Adam Scott and Kathryn Hahn arrive at the premiere of 'Step Brothers' in Los Angeles. (photo: Todd Williamson/WireImage.com)

Honoring Patriots

After fighting through politics, war and disease as John and Abigail Adams, stars Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney have both been nominated for Outstanding Lead Emmys®. In total, HBO's programs received 85 nominations, with 'John Adams,' 'Recount' and 'Bernard and Doris' leading the pack, each with at least nine nods.

[HBO Emmy® Nominees]

Clash of the Titans

Joe Calzaghe (pictured) and Roy Jones Jr. have reached a deal to fight at the Garden, which could be as much a boon to their promotion companies as their pugilistic careers. The plan was always for the fighters to handle the business end themselves, and Jones had no doubt that they'd reach an agreement: "Joe called me out and it's hard for me to turn that down," he told ESPN two weeks ago. "I didn't need the fight, but he asked for it and it's hard to turn down that opportunity when he's such a credible and worthy champion. You ask me to fight, you're a champion and you're 45-0? That's the kind of stuff I like to do, you feel me? I think Joe is a true champion and I think he really is going to fight me. I want to get back to the pound-for-pound list and this is the shortcut. I beat Joe, I'm back on top." (photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage.com)

[ESPN]

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Step Brothers.' (photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.com)

Family Ties

First Amanda Seyfried has to deal with three moms on 'Big Love,' and the now the actress is juggling three dads in 'Mamma Mia.' No matter how complicated her family gets on screen, though, her real-life relations are refreshingly close. ''They supported me, within our means, and allowed me to do what I wanted to do, but they never spoiled me,'' she says. ''It was a nice balance. They'd buy me 'N Sync tickets, but when it came to clothes and parties, they were strict. I wasn't allowed to drink or smoke. They knew what they were doing.''

When Seyfried headed off to shoot in Greece, she got a chance to pay them back — particularly her grandmother, who had recently lost her husband. "I told my grandma, I said, 'Nina, you have to escape with me. ... you need to get away, and you need to have an experience on your own without him.' So Seyfried's mother and grandmother got on a plane. "My grandmother had the greatest time. She partied with the male ensemble guys. They were picking her up and dancing with her and twirling her, and everyone was going, 'Go, Nina! Go, Nina!' It was so amazing!" (photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

[McCall.com]

[Philadelphia Daily News]

Surprise Ending

When filmmakers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey headed to the desert to make a documentary about Heidi Fleiss's newest business venture (a brothel for women in Nevada), they couldn't have predicted the story they found. Suffice to say, the resulting film, 'Heidi Fleiss: The Would-Be Madam of Crystal,' didn't culminate in the stud dance number and ribbon cutting they were hoping for. "There were incredible highs and incredible lows. And a lot of time waiting," says Barbato (pictured) in an exclusive HBO.com interview. "We have spent a lot of time at the Days Inn in Pahrump, Nevada. And let me tell you, it's no Bellagio." (photo: Lee Celano/WireImage.com)

[HBO.com]

Susan Sarandon and Eva Amurri attend the Longchamp 60th anniversary celebration in New York City. (photo: Shawn Ehlers/WireImage.com)

The Naked Truth

Well fellas, even if you're more Giants and Budweiser than vampires and synthetic blood, Anna Paquin still has quite a pitch for you for 'True Blood,' her upcoming series on HBO: "My wardrobe is awesome! I am practically naked the entire time. What is not to love? And they give me this nice spray tan, so I feel like I am sort of wearing an extra layer of clothing that is actually not really there. I feel quite naked actually. Or I did. I bought a lot of little tiny shorts to wear around on set." (photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com)

[NY Post]

Dressed to Kill

David Walliams and Matt Lucas, the comedy team behind 'Little Britain,' the hit Brit comedy show that is emigrating to the U.S. and HBO this fall, have carefully analyzed the differences between American and British humor in order to make the transition. "We talked about American comedy being a little cooler and Britain being a bit sadder," Lucas said, thoughtfully. Walliams adds: "I think we make ourselves look maybe stupid in Britain a little bit more than being cool." Peeling back the onion yet one more layer, Walliams uncovered another secret to their success: "But also we're not afraid to dress as women which is a little bit rarer in American comedy." (photo: Fred Duval/FilmMagic.com)

[Reuters, via stuff.co.nz]

Kristin Chenoweth, Cheryl Hines and her daughter Catherine Rose attend the premiere of 'Space Chimps' in Los Angeles. (photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com)

Ari or Aren't He?

'Entourage' star Jeremy Piven can't walk down Rodeo Drive without someone wanting to "hug it out, bitch," but the actor swears he's not that kind of guy. He does, however, find a telling compliment in his fans' assumption that he's the ultimate Type-A jerk. "I think people assume that when they meet me, my energy is like Ari's and that's who I am," he says. "But my energy as a human being is very different. I'm a guy from the Midwest who grew up on the stage with my family. Regardless, I feel completely misunderstood. It's a credit to the show and the role that I am so misunderstood, that people think I carry that energy around with me. But the fact is that I have to whip myself up into a frenzy to inhabit a character that lives in such extremes." (photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com)

[Canada.com]

Clock Puncher

Ricky Gervais finished the final leg of his cross-country comedy tour this week (a show in LA and one in NY, "I just didn't stop in the middle," he explains). He says his reputation for being a perfectionist with his projects is really actually the result of laziness. "I dedicate my heart and soul and passion and all the integrity I can muster - between the hours of 10 and 6," he says. "As long as I can get away with it, there's no reason to change." (photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com)

[NYDailynews.com]

Cynthia Nixon at the Off-Broadway opening of 'The Marriage of Bette and Boo' in New York City. (photo: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic.com)

Man of Steel

Flight of the Conchords manager Murray Hewitt could use a little more whup ass in his arsenal of people skills. But don't blame that on Darby who shows his range in a new Nike ad currently running in the UK in which he plays Roger Federer's über tennis coach "Ross Steel." When Federer returns home, he is accosted by Steel who fires tennis balls at him until only one man is left standing. Guess who. But Darby isn't cowed. As he writes on his MySpace blog: "Only one man can harness the power within to train the world's greatest player ... That man is Ross Steel."

[stuff.co.nz]

Wicked Herb

Pot dealers and meth addicts are so 2007. When it comes to the shadiness factor, no one can match underbellies with the $46 billion herbal supplement industry. So when 'Biggest Loser' creator Dave Broome teamed with Forest Whitaker on the pilot for the one-hour drama series 'Fat Sells,' HBO ate it up. "In a culture so obsessed with looks and weight, the idea of 'Fat Sells' — exploring image, self-esteem and power — was not only culturally important but very timely," says Whitaker. Broome adds: "Everyone is looking for that Magic Pill to change their lives ... We're taking a world not regulated by the FDA and breaking it wide open." (photo: Sylvia Linares/FilmMagic.com)

[Marketwatch.com]