After the announcement was made, Charlie tweeted, "My best to [Ashton]! The show must go on... You got the right guy!"
His first reaction, though, wasn't entirely positive. In a statement made prior to the Tweet, Charlie predicted the ratings would be less than spectacular and warned Ashton about his new boss, producer Chuck Lorre ..."Enjoy planet Chuck, Ashton. There is no air, laughter, loyalty, or love there."
Ashton didn't publicly comment on Charlie's original statement, but did return the love after Charlie tweeted. "Thanks, man," he wrote. "Always been a fan, always will be! BTW, you were 'born big.'"
2.) KYM JOHNSON -- HINES WARD'S partner on "Dancing With the Stars" -- suffered a neck injury while rehearsing Friday. She was taken to the hospital, checked out, and released hours later in a neck brace. But it sounds like the brace was just precautionary:
"She's doing OK, better safe than sorry," said her rep.
But rest assured, America, she IS expected to dance with Hines on tonight's show.
RIHANNA REACHES OUT, MAKES CONTACT WITH CHRIS BROWN: RIHANNA started quite the Twitter frenzy over the weekend when she started "following" ex-boyfriend CHRIS BROWN on Twitter. Brown quickly responded in kind and started following Rihanna's tweets.
That didn't sit well with many of Rihanna's fans. some of whom immediately began tweeting their concerns. One fan wrote, “I never thought you would go back to him! You better not, its your life but you do have ppl that look up to you. e.g young girls.” Rihanna shot back with “it’s f——- twitter, not the alter! calm down.”
Rihanna later tweeted an apology, which read: "Babygirl I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt or offend u! Just needed to make it clear to the Navy...xoxo."(--"The Navy" is what Rihanna calls her fans.)
LADY GAGA ROMANCE REPORT: Although it hasn't officially been confirmed, it sure looks like LADY GAGA and her on and off boyfriend of six years, Luc Carl, are done.
During an interview on a popular UK show Friday, Gaga answered a relationship question in a way that leads us to believe it's over. When asked on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ if she was in a relationship or dating, Gaga answered, quote, “No, I don’t have a boyfriend and haven’t been on any dates recently.”
But wait, there's more!!! The day before, Luc tweeted "I miss you" and linked it to a Youtube video of Bob Seger's "Still The Same"
The song referenced is about a player-type person who uses people to get what he or she wants by using their charm and sex appeal. Whenever they get too close to someone or feel like the other person wants to take things to the next level, they cut and run.
WTW??? MADONNA AND LADY GAGA ARE DISTANT COUSINS!!!: It looks like MADONNA and Lady Gaga have way more in common than the similarities between "Born This Way" and "Express Yourself". Apparently Gaga and Madge are distant cousins!!!
Celebrity genealogist Chris Child did some digging, and found the pop divas are "ninth cousins once removed.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: MEGAN FOX and JANET JACKSON party like it's their birthday today because ... well, it is!
Here's who else blows out birthday candles today.
QUOTE/UNQUOTE: I cheated on my wife. Guess what? So do millions of other men." -- JESSE JAMES, in the new "Men's Journal". He adds, "I never shied away from anything I did. I took full responsibility."
Speaking of the d-bag ... Jesse was on "Piers Morgan Tonight" Friday, and basically accused SANDRA BULLOCK of lying when she last year that he was her "rock" when accepting her Oscar. When Piers brought it up, Jesse shot back, "She said that same speech at four different awards shows."
He then admitted she might have meant it, quote, "to a certain extent", but then pointed out Sandra's line of work, inferring her speech was all an act. (--Watch that part of the interview here.)
IN DENIAL - JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Word on the street is that things between JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and OLIVIA WILDE are “heating up”. This after spies for the New York Post’s Page Six spotted the pair celebrating a friend’s birthday Friday night in NYC.
Sources say Wilde arrived at the party shortly after JT did, then stuck to him like gum all night.
But Timberlake's rep denied there’s anything going on. "Justin has starred in two movies with Ms. Wilde . . . they are friends and are not romantically involved, nor is Mr. Timberlake romantically involved with anyone."
BABY NEWS: “Office” star JENNA FISCHER is pregnant with her and husband Lee Kirk’s first child. No word on how far along she is or when the baby is due.
2.) MIKE MYERS and his new wife Kelly Tisdale are expecting their first child. Kelly is said to be somewhere between four and six months along.
Myers split with his wife of 12 years in 2006. He and Kelly married last fall, but kept it a secret until this past March.
