Harpers Bazaar - It Girl: Sarah Larson

Don’t hate her because she’s beautiful, fearless (eats scorpions), and dates George Clooney

Three years before she started dating the two-time Sexiest Man Alive — sometimes known as George Clooney — Sarah Larson, 29, won an episode of the NBC series Fear Factor. The producers of the show recruited her from the Rum Jungle, a club in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay, where Larson go-go danced on a Plexiglas platform 20 feet in the air. For the two months she worked there, she’d fly up to her podium every evening with a rope, she says, “like Superman.” Larson, you see, has no fear of heights; she plans to go skydiving for her “dirty 30″ — i.e., her 30th birthday — in December. “I like the adrenaline rush,” Larson says. “George is like, Have fun!”

During those heady Fear Factor days, she had trouble ingesting a scorpion in a martini glass of goopy liquid. “I spit it into the bucket,” Larson says, picking at a far more palatable protein-free salad at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel and sipping a cup of hot tea. She’s not embarrassed about her TV stint. “Although if George had been on a reality show, I don’t think I’d have talked to him. It would have been like, That’s nice,” she says, dismissively waving her hand. “I don’t know. He still wants to date me, and I ate a scorpion.”

A brunette with honey-colored skin, Larson is dressed in tall boots, a babydoll minidress by Taka Wear she bought in Vegas, a STOP GLOBAL WARMING canvas bracelet, and a pair of diamond teardrop earrings that Clooney, 47, gave her last Christmas.

Larson is the first woman in years Clooney has introduced publicly as his girlfriend. He has taken her to Dubai and Venice to promote Michael Clayton and to the Academy Awards, where she graced the red carpet in a pink-and-pale-blue Valentino gown. “It was like a modeling job — smiling and greeting people,” she says. She even traveled with Clooney to Rome for the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in December, where she introduced herself to the Dalai Lama, met Lech Walesa, and dined across from Mikhail Gorbachev. Though she’s met Brad and Angelina — “Hung out, no” — it’s the world leaders who have really impressed her. “I don’t get starstruck, but meeting people like that, I get starstruck,” she says.

Still, Larson and Clooney share ordinary moments too. Holed up in bed after his motorcycle collided with a car in Weehawken, New Jersey, last September, the couple watched a marathon of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels in their New York hotel room. “We caught ourselves rooting for someone or getting frustrated,” Larson recalls. “And we were like, This is sad.”

The eldest of three girls, Larson grew up 20 miles south of Seattle in Kent, Washington. Her mother has been a consultant for a health-insurance company; her stepfather is a computer programmer at Boeing. Her father, who died five years ago from a brain tumor, worked for a telephone company and contracted HIV not long after he and her mother divorced. “I was very young,” Larson says. “After he and my mother split, he became gay. I just grew up with that being normal.”

At 17, she left home to follow the band Phish on the road. “I did weird things like play tambourine while my friend played guitar so we could buy gas to get us to the next place,” Larson recalls. “We’d make bracelets and trade them for food or sell grilled-cheese sandwiches.” She studied microbiology at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington; worked at the school’s lab; and waitressed at the local Outback Steakhouse for extra cash.

In 2002, Larson moved to Las Vegas to be closer to her ailing father, who was in Palm Springs. After toiling at a $10.50-an-hour job at a homeopathic medical company, she discovered that she could make a lot more money working at the Playboy Club and Moon at the Palms. “It’s funny, you go into cocktailing and you’re making a thousand dollars a night.

I thought, ‘I’m going to make great money right now and have a good time. I’m young.’ I wanted to buy a house; I bought a house. I don’t regret any of it.” Larson has held on to the Vegas home, which she shares with a roommate and two cats, Animal Cracker and Lippy Doodles.

Larson and Clooney first met about four years ago, while she was working at the Whiskey at Green Valley Ranch, a Vegas resort. The actor was celebrating his birthday. Larson says, “We were hanging out and dancing and being goofballs. Nothing crazy. We talked, that’s it.” She had a boyfriend then, but she didn’t when she ran into Clooney again in June 2007 at the Vegas premiere of Ocean’s Thirteen. “I got texts, and we just started talking. George is funny and sweet, and he’s good to be around,” she goes on. “I see him as a normal person, like anyone else. He just happens to have a well-known face.” But she admits, “You do have to be cautious of who you let in your life. You realize who is good for you and who’s not pretty quickly.”

One thing that attracted her to Clooney was his work in Darfur: “It’s incredible what he’s doing over there, his passion to try to use his status to make a difference.” And though he has a hybrid, Clooney still flies private, which Larson considers “a walking contradiction.” But she says, “People get comfortable. [It's] baby steps.”

Larson likes shopping for him and recently bought him some jeans. “No fancy pouffy stuff on the pockets. I think getting him a pair of True Religion jeans would be a good joke: ‘I really want you to wear this, and please put your hair in a fauxhawk.’”

Though leaving behind a steady income as a cocktail waitress has been “kind of scary,” Larson is focusing on modeling. “I have no desire to act,” she says. “I go to these commercial castings, and they’re like, Say this line. And I’m like, I suck at that!”

Lately, Larson has been reading The Secret to unlock what she wants out of life. It’s a book she doesn’t imagine her boyfriend will soon be borrowing. “I don’t think he’d be into it,” Larson says before heading to the valet to drive back to Clooney’s in a black Porsche. “He’d probably be like, Eh, hocus-pocus. I don’t think he has trouble getting anything he wants.”

Source: Link

Victoria Beckham on George Clooney: ‘He’s a real gentleman’

Victoria Beckham has opened up about her burgeoning friendship with George Clooney, saying the Michael Clayton star is “a real gentlemen.”

The former Spice Girl — who recently celebrated her 34th birthday with a lavish bash — spent time with the Hollywood hunk during a flight on Giorgio Armani’s private earlier this month — but insists her soccer star husband has nothing to worry about.

She says, “I have only just got to know George. He was so nice, a real gentleman and absolutely hilarious. He has a great sense of humor.

“But I think David is better looking than him. Definitely.”

Source: Link

George Clooney Denies Paris Hilton Attack

George Clooney’s representative has denied tabloid reports that the Hollywood star slammed Paris Hilton’s acting skills and called her a “wannabe” in a recent Rolling Stone interview, saying the comments were “barely connected” and were taken out of context.

Clooney was quoted as saying, “There is a funny thing that happens when you are a young actor. You equate financial success and getting jobs with whether or not you are good at it,” Clooney says. “And it still happens. That’s why there is Paris Hilton. Now I’m in trouble with Paris Hilton.”

However, the two comments were not made concurrently, and Clooney’s rep Stan Rosenfeld tells TheCelebrityTruth.com that they’ve been taken completely out of context.

“That’s not accurate,” Rosenfeld told us.

“He made a long joke in between those two quotes. Making fun of himself. Two different statements are being used that were barely connected. And [they were] certainly not the spirit of the interview.”

Source: Link

Gossip from the Metro Gala and Afterparty.

George Clooney Gets Birthday Serenade From John Mayer

NEW YORK, New York –Not everyone can say they’ve had John Mayer sing them “Happy Birthday” – but George Clooney can. Following the Costume Met Gala in New York on Monday night, Clooney and friends headed to hotspot Bungalow 8 for a private birthday celebration, Access Hollywood has learned.

The intimate affair was attended by the likes of George, girlfriend Sarah Larson, David Beckham, John Mayer (who actually did sing “Happy Birthday” to George) and Fergie, who also serenaded the birthday boy. Earlier in the evening, Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson caught up with George on the Met Gala red carpet.

“What are you going to do for your birthday?” Shaun asked. “I don’t know. Alcohol probably will be involved though,” George smiled.

Source: Link

David and Victoria Beckham hitch a ride on Giorgio Armani’s private jet
And George Clooney also comes along for the ride from LA to New York

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

David and Victoria Beckham were treated to a ride on Giorgio Armani’s private jet at the weekend. The couple were joined by George Clooney, 46, to fly 2,800 miles from LA to New York ahead of the star-studded Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute Gala on Monday night. Posh and Becks, 33, are said to have had a hoot as they sipped on Cristal champagne during the flight. ‘George was only recently introduced to the Beckhams but they hit it off straight away,’ says a source. ‘He totally digs Victoria’s dry, very British sense of humour and gets her jokes, which a lot of Americans don’t. ‘They went out for dinner the evening before their flight but the trio really bonded on the plane, swapping gossip and doing hilarious impressions,’ the source tells the Daily Mirror. After the gala – where Victoria, 34, was criticised for her white, 80s-style Armani frock – the group went clubbing at the infamous Bungalow 8.

Source: Link

Leatherheads Promo Tour, Rumor Control, Upcoming Events

Leatherheads Promotional Tour
Monday March 24th:  George Clooney and Renee Zellweger, both of whom have Oscars for supporting performances, will be in Duluth Monday to promote their movie, “Leatherheads.” The actors will be at Lake Superior Railroad Museum at for a press conference. At 1 p.m., the actors will greet fans outside the museum, which is located in The Depot, 506 W. Michigan St. In addition, tickets to attend a press event earlier in the day are being given away by five radio stations: KS95, KKCB-FM, KLDJ-FM, KBMX-FM and WEBC-AM. Source
Monday March 24th (PM): George Clooney and co-star Renee Zellweger will attend a red-carpet screening of their new “Leatherheads” movie Monday night in Maysville, Ky. No tickets will be available to the public for the premiere in the 471-seat Old Washington Opera House, 116 West Second St., downtown,says Twana Burns, the local Universal representative at Allied Advertising, Withamsville. “People will be allowed to stand along the red carpet, like at the Oscars, and wave to the celebrities,” Burns says. Distribution of the premiere tickets will be controlled by the Clooney family, she says. Celebrities are scheduled to arrive at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. screening. (Source)
Wednesday March 26th and Thursday March 27th:  George Clooney and Renee Zellweger, stars of the film “Leatherheads” that was filmed in North Carolina and South Carolina, will make appearances in the two states next week. The football comedy opens April 4. The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday that Clooney, who directed and stars in the movie, and Zellweger will be in Salisbury on March 26 and in Greenville, South Carolina, the next day. In Salisbury, Clooney and Zellweger will appear about 11 a.m. at the Historic Salisbury Station as part of what they’re calling the “Whistle Stop Express.” In Greenville, South Carolina, they’ll appear about 11 a.m. at The Westin Poinsett Hotel. (Source)
Rumor Control: The rumors have been been popping up all over the web this week.  To set the record straight Stan has been working overtime issuing the denials.  Godfather to Nicole Kidman’s unborn child- NO , ER appearance - NO and Winehouse $1 million dollar performance: NO (Source and Source)

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala. George and Julia Roberts are co-chairs of the gala along with Anna Wintour. The theme this year “superhero” and the event will take place on May 5th. 

Leatherheads, NOOW, ER and Gossip

Clooney and Friends Make Donation for DarfurNot On Our Watch , a charitable group co-founded by Hollywood elite actors George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, civil rights lawyer David Pressman and producer Jerry Weintraub has donated $500,000 to the United Nations World Food Program(WFP) to help stop hunger in Darfur, an affiliated organization said on Thursday.

“Without immediate additional funding, humanitarian aid in the region will be crippled. We are proud to help ensure the survival of this lifesaving program and strongly encourage others to do the same,” Clooney said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “Governments have a responsibility to help those who cannot defend themselves,” he added. Source

George Clooney’s Girlfriend Struts Her Stuff
George’s current gal, Sarah Larson made her LA Fashion Show Debut last Thursday.  Some reviews are good and some not so good.  Decide for yourself.  Pic 1, Pic 2,  Pic 3,  Pic 4

ER Reunion ???
Rumors hit the circuit at the beginning of the week that George will be returning to ER for the Series Finale.   Although he didn’t exactly close the door on the idea it’s not looking like it will actually happen.

“All this stuff came up on the Internet. I got calls yesterday, ‘I hear you’re going back to ER.’ I don’t know,” he told journalists while promoting his new football comedy, Leatherheads.
“It would depend on who asked me. (Executive producer) John Wells is a good friend. I have a funny feeling it’s not really fair to the other actors on the show necessarily, but who knows? It’s not something I’m against. Literally my office is about 50 feet from the ER stage, so there’s still family there. It’s not like I’ve gone away.”

2006-06-04 Variety Ad for The Boom Boom Room

 George Clooney, Brad Pitt are Being asked to Buy the Boom Boom Room

LAGUNA BEACH, CA (CNS)  —   Two activists trying to save Laguna Beach’s famed Boom Boom Room appealed to actors George Clooney and Brad Pitt in an ad in Daily Variety today, urging them to buy the landmark so it can be preserved as a gay bar.  The actors were rumored to have bought the vintage-1927 Coast Inn and its funky bar in the fall of 2005, along with airplane-leasing mogul Steve Udvar-Hazy, though representatives for the actors denied it. The property now is rumored to be for sale.   ”Now we are appealing to both of you to buy our 60-year-old landmark before it is converted into a boutique hotel,” says the ad placed by activist Fred Karger and former Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Gentry.

Cannes Alert: Clooney’s New Gal-Pal?

Cannes Alert: Clooney’s New Gal-Pal?

Is George Clooney hiding a new squeeze? There’s some buzz over at the Cannes Film Festival that the Ocean’s 13 star has a new girlfriend. Not only that, but she’s said to be in France with him right now. Meanwhile, as I write this, Clooney and the rest of the Ocean’s 13 gang have just landed at the Hotel du Cap after the movie’s black-tie premiere at the festival. While they popped into the premiere’s official after-party for a short visit, a source reports they hightailed it to the du Cap for an exclusive private dinner and shindig. [E! Online]

THE THINGS THEY SAY: George on Matt

THE THINGS THEY SAY:
25 May 2007
World Entertainment News Network

May 24, 2007 (WENN via COMTEX) — “I work in cinema because I am a fan of films of all different kinds. We work on entertainment and smaller films we feel passionate about - except MATT (DAMON), he doesn’t care.” GEORGE CLOONEY jokes about his OCEAN’S THIRTEEN co-star’s habit of picking blockbuster parts

George summoned to court in Murder trial

George Clooney, Bruce Willis and Bjorn Borg have been summoned to appear at the trial into the murder of a wealthy British aristocrat.
Former nightclub hostess Jamila M’Barek is accused of plotting to kill her husband, the 10th Earl of Shaftesbury, to get her hands on his fortune. But according to legal documents seen by The Mail on Sunday, she will this week claim in a French court that before meeting the aristocrat she was a well connected millionairess in her own right, with a string of famous and powerful lovers. But none of the stars say they will appear on the stand to back Jamila’s extraordinary claims and the court has no powers to force them to do so. [Read More]

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