With her own VH1 reality show premiering on July 13 and a follow-up to her 2006 debut album, Undiscovered, in the works, Brooke Hogan should be feeling on top of the world. But it’s hard to smile when your family is falling apart.
With her dad, superstar wrestler Hulk Hogan, and mom Linda embroiled in a bitter divorce since last November, Brooke, 20, was dealt another heartbreaking blow in May when younger brother Nick, 17, was sentenced to eight months in Florida’s Pinellas County Jail following an August 2007 car accident that left his passenger and friend, John Graziano, with permanent brain damage.
Sitting down with Life & Style for an interview, Brooke spoke candidly about her family’s ordeal and how she’s coping, especially now that she’s apart from her only sibling. “I’m up and down,” she admits. “It’s hard not seeing Nick.” She visits him three times a week, but with her parents not speaking, arrangements can be tricky — and painful. “Sometimes,” she says, “we just can’t handle being in the same space.”
Before things took a tragic turn, Brooke and her family seemed to live an idyllic life.
After meeting Linda at an LA restaurant in 1983 and marrying her two years later, Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea quickly became one of the most adored and financially successful heroes of the World Wrestling Federation. Brooke and Nick came along in 1988 and 1990, and their parents took them on the road while Hulk went city to city, bringing in millions while promoting his “Hulkamania” brand.
For more on the truth behind the Hogan family drama, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
Best Transformation: Mariah Carey
The notorious yo-yo dieter slimmed down yet again while working on her recent album, E=MC2. In fact, Mariah, 39, flew her trainer, Patricia Gay, from St. Bart’s to NYC to help the 5-foot-9 pop star drop from a size 8 to a size 2 in roughly eight months. “I feel better than I’ve ever felt,” she says.
Best Abs: Mario Lopez
As the author of Mario Lopez’s Knockout Fitness, exercise aficionado Mario Lopez, 34, has every right to brag about his muscular torso. “I think I’m probably in the best shape of my life,” the weekend co-host of Extra tells Life & Style. “I always exercise. Every day. I always do something.”
Find out which celebs Life & Style deems body spectacular in the new issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
Back in their Simple Life heyday, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie would have happily flaunted the fact that they’re dating twin brothers. But not once in the four months since Paris started dating Good Charlotte rocker Benji Madden, 29, have the couple been spotted with Nicole and her boyfriend of about a year and a half, Benji’s twin brother, Joel, who’s also in the band. In fact, the last time Paris, 27, and Nicole, 26, were photographed together, Nicole was still pregnant with her and Joel’s daughter, Harlow — who’s now 6 months old!
Read more about Paris and Nicole’s dwindling friendship in the new issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
It was bad news for Britney Spears. On June 26, one day after enjoying her first overnight with her sons, an attempt to settle her custody battle with ex Kevin Federline out of court fell apart. Britney hopes to regain fifty-fifty custody and is set to fight it out in court on Aug. 25.
But Britney wants to be with Sean, 2, and Jayden, 1, at all costs — and she’s got a backup plan. “If she loses in court, she sees being as close to Kevin as possible as a way to have more time with the kids,” says a Spears family insider.
For more on Britney’s tactful plan to win Kevin back, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
Jennifer Aniston’s and Angelina Jolie’s upcoming movies were set to square off at the box office on Oct. 24, but it looks like Jen blinked first!
John Smith, a studio rep for Jen's film, tells Life & Style that Warner Bros. has just pushed Jen's movie, He's Just Not That Into You, back to Feb. 6, 2009.
The comedy was scheduled to open the same day as Angelina’s drama, Changeling, which is already earning Oscar buzz.
Looks like the catfight is off…this week!
If there’s one thing Jamie Lynn Spears needs right now, it’s help. But the 17-year-old actress, who gave birth to her first child, daughter Maddie Briann, on June 19, is already refusing it. According to a family insider, Lynne Spears wanted to take her daughter and newborn granddaughter home with her after the delivery. But instead of going to Serenity, Lynne’s estate in Kentwood, Jamie Lynn insisted on going to her house. “Jamie Lynn wants to handle things on her own,” says the insider.
Meanwhile, in California, seeing Christina Aguilera out on the town is nothing out of the ordinary for LA clubgoers. But at Hollywood hot spot Hyde on the night of June 17, an onlooker claims that after having some champagne, Christina began to dirty dance with her pals. Less thrilled was Christina’s music-executive husband, Jordan Bratman, who, concludes another clubgoer, usually has to be the one to keep the pop singer under control. But while new mom Christina been spotted clubbing up a storm on a weekly basis lately, she insists she can handle the dual roles of mom and party girl.
As for Nicole Richie, her grueling schedule is exhausting the hands-on mom, says an insider. But more than motherhood and the unfamiliar tasks associated with home life are stressing out Nicole. Living with boyfriend Joel Madden and daughter Harlow in the LA suburb of Glendale, Nicole feels separated from her old life in Beverly Hills. “She wants to live closer to her friends and family,” says a friend.
For more on these stars’ new-mommy problems, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
June 17 was a panic-filled day at Chateau Miraval, the estate Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are renting in Brignol, France. “Angelina’s assistant had a pregnancy scare,” reveals an insider. “There was a medical problem, so Angie called the hospital in Marseille and spoke to a doctor there. She said it was Angelina Jolie and that she needed someone right away.”
On top of that Angelina’s been having early contractions, says a family friend. But that didn’t stop Brad, 44, from taking off on June 18, hopping a private jet to Milan, Italy, where he attended a Radiohead concert with his Fight Club co-star Edward Norton.
For more on Angelina’s lonely pregnancy, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
Life & Style has the hottest accessories to keep you cool at the beach this summer!
Buji Baja’s straw beach bag is 2 feet wide, perfect for stowing multiple beach towels ($85).
Need a break from heels? Gold leather and chunky wooden beads on Sergio Rossi’s sandals are great stand-ins for evening ($650).
Guess’ green shades have a straight brow bar, which lends structure to an oval face ($85).
For more great summer styles, pick up the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
