Taylor Armstrong spills secrets about married life with Russell

What a mess. Taylor Armstrong's cathartic chat spree is unearthing a lot unpleasantness surrounding the suicide of her husband, Russell Armstrong -- and the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast member isn't the only one chiming in.

First, Taylor gave details of how she told Kennedy, her daughter with Russell, that her father was gone.

"I just told her that daddy got sick and he died ... ," she said in a sit-down with "Entertainment Tonight." She told the 5-year-old that "we could pick a star in the sky and it could be daddy, and that she could talk to him every night."

Taylor brought Kennedy with her Aug. 15 when she and a friend went to check on Russell at the house where her estranged husband had been staying since they separated; Russell had not responded to phone calls and texts for days, and had missed a planned meeting.

She recalled "laying in the street screaming" when Russell's body was found. "I realized that my little girl was there and I had to pull it together to get her out of there." 

Armstrong also painted a picture of a marriage rife with trauma, including alleged physical abuse dating back to when she was pregnant.

"You live your life constantly on eggshells waiting for the other shoe to drop," she said. "You don't know if you're going to talk to your girlfriend too long at dinner and that's going to cause someone to fly into a rage."

A cringe-worthy photo of Taylor sporting a black eye and other injuries she said came at the hands of her late husband would seem to be in line with her accounts; however, Russell's attorney Ronald Richards disputed the relevance of the images, which were sold to "ET."

"If Mr. Armstrong was the cause of those injuries he would have been arrested and prosecuted," he told TMZ on Wednesday, saying the injuries may have been from plastic surgery and noting that Taylor had not filed a police report.

Joining the chorus, fellow "Housewives" franchise member Jill Zarin, recently cut loose from the New York series, had plenty of opinions about Armstrong and her future.

"Honestly, I wouldn't talk to the press or anyone for six months to a year," Zarin said on "Good Morning America." "I would buckle down with my family, and I probably wouldn't come back on the show."

How refreshing of Mrs. Zarin to suggest an appropriate grief timeline for Taylor before returning to the marketplace, perhaps with some sort of noble, worthy product for the masses. 

Watch Taylor's "ET" interview below, and leave your thoughts on her PR tornado in comments.

  

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-- Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Russell and Taylor Armstrong in February. Credit: David Livingston / Getty Images

Chaz Bono: Cha-cha-chatting after 'DWTS' debut [Video]

"Dancing With the Stars" fans who wanted to see Chaz Bono in action with Lacey Schwimmer had to stay up late Monday night: The heavily hyped duo were the final performers on the 12-dance "DWTS" season 13 premiere.

Bono didn't seem too sure of things in the clip leading up the the performance. "Being in your 40s, and overweight, it kills my body," he said. "I really wanna not suck."

Mama Cher, however, was stoked when the music was over, tweeting, "WOW! HOW GREAT WAS MY SON! THE GREATEST THING, GREATEST THING, GREATEST THING NO MATTER WHAT! WHAT! WHAT! HES A WINNER! I Was So Nervous!"

The judges were also receptive, giving the two a score of 17 on a night when the numbers ranged from 14 (Ron Artest, newly renamed Metta World Peace) to a couple of 22s (singer Chynna Phillips, actor-veteran J.R. Martinez). Comments included

The Ministry's vote for contestant most likely to be spotted walking on air in the near future, however, goes to the boyish David Arquette, who appeared to thoroughly enjoy his time on the dance floor -- as well as the presence in the audience of daughter Coco, with estranged but smiling wife Courtney Cox.

Check out Chaz and Lacey's post-game interview with ABC, below.

 

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Photo: Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer rehearse on Sept. 7. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press

 

Tareq Salahi to divorce Michaele; he's reportedly banned backstage at Journey

Tareq Salahi has filed for divorce from wife Michaele. Not exactly shocking news after the media blitz the couple caused last week.

The scandal started on Tuesday when Tareq reported his wife missing and tweeted his fears that she had been kidnapped. Soon it all became clear. Michaele was safe, but she had run off with someone else -- Journey guitarist Neal Schon no less.

"She continually exposes our friends and acquaintances to her adulterous relationship and has flaunted the same throughout the community, the nation and indeed the world, and thus caused ... me to suffer great harm, humiliation and embarrassment," Tareq stated in court documents filed Friday in Warren County, Va.

The pair isn’t playing nice either. TMZ reports that Tareq is no longer allowed backstage at Journey concerts, despite having an all access pass! And he’s blaming Michaele’s departure for putting their Doberman Pinscher in a major funk.

The Salahis, married for eight years, started their 15 minutes by allegedly crashing a state dinner at the White House.  They quickly landed spots on “The Real Housewives of D.C.,” but the show was short-lived. Now in bankruptcy, the pair is scheduled to auction off the goods from their Virginia winery, Oasis Vineyards, on Sunday.

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Photo: Tareq and Michaele Salahi. Credit: Robert Devaney / Reuters

Pia Toscano, Mark Ballas have called it quits

Are Pia Toscano and Mark Ballas victims of their own success? The singer and the dancer — matched in prime-time competition-show heaven, or at least in the adjacent trailers that park there — have reportedly broken up because they're too busy with work.

Toscano, who competed on the most recent "American Idol," and Ballas, a pro on "Dancing With the Stars," were first seen out on the town together in April, dining at Gulfstream restaurant in Century City.

"They both decided with everything going on that they couldn't give each other what would be fair," a source told People, adding that it was a mutual decision. E! News first reported the breakup.

Ballas, who finished third last season on "DWTS" with partner Chelsea Kane, is currently rehearsing for the show's 13th season with Kristin Cavallari. Ballas previously hit the floor with Bristol Palin.

The American Idols Live! 2011 Tour, which has had Toscano and the gang on the road since early July, wraps up Tuesday in the Philippines. Toscano has also been busy working on her debut album, her rep told E!

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— Christie D'Zurilla
twitter.com/dzurillaville

Photos: Mark Ballas and Pia Toscano. Credits:  Getty Images.

 

Michaele Salahi: Kidnapping, no; Journey rocker Neal Schon, yes.

Few people roll like Michaele Salahi and her husband, Tareq, late of "The Real Housewives of D.C." and originally infamous for allegedly crashing a state dinner at the White House.

Depending on when a person checked in on the Salahi drama Wednesday, Michaele was either kidnapped, according to Tareq, or just fine, according to police. Then there was the part about Michaele running off with a guy from a rock band.

But more about Journey guitarist Neal Schon later. Seriously. After the police stuff, and before the Montel Williams stuff.

Tareq reported Michaele missing very late Tuesday night, telling law enforcement that his wife had been gone for six hours, the North Virginia Daily reported. She'd called him from a cellphone with an Oregon number, he said, to tell him she was fine and on her way to her mom's house.

He said that after talking to his mother-in-law, who according to TMZ told Tareq she didn't know what was up with Michaele, he feared a kidnapping. The former house-husband of D.C. told NBC that his wife's "cryptic" behavior during the call made him think she was trying to convey a message to him in code, the way they'd play-acted in the past in case either one were, you know, kidnapped.

"I swear to God," Tareq told NBC, denying that the kidnap report was a publicity stunt. "I'm missing my wife," he sobbed, breaking down in tears that you can see in the video embedded below.

The Sheriff's Department in Virginia's Warren County then issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying essentially not to worry -- officials had been in touch with Michaele and were confident nobody had been kidnapped.

"She seemed calm, was engaged in conversation, and assured the deputy that she had left the residence with a good friend and was where she wanted to be," authorities said. She allegedly didn't want her husband knowing where she was.

Tareq Salahi told NBC a different story. "I think she's being forced by, whatever this Oregon phone number is, she's being forced to say she's OK," he said. "She's being forced to to say this to the local authorities." The couple had frequently dealt with stalkers and death threats, according to Tareq.

But the best was yet to come.

Kate Gosselin gets a tip from Jon: Reality TV is not a career

Pearls of wisdom from Jon Gosselin? Really? Yes, really -- at least when it comes to ex-wife Kate Gosselin and her job uncertainty now that "Kate Plus 8" has been canceled. 

"To rely on reality television ... reality television is not a career," Jon Gosselin told RumorFix, even as Kate Gosselin's tale of "freaking out" was landing in mailboxes and on newsstands on the cover of People magazine. "Get back to normal life, simple life, provide for your family and go from there."

Plenty of pots and kettles here, of course: Jon wasn't shy about working the reality-star angle as he tried to earn a living after he and Kate split and "Jon & Kate Plus 8" morphed into just Kate and the kids. Ed Hardy sound familiar, anyone? How about Millions of Milkshakes?

Still, Kate told People that she realized that going back to 12-hour nursing shifts wouldn't let her "continue to provide well for eight kids essentially on my own." ("Essentially" = Jon is paying child support.)

While she said she was willing work her fingers to the bone so the kids could stay in their current house and school, weekend-dad Jon offered some perspective: "I don't have a farm with 24 acres, and the kids seem to have a good time at my house," he said.

"Obviously there are families out there that have several kids -- people work normal jobs and things work out," said Jon, currently employed as a computer support engineer.

Kate and the kids' "reality" reality comes to a close Monday, with their show's season finale.

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-- Christie D'Zurilla
Twitter.com/dzurillaville

Photo: Jon Gosselin in Las Vegas in August 2009, when he was still looking to turn his reality-TV name into money. Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Kate Gosselin 'freaking out' with 8 kids, no reality show [Poll]

Like 9.1% of the U.S. population, Kate Gosselin is looking for work. Like much of the U.S. population, Kate Gosselin is "freaking out."

Like not so very much of the U.S. population, Kate Gosselin is a single mother of eight kids with a résumé that since 2005 includes "reality TV star" and "tabloid bait," with the added portable skills of getting divorced, dancing with the stars and, well, freaking out.

And that sort of freaks us out.

Gosselin told People she is "freaking out. Big time" and wasn't ready for "Kate Plus 8" to end.

"Nobody was," she said, including her costarring twins and sextuplets. "I've never quit a job in my life without having something else lined up. I don't know what's next."

Gosselin had said previously that she could go back to nursing after her TV run ended but has realized that won't work the way she thought it would.

"The scary reality is, 12-hour nursing shifts every day wouldn't let me continue to provide well for eight kids essentially on my own," she said. "When you think about it that way, it gets really scary."

Gosselin said she promised her kidlets she'd work her fingers to the bone to allow them to stay living where they live and going to school where they go to school.

One thing we know: She's unlikely to land a catering job with Anderson Cooper any time soon.

The final episode of "Kate Plus 8" airs next Monday.

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Photo: Kate Gosselin and her kids at the sextuplets' 6th birthday party, in 2010. Credit: TLC

Three 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' set a stage for premiere

With "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" set to premiere Monday night, Adrienne Maloof, Kyle Richards and Lisa Vanderpump spoke out for the first time since the suicide of Russell Armstrong, estranged husband of "RHOBH" cast member Taylor Armstrong.

The suicide came as "a complete shock to all of us," said Richards, appearing Monday on the "Today" show with her fellow "Housewives" and executive producer Douglas Ross.

Ross said that the "RHOBH" team and Bravo "took a hard look at the show ... and we decided to make some adjustments where appropriate in light of the circumstances."

One adjustment: The cast members, minus Taylor, participated in a taped sit-down in late August to discuss Armstrong's Aug. 15 death. That discussion will air ahead of Monday's premiere.

"In the first few episodes that we've completed editing, Russell is not included in those episodes," Ross said, "but ... Taylor's story is told throughout the season." The show, he said, tells the stories of all six women, not only the Armstrongs' situation.

Maloof said she'd never felt pressured by producers to create drama. "We lead and they follow," she said. "We kind of create and they document."

Richards said she doesn't think "Housewives" pushed Russell Armstrong over the edge. "He also signed up for this, season one," she said, "and came back for season two."

Lisa Vanderpump said the women never considered shelving the season, which was shot over the last six months or so.

"We all had to reflect at some point" after the death, she said, "but then, it would really be sweeping suicide under the rug, and ... that's what we didn't want to do. We wanted to bring it to the forefront."

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" premieres Monday at 9 p.m. Watch the full interview below.

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-- Christie D'Zurilla

twitter.com/dzurillaville

Photo: The cast of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Credit: Bravo

Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed set wedding date after 28 years

Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have a date to get married -- finally. The KISS singer and the former Playmate have been together for 28 years and have two children.

Invitations to the Oct. 1 wedding, sent out under the kids' names, contain art by Nick, 22, and a nontraditional message from Sophie, 18: "After 28 years of loose strings, our parents have finally decided to tie the knot."

"Our mother will share our horrendous hyphenate of a last name and our father's life ... well, it doesn't change that much."

The invite isn't all rock-star bravado, however. Teasing to the formation of "Team Tweed-Simmons," it continues: "We will be united as a family in title and spirit forever."

Simmons is 62 and still touring with Paul Stanley and the current incarnation of KISS; Tweed is 54.

Simmons' proposal in Belize was naturally captured by reality-TV cameras for A&E's show "Gene Simmons: Family Jewels," which rolls its seventh season starting Oct. 4.

So much for Simmons' "happily unmarried" lifestyle. Makes it look like Poison frontman Bret Michaels, after 16 years and two kids, practically rushed into things with Kristi Gibson, no?

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-- Christie D'Zurilla
Twitter.com/dzurillaville

Reuters contributed to this report.

Photo: Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed in L.A. in August. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press

Might Mark Wahlberg bring his Wahlburgers to reality TV?

Might Mark Wahlberg join the ranks of Snooki, Camille Grammer and Tim Gunn?

Though that sounds like a cocktail party in "The Twilight Zone," the actor-producer, his two brothers and a lot of burgers could be headed to reality television.

There's been talk surrounding a potential show on the creation and opening of Wahlburgers, the high-end beef patty joint we told you about last week. Wahlberg is collaborating with his New Kids on the Block brother, Donnie, and the chef in the family, Paul, to open the space in Boston next year.

How might an unscripted series go down for Mark? Apparently, it'd be without his former Calvin Klein-modeling mug in front of the camera.

"Maybe I'll be the 'Charlie's Angels' of reality TV," he said. "You'll hear my voice. But obviously it's something that we'd want to control in every aspect and produce and make sure that we were doing something really quality."

We appreciate his perfectionism, but any Wahlburgers TV show had better come with some Marky Mark on the side, or we're sticking to "Top Chef." 

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-- Matt Donnelly
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Photo: Mark Wahlberg in Beverly Hills on Aug. 4, 2011. Credit: Fred Prouser / Reuters