Kick a FRESH corpse, why don'tcha? Dan Wheldon didn't have to die!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 31 Oct. 2011

The Enquirer, classy as always, picks over the freshly buried bones of Indy 500 champ Dan Wheldon, who died this month in a horrific accident on a track in Las Vegas. Here are the headlines.

• Tragic Indy ace didn't have to die!
• Dan Wheldon's chilling warning
• Dramatic photos inside
• Terrified Danica quitting
  
  

And the camera noses in to the tears on their faces: Stories about the missing baby Lisa Irwin.

Publications: People, National Enquirer
Date: 31 Oct. 2011

It's one of those odd situations that stories about missing babies are most likely to show up either in the relatively nice and reliable People or in the not at all nice and very unreliable Three Wicked Step Sister tabloids, the Enquirer, Globe and the low rent Examiner. Here are the headlines.

• People: What happened to baby Lisa?
  Shocking new details
  A mother under fire
  Deborah Bradley says she was drunk and doesn't know what happened the night her 10-month-old daughter disappeared. Inside the deepening mystery
• National Enquirer: Baby Lisa: What mom told cops
  11 month old Lisa Irwin
  dad Jeremy and mother Deborah
  
  

Meanest Story nominee: Johnny Depp's drinking is out of control.

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 31 Oct. 2011

Johnny Depp may be a certified movie star, but he's not a person the tabloids harp upon. There were some stories about him when he made The Tourist last year and got into orbit around the gossip star that is Angelina Jolie, but only the occasional mention other than that. This week, the Enquirer goes with a story that he is a mess along the lines of Charlie Sheen or Lindsay Lohan, though without the headline making arrests. Here are the Enquirer's headlines.

• Johnny Depp's drunken collapse
• His booze bingeing is out of control

This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.

The latest Ashton and Demi drama. With a little extra Bruce Willis goodness thrown in.

Publications: National Examiner, National Enquirer, OK!, In Touch
Date: 31 Oct. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! And a special welcome to gossip hell to Bruce Willis, his first mention on the cover of a supermarket rag this decade. Here are the headlines.

• National Examiner: Demi wants Bruce back
• National Enquirer: Tortured by Ashton's secret double life…
  Demi suicide shocker!
  Inside: details of her visit to this church for help
  humiliation pushes her to brink
  Bruce rushes to Demi's side
• OK!: Ashton's cheating: What Demi's kids think
• In Touch: Demi kicks Ashton out!

The big surprise in this one besides the suicide warning is the low rent Examiner getting in on this story. Their audience skews older than most, and it might be the addition of 80s TV star Willis that makes this story of any interest to them at all.

Cher's shocking breakdown over Chaz!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 24 Oct. 2011

Most of the stories I read elsewhere talk about how much support Cher has given to Chaz Bono as he competes on Dancing With The Stars, but the Enquirer always has to pee in the punch bowl and given that, they have a cover story of a much nastier nature. Here are the headlines.

• Exclusive what you didn't see on DWTS
• She can't accept transgender son
• Cher's shocking breakdown over Chaz!
• Plus: Cher lashes out at 'Dancing' - vicious insults and nasty slurs

Stay classy, Enquirer.

Demon Drugs and bun in the oven alert™: Amanda Knox heavy with child and hopped up on goofballs.

Publications: National Enquirer, Star
Date: 24 Oct. 2011

Two stories about the newly freed Amanda Knox, with the Enquirer being much meaner than the Star. Here are the headlines.

• National Enquirer: Amanda Knox drug deal exposed!
  What really happened on night of murder
  Plus her bombshell baby secret!
• Star: Exclusive!
  a baby for Amanda Knox

It's always fun to see the "Exclusive!" headline on a story other mags are also talking about.

Damn You Skinny Alert™: Brad begs Angie to eat.

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 24 Oct. 2011

We get another "friends fear" headline this week, this time about Angelina Jolie being addicted to diet pills and Brad trying to get her to eat. Once again, we get news of her being at a ridiculous weight, this time 93 lbs., the lowest number yet reported for her.

Meanest Story nominee: Michael Douglas marked for death!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 24 Oct. 2011

Michael Douglas is no stranger to the tabloids saying he's going to die. While he lived through one expiration date earlier this year, he has yet another one coming up at Thanksgiving.

This time it's not the cancer but the Mexican drug cartel, if you can believe it. The Enquirer says his ne'er-do-well son Cameron has ratted on the Mexicans and they are going to come after his family or that's at least what "insiders fear".

This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.

Bells Done Rung Alert™ and co-Meanest Story of the Week: Paul McCarntney and Nancy Shevell.

Publications: National Enquirer, Us Weekly
Date: 24 Oct. 2011

Two stories about a 68 year old Beatle getting hitched for the third time, and they are as different as chalk and cheese. Here are the headlines.

• Us Weekly: Paul's wedding!
  How he found love again
• National Enquirer: Paul McCartney
  Bride linked to the mob!

There will be two stories about death in contention for Meanest Story of the Week as of tomorrow, but to tell a story like this about a bride has to count as Co-Meanest Story of the Week, and so I have named it.

Problems With Plastic Alert: Chaz Bono's $10,000 Plastic surgery nightmare!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 17 Oct. 2011

The Enquirer tells us that Chaz Bono has had a $10,000 plastic surgery nightmare, and puts a picture of him shirtless on the cover. The also call this a "DWTS shocker!", so it's pretty obvious that Chaz's being on the show is the reason this is new the Enquirer thinks you can use.

Meanest story nominee: The Enquirer and Globe gang up on Dr. Conrad Murray.

Publications: National Enquirer, Globe
Date: 17 Oct. 2011

For the first time that I can recall, two stories get lumped together with a chance to win the Meanest Story of the Week competition, as both the Enquirer and Globe both do everything they can to convict Dr. Conrad Murray of the manslaughter of Michael Jackson before the trial is over. Here are the headlines.

• Enquirer: Michael Jackson trial bombshell
  Dr. Murray's death kit found!
  Drugs, bloody needles, patient files and more discovered in his storage locker
• Globe: Michael Jackson murdered!
  What Dr. Death is hiding from jury
  Official court photo - more inside

I haven't been paying attention to the trial, but it's taking place in Los Angeles. Juries down there are capable of anything.

These stories get a joint nomination for Meanest Story of the Week.

On the rocks alert: Six stories about the troubles of Demi and Ashton.

Publications: National Enquirer, Star, People, Us Weekly, In Touch, Weekly Life & Style
Date: 17 October 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! The trouble in the marriage of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore is easily the Story of the Week on the covers of The Only Ten Magazines That Matter, with six covers out of ten. (In actuality, it's six of seven. Ashton and Demi are too young to be of interest to the Globe and the low rent Examiner, and the Sun would only be interested in their marital woes if Nostradamus had predicted them.) Usually when there are this many stories, they point all over the place, but with one exception, these pretty much point in the direction of Ashton's penis. Here are the headlines.

• People: Demi's heartbreak
  Her troubled marriage
• National Enquirer: Demi's revenge - She'll destroy cheating Ashton
• Weekly Life & Style: Demi's kids take Ashton's side
• In Touch: Demi's nightmare: Ashton's love child shocker!
  Exclusive: Mistress tells all!
  Unsafe sex in his car and house
  Dumped her after she found out the baby news
  Humiliated Demi can't eat - drops to 95 lbs.!
• Us Weekly: On their anniversary caught cheating
  Ashton hooks up with two girls at an all-night hot tub party. As they enter counseling, can Demi forgive him?
  22-year-old Sara Leal
• Star: Demi & Ashton: The photos that ended their marriage!
  Demi breaks down after Ashton hooks up with 23-year-old on their wedding anniversary
  Ashton's caught cheating on camera
  17 world exclusive photos
  Ashton surrounded by blondes in his hotel room
  Ashton's lover keeps on partying
  
  And for good measure, here's the picture of Sara Leal, the pretty young girl with the big mouth, both literally and figuratively, who is being cast in the role of homewrecker.

On the rocks alert: More trouble for Kim'N'Kris.

Publications: National Enquirer, OK!, Star
Date: 17 Oct. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! Kim'N'Kris barely had a honeymoon when it comes to coverage in the supermarket rags, and this week their new marriage is dragged through the mud by three different mags with three different takes on the source of the trouble. It should be noted that they are getting hit from all sides of the Naughty to Nice Spectrum, from the meanest rag the Enquirer to the nicest OK!, with Star thrown in for good measure.

The Enquirer's story is under a banner headline of "Dirty Divorces!", but a sub-headline of "Whose marriage can be saved - whose can't" holds out a small glimmer of hope for the Orc groom and his hot Hobbitt bride. Here are the headlines.

• Enquirer: Kris wants out - He's sick of Kim's whining and overspending
• Star: Kim betrayed!
  Hubby caught with two other women
• OK!: Kris and Kim: their nastiest fight ever
  

On the rocks alert: Jada moves out.

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 17 Oct. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! A lot of stories about marriages crumbling this week and Enquirer has three under the banner headline "Dirty Divorces!" Often I put all of these stories together in a single post, but this week many other mags have stories about the same relationships, so I will treat each sad story separately.

Only the Enquirer gives us an update on the marital woes of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. According to that mag, she has moved out and he is preparing for an ugly $300 million split.

Celebrity hoarders!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 10 Oct. 2011

Fresh trash tomorrow! Last trash of the week... right now!

The Enquirer has had something of a brainstorm this week, figuring out how to turn tours of stars' homes into a negative story. In the same week when People had a standard fawning piece about the lovely places money can buy, the Flagship talks about celebrity hoarders, with a sub headline reading "Mansions filled with animals, old clothes, piles of junk & more!"

Kirstie Alley is mentioned. A year ago, the Enquirer said her house stinks because of all her pets.

And the other rich person to be mocked is Barbra Streisand. People did a story about touring her home last November, with no mention on the cover of stink or clutter.

You So Crazy Alert™: Casey Anthony headed for mental ward.

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 10 Oct. 2011

We get another big Casey Anthony headline this week, this time from the Enquirer and based entirely on a "friend fears" speculation about Casey being sent to a mental institution, where she will be subjected to "the straight-jacket, padded cell and shock treatments!"

Stay classy, Enquirer!

Meanest story nominee: Rick Perry's ties to the Ku Klux Klan!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 10 October 2011

Welcome to gossip hell, Rick Perry! Commenter #1 Karen Zipdrive tells me that Austin is abuzz with sexual rumors about Governor Goodhair, but the Enquirer begins their attack on him by saying he's tied to the Klan.

I say "begins their attack" because the Enquirer is tenacious, if not always accurate. Other politicians they went after in the past couple of years include Sarah Palin, Al Gore and John Edwards.

This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.

Fussin' and Feudin' Alert™: Oprah tricked out of millions by Gayle!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 10 Oct. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! If it's a nasty story about Oprah Winfrey, you can bet it will be in one of the Three Wicked Step Sister tabloids, this time in The Flagship, the National Enquirer. If we are to believe them, always a risky proposition, things aren't going well with The Big O and her galpal Gayle King. Here are the headlines.

• Oprah tricked out of millions by Gayle
• Oprah blasts: "You used me!"
• plus: Shocking new lawsuit claims Gayle's a con artist
  

Meanest story nominee: Sarah Palin destroyed!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 3 Oct. 2011

To give the devil his due, let us stipulate that the National Enquirer is an equal opportunity hater. They can pour the hate on people all over the political spectrum, from John Edwards and Al Gore to Rush Limbaugh and now, Sarah Palin. Here are the headlines.

• Sarah Plain destroyed after new book exposes her secrets & lies
• Todd filing for divorce
• She WON'T run in presidential race
  

I have a hard time believing Todd will divorce her, but I think they are right about her not running. She's in this game to make money, not to burn through it in a presidential campaign.

This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.

Fussin' and Feudin' Alert™: Angelina targets Jen's new man YET AGAIN.

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 3 Oct. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! Say what you will about the National Enquirer. I have probably said something worse. If they have a saving grace, it's that their stories are usually not just re-hashes of stuff that's already been printed elsewhere. Even when they cover the same material, they usually put a meaner spin on it. This week, they have Angelina Jolie trying to get between Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux. Here are the headlines.

• Angie wants Jen's new man!
• Explosive fight after Angelina invites Justin to dinner & offers him movie role
• Jen rages: "Keep your hands off of him!"
  

This story is ten weeks old, first reported by In Touch. Not the Enquirer's best work by a long shot.