Your boyfriend defending your honor? Kinda romantic. Your boyfriend and your dad defending your honor? Less so. The New York Daily News says Ashlee Simpson was at the center of a fisticuffs-filled tussle involving beau Pete Wentz and always-hovering father Joe at a post-VMA shindig at Las Vegas hot spot Jet. Seems security refused to let the trio and their pals exit en masse to a nearby SUV, prompting the Fall Out Boy bassist to get vocal. "What are you doing?" he supposedly screamed at a bodyguard. "This is my [bleeping] car! I paid for this [bleeping] car!" Tempers rose faster than the clumps on Wentz's eyeliner, culminating in a guard shoving him and indirectly pushing Ashlee against a wall, says the paper. Pete "rushed to her aid," and then rushed at the minders, fists apparently a-flying, with Joe wading into the scuffle. "When somebody messes with my baby, then it's over!" Joe later huffed to the News, as he drew his finger across his throat (guess the former Baptist preacher doesn't hold to that whole "turn the other cheek" credo). Thankfully, no one was injured and the group soon departed, with Wentz loudly grumbling, "[Bleep] this place!"

Ashlee wasn't the only celeb hanging with a parent after the VMAs. Turns out Justin Timberlake is such a smooth operator that not even his mother can cramp his style. According to People, the unabashed crooner ditched the post-ceremony parties in favor of a two-hour, smooch-filled dinner with girlfriend Jessica Biel as his mom and some pals looked on. They "were so lovey-dovey," says a spy of the squeezes. "They were always touching and being very sweet with one another and in front of Justin's mom." At least the mother-approved lip-locks prevented Timberlake from talking: He was forced to cancel several tour dates this week in order to rest his strained voice.

Hear that? It's the sound of the "Heroes" fanfic boards exploding with romantic new plotlines. Us Weekly reports Hayden Panettiere, 18, who plays adorably indestructible cheerleader Claire, has called it quits with her less famous beau, former "Laguna Beach" second banana Stephen Colletti, 21. "Their breakup has been a long time coming," says a snitch of the pair, who began dating about a year ago. Hayden, who should expect to be linked to at least one of her co-stars in the coming weeks (our money is on Milo Ventimiglia), appears to be taking the split in stride. "We are still very close friends and talk to each other frequently," the starlet tells the mag. "We appreciate and support each other's careers."

Despite Rihanna's insistence that she and Shia LaBeouf "barely even know each other," she sure seems interested in his every move. The New York Daily News says that when the wispy facial hair-sporting actor was about to exit a pre-VMA bash Saturday night in Sin City, the chanteuse "pleaded," "Why are you leaving?" His well-reasoned response: "I need to keep partying." They reportedly met up later in the evening, a rendezvous that was said to be more than just two strangers passing in the night. "They're dating," affirms an insider to the paper. "They're just trying to keep it under wraps."

How do you know you have an image problem? When even Naomi Campbell thinks you're a jerk. The phone-throwing, minion-abusing supermodel tells the London Daily Mirror she's happy that pal Kate Moss has reportedly rebounded from her repellent romance with Pete Doherty with Kills front man Jamie Hince. "I hear Kate has a new man. That's fantastic -- good for her. As long as he's not like that a**hole Pete," she blabs to the paper. "Urgh. I hated the way he treated her. I don't mind if her new guy's a rocker, as long as he looks after her. I'm so happy for Kate. She truly deserves the best."

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