Ryan Seacrest, Matt Lauer get a little 'All About Eve' on 'Today'

Ryan Seacrest and Matt Lauer had a nice, civil chat Wednesday morning about one of them allegedly being set to take the other's job, and here's a hint: The discussion wasn't about seeing Lauer on the "American Idol" stage.

Despite speculation a hyped "big NBC announcement" from Seacrest might have something to do with the "Today" show, the real news was the less dramatic revelation that the E! fixture and "Idol" star would be joining the peacock network's prime-time Olympics coverage this summer.

(Gosh darn if that one tweet didn't come from the exec producer of both "Today" and NBC's Olympics coverage.)

Lauer and Seacrest did have some fun with the gossip, however, which had dragged out for a day after an injury delayed Seacrest's appearance on the morning show.

Lauer dealt with the buzz directly, asking his guest the question more than once. "What kind of conversations have you had with NBC about joining the 'Today' show? ... What conversations have you had with NBC officials about joining this program? I want names and dates."

Seacrest played along, and eventually the two revealed that they'd had dinner and discussed the situation, but not before going through an exchange reminiscent of "All About Eve," the Bette Davis classic in which the admiring, seemingly naive understudy schemes to rip the established star's life out from under her.

"Do you see yourself doing a job like this?," Lauer asked.

"You know, I don't know," Seacrest said. "I see you doing this for as long as you want to, so maybe the question is, how long will you be on the 'Today' show? ... Because fans, myself included, think you should be here for years to come."

Niiiiiice, Ryan. Smooth.

Lauer followed with more smoothness about how Seacrest would be great in a job like his, how there was no tension between them — and a mention that, for the record, Lauer had paid for dinner.

Watch the whole exchange, below.

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Photo: Ryan Seacrest at the  69th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton on Jan. 15. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Dictator' targets Ryan Seacrest

Sacha Baron Cohen's Adm. Gen. Shabazz Aladeen not only made his way onto the Oscars red carpet Sunday, he made his way over to Ryan Seacrest and managed to stun the usually unflappable host — showering the diminutive Seacrest with the "ashes" of the late North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.

It was a pretty decent payoff to a week's worth of hype.

As if Cohen's character from "The Dictator" wasn't disconcerting enough to interview, who wouldn't be taken aback by an urn's worth of ashes dumped onto an impeccable (and almost certainly Burberry) tux?

OSCARS: Red Carpet | Cheat Sheet | Key Scenes | Ballot

Too bad for Aladeen, of course, who'd declared his intention to sprinkle the ashes over the red carpet and, well, over Halle Berry's breasts — not Ryan Seacrest's.

Our vote for the gag's cleverest moment, however? The part where the military strongman said he was wearing Galliano.

And to those whose hearts went out to Seacrest as he tried to tidy up with a napkin, a towel and a donated lint roller, remember this: He's an executive producer on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Some might say he deserved worse.

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Photo: Sacha Baron Cohen as Adm. Gen. Shabazz Aladeen on the Oscars red carpet Sunday. Credit: Joe Klamar / AFP / Getty Images

 

Emmys: Kathy Griffin grills Ryan Seacrest over Julianne Hough

Kathy Griffin is historically unapologetic in her skewering of E! red carpet host and radio personality Ryan Seacrest — be it jokes about his height, his sexuality or his bags of money, sparks always fly when the pair collide. Sunday's Emmy red carpet was no exception.

"When I make fun of you or debase you, it helps my ticket sales," Griffin told Seacrest. It took only moments for Griffin to cut through the traditional carpet banter and ask, "Are you still bangin’ the dancer?"

Griffin was, of course, referring to Seacrest's main squeeze, Julianne Hough, the former "Dancing With the Stars" pro turned country singer whom Seacrest has been courting for nearly a year.

"How did you get her? ... What kind of smoke-and-mirrors game are you playing?" Griffin joked. "Do  you stand on your money and say, 'Here I come?' "

Brett Ratner reigns over CAA pre-Emmy party

Talent agency CAA fed and watered its stable of clients on Friday night, with a swanky pre-Emmy bash in Beverly Hills.

Eatery Bouchon, flanked in privacy shrubs, was taken over by partners Adam Berkowitz and Kevin Huvane to welcome the likes of Katie Holmes (sans Tom Cruise) and Ryan Seacrest with his lady Julianne Hough.

Jerry Bruckheimer chatted up CBS honcho Les Moonves and wife Julie Chen while Bravo's Andy Cohen circulated. Holmes snuck into the restaurant's kitchen to make her own baguettes with bakers, take-aways for her husband and daughter Suri, she told the bunch.

While the Emmy's celebrate the small screen, the unarguable man of the hour was Brett Ratner, taking compliments for landing the job of producer for the forthcoming Academy Awards. Ratner was circled by "Entourage" creator Doug Ellin and star Jeremy Piven, as well as funnygal Chelsea Handler and her hotelier boyfriend Andre Balasz. 

Seacrest and Hough opted for a romantic table for two on the patio, beside a fellow sweetheart table occupied by Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou. Huvane was one of the last men standing, sending guests into the night around 1 a.m.

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Photo: Brett Ratner poses in support of his upcoming Ben Stiller-led flick "Tower Heist." Credit: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

Ryan Seacrest assembles Lady Gaga, Coldplay, John Mayer and more for online concert

One would likely need Ryan Seacrest's Rolodex to assemble a roster of superstars for a two-day, online streaming music festival -- so it's probably best that the host has taken it upon himself to do just that.

Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Sting, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Nicki Minaj, John Mayer and the Black Eyed Peas are among those set to perform at the Las Vegas music festival Seacrest is spearheading with iHeartRadio.

Seacrest has also invited Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Kenny Chesneyand David Guetta for the digital to-do, set for Sept. 23-24 at the MGM Grand.

Lopez, from Seacrest's "American Idol" family, showed up on the "Today" show Monday to join in announcing the event, with talk turning to another announcement folks are waiting to hear from her: whether she'll as a judge on the Fox singing competition.

"I have no announcement to make as of this moment, but I promise ... you'll be the first to know," she teased.

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Photo: Ryan Seacrest is putting together a music festival featuring some of his most famous pals. Credit: Steve Shaw / 42 West

 

Selena Gomez debuts song 'Who Says,' misses Justin Bieber

Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber's main squeeze, debuted her song "Who Says" during "On Air With Ryan Seacrest" on Tuesday, calling it a message to the "haters" who try to bring her down.

In the self-empowering, sweet-as-candy track, the 18-year-old actress sings about being happy to be herself, saying, "I'm no beauty queen, I'm just beautiful me."

"I think this song is such a great message for my fans, and it really touched me when I heard it, and I thought it would be perfect for them," Gomez said.

Her public relationship with the highly swooned-after Bieber has continued to make her fodder for haters online. Just last week, after leaving her boyfriend's birthday bash with a fat lip, fans were quick to take to Twitter about the incident.

"I feel like my fans need this song, especially with Twitter and Facebook it's really negative for me ... within that world is such easy access to people's feelings," she told Seacrest. "You can get a thousand wonderful comments but just one will throw you off and that's how it is with me."

She'll soon be ending her four-year run on Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place" before headlining her own tour, which she called "a big G-rated rave."

"['Wizards'] has given me my core fan base. I owe a lot to Disney Channel, I really do," she said. "But I feel like it's been my high school, so I think it's time to graduate."

Even though Gomez sings about not being perfect, Seacrest still called her out on her Disney-darling image, in addition to her very public response to Bieber's "I miss you" tweet.

"It's nice to miss your friends and family," she said, straight-faced, after a short giggle attack.

Mmmhmmm. Let us know what you think — of her response and her song.

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Photo: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood on Feb. 27. Credit: Carlo Allegri / Associated Press.

Kim Kardashian's song 'JAM (Turn It Up)' premieres [Poll]

Kim Kardashian premiered her dance track "JAM (Turn It Up)" Wednesday morning on "On-Air With Ryan Seacrest" after having a slight case of the nerves -- officially joining the ranks of Paris Hilton and Kim Zolciak as reality-TV-stars-turned-one-hit-wonders.

"It's only normal for me to be nervous. I'm human, I never sang before. This was definitely something I don't do, so for me to step outside my comfort zone to do this ... is like a really big deal," she said before Seacrest played the song.

The newly minted singer has said she doesn't have plans to turn crooning (er, pretty much talking while music plays) into yet another new career.

"This was just a fun new experience! I am so glad I went for it! And the proceeds to JAM are being donated to St. Judes Children's hospital," she tweeted.

The Auto-Tuned track was the brainchild of Kardashian's friend and fellow singer Ciara and producer The-Dream. The making of "JAM " will appear on an upcoming episode of "Kourtney and Kim Take New York," and the tune will be available for download on iTunes.

With morning-show host Seacrest, a jack of all trades himself, serving as executive producer of her E! reality series, we're guessing we'll soon be inundated with the track.

"That was fun -- makes me want to go somewhere right now. I want to be in a convertible with that cranked up right now," Seacrest said.

Which means he'll force us to be there too. Let us know if you want to turn it up or turn it off.

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Jason Statham, Ryan Seacrest, Kevin Spacey give new mag a pre-Oscar launch

Dozens of stunning models and a number of celebrities including Jason Statham, Ryan Seacrest, Randy Jackson, Lawrence Bender, Rodney Bingenheimer and Anthony Kiedis gathered Thursday night at an exclusive party in Beverly Hills to celebrate the pre-Oscar launch of a new European-style men's magazine, Treats!

Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti, executive producer and producer, respectively, of the Oscar-nominated film "The Social Network," were also in attendance to snap a photo or two with convivial publisher and photographer Steve Shaw.

The fete took place at the iconic James Goldstein residence, built into the sandstone ledge of a hillside by architect James Lautner in 1963. The home's massive walls of glass, breathtaking city-lights views and towering triangular roof provided a fitting backdrop for the legions of wasp-waisted models -- many of whom could be seen mostly nude in the pages of the magazine -- tottering by the pool on toothpick legs with champagne flutes in hand.

Statham, who is featured in a 14-page spread in the magazine (photographed by Shaw), stood by the pool in a long tan trench coat, his arm wrapped around a leggy beauty -- hand firmly in place on her rear.

Brunetti could be found in the warmer climate of the posh living room, happily chatting about his film's chance for taking home a golden statuette or two.

"We're hoping for the best but bracing for the worst," he said, adding that he was so nervous that he was wishing for a Xanax. But then he thought about it and said that a friend had told him that Xanax can make you "black out and become belligerent, and I'm like 'That’s probably not a good idea because no matter who wins I may end up on that stage.'"

Seacrest stood nearby with a dapper group of friends, including Shaw. With his usual deadpan comedic confidence, Seacrest proclaimed that the suave, sexy black-and-white glamour of the magazine was based on his looks and style.

And who does he think will win the Oscar? "The King's Speech." Seacrest said he really liked that one.

-- Jessica Gelt

Upper photo: Treats! publisher and founder Steve Shaw, right, and Kevin Spacey. Credit: Rony Alwin

Middle photo: Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest with Steve Shaw. Credit: Rony Alwin

Lower photo: Rhe scene around the outdoor pool. Credit: Rony Alwin

Kim Kardashian meets boyfriend Kris Humphries' parents

Happy 26th birthday to Kim Kardashian's boyfriend, Kris Humphries. And, as a gift, Lady Skechers Shape-Ups is going to meet your parents. Surprise!

Kardashian, who hasn't been lucky in love and recently swore off football-playing boyfriends, met the New Jersey Nets power forward's parents Saturday at STK, a popular Manhattan haunt.

"This was more of a get to know the parents affair. ... Kim and his parents really seemed to hit off," a source told People magazine.

His parents and close friends came out for the birthday party and racked up a $900 tab, which the reality TV star graciously picked up. We guess she had a bit of pocket change from her steamy Skechers commercial that aired during the Super Bowl the next day?

The couple made their debut in December, and Kardashian has already been spotted attending some Nets games.

Will Kim K. do better with the NBA than the NFL? Here's to her lucking out like sister Khloe Kardashian, who tied the knot with Lakers forward Lamar Odom in 2009 after a six-week courtship.

Kim Kardashian had recently complained on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" that she was feeling left out because her sisters were planning on having kids at the same time, while she was still searching for Mr. Right.

So, here's to Kimmie moving forward with this forward.

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Photo: Kim Kardashian courtside during a game between the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 22. Credit: Jim O'Connor / US Presswire

MLK Day: Celebrities share Martin Luther King Jr. quotes

As the United States honors the birthday of slain civil-rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., it's no surprise that some celebrities (and normal folk as well) have taken to Twitter to pass along his message either verbatim or by showing what the day means to them.

Here's a look at what some of them had to say Monday:

Sean Combs asked you a question, Ministry readers. Don't leave him hanging; share your dreams in our comments section.

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Photo: Martin Luther King Jr. addresses 15,000 people at the Los Angeles Coliseum during an interfaith rally in 1964. Credit: Los Angeles Times