Celebrity Chatter: MTV Awards See Stars, Clouds

MTV's Video Music Awards has been beefing up the glamour and star appeal the past few years, but this year, it seemed as if there was a cloud over the 22nd annual festivities.

Hurricane Katrina threatened the awards and dampened some of the pre-show party arrivals. Then a shooting at South Beach's swanky Shore Club hotel during one of the star parties (hip-hop producer Marion ''Suge'' Knight was shot in the leg) gave the awards another black eye.

The skies cleared up for the white carpet arrivals including Carmen Electra, Kelly Clarkson (who took home a bunch of awards), Usher, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Ashlee Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Hillary Duff, Paris Hilton, Nelly Furtado and Joss Stone.

The awards, held at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, had arrivals both via limousine and yacht. Ironically, a water theme rained down on the awards, surely planned in advance of Katrina's arrival in the south Florida city.

One has to wonder if MTV will consider the volatile nature of weather in late August in Miami and select another host city next year? The MTV Awards have shuttled between New York and Los Angeles. This was the second year for the VMAs in Miami.

Courtney's Auction

I just saw Courtney Cox playing a dressed down and dowdy college professor in the new movie "November." If you get a chance, see the independent film.

Did you know that the "Friends" star was from the same town as missing teen Natalee Holloway? Cox graduated from the same high school as Holloway in Mountain Brook, Ala.

Cox and her husband, David Arquette, decided to give back to Cox's hometown. She hosted a celebrity auction Aug. 25 featuring some stuff from "Friends" and other donations from big names.

The proceeds will be given to the family of the missing girl to help pay their expenses in Aruba while they continue the search for their daughter.

Attendance Up?

It would be no surprise if the Royal Tyrell Musuem in western Canada saw a spike in its attendance.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie visited the dinosaur exhibit with Jolie's son, Maddox, last weekend. Pitt is in Calgary filming "The Assassination of Jesse James."

The Calgary Sun reported that Pitt telephoned to find out if he could visit "unnoticed."

An official at the museum said he did not ask for any special treatment or to have the museum closed, but they did suggest he and his guests visit after 6 p.m. when it was less crowded.

Dress Just Like Justin

Singer Justin Timberlake and his best friend, Trace Ayala, are teaming up to release a new clothing line.

It's called William Rast. What? Who's that?

Timberlake and Ayala said they picked the names of two people who were most influential in their lives and that was their grandfathers.

William is Timberlake's grandfather's first name and Rast is Ayala's grandfather's last name.

The William Rast collection is 50 percent men's and 50 percent women's clothing. T-shirts retail from $23 to $59, polo shirts from $69 and jeans from $125 to $225. The clothing line debuts in November 2005. Coming to a store near you.

Michelle Solomon's gossip column, Celebrity Chatter, appears each Monday. You can email Michelle at Michelle Solomon@Celebrity Chatter.