Celeb Updates: Bindi and Richie

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

15 Jun 2007 09:09 AM

BINDI IRWIN

"Crocodile Hunter" Jr., Bindi Irwin, hosted a very special guest at her late father's beloved home away from home this week.

The Dalai Lama visited Australia Zoo where he personally thanked young Bindi, her mother, Terri Irwin and younger brother, Bob for their dedication to preserving wildlife. The spiritual head of the world's Buddhists visited with the Irwin family before addressing a sold-out crowd at the "Crocoseum." (The last time the place was filled to capacity was nearly a year ago during a memorial service for Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, who died when the barb from a stingray pierced his chest.)

During his 30-minute visit, the Dalai Lama showed off his animal skills, deftly handling a Burmese python and carrying a frisky koala. He also spent several minutes criticizing companies that "remain indifferent" to the rights of animals by experimenting on them. He then spoke of the benefits of being a vegetarian, even sharing an anecdote with Bindi about how he used to buy animals to save them from slaughterhouses when he was a young man in Tibet.

I wonder what 8-year-old Bindi thought about that story?

RICHIE SAMBORA

Just a quick observation about Richie Sambora's recent stint in rehab. A few days ago People Magazine reported that the musician left rehab after just one week of working on "unspecified issues." Did you know that Sambora was out of rehab? Did you know that he checked himself into rehab? The reason I ask is that much (make that tons) has been made of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan's recent rehab stints. In contrast, I found it interesting that Sambora's abbreviated rehab stay--just six days--barely caused a ripple in the tabloid pool.

Can you imagine if Lohan checked out after just a week of rehab? The tabloids would be going crazy. Addiction specialists and other "experts" would be coming out on the woodwork appearing on air to denouce the move--claiming that one week locked up does not rehab make, etc. So what does this say of Poor Richie? Is he just too old and of the wrong gender for the media to care about? Or is he just not pretty enough?

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Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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Libby Pelham (12871) 15 Jun 2007 09:34 AM

I think no one cares that Richie left rehab because 1) we kinda expect our rock-n-roll stars to act and be wild, so we don't care as much if he is drinking and 2) the media is not as focused on him as they are Britney and Lindsay. Plus, Richie doesn't seem to seek out the media like the two girls do :-)

Michele Cheplic (37339) 15 Jun 2007 02:13 PM

Oh, I thought it was just because he isn't as good looking :)

Libby Pelham (12871) 15 Jun 2007 08:34 PM

Well yeah, there is that too. But, he USED TO BE cute :-)