HollyNotes: Patrick Swayze, Taylor Swift, and Avril Lavigne

Pop culture icon Patrick Swayze

It's been a week of sadness, surprises, and separations in Hollywood. Let's get started...

Hollywood was saddened earlier this week when pop culture icon Patrick Swayze died after a long and brave fight against pancreatic cancer. When news of his death hit the wires, Facebook and Twitter exploded with people (even celebrities) sharing old memories and favorite movies featuring Swayze. Demi Moore tweeted about his impact on her and quoted a line from Ghost, the movie they made together. And in a statement released to the press, Point Break co-star Keanu Reeves remembered Swayze as a "beautiful person" who "just wanted to experience life." I'll never forget Johnny from Dirty Dancing. Or Bodhi in Point Break. LOVE those characters.

Ethan Zohn, winner of Survivor: Africa, revealed earlier this week that his cancer has returned. He's been chronicling his fight against Hodgkin's disease on People.com and just this week shared with the audience that his test results showed that it had spread. I'm a big soccer fan and instantly fell in love with Ethan on the show (back when people actually watched it...) I'm sending him lots of happy thoughts and hope for a full recovery.

Maura Tierney also announced this week that she'd be permanently withdrawing from the upcoming television series Parenthood due to her breast cancer treatments. Keeping her in my thoughts as well. She's a good egg.

Taylor Swift at the MTV Awards

On Sunday night, many in Hollywood were left speechless as Kanye West hopped on stage at the MTV Awards and grabbed the microphone from Taylor Swift who was giving her acceptance speech after winning Best Female Video. He proceeded to announce that he felt Beyonce's video was superior and then hopped off the stage. Cute little Taylor was left standing onstage, shocked and confused. Since the episode, celebrities and musicians everywhere have shared their thoughts on what happened - almost every one chastising Kanye for his behavior. He has since apologized four times: twice on his blog, once on Jay Leno's new primetime show, and once over the phone to Taylor. Overall, I give Kanye a big check minus. You just can't behave that way.

It was confirmed on Thursday that Avril Lavigne and her husband, Sum 41 lead singer Deryck Whilbley, are separating. Both posted messages on their respective websites and said the split was amicable and positive. As a big fan of Avril Lavigne's I was sad to hear that her marriage is ending. I was also sad to hear she's been spending a lot of time with Brandon Davis because if we all remember, he wasn't a super great influence on another young celebrity girl, Mischa Barton. Hope this doesn't turn into a big messy thing played out in the press...

Jenny McCarthy

Short & Sweet

- It's been reported that Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey tied the knot in Malibu this week. Both have claimed they wouldn't get married for fear it would ruin what they had, but perhaps they changed their minds. I absolutely LOVE this couple and hope they stay together. How fun would it be to do dinner at their house??

- So, it's not news that Lady Gaga's wardrobe is eccentric and exhibitionist. It's not even news that her outfit at the MTV Awards almost completely hid her face. I just have to get it out there that you have to give this woman SOME credit for her creativity. Not everyone could make (or wear) a dress made completely of Kermit the Frog heads. (yes, she's done that.) Speaking of which, Kermit was also her date that night. Seriously.

- Megan Fox's interview in Rolling Stone this week raised a lot of eyebrows. The Jennifer's Body star talked about a possible eating disorder, previous cutting, and her desire to shoot boyfriend Brian Austin Greene in the leg. Listen, I'm probably one of her biggest fans, but even I think she needs to tone it down just a touch. Leave a LITTLE to people's imaginations... right?

- Sadly, Jessica Simpson's dog Daisy went missing earlier this week. Simpson then tweeted about seeing a coyote snatch up her dog right in front of her. Yikes! I hope she finds her - that sounds traumatic and unfun.

- An arrest was made in the Lindsay Lohan/Audrina Patridge break-ins that occurred earlier this year. THANK GOD. I feel much safer as I was sure my house was the next one on the list. Whitney Port is probably exhaling a loud sigh of relief too...