We’re assuming “great” is not the smell of tequila.
— Patrick Kevin Day
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One Oscar snub that’s snatching serious attention away from those actually up for gold? The omission of Michael Fassbender in the best actor category.
The Irish hunk’s bold portrayal of a sex addict in the NC-17-rated “Shame” has had tongues wagging since last fall, but as awards campaigning chugged along, some of the wagging moved from what was in his performance to what was in his underwear.
His brave displays of nudity and desperate sexual encounters in Steve McQueen’s film revealed that Fassbender was gifted in both acting and anatomy, earning him Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe nominations, among many others. But the conversation on Michael moved further south, so to speak, since those accolades were handed out.
Cut to George Clooney, who helped Fassbender’s member reach superstar status by suggesting during the Globes telecast that the actor could play golf with his hands behind his back — complete with an acted-out illustration of what he was referring to.
Was this otherwise flattering endorsement indicative of a mind-set that cost Fassbender an Oscar nomination?
“He’s a guy who’s unfamiliar to a lot of people and did a movie that’s really intimate,” one high-ranking academy voter told the Ministry. “That was a super-brave performance but ... perhaps it inspired people to fantasize, and not actually vote.”
— Matt Donnelly
Ministry of Gossip: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/
