By Wonderwall.com Editors
8:30pm PDT, Aug 21, 2023
Off the meds
Jenna Jameson hopped on Instagram this week to clarify "a few things" about her health — including her recent slimdown, which she attributed to her return to a carb-free diet. "I know a lot of people are addressing my weight loss," said Jenna, 49, in a video she shared on Monday, Aug. 14. "I'm just minding my health. I'm back to keto, it makes me feel the best and I'm doing a little bit of intermittent fasting so the weight is falling off."
The former adult film star and Playboy TV personality previously revealed she'd lost about 60 pounds on the keto diet before taking a break from it. "I'm also off all medication so we love that," Jenna added in the clip. She didn't elaborate on the medication, but she spent much of 2022 battling a mystery illness that landed her in the hospital for a month at one point. She also struggled to walk for some time but eventually regained her mobility. After being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome — a "rare, autoimmune disorder in which a person's own immune system damages the nerves, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis," according to the CDC — doctors ruled that out.
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Almost healed
Nearly three years after "Cake Boss" star Buddy Valastro's right hand was impaled multiple times in a horrific accident at his home bowling alley, the celebrity chef says he's almost completely healed. "Thank God, I don't think I'm going to be a hand model but I have a lot of mobility and strength," Buddy told "Extra" on Aug. 14. "I've got one more surgery I've got to get to get this finger straightened out, but considering? I'd say 95%."
The TLC star also admitted that the September 2020 incident — in which a pinsetter malfunction left his dominant hand stuck in the machine as the pinsetter rod repeatedly drilled into it — was "pretty gruesome." His teenage sons reportedly rescued him by sawing through the metal rod, and a series of surgeries were necessary to treat the resulting nerve, tendon and muscle damage. "My hands are everything to me. Without my hands, in the decorating world, I'm nothing," Buddy told "Extra," recalling how he was "really immobile for about six months where I couldn't even use my hand." But after his most recent procedure, Buddy's hand is back in top form. "The doctor's like, 'Don't worry, this last surgery I'm going to release the tendons and you're going to be good to go,'" he said. Buddy's new show, "Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty," premieres on TLC in November.
Emergency aid
As Maui residents navigate their wildfire-ravaged island, Matthew McConaughey and his family are "funding an emergency aid plane… filled with hundreds of thousands" of supplies for families, the actor announced on Instagram on Aug. 15. The McConaugheys' aid efforts are part of a partnership with Baby2Baby.
"We know that you probably already know about all the devastation on the island of Maui," Matthew said in a video post. "The fires over there have put so many people out of home and have taken so many lives. These people need to stabilize to survive. [My wife Camila Alves], myself and [our son] Levi are working with this organization called Baby2Baby. They are working with partners that are on the ground in Maui, saying this is what people need right now," he continued, name-checking Aloha Diaper Bank, Hawaii Diaper Bank, Maui Food Bank, Pacific Birth Collective, and Maui Rapid Response. He went on to urge viewers to find out more about the work Baby2Baby is doing in Maui. "Or any other way you can help," he added. "There's a lot of help that's needed."
While Matthew's post earned praise from fans — some of whom suggested (again) that he run for office — social media users had less glowing things to say this week about other celebs' responses to the wildfire crisis in Maui. On Monday, users slammed Paris Hilton for continuing to vacation there despite local authorities' requests that tourists leave the island or cancel their trips. A previous post from Stevie Nicks, in which she bemoaned the fiery loss of the historic town Lahaina, citing a niece's dashed vacation plans and her love of the opals sold at a local jewelry shop, earned similar backlash, with users calling Stevie "tone deaf."
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'Devastated' family reacts
The real-life family whose decision to take in a struggling teen — future NFL star Michael Oher — inspired the 2009 movie "The Blind Side," is speaking out about Michael's allegations they lied about having adopted him, having instead placed him under a conservatorship that allowed them to profit from his success. Speaking to the Daily Memphian on Monday (Aug. 14), Sean Tuohy said, "We're devastated. It's upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we're going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16."
In a petition filed in court in Tennessee Monday, Michael alleged he was tricked into signing papers that placed him in a conservatorship, according to People. Michael, who now seeks to end the conservatorship, further claimed the Tuohys made millions of dollars through lucrative business deals related to the film's success, as well as $250,000 in royalties plus 2.5 percent in residuals — which both Sean and his son have since denied. "We didn't make any money off the movie," Sean said. "Well, Michael Lewis [the author of the book 'The Blind Side' was based on] gave us half of his share. Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000 each." He claimed the conservatorship was a means of allowing Michael to play football in college.
"Michael was obviously living with us for a long time, and the NCAA didn't like that," Sean said. "They said the only way Michael could go to Ole Miss was if he was actually part of the family. I sat Michael down and told him, 'If you're planning to go to Ole Miss — or even considering Ole Miss — we think you have to be part of the family. This would do that, legally.' We contacted lawyers who had told us that we couldn't adopt over the age of 18; the only thing we could do was to have a conservatorship," he continued. "We were so concerned it was on the up-and-up that we made sure the biological mother came to court."
In an interview with Barstool Sports, meanwhile, Sean's son, Sean Tuohy Jr., said of Michael's petition to end the conservatorship, "I get it, why he's mad," but denied claims the family made millions from their relationship with Michael. The former football star says he learned of the conservatorship in February.
Big bucks 'Barbie'
"Barbie" star and producer Margot Robbie should be in good shape to snag the real-world dream house of her choice, thanks to the massive payday her box office juggernaut's likely to bring in. Variety reports Margot is expected to make a whopping $50M in salary and box office bonuses from the film, according to three sources the outlet says have "knowledge of her deal."
As of mid-August, the Great Gerwig-directed and co-written movie — already the highest-grossing film in history from a female director — had raked in $526 million in the U.S. and more than $657 million in international box office sales — or about $1.18 billion worldwide. And that's after less than one month in domestic theaters. In its opening weekend alone last month, "Barbie" earned $155M, setting a record for the biggest box office debut of 2023… a "Barbie" world, indeed!
On the road again
The show must go on! On Tuesday, Aug. 15, Madonna announced new dates for her Celebration Tour, which was put on hold in June after the singer was hospitalized with what her manager called a "serious bacterial infection." The tour is now slated to launch in London on Oct. 14, before taking the Queen of Pop across Europe. She'll kick off her North American tour dates in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 13, and wrap up the tour leg in April in Mexico City, according to a press release from Live Nation. Conflicts reportedly forced the promoter to cancel a number of dates, including shows in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Nashville.
"I'm on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life," Madonna, 64, wrote on Instagram amid news of the tour's postponement earlier this year. "My focus now is on my health and getting stronger and I assure you, I'll be back with you as soon as I can."
