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According to the great and powerful TMZ, actress Mackenzie Phillips was recently arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for possession of heroin and cocaine. The site reports that syringes and baggies believed to contain drugs were found on her person during a security screening. Phillips was acting suspicious and jittery before the search, and then during it, “a plastic bag containing an [unknown] white substance later identified and tested…positive for cocaine fell down her right pant leg.”

48-year-old Phillips is the daughter of the Mamas and the Papas singer John Phillips, who struggled with drugs and alcohol himself. She is best known for her roles in American Grafitti and the TV show One Day at a Time. Phillips began having serious drug problems in the 80’s, and was subsequently fired from the show, twice. She was in and out of rehab for years, but was clean at least for a period in the ’90s, appearing on the Disney channel show So Weird and Caroline in the City. Phillips, who was reportedly headed to a One Day reunion at the time of her arrest, was released on $10,000 bail.

Kay McConaughey, actor Matthew’s mother, just released a book of memoirs that seems designed to shock. Called I Amaze Myself!, the book already has people gasping. In it, 77-year-old Kay reveals that Matthew’s father, who died in 1992, passed away while they were having sex. She tells Us Weekly, “On Monday mornings, he and I often said goodbye by making love. But one day, all of a sudden, it just happened. I knew that something was wrong, because I didn’t hear anything from him… But it was just the best way to go!”

When Kay was sure her husband was dead, she had the paramedics remove him as is–butt-naked. “I was just so proud to show off my big old Jim McConaughey — and his gift,” she adds. I’m sure the neighbors appreciated ole Jim as they never had before. 

Son Matthew’s eccentric behavior–playing bongos in the buff, brushing his teeth while driving, planting baby placenta–seems a little more understandable now.  And doesn’t his brother go by the name Rooster? Looks like proud wackiness is a family trait!

Cycle 11 of America’s Next Top Model starts in one week, on September 3rd. Already there’s been talk of some surprises, namely that one of the contestants is transgender. Isis, a 22-year-old receptionist from Maryland, says she has always identified herself as ”a woman born physically male.” GLAAD president Neil Giuliano issued a statement praising Tyra and the CW, but how will the other contestants react? No doubt Tyra will take the opportunity to put on her Oprah hat, and educate us all about transgender issues and open-mindedness.

A bigger shock is that Jay Manuel, who has sported the same Ken hairdo since he was in diapers, is trying out a new look! Tyra and Miss Jay often don wacky wigs and bizarre get-ups, but Manuel has refrained from such fashion shenigans.  This cycle, however, he’s trying a disastrous new look, with a shaggy ‘do that looks like a roadkill toupee. Not fierce, Jay. 

Comedian Margaret Cho returned to TV last week with what is being called a “semi-scripted reality comedy-series.” The mouthful of a description tells us that The Cho Show is not your typical reality fare, and its star is no D-lister/trainwreck either. Cho has a loyal fan base, and has won a slew of awards for her one-woman shows, including 1999’s “I’m The One I Want.” Unlike many other reality shows, this is not a last-ditch effort to revive a faded celeb’s career.

The series follows Cho and her motley crew of pals, including her little person assistant, the 3′10 burlesque dancer and comedian Selene Luna, and the posse of gay friends she deems the “glam squad.” It also features her Korean parents, who are often objects of ridicule in her stand-up routine. Cho jokes that she keeps them around because “old people are a really good source of prescription medicine.” According to reviews of the show, though, the show’s best moments are the genuine, non-wacky scenes between Cho and her family.

Usmagazine.com has done some detective work, and with the help of a baby name expert they’ve come up with some theories about Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale’s unusual baby name choice. The couple named their newborn son Zuma Nesta Rock, which has fans a little puzzled. Never fear though, Pamela Redmond Satran, co-author of The Baby Name Bible, lent her expertise. Satran (who has a name on her as well) believes the pair named their second son after Zuma Beach in Malibu, one of Gavin’s favorite places. The middle name, Nesta, was actually Bob Marley’s first name before it was changed by an immigration official. “This name obviously links to big brother Kingston’s and is another nod to Jamaica and reggae,” says Satran. (Kingston is named after the capitol of Jamaica.)

Another expert, Jennifer Moss, points out that Zuma is “a diminutive of the Aztec name Montezuma.” In her professional opinion, it would be least traumatic for Baby Zuma to grow up as Rock Rossdale. To my ears, Rock Rossdale sounds too much like a name from The Simpsons, like Kent Brockman. I suggest another diminutive of Montezuma: Monty. Kingston and Monty, how posh does that sound? I can see it in the tabloids 20 years from now: “Kingston and younger brother Monty were spotted in a Soho night club.” Sorry Gwen, you probably don’t want to think that far ahead.

As ya’ll probably know, Jessica Simpson is attempting to remake herself into a country music star. In keeping with her new country gal image, she’s become the spokesperson for Stampede Light Plus beer. Stampede Light is the only U.S. beer to contain vitamins, including vitamin B and folic acid. The perfect beverage for a cowgirl who wants to get a little buzz on and still be up for her morning workout routine the next day.

Says company CEO Lawrence D. Schwartz, “In addition to liking and drinking the beer, this fit in with Jessica’s entrepreneurial interests. And clearly, Jessica’s healthy lifestyle and image fit perfectly with our strategy.” In addition to appearing in the ads, Simpson has a 15% stake in the Dallas-based company. So if this whole country music thing doesn’t work out so well, at least she can get her drink on.

The comedy Hamlet 2 is coming out in wide release on Friday, August 27th. The movie stars British comedian Steve Coogan as a high school drama teacher who has the worst idea ever to save his theater department: create a musical sequel to Shakespeare’s play. In his play, the melancholy Dane survives that nasty little sword fight, and discovers that what he really wants to do is dance dance dance! The play even features a closing number called “Rock Me, Sexy Jesus.”

In a NY Times interview with Coogan, the film’s director, Andrew Fleming, says that he initially thought Coogan’s character would be British. However, says Fleming, “Steve kept resisting, and finally he explained that this kind of unbridled enthusiasm without any intelligence behind it just doesn’t exist in England.” The film also stars Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler, David Arquette and Elisabeth Shue.

Seems like what female British pop stars really want to do is box a few rounds in the ring. Amy Winehouse punches fans like she’s swatting away mosquitoes, and now her little sister in trainwreckdom, Lily Allen, shuts up a heckler with her fists.

Lily seemed to be enjoying herself last night at a Soho club, until a woman, rumored to have been French, called Allen a “fucking asshole” as she was leaving. Surely she’s been called worse than that! Lily had undoubtedly had a lot of drinks by that time though, and responded by shouting and throwing a few punches.  At least the singer has a sense of humor about it. Contactmusic.com reports that after battering her insulter, Allen told the surrounding paparrazzi, “Violence is bad.”

Is this a joke? The little imp who stole the hearts of Project Runway fans with catchphrases like “hot tranny mess” and “fierce” is designing a line for mothers-to-be? Perez Hilton reports that PR winner Christian Siriano is creating a maternity collection for the Spring of ‘09. Siriano joined forces with Marta Abrams and Elise Rosemarin of Moody Mamas maternity clothes to create his line. It’s even called Fierce.

The clothes I remember him designing on the show were all black and pretty much the antithesis of comfy-looking. I remember tight-fitting pants and torsos and a lot of poofy sleeves. Yeah… I don’t know much fashion jargon. Anyhoo, his sketches show a new side of the designer, with flowy dresses and a much lighter palette. An interesting and unexpected direction–but at least he’s still newsworthy, unlike other PR winners.

Amy Winehouse left her London apartment for the first time in two weeks yesterday, and for her it was a typical night out: a few (dozen) pints, assault, and a lot of profanity.

The singer’s been laying low after an overnight stay at the hospital in late July. Winehouse was taken to the emergency room after suffering from what her spokeperson called an adverse reaction to medication. Her people blamed the treatment she’s undergoing to wean herself off hard drugs. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, later alleged that she’d been dosed with E by one of her “hangers-on.”

Whatever happened, it hasn’t stopped her bizarre and violent outbursts. On Thursday, Winehouse attended a fundraiser at a Camden pub with her god-daughter. As they were leaving, her bodyguards clashed with the paparazzi, and Winehouse naturally joined in the scuffle. She chucked a pint glass at a photographer, then allegedly slapped a bystander. The pictures below of Winehouse looking like a tanorexic skeleton pretty much sum up the story of her night: