Jessica Biel is gorgeous, beautiful and sexy.

According to those that know the actress well, however, she’s also needy and annoying.

Rumors of a break up between Biel and longtime boyfriend Justin Timberlake have grown stronger this week. Multiple insiders have confirmed as much to The New York Daily News.

“Things don’t look good for them right now - they’ve hit a really rocky spot,” said a source close to Timberlake, adding that issues began during a trip to Vegas JT took with his friends in February because “they got into a huge screaming match over the phone about how she’s always ‘checking up’ on him. She’s extremely needy and is always keeping tabs on him.”

While Lance Bass labels Biel as “fun to be around,” others within Timberlake’s circle of pals don’t agree.

“All his friends think she’s really annoying,” said an insider. “She’s always trying to be one of the guys. She and Justin have no chemistry.”

We don’t know either side of this couple well, but our staff has often debated this same theory. Timberlake is one of the most charismatic, outgoing stars in Hollywood. He’s the kind of guy that tries to mount his girlfriend at a Lakers game.

Biel, conversely, comes across as far more serious.

Fortunately, she also comes across as naked in the movie Powder Blue, so… uhhh… we lost our train of thought.

Happy Fourth of July, celebrity gossip fans. Below, The Hollywood Gossip staff takes a look back at what was a tragic, eventful week in the celebrity world.

As you all know, one story dominated the news …

• The cause of Michael Jackson’s death is looking more and more like an overdose of dangerous prescription drugs. An LAPD and DEA investigation continues.
• Meanwhile, Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe wants custody of “her” kids, while speculation persists that he was not the biological father of his own children. Dermatologist Arnold Klein, who treated MJ, is rumored to be the actual dad.
• Media coverage of Jackson’s demise has run the gamut. The OK! cover pic showed him dying, while Life & Style alleges he someone killed him. Amazing.

• In a new interview, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag say birth control is a conspiracy, think September 11 was an “inside job,” abhor fame, etc. 
• As some Bachelorette spoilers predicted, Ed returned, while Wes Hayden’s “girlfriend” Laurel Kagay has been broken up with him for a year.
• In other Bachelor news, Melissa Rycroft is engaged to Tye Strickland!
• Sarah Palin abruptly calls it quits as Governor of Alaska.
• Former John Edwards campaign aide Andrew Young is allegedly writing a tell-all book. One rumor? He has a Rielle Hunter-John Edwards sex tape.
• Kendra Wilkinson wedding pics: Not at all cheesy or tacky.
• Kevin Jonas gets engaged to girlfriend Danielle Deleasa! Yay!
• Robert Pattinson’s aunt offers him some helpful dating advice.
• Speaking of dating, check out this Jon Gosselin Match.com profile.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced at a press conference yesterday that she is stepping down from her post July 26 and won’t seek re-election in 2010.

Palin, who has 18 months left in her first term of office, said she is going to spend more time with her family, but specific reasons why she quit are unclear.

Her rambling, holiday-eve decision to resign as governor blindsided both her supporters and critics and left everyone trying to come up with an explanation.

As Andrew Sullivan of The Atlantic Monthly put it, “it was only a matter of time before she imploded or exploded or some gruesome combination of the two.”

Does Palin simply want to devote more time to her family - or her status as a celebrity gossip fixture? Is she starting her 2012 White House bid super early?

Below are 10 theories why Sarah Palin is stepping down …

1. She’s running for president. Conventional wisdom prior to yesterday was that Sarah Palin would be running - and not just in Runner’s World - in 2012. Maybe she still is, and is just launching her White House bid three years early?
2. She’s not running for president. Conversely, some believe Palin isn’t aiming for the White House or any other office. If that’s true, why stay Governor?
3. She’s pregnant. Pure, baseless speculation. But would you be surprised?
4. She’s sick of Alaska. A CNN source says Palin “thinks she has had a positive influence on people’s lives” from traveling around the country like she did last year. Maybe she really believes this is what’s best for the party.
5. It was spontaneous. Hey, no one ever accused the loose cannon of thinking things through. See her response to all things Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston.
6. A federal indictment is looming. The Daily Beast’s Max Blumenthal reports that Todd Palin’s snowmobile sponsor, Spenard Building Supplies, may have been mixed up in questionable political and Palin family business.
7. The media got to her. Palin is never one to shy away from butting heads with media, but Vanity Fair’s 10,000-word critique of her this month was a killer.
8. She is unstable. Well, to a point there’s no doubt about this one.
9. Her staff is incompetent. Ditto #8.
10. She is a narcissist. Is her ego such that she is angling for greater fame, fortune and publicity than the Alaska Governorship could offer? Does she desire a TV show to go along with her recently-signed book deal?

We are interested to hear why you think she is stepping down. Share your theories with us via comments below. Here’s the video of Sarah Palin’s resignation …

Sarah Palin Resignation

Let us celebrate our independence today! And, we hope that one day soon, America can live up to the principles on which it was founded. Most importantly, that we are all created equal and should be treated as such!