There’s just SO MUCH celeb gossip going around, it’s impossible to keep up with it on. I just don’t know how some folks do it - - although, I know some of them do this celebrity gossip blogging thing full time. So, I thought - once a week, I’d do a round up to kind of bring myself up to speed on all the goings on in celebrity gossip blogging that’s going on out there and share some link love with some of the favs I have in celeb gossiping.

On to the round up for this week - here’s Thirteen Celebrity Gossip Bits (as a part of my (celebrity)Final Thursday Thirteen fun!):

• Had enough of Britney and her head? If not check out this and this and this - Perez Hilton
• PopSugar has their own celebrity linkfest going on!
• Ain’t it great how Tina Turner continues to turn heads … even at the age of 64?? - Mollygood
• Is Christina Aguilera preggers??? Just Jared wonders.
• Will a Bald Britney create a whole new fad, sparking ad campaigns everywhere? - Gallery of the Absurd
• Britney Spears in and out of rehab - she’s making us dizzy!
• Paris Hilton caught smoking a joint - I’m..I’m.. shocked!
• Kim Kardashian is the distribution of her sex tape with her ex-boyfriend, singer Ray-J. Lesson learned from celebs? Don’t video tape your sex, no matter how much you want to. buncha narcissists!
• Are Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt seeking relationship counselling?? - so soon?
• Sienna Miller goes topless again - at the beach with Jaime Burke. Not like we haven’t seen this already - multiple times over.
• As Anna Nicole’s corpse moulders (no, really, it is), her estranged Mom took the stage ..I mean stand in Florida today to bash Howard K. and throw some love on Larry Birkhead and deny that she’s in it for the money… A Socialite’s Life
• Dreamworks apologizes for DreamGirls - Now that the Oscar ballot deadline has passed, the DreamWorks publicity team can safely shift its focus from designing Dreamgirls ads aimed at reminding Academy voters of frequently latex-hampered thespian Eddie Murphy’s mastery of the awards-baiting man-cry to ones like this full-pager that appeared in today’s Variety, publicly apologizing for the confusing dramatic license the film may have taken with the Motown story…Defamer
• Catch yourself up to date on the Anna Nicole Smith drama - and feel your brain melt, one brain cell at a time. TMZ.Com

Thursday Thirteen
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View more T13 participants here. This week is the final Thursday Thirteen edition — *sniffsniff* - - big kudos and thanks to Leanne of Thursday Thirteen for providing us with 81 solid weeks of fun, meets and greets and linkage!!

This post is an Open Trackback post - What’s that mean?:
Basically - if you have done a great post about celebrities, hollywood, movies or entertainment in general - send a trackback over to this post and the link to your post will appear here, on the front page, underneath this post. WOOT!
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Right Pundits, Perri Nelson’s Website, Random Dreamer, The Virtuous Republic, Adam’s Blog, Big Dog’s Weblog, Maggie’s Notebook, basil’s blog, Shadowscope, Common Folk Using Common Sense, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Cao’s Blog, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Pursuing Holiness, Conservative Thoughts, Rightlinx, Allie Is Wired, third world county, stikNstein… has no mercy, Pirate’s Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, Planck’s Constant, Renaissance Blogger, The Pink Flamingo, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Submitted as a first entry for Wordless Wednesday. Does Britney leave you . . . speechless wordless?

I can even make a joke about it. Britney has checked herself out of rehab … again. No reason has been give for her departure from the Promises rehab facility in Malibu, California. Really, at this point, the ONLY acceptable reason would be that she left to seek a facility that was more private since the tabloids can not find it within themselves to LEAVE HER ALONE. If she left the facility because she just didn’t want to - - then I cannot image the public… or the COURTS….will have much sympathy for the once beloved pop tart.

Sources: PerezHilton, ET Online

I know all about money and understand the concept of greed - - but is there any line tabloids will not cross? If she checked herself out of this facility because of being unable to have the privacy she needs in order to heal herself… shouldn’t that be a big tip off to the tabloids that maybe they should just give her the time she needs? A month, people - can you handle a month? Surely there are other celebs you can make a dollar off of, in the meantime?

If she checked out because she just doesn’t wanna - then KFed should get the kids and she should just freefall to her ultimate demise. No one can help someone who really just doesn’t want to help themselves, and her two kids shouldn’t be dragged down in the process.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still pulling for ya, Brit’ — still hoping for the best and wanting to see you get better.. but damn!

Britney is seeking help at Malibu’s exclusive treatment facility, Promises. Now that the tabloids have confirmed her presence at a rehab facility - they should really leave her alone and let her heal in peace. So much for the family’s plea for privacy, hey? If you can’t get privacy in a rehab facility - there is no hope for privacy anywhere!

Promises founder Richard Rogg told us that patients are at a very low point when they seek help.

“You have to hit a mental, spiritual, emotional kind of bottom,” Rogg said. “It’s that place where you are too afraid to go on living and too afraid to die.”

OK! Weekly has revealed that Kevin and Britney had a huge argument. “Kevin threatened Britney that he was going to have people test her hair to find out exactly what she’s been up to. She was so scared. That was what made her have her head shaved.”

It’s no secret that Promises is a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center in Southern California - it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know exactly why she is there.

Have we not been down this road once this week already? Britney is back in rehab. Gawds I hope, for her sake - for the KIDS sake - that this girl plants her butt in rehab and stays there this time to get the help she needs. I really hope to see her emerge from this stage in her life a strong, self-confident woman and accomplished mother. She needs a complete transformation. Not only is she not the Britney we once knew - - but she is not the Britney she once knew. She needs a change - and not just for obvious reasons. But she is not the teenage dream, anymore. She is not every persons fantasy anymore. She is a grown woman who has two kids in her care — they depend on her. That is what needs to come first, not last. Those kids deserve a sober mother who takes good care of them and guides them into their own adulthood - safe, sane and functional. Is that too much to hope for the Spears/Federline offspring? I hope not.

The singer reportedly caved in (finally) to the urgings of her family to GET HELP, which she so obviously needs. After she shaved her head and after her mother showed up in LA - everyone thought that was the beginning of some good signs. Then we saw her out last night, partying like usual in that stupid blonde wig - oy! Then proceeded to:

• Have dinner with her father (yay!) at an LA diner
• She arrived at a nightclub in sunglasses and the cheap-looking blonde hairpiece. Later she stormed out when the DJ played her debut hit Hit Me Baby One More Time in her honour.
• This past Saturday, after the previous night’s breakdown crescendo saw her shave off all her hair, Britney drifted into West Hollywood’s Mondrian Hotel on Sunset Blvd, not exactly the place to go if you want some “privacy.”
• Britney arrived alone, this time wearing a blue wig, and she tried unsuccessfully to book a room. She had no money nor a credit card, just a piece of paper carrying a partial credit card number.
• After unsuccessfully trying to get a hotel room at the Mondrian, a couple of tourists felt sorry for Britney and took her upstairs to their room.
• The “lucky” fans then took a deranged Spears to the gift shop, where she went back and forth trying on three different bathing suits. After picking out a bikini, Shitney then went to the pool and tried to shave her legs.
• Spears then tried to get a rental car but with no identification she was again denied. “She was hysterical saying things like, ‘Nobody wants me’ over and again.’ The staff were stunned. she clearly needed medical help but no one knew what to do with her.”

- SkyNews

Nobody wants her anymore? Is this girl derranged? She has fans all over the world speculating about their favorite stars mental health, sending her well wishes, urging her to get help — not to mention those who are close to her, her family - urging her to get the help she needs.

Larry Rudolph, Britney’s manger, just released the following statement:

“Britney Spears has voluntarily checked herself into an undisclosed rehab facility today. We ask that the media respect her privacy as well as those of her family and friends at this time.”

Good luck with the whole privacy thing. Hopefully the media will heed that request — I somehow doubt it. Britney has put herself in front of the media with her ongoing antics since her and KFed split — asking the media to leave her alone now is a stretch. Maybe there are media outlets out there who will respect the request, but don’t hold your breath.

Good luck with your recovery, Britney.

Justin allegedly responds to Britney’s latest lash out:

A day after the shocking news of Britney Spears shaving her head, we catch Justin Timberlake in West Hollywood. We asked him what his thoughts were on the situation.

One of our photographers asked him “Justin, did you hear about Britney shaving her head? What do you think about this?” He looked sort of sad or depressed once asked and as he was walking there was silence. After about 2 minutes of silence Justin said, “It was a smart choice, she is starting over, cleaning herself up. It was something you wouldn’t expect most people to do, so she is taking a chance.”

His face was sort of concerned looking. Then someone asked:
“Justin how do you think she looks? Many people are having rude comments about it.” Justin said, “She looks amazing, very GI-Jane, she can pull off anything.”

We are guessing Justin knew about this long before we mentioned it. We are behind Britney, lets hope this is a new start for her. Justin on the other hand, we are glad he is supportive of Britney for a change.

- Source: WOB

If this is a true statement from Timberlake - Personally, I think Justin is a class act. (Note: WOB doesn’t have a cited credible media source for this - - so I’m skeptical, but hopeful)

Brilliant remix and nice look back. She had a kickin’ career that ANY artist today would be envious of - - if she doesn’t put out a single new song in the future - she still has a lot to be proud of. There’s so much talk of her career and how she has destroyed her chances for a comeback… Screw that. The girl needs to get her head together for her own sake, and the sake of her kids…a new album, tour and comeback shouldn’t even be on her radar at this point.

The bid is still open if you’re interested in purchasing Britney Spears hair - which she shaved off this weekend in LA. An anonymous Ebay user has put a verified bid of over $1 million dollars to purchase Britney Spears’s shaved hair, which was put on the auction site by the haircutting studio that Britney paid a visit to on Friday night.

You have heard the story on the news… No need to repeat it here.

This is the auction you have been waiting for. I am selling the hair as well as the 3/4 full can of Redbull she was drinking and her blue Bic Lighter. I am selling this on behalf of Esther and her family.

We are offering it for sale here at what we feel is a realistic price. This is a piece of history that can not be duplicated.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC. THIS IS NOT A SCAM. BUYER IS ENCOURAGED TO DO A LOCAL PICK UP IN TARZANA, CALIFORNIA AND MEET WITH ME AND ESTHER. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC AND THIS IS THE ONLY REAL LISTING. I THINK THE PICTURES SAY IT ALL.

Payment is to be made by cash, money order or cashiers check ONLY. NO PAYPAL.

Due to the unique nature and high value of these items, buyer is to be responsible for any shipping arrangements. Local pick up is highly encouraged.

Locks of hair can be tested for drug use.

Britney is facing a custody battle for her kids.

She really can’t be in her right mind to leave her hair behind with complete strangers - assuming she has anything to worry about.

If it were me and my hair — and I had something to worry about and was at ALL concerned about losing custody of my kids — that anonymous bidder would be ME. OR if I were the ex-husband fighting for custody - - I might be the one bidding on the hair.

If she had remembered to take her hair with her - none of that would be a concern.

The world is saying she’s gone insane and crazy. That this bald head thing is yet another step into the grips of utter madness - driven there by a decade of a public demanding nothing but perfection, two marriages with just as many divorces, very young single motherhood.. helped along by ample amounts of alcohol and drug abuse. Shaving her head is somehow an outward show of rebellion to all of the above, including any other lingering demons that lurk inside the shadows of Britney’s brain.

My theory is a bit different. It is as simple as this: her hair was a wreck and completely ruined by frequent colorings and extensions. No really! Just LOOK at that picture to the left - if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that she was wearing a bale of hay on her head!

Coloring
The damage done to regular hair because of frequent coloring and processing are well documented. You can literally fry your hair due to over processing and the only way to correct it is to cut (or shave) the damaged locks off and let your natural hair grow back in.

Extensions
Extensions can do extreme damage to locks. They are applied either with glue or woven (braided) into your own hair and then burned into place. The chemicals in the glue and the weakening of your own hair during the weaving process - not too mention the extra weight that the extensions create, pulling your natural hair down and weakening the strands.

Based on recent pictures over the past several weeks - I would guess that Britney’s hair is/was beyond a lost cause. Though, why she did the head shaving thing so publicly, one can only guess. Girl has got a lotta guts, tho - I can say that much. Not many women would brave the grocery store with a bald head - much less international television!

Update
UBritney.com has, apparently, come up with a statement from Larry Rudolph: “Britney has been through a tragic thing that hopefully will never happen again, shaving her hair was a sort of therapeutic thing for her … Britney knows that she needs help and is already going through counselling, she knows what needs to be done and is slowly re-building herself step by step.”

There are a LOT of rumors buzzing around as to what that ‘tragic thing’ is - - for now, I’ll not speculate here because the rumors I’m hearing aren’t very good.

This is for you Brit:

Update
The owner of the salon where Britney shaved her own head has spoken:

The singer turned up around 7PM to Esther’s Haircutting Studio in Tarzana. Though the shop was closed, owner Esther Tognozzi opened the salon for the singer.

Tognozzi told Access Hollywood that Spears asked to have her head shaved, but the shop owner refused telling Spears, “I won’t touch that.”

Britney then asked if she could cut her own hair. She was provided tools to do so by the salon.

The singer first shortened her hair with scissors before buzzing it off with electric shears. Tognozzi had to help Spears following the singer’s attempt at shearing her head, to even out Britney’s scalp.

According to Tognozzi, Britney did not speak much, exchanging just a few words about her baby with the shop owner. She also noted Britney said “mom’s gonna kill me.”

A source from the salon confirmed to Access Hollywood earlier today that they are planning to sell Spears’ lost locks on eBay. They will donate a portion of the hair collected from the crop to the Britney Spears Foundation, which was the salon’s own idea.

-Access Hollywood

Access Hollywood has also revealled that Britney did indeed go into rehab for a day - her publicist has spoken out, and apologized for lying:

In other Britney related news, a publicist for Spears at Jive Records, who earlier told Access Hollywood that Britney had not checked into a rehab facility called AH’s Executive Producer at home, late last night and apologized. The rep now confirms Spears did visit a rehab facility but did not stay. The Jive representative now also told AH’s Executive Producer that Britney left Antigua with her manager Larry Rudolph. They flew by private plane to Miami and took a commercial flight to Los Angeles.

No sh*t! Really, at first I thought this was a total JOKE. Is it a joke - - am I dreaming?? Exactly what kind of bizzare black hole vortex did I get sucked into and spat out into some freaky alternate universe where Britney Spears shaves her head.

Her HEAD!

Here are three still shots that I made from the video of Britney Spears with a newly shaven, BALD head:

Spears was photographed at the valley tattoo shop “Body and Soul” in Sherman Oaks, getting a tattoo reportedly of a pair of red and pink lips on her wrist. But the biggest change to the pop singer’s style? She shaved her head bald.

Spears could be seen inside the tattoo parlor with her head fully exposed, but as she left the shop she was led by her bodyguard straight to a waiting SUV. Spears had her head covered with a hooded sweatshirt to hide her new noggin.

The sidewalk outside the shop was filled with fans, onlookers and paparazzi. Some fans that were interviewed after Spears departed declared the new look less than flattering.

Someone tell me that this is a joke - perpetrated by Britney as a way to flip off the world who grumbles every day about her lost perfection??? But, it’s not a joke - - it’s real. And maybe she is flipping off the whole concept of perfection that the world holds her up to….always has. Maybe she wants to shatter the perfection myth (not that she hasn’t already done THAT)..

Perhaps this is the beginning of the emergence of a newer, stronger Britney? Kind of an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ type of thing?

I suspect that its much simpler that all that - - the constant hair color changes and extensions have completely fried her hair right down to the roots that the only advice that her stylist could possibly give her is “Girl, shave it off - its a lost cause”. And the whole ’shattering the perfection myth’ theory I have is just a byproduct of her fried, frizzy mane.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say - - I kinda like it! Not the LOOK - but the concept. Ya gotta figure that after all the booze, drugs, sex and …. just ICK… that she’s been wallowing around in for the past several months - - this has GOTTA feel fresh and clean. A clean slate - - a new opportunity for new growth. Are you picking up the metaphors I’m layin’ down?

Seriously, what kind of sick am I that I cannot bring myself to look away from this girl and her antics? I question that portion of my sanity every day. Oh to be a fly on the wall. . . .

Update
X17online.com has pictures of Britney in the process of shaving her head…herself:

Another Update:
Here’s the video - that didn’t take long to get up on YouTube! Heh.

FINALLY! As reported by EXTRA.

Britney is seeking professional help at an undisclosed location.

This comes after the emotional letter that rocked Britney’s world, composed after her non-stop partying took her from coast to coast and back again.

Those close to Brit were fed up, frustrated and pleading with her to seek professional help; it appears they finally staged a long-anticipated intervention.

Brit’s former assistant of nearly 10 years, Felicia Culotta, just posted her plea to the mother of two on thatotherblog.com.

Culotta revealed she’s “crushed” by the way Britney’s life is unfolding, writing, “We, as her family and nearest and dearest, not on the payroll anymore, are doing everything in our power to get help for Britney.”

It seems Brit’s family is ready to fold in their mission to help the one-time world sensation.

I really, REALLY hope - for her sake, the sake of her kids and her family, that this is true and she gets the help that she so desperately needs! Best of luck, Brit!

UPDATE
Now TMZ has learned that the center was located outside of the country, and she refused to stay. PEOPLE confirms that Brit was at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads rehab facility in Antigua.

le SIGH… Call me stuipid, but I’m still rootin’ for her.

ANOTHER UPDATE
Access Hollywood is now reporting that reports of her even being in rehab to begin with are UNTRUE.

Not so fast! A rep for Spears tells Access Hollywood that several reports out Friday are not true.

The pop star was reportedly last seen leaving New York City earlier this week on a private jet with her two sons headed for Miami.

There’s just SO MUCH celeb gossip going around, it’s impossible to keep up with it on. I just don’t know how some folks do it - - although, I know some of them do this celebrity gossip blogging thing full time. So, I thought - once a week, I’d do a round up to kind of bring myself up to speed on all the goings on in celebrity gossip blogging that’s going on out there and share some link love with some of the favs I have in celeb gossiping.

On to the round up for this week - here’s Thirteen Celebrity Gossip Bits (as a part of my (celebrity)Thursday Thirteen fun!):

• Anna Nicole talks about her mother and gives some good reasons why Anna wouldn’t want her mother having anything to do with her baby, Dannielynn, or involved with any decisions about where Anna should be buried. Via Gone Hollywood - OTB
• Is Jennifer Aniston dating a new guy named Mike? I’m Not Obsessed has some of the details
• With everybody and their brother (well, in this case, sister) giving their two cents on the abrupt and mysterious passing of Anna Nicole Smith, the circumstances surrounding her death seem to be getting more complicated. Bonnie Stern, the sister of Anna’s partner, Howard K., claims that she spoke with her brother on the day of Anna’s death and that he was not with Smith when she died - more at A Socialite’s Life
• Sometimes it’s not easy being one of the most famous couples on the planet. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have bailed on Los Angeles and returned to their recently purchased home in the Big Easy and according to a report Brad and Angelina are getting into the spirit of their new hometown, New Orleans. There is one problem, though. As they try to fit in and relax with the every day people the crowds can turn into a mob. - see related photos at Gossip or Truth
• Howard Stern is soon to be a married man. The Shock Jock announced that he and his longtime girlfriend Beth Ostrosky were set to wed…read more about it at Celebalite
• JustJared.com has some of the first peeks at Jayden James (Spears)Federline
• Uptown Girls give some great photo examples of how Madonna has re-invented herself, yet again!
• TMZ.Com has come crazy shiz on the whole Anna Nicole Smith debacle! They are getting all the exclusive, insider stuff - - if you can’t get enough of this story - check out their collection of… news.
• You don’t have to look far to see Beyonce’s cover on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition - - but THIS is just WRONG!
• Donald Trump must be getting extremely desperate for media attention … he has lowered himself to dipping into Kevin Federline’s bag of tricks and is now using the WWE to drum up publicity presumably for his failing TV show(s) … and it’s sooooooooooo sad - via Pink is the new blog
• Daniel Radcliffe’s new play Equis premieres tonight in which he allegedly gets completely naked on stage for 10 minutes - via The Superficial
• Hollywood’s most hated blogger, Perez Hilton, makes the topic du jour on “The View”
• Lastly, but not leastly - I started a brand new section here called Celebrity Videos - I have been (and will continue) to post some funny and interesting celeb videos.

Thursday Thirteen
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View more T13 participants here.

This post is an Open Trackback post - What’s that mean?:
Basically - if you have done a great post about celebrities, hollywood, movies or entertainment in general - send a trackback over to this post and the link to your post will appear here, on the front page, underneath this post. WOOT - Linkfest Haven

Justin Timberlake sends out some MUCH NEEDED advice to Britney Spears via the BRIT award show:

From the BRIT awards, no less.

It’s interesting - with all this talk about Anna Nicole’s death, you hear this statement a lot “It’s no surprise - watching her was like watching a trainwreck“. Not exactly the kind of thing I would want said about me, posthumously. If Britney Spears dropped off the face of the earth tomorrow - how much would you want to bet - - people would be saying the same thing.

The girl is a wreck!

Remember When?…

This picture isn’t even on of those photoshopped, airbrushed, posed pictures you see all over the net. This is just a picture of Britney out and about at some public event.. and awards show, or PR moment. She looks really great - - healthy, glowing… clean.

These days - the girl is just looking… rough. She looks spent, used and unclean. I’m thinking that a daily shower would probably improve her appearance. Of course, we love celebrities for their beauty, and we’re superficial that way - admit it. Even moreso with Britney - she grew up in the public eye as the picture of total perfection. Perfect face. Perfect hair. Perfect body. Just gorgeous.

I’m inclined to give the girl a break, really…to some extent. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live under the pressure of perfection from the age of 15. It is true - the higher you climb, the harder you fall — and Britney has fallen hard, and keeps falling over and over again. Makes a person wonder how much farther down she can spiral before her adoring (?) public just does not want to lift her up again.

I just KNOW that there have to be people in her life who are advising her… or at least trying to. I suspect she USED to have a stylist and a PR rep — I’m guessing they are locked in the closet, though. She needs to start with daily showers and brushing her hair — that is something that normal humans do.

Maybe she’s going out like this in public, puking all over the place, not taking care of her kids, and in a constant state of drunken stupidity so that when she DOES eventually make a comeback - - anything….ANYTHING.. is better than what we see of her now. Maybe, if she completely lowers all expectations into the utter basement… the only way to go from there is up. Could it be that I just revealled the secret Britney Spears PR Management Program?

The Latest Britney Dish
Britney’s former personal assistant, and longtime friend, Felicia Culotta, sent an email into a Britney fansite this week in response to Britney’s latest antics:

Once again–I commend you for your Honesty and Integrity. I have been reading your new website daily and am grateful to have that to go to, to check on the antics of Britney. Britney doesn’t have a Publicist for me to clear this thru first, so it will come directly from my heart to you!

I am writing in response to “Where is Felicia?” on your editorial. I am home in Mississippi … I am now a trained Corporate Flight Attendant and fly with a tiny jet company out of Georgia. I am also a substitute Preschool Teacher at the Church Preschool in my town. I LOVED being with Britney for the past 9 1/2 years. I enjoyed being a part of HER dream, but now, am living my own dream.

I cherish ALL the incredible opportunities that came my way thru my job with Britney and am crushed/saddened/heart sick by the way her life is unfolding …

I want you to know Ruben that WE (as in her Family and nearest and dearest — ALL of whom are NOT on the payroll anymore!!) are doing EVERYTHING in our power to get help for Britney and all in our power to NOT pad the bottom