DAILY GOSSIP: February 16, 2011 by Ned Ehrbar

While she filed for divorce last week, Ashlee Simpson is trying to keep her split from Pete Wentz as amicable as possible, according to People magazine. The couple even enjoyed a friendly Valentine’s Day lunch with their 2-year-old son, Bronx. “They just had a meal together with their son,” a source says, dismissing suggestions that the couple is reconciling. “They’re both focused on making this transition as easy as possible for him.”

Billy Ray Cyrus admits that all the trouble and scandal his family has faced recently is likely all due to his daughter Miley Cyrus’ hit Disney show, “Hannah Montana,” he tells GQ magazine. “I hate to say it, but yes, I do. I’d take it back in a second,” he says. Billy Ray is also tired of being the scapegoat whenever something bad happens. “Every time the train went off the track, her people, or as they say in today’s news, her handlers, every time they’d put [the blame on] me,” he says. “I took it because I’m her daddy. OK, nail me to the cross.”

Jennifer Aniston isn’t obsessed with her age, but she is bothered by other people’s obsession with it. “All of a sudden you’re labeled, you’re a number,” she tells Rachael Ray about being over 40. “It wasn’t like 30-plus or 30-something. It’s just that all of sudden, it’s like, ‘Wow for your age, not so bad.’” Aniston admits the focus on being over 40 hurts “a little bit” because “all of a sudden they’re making it sound like life is coming very shortly to an end,” she says. “It’s weird.”

While ex-girlfriend Carrie Mulligan has reportedly been romancing Jake Gyllenhaal, Shia LaBeouf has been spotted around L.A. with a new friend of his own, according to Us Weekly. The “Transformers” star strolled hand-in-hand with an unknown beauty over the week. “Her name is Karolyn Pho,” a source says of the young woman, who was also spotted out with LaBeouf in December. “She’s a stylist.”

While she’s turned heads in Hollywood for her portrayal of a free-spirited ballerina in “Black Swan,” Mila Kunis says she’ll probably never dance again after making the film. “I trained for four months, seven days a week, five hours a day. I had one day off on my birthday. I lost 20 pounds. I tore a ligament. I dislocated my shoulder,” Kunis tells W magazine. “I have two scars on my back. And it was worth every minute. But I will never dance again.” The former “That 70s Show” star admits she underestimated the footwear required for ballet. “I was like, ‘Well I wear heels; I can do this,’” she remembers. “I was wrong. Christian Louboutins are uncomfortable, but I screamed the first time I put on a pointe shoe.”

While Elizabeth Taylor is expected to stay in the hospital for several more days following heart issues, fans shouldn’t count her out, according to Popeater. “Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is the best hospital in the world, and knowing Elizabeth, she has no plans on leaving us any time soon,” a friend of the actress says. “She’s a fighter. She always has been, and I can assure you she can’t wait to get home.”