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Nigel Barker, Rep. Nita Lowey and Pam Barnes.  Photo credit: Nigel Barker, LLC  

When it comes to helping children and families with AIDS, Nigel Barker is a "top model" advocate.  Barker, who is best known as a photographer and judge on America's Top Model, is a longtime supporter on the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and champion for public policies that help children with AIDS. 

Barker recently accompanied  the foundation's president and CEO, Pam Barnes, to Capitol Hill for an advocacy visit with Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY).  Barker and Barnes spoke with the congresswoman about the foundation's policy work; programs in Africa preventing HIV transmission from mothers to infants; and treating children, mothers, and families living with the virus.

Barker was also shooting material for an upcoming documentary about the foundation's history and current efforts to eradicate pediatric AIDS. He recently traveled to Tanzania filming clinics suppoted by the foundation and talking to mothers and children with AIDS. The documentary is scheduled to have its premiere at an event in DC sometime in the fall.

The Candies Foundation announced Tuesday that Bristol Palin is their new ambassador.  Candies, a popular teen apparel company, started the foundation in 2001 to fight teen pregnancy.  Palin became preganant with her son Tripp when she was seventeen years old.

As ambassador, Bristol will promote abstinence as a means of teen pregnancy prevention, although she has said in the past that abstinence is "not realistic" for teens. "I am so happy to have this opportunity to work with The Candie's Foundation on spreading the message of teen pregnancy prevention. I feel that I could be a living example of the consequences of teen pregnancy," Palin said in a statement released by the foundation.  "If I can prevent even one girl from getting pregnant, I will feel a sense of accomplishment."

Last year, the Candies Foundation ran a public service announcement that warned about the teen pregancy "epidemic" and featured pictures of Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears, who is also a teen mother.   

First Lady Michelle Obama was a hit at the Kennedy Center Spring Gala, receiving a standing ovation even though she never appeared on stage.  She enjoyed the event with her mother and longtime girlfriends Valerie Jarrett (Special Advisor to President Obama)  and Desiree Rogers (White House Social Secretary).  Gala guests included Vera Wang and Paris Hilton.

Ben Affleck appeared on Hardball to talk about his new movie State of Play, in which he plays a congressman caught up in a bunch of drama.  He also talked about the dying newspaper business and the likelihood that Texas will secede from the union (the governor of Texas recently mentioned the possibility).  

Oscar de la Renta said all this bitchy stuff about Michelle Obama's style, like, "You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater."  Not nice, Oscar the Grouch!  

Some famous designers are ticked that Mrs. Obama chooses girl-next-door brands like J.Crew and lesser known designers like Jason Wu, rather than allowing the big wig fashion designers to dress her.

Levi Johnston, Britol Palin's ex-fiancee and father of her baby boy, talked to Tyra about his relationship with Bristol.  He said that the couple practiced safe sex "most of the time" and that their baby Tripp was probably conceived as a result of some sort of "wardrobe malfunction."  He also said that Sarah Palin must have known about their sexual relationship, because "moms pretty are smart," and he and Bristol sometimes shared a bedroom.

Here's a preview:

How did Sarah Palin respond to news of Levi's chat with Tyra?  Um, we guess you could say she was slightly pissed.    She released this statement through a family representative:

Bristol did not even know Levi was going on the show. We're disappointed that Levi and his family, in a quest for fame, attention, and fortune, are engaging in flat-out lies, gross exaggeration, and even distortion of their relationship.

Bristol's focus will remain on raising Tripp, completing her education, and advocating abstinence.  It is unfortunate that Levi finds it more appealing to exploit his previous relationship with Bristol than to contribute to the well being of the child.

Bristol realizes now that she made a mistake in her relationship and is the one taking responsibility for their actions.

Levi's comments could be damaging to Sarah Palin, who promotes abstinence only education and is expected to run for office again in the future. If she knew that her own teen daughter was sexually active while insisting that abstinence only education works, well, some voters might feel that she's got some 'splainin' to do.

The show will air on April 6.

Portia de Rossi apologizes for marrying CoverGirl  and comedian Ellen.  Should she be forgiven?

Shout out to Wishire & Washington, which is where we found this one. And an extra loud shoutout to @maegancarberry who got us hooked on that blog.

Big and Rich.

Is that the name of a band or the description of a dream husband? (That. was so. bad. Just tasteless really.)

Anyway, Big and Rich is an American country duo comprised of Big Kenny and John Rich.  One member of the duo, Rich, is known for his politics as much as his music.  He openly supported John McCain during campaign '08, and even wrote a song - Raisin' McCain - for him. 

Now Rich is publicly expressing his opinion again with song.  He ain't happy about the corporate bailouts that the auto and banking industries received from the U.S. government. Oooh, he's pipin' hot about it! And when a country singer gets mad, he doesn't get even...he gets to writing music.  (Well, if he writes a crappy song and you have to listen to it, then we guess it's fair to say that he gets even. But Rich usually writes good songs.) Anyway, here's the fruit of Rich's displeasure: Shutting Detroit Down .

Martha Washington's "after" portrait. Forensic anthropologists used a1796 portrait of Martha to generate an image of what she would have looked like in her 20s. Inspired by that image, artist Michael Deas painted this portrait of her.

"This just in: Martha Washington was hot.  Or at least hotter than we thought," says Brigid Schulte, staffwriter at The Washington Post.

For over 200 years, America's first first lady Martha Washington has been portrayed in history books as a dumpy, frumpy and plump old bore. Turns out, though, that Martha was actually more bombshell than bore, more First Fashionista than First Frump, and more Carrie Bradshaw than Edith Bunker.  Simply put, she was hot to trot.

Here's a thing or two that most folks don't know about Martha:

• When it came to dating, George wasn't Martha's only game.  She had another suiter, who wrote of her beauty and his hope to "arouse a flame in her breast."  (Steamy!)  
• Martha was a successful businesswoman.  She managed the five plantations that she inherited from her first husband and negotiated to get the highest prices for her tobacco.
• Martha read chick lit (known as gothic romance novels in her day).
• Martha wore shoes that were considered highly fashionable in her day.  Her purple sequined heels (below) would bring Jimmy Choo to his knees.

For more on Martha and her hotness, check out Shulte's Post article here and her online discussion with readers over here.

In an interview featured in O Magazine, Michelle Obama tells Oprah what she knows for sure. A sneak peek is over here, but you have to pick up the magazine (on newsstands March 17th) to get full scoop.