It’s so easy to get caught up in the saga of Amy Winehouse that you can often forget why you paid attention to her in the first place: her music. As though in direct response to the chaos that’s swirled around her all summer, the singer’s first post-rehab appearance at Tuesday’s Mercury Prize ceremony in London was shockingly stark. Amy appeared on stage with just one man lightly plucking his guitar in accompaniment to her preternaturally weathered vocals. Here, singing “Love Is a Losing Game,” Amy does what she does best, balancing coolness with gut-wrenching emotion…or maybe she’s just making being emotional look cool. Proof of the song’s title is scratched all over Amy’s public profile, which is why this understated performance is so beautiful: we’re treated to an unlikely moment when Amy’s demons have seemed to settle. For these three minutes, everything is OK in the Winehouse universe and that feels monumental. All things considered, this really could be the performance of her career so far.

Though nominated, Amy didn’t end up taking home the Mercury Prize (that went to nu-ravers the Klaxons), but we’d be hard-pressed to call this return to form anything but winning. It’s magical. [Via Dlisted]

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Take a good hard look at Britney Spears. She’s rough around the edges, yes, but she’s not a total mess. Her extensions look more “horse tail” than “rat nest,” her fugly tattoo of a pair of lips seems to not be visible, and her outfit appears to be constructed so that no breasts can escape and flash the world. Not bad for our troubled starlet! Still, the poor thing is hanging with that highlight-haired magician Criss Angel, who’s apparently only tappin’ it to get famous. Spies in the know report that he is a “press whore” and says that Brit’s new man, “doesn’t even really talk to her when they go out. This weekend at [club] LAX, they weren’t seated at the same table, but when the paparazzi were around he jumped in all the pictures.”

He’s also apparently not even helping Brit with her VMA performance as was rumored. Instead she’s supposedly just doing a straight up song lipsync and dance routine to her new tune “Gimme More.” If he wants a career of baby raising and guest spots on “One Tree Hill,” than it looks like Angel is sleeping in the right bed. Smart career move, dude! [NYP. Image: Getty]

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Dear Brandon and Dylan Lee,

I’m sure by now you’ve probably read the report detailing your dad’s table top sexcapades at the Dune nightclub in the Hamptons Sunday night. In case this is news to you, allow me summarize: your dad, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, waltzed into a club with a blond lady (not your mommy), asked the hostess “Is it cool to have sex in here?” He then proceeded to go for some “‘flat-out [bleep]ing’ on a banquette,” according to the many people who watched. In other words, he knocked boots on a table in front of a club full of people.

Now I can imagine this kind of news may be sort of embarrassing for you guys to read, but it shouldn’t be. Your pops is totally living the rock n’ roll dream and setting you both up for a great booty-filled adult life to come. So don’t be ashamed of your dirrrty roots – embrace them! After all it could be worse – your mom could be shaving her head and boning magicians.

Your friend,
The VH1 Blog

PS: I think it’s totally cool that your parents named you after two of the main characters on the hit 90′s teen drama Beverly Hills 90210. You may have never heard of this show, but it was totally culturally significant for a couple of minutes. [NYP. Image: Getty]