So, it’s been made official - Dakota Fanning will star as “Jane” in ‘New Moon’.

Dakota Fanning is set to star in the Twilight sequel New Moon, EW has confirmed. The actress will play Jane, a member of Italy’s evil Volturi, in the anticipated movie, which opens in November. She had been in talks to appear in the film ever since she was offered the role in January. “It would be really cool to do it,” the 15-year-old Fanning told EW at the January premiere of her most recent release, Push, which was also produced by Twilight‘s studio, Summit Entertainment. “I am a very big fan of the books. I read them all and Jane is an interesting part.”

The film is set to start shooting in Vancouver later this month. Still no word on who’ll be cast as Alec though.

Nickelodeon and Mattel hate your child.

How do I know?

The silhouette above is the new Dora the Explorer. Apparently, the two companies feel that they need Dora to “grow up”  along with her fans instead of say, I don’t know, staying normal and attracting NEW fans. They gave her some big pagent-y hair, what I’m sure are sparkly flats, and what appears to be a dangerously short skirt. You cannot “explore” anything worthwhile in a skirt that short without showin’ what the good lord gave ya.

I don’t even watch Dora (I have no children) and I’m a little miffed about this. Why not give her an older sister or something? Why do you have to ruin one of the few non-skank role model/toys that young girls have by turning her into a Miley clone?  I don’t even think Dora’s been around long enough for the majority of her fans to have outgrown her, and even if they have people do this weird thing where they mate and then a baby pops out. For every fan Dora loses to puberty there’s gonna be two more to take their place.

Ugh, what kind of pervert exec comes up with an idea to “sexify” a character aimed at children anyway?

Our dear beloved Brit Brit had a surprise visit with about 40 sick children currently staying in the Miami Children’s Hospital. She also pledged to donate 100,000 to the hospital’s Big Apple Circus Clown Care program. The program enables the hospital to provide medically trained techs dressed as clowns for the children, in an effort to make their treatments and situation less scary.

I understand that this program is a good thing. They have their hearts in the right place. But WTF could be more frightening for a small sick child than a giant clown  coming towards you with a needle?!

Poor Sarah. First her show budget gets crapped on, and now, this.

Despite a reconciliation that gave them both cause for laughs, late-night talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel, 41, and comedian Sarah Silverman, 38, have split.

No reason was revealed for their second breakup. The funny duo dated for five years before they called it quits last July. But they rekindled their relationship just a few months later. “They’re taking it slow,” a source told PEOPLE last fall. “They’re on the road back to being together.”

For my own selfish reasons, I hope there’s another Matt Damon collab in the works but those kinds of things really only happen once in a lifetime.

Kat Von D set up shop in a Borders to sign copies of her new book High Voltage Tattoo.

High Voltage Tattoo is a graphic perspective on today’s global tattoo culture by Kat Von D, star of The Learning Channel’s L.A. Inkand one of the most talented and popular artists working today. Designed in a style that is reminiscent of a handmade Gothic journal with its red padded cover, ornate typography, and parchmentlike pages, it throws the door wide open to tattooing culture in the way only an insider like Kat can.

If you go a grab yourself a copy you’re in for a special treat boys and girls.

There is a knockout ten-page full-body spread of Kat—clad in a yellow bikini and seven-inch, rhinestone-studded red stilettos—that catalogs in detail all her personal tattoos on her front, back, left, and right sides—even her hands and head.

Once you go ahead and jump onto the “head tattoo” train that’s pretty much end of the line for most folks, but not Ms. Von D. It’s only a matter of time before Kat unveils her hooha tat. I’m not sure about how the skin there would take the ink, but given her vast tattoo related experience I’m sure she could find a way…and then put photographs of it in a book for the rest of us to admire.

Nicole Richie was spotted out and about in LA. Since Joel’s pregnancy announcement everybody’s been waiting to see the first outward sign that she’s actually with child. You can’t see much here, because of her dress, and I don’t think that’s accidental. Nicole’s played this game before and she plays it well. She’ll string it out in loose dresses, obscure vests, and large bags for the next few months to stir the feeding frenzy.

I’m happy for her, of course, but I can’t help but think she looks like a demurely smiling skeleton in these pics.