Entries from September 2018 ↓

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Lady Gaga did not wear a $ 1 million engagement ring to the London premiere of A Star Is Born, despite an inaccurate report. The singer certainly rocked a flashy piece of jewelry at the event, but she and boyfriend Christian Carino aren’t engaged. Gossip Cop can clear up the situation.

Gaga wore a pink diamond ring to a screening of her new film on Thursday night, which inspired the New York Post to write the headline, “Lady Gaga’s rumored engagement ring could be worth over $ 1M.” The operative word here being “rumored.” The outlet then quotes an executive at a jewelry company as saying that the diamond worn by the singer could cost over $ 1 million. It’s possible that’s true, but that doesn’t make it an “engagement ring.”

Gossip Cop checked in with a rep for Gaga, who expressed major doubt about the newspaper’s story. The singer’s spokesperson, who’s qualified to speak on her behalf, wasn’t aware of her being engaged. In fact, when Us Weekly reported back in November that Gaga and Carino had gotten engaged, her rep told us on the record that the claim was “untrue.” There’s no indication that anything has changed.

A few days after the false engagement rumors emerged last November, the Daily Mail wrote an article wondering why Gaga wasn’t wearing an engagement ring while spotted out in Montreal. The reason was very simple: she wasn’t engaged and still isn’t. Less than a week later, ABC reporter Kara Kenney wrote on Twitter, “I just met Lady Gaga!! She told me she’s not engaged, but happy.”

Following the journalist’s tweet, Us Weekly showed some doubt in its original reporting. The magazine wrote a follow up article about Gaga wearing a diamond ring on a beach in Miami, but left the term “engagement ring” out of its headline. The accompanying story stated, “Lady Gaga showed off what looked like a giant engagement ring during a bikini photo shoot.” Basically, the same outlet that insisted the singer had gotten engaged one month prior later said she wore “what looked like” an engagement ring.

It’s worth noting, the Huffington Post also wrote about Gaga’s appearance at the London premiere of A Star Is Born on Thursday, but made no mention of her wearing an “engagement ring.” The publication simply referred to her jewelry as a “massive diamond ring,” but spent much more time describing the Alexander McQueen dress she was wearing. Gossip Cop will update if anything should change regarding Gaga’s relationship status, but the singer isn’t currently engaged.

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Exactly one year ago, a tabloid falsely claimed that Jessica Simpson’s husband Eric Johnson was going to divorce her because she had a drinking problem. Gossip Cop debunked the bogus premise when it first emerged. Time has proven it completely untrue.

On September 28, 2017, Star alleged that Johnson was fed up with Simpson’s drinking and planned to end their marriage over it. The article was manufactured because the singer was photographed looking tipsy after a night out celebrating her husband’s 38th birthday. The unreliable magazine went on to say that the former NFL player considered his wife to be a “liability” and was “tired of playing dad” to both her and their two kids.

When the report was published this time last year, a trusted source close to the couple assured us it was nonsense. The tabloid also failed to mention that in honor of her husband’s 38th birthday last year, Simpson had posted an Instagram photo of the two holding up large pints of beer, along with the headline, “It was a HOPPY birthday.” It’s clear the former football player doesn’t have a problem with his wife letting loose. Additionally, Simpson runs a billion-dollar fashion empire. That’s no easy task, so it’s illogical to believe that she acts like a child and neews Johnson to babysit her.

Regardless, it’s now 12 months later and the happy spouses are still very much together. In fact, not only was there no divorce, but Simpson announced on Instagram last week that she’s pregnant with their third child. The tabloid claimed last year that Johnson was “tired of playing dad” to his wife and their kids, but if the former NFL star truly felt that way, he wouldn’t be welcoming another baby with her.

Around two months after the phony story was published last year, Star’s sister outlet, RadarOnline, said Simpson and Johnson were launching their own brand of alcohol. That claim wasn’t true either, but it shows how the magazine and its related publications can’t keep their stories straight. How exactly did Johnson go from divorcing his wife over her drinking to starting an alcohol business with her?

Just last month, Gossip Cop busted Star’s other sister outlet, OK!, for falsely claiming that Simpson and Johnson were getting a $ 1 billion divorce. Instead, they’re welcoming a third child together. It’s fairly obvious that the tabloids have zero insight into the singer’s personal life, so they make up phony narratives about her instead.

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A new story claiming Angelina Jolie “regrets” splitting from Brad Pitt is fake news. Not only are the article’s quotations seemingly made up, but its premise is also clearly fabricated. What’s more, the report comes from a blog that earlier this month contradictorily maintained Jolie “regrets” ever starting a relationship with Pitt in the first place.

There’s a reason HollywoodLife is nicknamed HollywoodLies, and it’s because of stories like its latest tall tale that asserts Jolie has supposedly told friends she “regrets” filing for divorce from Pitt and questions whether she “made a terrible mistake.” According to its manufactured report, a so-called “source close to Angelina” tells the often discredited website that Jolie “misses having [Pitt] in her life.” The same almost assuredly concocted insider alleges the actress has “major regrets” over ending their marriage and “can’t help but question if she made the right choices.” To make its premise appear believable, the blog has its unnamed and untraceable “source” throw in how Jolie “misses waking up next to him… and going to bed next to Brad.”

But then HollywoodLies tips off what precipitated its latest made-up article. The site writes, “This revelation comes after Brad’s been spotted looking super sexy on the set of his new movie… showing off his muscles in a tight white t-shirt.” The repeatedly disproven blog adds, “Maybe it’s his hot new look that’s inspired her to start missing him.” No, it’s actually photos of Pitt looking handsome on the L.A. set of Once Upon A Time that inspired the website to spin its current fiction about the stars, who are going through a widely reported acrimonious divorce.

As noted above, while the online outlet now contends that Jolie “regrets” her split from Pitt, on September 4, the same website maintained Jolie “regrets” ever starting a relationship with Pitt and wants him “out of her life” for good. In that similarly fabricated article, the blog also asserted a “source close to Angelina” told HollywoodLies, “The days of Angelina missing Brad have well and truly passed… Angelina really resents having anything to do with Brad, and wishes she could just forget he even exists.” So, just a few weeks a “source close to Angelina” swore up and down that Jolie doesn’t miss Pitt and regrets having been in a relationship with him, and now she has “major regrets” over their split and really “misses having him in her life,” all because he looked “super sexy” in a photo?

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Basically, as Gossip Cop has proven over the years, HollywoodLies takes tidbits from the week’s news and crafts phony angles and articles around them. The website appears to have no regard for accurate reporting or the truth in its quest for traffic, which is why so many of its stories are verifiably wrong and often contradictory. Back in 2016, Star published a similar cover story titled, “Angie’s Regret: ‘I Want Brad Back!’” At the time her rep exclusively assured Gossip Cop the claim was “not true,” and we’re told nothing has changed to this day.

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Is Ben Affleck marrying Shauna Sexton while in rehab? That’s the absurd claim from one of this week’s tabloids. Regardless, Gossip Cop looked into the story and is assured talk of Affleck having a wedding with the Playboy model in rehab is untrue.

According to the National Enquirer, Affleck is “planning to wed” Sexton while he’s “in rehab.” The supermarket tabloid, which appears to like alliteration more than fact-checking, maintains the “46-year-old father of three is totally besotted with the busty brunette, despite his ongoing battle with booze, and now buds are buzzing he’s got marriage on the mind.” “Ben’s head over heels in love with Shauna and sees her as definite marriage material,” alleges the magazine’s so-called “insider,” who adds, “He’s anxious to hurry up and get his divorce finalized so he can marry her and they can start the rest of their lives together.”

Even though Affleck and Sexton haven’t been together that long, a purported “pal close to the actor” tells the tabloid, “Ben’s beyond starry-eyed about Shauna and insists there’s nothing wrong with acting on his instincts.” The same seemingly ill-informed or made-up “insider” claims, “He wants her to be the next Mrs. Affleck as soon as possible. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he just went ahead and eloped any day now.”

Actually, it would really surprise his wife. It appears whoever concocted this tall tale forget at the end of the article that Affleck is still married to Jennifer Garner. And one of the reasons they haven’t officially divorced is that Garner was concerned about how it would affect Affleck’s sobriety. While they filed papers a year and half ago, last month a judge threatened to dismiss Affleck and Garner’s divorce if they didn’t finalize it soon. But Garner reportedly wants Affleck to work on his health first and not feel the added pressure of the divorce.

It’s true that Affleck is now seeing Sexton following his breakup with “Saturday Night Live” producer Lindsay Shookus. But he’s not ready to fast-track his divorce so he can quickly marry her in rehab. Affleck’s rep laughed off the tabloid’s story when asked by Gossip Cop.

Of course, this nonsense is coming from the same publication that two months ago swore up and down Affleck was going to marry a “pregnant” Shookus, and wanted to “speed things along” because she was “expecting,” but Garner was “stonewalling” the divorce. Back then, Affleck’s rep said there was “no truth” to the claim and clearly there wasn’t.

Interestingly, this time around the tabloid also makes no mention of the “exorcism” that Garner allegedly performed on Affleck before driving him to rehab. That claim from earlier this month was similarly false. Much like those articles and others about Affleck in the Enquirer, the latest one about him wanting to wed Sexton in rehab is nothing more than fiction.

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Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert were never in a “race” to beat the other to the altar and get married first after their divorce, despite a report from exactly one year ago today. As Gossip Cop accurately report then, the claim was manufactured by a tabloid simply because they both had significant others at the time. But now 12 months later, it’s clear a single Lambert was in no rush to wed before her ex-husband or that Shelton was fast-tracking his romance with Gwen Stefani.

On September 29, 2017, In Touch published an article that maintained Lambert wanted to “beat” Shelton by getting remarried first. The tabloid even declared the “former husband and wife duo [were] straight-up competing.” Both country singers, asserted the magazine, were “determined to marry their significant others,” adding it was a “race to see who will get there first.”

The publication contended Lambert was going to win because she and then-boyfriend Anderson East were going to “run away and elope by year’s end.” But, as widely reported, several months later in April, Lambert and Anderson split. As for Shelton, the outlet asserted he and Stefani had “talked to each other about getting married.” Actually, when Stefani appeared on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” also in April, she said she thinks about marrying “The Voice” coach “all the time.” But when DeGeneres asked whether he thinks about it, Stefani demurred, “I don’t know.”

So basically, the entire article was completely made-up. As Gossip Cop noted 365 days ago, the tabloid didn’t even cite a source to back up its contention that Lambert and Shelton were “competing” in a “race” to get married first. It simply stated its premise without any proof whatsoever.

Unfortunately, in the intervening months since the outlet first went with its claim, the tabloid hasn’t gotten any more accurate with its reporting. In March, for instance, the magazine published a cover story, which Gossip Cop debunked, that falsely claimed Shelton had “dumped” Stefani. (Of course, they’re still together today.) And then a month later, we corrected the same publication when, within the span of just one week, it alternately maintained Stefani and Shelton had split up, and that they we’re getting married and having a baby.

A full year after the tabloid’s “race” to the altar article, Lambert split from East and then Evan Felker, and is “happily single,” she says. Meanwhile, Shelton is happily still with his girlfriend of three years, but he and Stefani are not married. The only thing that remains accurate these 12 months later is that Gossip Cop was right about In Touch being 100 percent wrong.

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Once again, a U.S.-based tabloid is claiming it has the inside scoop on the British monarchy, alleging Prince William and Kate Middleton will be crowned the next king and queen of England. And once again, Gossip Cop can bust the premise that Queen Elizabeth will have her grandson ascend the throne over its rightful heir, Prince Charles. Not only are we told it’s untrue, but there rules and regulations, some more than 300 years old, that prove the magazine’s cover story is nothing more than a fabrication.

The latest issue of Star exclaims on its front page, “William & Kate: King & Queen!” It also asserts the reigning queen’s “secret coup” has left Prince Charles “sobbing” and asking, “Mummy, what have you done?” Inside, the article maintains, “Queen Elizabeth is ditching protocol and passing the throne to her grandson.” Actually, Her Majesty doesn’t necessarily have the power to do that, but more about that in a bit.

The often discredited tabloid starts off its provably untrue story by writing, “William has been bumped up the line of succession and is now next to be king.” It then claims, “A source reports that several government leaders within the Commonwealth secretly met earlier this year to plan how 92-year-old Queen Elizabeth will step down and how William will take over.” Of course, in the real world, in April the leaders met to approve and announce Prince Charles as the next head of the Commonwealth. Actually, it was after the queen’s urging he take over the Commonwealth that its leaders said in a statement, “The next head of the Commonwealth shall be His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.” Clearly, the longest reigning monarch in British history wants her eldest son to be the next king.

Despite the truth, the American publication trots out a so-called “insider” who says, “As the queen gets older, she’s figuring out how to keep the royal family relevant.” The magazine’s unnamed and untraceable source contends that because Prince William and Middleton are adding “new life” to the ages-old monarchy, “if Charles gets cast aside in the process, so be it.” Prince William was purportedly “in shock when he found out” about the queen’s secret plan, adds the almost assuredly made-up tipster. And while the Duke of Cambridge was supposedly overjoyed by the (fake) news of him becoming the next king, the tabloid’s alleged “source” asserts, “All [Prince Charles] can do is sob, ‘Mummy, what have you done?’”

The outlet’s latest report is not only inaccurate, but it’s also unoriginal. The magazine ran virtually the exact same cover nearly two years ago when it maintained Her Majesty was going to step down so she could be alive to watch the coronation of Prince William and Kate Middleton as the next king and queen. And exactly one year ago, Gossip Cop busted the same unreliable publication when it ran yet another bogus cover story about how Prince William and Middleton planned to “rule the throne” after Queen Elizabeth quits.

Those articles were simply untrue. What the magazine (and others like it) repeatedly get wrong is that the queen can’t just decide to have her grandson leapfrog Prince Charles. She would have to get Parliament to enact that drastic change to the royal succession, which states the oldest heir is always the next in the line to the throne, as set forth by the Act of Settlement of 1701.

And it’s not just Gossip Cop who’s repeatedly said Prince William will never be king before Prince Charles. A palace official on condition of anonymity first laughed off the claim before pointing us to those very clear rules of succession. Once again, Star is provably and royally wrong.

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A tabloid report claiming Kristen Stewart and Stella Maxwell are going through a “rough patch” is completely untrue. Gossip Cop can debunk the bogus premise. The couple is going strong.

According to OK!, the actress’s busy work schedule on the upcoming Charlie’s Angels reboot is causing tension with her girlfriend of two years. An alleged insider tells the magazine, “Kristen has taken on a lot of responsibility with this project and can’t be there for Stella 24/7.”

The outlet’s supposed source adds, “Stella has every right to be upset. They are spending more time apart than ever right now and it will only get worse when filming begins. It’s going to be tough for them to get through this.” The questionable tipster concludes, “Kristen’s convinced this film is a great move for her career, but it’s hurting her relationship.”

The premise doesn’t make much sense. Stewart has had a busy acting career throughout the entire of the couple’s two-year relationship. It’s also not as if Maxwell just sits around while her girlfriend is working. The supermodel has a very successful career of her own, and it entails traveling around the globe. It’s clear the two have managed to find time for each other and make their relationship work up until now, so it’s illogical to believe the Charlie’s Angels reboot is causing a problem.

It should be noted, Charlie’s Angels started shooting in Germany earlier this week, and Stewart and Maxwell were spotted having dinner in Berlin around a week ago. It would appear that the model has already visited her girlfriend overseas as she shoots her film. Photos from the dinner date, which the Daily Mail described as “romantic,” show Stewart laughing and even feeding her girlfriend. It’s obvious there’s no tension between the couple.

Additionally, OK! has proven to have zero insight into the actress’s personal life. Gossip Cop busted the tabloid in April for falsely claiming that Stewart was getting back together with Robert Pattinson. That article claimed her romance with Maxwell was “on the rocks” and she planned to give her relationship with her Twilight co-star another try. As time has proven, that narrative was completely untrue.

In May, Gossip Cop called out the magazine for making up a story about Stewart pursuing a romance with Cate Blanchett. That premise was also flat-out absurd, especially considering that Blanchett shares four kids with her husband of 21 years. This latest article about Stewart and Maxwell’s “rough patch” is similarly baseless.

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Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux do not still talk “regularly,” despite a report from a site that regularly makes-up stories. Gossip Cop can correct this fabricated claim. We’re told that while their split was and remains amicable, they are not in “constant contact,” as falsely maintained by a blog that’s nicknamed HollywoodLies.

In its latest concocted tale, which hasn’t been confirmed or repeated by any of the more legitimate outlets, HollywoodLife asserts that Theroux and Aniston “talk, text and email each other fairly regularly.” The habitually disproven blog alleges a so-called “insider” says Aniston “thinks about Justin a lot” and will “often send Justin a photo or an anecdote that she knows will make him laugh.” Naturally, while the website maintains it has an “insider,” that person offers no insight whatsoever about one single thing Aniston has texted Theroux or what they talk about.

Do they text back and forth about how Theroux is “tempted” to work with Angelina Jolie? That was one of the falsehoods HollywoodLies published not long after he and Aniston announced their split. And do they “regularly” talk about Theroux’s insecurities over Aniston dating her trainer Leyon Azubuike? Last month, that same often discredited site claimed the actor was “jealous,” and had one of its untraceable sources maintain, “Justin’s not ready to hear about Jennifer dating anyone else.” So they “regularly” talk, but just not about that? And Gossip Cop can only imagine what kind of emails Aniston fired off to her ex after hearing he was dating Selena Gomez. In May, the website said the former “Friends” star was “seriously upset” about it.

As Gossip Cop previously reported, based on facts and named sources, Theroux never met with Jolie to discuss a movie nor is he “tempted” to work with her. We also exclusively reported Aniston is not dating her trainer nor was Theroux “jealous.” And, of course, Gomez and Theroux never dated, so clearly Aniston wasn’t “furious.” All those and many more stories were simply falsehoods spun by HollywoodLies, which claimed to have an “insider.”

It’s also interesting that the online outlet’s “insider” contends that even though they are “regularly” in contact, “The exes are not at a stage where they’re spending any time together just yet.” Just a month ago, the amnesiacs at HollywoodLife alleged Aniston and Theroux’s romance was “back on.” Both Aniston and Theroux’s reps told Gossip Cop the blog’s story was untrue.

What’s really going is Theroux gave an interview with the New York Times in which he noted that he and Aniston had a “gentle separation” and there was “no animosity.” Given that, the creative writers at HollywoodLies came up with the site’s latest fabrication. And while the blog repeated how Theroux told the paper, “we respected each other enough that it was as painless as it could be,” it seems to have missed that the actor was speaking in the past tense, signaling that they’re not in regular contact.

Lastly, while their split is “amicable,” they do not make an effort to be in contact with one another. In fact, last spring Aniston made a point of attending Jimmy Kimmel’s son’s birthday after Theroux left, the party. And just a few weeks ago, People reported that Aniston “doesn’t keep up with what he does.”

If you live in Canada, you know how important it is to find things that brighten your mood in the winter. Making the effort to get out to the art gallery, a friend’s party or a concert sometimes feels like a feat Herculean strength. Especially if you have kids, finding a sitter and getting out for date night can be incredibly difficult. Studies show that music can make a huge difference in your mood; whether it’s throwing a particular album on at home, listening to the radio in the car or actually getting out to a live concert, music can be a crucial emotional tool in making it to spring without getting too depressed.

If you have adolescent children, you can try and find something that appeals to them as well – there are plenty of adult contemporary artists with cross generational appeal. Kids love to learn music as well, and perhaps your favourite Leonard Cohen album will inspire your teenage son or daughter to learn to play Hallelujah on the piano.

In the spirit of finding music to brighten up the darkness of winter, here’s a list of Canadian artists who have some really great albums:

Feist

Feist’s breakout album The Reminder might be the best thing she’s ever done, but her earlier album Let It Die is certainly no slouch. Singing in French and covering a disco hit (Inside and Out), Feist definitely mixes it up and delivers a wide range of styles. Mushaboom is a catchy single that will be stuck in your head for days, without a doubt. Her more recent albums are rawer and more experimental – not to everyone’s taste, but certainly worth exploring.

Leif Vollebekk

Originally from Ottawa, this Montreal transplant has become a staple in the Canadian indie music scene. His soft crooning and smooth folk-pop sensibilities make his records ideal for listening to on a romantic evening, during dinner or while relaxing with a glass of whiskey or wine. Leif learned to play guitar and piano as a child and it shows; his musicality is effortless and comes across naturally.

Weaves

Fronted by the charismatic Jasmine Burke, Weaves has been referred to as freak-out indie rock. On their newest album, Wide Open, they embrace a more traditional rock dynamic, showcasing Burke’s fantastic songwriting and lyrics. Still, the heavy guitar, funky bass and powerful drums will make you want to rock out while doing the dishes. Definitely may appeal to your teenagers more than you, but then again, even grownups need to rock ‘n roll from time to time.

BadBadNotGood

A fascinating band from Toronto, BBNG is made up of jazz geeks who met in a formal music program and shared a love of R&B and hip-hop. They’ve collaborated with big name rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Ghostface Killah, but their own albums are mostly innovative jazz compositions that are hypnotic and beautiful. You need to be in the right mood for this kind of experimental music, but sometimes it really hits the spot. You’ll also win serious cool points with your kids.

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A story that claims Shia LaBeouf is dating FKA Twigs to “get back” at Robert Pattinson for getting “close” to his estranged wife, Mia Goth, is completely made-up. Just one day ago, HollywoodLife manufactured a provably untrue story about Pattinson’s supposed reaction to FKA Twigs dating LaBeouf following the latter’s split from Goth. But, as Gossip Cop pointed out, not only did that site cluelessly neglect to mention how Pattinson and Goth star together in High Life, but the sloppy blog also seemed to forgot that it previously claimed (albeit falsely) that they got “cozy” when the cameras weren’t rolling.

After Gossip Cop schooled the outlet yesterday, HollywoodLies, as it’s known, quickly concocted yet another phony article. In its latest fabricated piece, the often discredited site alleges that Pattinson finds it “a bit suspicious” that his ex-fiancee is now supposedly with his co-star’s estranged husband. To make it seem credible, the repeatedly disproven blog conveniently has a “source” say, “Rob and Mia worked on a movie together last year and became very close.” The almost assuredly fake insider further maintains, “There were a lot of rumors going around about them being more than just friends… the whole thing absolutely bothered Shia.” “People in Rob’s circle question whether [LaBeouf is] dating Twigs to try and get back at Rob,” adds the questionable tipster.

What HollywoodLies disingenuously leaves out is that the site itself made up those “more than just friends” rumors, even alleging Pattinson and Goth were dating, after they were photographed platonically hanging out in Germany during a break from filming High Life in August 2017. When the blog first floated that falsehood more than a year ago, it apparently didn’t realize that Goth was married to LaBeouf. Now, after a number of stories in which it was first unaware that Goth was wedded to LaBeouf and then forgot she and Pattinson starred in High Life together, it wants its readers to believe it has inside information about all the parties involved.

Frankly, HollywoodLies knows very little about Pattinson and virtually nothing about LaBeouf, whose name it repeatedly misspelled in its current bogus article. “Shia LeBeouf and FKA Twigs are reportedly dating,” begins the website’s story. One sentence later it adds, “Shia LeBeouf, 32, and FKA Twigs, 30, have been seen out and about in London recently.” It’s LaBeouf, not LeBeouf.

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The reality is that there’s nothing suspicious about LaBeouf and FKA Twigs being together. After he split from Goth, he began seeing his Honey Boy co-star, much like on-set romances sometimes begin. An insider tells Gossip Cop, Pattinson does not believe LaBeouf is trying to “get back” at him since he and Goth never ever got “cozy” or “close” in an inappropriate way. Of course, all this nonsense is coming from the same unreliable website that earlier this year claimed Pattinson still “loves” Kristen Stewart and has reported in the past that she was having his baby. While Gossip Cop reports facts, HollywoodLife creates fiction.