Janet Jackson Has A What-Now? (And other unbelievable news)

Item: Singer/actress/Superbowl shunned/Jermaine Dupri lovah Janet Jackson has a secret 18-year old daughter. The daughter, Renee, has been living -- in utter anonymity, apparently -- with eldest Jackson sister Rebbie. Trackback the conception here.

The story initially broke out on Friday, when Young DeBarge made an appearance on New York radio station WQHT-FM. Young is the brother of James DeBarge, ex-member of 1980's group DeBarge, and who married Jackson in 1984. A year later, their marriage was annulled when allegations surfaced that DeBarge was a candidate for a Very Special Dr. Phil "Deadbeat Husbands" Episode. During this brief union, many speculated that Jackson was pregnant, but this was adamantly refuted by the Jacksons (except for LaToya, who was never taken seriously because the woman is kooky). Now, these speculations seem to be true.

(Author's note: I haven't been able to verify if the above picture is, in fact, Renee Jackson, but since she's just materialized out of nowhere, we can just pretend that it is.)

Except...Jackson was 18 years old during her marriage to DeBarge, in 1984. In order for Renee to be 18 now, she would have had to be born in 1987, leaving a three year gap. I'm not sure whether Jackson was still seeing DeBarge after their failed marriage, but it doesn't seem likely. And it also doesn't seem likely that she was pregnant for years, or that there was a rip in the time-space continuum that allowed Renee to stay 0 years old for three years. Am I missing something in this saga? I probably am. Jackson is insanely secretive, as we've come to know and, as of late, she hasn't exerted the best judgment -- just look at Jermaine Dupri. Why, Janet, why? I really wish she would tell us.

Item: John Travolta turned down the role of James Bond. Yes, he was a candidate. Trackback the eyebrow raise here.

As Travolta explains, "James Bond is one of the most dynamic roles in history, and also one of the most extreme and career defining commitments an actor can make. After very careful consideration I feel that James Bond might not be the best vehicle for me to commit to at this point."

I just can't picture Travolta as Bond. I don't doubt his acting skills or his ability to rock a suit, but Travolta isn't the smoothest or the most charismatic man out there. Neither is he very convincing as a gadget-loving, cunning spy. (The closest to "smooth" that I can remember Travolta doing is in Face/Off, but then again, he is playing Nicholas Cage, who is playing an evil, evil man.) I'd trust him to dance in a white leisure suit...or sing at a carnival while sporting leather pants...or have deep conversations with Samuel L. Jackson about Big Macs...or play a hairy Vulcan-like giant set to take over Earth...or a shady con man who can somehow have the likes of Halle Berry on his side. (I never said the man wasn't versatile.) But what I can't picture is Travolta sipping a martini whilst bedding Angelina Jolie, who is reportedly being wooed for a chance to play a Bond girl.

Fans around the world have sent Travolta scripts of Casino Royale, the next installment in the series. Travolta is flattered, but is considering other projects. And the new Bond, Daniel Craig (who, as you might remember if you scroll down, bedded Sienna Miller -- oh, those crazy Brits!), has been voted as the blandest James Bond yet. These Bond fans, you can't please them.

Off to ponder the existence of Ashlee Simpson,

Christine