Fancast: dish 'n dat

Have you checked out Madonna's bod as of late? She's been sporting pecks and arm muscles that would make the American Gladiators jealous. She promises her fans that she will never let herself go:

As her August birthday approaches, she shows no sign of slowing down. "I'm not going to be defined by my age. Why would any woman?," she asks. "I'm not going to slow down, get off this ride, stay home and get fat. No way!" Then, making a face, she adds, "I would never get fat."

She won't talk about any surgery she may have had – "I'm not against plastic surgery, I'm just against discussing it" – but Madonna does reveal some aspects of her beauty and fitness regimes.

The Soup really is a big time career stepping stone. The Soup's current host, Joel McHale, has been picked to appear on The Informant along with Matt Damon. He is following in the footsteps of Greg Kinnear, who landed gigantic roles in films like As Good As It Gets and Little Miss Sunshine, after having hosted the show for several years. [THR]

Ever wonder if the kids of The Hills vote? They do! Just like Us! Heidi Montag recently spoke to the magazine about whom she will be voting for and soon afterwards got a stern warning from ex (?) boyfriend Spencer Pratt:

The New York Times recently called Heidi Montag a "feminist hero" for standing up to beau Spencer Pratt, but the Hills star, 21, isn't backing Hillary Clinton for president.

"I'm voting for John McCain," she tells Us Weekly in its latest issue, on newsstands now.

"I'm a Republican and McCain has a lot of experience," she explains.

What Pratt, 24, warned her about making an endorsement, Montag replied, "I don't think anyone cares who Heidi Montag votes for." [Us Magazine]

"Can you give me your 'gayest look?' "
"Wow. That is so something I don't want to do."
This non-funny joke heard round the blogs last week was uttered by none-other than funnyman Jay Leno, who was deep in conversation with guest Ryan Philippe. Controversy ensued and the usually drama-free host offered an apology:

"In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," the host of NBC's Tonight Show said in a statement to PEOPLE. "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

Oprah Winfrey spoke candidly about her Cocker Spaniel's unfortunate passing. She has recently decided to dedicate a very special episode of her talk show to her beloved pup.

"Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life," Winfrey says on the broadcast scheduled to air Friday. (Advance remarks from the show were released Tuesday by Harpo Productions.)

The show features special correspondent Lisa Ling investigating puppy mills, which Ling calls "horrific" and "haunting."

Winfrey says the show is "for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment."

While Sophie was not a product of a puppy mill, and Winfrey's three current dogs were adopted from breeders, Winfrey says in the future she would look to adopt from an animal shelter.

"I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it. I am a changed woman after seeing this show," she says. [My Way News]

Fancast got a chance to chat with Gordon Ramsay about his restaurant, his view on celebrity-obsessed chefs and icky Buckingham Palace food. Watch a scrumptious new helping of Hell's Kitchen on Fancast. The beginning is quite scary! ("The dark Lord reigns again?" Eeek!)

FULL EPISODE: Episode 1

Toby Lightman is on top of the world. Her song, the opening credit on Nascar, has been garnering raves and great reviews and has introduced new fans to her work. She's currently working on her third record and has just finished a play in New York. We talked to her about her very exciting success and what her next plans are.

How did the Nascar collaboration come about?
I’ve been touring for a while supporting the two records that I have and was coming home to work on another one…and figured it would be fun to sing on some commercials…and try and just keep singing while I’m in New York. And, one of the sessions that I got was for this song and it kind of just took on a life of its own really. I didn’t know what I was getting into when I went in. You know you just show up, and say, “Okay, like what do you want me to do?” And, I sang the song…it turned out it got picked up by FOX. Then FOX saw me, and decided to shoot a video…and now it runs every week!

Did you know that you always wanted to be a musician?
Not really…I was kind of a late bloomer in that regard. I didn’t start singing or let me say…didn’t know I could sing until high school, and then taught myself guitar in college. I had been classically trained on the violin when I was really little so that made it a lot easier for me to learn new instruments and things like that. I just started writing songs in college for fun. Then said I’ll move to New York to see what happens…and I got a record deal about a year later.

Rock the Cradle is an MTV reality series that pits celebrity babies (ok, grown ups...maybe!) against each other. The participant list is a virtual smörgåsbord of last names in the music industry. See if you can match the names and faces with their celebrity mums or dads (and yes, I know some of them will be extremely easy given their last names! But play along!) Results after the jump:

Landon Brown

A'keiba Burrell-Hammer

Lara Johnston

Chloe Rose Lattanzi

Crosby Loggins

Jesse Money

Jesse Blaze Snider

Lil Al B Sure

Lucy Walsh

Before Neil Patrick Harris was meeting your mother, he was a little genius kid known simply as Doogie. You remember him, don't you? He made you want to type out all of your diary entries into your (rather large and boxy) personal computer (I've got four floppy disks full of 'em!), and also quit elementary school and start attending grad school? His current show, How I Met Your Mother, has given viewers a little glimpse back in time, as last night's episode paid tribute to Neil's venerable past. Watch the clip above and the full episode below and a whole bunch of full Doogie episodes on Fancast.

FULL EPISODE: The Bracket

This clip simply needs no introduction....it's Lindsay at her finest:

Christina Ricci has been looking mighty thinner lately, with her new bod having been introduced to her fans via the film Black Snake Moan and currently on display on Speed Racer. Turns out she had one thing on her mind as she was working off the "baby phat": Jessica Biel's arse:

The 5-foot-tall actress – who had to fill out a pair of barely-there hot pants for her upcoming role in Speed Racer, directed by The Matrix's Andy and Larry Wachowski – is full of praise for Biel's famously fit physique.

"I asked my trainer, 'Can you give me Jessica Biel's butt?'" the actress – who starred with Biel's beau Timberlake in last year's Black Snake Moan – tells the U.K. edition of Elle. "I want a bigger butt."

Alas, because of her tiny frame, "they said I couldn't," she laments. "Everyone wants what they can't have!"

My first poem was published in The St. James Grammar School gazette. It was a poem about snow. I've never told anyone that I plagiarized that poem. It was really written by Penny Eastman. After 45 years of keeping that secret, I am relieved to finally get it off my chest.--Katie Couric to the Daily News [Daily News via Gawker]

Jay-Z may have signed a record-breaking $150 million deal, but he might have something even bigger to smile about: Sources are reporting that the hip hop mogul and his girlfriend, Beyonce Knowles, have set an April 4 date for their wedding. They have reportedly already scored a marriage license.

A rift has come between two TV powerhouses (a collaboration I didn't even know existed!), as the union between The House of Gossip Girl and The House of American Idol is no longer. Chace Crawford and Carrie Underwood's relationship has hit a sour note, but thank goodness the Gossip Guy's little sis is around to clear up any rumors. Oh, and by the way, did she mention that her Miss USA pageant is next week? ahem

"He's doing okay through this whole ordeal," his sister Candice told PEOPLE Wednesday. "He was upset about the breakup. It's always hard when you lose a relationship."

Still, his little sis added, don't expect to see Crawford and the American Idol champ moping around for long. "Chace will get through it," she said. "We love Carrie, too. They're dolls and they'll both do well."

Jerry Seinfeld is okay after his car flipped over in a dangerous car accident in the Hamptons. The funnyman may have been shaken, but was certainly not stirred, as he even had something silly to say about his scary experience:

Jerry Seinfeld was in a harrowing rollover wreck but was unhurt after the brakes on one of his vintage cars failed.

Seinfeld was driving alone when the brakes on his 1967 Fiat BTM stopped working Saturday evening, East Hampton Town Police Chief Todd Sarris told the New York Post. Seinfeld tried the emergency brake, to no avail, and then swerved to keep the car from careering into an intersection, Sarris said.

Mariah Carey has been experiencing a renaissance of sorts. Her single, Touch My Body, is currently number one on the record charts, and has allowed her to surpass an amazing milestone: she now has more number 1 singles than the king of kings himself, Elvis Presley. She is second only to The Beatles. Her album, E=MC2, will be out in stores April 16. Gone are the days of the tragedy that was Glitter.

Another important milestone for Carey is her amazing new bod and attitude. This lady is trim, gorgeous and happy. Watch her transform through the ages on Fancast.

Who doesn't love shows full of ghosties, ghoulies and talking corpses? Medium is a suspense-filled spook-fest highlighted by the wonderful and intense performance of Patricia Arquette. Fancast got a chance to catch up with this ethereal actress, along with her sister, Rosanna, who will be guest starring on Monday's episode of Medium, Lady Killer. They talked about what it was like to grow up on a commune, mouse burgers, and getting rid of dark vibes on the set.

What was growing up like?
Rosanna Arquette: Well, yeah, I kind of babysat a lot and, you know, I left kind of, I left home early so I missed a lot of some of their years and would come back on holidays and stuff. But it seems like as we got older we became closer than when we were younger, you know. I mean, they were my babies, you know, they were little kids and later, you know, they grew up to be fine, talented adults.

Patricia Arquette: Well I think Rosanna did fall into that sort of trap of having to help with so many siblings because there was four of us. And so she definitely had to help my mom out; my dad was on the road when were little a lot and trying to make a living; he was in a band at the time. And I do remember Rosanna cleaning my ears and saying…

Rosanna Arquette: Talking about the cleaning your ear thing.

Patricia Arquette:…oh there’s some sweet potatoes in there. And I remember her teaching me dances; really cute little dances to Mr. Big Stuff and…

Rosanna Arquette: Bumping – The Bump. Did I teach you The Bump?

Patricia Arquette: Uh huh, The Bump and we would listen to her records, like, Jackson Five. And she, you know, she was my big sister; she’s always been my big sister and taught me a lot of stuff about the world.

Rosanna Arquette: Oh, I remember Patricia came to the set of, was it – when did you come and you stayed with me in New York? I guess I was doing…

Patricia Arquette: You were – Desperately Seeking Susan.

Rosanna Arquette: I was doing Desperately Seeking Susan and you had a punk haircut like shaved head on one side and black…Patricia said she wanted to be an actress and I thought that was so exciting, she was going to be an actress.

As we have previously touched upon, Jenny McCarthy has become an outspoken activist for safer vaccines for kids and is currently calling for the resignation of the CDC director. She was on the Larry King Live show last night speaking directly to her opponents:

How many of you out there can name the man behind this motto: "I sell propane and propane accessories?" Chances are many of you can, particularly if you're a fan of King of the Hill, an Emmy-award winning cartoon that has made audiences fall in love with the humble Hill family from Texas. The show made its debut 10 years ago, but did you know that a previous incarnation of Hank Hill had been introduced in MTV's Beavis and Butthead? Fortunately for you, Fancast has full King of the Hill episodes. Sorry, no Beavis and/or Butthead here!

FULL EPISODE: Pour Some Sugar on Kahn
FULL EPISODE: Behind Closed Doors
FULL EPISODE: Ladies and Gentrification
FULL EPISODE: The Accidental Terrorist

More...

By Casey Chan
Red Carpet Correspondent

The scene was all about animals Saturday night at the Hollywood Genesis Awards, hosted by the Humane Society of the United States at the Beverly Hilton, as some of LA’s finest specimens trotted along the red carpet to support their furry friends. The scene was surprisingly mellow for a red carpet, and animal love is what seemed to keep attitudes on the peaceful side. The number one topic in the minds of celebs seemed to be their own lovable pets followed closely in second by a need to bring awareness to animal issues.

Two things I didn’t know before the red carpet: that there’s a vegetarian/vegan TV show AND apparently chickens make great pets according to both Joy Lauren of Desperate Housewives and Linda Cardellini of ER!

She was introduced to the world as the sweet girl-next-door type, but Molly Ringwald has now chosen to go the opposite route; sources confirm she will be playing the mother of a Juno/JLS-type teen on a new TV show:

The new untitled pilot from "7th Heaven" writer BRENDA HAMPTON will also star JOHN SCHNEIDER and ERNIE HUDSON and air on ABC Family in the fall.

Now 40 years old, former '80s teen queen Ringwald has spent much of her adult career on the stage, appearing on Broadway in Cabaret and Enchanted April, in a national tour of Sweet Charity and Off-Broadway in a variety of plays. [ET]

Enjoy Molly's films on Fancast. Can you picture her as a mom? Neither can we!

The rumors were right, there's a boy band back in town and they're ready to show the world just how far they've come since their 90's heyday by announcing a new tour. They spoke to People about their comeback:

There they were, hanging tough – in front of a throng of screaming fans! New Kids on the Block made their official reunion announcement on Friday's Today show – following their exclusive sit-down with PEOPLE to talk about their new music and how it feels to be back together.

Wearing dark suits, Jordan, Jonathan, Donnie, Joey and Danny had to lean in closely to hear Meredith Viera's questions over the screams of fans.

What's NKOTB been up to these past few years? Find out on Fancast.

Seems everyone is going the route of newbie fashionista Lauren Conrad, with Britney Spears now jumping on the fashion line bandwagon by wanting to design a children's clothing label. Hmmm. Might there be a Britney Spears croptop in the mix?

“She wants to work on a clothing line with Christian,” says Ed Hardy representative Nicole Irving, who adds, “it was a closed door meeting, but we will say that they are planning to do a children’s clothing line.” Spears sought out the former Von Dutch designer specifically to discuss the project, seeking his “flair on the line.” Irving explains, “I know the one thing she stressed, she loves and really respects Christian as a designer.” As for the pop star, who spent the morning with her sons Jayden and Preston, Irving describes her as “just really warm and in good spirits.” [People]

For a third-party account of how Britney actually shops, click Francis Orante's blog. It really is crazy! Just imagine how it would go down if those were Britney label clothing she was shopping for.

Virginia Madsen has a pretty face, but there maybe a reason for that, as her latest project indicates. As Fashionista reports she's been named the new face of Botox:

The actress will star in the company's print ads and television commercials, which debut at a party next week - along with (seriously) a PSA on behalf of the League of Women Voters, starring Ms. Madsen.

Check out Virginia's pretty and flawless face on the Fancast photo gallery.

The battle raged on to save Friday Night Lights after the very surreal cancellation of the show, but NBC fortunately decided to give the fans what they wanted. Through a partnership with DirecTV, the network has signed on for a third season of the very special show.

Catch up before the new season begins by catching previous episodes on Fancast:

FULL EPISODE: Pilot

FULL EPISODE: Eyes Wide Open

FULL EPISODE: Wind Sprints

FULL EPISODE: Who's Your Daddy

More FULL episodes...

When you think of NCIS, you don't necessarily think funny, so you'll be surprised at what goes on behind the scenes on the set. Catch Agent DiNozzo goof around on the set of a photo shoot.

Shoot 1
Shoot 2

Tina Fey doesn't miss the news humor business, saw the strike like a second maternity leave, and wants Oprah to play her best friend. She talked to Fancast about this and more, a few days before the season premiere of 30 Rock.

Any truth to the rumor that Tracy, the show's host, will be endorsing one of the Presidential candidates?
No, because we don’t have anything - actually, we do have a storyline now that you mention that. We do have a storyline coming up where Jack tries to enlist Tracy to be the new black face of the Republican party. So actually, we do have a story about that kind of.

Do you bring your daughter onto the set?
I do try to bring her sometimes and she likes to come. She likes to hang out in the makeup room. But at the same time, it is a busy workplace and I always feel mindful that not everyone gets to bring their kids. We - actually at 30 Rock, we also try to do special days where we have parties where everyone can bring their kids. We had a really fun Halloween party for the kids and then we’re trying to have sort of a spring/Easter party this week.

Do you pine about getting critically acclaimed show or getting the ratings?
No. I mean, I think for us it’s - we sort of have a feeling of like we’re going to keep making these until they don’t let us make them anymore. But I think TV is changing and people are aware of that. And I think the way ratings are measured is going to continue to change over the next couple years in terms of measuring DVR sampling and Internet sampling. I think the traditional Nielsen thing might not quite reflect everyone that’s watching our show.

Tom Welling has been wooing the lady fans of Smallville for several seasons, and he'll be back when the new season premieres on April 17th. Some like him scruffy, others prefer a younger, smooth-facedTom; but all the ladies concur that this Superman's the hottest one this side of Krypton. Watch Tom throughout the seasons of Smallville on Fancast.

Seeing Brad Pitt anywhere near anything American Idol-related might seem completely off-the-wall, but it happened this weekend at the Idol Gives Back special taped at the Kodak Theater. People reports:

Brad Pitt was speechless when he walked onto the American Idol stage Sunday night — literally.

The crowd went wild when the actor took the stage at Hollywood’s Kodak Theater to tape a segment for Fox’s second annual Idol Gives Back special, making talking impossible.

The crowd jumped to their feet for the hunky superstar, whose efforts to help rebuild housing for families who lost everything in 2005’s Hurricane Katrina were recognized by show. (The broadcast will air Wednesday, April 9.)

After nearly 30 seconds of cheers, the 44-year-old Pitt — who was slated to introduce a film clip about former Idol contestant Chris Daughtry’s visit to Uganda — tried to say “thank you,” but his microphone wasn’t working.