Barbra Streisand

Sarah Palin's people "do not want the American public to know that [she] is using stylists or that she is paying for expensive clothes this early in the campaign." We definitely did not know. [P6] 

The Obama campaign rebuffed newly minted political blogger Lindsay Lohan's offer to host "a series of events for younger voters," reportedly saying that she is "not exactly the kind of high-profile star who would be positive for us." [TMZ] 

Socialite and jewelry designer Genevieve Jones is dating Oscar de la Renta's 24-year-old son Moises. [Paper]

Jennifer Lopez threw husband Marc Anthony a surprise "1940's Cuban nightclub themed" birthday party at the Bowery Hotel the same day she finished fifth in the "celebrity women's category" (which apparently exists!) in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. [People]  read more »

There is no Mike Huckabee surge in New Hampshire--he holds nine percent of the vote and Mitt Romney leads with 37 percent. [ABC News/Wash Post]

Huckabee now has a strong lead in North Carolina. [Public Policy Polling]

Barack Obama’s lead is widening in Iowa. [Strategic Vision]

Rudy Giuliani and Barack Obama are polling highest among 18-24 year olds [Harvard Institute of Polling]

A poll preview shows Hillary Clinton’s lead is no longer slipping in New Hampshire, and on the Republican side John McCain is gaining. [Political Wire]

Ben has reason to believe that the Clinton campaign may have indeed been polling on celebrities. [Politico]

Barbra Streisand just put a rain cloud over Barack Obama’s parade, offering her endorsement, for what it’s worth, to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Having donated to Mr. Obama as well as to his fellow Democratic hopeful, John Edwards, in the recent past, Ms. Streisand settled any lingering speculation today. The 65-year-old entertainer—as was just reported on our sister blog, The Politicker—shared her somewhat dramatic sentiments with Ms. Clinton’s campaign, which then made them public.

“Madame President of the United States...it's an extraordinary thought. We truly are in a momentous time, where a woman's potential has no limitations," Ms. Streisand says in the statement. "Hillary Clinton has already proven to a generation of women that there are no limits for success." Considering her allegiance to the Senator’s husband, Bill Clinton, the declaration of support is sure to solidify Ms. Streisand’s F.O.B. status. (As pointed out by the AP, her endorsement comes just one day after Oprah Winfrey put all her—arguably more valuable--chips on Mr. Obama.)  read more »

"It used to be that starlets opened movies, but those days are over.... Besides Walk the Line, projects with mainstream A-list actresses mostly landed with a resounding thud—or not at all—in 2005.... After the disaster that was 2005 for women, selling the world the next Julia Roberts might be even trickier. The franchise films will continue to sell big—and how many Narnias and X-Men do we have to look forward to?—while the romantic comedy genre languishes without a go-to leading lady, for now. Will it be Rachel? Will it be Reese? Or Keira? Will Dakota Fanning please report to puberty, stat?

"In 2005, there was not a single female-driven drama that was a financial blockbuster.... Even romantic comedies, long a showcase for actresses, are being replaced by male-driven comedies like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Wedding Crashers."

In one study....[l]ooking across a sample of more than 2,000 movies exhibited between 1985 and 1996, they found that only seven actors and actresses—Tom Hanks, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jodie Foster, Jim Carrey, Barbra Streisand and Robin Williams—had a positive impact on the box office, mostly in the first few weeks of a film's release.