Trump Fixes Miss Universe, Picks 6 Finalists

And it includes ... Teresa Giudice?

(NEWSER) - This season's Celebrity Apprentice cast is the smartest ever, according to an executive producer—but that might not really be saying much, considering members include bankrupt Real Housewife Teresa Giudice and mob-daughter-turned-reality-star Victoria Gotti. Even so, "We've never seen such a smart and funny group as this year's lineup of celebrities," Mark Burnett says of the season that starts Feb. 12. More»

And, yes, it includes Kardashians

(NEWSER) - We could have picked a few other choice adjectives for the Kardashians, but for Barbara Walters, they're some of the most fascinating people of the year. Joining them for Walters' The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011 special: Modern Family stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet (aka Mitch and Cam), Simon Cowell, Derek Jeter, Donald Trump, Katy Perry, and Pippa Middleton. If you want to find out who claimed the top spot, of course, you'll have to tune in to ABC on Dec. 14, USA Today reports. Click for today's other big Kardashian news . More»

And apparently it wasn't pretty

(NEWSER) - Lady Gaga has parted ways—apparently not-so-amicably—with her longtime creative director and choreographer, Laurieann Gibson. The split, which was confirmed by the Hollywood Reporter , was first reported by MediaTakeOut , which proves you needn’t take every wacky thing the hip-hop gossip site says with a grain of salt. MTO claimed Gaga ditched Gibson after a “BITTER FIGHT!!!” and the Reporter points to several instances of reported friction between the two. More»

Leila Lopes didn't deserve to win, Laury Thilleman implies

(NEWSER) - Sounds like someone's a sore loser: Miss France Laury Thilleman snarked about Miss Angola Leila Lopes after Lopes was crowned Miss Universe , complaining to a French magazine about Lopes' fashion sense, among other things. The Washington Post offers a translation: "She was the only girl I didn’t know very well. We didn’t see her much; she was very discreet. She was often in jeans and not wearing makeup." More»

Leila Lopes wins the top honor

(NEWSER) - In a competition that was, for once, scandal-free, Miss Angola Leila Lopes was crowned Miss Universe last night in Brazil. Get a taste of the evening via the best lines, as reported by the AP :

• Lopes, 25, during the pageant's Q&A portion: Asked what she would change about her physical appearance, she replied, "Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty."
• Connie Chung, celebrity judge: "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously."