Levi Johnston fights Bristol Palin to make custody battle public -- and wins

First Levi Johnston bared his bod in Playgirl for the world to see. Now he wants to bare his custody battle with Bristol Palin for the world to see as well.

And two judges in Alaska have agreed that the fight over son Tripp is best played out in public, one of them ruling, according to the Anchorage Daily News, that Bristol hadn't offered any proof that the child would be harmed by the publicity.

~~ Apparently the judge has never moderated comments on the Internet? Where the public is super-duper gentle? ~~

Levi, in his affidavit, called Bristol's mom, former Gov. Sarah Palin, ambitious, powerful and vindictive. "I think a public case might go a long way in reducing Sarah Palin's instinct to attack," he wrote.

"I feel more comfortable in a public courtroom which will help everyone stay civil and be on their best behavior," he said in a statement.

Bristol -- who wanted a gag order and use of pseudonyms in court while she fights for sole custody, along with a visitation schedule for Levi, in a case filed Nov. 4 -- argued that privacy would be in the best interest of the child, and responded to Levi's assertions by saying none of what he said was true.

He said, she said -- in a custody fight? Shock! We're so glad these two never got married.

But ... 

'Celebrity fan' Mike V is part of Scott Niedermayer hockey stick brawl

Maybe they thought the hockey stick was left over from Levi Johnston's "tribute to hockey moms" Playgirl photo shoot?

The story for those joining the game in progress: Anaheim Ducks versus Tampa Bay Lightning, Thursday night,  Anaheim. Game ends. Ducks wins. Stars of the game are announced. They do that "stars of the game" routine.

~~ This is hockey, people, *hockey*. Keep up. At the end of a "hockey game," the three outstanding players are announced and they skate out in the spotlight while fans cheer and applaud. It's fun. Honest. ~~

So, OK -- Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer tries to give his hockey stick to a little girl in the stands. He tosses it over the glass. He says later that he "probably could’ve done a better job with that."

Ya think?

The crowd goes wild -- fighting over the stick, as you can see in the video above.

Here's the thing: Turns out, according to the Orange County Register's Ducks Blog, one of the parties arrested, cited and released in the incident was celebrity pro skateboarder and Revolution Mother lead singer Mike Vallely, a.k.a. Mike V, who in the past has made promotional appearances for the Ducks. That unofficial relationship was severed Friday.

You'd think the Ducks might've been able to arrange a swag bag or two for ol' Mike V along the way.

Just sayin'.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Attention "Twilight" and Miley Cyrus fans: This is a picture of men "playing hockey." Scott Niedermayer of the Anaheim Ducks, right, and the Tampa Bay Lightning's James Wright fight for the puck during the third period of the Thursday game in Anaheim. Scott probably didn't expect the fight that he'd set off after the game was over. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

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Party boy Levi Johnston is loving life in Hollywood

Perhaps Levi Johnston refused to show his full monty in Playgirl because he's saving it for the big screen?

One would think he's campaigning hard for a spot in Hollywood, the way he's been making the social rounds.

Johnston hit up two talent-packed bashes in Los Angeles on Thursday night -- starting with US Magazine's annual Hot 100 event, where two security guards (Two? Really?) ushered him around amid the likes of Adam Lambert, Audrina Patridge, Leona Lewis and Whitney Port.

From there, Sarah Palin's almost-son-in-law swung by Chateau Marmont for GQ's Men of the Year party, where Editor in Chief Jim Moore welcomed the centerfold alongside A-list guests including Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Tom Ford, Kobe Bryant, January Jones, Lindsay Lohan and Seth MacFarlane, many sipping Grey Goose and schmoozing.

From Iditarod tailgating to rubbing elbows with Dirty Harry? We'd save our goodies for on-screen stardom as well.

Click on for more photos of stylish stars at GQ's Men of the Year!

Conan O'Brien apologizes to Levi Johnston, with William Shatner's help

If only every apology could be as heartfelt as Conan O'Brien's mea culpa to Levi Johnston.

Levi was made to look foolish on Wednesday night's "Tonight Show" through the use of Twitter messages that turned out to be written by a Johnston impostor. But on Thursday night, Conan made it right.

Fortunately, William Shatner can work with whatever material he's been handed -- which means that Thursday he managed to make Levi look equally foolish using verified tweets.

Ahh, closure.

The Shatner stuff starts about two minutes in, but the lead-up is worth watching too.

We are giggling. Can only imagine what Shatner would do with this one, if we were famous enough for anyone to care. Alas, it ain't Taco Bell. 

-- Christie D'Zurilla

P.S. Note to "Tonight Show" writers: Was it that hard to miss that the first account was bogus? Or did the joke seem worth the risk? Not as if fake Twitter accounts are a new thing.

Levi Johnston wants a retraction after Shatner's NBC beat tweets

And it's all fun and games until someone adds bongos to a Twitter account...

Imagine beat poetry in 140 characters or less.

Performed by William Shatner.

On Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show."

Written, allegedly, by Levi Johnston. Or -- maybe by "Fake Levi Johnston"?

At any rate, the Shatner sketch really happened, and the real Levi Johnston is ticked. And he's invited his lawyer to the party, TMZ reports.

And we thought everything was better with bongos.

E! Online has the story "in happier times," before Levi said, "Hey, that's not  my Twitter page" and demanded a retraction from NBC. The "Tonight Show" video is there as well, plus links to Shatner's Sarah Palin beat tweet performances from back in July.

(Be aware that this aired on late-night network TV, where you can more readily say certain words that aren't in fact profane.)

-- Christie D'Zurilla

P.S. It's not as if Shatner hasn't done this kind of thing before. Hey, the man just loves poetry. 

Photo: William Shatner accepts the Ultimate Scream award in Los Angeles on Oct. 17. Credit: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press

For Sarah Palin's 'Rogue' book blitz, a Barbara Walters interview

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Sarah Palin was hardly known for slam-dunk television interviews. In person, the vice presidential candidate energized the GOP base, but audiences who saw her televised interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric might have stepped away from the flat screen with a few select acronyms (what the?) running through their minds.

Now, the former Alaska governor will give it another shot, this time with Barbara Walters. The five-part interview will air over three ABC News programs starting Nov. 17, the day Palin's "Going Rogue," already a pre-sale bestseller, hits the shelves.

Palin's upcoming memoir, however, is not to be confused with "Going Rouge," a book she's unlikely to autograph. 

We think Walters can expect a treasure trove of an interview.

Incidentally, Palin didn't really tell Gibson that she could see Russia from her house -- that was Tina Fey. It is, however, possible to swim from Alaska to Russia. And the dinosaurs and book banning stuff? Matt Damon might want to click here.

Oh! Sarah! If Barbara asks you what papers you read, just say this: "I very much enjoy the Los Angeles Times, thank you for asking!" Couldn't hurt, right?

Any bets on whether Walters will get Palin to cry? Will Meghan McCain weigh in? Will Levi Johnston get any more mileage out of the whole thing?

We smell good TV on the horizon.

Actually, we can see it from here.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Then-Gov. Sarah Palin in Fairbanks, Ala., on July 10, before signing a gun-rights bill into law. Credit: John Wagner / Fairbanks Daily News-Miner/ Associated Press

Levi's rep promises 'full johnson' (Did he mean 'full Johnston'?)

Look, I'm really trying, here. Trying to put together a tasteful report on Levi Johnston, and the constantly evolving plans for his upcoming photo spread in Playgirl.

I'm trying especially hard because Levi told "The Early Show" on Thursday that he is "going to do it tastefully" -- and I want so much to take this young man at his word.

Problem is, my college roommates and I had a Playgirl subscription when we were freshmen, and I seem to recall there was nothing even remotely tasteful about it.

(Cut me some slack, please: I lived with members of the marching band.)

~~ shudder ~~

So, fine, go check out what Levi has to say about it at Usmagazine.com. Or hit TMZ, where they quote Levi's rep as saying the Stud From the Frozen North will be going "full johnson."

Or bravely click ahead, because ...