I’ve been cautiously optimistic about Suicide Squad, mostly based on the direction of David Ayer and the presence of one of my favorite comic book characters, Harley Quinn. A couple weeks ago we got a look at the Squad, dubbed “Task Force X” for the movie, in their costumes, but for one notable a…      

Do you find Taylor Swift sexy? I do not. I would even argue that she comes across as purposefully sexless, like she’s still aiming for a mostly wholesome image because she knows many of her fans are still pretty young. But beyond her wholly created image, I don’t really find her that sexy in general. She’s cute sometimes, and occasionally she’s stylish and pretty. But sexy? Meh. Then again, I think women like Rachel Weisz and Angelina Jolie are sexy.

In any case, Maxim readers disagree. Maxim has just named Swifty as their #1 sexiest, hottest lady. She’s #1 on their annual Hot 100. I don’t think Maxim really did her justice with the editorial though – I “get” that Maxim likes their ladies damp, but Swifty looks like someone dabbed some lip gloss on an environmental refugee. You can read Swifty’s interview with Maxim here (yes, she spoke to them). Some highlights:

How it feels to be #1 on the Hot 100: “It’s really nice and such an incredible compliment. This year has been my favorite year of my life so far. I got to make an album exactly the way I wanted to make it. I got to put it out exactly the way that I dreamed of putting it out. Every one of these kinds of whims and ideas came to fruition. The videos—I’m proud of those, I’m proud of the tour, I’m proud of the way this has all happened. In the midst of all that, this is really nice. It really feels like a wonderful celebration of my favorite year.

Becoming more vocal about feminism: “Honestly, I didn’t have an accurate definition of feminism when I was younger. I didn’t quite see all the ways that feminism is vital to growing up in the world we live in. I think that when I used to say, “Oh, feminism’s not really on my radar,” it was because when I was just seen as a kid, I wasn’t as threatening. I didn’t see myself being held back until I was a woman. Or the double standards in headlines, the double standards in the way stories are told, the double standards in the way things are perceived. A man writing about his feelings from a vulnerable place is brave; a woman writing about her feelings from a vulnerable place is oversharing or whining. Misogyny is ingrained in people from the time they are born. So to me, feminism is probably the most important movement that you could embrace, because it’s just basically another word for equality.

[From Maxim]

Oh, Swifty. I feel like her feminist journey is still ongoing, that she hasn’t made it to the feminist promised land yet. Because feminism to Swifty is still “people make jokes about my blind item songs and that’s misogyny!” No, sweetheart, it is not.

Speaking of blind item songs, her relationship with Calvin Harris is still full speed ahead, which genuinely surprises me. I thought they would be over by now, especially since Swifty is going to be on the road for the rest of the year. But E! News says that they’re really tight (she’s been staying with him at his Hollywood Hills home) and they were all over each over at the Billboard Music Awards.

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

Photos courtesy of Maxim, WENN and Getty.

Modern Family Sofia Vergara – who is already mom to 22-year-old son Manolo – covers the June issue of Redbook and opens up about hopes for having a baby with fiancé, Magic Mike XXL star Joe Manganiello.

On having a baby with her soon-to-be husband: “Joe is younger than me. He’s 38. He’s never had kids. How am I going to say no? I tell him if we’re going to do this, we have to do it, like, now, because I don’t want to be 50 with a baby.”

On her happy life: “I finally realized that relationships don’t need to be so much work. Ever since we met, it’s been so easy. I’m very suspicious. I’m like, ‘It’s not normal that we’ve been together for nine months and we haven’t had a big fight or anything.’”

On what she’s learned about men since hitting her 40s: “Let them be men… I think it’s very important not to try to take over on everything—even if you think you can do it easier or better. If you don’t let them do things, you create a cycle and then you complain that they never do anything.”

On working out: “I hate it! I do Pilates. I’m in a bad mood two hours before and while I’m doing it and then I’m done, because I know I have to come back and do it again. I’m always asking Joe, ‘Why do people always say they feel great working out?’ I just want to go home and lie down.”

For more from Sofia, go to Redbook…

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Right after her Cannes debut, Emma Stone flew to London to join Bradley Cooper to promote Aloha. She returned to LA yesterday. On Saturday though, at the screening, fans noticed that she had a couple of significant guests. Before we get to that though, let’s recap the situation so far:

STAR M…      

The Cannes Film Festival’s glamour has quieted down a little bit, which always happens once the first four or five days have passed. I’m hoping for a late surge for Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard’s Macbeth though. Anyway, here are some photos from yesterday’s Cannes activities, mostly the big premiere for Pixar’s Inside Out.

Everyone is discussing Sonam Kapoor MAJOR Elie Saab Spring 2015 gown. See, to me this is just bad, but people are dissecting why it’s high drama or whatever. It reminds me of Li Bingbing’s Marchesa last week – if you’re going to do a big, look-at-me gown, why do it in such a questionable color? Plus, the over-reliance on feathers makes her look like a Muppet. All that being said, I love how many Indian ladies are doing the Cannes red carpet this year. It’s amazing.

Uma Thurman in Prada at last night’s Chopard gala. Her face has gone back to normal, right? I think she just overdid the fillers and had terrible makeup back in February.

Melanie Laurent in Zuhair Murad Couture. Quite honestly, this is one of my favorite looks of Cannes so far. I love this. But I love a good sleeve.

Oh, Paris Hilton. Why are you in Cannes?

Amy Poehler in Stella McCartney and Mindy Kaling in Salvador Pérez. UGH, I’m so disappointed! This was Mindy’s first Cannes and this is what she chose? Amy looks pretty with dark hair though.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Mom-to-be Jessa Duggar posted the first photo of her baby bump via Instagram Monday.

“16 weeks 1 day #BabyBump #BabySeewald,” the 19 Kids and Counting star, 22, captioned a mirror selfie cradling her growing belly in a fitted T-shirt.

In April, the reality star announced she’s expecting her first child with husband Ben Seewald, 19.

“We’re expecting!,” she shared. “We are so excited. The due date is November first, our wedding anniversary.” Added Ben: “We are looking forward to being parents.”

Jessa is the third daughter born to Jim Bob, 49 and Michelle Duggar, 48, and her husband is the oldest of seven Seewald children.

16 weeks 1 day #BabyBump #BabySeewald

A photo posted by Jessa Seewald (@jessaseewald) on May 18, 2015 at 10:43am PDT

Chris Pratt covers the June issue of GQ to promote Jurassic World. He was one of the magazine’s men of the year in 2014, and they usually treat him well (much better than Esquire does). This time, GQ does Pratt a bit dirty (which he also does to himself). To start, Pratt doesn’t really look like Pratt. Go here to see the full shoot. It’s pretty wild. Part of the issue is that Pratt’s retained his low body fat but lost muscle in between action movies. The other reason is overzealous photoshopping. CB thinks he looks like Matthew McConaughey. I’ve seen Paul Rudd mentioned a few times too. These photos look like bizarro Pratt.

The interview is full-on Pratt, but there are few different versions of Pratt. There’s one Pratt who French braids his wife’s hair, visits children’s hospitals, and talks about the vicious cycle of emotional eating. There’s also a more obnoxious Pratt who comes out to play on occasion. Both versions make apperances here. He refers to himself as a former “pet fat guy” when talking about how wife Anna Faris misses cooking for him. This stuff happens too:

Comedy typecasting fueled his weight gain: “I saw myself and I thought, ‘Wow, I’m getting fat.’ And then immediately I was like, ‘This is the funniest…’ I was making myself laugh. I was: ‘That’s where it’s at. There’s no one doing that. No one being like a super-confident dumb fat guy.’ So I started. So I just got fatter, and the laughs kept coming, and it was funnier and funnier. And in that moment I was like, ‘Oh great, I found my niche–this is paying better than the a**hole-boyfriend parts.’ ”

The myth of the “happy plump man”: “I’m sure I was the first guy in line to buy that line of bullsh*t. I also understood that there was value to it–my comedic nature understood the irony of a super-happy fat sweaty guy who is completely confident and accepting of who he was. That’s fascinating to people. I mean, I was never as big as Chris Farley, but you look at Chris Farley–that’s what made him so magical. Because other people look just like him, and they’re like, ‘Why is this guy not crippled with self-doubt? F***, that’s awesome. I wish I could feel that way.’ Well, I don’t think Chris Farley did feel that way. I think he killed himself with drugs and alcohol and buried himself in an addiction to hide the fact that he didn’t feel what he was projecting on the outside. I think that’s often the case with comedians.”

He likes to surprise people with nudity: “I got yelled at by NBC for getting naked [for flashing Amy Poehler]. I got suspended from the track team in high school for getting naked on the track bus. I was always getting naked. I thought it was hilarious. I didn’t understand how somebody could be so offended by me just taking my junk out. They did–they sent me a letter. HR sent me a letter. Someone obviously must have complained about it or something. I guess now that I don’t work for them, I can make fun of it, but part of the letter was saying, like, ‘Also, don’t mock this. Just so we’re clear, you’re being reprimanded, and don’t go around talking about how this is funny.’ [It was] the take they f***ing used, by the way, that made the air, and was hilarious, so I was totally right, but apparently if you want to get naked there’s certain protocols you have to take to prevent people from being offended–you have to give them the opportunity to not see it.”

On the shifting balance of fame with Anna: “I think it’s something you have to manage. It’s a little different, because she’s achieved enough to hang her hat on for her life, anyways. She’s done really amazing things. I’ve had those moments where I was like the guy holding the purse at events and people just looked right through me. And actors come up and just blatantly hit on my wife in front of me and don’t even look at me. I’m like, ‘What the f***, dude?’ I can think of exactly who they are, too, and I hope they f***ing audition for Guardians. Also, producers and studio people now who will come up to me and treat me the same way that they were treating Anna. They’re like, ‘I always knew…’ I’m like, ‘Is that right? That’s interesting, because you f***ing stared right through me the last time….’”

[From GQ]

See? There are two Pratts here. The first one made profound admissions on body image (which is a fresh take on a topic he’s discussed already). Then his demeanor shifted. The whole “flashing people” business is immature. Pratt did it in high school, and he did it well after age 30 when he flashed Amy Poehler. Pratt says “I was totally right” to do so. He appears sarcastic when acknowledging that it’s best to warn people of his nudity. Dude, maybe not everyone wants to see random junk floating through their eyespace.

There’s also a really gross discussion of how Pratt and Nick Offerman (from Parks and Rec) send each other photos of their poop. I’m used to disgusting humor, but the detail of the discussion turns me off completely. Pratt talks in terms of refusing to “desecrate the art by obscuring even a corner of it with a piece of toilet paper. Which means that we will get up and take the photo before we wipe our a**, just out of sheer respect for the piece.” Seriously, who talks about poop with GQ?

Photos courtesy of Peggy Sirota/GQ, Fame/Flynet & WENN

Dear Gossips,

If you’re in Canada returning from the long weekend, we posted a few articles yesterday so please scroll down to get caught up.

I had a deadline last night which seriously cut into my Brandon Flowers creeping time. The album is out now. And I have a flight later so he’s comi…      

Meet Poppy Brent-Berkus.

Celebrity interior designer Nate Berkus introduced his newborn daughter via Instagram Monday. “Hi guys. I know I’m only 8 weeks old but I’ve got a lot going on….” Berkus, 43, captioned the image of his newborn donning a teepee-print onesie.

While husband Jeremiah Brent posted a black-and-white picture of Poppy’s hand, this is our first glimpse of the beautiful baby girl, who was born via surrogate on March 23 in New York City.

“I’ve always wanted to be a parent,” Berkus recently told PEOPLE. “I had hoped that I would have this chance, but I didn’t want to do it on my own.” Brent, 30, added, “Until recently, we didn’t think it was possible. But we’re fortunate to be legally married and things just fell into place. We’re really thankful.”

Berkus added: “Surrogacy can be about science, it can be about money, or it can be about intention. We were really lucky to have everybody that was involved in allowing us to have our daughter be excited for us. Our paternal instincts kicked in almost instantly. She came out with her eyes open, looking around like she had been waiting for us.”

And it sounds like fatherhood is everything Berkus dreamed it would be.

“I’m chewing on her knee caps when I’m changing diapers. Both of my grandmothers used to say, ‘I want to take a bite out of you.’ And I would think, ‘These crazy ladies! That is so gross,’” he said. “And now I get it.” He added, “I never thought I would be so excited to be 10 inches away from a filthy diaper as I am. I live by her diaper schedule.”

Hi guys. I know I’m only 8 weeks old but I’ve got a lot going on…. #poppy @jeremiahbrent

A photo posted by Nate Berkus (@nateberkus) on May 18, 2015 at 9:52am PDT

I could have gone the whole year without seeing Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goopy mid-section on the cover of Women’s Health. She does have a nice figure, but lately Gwyneth has seemed… I don’t know? Thirsty? That’s what happens when you’re building a lifestyle brand on YOUR life, though. You have to show some thirst, because you want people to pay attention to how you’re living. You want to be seen as aspirational. And so it is with Gwyneth. We’re supposed to want Gwyneth’s body, Gwyneth’s diet, Gwyneth’s clothes, Gwyneth’s homes, Gwyneth’s life. Some highlights from her Women’s Health interview:

Her comfort with her body: “I believe in having sex and I feel way more comfortable in a bathing suit now than I did 20 years ago!”

Her routine: “My routine is the same every weekday. I drop my kids at school. I do an hour of dance cardio, then I go to work. For lunch I usually have a big salad with grilled chicken, and then for dinner I’ll have whatever I want. Most nights I eat with the kids, like, a stir-fry of chicken and broccoli or pasta or roast chicken and potatoes.”

She believes in being herself: “I believe, as cheesy as it sounds, in exercise, laughing, having sex, being yourself.”

Her diet mantra: “My food philosophy is: Nothing should be ruled out. I don’t believe in saying, ‘You’re not allowed that.’ If my kids want a Shirley Temple with the radioactive cherry in it, go for it, you know?”

Her romantic relationship (with Brad Falchuk): “If I’m in a relationship at this point in my life, it’s got to be a relationship worth sustaining, you know what I mean? I don’t have the time or inclination.”

[From The Daily Mail]

She’s so full of it. I mean, this might be her “philosophy” at this point, to not rule anything out and to be okay with her children eating “radioactive cherries,” but it really wasn’t too long ago (it was just two years ago!) that Gwyneth was promoting one of the harshest elimination diets out there, suggesting that children should be put on no-carb, no-dairy, no-meat diets/cleanses for weeks at a time. And next year she’ll have a new philosophy, a new diet, a new set of rules for what we should and should not be consuming. Also: how passive-aggressive and judgy is she being about cherries? Shirley Temples are a staple of childhood! How dare she judge the cherry!

Photos courtesy of Women’s Health.