Clay Aiken Speaks Out About Rumors  —  Clay Aiken is no longer the charmingly awkward, self-confessed "dork" who came in second on 2003's second season of American Idol.  He has a new look, a new album - A Thousand Different Ways, which hit stores Tuesday - and some new, hard-won wisdom.

Jessica: Movie Got Me Through Tough Time  —  Simpson at the Employee of the Month premiere  —  Jessica Simpson says filming her new movie helped her get through a tough period - the aftermath of her split from husband Nick Lachey.  —  "I was going through a pretty rough time while making Employee …

WHITNEY EYES HER COMEBACK  —  IF all goes as Clive Davis plans, Whitney Houston will release an album, with new material by early next year.  "We are reviewing material right now," Davis told us.  And while Houston is not ready to sing solo at the Carousel Ball of Hope in October - she …

Thousands remember 'Crocodile Hunter'  —  BEERWAH, Australia - Friends and fans, including Hollywood stars and Australia's prime minister, bid farewell to "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin on Wednesday at a service that veered from poignant tributes to belly laughs.

Bernstein jumps down emcee's Deep Throat  —  Don't even think about trashing Bob Woodward when Carl Bernstein's around.  —  He'll blow you out of the water.  —  Former Washington Post reporter Bernstein - a featured player at Monday night's celeb-glutted dramatic reading of …

Rosie To O: Admit It, Already!  —  Rosie O'Donnell trained her gaydar on Oprah Winfrey and her BFF Gayle King on "The View," saying that the talk-show queen and her BFF Gayle King are, despite their protestations to the contrary and despite their not being full-blown lovers, "a tiny bit gay."

Paris Gives Up a Benjamin  —  Paris Hilton may be many things, but she sure isn't stingy, especially when she's coming out of a McDonalds drive-thru and a pan-handler asks her for money.  —  "You Paris Hilton!  Can I get a hundred dollars?" was the exact quote.

Behind the scenes with a H'wood fixer  —  Sidney Korshak was known as the "man who kept the secrets" in Hollywood.  But only now, a decade after his death, are we starting to glean just how indispensable the shadowy lawyer was to the town's stars and moguls.

Steve-O Jacked It On Richie's Back!  —  Jackass-er, Steve-O, appeared on the Howard Stern show yesterday morning and confessed that he never actually had sex with Nicole Richie.  He did admit that the jacked off on her back while she pretended to be asleep.

Tara Reid Flick Direct to the World Wide Web  —  RSS Feeds:  —  (andPOP) - Actress Tara Reid's new film, "Incubus," won't reach the silver screen, but instead will be released on AOL.  —  AOL will offer the movie for download to online audiences for $7.99 on AOL Red, or $3.49 for a five-day rental.

Eminem divorce is going to mediator  —  MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. - Eminem, his estranged wife and their lawyers met privately in a judge's chambers Tuesday but failed to agree to terms for the couple's second divorce.  —  "We didn't settle it, so all we did was set it for mediation," …

Lohan barred for being underage  —  Movie star Lindsay Lohan tried to get to see ex-lover Jared Leto's band play live — but was barred for being too young.  —  Friends say the Mean Girls star was itching to see Leto be a rock star with his band 30 Seconds to Mars playing in New York.

Stars vs. Paps, Part 10: Take a Chill Pill, Dude!!!  —  Justin and Cameron just do NOT like having their picture taken by paparazzi — we caught the lovebirds arriving at party in the Hollywood Hills last night and when they saw our photographers, Justin went crazy.

Britney Spears Reportedly Had A Tummy Tuck  —  Los Angeles, CA (AHN) - Hard work does pay off but Britney Spears wants to do it the easy way and make it look real.  —  It has been reported that the pop princess had a tummy tuck after giving birth to her second child, Sutton Pierce, last week.

JFK Jr. got randy call from Madonna - author  —  John F. Kennedy Jr. may have dated Daryl Hannah and married troubled Carolyn Bessette - but Madonna talked dirty to him on the phone.  —  That's one of the spicier revelations in William Sylvester Noonan's "Forever Young …

Lance Bass To Write Book  —  It's a happy day for Lance Bass fans: the former boy band singer has announced he's writing a tell-all book about his days with 'NSync and coming out as a gay man.  —  Bass, 27, went public with his lifestyle - and relationship with The Amazing Race winner Reichen Lemkuhl - in July.

Supermodel Showdown - Adriana Lima vs. Ana Beatriz Barros  —  Here's a little sexy fun for today.  It's the first Horny Oyster Supermodel Showdown.  How it works is pretty straightforward.  Have a look at each of these scrumptuous specimens, and cast your vote for who you think it more desirable in your opinion.

BORAT ON VANITY FAIR?  IT'S NICE!  —  Is Graydon Carter getting cocky?  Riding an 18-month hot streak at the newsstand, the Vanity Fair editor in chief has made a surprising choice for his November cover: comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.  Sources say VF fashion director Michael Roberts recently shot …