This Week: The Chosen Ones

The year 2007 kicked off with a few selections that could well impact the feng shui of Hollywood for some time to come.

The Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild of America made their annual nominations, bringing many actors that much closer to Oscar. SAG gave two nods each to Leonardo DiCaprio and Helen Mirren. Both also got multiple nominations last month for the Golden Globes.

SAG also smiled on "Pursuit Of Happyness" star Will Smith, and "Dreamgirls" costars Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, but snubbed "Borat," "Babel's" Brad Pitt and "Departed" costars Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon.

Actor Mario Lopez got a tap on the back this week from Miss America pageant organizers, who selected the "Dancing With The Stars" finalist as host of this year's televised show in Las Vegas. "I'm honored. I think it's going to be great," Lopez told The Associated Press, adding that he has opted not to sing the legendary ditty, "There She Is, Miss America" on the show.

He had a simple reason for his decision. "I like to sing, but I don't sing well."

Pressed to make a choice, Barbara Walters sided with her co-host on "The View" Rosie O'Donnell, in the ongoing feud between O'Donnell and Donald Trump. Fresh from vacation, Walters gave O'Donnell her vote of support on Wednesday's show, telling the audience that she never told The Donald that she didn't want O'Donnell as a co-host, as he had previously claimed.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," she said. "I have never regretted, nor do I now, the hiring of Rosie O'Donnell."

Meanwhile, Trump picked up some support from his daughter Ivanka as he continued his Rosie-bashing in a TV interview. "There's no question in my mind, and I hope you save this clip because, eventually, Rosie will be gone from 'The View.' Rosie is a very negative force," he told "The Insider's" Pat O'Brien.

Paris Hilton was chosen for a pink slip this week by Florida club owner Fred Khalilian, who has two venues named Club Paris. He's not changing the name but he is changing the spokesperson because Paris Hilton has continuously failed to attend scheduled appearances in Orlando, The Associated Press reported. Khalilian said he plans to hold a contest to come up with the new face for his clubs.

2Jessica Simpson might be the perfect selection, although she's going through a rough patch in her career and did show up late to Christina Aguilera's New Years bash at the Hudson Hotel this week. She wasn't alone. Cutie John Mayer was at her side and apparently the pair weren't hiding the fact that they're into each other; they reportedly engaged in a full-on make-out session at the party.

"He was scratching her back, they were kissing, it wasn't subtle," a witness told the New York Daily News.

Pamela Anderson showed that she could be choosey when she used her Web site to describe her ideal mate.

"I need a man with interests outside of himself," Anderson wrote on Pamelaanderson.com. "Someone with similar beliefs — that would be sexy."

Philip de Haan was the bridegroom of choice when Vera de Vries, aka Xaviera Hollander of the "Happy Hooker" fame, opted for marriage this week. The onetime brothel owner and author of 1972's landmark book married her longtime boyfriend in a quiet ceremony in Amsterdam.

In Britain this week, rumors continued to swirl around Prince William's choice of companion, longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton. A British newspaper reported that William's own advisors have told him to either get engaged soon or cool the relationship, because it's not appropriate for the two to continue to live together.

Princess Diana's former private secretary, Patrick Jephson, told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm that Middleton may soon be chosen for palace life. It's "worth a bet," she said, that the pair will soon be betrothed.
by Amy Bonawitz
by Amy Bonawitz