Needless to say, I'm back.  I want to thank everyone who dropped me a not asking about me or the column.  Everything is cool, just had a bunch of personal an professional things come up that made it impossible to do the column.  Hopefully, things are now back on track. 

To get the ball rolling again, this is a pretty short column to bring you up to speed on some of the stuff that's happened in my absence.  Just hitting the high points on this one, though I am debating a format change that may result in shorter columns, but more frequent updates.  We'll see.

In the meantime, here's some new stuff so you can start thinking about celebrity hair again and stop wondering about less important stuff like why Northern Bathroom Tissue thinks we care that their toilet paper is lint free (are there folks out there having real problems with dust bunnies in their underwear?  But I digress).  

Oh, and before you ask, that's DENISE RICHARDS at the MTV Movie Awards on the cover.  No story on her, but I couldn't let that picture go by without using it.  Truly a case of hair by Cuisinart.  Anyway, here we go....

At the Oscars, ANGELINA JOLIE's "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, at a funeral" outfit was only overshadowed by her demonstration of affection to her sibling James (to paraphrase Janine Garafalo from "The Truth About Cats and Dogs": It's OK to love your brother, just don't LOVE your brother).  What you probably didn't notice underneath her Halloween costume of a fall, was that her hair around her temples and in front of her ears appeared virtually shaven.  Why?  No idea, but she was filming a new flick with Antonio Banderas at the time, so maybe it was in the plot somehow.  She shaved her head for "Gia", so I wouldn't put it past her to do something similar again.

Since then, it has grown back to the point that you'd never even notice it unless you looked really close and wondered why that part of her hair is only a couple of inches long.  But I doubt you did.  Given the rather distracting and continuing "Adventures of Angelina and Billy Bob in Hollywoodland", how could you?

As you are probably well aware by now, JULIA ROBERTS cut her hair for her role in "The Mexican" with Brad Pitt.  She's gone from below her shoulders to a layered rounded bob that falls around chin length.  It may not actually be quite as short as it appears, however, since she is still wearing it curly, which by default shrinks the length.  Interestingly, I don't think she's actually worn this style before, even given the rather large number of style permutations she's gone through in the last few years. 

Anyway, though I prefer her hair longer, this is kind of cute.  Not her best choice, but not bad.  Then again, maybe I'm just under reacting because Julia went to the trouble of warning us during her appearance on "Oprah" that she was going to cut it.  In other words, when you're picturing Winona Ryder's hair and get Elizabeth Shue's, you're relieved.  Now, as long as she starts growing it back out after the movie...

By the way, SHERYL CROW has continued to let her hair grow and is even wearing hers curly again as well.  The irony of that is that, except for the color, Sheryl now has the exact same hairstyle as Julia Roberts.  Don't know why, but I just find that odd for some reason. 

Oh, and if you are wondering, it looks better on Sheryl than Julia.  Well, in that first picture, at least.  I gotta say Sheryl shouldn't have gone blonde... 

At the Oscars, CHARLIZE THERON had traded her extensions for a darker, pin curled, classic '40s (or '30s or '20s - pick your decade) bob.  I didn't particularly like the style, since I personally found it very unflattering on her, but I was glad to see her get rid of the extensions and take advantage of her layered bob.  Well, since then, she has cut her hair short again to sort of a longish Hillary-Swank-in-"Boys Don't Cry" style.  Not exactly flattering, or even much of a style really.  It's just kind of there, in a oddly overgrown shaggy sort of way.  Which is even odder, since it's a fairly recent cut.  That she still looks as good as she does is a testimony to the fact it isn't that easy to ugly up Charlize Theron.  Except, of course, for that red shag she had in "Reindeer Games".  Ugh.

In keeping with the "not necessarily news, brings you up to date" theme of the column this time, I have a bit of info on JANE FONDA's spiffy new cut.  If you saw Jane's hair at the Oscars or since, you know she has traded the one length, below the shoulders with bangs style she has been wearing for the past several years for a stylish shag.  When she unveiled it at the Academy Awards ceremony as a presenter, no one realized just HOW new the 'do was. 

Jane had gone to Sally Hershberger's trendy new salon the afternoon of the awards to get her hair done.  When Sally asked her what she wanted, Jane remarked that she really liked Sally's hair, which was a short, messy shag.  So, with that rather spur of the moment decision coupled with Jane's willingness to try something new, Sally reduced Jane's blonde mane to a slightly longer version of Sally's very own 'do.  So, feel better that you weren't the only person watching the Oscars and asking yourself, "When did Jane cut her hair?".  Ted was right there with ya. =)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Someone should have given that little piece of advice to everyone's favorite supermodel, CINDY CRAWFORD.  For some reason that I can't figure out, Cindy decided to get bangs. 

They don't look bad, but they did more harm than good.  Kind of like putting a spoiler on the back of a Lexus.  Spoilers aren't a bad thing, but the don't belong everywhere.  Some folks need bangs, but Cindy wasn't one of them.  And is it me or do they make her look older?

Oh, and on a tangential Cindy note, I found out that the early modeling gig at which Cindy got her hair whacked off even though she didn't want to was for an ad for Ellen Tracy.  They also dyed it very red.  Still trying to find a good shot of the ad to share.

A haircut that does work comes in the form of JANINE TURNER.  Several columns back, I reported that she had reappeared on the acting scene with below the shoulder, one-length locks and no bangs.  Just did not look good, as Janine is one of those women who DO need bangs.  Well, for her new series upcoming on Lifetime, she once again had bangs snipped in.  Since then she has gone further and cut it back up to a neck length, layered, shaggish 'do.  Think Maggie O'Connell in the last season of "Northern Exposure".  And if you are wondering, that's a good thing.

Bit of news on the redhead front.  Both MELISSA JOAN HART and JENNA ELFMAN went red after their series wrapped for the season.  Jenna was able to pull it off (though she makes a better blonde and Melissa, uh., well, wasn't. 

My guess is that this is temporary for both, though it should be even more temporary for Melissa.  And those 80s looking crimped waves do NOT help.

RENE RUSSO has gone shorter.  The new shorter, shaggish cut is still attractive, still flattering, and still better than her old long blonde waves.  However, it doesn't have that unique, "make every woman in America rush to the salon for the same cut" look anymore.  She's gone from a signature style to simply an attractive style (notice the similarity to Jane Fonda's new cut).  A subtle, yet important difference.

The fact that TONI COLLETTE of "The Sixth Sense" and "Shaft" currently sports a hairstyle virtually identical to  Sara McLachlan isn't really news, since she's had the style for several months now.  However, I can fill in some details on why it's short and why it looks like Sara's hair.  First Toni shaved her head for (actually in) the movie "8 1/2 Women".  My guess is that you are currently wondering when that's coming out to which I would respond, it's already come and gone.  Obviously a good career move, huh?  Anyway, as it has grown back out, she has been having it styled by the same hairdresser that Sara McLachlan goes to.  And, uh, he doesn't think their hair looks alike.  Ok... 

v  EMMA THOMPSON is going to be filming a version of "W;t" with Mike Nichols for HBO starting this summer.  I would assume that means that she will be assuming the requisite smooth noggin for the part as all the actresses before her have.  After seeing Emma's hair lately, it will most likely be an improvement.  Actually, this won't be the first time she's shaved her head (if she does it), since she had previously shorn herself back in college in the course of a drunken evening.  Nothing more fun than a highly suggestible drunk, huh? =)  Oh, and if you are wondering, I know JUDITH LIGHT was remaining chrome of dome through May 28 while she starred with the touring company of "W;t".  Don't know if she is continuing with the role or turning it over to someone else (since the tour continues into next year) or who that would be.  If I hear something, I'll let you know..  v   And finally, has anyone found CAMERON DIAZ's eyebrows yet?  They've been missing since before the Oscars.  Seems to be one of those senseless crimes...

Angelina Jolie picture Reuters; Julia Roberts picture courtesy The Star; Sheryl Crow pictures courtesy Reuters and Hollywood.Com; Cindy Crawford pictures courtesy USAWeekend and Reuters; Jane Fonda pictures courtesy Reuters; Janine Turner pictue courtesy Reuters; Melissa Joan Hart pictue courtesy FashionDish; Jenna Elfman picture courtesy Reuters;  Rene Russo picture courtesy Reuters; Toni Collette picture courtesy Reuters;  Sarah McLachlan picture courtesy Rolling Stone.com; Cameron Diaz picture courtesy Retuers