John Turturro and Robert De Niro attend the premiere of 'What Just Happened' in New York City. (photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Believe It Or Not

Bill Maher may seem like a know-it-all sometimes, but he admits there's one thing he's clueless about: What happens when we die. Talking about his new film 'Religulous' to Salon.com, Maher declares himself a devout agnostic. "I don't use the word 'atheist' about myself, because I think it mirrors the certitude I'm so opposed to in religion. What I say in the film is that I don't know.... People can tell you, 'Oh yes, when you get to Paradise there are 72 virgins, not 70, not 75.' Or they say, 'Jesus will be there sitting at the right hand of the Father, wearing a white robe with red piping. There will be three angels playing trumpets.' Well, how do you know this? It's just so preposterous." (photo: Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com)

[Salon.com]

Trainer Pulls No Punches

World middleweight champ Kelly "The Ghost of Youngstown" Pavlik learned how to box in a brick storefront, coached by trainer Jack Loew. Still his trainer after 17 years, Loew recalls: "He had a lot of heart and balls for a skinny kid." Pavlik resisted entreaties to change trainers when he hit the big time. "[Loew] knows how to get you motivated," says Pavlik. "He'll tell you the truth right to your face. He'll say, 'You're going to get your ass whupped if you don't start training and do what you want to do.' He explains stuff to you. It's like [the difference between] a good teacher and a bad teacher. Some teachers, you can sit and listen to them talk, and the way they talk to a fighter, they can get in their head." Pavlik takes on Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins in a light heavyweight battle on Saturday October 18th. (photo: Chris Farina)

[Cleveland Scene]

[HBO.com]

Amy Ryan, Patricia Clarkson and Edie Falco attend the opening night of 'Fault Lines' in New York City. (photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage.com)

TV Buff

Sarah Michelle Gellar is coming to HBO — and it's not to slay vampires on 'True Blood.' The 31-year-old actress, deployed primarily in horror flicks until now, will play one of three grown-up orphans living together in New York in 'The Wonderful Maladys,' due next year. Writer Charles Randolph, who tailored the role specifically for Gellar, describes her character as "a drug addict with a to-do list." (photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com)

[HollywoodToday.net]

Minty Fresh

Kristin Schaal's career has taken off since she landed the role of Mel on 'Flight of the Conchords,' but don't be bitter. She paid her dues. "I worked at FAO Schwarz for a while as a character called Miss Peppermint Twist. . . . I had to wear a pink wig and tights and glasses, and I started to drink on the job to get through it. Luckily, I was laid off after six months....There were dark days," she says. "I got the stories. You know people who are like 'I got this job right out of college'? I hate those people." (photo: Michael N. Todaro/FilmMagic.com)

[LATimes.com]

Bill Maher and Debra Winger attend a 'Religulous' luncheon in New York City. (photo: Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic.com)

Giving Pinter Pause

David Walliams is hanging up his 'Little Britain' dresses to do some serious stage acting in London's West End, appearing in Harold Pinter's 'No Man's Land.' Reporting for work, he was concerned about fitting in with the theater folk. "I thought, I don't really know what the rules are. Are we allowed to go and have a cup of tea when we want? Do we have to ask the director when we need to go the toilet?" Walliams said. (photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

[WhatsOnStage.com]

Dogged Commitment

Bow-Wow has been playing comedian Charlie — Eric Murphy's other client on 'Entourage' — but when it comes to political action, he's no joke. The rapper/actor has joined Walk Across America, hoping to inspire young voters throughout the country. "It's important for the youth to participate because we're tomorrow's leaders. We need to make sure that our voices are heard and have a say in the decisions that will affect our lives and our country for years to come," he says. Aside from 'Entourage,' the 21-year-old also has a new record dropping and a role alongside Forest Whittaker in 'Hurricane Season' this December. (photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

[EarthTimes.org]

Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington attend the 'Lakeview Terrace' after party in New York City. (photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

Flush with Success

On his new animated series, 'Life and Times of Tim,' you could accuse creator (and voice of Tim) Steve Dildarian of making an ass of himself — and you'd be right in more ways than one. Turns out the ad man got his first voice-over break accidentally, as the Budweiser donkey. "I had never done a voice-over when I did the donkey. But for whatever reason, I laid down a 'scratch' track," he explains. "We couldn't have tried harder to replace me, and [we tried] hundreds of actors. [Anheuser-Busch executive] August Busch made the call. He said: 'This guy [Dildarian] sounds the most like a donkey.' After that it encouraged me. Soon, I was a talking toilet in an Ace Hardware commercial."

[Courier-Journal.com]

Lucky Role

Alan Ball had really painted himself into a corner with 'Towelhead' by the time he had to actually cast someone to play Jasira, a young Pakistani-American girl who suffers some serious sexual and racial abuse. "I think the challenge in casting her is just finding somebody who can do it, who looks 13, who looks Middle Eastern, and who is adult enough so that the movie's not going to traumatize them. And I thought, "We're going to have to search the globe to find this girl.'" He ended up finding her in Pasadena — in the form of young actress Summer Bishil. But Ball almost lost his perfect lead before filming even began. "The bond company told us, 'Well, we're not going to insure the movie unless the actors playing Thomas and Jasira are 18.' Summer was 17 at the time. I said, 'When do you turn 18?' And she said, 'In two weeks.' So it really just — you know, it really worked out." (photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

[New York Magazine]

Susan Sarandon and Anne Hathaway attend a screening of 'Rachel Getting Married' in New York City. (photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com)

Acting Class

Some actors spend years honing their craft, while others — like 'Extras' star Ashley Jensen — know how to cut a few corners. "It's amazing what a bit of makeup and standing up straight can do," she says, pointing out the key to playing Christina on 'Ugly Betty': "You just sit up and close your mouth when you're thinking." This master skill of adaptation, however, doesn't apply as easily to Jensen's emigration from Scotland to L.A. "I still feel like I'm on holiday," she says. "When I first arrived, I had a suitcase full of sarongs and bikinis. I didn't have one jumper. I still look at the Hollywood sign and think: What am I doing here?" (photo: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com)

[AP via MercuryNews.com]

Tickets to the Hot Seat

If you find yourself in Santa Rosa, California and are looking for a laugh — or the chance to be singled out and ridiculed in front of a large TV audience — we've got just the ticket. The Queen of Mean, Lisa Lampanelli, will be taping for her HBO special on November 21st at 7 PM and 10 PM at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. The thin skinned need not apply. (photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com)

[For information/tickets]