Awww, what a great guy!!

For Hollywood funnyman Steve Carell, who spends his summers in Marshfield, the Marshfield Hills General Store was an opportunity too good to pass up.

“This is much more of an emotional investment than a business one,” Carell said of his recent purchase of the store.

“I saw an opportunity to help to preserve a little piece of history,” Carell said in an e-mail. “I also felt that places like the Marshfield Hills General Store represent a gathering place, and give people a sense of community. These spots are growing more and more scarce. I hope to keep this particular one alive and well.”

Carell learned the store was up for sale in October, when his sister-in-law Tish Vivado went to California to visit Carell and her sister, actress Nancy Walls. According to Vivado, who lives in Marshfield, Carell had always been interested in being part of the community. Carell purchased the store in November and the ownership changed hands on New Year’s Day.

The store now is being run by Vivado and staff of four people. But they could get some high-profile help in the summer, when Carell plans to take an active role in the day-to-day activities.

“I will be manning the cash register, and stocking the shelves as time permits!” wrote Carell, a Massachusetts native. “For the time being, however, I am looking to give the building a bit of TLC.”

It’s nice to see a celebrity take interest in preserving the uniqueness and community of America’s small towns. Go Steve!

Thanks Jenn!

This is Katie Holmes’ new ad for Miu-Miu.

So, Katie can stick her hand into a burning flame and emerge unscathed.

Is this the result of years of Scientology audits or an overpriced fashion line?

Or is there any difference?

ZOMG.

This is INSANE — but everyone is fine!

A commercial plane took off from LaGuardia and landed in the Hudson River six minutes later after geese flew into the plane and took out BOTH engines.

The Airbus 320, operated by US Airways, glided into the river without damaging its bottom, and the crew was able to guide all the passengers out to the wing, where they were quickly rescued by passing ferries and water taxis. Added to that is the fact that half of midtown Manhattan saw this plane go down and called 911, so police were able to assist right away.

NO ONE was killed. And there were no serious injuries, either!

This could have been SO MUCH worse. There are SO MANY things that could have worsened this situation. Jesus, can you imagine if that plane had crashed into Manhattan?

The crew of this aircraft deserves a Medal of Honor.

In a different lifetime, when I worked in aerospace, I remember one of the old-time engineers telling me about how the engines had to be tested for birds. There was a funny word for it that I forget now. An acronym, I think. I was like, “You have got to be kidding me. We test these things for birds?” And he was like “Absolutely. All it takes is one bird in the wrong place to bring down an aircraft.” I remember being like, “No way. You’re pulling my leg,” and he insisted he was dead serious.

Wow.

This is really a miracle that everyone is okay.

And, on that note, I’m out for the day — I’m headed off to — where else? — THE AIRPORT, because I’m flying to Arizona to do my half-marathon this weekend! But now I’m more nervous about the flight than I am about running 13.1 miles!!!

Pray for NO BIRDS.

… they made the contestants on the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother dress up like bears and eat from a honeypot.

I mean, they made all the contestants do it, but you know this shit never would have come up in a pitch session if Verne Troyer hadn’t been on the show.

I know it’s only the third week of January, but I think this is going to wind up being my favorite celebrity picture of 2009.

Jump inside to see my favorite celebrity picture of 2008 … if you hadn’t already guessed what it is.

(more…)

Puss ‘N’ Boots and her forever love, Samantha Ronson, were spotted looking very much the couple in Los Angeles yesterday.

So much for those break-up rumors!

Although Samantha looks like she’s dying of cancer here … honestly Patrick Swayze has more color to his face these days.

Something is very fishy here.

Just on Tuesday, Amanda Bynes and her boyfriend, loser Doug Reinhardt, were looking all lovey-dovey on the red carpet for a charity event in LA.

Then, today, Us Weekly reports that they’re over.

“She ended it. She had had enough,” a source close to the actress says. “Her friends didn’t trust him. Everyone thought he was using her for celebrity. He was not good, and she was over it. It was definitely her who ended it.”

So, either this “break-up” is a huge publicity stunt, or they had a gigantic fight on Tuesday night that led to her calling her publicist and saying “Tell the tabloids that it’s OVER.”

There’s a backstory here, and I wanna know what it is.