Beck/Smith Hollywood

DEAR STACY: I am curious as to what Mary Kay Place is up to lately. I haven’t heard of her in a long time. – Casey P., Reno, NV
DEAR CASEY: Evidently you don’t watch HBO’s “Big Love.” Place plays Adaleen Grant, polygamist and one of the mothers-in-law of Bill Paxton’s character. Place also has been busy on the big screen side. She appeared in last year’s “City of Ember,” and, if all is going according to plan, is filming Japanese writer-director Hisako Matsui’s “Leonie.” Starring Emily Mortimer and Shido Nakamura, the turn-of-the-last-century period film is about the very-adventurous Leonie Gilmour, the American wife of Japanese writer Yone Noguchi and mother of sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

DEAR STACY: Would love to know what happened to that very nice, very rotund contestant on “Hell’s Kitchen” who had to quit the show because he had a heart problem. How about an update? – Kim B., Detroit, MI
DEAR KIM: You’re talking about Robert Hesse, who was diagnosed with pericarditis – fluid in the lining of the heart — after his departure from the culinary competition show. He’s reportedly lost 50 lbs. working out with a trainer, is preparing to have gastric bypass surgery, and said recently that he still can’t resist an occasional Twinkie, but is trying to do better.

DEAR L.W.: Are there any plans for Patrik-Ian Polk to bring back the series “Noah’s Arc”? Are any of the 1970s “Soul Train” shows on DVD? – L.S., New York, NY
DEAR L.W.: There are no plans for more episodes of the “Noah’s Arc” LOGO series that’s been called a gay, African-American answer to “Sex and the City.” The movie, “Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom,” which picks up after the show’s second season cliff-hanger finale and centers around the wedding of Noah Nicholson (Darryl Stephens) and his boyfriend Wade Robinson (Jensen Atwood), had a limited release last year and came out on DVD in February. As far as “Soul Train” episodes from the 70s, there have been no official releases. The main stumbling point apparently is license/royalty fees for the music. Episodes are easy to find on the internet, however – if you don’t mind fuzzy, taped-off-the-TV quality with Korean subtitles.

Margaret Cho

Funny lady Margaret Cho tells us she’s found a new social life in between shooting scenes of her July 12-debuting “Drop Dead Diva” series.

“We’re about a third of the way through the first season, shooting in Peachtree, Ga. It’s fine. It’s a very small town. I go to Atlanta, which is about 45 minutes away, a lot. I actually fit in very well there. I’m getting to be a wild child again, getting to go out to the clubs. I’m hanging out with a lot of Atlanta musicians and doing sort of the rock thing,” says Cho, who is getting ready to record a music album of her own. Make that a funny music album. A funny music album with song titles unfit for repetition in a family-friendly column.

In Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva,” Cho plays the wise friend and colleague of Brooke Elliott‘s character. It’s about a shallow model who dies, then finds her spirit inhabiting the plus-sized body of a crusading attorney. (Oh, another one of those.) She tells us she and her husband, performance artist Al Ridenour, “are hanging out when we can” — but as far as collaborating anytime soon, “We’re not even, like, living in the same state.”

MEANWHILE: Cho, who for years has been an activist on behalf of equal rights regardless of sexual orientation and of same-sex marriage, found herself inundated with calls this week after the announcement of California Supreme Court’s ruling upholding Prop. 8. She feels it’s a temporary setback.

Cho has been remarkably open about her life — her bisexuality, as well as her past problems with drugs and with being overweight. Has she ever been sorry for baring herself in such a way?

“I’ve found that it’s been very gratifying to talk about personal issues,” she replies. “My talking about weight issues and body image, for example I felt could help women — help people — talk about their own body issues. I feel like that’s been a good contribution. Talking about my personal issues in my work doesn’t feel invasive.”

THE VIDEOLAND TWO: AMC’s Emmy-winning “Breaking Bad” has its season finale Sunday (5/31), and the show’s Aaron Paul — meth seller Jesse to “Breaking Bad” fans — is turning his attention to his other hit series, “Big Love,” which gets back into production June 4, for Season 4.

“I love that my character in ‘Big Love’ is completely opposite from ‘Breaking Bad’ — it’s like zipping on different skins,” says the actor, who plays Scott, the fiancé of Amanda Seyfried‘s character, in the HBO series set in a community of rogue Mormon polygamists. It’s especially gratifying to Paul since his “Breaking Bad” character has led to interest in his playing other drug-related roles — and “I don’t want to be the type of actor who does the same character with different names,” he makes clear.

Paul’s been doing “a little bit of traveling” and getting in some relaxation between “Breaking Bad” and “Big Love” this year. “It’s worked out for me. It didn’t overlap like it did last season, when I had to fly back and forth.”

A GOOD TURN: Jamie Lee Curtis, who was honored with the 2009 Entertainment Industry’s Courage to Care Award at the recent Noche de Ninos Gala, just learned that more than $1.8 million was raised at the star-studded evening benefiting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Jamie Lee’s friend and former co-star California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger presented her with the award. She rewarded him with a big kiss on the lips, which delighted the crowd of close to 1,000 in the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Jamie Lee has been a tireless activist when it comes to the kids. She even wore a bright pink wig that night in honor of a 14-year-old cancer patient she had met while touring Children’s Hospital in Pittsburg several years ago. After the young girl died, Jamie Lee asked her mother if she could have the wig to remember her courageous spirit.

The celebrity-filled room included host Mary Hart, Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, Ed Begley Jr., Noah Wyle, Kevin Sorbo, Jewel, Monique Coleman, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon and Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony. Jennifer received the same honor by the hospital in 2004.

THE INDUSTRY EYE: “True Blood” will soon be adding fresh blood — the character of Sookie’s (Anna Paquin) cousin Hadley, described as a “fresh-faced twentysomething country girl,” who’ll wind up, according to casting sources, “seduced into a whole other world …” and “locked in a steamy kiss with vampire queen Evan Rachel Wood.”

Casting notices have gone out for outgoing, strong, socially active and community-involved housewives, who love to live the good life in Beverly Hills for — can you guess? — Bravo’s next “Real Housewives” series. “They’re coming?” responded one such local lady on hearing the news. “How they lived without us for so long, we don’t know.”

— With reports by Emily Fortune Feimster

DEAR STACY: We just watched that wonderful movie, “Big.” The boy who played Billy, the friend of Tom Hanks’ character, did a great job, with a couple of takes that were just priceless. Whatever became of him? – Melinda M., Cleveland, OH
DEAR MELINDA: Jared Rushton grew up, of course. Prolific as a juvenile actor (“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” “Overboard,” etc.), he’s now 35 and plays guitar and does vocals in an alternative rock band called Withdrawal, which he joined in 2004. He kept active as an actor through the 1990s, logging lots of episodic TV guestings on shows from “ER” to “Cracker.”

Kathy Griffin

Their state may have voted against same-sex marriages, and their state supreme court may have ruled to uphold California’s Prop. 8 ban, but Hollywood very clearly does not agree — and you can expect to be seeing many more illustrations of that fact.

Kathy Griffin‘s “My Life on the D List,” which begins its fifth season on Bravo June 8, has already filmed “a Prop. 8 episode,” Griffin recently told us. “We went to Iraq a couple of years ago. We went to Walter Reed (Army Hospital) last season. This is our serious episode for this season. We’re really proud of it.” Besides filming at an anti-Prop 8 rally, “D List” has “Rev. Al Sharpton, who “laid out the greatest civil rights argument for gay marriage,” according to Griffin.

Griffin wasted no time responding to the court’s decision, issuing a statement that she would not only be protesting, but that “My 89-year-old mother has asked me to get her a wheelchair to take her to a protest … She is neither gay, nor the parent of a gay person, but she is as passionate about this decision as I am.”

The cast and creative team on Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ “New Adventures of Old Christine” have been anxiously awaiting this week’s decision by the California Supreme Court — “a decision that’s an issue to us both behind the scenes and in front of the camera on our show,” as costar Clark Gregg pointed out.

Wanda Sykes, who came out as a lesbian and got married to her partner last year, is among the 18,000 gay Californians whose same-sex unions have been ruled valid (along with such show business notables as Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, and George Takei and Brad Altman.)

The state Supreme Court also just handed the “New Adventures of Old Christine” writers a twist to the ongoing storyline that has Louis-Dreyfus’s and Sykes’ characters on the show in a green card marriage. Since the characters are both straight, this can’t help but underscore the farcical aspect of the court’s decision — a subtlety that fits the series’ style. Clark stressed that “Old Christine” has never gone the rout of “becoming a public service announcement,” and added, “What I admire about (creator) Kari Lizer and the writing staff is that they wade into uncomfortable waters — going back to Julia’s effort to get a black family into her son’s school, only to have the father turn out to be a raging homophobe.”

And you can be sure that lines and scenes dealing with Prop. 8, if not full story lines, are being scripted even as you read this. “How I Met Your Mother” star Neil Patrick Harris, who is not married to the man with whom he shares his life, David Burtka, but is an outspoken proponent of gay marriage, summed up the feelings of many when he told this column, “It’s wrong to try and squelch love. It’s pure and simple discrimination.”

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: “It was great the way Season 4 ended because there are a lot of things we’re going to have to sort out and clarify,” says Mexican actor Demián Bichir, who will return June 8 in the fifth season of “Weeds” as the corrupt mayor of Tijuana. He is also the onscreen love interest of the show’s star Mary-Louise Parker, and when things ended last season, Parker’s character Nancy had informed him that she is pregnant with his child.

“Whatever is in Nancy’s mind, that’s going to have to be proven first,” says Bichir of the story line, but before we know for sure if she’s having his baby, he tells us we will definitely see a change in his ruthless character. “Now that there’s a possibility of a child on the way, that’s going to change a lot of things and maybe bring Esteban to a different state of mind. Hopefully he will be able to show not only his more sensitive side, but also many other sides without killing anyone.” Hopefully.

One good part of the pending pregnancy is that music superstar Alanis Morissette has signed on for seven episodes to play Nancy’s obstetrician, and Bichir admits the cast couldn’t be more excited. “I haven’t had a chance to meet her, but I think it’s fantastic to have her on board. I’m not sure if there will be some interaction with our two characters, but, regardless, it will be interesting to meet someone whose music you admire so much.”

TOGETHER AGAIN: A July 6 production start has been set for “Going the Distance,” which might just end up being an appropriate description of stars Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. You may recall the couple were quite into each other while making “He’s Just Not That Into You,” then split up last summer after a year, then seemed to be on again (hand-holding, acting affectionate and telling reporters they adored each other at the “Grey Gardens” premiere in April, for instance).

In “Going the Distance” they play a couple who decide to try making a go of a long-distance relationship, with both their characters having dream careers at stake on opposite coasts of the country — a familiar show business situation. It’s a comedy. Drew says that Justin makes her laugh.

JUMPING IN: Sarah Chalke, who stars in Lifetime’s two-night adaptation of Gigi Levangie Grazer‘s “Maneater” this Saturday and Sunday (5/30 and 5/31), says that the biggest challenge in making the miniseries was “how dense it was in terms of production and just being in every scene. It was a really fast turn-around.” The tale of a gold digger determined to marry a rich and successful Hollywood power player before she hits Botox age has the “Scrubs” actress in scenes ranging from zany physical humor (as in a dance sequence in which her very pregnant character is onstage with a group of seniors) to drama (when her character gives birth).

What helped was that the production — which also stars Gregory Harrison, Maria Conchita Alonso, Judy Greer, Philip Winchester, Marla Sokoloff and Paul Leyden — shot on location. “It was so intense, hours-wise, it was nice to be somewhere else and not have to deal with everyday stuff in your life,” she says.

With reports by Emily-Fortune Feimster

Catherine Bell

Catherine Bell is relieved that her “Army Wives” extramarital affair is behind her – though viewers will certainly be seeing repercussions of her character, Denise’s indiscretion becoming public knowledge in the third season of the hit Lifetime series, which gets underway June 7.

 ”There’s been so much to play it’s been challenging in a great way,” says Bell.  The adultery storyline has been tough, she admits.  “My husband and I just had our 15^th wedding anniversary, and I’m a proponent of all the things that make a marriage work – faithfulness, trust and honesty – so this was definitely unfamiliar territory.” 

Even shooting the sexy scenes gave her pause.  “To kiss and be semi-naked with someone else on the set?” she says.  “I’ve been forced to dig in and try to be a better actress.”

How does her husband, actor-writer Adam Beason, feel about her doing those love scenes?  “He’s great.  I can’t imagine anyone being better about it,” she says.  “He doesn’t have a jealous bone in his body.  He’ll be like, ‘Oh, you had a love scene?’  Very casual.  If the situation was reversed, I would be interrogating him: ‘You touched her where?  Did you like it?’  All those things,” she admits with a laugh.

 Bell doesn’t foresee the changes in military policy under President Obama – topped by his planned withdrawal of troops from Iraq – affecting the series’ stories much.  She notes, “Our show has always really been about the families.  That doesn’t change.  There are still those issues of families parting, marriages breaking apart and getting back together, of adjustments having to be made, whether the husbands and wives are going to Iraq or Afghanistan.”

Denise now will be seen facing the fact “everyone thinks she was a terrible person.  There are going to be a lot of scenes with Frank this season,” Bell notes, speaking of her series spouse, Maj. Frank Sherwood, played by Terry Serpico.  “We’re having to face the reality of what this (affair) has done to us.”  

THE BIG SCREEN SCENE:  With a string of films awaiting release, “Hollywood Dreams” actress Tanna Frederick is “looking forward to a dynamic shift” in audience perception about her.  Her “Hollywood Dreams” character, the issue-riddled, anything-to-be-a-star actress Margie Chizek earned her critical acclaim and armloads of festival awards.  But it had its down side, too, she admits with a laugh.  “That was kind of difficult, kind of ballsy now that I look at it — to come out of the gate with a character so abrasive, off putting and intense.  People thought that’s who I was.  Men jumped three feet backwards when they saw me.  I had people say, ‘Oh, you scare me,’ and I’d say, ‘No!  I’m not like that.’”

The red haired beauty’s association with filmmaker Henry Jaglom continues with “Irene in Time,” due for limited release June 19, with Victoria Tennant, Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Black and David Proval.  “I play a much more contained, more grounded girl in that.  Her history is that she lost her father when she was 13, and she has problems trying to find the right man.  No one can measure up.  It’s really interesting to watch the women watch it.  They go crazy for it.  They leave the theater bawling.” 

However, Tanna is back to Margie form with the “Hollywood Dreams” sequel, “Queen of the Lot,” due later this year, in which she stars opposite Noah Wyle.  He plays a sleazy Hollywood reporter.  “It gets even better,” she says, adding that her character is now trying to go by Margery.  Tanna admits that one scene gave her quite a challenge: “a scene where Noah comes into the kitchen and I’m chewing and spitting Mallomars …It’s hard to be somewhat charming, alluring and sexy while regurgitating.” 

Yep, that would be hard.  Luckily, she says, “Noah is so great he makes any woman look good.”

 GLASS ACT:  It looks like Fox will have a bonafide hit in the fall with its refreshingly funny and entertaining show “Glee,” which premiered its pilot episode last week to 10.7 million viewers.  Its version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” also soared to number two on iTunes before the night was even over.  The biggest smash hit came from the big voice of Broadway star Lea Michele, who is reminiscent of a young Idina Menzel from “Wicked” fame.  But at least Michele was smashing things with her voice and not her car this time around.  She recently revealed that on her way to her callback she got into a car accident right in front of the Fox studios.  She left her crashed car in the middle of the street, ran to her audition, and shook glass out of her hair as she prepared to sing.  Now that’s what we call dedication! 

SECOND TIME AROUND:  Vivica A. Fox tells us it was a big boost in the confidence department when she was asked to host TV Land’s “The Cougar,” especially since, “This was my second hosting gig.  Before that I hosted ‘Glam God’ on VH1.  I actually got ‘The Cougar’ right after that got cancelled, which was really good for my ego,” says the actress with a laugh.  “I thought ‘Glam God’ was a good show but we came out during the Olympics and the Democratic National Convention so how could you compete with that?”  When not in front of the camera, Fox says she’s trying to spend more time producing her own projects.  “I love producing the product that I present to my audience.  It makes me feel really good what my name carries.  That I can get the investors, that I can get the cast, that I make projects that I’m proud of, is really important to me.” 

With reports by Emily-Fortune Feimster

DEAR STACY: Can you please explain what happened to Jamey Sheridan on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”? For a while he wore a patch on one eye. Was he injured? I never saw it explained. – Susan B-W, NYC
DEAR SUSAN: Sheridan suffers from Bell’s palsy, which the “L&O:CI” producers wrote into his character’s storyline. The actor left the show at his own request in 2006, worn out by the commute between his Los Angeles home and New York production. Since then he’s been seen on “Eli Stone” and in Jane Seymour’s “Dear Prudence” telepic. Recently, he made NBC’s “Trauma” medical series pilot with Derek Luke.

Rick Allen

 Rick recalls the time lead singer Joe Elliott “stopped talking mid-sentence because out in the audience he saw all these arms and legs going up in the air.”

“They were holding up their prosthetics,” says Lauren.

“It was fantastic to see them having such a great time, just being able to be themselves and really be happy with their new bodies,” he adds.

Rick certainly has learned to take good care of himself.  Back when he first lost his arm and was suffering terrible inflammation, he learned a diet that was rich in herbs with anti-inflammatory properties.  He recently talked about that with nutrition guru Catie Norris for her forthcoming “The Cure is in the Kitchen With Catie” TV show.  “She’s been a huge help to myself and Lauren – to everyone she’s come in contact with,” says Rick.  “It’s common sense, you know, that most illnesses can be helped through diet.  Catie is an incredible woman – living proof of what she says.”   

Cure is in the Kitchen

MEANWHILE:  Rick is heading off to the U.K. this week to rehearse for a string of concerts in Ireland and the U.K. — including a return to Castle Donington, where he played his first post-accident gig in 1986.  “It was fantastic, the support I felt from the crowd.  I had my family there, and obviously everybody in the band.  I’m anticipating going back.”  Rick and Lauren are also anticipating the release of “A Chant for Healing…the Oneness Chant” online in June.  In addition to her website, “You’ll definitely be able to find it on iTunes,” she says. 

 Allen demonstrates drumming

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW:  Nancy Travis reports that making “Safe Harbor,” the Hallmark Channel movie she has premiering Saturday (5/30), made her all the more appreciative of her regular series gig on “The Bill Engvall Show.”   

The true story of a couple who planned to spend their retirement years exploring the world on their sailboat , but wound up helping troubled teenaged boys, “Safe Harbor” required long, arduous days of shooting and shivering.  Though the story takes place in Florida, it was shot in L.A., with the cast in summer clothes pretending to be warm during cold January days.

“We’re going full throttle at ‘The Bill Engvall Show’ and I’m loving every minute of it.  The whole sitcom life – going to work at 10, coming home at three – if you’re lucky enough that it comes to you, you have to grab onto it with both hands,” she notes. 

Even so, she makes it clear she feels “Safe Harbor” was worth the trouble.

“I love the whole notion of a couple having a plan for their lives, then fate throws something in their path and completely re-routs them – but turns out to be just what they were looking for.  A favor becomes their whole life’s journey,” she says of Doug and Robbie Smith, played by Treat Williams and herself, respectively.  The Smiths agreed to take in some juvenile hall-bound kids for a few days – a favor that eventually led to their founding of Jacksonville, Florida’s Safe Harbor Boys Home some 25 years ago.

“I didn’t have an opportunity to meet with her before we started shooting, but I’m a mother myself and I saw in her such a mothering quality,” says Travis.  “I thought about what it would be like if I didn’t have children, couldn’t have children, and believed that part of life had passed me by – but then get to be the mother to so many children.”

JUSTIN TIME:  Justin Guarini, who has been busy covering “American Idol” all season on the TV Guide Channel, tells us it’s one of the things he looks forward to most when not busy making music.  ”I love it.  It keeps me in tune with ‘Idol’ every single year.  I’m really proud of the job we do week in and week out because I feel like it really does give people an inside perspective on a show that they really love,” says Guarini, who seems to have been born to be on camera.  “My mother was one of the first 200 people to start up CNN.  She was one of the first anchorwomen so I would go hang out with her on set.  I’ve grown up around cameras my entire life.”  Next up for the curly haired host now that the Fox singing competition won’t be back ’til January?  “I’m in the studio right now putting together my own music.” 

With reports by Emily-Fortune Feimster  

Stephanie Pratt

“The Hills” star Lauren Conrad, who’s had an infamous ongoing feud with former friend Heidi Montag and her now-husband Spencer Pratt, was pictured in US Weekly attending their wedding, but…Spencer’s sister Stephanie tells us there’s still no reconciliation.

“At the beginning of this season, I was trying to take Heidi places with us and it took a toll on my friendship with Lauren.  She was like, ‘Stephanie, I don’t want to be friends with her.’  I think it’s all over, though.  I think they just know they can’t be friends,” says Pratt, who also stars on the MTV reality show, which is heading towards its May 31 finale.

At least some good came out of the wedding.  Stephanie, who caught the wrath of Spencer for being friends with Lauren, tells us their sibling relationship has definitely improved.  “Last season was awful for me.  I was crying all the time because Spencer was being mean to me and Heidi wasn’t talking to me, because she always does what Spencer does.  But Spencer’s been super nice to me ever since he’s gotten married.  I think now that they’re very secure in their relationship, they’ve both been really happy and nice to everyone.”

For now, the cast is regrouping since Lauren announced she would not be returning to the show.  “She has a boyfriend, she has a great life, and she wants to keep it private.  It was a little shocking she decided to leave, but she’s been on TV for six years.  I think it’s definitely going to change the show a lot.  She was kind of like our voice of reason.  I feel like it’s going to be really chaotic now,” claims Pratt, who can next be seen hosting the MTV Movie Awards pre-show along with Lo Bosworth.  The Awards are set for May 31.

“We’ll be doing live hits.  I really want to meet the cast of ‘Twilight.’  I’m a big fan of the books.  It was a good escape when things were going bad on the show.”

FAMILY AFFAIR: With Shaun Cassidy writing and producing the upcoming ABC Family Channel show “Ruby and the Rockits” – starring David and Patrick Cassidy as former teen idols and Alexa Vega as David’s daughter – can Cassidy matriarch Shirley Jones be far behind?  “The plan is to write Shirley in as Grandma,” according to Jones’ husband Marty Ingels.  He tells us that the July 21-debuting show is well stocked with Cassidy family members behind the scenes as well as in front of the cameras.  There’s Shaun, of course.  “He has one project after another,” Marty says.  “Walt Disney’s old office is his office…All of Shirley’s children are successful.

“Ryan is doing the sets.  Shaun’s daughter Caitlin is doing the makeup.  Don’t talk to me, I’m invisible,” he adds.  “How can you not write in the old Jewish guy in the other room?  They don’t like me.”

Long-standing family friction aside, Marty says the half-hour show is “hysterical. David Cassidy is back with his hair thinning.  Patrick has a used car agency.”

Meanwhile, Shirley is looking forward to a string of concert dates with Florence Henderson.  Yes, “The Partridge Family” and “The Brady Bunch” mothers onstage together for the first time.  “At first Shirley wasn’t terribly excited, but it’s interesting, the two of them together, buddies singing and taking shots at each other.  These kind of theme concerts are doing very well.  They open in November in Indianapolis .”

SEIZING THE DAYS:  “Southland” actor Kevin Alejandro is certainly making the most of his hiatus from the NBC cop drama.  After wrapping production on the show, “My wife and I went to Hawaii for 7, 8 days,” he says.  Then he left for Atlanta , where he’s been shooting a guest star part on Lifetime’s forthcoming “Drop Dead Diva.” And once he’s done with that, “on the 28th, we’re going to Costa Rica for 10 days, surfing with friends.”  He’ll also be working out and pampering himself.  “I want to be in the best shape I can be before starting shooting again.  This is my break and it’s time to do it,” he says.  “Southland” goes back before the cameras in mid-July.

HAIR TODAY: Casting forces have been interviewing hairstylists to fill the post of assistant to a celebrity hairstylist on a forthcoming reality competition/elimination show.  They want someone over-the-top who can add color to the proceedings, and we don’t mean the kind from a bottle.  “Think Tim Gunn to Heidi Klum,” say casting notices.

With reports by Emily-Fortune Feimster