New York, May 15, 2006 – It’s upfront week in New York, and normally we don’t write up just one of these extravaganzas in which TV networks attempt to lure advertisers onto their airwaves. But we were shocked – shocked! – by the blatant sensuality on display at Monday’s NBC upfront. (OK, we were kind of thrilled.)

Matt Lauer is really crazy about his new Today co-host Meredith Vieira. Truly excited about her. Matt is very, very happy about Meredith. And Meredith feels the same way about Ann Curry and Al Roker. They’re like family. A very close, very loving family.

And as we battled through the throngs at Radio City Music Hall, and saw series co-stars nuzzling, rubbing and bumping body parts, we realized that NBC was giving advertisers a secret preview of its foolproof plan to boost ratings for its lackluster fall lineup. Sex sells.

Los Angeles, May 12, 2006 – No, Brooke Shields is not suffering from postpartum dementia this time; but apparently she didn’t get the memo that the Race to Erase MS gala on Friday was not a costume party. Was this a Bridget Jones’ Diary-style trick by her nemesis, Tom Cruise? Natalie Cole also dressed for the disco fever-themed bash, but she was one of the evening’s performers.

Attendees included lots of young Hollywood types, including arch enemies Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, each backed up by her second-in-command, Kimberly Stewart and Lindsay Lohan, respectively. Mischa Barton sat this one out, since the Race to Erase is the brainchild of Nancy Davis, her ex, Brandon’s mom. Gay divorcee Sophia Bush was jolly despite her ex Chad Michael Murray’s recent engagement to a teenager. Kristin Cavallari wore a $500,000 Neil Lane ring, but is not engaged.

Sharon Osbourne divided her time between good causes this evening, accompanying her daughter, Kelly, to the Race to Erase gala, and also joining Husband Ozzy at a MusiCares benefit.

Los Angeles, May 11, 2006 – Drinking is always advisable when you’ve been sentenced to prison for tax evasion, and so, over-the-top fashion designer Roberto Cavalli went ahead and launched his own brand of premium vodka, naturally. We noticed it was air kissing as usual at the vodka’s launch party on Thursday at a private mansion in the Holmby Hills. (That would be in Los Angeles, which means Italian authorities had no problem with Cavalli leaving the country.) Roberto's little tax problem seemed to have never happened. Mischa Barton, Anne Heche, Nicky Hilton, Alana Stewart and Cindy Crawford and her bar-owning, vodka-serving husband Rande Gerber tasted the new creation. Lindsay Lohan was late – so late, that we had already left by the time she arrived.

New York, May 11, 2006 – Since the Whitney Contemporaries is a group of young art patrons, they held their Art Party downtown, at Skylight Studios, where wealthy, arty, youngish folks like the MisShapes can safely go without suffering nosebleeds. Calvin Klein’s sponsorship assured the presence of well-dressed actresses like Chloe Sevigny and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and some second-generation fashion royalty like Moises de la Renta and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. With her hair over her eyes all evening, it’s possible that Eva Mendes didn’t actually see the specially made artworks on display, but never fear: the works will be displayed in Calvin Klein’s boutique windows on Madison Avenue.

New York, May 11, 2006 – Even if you weren’t invited to Oprah Winfrey’s Legends’ Ball, you’ll be able to see it Monday, May 15, as a TV special on ABC. The ball was actually an entire weekend in which 25 legendary black women and other guests gathered at the talk-show queen’s home in Montecito, California. Honorees that inspired Oprah included Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, Aretha Franklin, Toni Morrison and Ruby Dee, and notable guests included Halle Berry, Mary J. Blige and Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Oh, and we’ll get a peek at Oprah’s $50 million estate.

Oprah hosted a sneak preview of the special on Thursday, at the newly refurbished Morgan Library in Manhattan. Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, a newly-slim Janet Jackson, Barbara Walters, Spike Lee, Tyra Banks and Diddy were all on hand.

Los Angeles, May 10, 2006 – Apparently, watching a giant ship capsize and fill with water while its terrified passengers try to escape like trapped rats makes for a nice family outing. Poseidon star Josh Lucas, dateless as usual, brought his sister Kate to the movie’s Hollywood premiere. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas makes her sort-of blockbuster debut in Poseidon, and she was in a great mood, a really, really happy mood; she was flying. She had her sister Dana along for support.

May 10 is Mother’s Day in Mexico, and so Salma Hayek gave her mom a treat, bringing her to a big, glamorous Hollywood premiere to watch a shipload of people drown. Having mama Hayek there must have been special for Josh Lucas, since he used to date Salma. Freddy Rodriguez, of Six Feet Under fame, brought his wife, Elsie, who told us her shoes were killing her, and his son, Giancarlo.

Kurt Russell made it a boys night out, with his hockey-playing son, Wyatt, and Goldie Hawn’s son, Oliver Hudson. For some reason, Jon Voight’s daughter, Angelina Jolie, declined to accompany him to the premiere.

Los Angeles, May 10, 2006 – An eclectic crew gathered at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Wednesday when the American Film Institute saluted the Arquette family. Roseanne Barr, Mickey Rooney, Paul “Pee Wee “ Reubens and Laura Dern were in the house with Arquette siblings Rosanna, Patricia, David, Alexis and Richmond.

The TV show Friends was well-represented by Mrs. David Arquette, Courteney Cox, and Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston, who inexplicably hid from the handful of photographers on hand, refusing to even glance up as she descended the staircase, and turning and running once she reached the bottom of the stairs.

The AFI honored the Arquettes with its Associates Platinum Circle Award, awarded each year to recognize a family's creative contributions to the entertainment community.

New York, May 10, 2006 - EXCLUSIVE – Scarlett Johansson dissed her boss, Harvey Weinstein, and New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg on a film set this morning. The mayor called a press conference in Tribeca at the set where Johansson is currently on location shooting the Weinstein Co. film The Nanny Diaries. After speaking, Harvey Weinstein said, “I’ll go get Scarlett”, and walked to the movie set. There was some discussion, and we heard the words “She said no” from the set; apparently Johansson had refused to come and meet the mayor. This was later corroborated by an on-set rep.