writersclub.iafrica.com | trixy_honore | columns Stars in their eyes

And… we're back! Last week's column sadly got bumped by monstrous computer problems combined with the madness of Thanksgiving here in the US. And I can tell you — hardware repairs and more turkeys with cranberry sauce than you could possibly imagine just don't compare to the joys of celeb gossip.

Now the question is — does celeb-power combine well with political aspirations?

America is currently awash with speculation as to who the Democrats and Republicans will nominate as their respective candidates for next year's presidential election, and the stars are throwing their weight behind their favourites.

Thing is — Al Gore was a Hollywood darling; there was hardly a single famous person out there who didn't endorse him, but we all know how that ended…

Still, leading Democratic nomination hopeful Barack Obama is risking it — flouting the fact that it seems people are keen enough to see celebs on the small and silver screens, but not to hear their political opinions.

Obama has an extra-special supporter, though. He's managed to get none other than Oprah Winfrey behind him! Yes, the most powerful woman on TV has made her choice. "What is the cost to me for doing it? Am I going to lose viewers?" Oprah wonders.

"I made the decision that I have the right to do it as an American citizen," she continues. "But I will not use my platform. I can use my own personal voice. I know him well enough to believe in his moral authority. And that is the number one reason why I am supporting him."

Of course, Winfrey has had him on the show (during which she did much gushing) and all — so I'm guessing the whole personal-voice-only thing is just from now on. Next up: Oprah's planning a massive star-studded fundraiser for Obama at her home.

Also getting in on the action is, um, Barbara Streisand. Ooh, yes, she'll have those hard-to-reach young people voting in droves. The happy recipient of her backing is Hilary Rodham Clinton.

"Hillary Clinton has already proven to a generation of women that there are no limits for success," says Streisand. "Hillary is a powerful voice for change as we find our country at an important crossroads. Under her leadership, our country will regain its respect within the global community." That is going to be quite a deal of work for whichever lucky hopeful actually makes it into the White House.

TRIXY HONORÉ

(pronounced On-or-ay) delights in the candyfloss vacuousness of celebrity gossip. Living in New York City, Trixy keeps an eye out for the rich and famous of the Big Apple as she hunts for great vintage clothing and tries to balance the joys of both style and substance. She is a firm believer in nice manners, wrist-length gloves and the greatness of television.

Got something to say about Bitch and Famous? Email her!

And who will be putting on the teeny shoes of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's kids? Well, their custody battles continue, but Britney sure doesn't seem to be heading in the right direction as far as child-care is concerned.

In between running over paparazzi's feet and living it up in the party city of Las Vegas, she has managed during her brief court-allowed time with her boys to make time to leave them with other people, or to drag them off to go shopping for herself. I just don't know if it'll be enough to win the judge over, though.

Way more shocking than Britney's apparently lousy record as a mother, is the score former pariah K-Fed is getting for his parenting. The US's Details magazine has given him, and Anna Nicole Smith's ex, Larry Birkhead, their Good Fathers award!

Kevin is the man who left his pregnant girlfriend to cash in on Britney, with two kids and then a divorce following soon after. So Federline's now responsible for four young children who're living with broken-up parents — and he hasn't even exited his twenties. Yay, K-Fed!