FROM THE NEWS DESK: Sandler Takes Over ‘Late Show’ (March 20, 2007)

Speaking of talk shows, wonder who will be the first to get Naomi Campbell to sit down, post-community service. Another funny scene today as she arrived for work as part of the clean-up crew at the Department of Sanitation. She tried to find someone to carry her purse and the tote ended up being toted by one of New York’s Finest. She’ll be done with that duty on Friday.

The movie, Captivity, has yet to be rated but complaints for the advertising have already resulted in the removal of billboards in Los Angeles and the taxi cab roof ads in New York City. Those ads feature a woman being kidnapped, confined, tortured and killed, with the titles of Abduction, Confinement, Torture and Termination above each frame. This is the latest recent example of creative advertising for movies and TV shows causing a local problem. An ad gimmick for Aqua Teen Hunger Force set off a bomb scare in Boston and the too provocative ads on buses in the city of Santa Monica for the premiere of America’s Next Top Model resulted in their removal. Captivity is set to open May 18.

We’re betting New York celebs will be spinning with former President Bill Clinton this Thursday in New York at SoulCycle. He will be there peddling a fundraiser for Hillary for President and talking health care issues and the importance of affordable healthcare. A forum of 33 “spinners” will all be allowed to question the former Pres, ride to some of his favorite tunes and afterwards sip on a libation. And for only $2300! And if all the bikes sell out that’s an evening worth at least $75,900 for Hillary’s campaign! They are not doing any serious name dropping for this campaign roll by, but we have to think that NY Big Money will come out for this one…just wondering if they will really be willing to get sweaty?

To paraphrase Scott Fitzgerald, “The Rich (and Famous) are not the same as you and me.” Last week, Rosie O’Donnell said she’d like nothing better than a whole show devoted to Broadway tunes on The View to celebrate her 45th birthday. So tomorrow look for the cast of ‘A Chorus Line,’ ‘Les Miserables,” and ‘The Color Purple,’ all singing their big hits. And James Denton of ‘Desperate Housewives’ has this thing about baseball. Couple of years ago the ‘Desperate Housewives’ star got to train with the Boston Red Sox. Now we learn James is one of the new owners of the Fullerton Flyers Professional Baseball Club.