The Access Entertainment Week In Review

It was week of surprises in the world of entertainment, as a “View” co-host broke her silence, a former “Grey’s” cast member turned the tables, and the line between politics and television blurred.

“The View” co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck talked exclusively to Access Hollywood‘s Tim Vincent this week, in her first interview since her heated and personal on-air argument with Rosie O’Donnell.

The on-air showdown, which took place nearly a month ago (May 23, 2007), spurred O’Donnell’s early departure from the show. When asked if she would define O’Donnell as a friend now, Hasselbeck said, “You know, truthfully, I think a friend is someone who you have positive communications with, so I don’t know if I would define us as friends right now.”

In response to a video posted by O’Donnell on her blog in which she said, “I never tried harder to be friends with someone?I don’t think we ended up there,” Hasselbeck told Vincent, “She sent me two emails right after that and I sent her one back. It was a really great email, so hearing these things after really surprises me.” Hasselbeck added, “I have kind of been on a blog-abstinence program because I never really read her blog to begin with. Only when someone would bring something to me, for example this, it would pique my interest.”

As for Rosie’s blog, it garnered a lot of attention this week over O’Donnell’s postings about desire to host the “Price is Right.” With the game show’s long-standing host, Bob Barker, officially retired, Rosie made it clear that she wanted to replace him. In a posting on her blog on Tuesday, Rosie indicated that she’d be meeting with the show’s producers. But two days later, Rosie posted again. This time she said, “I don’t know if it’s going to work out,” adding, “Frankly, talking to real people would be better than having to talk to celebrities, so it would be good for me…but I don’t know if it would be right for them.”

Barker himself commented on Rosie at the Daytime Emmy Awards last weekend, saying, “There’s no doubt in my mind she could do the show,” but then added this week: “I have not been asked for my opinion, nor have I expressed one. I think there are several candidates who could do the show, and Rosie is certainly one of them.”

One of those candidates may be actor Drew Carey, who reportedly met with the game show’s producers and CBS regarding the possibility of hosting.

As for “The View,” the question of who will replace O’Donnell and Star Jones-Reynolds is still unanswered, but that hasn’t stopped rampant speculation from occurring. Elisabeth Hasselbeck offered her opinions to Access on some people who have been mentioned as potential replacements, including Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd and Kathy Griffin. Access also learned that two male hosts could be in the running: actor / comedian Mario Cantone and Ross the Intern from “The Tonight Show.”

“The View” executive producer Bill Geddie told Access on Thursday, “We are open to trying a variety of guest co-hosts who bring a unique voice to the show. As I have said before, some are friends of the show, some are people we thought could mix it up, some are stunts and some are potential candidates.”

Speaking of “candidates,” Senator Hillary Clinton borrowed a page from “The Sopranos” this week, when she unveiled a new ad to announce her Presidential campaign song. She did it by starring in a spoof of the infamous final scene of the hugely popular HBO series. Though she recruited a host of extras (including husband Bill) for the spot, one actor lent some major authenticity to the scene – Vincent Curatola, who played “Sopranos” mob boss Johnny Sack.

“[I was told they were] filming something for Hillary Clinton, and Bill was gonna be in it and Chelsea’s gonna be in it, and it would be a spoof on the final episode the final scene of our show,” Curatola recounted to Access. “I said ‘it sounds good.’ That’s how it began.”

Though it was an early morning shoot, Curatola said, his Clinton co-stars were nothing short of cordial. Both of them, in fact, proved to be major “Sopranos” fans.

Former “Grey’s Anatomy” cast member Isaiah Washington said this week that it was unfair that he was dismissed from the hit show. In an interview with The Houston Chronicle, Washington stated that co-star T.R. Knight should’ve been the one to go.

“They fired the wrong guy,” Washington insisted. “I have to clear my name.”

Washington thrust himself into the center of the storm when he uttered an anti-gay remark about co-star T.R. Knight. But now, Washington claims Knight should have been the one to take the fall.

“I feel all this was about him getting a raise and getting his character to stop being perceived as a dopey, cooky kind of character. He perceives himself as a leading man. That’s why you could see the change this past season. That was his whole impetus behind it,” Washington said. “I was used and I was exploited. I may be wrong but that’s how I feel about it.”

Washington says when he used the slur on-set, it wasn’t even directed at Knight. He also revealed he is considering a lawsuit over his dismissal from the show, saying that he did everything that was asked of him to do.

A rep for Washington told Access, “Isaiah does stand by his statement that he thinks T.R. should have been fired and not him.”

When contacted by Access Hollywood, ABC, Touchstone, & a rep for Knight all had no comment.

In other TV news, NBC announced the addition of new “Heroes” to the cast for next season, Donald Trump announced a new reality show he is bringing to MTV, and comedienne Kathy Griffin made CNN’s Anderson Cooper blush when she jokingly professed her love for him on “Larry King Live.”

In movie news: “The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” debuted as the No. 1 weekend film with $57.4 million in sales, slightly surpassing the $56.1 million opening of “Fantastic Four” two years ago, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson were among 115 actors, filmmakers, studio executives and others invited into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that hands out the Oscars.

John Travolta & newcomer Nikki Blonsky spoke with Access about the movie musical “Hairspray,” and Michelle Pfeiffer talked about her trepidation over playing a “ruthless” villain in the film.

Bruce Willis talked up “Live Free or Die Hard,” telling Access that he felt it was even better than the first “Die Hard” movie.

In music news: Rod Stewart married model Penny Lancaster in a private ceremony on the Italian Riviera, Mick Jagger apologized to fans (in the Catalan language) for cancelling shows in four Spanish cities last year, and Christina Aguilera reportedy bought Ozzy Osbourne’s home made famous in his MTV reality show.

Britney Spears allegedly threatened to sue Florida radio station WFLZ over their “outrageous and extreme” billboard ads this week, which reportedly featured an unflattering (bald) picture of her along with the taglines, “Total Nut Jobs,” “Shock Therapy,” and “Certifiable.”

TheSmokingGun.com posted a letter, allegedly from Britney’s lawyer to Clear Channel (the company that operates the station), which stated the pop star’s “likeness has a multi-million dollar value for authorized commercial exploitations” and as a result of the misuse of her image, Brit is now entitled to “very substantial damages” from Clear Channel Communications. Reps for both Spears and WFLZ were not immediately available for comment, but the billboards in question have since been taken down.

Britney also made headlines when she reportedly stormed off the set of a shoot for her latest fragrance this week. “She got very upset and stormed out of the shoot and wouldn’t come back,” Page Six quoted the source as saying. However, a rep for Spears said the report is totally false. “She didn’t storm off at all. She did the shoot in less than four hours,” the rep told Access Hollywood.

In other news, Princes William and Harry spoke to Matt Lauer about their feelings regarding reports about them in the press, and Jennifer Aniston told Access about how a book called “Welcome to Your Crisis” can help one get through difficult times.

And, finally, there was some very happy news for Julia Roberts this week, as she celebrated the birth of a new baby boy. Hollywood was full of baby news, in fact, as Keri Russell, Kevin James and Tiger Woods also welcomed new additions to their families.