● Michael Bolton would like you to know that Lady Gaga is straight up “bonkers.” How does Bolton know this? Because the singer, pre-"Poker Face" fame, came to his hotel room to write a song with “only tea cups covering her nipples!” [Showbizspy] ● Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie flashed the rarely seen Vivienne and Knox at a local ice cream shop in Jordan; 14-month-old Vivienne already has her ears pierced. [JustJared] ● Seth MacFarlane is known for his off-color humor on Family Guy, but the funny man didn’t appreciate being the butt of Tina Fey’s "drunk" joke at the Emmys. Saying he was “shocked” and left wondering “Really? You can't find someone who is more recognizable?'” [DigitalSpy]

As the economy recovers and money becomes available, places that were long ago shuttered or recently deceased prepare for rebirth. Restaurants lay around like old chairs and sofas covered with white sheets like in an old horror flick. The biggest prize in my eyes is Plumm, that ripe spot on 14th Street with a ton of tradition. Nell Campbell had her infamous joint Nell's there back in the day. It became famous for charging everybody -- and I mean everybody -- door admission. Cher refused, got turned away, and the little gimmick turned the place into a hit overnight. In later years, I would go and listen to jazz bands and eat good food before the mayhem of the dance halls. Noel Ashman took the joint over and called it NA. Some said it meant "Nell's Again," but most thought it was a tribute to his own dapper self. Noel eventually closed NA and transformed it into Plumm, with a gaggle of celebrity investors including Chris Noth, Damon Dash, Samantha Ronson, etc. Plumm proved to be a bitter fruit, never really catching on with a crowd that spent enough money to pay the rent.

Yesterday, DBTH reported that the Plumm, Noel Ashman's celebrity-powered nightspot, had been closed. Sometimes being a nightlife writer puts me in conflict with my other career of club/restaurant designer. Noel had me and my partner Mark Dizon lined up to give the downstairs a quick new look. I knew there were problems, as Noel just couldn't pull the trigger on the redux. I could not report what I knew because Noel was a client. DBTH broke the story, and after reading Scott's post, I felt I had one less reason to be cheerful. Plumm was shuttered, and I was out a design fee. I called Noel last night to hear his side of things: "Plumm had a four-and-a-half year run, which in the end ran into a real tough economy." He went on to say that the club had been "plagued by lingering debt from NA," the previous club in the space, which Noel also owned. I could never put a finger what NA stood for, and Noel still won't tell. Most thought it was simply "Noel Ashman" or "Nell's Again" (from another way-more-accepted joint that lived there). Some quipped it meant "Not Again," and I'm sure my more snarky readers can go even farther.

Scott Weiland’s Snitch is now Citrine, Tim Robbins is no longer behind the Back Room, De Niro’s Ago was critically panned, cholesterol problems await at Justin Timberlake’s Southern Hospitality, and Arnold Schwarzenegger & co.’s Planet Hollywood is a tourist trap, all’s not lost -- here’s a list of celeb-owned spots worth looking into.

Acting, activism, and future plans for SATC's Mr. Big.