With hot-headed debates regarding the sales of (People! Exclusive!!) Christina Aguilera's baby blabber cover story in January versus (People! Exclusive!!) Nicole Richie's baby blabber cover last week, the chattering newsies are heatedly trying to get to the bottom of a quasi-intellectual argument about fame and newsstand sales. According to an MSNBC source, the Richie issue "sold more than 1.8 million copies...whereas Aguilera's has sold far less." But why the greater public interest in the ostensibly careerless Richie, as opposed to the Grammy award-winning Aguilera? Apparently, weekly readers like them some knocked up druggies and the weeklies know it:

"She's gone public about being a heroin addict. Her boyfriend is covered in tattoos. By default, she's got the more interesting baby."

Admittedly, any star worth their drug history will corral the public's fascination (there's a reason Behind The Music was such a smash hit, thanks to its consistent inclusion of addiction-laden tales), but regarding star power, Aguilera is the proven winner. According to IMDB, the chameleon-like songstress has appeared on 19 US magazine covers to date (and that's not including 31 additional international covers!), compared to Richie's paltry two: FHM in 2004 and Seventeen in 2005. But apparently when it comes to babies, stars are no longer playing the fame game. It's more of a "which baby is more destined to wind up like Daniellynn" kind of game which, however sick and twisted it may be, is admittedly more fun.

• RICHIE COVER OUTSELLING AGUILERA'S [MSNBC.com]

Tags: christina aguilera | nicole richie | one woman leaves | people magazine | two women enter