Christina Aguilera's web site helpfully includes a section called "Rumor Mill," over which her mom, Shelly, presides. It's a smart idea -- controversy seems to cling to Aguilera like a Versace dress, so why shouldn't Shelly tackle the gossip head-on? She answers it all: Is Christina dating Dave Grohl? No. Nose job? No. Doesn't like to make eye contact? Sometimes. Are she and Justin Timberlake together? Only onstage, for this summer's ballyhooed hooed Justified and Stripped tour. "There is only a working relationship, not a romantic relationship," Shelly writes. Capisce?

The hostile tone of some of this gossip is distressing. In a world of bland pop creations, we need Christina Aguilera. She boldly speaks her mind, she livens up a red carpet and she wears assless chaps. What's not to like? The newly brunette Aguilera will commence her tour with Timberlake this month. The idea was concocted by their managers. No fools, they: Both are young (22), hot and talked-about, and have released the best albums of their careers. Aguilera will be singing plenty of tunes from Stripped, which continues to crank out the singles, the next one being "Can't Hold Us Down." She chitchats about Timberlake, the tour and her first make-out session.

So why did you and Justin decide to tour together?

We both put out records around the same time that kind of introduced ourselves to the world as new artists, in a way. So it was just a good time. And I've known Justin since the Mickey Mouse Club days, since we were twelve or thirteen, so we go back in our friendship, and it kind of works.

What part of the tour has caused the most discussion between the two of you?

I really don't know what his show is about, and it's better that way, because I want our shows kept separate. It is a co-headlining tour -- it's not like we're setting up this whole tour based on the two of us and our chemistry together. I've read reviews of his shows in Europe, and, of course, they've all talked about the girls screaming -- you're getting some of that 'NSync crowd in there. And they say he's Michael Jackson-esque, coming down a kind of a stripper pole. That, of course, will be an on-command girls' screaming thing.

What's the biggest misconception about him?

I never hear him getting bashed. I think females get it worse. I just know him for being down-to-earth and goofy and silly. But he's got a little guy thing going on, too. He knows whenever he walks into a room, and certain girls are all like [sighs]. He knows what he does, too. He doesn't get arrogant, he just knows how to put it on and play up to it. I've been out to clubs with Justin and I've seen some of the girls that have hung around him, numerous dancers that are all about getting with him because he's him. And some of these girls are really good at making it out like they have the best intentions in the world. There's a term I use, but I don't know if I should be that blunt.

Yes, you should!

Me and my camp call it "suck dick for dollars." It's a term for some of these girls that want to get a break so bad, and they're just all over him, and it's just so sickening to me.

[Excerpt From Issue 925 — June 26, 2003]