Made in Brazil

A Semana: Romulo Arantes, Gays On TV, And São Paulo Gay Pride

Actor Romulo Arantes Neto made headlines this weekend for stating that "transvestites are not happy people" when asked about the scandal involving soccer star Ronaldo on an interview to Folha de São Paulo. Knowing Romulo, I am fairly certain that the sad statement was taken out of context, and that he did not mean it as it was printed, especially considering he just posed for the cover of gay magazine Junior. Btw, I have just heard that he will play a mutant on the campy soap Caminhos do Coração.

Two weeks after he was caught with three trannies in a motel room, Ronaldo found out his now ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his child. That is what I call bad timing.

A very pregnant Camila Alves spent mother's day with bf Matthew McConaughey in LA.

Shia LaBeouf does drag and takes his pants off on SNL.

Globo networks announced that it will again veto the gay kiss screenwriter Aguinaldo Silva wrote for the last episode of soap Duas Caras. To justify the veto, Globo claimed that a televised gay kiss does not fit the quality standards of the network.

Watch the commitment ceremony featured last night on Brothers & Sisters, which is a perfect example of what Brazilian TV should be doing.

Patrick Dempsey scores the cover of the latest Men's Vogue.

Nightclub Megga Fun, which had recently opened in São Paulo, was shut down over the weekend. I wonder if DJ Hex Hector, who was scheduled to spin at the club, will now be playing at a different venue for Pride.

The Week's owner Andre Almada will be releasing a guide about proper nightlife etiquette.

The São Paulo Gay Pride Association is working with the military police to guarantee that there will be a large improvement on security this year for the parade on Avenida Paulista. Still I would highly suggest keeping all your belongings neatly tucked inside your underwear if you are going to be attending. About 3.5 million are expected again.

A Semana: Kylie And Madonna On Tour, Tom Ford, SJP, And The iPhone

Kylie Minogue unleashed her KylieX2008 Tour in Paris this past Tuesday, and it looks like it is as camp as you would expect it to be. Why can't a Brazilian producer bring the show to São Paulo?

According to Billboard.com, Madonna's tour to promote Hard Candy will kick off on August 23 on Cardiff, Wales, and will include between 50 to 60 shows total. Dates for the "Sticky and Sweet Tour" (yes, that is what Madonna is calling it this time) have been announced today, and Brazil is not yet on the schedule even though there is already a Brazilian site claiming to have tickets for a December 9 date in Rio. Since the New York concerts coincide with my birthday, you know what I want as a gift.

Madonna's Hard Candy debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200 chart, while Leona Lewis' debut single Bleeding Love regained the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Marc Jacobs took his hot new date (who just so happens to be Brazilian) to the Met Costume Institute Gala.

Ohlala mag has brand new pictures of Edilson Nascimento.

Check out the cover of the new adult Abercrombie & Fitch catalog.

Tom Ford is expected to land in São Paulo around May 18 for the launch of his boutique inside Daslu. One can only hope he will stay for Gay Pride.

Sarah Jessica Parker is also expected in São Paulo for the grand opening of the massive Cidade Jardim mall, for which she got a reportedly $600K to star in the ad campaign. My friend Ricardo told me to read her interview on New York magazine this week, and I suggest you do the same.

No airport hangars this season: the Chanel Cruise 2008 collection will be shown at the Raleigh hotel in Miami Beach on May 15.

The illegally unblocked iPhone has become a huge status symbol in Brazil in the past few months. I know more people here than in New York who have purchased one, even though most of the phone's functions are not supported by national carriers. Luckily for all the illegal iPhone users, Claro announced yesterday that it is in talks with Apple to become the official distributor of the phone in the country by the end of the year.

I tested an iPhone for a week last year, but decided to stick to my Blackberry instead, so the gadget I am really coveting now is the new Blackberry 900, which will feature 3G technology.

A Semana: Gay Publications, Tourism, Kaká, And Rihanna

Brazil's newest gay publication called AIMÉ has apparently already been released, but nobody I know has seen an actual issue of the magazine. So far all that has surfaced is the cover with ex-Big Brother Brazil Fernando Fernandes.

Tourism minister Marta Suplicy stated this week that the government needs to implement more gay friendly policies in order for Brazil to start attracting more gay tourists than Argentina. Unfortunately the minister did not propose any solutions to the problem other than suggesting more support to the gay pride parades which take place in São Paulo, Rio, and Salvador. Now how about trying to make the country more safe in general for tourists, then focusing on the gay agenda?

Ford and V Man began their nationwide model search at the Diesel store in Union Square in New York this week, and Models.com has caught some of the action on video.

I am loving the cover of the new issue of OUT magazine featuring the 2008 Hot List, as well as some of the hottest male models around (unfortunately no Brazilians).

Soccer player Kaká is the only Brazilian featured on Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people.

Talking about lists, head over to AfterElton and vote for who you think should make it to this year's list of the to 100 Hottest Guys.

DNA magazine launched DNAmobi online.

Singer Ricky Martin has reportedly paid US$8 million for an island off the coast of Rio, which I hope will lead to more pictures of him in speedos.

Maroon 5 and Rihanna team up in "If I Never See Your Face Again".

Brazilian funk group Bonde do Role will be performing at Europa in Brooklyn on May 14. Tickets can be purchased at Ticket Web.

Madam Andreia Schwartz will be hosting a party tonight at nightclub The House in Rio to celebrate the release of the May issue of Sexy magazine, for which she posed naked.

Model Izabel Goulart will be meeting fans and signing photos tomorrow afternoon from 2pm to 4pm at the Armani Exchange store in SoHo. Armani Exchange will be donating 10% of total sales at the store tomorrow to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, so make sure to stop by, shop, and email me pictures.

A Semana: São Paulo Pride, Loveland, Fashion Rio, SJP, And An Earthquake

São Paulo's Military Police and the Gay Pride Association met last week to come up with new security measures for the parade on May 25th this year. Although I am happy to report that a hospital with 40 beds will be set up for the weekend, I am not thrilled with the number of police officers which will be on duty during the event. Only 1,000 have been confirmed so far. Considering the parade attracted a crowd of 3.5 million people last year, the number almost sounds like a joke.

With the parade a month away, Embratur has relaunched its pathetic Loveland website. I still have not figured out what the government hopes to achieve with it as it is not useful or informative to any foreign tourist coming to this country.

Screenwriter Aguinaldo Silva promised the first gay kiss broadcast on national TV on the primetime soap Duas Caras. I hope Globo networks will not boycott it again.

Who knew Jesse Metcalfe could look this hot? It is all about the chest hair.

The controversial adult Abercrombie & Fitch catalog is back.

I love the pictures of the lifeguards in Rio exercising taken by duo EXU which I found over at my friend JD Ferguson's blog.

Brazilian labels are fleeing Fashion Rio this season. Colcci and Reserva had already announced that they would be moving their shows to São Paulo Fashion Week, and today swimwear label Blue Man confirmed that it will be moving in the same direction. Considering that several other labels have made the same switch last season, is Fashion Rio soon going to be over?

Rumor has it that Sarah Jessica Parker got paid US$600K to star in the campaign for São Paulo's new Cidade Jardim shopping center.

A totally unexpected earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit São Paulo last night. No significant damage was caused.

A Semana: Naomi Against Dengue, Gisele Back At SPFW, Madonna On Tour, And Gay Rights

Naomi Campbell landed in the country yesterday to participate in the campaign against the dengue epidemic. She wanted to donate blood in the morning, but was not able to do so because she underwent a surgery less than five months ago. On a side note, we all know she did not fly British Airways to get here.

Brazilian label Colcci will be moving its spring 2008 show from Fashion Rio to São Paulo Fashion Week. Expect to see Gisele on the runway again.

Menswear label Reserva is hosting a cool photo exhibit entitled Álbum de Família, with b&w pictures of models and celebrities shot by Thales Botelho. Make sure to check it out at the brand's store at Rio Sul Mall until May 10.

Models.com just posted pictures from last week's Jeffrey Fashion Cares. The event featured 40 top male models, and raised $485,000 to charity.

According to Drowned Madonna, the singer will kick off her tour to promote Hard Candy on September 11 at London's Wembley Stadium. Rumor has it that shows are being planned in Australia, Brazil and Argentina. Before anything is actually confirmed, The Week in São Paulo will celebrate the release of Madonna's new album with a party on April 30.

Ohlala Mag goes backstage at the Nico & Adrian show this weekend in New York.

Actor Mario Lopez talks about his Broadway debut in A Chorus Line, and his gay fanbase.

The federal government is proposing a new and revamped law which would guarantee visas to foreign gay men and women who are in a stable relationship with a Brazilian citizen.

A Semana: Hard Candy, Project Runway, SJP, Gianecchini, And Raquel

Arjan Writes has an exclusive review of Madonna's Hard Candy, and news about the next Killers album, set to be produced by Confessions On A Dancefloor's Stuart Price.

Leona Lewis' debut album Spirit hits stores today. Get a copy asap.

Brazilian designer Mario Queiroz launched a new men's jewelry line at BaselWorld last week.

Alexander McQueen opens his first LA boutique today.

Casting for the second season of Brazil's Next Top Model has already started. Am hoping Sony will also cast a new panel of judges to make the show more fun and camp.

It looks like Project Runway is saying Auf Wiedersehen to Bravo, and moving to Lifetime.

Rumor has it that Sarah Jessica Parker was tapped to star in the ad campaign for São Paulo's Shopping Cidade Jardim, which opens its doors for the first time this May.

I love the fact that actor Reynaldo Gianecchini reads the paper shirtless every morning by the window of his apartment in Rio (and that Extra has pictures of it).

How do I get my hands on the new Handbook while I am in Brazil?

Ohlala interviews Michael Lucas.

Models.com has more pictures of La Zimmermann in the new issue of Hercules.

A Semana: Mariah, Madonna, Leona, Rufus, And Gisele

Mimi did it again. Touch My Body reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week, becoming her 18th chart-topper, and making her the solo artist with the most #1 hits ever in Billboard's history. The single also broke a record with 286,000 digital downloads in its debut week.

Madonna's latest promotional blitz involves not only the cover of American Elle, but also of its British franchise. Thanks to download sales, her new single 4 Minutes jumped to the 3rd slot on the Billboard 100 this week.

I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of the American release of Leona Lewis' debut Spirit, and I am absolutely in love with the two new exclusive tracks Forgive Me and Misses Glass. You can stream the entire album on MTV's The Leak before it hits stores next week.

Rufus Wainwright has four shows confirmed in Brazil in May. He plays Rio on the 7th, São Paulo on the 9th, Belo Horizonte on the 10th, and Brasília on the 13th.

Designer Alexandre Herchcovitch announced that the sale of his label to fashion conglomerate I'M Holding did not go through as confirmed earlier this year, and that he is no longer the creative director for jeanswear label Zoomp.

Gisele scores yet another campaign as the face of Brazilian jeweler Vivara.

Model Flavia de Oliveira stars in the new ad campaign for Brazilian designer Priscilla Darolt.

Soon-to-become status symbol: Beckham's golden iPhone.

I can't believe I always end up missing the fun stuff in New York. If you are in the city though, make sure to get tickets to Jeffrey Fashion Cares, which takes place on April 9th, and send me pictures of the boys.

A Semana: Megga Fun, Kanye West, Madonna, And Isabeli

Nightclub Megga Fun opened in São Paulo last Saturday, offering another alternative to the traditional Babylon party at The Week. Reviews from the blogosphere were pretty diverse, so I am going to check it out by myself next time I am in the city and let you guys know how I feel about it (with photos and videos as usual).

Talking about The Week, Erick Morillo will be spinning at the club in São Paulo this Friday. Tony Moran commands the party on Saturday.

Made In Brazil was picked as one of Typepad Featured Blogs last week, which I thought was pretty cool.

The boys from Ohlala went tanning for a cause with Work Out star Jackie Warren. I can't believe I will miss the premiere of the show now that am in Brazil.

Kanye West unveiled yet another amazing video, this time for Homecoming. I am wondering if the video for Flashing Lights ever got any play because of its content.

Madonna's Hard Candy blitz is gearing up with rumors of a possible live performance at Roseland in New York on April 28 or 29. Make sure to check out exclusive screen caps from the video for 4 Minutes, to listen to the Junkie XL mix of the single, and to preview Madonna's Elle cover. The video premieres this week.

CSS' lead singer Lovefoxxx stars in the new campaign for Luella Bartley's collection for surfwear label O'Neil.

Model Isabeli Fontana's big return to the runways this season is paying off. I hear she is booked for the new ad campaigns for Valentino, Cavalli, and Belstaff.

Talking about castings, this was the talk of the town last week. And it is true.

A Semana: Models, Seal, Leona, Beyoncé, And A Big Gay Wedding

Brazilian model Raphael Lacchine is on his way to Milan to shoot the new Diesel underwear campaign.

Raquel Zimmermann teamed up with Kaiser Karl for yet another Fendi ad campaign, and Models.com managed to capture the shoot on video.

Model Aline Weber, who you may remember as look #1 on Balenciaga, just shot a 26-page spread for Numéro, and is in LA shooting the new Moschino campaign with David Bailey.

Seal performed in São Paulo last night after being away from Brazilian stages for 16 years. He plays in the city again tonight.

Both Justin Timberlake and Shakira have canceled their upcoming performances in Brazil.

Leona Lewis' debut single Bleeding Love just broke into the #1 spot at Billboard's Hot 100, making her the first British female solo artist in 21 years to achieve this milestone. I told you she was gonna be huge.

Beautiful Nigthmare: a new track by Beyoncé makes its way to YouTube.

Ricky Martin (in muscle bear version) gives naked thrill in hotel sauna.

Ohlala Mag goes backstage at a fashion show in Brooklyn.

São Paulo will host a big gay wedding on April 10. 30-year-old Felipe Campos and 24-year-old Rafael Cordeiro will sign a partnership agreement in a ceremony for over 1,000 guests, done candomblé style. The couple hopes to raise awareness of gay marriage with the big bash, and possibly inspire other couples to do the same.

Quick thank you note to my friends Billy and Matthew for The Little Black Book Of Style I got on Monday. I love it and can't believe you guys did that. Now if you could only get Nina Garcia to pose with a Made In Brazil sign.

A Semana: Vogue Hommes, Edilson, Elite Squad, And Manhunt

The new Vogue Hommes International is out, with Josh Beech on the cover shot by Hedi Slimane.

Chad White sizzles in the new V Man, and provides lots of wardrobe ideas for the upcoming Black Party.

Brazilian model Edilson Nascimento is getting a lot of buzz lately, and he has only been in New York for a little over a month. Read an interview with him at Connex 24.7.

The era of fashion conglomerates has begun in Brazil. This week Forum designer Tufi Duek announced that he will be selling his label to group AMC Têxtil, owner of Colcci and Sommer, for a reportedly R$ 250 million. Tufi Duek will remain as creative director for at least the next three years.

Elite Squad (or Tropa de Elite), winner of the Golden Bear in Berlin, is set to make its US debut at the Tribeca Film Festival next month.

Brazilian soccer player Roberto Carlos stars along with David Beckham in the new Pepsi commercial.

MixBrasil and Manhunt have joined forces again this year to elect the 10 hottest Brazilians on Manhunt. To apply all you need is a Manhunt account and some hot pictures of yourself. The winner will score two plane tickets to attend São Paulo Gay Pride on May 25, as well as an iPod Nano and VIP tickets to Pride parties. If you think you've got what it takes and you happen to reside in Brazil, send an email to manhuntpromo@gmail.com with your name, age, Manhunt ID, and four pictures.

In Rio? Then celebrate the Easter holiday tomorrow at The Original Brazilian Pool Party at Clube Internacional de Regatas, starting at 5pm.

A Semana: The Shape Issue, The Hulk, Madonna, And Big Brother Brazil

Gisele is at it again. And by at it I mean a Vogue cover in which she poses next to a leading man. The last time it happened was with George Clooney. This April it is Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, and I love the result.

The preview for The Incredible Hulk, which was partially shot in Brazil last year, has hit the web.

Check out the cover artwork for Madonna's upcoming album Hard Candy.

Fergie performed in São Paulo yesterday thanks to her deal with Motorola.

My TV crush of the year, Big Brother's Rafinha, scored the leadership on the show this week, meaning there is no way he will be up for elimination next Tuesday.

On an interview to Ego yesterday, openly gay Big Brother contestant Marcelo claimed he was actually bisexual and fell in love with a girl on the cast of the show. He still has 14 minutes and counting.

DJ Scotty Thomson will be making its way to Brazil again for a performance at Le Boy in Rio on March 28.

If you are in Rio, make sure to stop by photographer Pedro Stephan's exhibit Entre Amigos & Amores at Centro Cultural da Justiça Federal. It opens on Monday at 7pm and goes until April 27, featuring over 100 pictures depicting the gay scene in Rio.

Preview the second issue of Bello Mag, which features some beautiful pics of model Evan Wadle by Greg Vaughan.

A Semana: Gisele, CFDA, Madonna, Bears, And A New Mega Club

Gisele's bum is up for sale, sort of. Christie's New York will be auctioning a collection of photography from collector Gert Elfering next month, and portrait of Gisele by Irving Penn is expected to go for over $30,000.

A pregnant Alessandra Ambrósio was in Rio this past weekend shooting the new campaign for UK retailer Next, and RG Vogue has pictures.

The 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards nominees were announced, and Brazilian Francisco Costa got a nod for Womenswear Designer Of The Year for his work at Calvin Klein. He is up against Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs. The ceremony will take place June 2.

Tom Ford, who was nominated for a CFDA for Menswear Designer Of The Year, is going to father a child in 2008.

Uniqlo invited four international designers to create capsule collections. Brazilian Juliana Jabour was one of them, so expect lots of striped jersey dresses hitting the stores this month.

Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Justin Timberlake last night: "The world is full of Madonna wannabes. I might have even dated a couple. But there truly is only one Madonna."

Seal will be touring Brazil from March 26 to April 3, with shows scheduled in São Paulo, Rio, Curitiba, and Porto Alegre.

The recent boom in the Brazilian gay bear market will result in the opening of a new bar in São Paulo right around Gay Pride in May. There are already three bear parties happening in the country: Bearland, Woof, and Ursound.

Another massive gay club is set to open in São Paulo later this month, on March 29. Created by the owners of Bubu Lounge, Megga Fun will open on Saturdays only, meaning it will be an alternative to the muscle boys who do not want to go to The Week. The club will hold 3,000 people.

Openly gay Big Brother Brazil contestant Marcelo is up for elimination tonight against my crush Rafinha. I am voting for Marcelo to go as Rafinha is the only reason to watch the show. Besides that, Marcelo is just too freaking annoying.

A Semana: Camila Alves, Santoro, American Idol, And Madonna In Brazil

Want a bag designed by the future mother of Matthew McConaughey's baby? You can order one starting this month. According to RG Vogue, Brazilian model Camila Alves is launching a website to feature her line of Muxo bags. Prices will range from US$500 ro $1350, and all bags will be hand-sewn by Camila herself, her mother, and a few assistants. There are even men's styles in case you guys are interested.

Actor Rodrigo Santoro is back on the market: him and gf Ellen Jabour have officially called it quits.

Ana Beatriz Barros posed for footwear brand Drummond for the second season in a row.

Tom Ford is a busy coverboy these days. Now when is he going to pose naked again?

You have to watch Justice's new video for DVNO. It is logomania at its best.

Love that I finally got to watch American Idol live now that am in New York. Is it just me or is this the gayest season ever? David Hernandez's stripper past has been brought to surface, Danny Noriega almost performed in heels, and I developed a major crush on Luke Menard. Needles to say, I liked David Archuleta's performance, but I do want to see him perform something a little more upbeat (and flamboyant).

Rumor has it that Madonna will be including Brazil on her next tour. I can't wait to watch the video for 4 Minutes To Save The World, which will apparently pick up from where Hung Up ended.

A Semana: Gay Media, Gisele, Pato, And Naomi's Tumor

Actor Rodrigo Hilbert has been confirmed as the coverboy for the third issue of gay magazine DOM, making him the first straight actor to take the plunge. According to some of my sources, Junior magazine has a hot celeb in store for its fourth cover as well.

Brazil's porn G magazine shut its doors last Friday in São Paulo. The bankrupt publication was bought by Ad Business, which already owns several gay sites. Rumor has it that the entire staff is going to be revamped, and that the magazine will focus on more nudity and less content from now on.

Talking about gay media, check out more hot pictures of Pedro Virgil's Naked For A Cause.

V magazine has an exclusive peek at the images from the YSL spring campaign which haven't been released yet.

Preview images from the new Colcci fall ad campaign with Gisele, which will be unveiled on national magazines next week.

Tom Ford does GQ Russia (with the usual chest hair exposed).

Rising soccer star Alexandre Pato pays a visit to Nike in Beaverton to get some customized kicks.

Naomi was unleashed from the hospital in São Paulo last night, and is already been taken care of by her current Brazilian bf Marcus Elias. She had to undergo surgery over the weekend to remove a tumor. No nurses were harmed during her stay.

Quick note: just got the new Shapeshifters and Jason Nevins mixes for Leona Lewis' Bleeding Love, and they are off the hook.

A Semana: Mr. Gay, Naomi In The Hospital, Money Girls, And A Shocking Soccer Accident

Your next trip to Brazil may be more expensive: the US dollar keeps on going down against the Brazilian real. The exchange rate is now the lowest in the past nine years, at R$ 1,696.

Argentinian Carlos Meliá, winner of the International Mr. Gay Competition, spent the weekend in the country doing press conferences and TV appearances to promote the event. Carlos also had time for an interview and photoshoot for an upcoming issue of Junior magazine. Watch a making of video and his interview on MixBrasil.

The third season of Lost debuts tonight on Brazilian TV. In it, Rodrigo Santoro actually dubbed his character Paulo in Portuguese. He had already done the same for the movie 300.

I have a new reason to watch Desperate Housewives.

Leonardo DiCaprio's gf Bar Rafaeli is the Brazilianizer of the week. She landed in São Paulo yesterday, and is shooting a campaign for a clothing line all day today.

Another Brazilianizer is also in São Paulo: model Naomi Campbell underwent surgery at a hospital this past Sunday, and is still there. No word yet on what the surgery was for.

Models.com unveils the Top 25 Money Girls, and the list is dominated by Brazilians.

In one of the worst soccer accidents I have ever seen, Brazilian-born Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva almost had to have his foot amputated after being tackled by Birmingham defender Martin Taylor. Eduardo fractured his left fibula and sustained an open dislocation of his ankle joint in the same leg, and is expected to be back on the field in nine months. If you got the stomach for it, watch the accident on video (links are being constantly taken down).

A Semana: Gay Rights, Big Brother, Edilson, And Celine Dion

The exchange rate for the US dollar dropped 0.81% and closed at R$ 1.711 yesterday, the lowest exchange rate to the Brazilian real since May of 1999.

Am loving this: a 27-year-old from Pontal, in the countryside of São Paulo, was fined R$ 14,880 (or approximately USD$ 8,500) for calling an openly gay 48-year-old man a "fag" and throwing a beer can at him at a gas station. It is the first time this fine is put into practice by the State since the creation of law nº 10.948 back in 2001. FYI, the law ensures penalization for discriminatory behavior towards homosexuals, and up until this week all previous claims had been filed for lack of evidence. In this case, the police was actually on the scene.

Muscled Big Brother Brazil contestant Fernando, who was eliminated this week, says he may consider posing naked for a gay magazine.

After spending two hours locked in a glass box without moving last night, openly gay contestant Marcelo maintains his leader status on the show. However, the highlight of yesterday on Big Brother was watching Rafinha have to run out of the shower in a swimsuit to complete a stupid task.

Make sure to check out the pictures of Brazilian newcomer Edilson shot by Greg Vaughan. The kid is with Major in the US.

Givenchy is bringing sexy back by hiring Justin Timberlake as the face of its new men's fragrance.

Out magazine takes you through a day in the life of Andre J.

Jawbone Films puts together a gay rugby drinking party to sell earpieces.

Thought I was the only one obsessed with Celine Dion? Think again. Four Four takes Celine's insanity to a new level.

A Semana: Spring Fashions, Magazines, Golden Flip Flops, And American Idol

Lindsay Lohan channels Marilyn Monroe on the cover of the latest issue of New York Magazine. Make sure to check it out for all the latest in spring fashions, and an interview with Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfeld.

Designer Kim Jones styled La Bündchen in a selection of vintage 80's pieces for the new issue of V magazine, which hits newstands March 6th. And since am talking about Gisele, the model has been tapped as the new face of Max Factor. Her two-year deal is rumored to be worth $2.5 million.

Singer Lovefoxx from CSS is on the cover of the March issue of Dazed & Confused, looking a lot like Bjork.

Globo network has won the bid for the rights to develop a mini-series based on the movie "Tropa de Elite," which won the Golden Bear in Berlin over the weekend.

Alpargatas created special Havaianas for the Oscars this year. Actors such as George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Javier Bardem, all received an exclusive golden pair of the Brazilian flip flops. Cate Blanchett and other actresses got one encrusted with Swarovski crystals.

Matthew McConaughey stars in the new ad for Dolce & Gabbana's fragrance The One.

Beginning this week, iTunes will offer downloads of every performance from the top 24 American Idol semifinalists (and you know I will be spending my money on David Archuleta). On more American Idol news, Alicia Keys will go on tour with last season's winner Jordin Sparks.

Quick note: finally saw Sweeney Todd this weekend, and loved it.

A Semana: Gran Fratello, Valentino, Aussiebum, And Paula Abdul

I have not mentioned it yet here, but I am still shocked at Heath Ledger's death this week.

Who knew there was a Brazilian at the Italian Big Brother franchise Gran Fratello? Well, there is. His name is Thiago Barcelos, and he hails from Santa Maria in the south of the country.

On Big Brother Brazil, it is Natália who is on the spotlight this week after a boob slip caught on camera made its way to YouTube.

Model Letícia Birkheuer confirmed pregnancy rumors.

Brazilian publicist Lala Guimarães got a nod from the NYT, and used it as a good opportunity to pimp out her clients Osklen and Lenny. If one person knows how to treat international press in Brazil, that person sure is her.

British Vogue takes on SPFW and the Brazilian shows.