Gossip / Rumors

The hard-ass British chef who stars in Food Network's "Dinner: Impossible" is finding that spinning tall tales about one's background is no cakewalk -- and now the network says it's investigating his alleged misrepresentations. Oh, deah.

Robert Irvine has claimed all over the place that he'd helped design Prince Charles and Princess Di's wedding cake, among other things. But after an oddly thorough investigation by the St. Petersburg Times, Irvine admits he didn't really bake it -- or have anything to do with it ... and that's just the icing.

"It's unfortunate if Robert embellished the extent of his culinary experiences," said a Food Network rep. "We are investigating the matter and taking the necessary steps to ensure the accuracy of all representations of Robert on Food Network and foodnetwork.com."

There's a story going around that Eric Dane -- aka Dr. McSteamy on "Grey's Anatomy" -- may have sold the painful story of a skin lesion on his lip to OK! magazine.

But a source close to Dane tells TMZ that all that lip service -- painful though it was to recount -- was given freely, and that no money changed hands. Dane told OK! that the malignant lesion was frozen off by liquid nitrogen -- ouch -- and that he lost 10 pounds after the procedure, because it's difficult for him eat. Nurse!

Jess is pissed over an article titled "Jessica Dumped!" that appeared in the February 4 issue of the mag. The article claims Tony dumped Jessica after his team was eliminated from the NFL playoffs. Simpson's attorneys say the article is "utterly false" and "is based on nothing more than rumor, gossip and innuendo." The article also claims Jessica's sister Ashlee has attempted to "distance herself" from her sis. The lawyers say that's B.S. too.

Simpson's lawyers have sent a letter to OK!'s Editor-in-Chief, Sarah Ivens, claiming OK!'s article is bogus, adding that Jess and Tony are still together and that Ashlee and Jessica remain close. The attorneys say the article reflects a "smear campaign" and has subjected Simpson to "public contempt, ridicule, aversion or disgrace."

UPDATE: We spoke with Rik Fedcyk, who told us he "never, ever trespassed," and asked "If I had, would I have not been arrested?" He also says he was never warned not to come on the property. He says the person who uttered the slur was a man by the name of "Gary Stone" who has "since been sent home back to L.A."

Reports out of Canada claim that Jennifer Aniston's bodyguard allegedly called a photog's galpal a "ch**k" during a scuffle on the set of her new film -- only problem is, said bodyman wasn't even there at the time!

Aniston's rep tells TMZ that Scott Monico "was not even present" at the time of the incident, nor, for that matter, was Jen. While there was another security person on set who did get into it with photog Rik Fedyck, it wasn't Jen's guy, and there was no racial slur hurled. We're also told that the snapper has "repeatedly trespassed on the set."

TMZ talked with a Jive Records spokesperson who told us, "Reports about Jive Records dropping Backstreet Boys are completely untrue. The group is about to embark on a worldwide tour in support of their album, Unbreakable, starting Feb. 16 in Toyko, as well as some high profile television appearances."

A rumor has been floating around that David Spade had a heart attack after collapsing in his gym. But TMZ has learned it is not true -- though Dave isn't exactly in fighting shape, either.

Sources tell TMZ that Spade has been fighting severe bronchitis and a sinus infection over the past week, and was on the road for three gigs during his illness. When he returned to L.A. yesterday, Spade decided to go to the gym to work out, but collapsed after an adverse reaction to antibiotics. He was taken to the hospital and put on an IV, and is now resting at home and on the mend.

Nicole's rep tells news.com.au, "She's in Australia making a film and her family are in Australia. She's happily ensconced away somewhere having a few days break. It's the silly season. As far as we're concerned, it's another rumour out of London."

A Daily Mail report claiming Kidman was expecting had widely circulated. Apparently, the only thing she should be expecting is a retraction!

Recently, rumors have been swirling in the hip-hop world that rapper Remy Ma has had some, er, female relations in the past -- and they're not referring to her cousins! A lesbian rapper -- unheard of!

The fire was further fueled when a woman's video confession popped up on YouTube -- in which she claims to have had a sexual experience with Remy Ma. Hey Ma, I'm a lesbian?!

Remy is refuting the claims, and in 2007, her publicist still felt the need to issue the following statement to TMZ to clear up the sexual confusion. In case you care.

D.U.I. darling Mel Gibson is back in the hot seat -- just in time for Hanukkah.

According to the Turkish newspaper Zaman, something called The Foundation for the Struggle Against Baseless Allegations of Genocide (ASİMED) has launched an e-mail campaign to try and dissuade the tequila-swilling star from taking part in an upcoming film about the genocide of Armenians during World War I.

Mel probably won't put up much of a fight. His rep tells TMZ: "We don't know where that started. He doesn't know anything about the project. Never heard of it." Oops!

TMZ caught Slater at the opening of Burton Snowboards and Channel Islands Surfboards last night, where he told our cameras he is not only NOT dating Dunst -- he's never even met her!

Take this one for what it's worth: Britain's News of the World is reporting that Britney Spears is going to adopt Chinese twins. Run for the hills, the end is near!

The paper says the popwreck is telling friends that "she's in the final stages of talks with an adoption agency." Can she even find China on a map?

K-Fed and Brit are set for another round of custody talks tomorrow morning. Neither is expected to be there, but we hear part of the hearing will revolve around who gets the kids at Christmas and other holidays.

If Britney loses custody of her kids, News of the World feels she can just get two more!

Hayden and Ne-Yo were caught leaving Butter together, and even ended up going back to the same hotel. Coincidence?

The rumors that Travis Barker has died are completely false. Shanna posted a bulletin on her MySpace, saying:

"I'm not quite sure who would start such a sick rumor, even if it was done as a joke. I am happily laying next to my husband who is alive and well and it brings me great pleasure to stop a rumor as horrific as that. It is indeed FALSE.

health, wealth and happiness
shanna xoxoxooxoxoxo"

So there you have it. The drama isn't dead.

Something called Emirates Today Online reported that the couple was purchasing a man-made island in the shape of the African country that is in "The World" development just off the coast of Dubai.

Don't believe what you read folks -- Brad's rep tells us this story is not only totally untrue, it's completely made up.

Maybe next they'll print that Borat is buying Kazakhstan!