by Jamal Munnerlyn, TV-One Access co-host

I've recently had the pleasure of becoming involved with an amazing organization called The Tiziano Project. Please log on to www.TizianoProject.org and see the great work that is being done in Rwanda.

The organization is running a pilot program that is helping the youth of Rwanda get the tools they need to tell their stories to the world. The tools I'm talking about are cameras and Internet access, two things most people take for granted everyday.

The "media" may not always tell all sides of a story and it is critical that during times of crisis everyone is heard. Once interest is lost the cries for help should not be forgotten.

By now most people have heard something about the Rwandan genocide of 1994. An estimated one million people were killed in one hundred days. It frightens and flat out scares me to think about having to experience something like this. I couldn't imagine having to endure such an atrocity and then just moving on with my life.

Breaking news from the set of "Nip/Tuck." I'm first on the set this morning where I've learned that Rosie O"Donnell is definetly returning to "Nip/Tuck" for several episodes as lottery winner Dawn Budge.

O'Donnell will play the love interest to guest star Oliver Platt. Platt plays the Executive Producer of a tv show in which the docs of McNamara/Troy become creative consultants. Platt's character is loosely based on "Nip/Tuck" creator Ryan Murphy.

An on set source tells me Rosie will come to Dr. McNamara and Dr. Troy for a procedure where she will end up having to have her mouth sewn shut! She's forced to communicates with them through a dry erase board. She'll appear in episode four, which will begin filming in mid to late July. They want her back for more episodes after this but they have not been written yet and need to check Rosie's schedule.

There had been talk of O'Donnell getting her own spinoff series which I can confirm is definitely not happening.

Access Hollywood Field Producer Steve Harding, our cameraman and soundman have been outside the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood, California since 9PM Pacific, waiting for Paris Hilton’s impending release.

At last count, more than 100 members of the media, over 40 still cameras, 25 video cameras and 12 satellite trucks were on scene. “There are more cameras than at a premiere,” Harding writes from his spot behind the yellow police tape.

Below is Harding’s account from the scene:

So, I'm driving this morning to rehearsals for the upcoming "American Idols Live" Tour when an email pops up on my blackberry.

As soon as I arrived to my destination, I park the car and read my email informing me that auditions for "American Idol" Season Seven begin July 28th in San Diego.

My first response out loud was, "Oh Gawd No!"

Just when it ends, it begins again!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I am a big fan of the Disney Channel and its stars. Rather than churning out child actors who turn into trouble makers, party girls or those who need rehab, they've managed to produce a string of successful, clean cut kids. Case in point: Dylan and Cole Sprouse. Talk about your media moguls. These fourteen-year-old twins not only star in their own TV show, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody", they have a surf/skate/snowboard clothing line for Val Surf and are about to release a series of books through Simon and Schuster.

I got the chance to meet the boys, last week, when they were filming an episode with special guest, Jaden Smith. Jaden's the son of Will and Jada Smith and made his feature film debut in dad's film, "The Pursuit of Happyness." It turns out he always dreamed of being on "The Suite Life" and when he and his dad appeared on the Today Show last December to talk about the film, Will told Matt about Jaden's wish.

Lots to report today from the "Heroes" front! Production on NBC's crazy popular Sci-Fi adventure series started up two days ago. This morning NBC held a press conference to announce the news that the cast would be traveling on a 7-day, 7-city world tour co-sponsored by Nissan to help promote the Season One DVD and the launch of the show overseas. I spoke to the entire cast after the press conference. All the scoop on what I learned for you "Heroes" worshippers.

* The tour is set for the end of August to coincide with the August 28th release of the DVD and HD DVD. The DVD will feature the entire 73-minute uncut version of the pilot and 50 deleted scenes!

* Whether Adrian Pasdar's character Nathan Petrelli will be back is still fuzzy (pun intended!). He still has the crazy beard that he claims was for a movie role he shot during hiatus.

5:42pm, Saturday, June 9, 2007

“Hey Daddy-o, Miss Bella did a poopy” is usually how I am awakened Saturday mornings by my wide-eyed, 2-1/2 year old daughter Bella, her beautiful, innocent face on the edge of the bed just inches from my bleary-eyed mug. I'm horizontal . . . melted into the bed. She's vertical and rarin' to go. It's usually 6:30AM.

This morning however, I slipped outta the house at 5:45AM to exhange Miss Bella's “steamers” for yak hair, glued to my face.

Go back and re-read that line. I kid you not. Yak hair. Glued to my face.

And believe me, that's a fair trade because today I became Noah.

Yep, we flew in the folks who made Steve Carell into Noah for the film, “Evan Almighty” to make me into Noah. I was warned it would be a three hour process -- lots of glue, a little bit of pain and some bondo...(seriously, they have a can of this stuff and on the label it sez, “bondo”!), but hey, how often do you get the best special fx makeup/hair folks on the planet to work on ya'? And, better yet, turn you into Noah?

The answer is, NEVER.

It seems that opening a briefcase and looking pretty while doing it can give you a nice boost in the entertainment industry.

Several of the original models on NBC's popular "Deal or No Deal" game show are moving on to greener pastures in the acting, modeling and hosting world. This is good news for anyone who has always dreamed of hearing Howie Mandel say to them, "open the case."

Producers are holding open casting calls next week in Southern California for anyone who thinks they have what it takes. Sorry guys, it's just for the girls. I'd try out myself but I don't think Access Hollywood would appreciate it.

Plus, I don't think I could walk down those stairs in high heels.

For casting call dates and times, CLICK HERE!

by Maria Menounos

My experience here on Capitol Hill has been positive, overall, but overwhelming for sure. I’ve never had to do anything like this. Politics is an altogether different beast than reporting so I was quite nervous but excited to be part of the day. It was encouraging to see so many people invested in the issue of diabetes, particularly for someone who has been affected by the disease firsthand as I have been, with my Dad being Type 1.

There were several things I needed to accomplish with regards to the disease during my trip to Washington and through my meetings on Capitol Hill. We need to change the way people think and act when it comes to diabetes. We need to take this disease seriously, get tested and be on the lookout for symptoms. Physicians need to be as educated as possible about the disease and the newest methods and techniques to treat and better manage it. And from a government standpoint, we need to shift from just treating diabetes to preventing it. The good news is that we weren’t out there asking for more money. We already spend $80 billion dollars annually on treatment for diabetes; we just need to spend more of those dollars on prevention. If we just really enhance the interdepartmental coordination we can apply our resources better and lower the risks, complications and even occurrences. Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable, and by better educating people on Type 2 diabetes we can lessen the risk and complications of it, and thereby lessen the healthcare costs of treating it.

Ok, so I'm a little too young (fortunately) to remember the original "The Bionic Woman" series. I'm sure I was probably more interested in "Sesame Street" at the time. Just the fact that hearing the name "Bionic Woman" brings up an emotion to me shows the impact it had on pop culture. Don't believe me? There is actually a convention celebrating all things bionic called, I kid you not "Bionicon." Their second annual convention is right here in beautiful Burbank, June 29th through July 1st. Last year they had the original and iconic Bionic Woman herself, Lindsay Wagner, as a special guest. This year they have lined up the "Six Million Dollar Man", Lee Majors aka Col. Steve Austin. There is even a Bionicruise scheduled for next year!

Will a crowd so enthralled with a TV show they would throw a convention embrace a brand new Bionic Woman? This remains to be seen as NBC's updated version won't premiere until the fall. If the internet buzz is any indication then NBC could find themselves with a "Heroes" size hit on their hands. The woman picked to fill Lindsay's shoes and step in as Jamie Sommers is British import, Michelle Ryan. A complete unknown in this country, Ryan does have a nice following over in England thanks to five years on the widely popular UK soap "EastEnders."