by Laura Saltman

The summer is in full swing and I need a vacation. Thank goodness I'm leaving on one straightaway. After spending three full days out in Pasadena, California, this week, at the NBC and FOX TCA's, I'm officially burned out. It didn't help that the thermometer read 117 degrees every day. Of course, I wasn't really feeling the heat stuck in a dark hotel room for 12 hours a day conducting back-to-back interviews.

JANET JACKSON.

FOR MOST PEOPLE, THOSE TWO WORDS CONJURE UP A TON OF IMAGES'MOSTLY OF A WOMAN WHO IS DOMINANT, IN CONTROL OF HER MUSIC AND NOT SHY ABOUT GETTING WHAT SHE WANTS OUT OF HER CAREER.'OH, AND VERY SEXY'.LEST I FORGET WHAT ALSO HELPS SELL MILLIONS OF DISCS.

HOWEVER, WHEN I SEE THE NAME, JANET JACKSON, I THINK OF A VERY SHY'I MEAN -- INCREDIBLY SHY-- WOMAN WHO IS JUST A BIG KID WITH A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR.

FOR EXAMPLE'. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (I MAKE THE WORLD'S GREATEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES -- YES, FROM SCRATCH!), RACING MINI CARS, GETTING PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING (AND BEING LET GO! JANET, NOT ME..I ALWAYS GET WRITTEN UP) AND TRYING TO DATE IN OUR 20'S.

Under some tough questioning from Matt Lauer on the "Today" Show this morning, Colin Farrell opted to take the Tom Cruise path to shutting down the interviewer....tell him repeatedly and forcefully he's being "glib".

Matt had to chuckle as the clear reference was crafty and funny, but in the aftermath, will this become an ongoing "out" method for celebrities under fire' I think so, especially if the interviews are being conducted in front of an audience, as they are these days outside on the plaza. The audience is essentially watching a tennis match - whoever makes the big play and ends the rally gets the crowd approval.

I had never met the Dixie Chicks before and I'm always excited when I get to meet someone new.

I walked into the Great Western Forum - the place where Natalie, Emily, and Martie were rehearsing for their tour, "Accidents and Accusations," which kicked off in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan. The girls later would ask me if I wanted to come to the concert in Detroit, an offer I would have considered if I didn't have other plans.

When the girls come over, they apologize for keeping me waiting. Natalie is really cute. I tell her that there is "less" of her because of her recent weight loss. She teases that she is on the Mary-Kate Olsen diet.

by Laura Saltman

Somebody get me a cocktail! After spending my evening on the red carpet at ABC's TCA party, my hair's turned gray, I've lost several brain cells and I'm exhausted to the point where I may need to sleep for a week. OK, it's really not all that bad but it's certainly not the most enjoyable experience. Everyone thinks working for a show like Access Hollywood is very glamorous but in truth most of the time it's not.

I think I can hear you out there. You're rumbling a little. And it's ok. Some of us here are making the same noise you are.

It sounds a little something like this:

"Hey, Access Hollywood, why the intense coverage of Christy Brinkley's split' Isn't there something more uplifting or interesting or less sordid or at least more relevant to today's showbiz environment you can cover'"

This week, at least, the answer is no.

Unfortunately, this is the big story and, thanks to the nature of what we do - provide breaking entertainment news - we've got to deliver. Believe me, unlike some other shows out there, we don't jump for joy over scandal, and for a couple of reasons.

The influence of "Pirates of the Caribbean" has officially made itself felt here at Access.

Every morning in the graphic meeting, our superdirector Kim Anastasia gets to decide which video clip will end up in the rear projection screen - or, as it is known around here, "the RP."

For the past two days, Kim has referred to this particular piece of equipment as the "ARRRRR-P" - pronounced just as it appears, only with a squinty-eyed seadog accent.

Yep, the fun NEVER stops around here.

-Mat Baxt

Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro are the latest in a seemingly endless line of celebrity break ups. I'm sure there's a quote released by some publicist about it being "amicable"...yada yada yada.

When this kind of event happens out there in the real world, it's deeply traumatic. Friends are torn both ways; the scars last forever. In Hollywood, it just seems like routine.

One gets the feeling that a publicist is guiding the bereaved through the pain instead of a religious adviser or therapist.

Has a publicist ever muttered these words in front of the star client (who didn't flinch at the tone)'

by Laura Saltman

If you watched closely last night, you may have seen me sitting behind David Hasselfhoff on last night's "America's Got Talent." Of course, if you blink, on those wide shots then I never had a chance of being seen! I'm actually not sure if I enjoyed being in the audience knowing the camera's might capture me. I kept forcing myself to make interesting faces while the judges were giving their critiques. There's the "absolutely I agree with everything you said" smile. Then there is the "Piers is right quit booing him" angry stare. I also perfected the "wow, you really did do bad" frown. Maybe I'll teach a class on audience reaction faces.

During our week away from work, I was very saddened to learn of the passing of television great Aaron Spelling. I know he produced several hit TV shows in his extensive career, but he was also the executive producer of my all-time favorite show during my adolescent years.This was a show that managed to successfully sum up many of life's hardest lessons, a show where you felt like you actually knew the characters, a television show that even today I fondly still quote and discuss with friends and co-workers from time to time.Yep, you guessed it: 'Beverly Hills 90210'.