Scene in the Tropics

Random Couple News

He used to date Sofia Vergara (way before Tom Cruise had her on his short list for Stepford wife) and according to some people, Madonna too. But then former Miami club owner Chris Paciello went to prison for some stuff , got out eight years later and is living the high life in La La Land. Last summer he was spotted hanging at the Polaroid Beach House in Malibu with Entourage stars and whatnot and most recently, according to the buzz out there, Paciello is now dating singer Natalie Imbruglia. Accoring to reports, the Aussie singer was set up with Paciello by none other than Madonna. Supposedly Paciello (real name: Christian Ludwigsen) and Imbruglia met at a private party last year while she was still married to Silverchair singer Daniel Johns. Madonna was said to reintroduce the two after Imbruglia's marriage ended in January. Imbruglia is coy, saying "Chris and I were introduced through Kevin Spacey’s manager and we have been out a few times. "We go out when I’m in LA. He’s sweet and funny, but I don’t want to say any more than that."

Mickey Rourke: You Hate Me, You Really, Really Hate Me

Mickey Rourke laughed off his night in the slammer, blaming his arrest for alleged sloshed scooting on the fact that he is wrongly seen as a bad guy. Walking out of jail at the Miami Dade Pre Trial Detention Center with a huge smile of his face, sporting boots, blue sunglasses, tight jeans and an absurdly shiny--completely unbuttoned--shirt, Rourke told reporters, "I think I made a  bad left turn and then I guess I said the f-word. The officer got pissed off." Rourke continued, saying he thinks he was arrested "Because of who I am . . . But it comes with the territory." "I'm not going to bitch and moan about it." When asked what he was going to do now that he was free, he said, "I'm going to go to the gym." Business as usual.

While OJ's Away...

Rakontur, a.k.a. Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben, the filmmakers known for Cocaine Cowboys, have been sharing office space with SoBe promoters, SMAC Entertainment, while they edit Cocaine Cowboys II. Unfortunately, a disgruntled former SMAC employee, Stephanie Perdomo, was busted on camera, breaking in and stealing over $20,000 worth of computer equipment. Not exactly brain surgery to realize you don't burglarize from people who videotape things for a living.

Squeezing the Juice

Read more about OJ in Miami in Andrea Billups' Washington Times story, which quotes this blogger who would like to pull a Katherine Heigl and say, "It's L-e-s-l-e-y, not L-e-s-l-i-e."

OJ Simpson's Greatest Miami Hits

This blogger has spent several years observing the activities of OJ Simpson out and about in South Beach. We personally love the one where Mark Wahlberg's friend freaked out when he saw Simpson at Prime One Twelve. We also love the answer we got from a publicist when we asked her why she included Simpson in a celebrity sighting round up, saying, "Because he's a well known name." True 'nuff. What follows are some of his greatest hits--or misses.

OJ Simpson at Prime 112 Monday at a table with four others---three girls and another guy--he was with Christine Prody. He got boisterous during the meal and his words echoed off the walls and people gave him dirty looks..."It was pretty scary seeing OJ with a steak knife."

OJ Simpson, digging his huge, sharp steak knife into a slab of meat at The Forge Wednesday night. After a woman rebuffed his advances, he was overheard shouting inaudible profanities in a fit of rage.

OJ Simpson yesterday afternoon with "an older Paris Hilton knock off"--drinking at La Piaggia, a private South Beach beach club---after 10-15 minutes there were all these women swarming over him. He was loving life.

OJ was hiding in a cabana at The Raleigh's Soiree Sundays party with a girl, drunk, drinking bottles of Level vodka.

Ever the opportunist, OJ Simpson made sure to show up at the exclusive VIP soiree hosted by and held in honor for Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard for the 10th Anniversary of being named Most Valuable Player at the Ritz Carlton South Beach last night. We watched as he hovered near the red carpet and ogled scantily clad women until we couldn't take it much longer and left for the party next door. Meanwhile, a few blocks away at the Leather and Laces party was noneother than OJ's former squatter, Kato Kaelin. Hmm, so maybe that was Judge Lance Ito we saw in the VIP area at Maxim.

Don't Mess With the Hulk!

More details are coming out of the Hulk Hogan theft, thanks to Splash News, who tells us that among the stolen goods, a diamond encrusted Jacob the Jeweler watch belonging to Hogan's son Nick. "My dad can't talk about it right now--he's too mad," said Hogan's singer spawn Brooke. "And you really don't want to see him when he's this angry. He can't believe someone would steal from his family like this." Detectives interviewed a team of 30 moving men involved in moving the Hogans out of their waterfront N. Bay Road manse. Cleaning staff was also being interrogated as the entire Hogan family stood around talking on the lawn outside their house. "We have no idea what happened," Brooke said. "There were about 30 people in the house doing the moving . . . my brother is really pissed. You have no idea. It was his chains, one with a crucifix, and a dog tag. And a bunch of other things. I'm not really into flashy jewelry, but he loves that stuff." As for her dad, "he's really stressed out with the move. This has made him totally mad." Besides the lost chains and bling, is Miami losing the Hogans? Yep. The family plans to split their time between a home in Clearwater and Los Angeles. "I'm sorry to be leaving Miami--I love it here," sniffed Brooke. What a way to send 'em off, huh?

Photos: Splash News

Is It Such a Bad Thing that They Stole the Gold Chains?

Poor Hogan family. Splash News broke the story that Hulk and co. got robbed last night when someone stole over $100,000 of son Nick's bling collection, including gold chains and watches. The Hogans are moving out of their North  Bay Road home and had all their stuff packed up in boxes. According to Splash, there were about seven cop cars at the house last night and when approached for comment, Hulk refused. "Hulk was livid," says our source. Police are now investigating to find out just who would do such a thing. Unfortunately the thieves didn't want anything to do with daughter Brooke's collection of of, er, couture.

Chris Paciello Livin' Large in St. Tropez

Our overseas jet setting source just informed us that former clubland capo Chris Paciello has been spotted palling around with none other than Nikki Beach's Eric Omores in St. Tropez. Photos are en route, so watch this post. Turns out not everyone wants to be publicized mugging  it up with Paciello. Our request for photo was denied! Says our source, "So much for the undercover world of the Witness Protection Program." Zut alors!

Chris Paciello's New Role: Baby Daddy

Rush & Molloy have an interesting update on Chris Paciello. For one, he's expecting a baby with 24-year-old Victoria's Secret model Erin Naas. They also say he reunited with former pal Madonna recently.  Best of all, however, is Hollywood producer John Sherman's comment: "I think it's creepy that all these stars are hanging out with him."

Chris Paciello Surfaces at the Polaroid Beach House

Former South Beach club capo Chris Paciello has several things in common with Paris Hilton. For one, they both served time in prison, though Hilton's time in the pokey was a blink of the eye compared to Paciello's. They also both hang out at Malibu's sceney Polaroid Beach House, where Paciello was recently photographed with none other than Entourage star Kevin Connolly, Nicky Hilton's ex. Wow, Paciello looks exactly the same. Prison was clearly good to him, and if you don't believe us, see the picture on the left, which puts those rumors of witness protection and plastic surgery to bed for once and for all.

Photos: TMZ.com