"Is Lindsay Lohan’s Career Over?"

That was one of the screaming headlines on AOL’s homepage last week, an outlet given to hysteria and misleading snippets on any given day.

Apparently AOL took a poll, and 77% of people think the beautiful former child star’s career is kaput. I say all 77% are wrong. The girl just celebrated her 23rd birthday; it’s a little early to be hanging crepe on her and her livelihood.

All of this mean-spirited sniping stems from the fact that Lindsay turned down the female lead in one of this summer’s big hits, "The Hangover," which has taken in over $200 million. She didn’t like the script. Heather Graham took the part. Lohan did like the script of "Labor Pains," a movie that went straight to DVD.

Oh-kay! LL’s making some bad choices, but that hardly means she’s down for the count at 23!

Listen, every actor makes bad choices. Hollywood history is full of stars turning down the ace role. Who knows if "The Hangover" script she reportedly saw was the same thing that went before the cameras? It’s not like she turned down "Gone With the Wind."

I’ve been in this talented young woman’s corner since she first broke out as a sexy and glamorous teen star, grown up physically, if still emotionally immature. She’s been through a lot but it hardly helps to go around predicting the worst. How about allowing her to come out on the other side of her substance abuse issues and that very emotional relationship with Samantha Ronson without dooming her career?

I’m betting on a comeback – or a "return," as Norma Desmond preferred. After all, even former co-stars such as Meryl Streep and Jane Fonda have praised Lindsay’s talent and foresaw great things for her.

P.S. Lindsay looked just fine with Ellen DeGeneres the other day, and said "I didn’t get into the business to be in the tabloids. I’m really not that interesting … they follow me to the grocery store. What am I supposed to do?"

Oh, and despite the bad rap that Lindsay’s mother, Dina Lohan always gets, Lindsay vigorously defended her mama to Ellen.

So there! The girl’s taking it on the chin herself. Keep on keeping on, Lindsay!

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It’s good to be king. Just ask George Clooney. It’s good to be cozy with the king. Just ask Thom Mathews, an old friend of George’s who is newly single. (Thom is the pal who allowed Clooney to sleep in his closet when the star first moved to Hollywood in the 1980s.)

George has treated Thom to a golfing trip to Ireland, a fun-filled week in Mexico at Clooney’s house and a week with George and the rest of his happy-go-lucky crew at Lake Como, Italy, where Clooney keeps his fabulous villa.


George Clooney/Image: Wikipedia

The moral is – allow starving actors to sleep in your closet or on the floor or even the windowsill. If they are nice, generous guys like George, you won’t have to ever say, "I knew him when but he doesn’t know me now!"