ROLL CALL: Sharon Gets Heated & Paris Gets Treated

Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans by Tommy Vergason

June 12, 2007

HANDLED WITH CARE: Paris Hilton received a visit from her lawyer at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility’s medical ward yesterday, and he reportedly tells PEOPLE that the incarcerated heiress is “doing as well as she can.” Richard Hutton reportedly assured PEOPLE that Hilton is getting the help she needs, after being placed in the medical ward to be treated for an undiclosed condition. “The staff here is giving her excellent medical care,” he is quoted as saying. Hilton was ordered to return to jail after being briefly reassigned to home confinement, and she is expected to serve the remainder of her sentence in the medical ward. While Hutton praised the staff for giving her quality care, he noted that Paris is not getting any special perks as an inmate. “She’s being treated the same as everyone else in jail,” he reportedly says. “She is receiving no preferential treatment.”

More Celebrity Scoop After the Video!

FROM TWIN TOWERS TO SIN CITY: Meanwhile, THE NY POST’s PAGE SIX claims that Paris’ dad, Rick Hilton, has been approaching various Las Vegas venues to secure a party location for Paris upon her release. According to PAGE SIX’s source, Rick has talked to Pure, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and the Palms. “He was originally asking for a $50,000 cash fee to be paid, as well as accommodations and flights,” the source reportedly claims. “Pure and Hard Rock said ‘no’ flat out, but George Maloof, who owns the Palms, didn’t say yes or no. He’s very good pals with Paris and is the one who once hooked her up with Britney Spears.” PAGE SIX notes, however, that Rick’s party planning has been temporarily put on hold since Paris’ re-entry into jail on Friday. Paris’ rep, Elliot Mintz, did not return emails requesting comment from PAGE SIX.

DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER: “Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl tells GLAMOUR magazine about her outburst over Isaiah Washington’s homophobic slur against fellow co-star T.R. Knight, about which she was quite outspoken with ACCESS HOLLYWOOD when the incident originally occurred. “At the time, I was a girl whose best friend had been hurt,” she reportedly tells GLAMOUR. “I was mad, I’d had a glass or two of champagne, and an interviewer asked me about it. Later, when I watched it on the news, I thought, I’m totally going to get in trouble for this. I knew I wasn’t playing the political game—the network wants us to promote a healthy, happy environment, and I’m usually all for that—but that particular incident really infuriated me, and I couldn’t hold my tongue. I think it’s pathetic there’s still so much bigotry in 2007, and I would speak out again if the situation arose.” (editor’s note: The GLAMOUR interview with Heigl was conducted before ABC decided not to renew Washington ‘s contract for another season.)

VANESSA KEEPS BANGING ON BONGOS: Aspiring actress and former TV host Vanessa Manillo is getting a second chance to represent Bongo for their ad campaigns, despite the recent controversy surrounding pictures that surfaced of her and Lindsay Lohan posing provocatively with knives. The junior clothing line announced yesterday that Manillo would reprise her spokesperson duties staring in the fall, reports USMAGAZINE.COM. According to the report, a spokesperson for Bongo reportedly said of the photo scandal: “Vanessa genuinely regrets the most recent events, but is thrilled to be working with Bongo for a second season. Likewise, Bongo has had a fantastic experience working with Vanessa and looks forward to continuing our relationship.”

SIMON SAVES THE DAY: Sharon Osbourne has replaced Brandy as a judge on “America’s Got Talent” for its second season, and there has been strife between her and fellow outspoken judge Piers Morgan after only a week on the air. On last night’s show, Osbourne got bent out of shape over Morgan’s harsh critique of a nine year-old cheerleader and her mother, prompting Osbourne to tear up her notecards and leave the set in frustration. TV GUIDE spoke with Sharon about the incident, of which she reportedly said: “There was one young contestant after another. Piers has a definite dislike for children or younger artists. It was appalling behavior. I just couldn’t take the way he was talking to them. And it was not just the children — he was being particularly appalling to everybody that day. I just had it. I was ready to scream.” After retiring to her dressing room with plans to go home before taping finished, executive producer Simon Cowell reportedly talked her in to going back on set. “The director got Simon on the phone,” she reportedly said. “Simon is always the voice of reason. He had his entrepreneur’s hat on, and he said, ‘You have got to be professional. You signed a contract here, and you could really get into a lot of trouble. You have worked with worse people in your life. You can handle this.’”

ROSIE, COME ON DOWN?: Rosie O’Donnell has hopes of signing a contract, as the new host of “The Price Is Right.” With longtime host Bob Barker retiring, the legendary game show is in need of a replacement — and Rosie is definitely interested. In a video posted on her OFFICIAL BLOG, Rosie says that she’s been hounding the show’s producers about the potential gig. “I’m still talking to them. they haven’t hired anyone. I still send them emails every day,” O’Donnell says, adding that she’s been “begging on a daily basis.” She adds that one of her ideas is to feature “vintage Bob [Barker] clips,” in which old footage would be shown, and viewers would have to guess the year in which it took place. Despite her perseverence, she admits that there’s a “slim chance” she’d be hired. She jokingly remarks, “They have to want me, I’ve learned.”

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