Yesterday evening, Yahoo published an omg! article stating that Rihanna and Chris Brown have reportedly “reached out to each other” a mere three weeks after Brown allegedly assaulted her. The article states that Brown not only called Rihanna to wish her happy birthday last week, but also that the two spent some time together at one of Puff Daddy’s (yes, PUFF DADDY – I’m just old school like that) homes.

Then, later on today, Yahoo published two more articles: one that claims US Magazine confirmed this reconciliation, and one that claims Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, is supporting his daughter’s decision.

Since this “news” hit, a few people I know (and some that I don’t) have sent e-mails or otherwise struck up a conversation with me about this situation. At the risk of turning this into the Rihanna and Chris Brown Variety Blog, I’m going to share with you some of the highlights (basically edited versions of the overall thoughts and my responses/research).

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Nominations for the 2009 Voice Awards are now open, my friends!

The Voice Awards, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services, are meant to honor two groups of people:

1. The “writers and producers of entertainment programming—television and film—who have given voice to people with mental health problems by incorporating dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of people with mental illnesses into their scripts, programs, and productions.”
2. The “mental health consumer leaders and advocates who have been instrumental in both raising awareness and understanding of mental health issues and promoting the social inclusion of people with mental health problems.”

This year, a SAMHSA Spotlight Voice Award will also be given to an individual who has educated the public about suicide and suicide prevention.

Past Voice Award winners for television have included writers and producers from Friday Night Lights (I love you Coach Taylor), House, Monk, Sopranos, Scrubs, ER, and Law & Order: SVU. For movies? Canvas, The Aviator, and Stateside. I Have Autism and I Have Tourette’s Syndrome, from MTV’s True Life series, both won in 2008′s documentary category.

I think the Voice Awards are fantastic, but I do have one beef with them. According to the site:

The highest ratings are reserved for those productions that emphasize the positive journey of recovery from mental health problems.

A “positive journey of recovery” is what we all aim for, and clearly it’s what we want people to see when they tune in to a movie or show that features someone with mental illness. Showing the audience that a “positive journey of recovery” is so very possible will not only help break down the barrier of stigma, but it may also help others realize the importance – and benefits – of getting help. It may help them see just how possible it is to live a healthy, fulfilling life once they learn to manage their mental health. This is a good thing.

However, a “positive journey of recovery” just isn’t always the case, and I …

I haven’t read anything new about potential endorsement losses Rihanna’s way, but it seems Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum and Got Milk? aren’t the only campaigns dropping her former beau, Chris Brown.

According to WooHa.com, he’s now lost a spot promoting his own movie, Bone Deep. Producers are going to focus their marketing efforts instead on rapper T.I., the film’s other hip hop star.

Sure, T.I. may still be in prison for federal weapons charges (that are apparently related to illegally purchasing three machine guns and two silencers…machine guns? Good grief, man) when the film is released in January 2010, but, hey – when it comes to being a bad guy, the actual act of physically abusing someone will trump whatever nefarious intent one has for three illegally purchased machine guns every time.

The good news is that Brown has started attending anger management classes earlier this week, according to Rolling Stone, but the magazine and its source seems to think this is an effort of Brown’s to “look better” to the public and the court.

Whatever the reason, let’s hope he retains some of that counseling. This kid isn’t even 20 years old yet, and instead of focusing on damage control for his career (one that I’m sure has already financially set him up for life), he needs to focus on tools that will help him live his life in a healthy, nonviolent way.

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A couple of weeks ago, Fred Durst and Wes Borland announced that the original five-man lineup of Limp Bizkit (which also includes Sam Rivers, John Otto, and DJ Lethal) were back together and getting ready to launch an overseas tour this spring.

Then, last week Rolling Stone mused on whether or not the rock world was ready for Limp Bizkit’s return.

However, after reading the article and the various opinions of folks in the music biz, I’m instead wondering whether or not Americans are ready for Limp Bizkit’s return.

Let’s play a little game of pretend, dear readers.

First, imagine you’re the boss of some company. Any company will do. Be creative. Be indulgent. Ever wanted to own Apple? Now you do.

Next, imagine you have a female employee who holds a pretty prominent and important position with your company. Maybe she manages your highest earning store, or perhaps she developed and runs some brand-spanking-new software that your company has exclusive rights to. Whatever she does, she’s kick ass and you’re lucky to have her.

Then, imagine her boyfriend, fiancé, or husband sent her to the hospital by beating her to a bloody pulp.

Finally, answer this question: How would you respond? Would you be supportive, offering her time off to recoup, or would you give her the boot?

I’m going to go out on a limb here – probably a pretty strong branch, actually – and assume none of you answered with the latter.

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Since before it even hit theaters, there’s been quite a bit of buzz about Revolutionary Road, the film adaptation of Richard Yates’ novel about a young suburban couple in Connecticut who, while from the outside seems to live the perfect life, is desperately trying to break free from a miserable existence.

In a nutshell, Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) hates his office job in New York City, and his wife Alice (Kate Winslet) is being haunted by her old dreams of becoming an actress and her new “solution” of moving the family to Paris. Troubles in paradise ensue.

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I remember when Grey’s Anatomy actor (but do we really know for how much longer?) T.R. Knight “came out” as a gay man. I admit, I was bit disturbed – NOT because Knight was gay, but because even though we are several years into the twenty-first century, “coming out” – for celebrities, anyway – has barely come any farther than a freaking press release, appearances on multiple talk shows, and a month’s worth of story material for Entertainment Tonight.

Of course, Knight’s situation wasn’t ideal (if you remember, former fellow Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington kind of took it upon himself to “out” Knight during a behind-the-scenes verbal showdown), and I don’t think any of us really know if Knight would have came out so publicly had Washington not set the wheels in motion.

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Attention Celebrities!

Are you tired of trying all the same old defenses against your stalkers, only to be met with “fans” who see restraining orders as mere pieces of paper on which to doodle your name? Who can find your new phone number almost as soon as you’ve changed it? Who know where you’re going and when you’re going to be there – even before you do?

According to Robert Pattinson, you may just be going about it all wrong:

“I had a stalker while filming a movie in Spain last year [...] She stood outside of my apartment every day for weeks – all day every day. I was so bored and lonely that I went out and had dinner with her [...] I just complained about everything in my life and she never came back [...] People get bored of me in, like, two minutes.”

Actually, Rob, I think you just got quite a bit luckier than most stars do. I mean, I would sit and attentively listen to you talk about how you clipped your toenails last night any freaking thing you wanted to talk about.

For way more than two minutes.

Ah! Finally! Finally I’ve read an article about Nadya Suleman (“Octo-Mom”) that isn’t telling us how greedy, irresponsible, uncaring, and horribly disturbed she is.

If you read Celebrity Psychings even semi-regularly, you’ve probably noticed I’ve stayed away from Nadya Suleman and her 14 children. In the beginning, this was for two reasons: One, she wasn’t a celebrity (even though she seems to be one now) and two, there really wasn’t any point for me – a mental health blogger who focuses on celebrity issues – to regurgitate the story.

I can see it now:

“Nadya Suleman is a fairly young single mother who chose to have 14 children using in-vitro fertilization. Folks are reporting a history of mental health problems, and now she has a publicist.”

Really.

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From Christian Bale’s outburst on the set of Terminator Salvation to the more recent tirade of Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed over a convenience store bathroom that was out of paper towels, the rich and famous are getting pretty freaking angry these days.

The tantrum that has Americans holding their collective breath today (well, NASCAR fans, anyway) is the latest product of Tony Stewart’s notorious temper – a temper that, up until very recently, seemed to be under lock and key thanks to Smoke’s seemingly successful anger management treatment with a psychologist a couple of years ago.