ROLL CALL: Rosie Shops Around, & Tobey Takes His Shirt Off

Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans by Tommy Vergason

May 8, 2007

PARIS RELENTS: Just two days after dismissing her longtime publicist, Elliot Mintz, Paris Hilton has apparently had a change of heart. Access received a statement from Mintz, which reads: “Paris and I met last night. Our professional relationship continues. I am still her media rep, and she remains my client.” Mintz (pictured, with Paris’ cat) said in a statement Sunday that he and Hilton had parted ways over an apparent “misunderstanding she received from me regarding the terms of her probation.” He said Hilton was being truthful when she told a judge she believed — incorrectly, it turned out — that “it was O.K. for her to drive under certain circumstances” under the terms.

PITCHING ROSIE: Rosie O’Donnell’s agent is shopping a talk show pitch to networks, reports BROADCASTING & CABLE. The pitch reportedly features a format that would pair O’Donnell with a single guest host each week, with a “hot topics” portion similar to “The View.” O’Donnell’s agent, Nancy Josephson, is holding non-exclusive talks with more than a dozen interested parties, according to the report. Sources claim that CBS is prepared to offer her a broad deal, but NBC and Fox are also in the mix. There is reported speculation, however, that News Corp. boss Rupert Murdoch (a recent target of O’Donnell’s barbs), could be inclined to put the kibosh on Fox stations’ interest. B&C quotes an anonymous TV executive as saying “[Rosie] may be a polarizing figure, but if we can just get 5%-10% of those who agree with her and a few of those who don’t, we would have a hit.”

WHEN UNITARDS JUST DON’T CUT IT: Tobey Maguire has a hit on his hands, as “Spider-Man 3” shattered box office records this past weekend. E! ONLINE’s MARC MALKIN reports on an interview with Maguire in the new issue of Elle magazine, in which he reportedly reveals how he got the role of Spider-Man in the first place: by removing his shirt at the auditions. “I had done an audition tape, but it wasn’t what they wanted to see,” Maguire reportedly says. “They were like, ‘He can act; we knew that. But we want to see an action scene.’ ” After donning a blue unitard for his callback, the producers were reportedly still not sold on him. “So, I ripped the top down and did a fight scene with my shirt off with stunt doubles,” Maguire says. “And that’s how they cast me.”

More Celebrity Scoop After the Video!

BEHIND THE IDOLS: “American Idol” is nearing its big finish, and USA TODAY’s BILL KEVENEY spent the last few days behind the scenes, as the final four prepare for tonight’s performance show featuring the music of The Bee Gees. His daily reports recap the finalists’ song selection process (they each do TWO songs this week), rehearsals with vocal coach Debra Byrd, and shopping for outfits. Among the reported highlights: Blake Lewis thanks Byrd for her help with a backrub (“Blake is our resident masseuse,” she jokes); Melinda drops one of her original song choices because the chorus has sexual overtones (“My pastor’s coming” to the show, she says); Lakisha chooses disco smash “Stayin’ Alive” (“In my mind, I’m thinking of staying alive in this competition”) and Jordin learns she can’t sing her top choice, “To Love Somebody,” because mentor Barry Gibb is set to perform it Wednesday. She playfully goes faux diva: “Does he not know who I think I am?”

NEVE SCREAMS ‘I DO!’ : PEOPLE reports that actress Neve Campbell and British actor John Light have married. The “Party of Five” and “Scream” star reportedly met Light when the two worked together on the independent film “Investigating Sex” in 2001. When they became engaged in February 2006, Light (featured in HBO’s “Band of Brothers”) reportedly got down on one knee and recited Shakespeare to Campbell. This is the second marriage for Campbell, who split from Canadian actor Jeff Colt in 1997, after 2 1/2 years of marriage. She was also reportedly linked to John Cusack in 1998 – the same year she was named one of PEOPLE’s 50 Most Beautiful People.

JORDAN HORSES AROUND: THE NY DAILY NEWS’ RUSH & MOLLOY report on a cute encounter from this weekend’s Kentucky Derby, claiming that basketball legend Michael Jordan changed one actress’ luck. “Everybody Hates Chris” star Tichina Arnold reportedly lost $100 at Churchill Downs on Saturday, after Jordan gave her a bad tip in the sixth race. Arnold, who plays Chris Rock’s mother on the show, started “busting Jordan’s chops,” according to the report, so Jordan reached into his pocket and handed her $1,000 to bet on the Derby. Actors Gabrielle Union, Regina King and Keith Robinson were reportedly among the witnesses to the exchange.

‘MEDIUM’ IS LIVING LARGE: NBC’s “Medium” received a windfall today, as THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER announces that the network has handed out an early renewal to the drama for a fourth season. “‘Medium’ is a quality show with an outstanding star that has always delivered a very loyal audience,” said NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly. “We are pleased to know that we can look forward to more of its unique storytelling next year under executive producer Glenn Gordon Caron’s superb creative vision.” “Medium,” starring Patricia Arquette as a psychic suburban mother who solves mysteries, has attracted an average of 8.5 million viewers for NBC on Wednesday nights this season.