***According to me

We’ve already discussed the clever use of girl-on-girl as a go-to publicity stunt for celebrities. But it’s not the only shady tactic used by Hollywood to garner interest in stars whose popularity is waning or in film, tv, and music projects that might otherwise go unnoticed. After the jump, five recent “celebrity” stories that I think are totally fake and carefully concocted.

In the latest issue of Interview, Lindsay Lohan sits down for a tête-à-tête with 70’s supermodel Lauren Hutton. So says Hutton, “She’s got the bones of a flamingo and the spirit of a gladiator.” From dodging paparazzi to high-speed car chases, Lohan declares being a celebrity ain’t easy: “I just feel as though it’s become a situation where people have manifested this caricature of who I am, and they act as if there’s no real person inside of it.” On the perils of fame, Heath Ledger advised her that it’s all a game: “It’s build you up to knock you down, and that’s all it is. And you just have to see if you can stand through it.” As for her relationship with SamRo, Lindsay doesn’t say much, other than, as a Cancer, “in relationships I’m screwed.” [Interview]

We’re not happy about this—we liked Lindsay with Sam—but TMZ claims their official breakup news is “solid.” We saw it coming. Lindsay have hopped on her blog and is saying otherwise. Whatevs. I kind of believe it. [TMZ]

• Brad Pitt says he’ll marry Angelina Jolie when it’s important to their kids. Hasn’t little Zahara already been bitching that mom and dad aren’t married like Shrek and Princess Fiona? [Us Weekly]
• Dear Robert Pattinson, please do not date Camilla Belle, she has been tainted by a Jonas Brother. Love, The Frisky [Us Weekly]
• Kelly Rutherford, who plays Serena’s mom on “Gossip Girl,” is expecting her second child. She and her husband already have a son named Hermes. Start placing your bets for the new kid’s name—Gucci? Birkin? Fendi? Louis Vuitton? [DListed]

2008 is almost history, and it definitely made some. We saw plenty of highs—the election of the first African-American President—and lows—the stock market dip—but as we look back at a year of extremes, our jaw still drops at these unbelievably shocking moments…

Sigh, it sounds like Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson have a bit of a tumultuous relationship. According to Page Six, Lindsay and Sam “are fighting like cats and dogs. They fight every day, screaming, crying and yelling at each other. Sam and Lindsay are still very much together and very much in love, but drama just seems to follow Lindsay, and Sam hates it.” So how are they dealing with the friction? The couple is reportedly getting couples therapy, trying to work through their issues. The thing is, couples therapy has always sounded, to me, like something married folks do. Obviously, you want to do whatever you can to save a marriage—but if the person your with is “just a boyfriend or girlfriend,” would you be willing to shell out the big bucks, not to mention the time and emotional energy, seeing a professional? [Huffington Post]

The rumored-to-be-engaged pair had fun splashing around the ocean in Mexico—is it strange that we always pegged Sam to be a tankini kind of girl? [Los Cabos, Mexico, 10/1/08]

Star magazine is reporting that Lindsay Lohan could be indulging in her old habits of drinking and doing cocaine. But Linds also may have taken up a new compulsion—cutting. Although we don’t always believe Star, Pop Eater did a little photographic investigation, and Lindsay does appear to have a series of scratches or scars on her forearm. Most cutters usually injure themselves on their arms or legs because the scratches can be covered with clothing. Pop Eater also has photos of Lindsay wearing long sleeves recently.

As the whole world knows by now, Lindsay Lohan was spotted last Thursday wearing a diamond-encrusted, heart-shaped ring on her left ring finger, fueling rumors that she plans to marry girlfriend Samantha Ronson. Celebrity engagements—and, more importantly, celebrity engagement ring—fascinate us commoners. Because we live vicariously through our favorite celebs, and we’re not ashamed to admit it, dammit! So we decided to take a trip down memory lane to ogle the most notable engagement rings in history.