BLACK PRESIDENT TO MAKE WAY FOR BLACK POPE? "The election of Barack Obama as the first African-American US President could pave the way for the election of the first black Pope, according to a leading black American Catholic. Wilton Daniel Gregory, 60, the Archbishop of Atlanta, said that in the past Pope Benedict XVI had himself suggested that the election of a black pontiff would 'send a splendid signal to the world' about the universal Church. Archbishop Gregory, who in 2001 became the first African American to head the US Bishops Conference, serving for three years, said that the election of Mr Obama was 'a great step forward for humanity and a sign that in the United States the problem of racial discrimination has been overcome'. Like Mr Obama Archbishop Gregory comes from Chicago, and was previously Bishop of Belleville, Illinois."

BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THE POPE COULD BE DOING Apparently Italian television's much worse than American television. Who knew that was possible? : "Pope Benedict XVI will kick off a week-long reading of the Bible on Italian television starting Sunday, with readers to include three former presidents and Oscar-winning actor Roberto Benigni. Some 2,000 people will take turns reading the Bible's 73 books, from the Old Testament's Genesis to the New Testament's Book of Revelations, at Rome's Holy Cross in Jerusalem basilica. The pope will record the first reading at the Vatican."

According to The New York Times, CATholic cat lovers around the world are quite imPURRessed with Pope Benedict XVI's exceptionALLEY strong aPAWreciation of felines. Apparently the President of the Bible is a well-known cat fancier who often accommodates strays of Rome and who adorns his home with cat figurines. A cat's even penned a book about the Pope (with the help of a creepy Italian journalist, of course. Cats cant type, silly!).

Indeed, the guy loves him some cats, but at least one papist thinks this affection is indicative of something else: That being that Il Papa is the Lord: " … I believe it shows that God lives in a person," says Jan Fredericks of Wayne, NJ, owner of nine cats and, perhaps, yet another vessel of God. Also God: My friend Kristen, who promptly bought three cats when her boyfriend left her.

• You just know that deep down Pope fancypants loves Madonna. [GOIM]

• Matthew McConaughey achieves victory, over shirts. [The Superficial]

• Nothing says rock star like the divorce papers of Carmen Elektra and Dave Navarro. [Faded Youth]

• Tobey and Leo, like Matt and Lance, only not on roids. [TMZ]

• Whose style does Gwyneth appreciate? Why Nicole Richie, of course. [Hollyscoop]

• The Hoff needs to start looking for love in unexpected places, like Bea Arthur's pants. [BWE]

• You're only cool if you complain about Lohan's on-set antics. [Celebrity Nation]

• When Perez fights with Tara Reid, no one wins. [Perez Hilton]

• Tyra Banks looks like she could eat Nicole Richie for lunch. [DListed]