Gossip Girl to Host No Doubt Reunion

And they're touring together—time for some heart-to-hearts!

(NEWSER) - Paramore isn’t just opening for No Doubt this summer—Paramore is the new No Doubt, argues James Montgomery for MTV. The “glaring similarity” between the bands is “the dynamic, iconic frontwoman who also doubles as the media focal point”—both “pretty girls with dye jobs who are showing the guys how it's done.” But the similarities go deeper, and harken back to each band’s first album. More»

Salon offers up a mid-year list

(NEWSER) - Now that we're more than halfway through 2011, the Salon staff compiled the best books, movies, music, and TV of the year so far. Among its recommendations:

• Film: Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life is quite good—but Lee Chang-dong's Poetry, about a 66-year-old woman who may have Alzheimer's, is a masterpiece. Another surprising inclusion: Matthew McConaughey-vehicle The Lincoln Lawyer, directed by Brad Furman.
• Books: You'd never know The Pale King, David Foster Wallace's third and last novel, was actually unfinished at the time of his death and pieced together by his longtime editor. Also worth checking out: novelist Andre Dubus III's memoir, Townie.

Chace Crawford charged with misdemeanor in Texas

(NEWSER) - Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford was arrested early this morning and charged with misdemeanor drug possession, TMZ reports . Crawford, 24, was with a friend in a car in the parking lot of a pub when Plano, Texas, police found one unlit joint. He was arrested and charged with possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana. The criminal mastermind is already out on bail. More»

Poison frontman, 'Celebrity Apprentice' contestant rushed to hospital

(NEWSER) - Bret Michaels is hospitalized in the intensive care unit and in critical condition after suffering bleeding in his brain, People reports. The Poison frontman, a contestant on this season of Celebrity Apprentice, had an emergency appendectomy last week. His doctors "are running several tests," and the 47-year-old's prognosis "will be touch and go for the next few days while he is under intense observation," a source says. More»

Critics split on Jennifer Lopez as host, agree on singer as musical guest

(NEWSER) - The Jennifer Lopez image-rehab train pulled into Saturday Night Live station last night, to mixed reviews.

• "Her appearance on the show—bizarro Hallmark lyric songs included—was a very obvious attempt at rebranding herself as a down-to-earth, un-diva-like sweetheart, but it just came across as weird and overly acted," Hortense writes for Jezebel . Although there were some high points, "overall, it was a pretty craptacular show."