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The thing I liked about Star Jones' soon-to-be ex-husband Al Reynolds is that we never heard from him. Her, we hear from and it ain't always pretty. Al used his MySpace page yesterday to write about how his life has become a living hell, or something like that. I'm just gonna post it in its entirety and be done with it:

Dear Friends: If you think you are having a tough day, may I propose you walk in my shoes for a few hours. In my mind, it feels like "Dump on Al Month." And I'm not having fun yet. I have been called a gigolo, a freeloader, unemployed, a sham and many other things that don't bear repeating. People on television, radio and the Internet have spoken disparagingly of my life, my sexuality, my career and my integrity. The media has barraged me (at my home), my friends, my family (including my 79 year old mother), my college classmates, my students and my professional colleagues. Yet, despite this intense level of provocation, I have said nothing. My publicist has put out a one sentence statement: "We're taking the high road." And we have and will continue on that path.

What I want people to know is that I am not the caricature portrayed by the media. I am complex, contradictory and capable of great intelligence but also remarkable stupidity. In other words, I am a human being. To me, labels are for clothes, not people. So ... please don't try to define me; don't try to categorize me; and most of all, don't label me. Instead, JUST GET TO KNOW ME. And if you see me, just call me Al.

He's going to make that happen as he begins what appears to be some kind of get to know Al Reynolds media tour (Do we HAVE to?) He is booked to appear on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show next Thursday. The TV Guide listings says: Al Reynolds (Star Jones' husband).

When I spoke with Martina Navratilova a few weeks ago, she was leaving for Chicago the next day to tape an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on extraordinary friendships. Appearing with her on the show would be Chris Evert, the greatest rival of her pro tennis career. The show airs today (3 p.m. in LA, check your local listings for elsewhere).

The Navratilova-Evert relationship is fascinating on many levels. In terms of pure sports, few rivals have competed so many times (80 matches between 1973 and 1988) and nearly finished dead-even (Martina edged Chris 43-37 head-to-head). Each won 18 grand slam titles and between them, held the number one ranking from 1975 through 1987 with only Tracy Austin breaking their stranglehold for a brief time in 1980.

I watched so many of their classic matches with the best being Chris' wins over Martina in the 1985 and 1986 French Opens and Martina's victories over Chris in the 1988 Wimbledon semifinal (see video below), 1984 US Open final and 1981 US Open seimifinal. Both were at their best in these riveting three-set thrillers.

And here's a few points from their 1975 French Open final won by Evert:

But enough of the tennis part.

As these two tried to beat each other's brains out on the court, off the court they were almost always pretty tight except for a brief period in the early 80s. They were pals in the mid-70s when Martina defected to the US and win the French and Wimbledon doubles together and when their rivalry was at its peak, they spoke with respect for each other and always consoled each other after a match no matter which one won.

Martina was couragous enough to come out publicly as a lesbian almost 30 years ago when it was a far more difficult thing to do - especially on the world stage. She deserves everlasting credit and respect for blazing that trail and for continuing to be a leader and outspoken activist.

Chris, during her playing career, was perceived as America's sweetheart which such nicknames as "Cinderella in Sneakers" and "Chris America." She was also the world's top-ranked player when Martina came out and when Billie Jean King was outed by a vindictive ex-lover who filed a palimony suit. Chris very publicly supported both women at that time and remained so.

Billie Jean told me a few years ago that it is exactly that kind of support from top stars that is needed in men's sports if male athletes are to ever feel comfortable coming out during their playing careers.

This is from last Friday's "Kelly and Regis" which Anderson co-hosted. I've got plenty of posts coming up this afternoon - after lunch!

"Tonight Show" host Jay Leno spoke with KMXB radio in Las Vegas about the "gayest look" controversy involving Ryan Phillippe. Lucky for us, Andy Towle transcribed it and has an audio link on his Towleroad blog.

Here is a little excerpt: "You know, it's really odd how on our show we have plenty of gay guests and plenty of gay guests who you know - 'how's your relationship going, how's your family going' -- Melissa Etheridge, with everybody else. To me I never made fun of gay rights or even gay marriage. Do what you want to do. But to me -- fashion, lifestyle, hair, you know that kind of stuff -- you're a comic. Thats what you do. And what it was was Ryan Phillippe..."

I thoroughly enjoyed the interview with Mario Cantone that was posted on AfterElton.com this week. I just love people who don't give boring and safe answers and allow themselves to come through in an interview.

At one point, Michael Jensen asks Mario about the buzz last year that he was being considered to become the first male panelist on "The View" after he guest hosted a number of times. It didn't happen and he seems relieved that it didn't but admitted that it would have been a tough gig to turn down. Then Michael asked Mario about the show's token conservative voice, Elisabeth Hasselbeck who famously clashed with former colleague Rosie O'Donnell.

AE: I don't know how freely you'll want to speak on this, but what's your opinion of Elizabeth Hasselbeck?
MC: I get along with Elizabeth very well. I get along with all of those girls really well. I think she's coming along a little bit, too. I can disagree with her a lot politically, believe me, but so did Rosie, and they were very, very close at one time. So there's something about Elizabeth as a person that's really - she's a good girl. I want to smack her, too, when I watch the show sometimes - and she knows that - but it has nothing to do with who she is as a person and what's really in her heart.

AE: I don't find it hard to believe that she's a nice person, I just don't think she's the deepest thinker in the world.
MC: No, she's not. But I think she's a smart girl and I think her intelligence will ultimately override her idealism. I think she's going to continually grow. Especially being around those women every day, you can't help but look at the other side of things. You know, with Whoopi there, with Joy there, I just think that ultimately she's gonna come over to the dark side [laughing].

Hey, did Anderson Cooper even bring this photo shoot up on "60 Minutes" a few weeks back? Hmmm. Well, Jay Leno - still recovering from the Ryan Phillippe fiasco - had David Beckham on "The Tonight Show" Tuesday and asked him, of course, about those heaven on Earth pics for the Armani underwear ads.

Beckham said: "I was so nervous about doing that campaign because obviously I've done photoshoots before but I've never done photoshoots in my underwear. But to do that, I was quite nervous because obviously I knew my wife and friends were going to see it. And my mom was going to see it. When the photos first came out, she was the first one to call me and say, 'What are you doing?' I tried explaining it to her but she didn't really get it."

Here's a clip:

Jay Leno has apologized for last week's bizarre bit with Ryan Phillippe on "The Tonight Show" when Ryan was on to promote his new movie "Stop-Loss."

Jay brought up Ryan's early role as a gay teen on the ABC soap "One Life to Live" then inexplicably said to Ryan: "Can you give me, like - say that camera is your gay lover ...Can you give me your gayest look'? Say that camera is Billy Bob - Billy Bob has just ridden in shirtless from Wyoming."

Ryan looked instantly uncomfortable and said: "Wow. That is so something I don't want to do. Are you just going to embarrass me tonight, or ... ?"

"No," said Jay. "I got more stuff. This is the least of it."

Earlier today, GLAAD slammed Leno with this statement: "We are proud of Ryan for refusing to participate in Leno's thoughtless attempt at humor," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "Under the guise of comedy, the talk-show host is demonstrating a lack of respect for the gay community and insensitivity to both his co-workers and the audience, to whom he owes an apology."

Then came this apology from Jay: "In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong. I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

Unlike bone-headed Jay Leno last week, Ellen DeGeneres has an intelligent conversation with the actor and never asks Ryan for his "best gay look." Enjoy the clip!!

The conversation is good, but the real highlight is the dancing...

Enjoy!

...and why shouldn't he? Larry Craig deserves to be made fun of now and forever. The only way I'd stop making fun of Larry "I've never been gay" Craig is if he ever decides to become an authentic human being. Anyway, here is a spoof Letterman did last night on Craig's efforts to hire new interns...

Enjoy!

So Ben Affleck is talking a little bit about the hilarious parody video he made with Jimmy Kimmel in response to Matt Damon and Sarah Silverman. Apparently a the secret bathtub scene that got cut.

"I remember seeing Matt's [video] and thinking to myself, 'Oh, it would be funny to do one with me and Jimmy.'" Ben told EW.com. "They called and immediately I was like, 'Yes, it should be this idea ...,' and they had the same idea more or less already. I have a lot of respect for the group over there - they're really good comedians - so I just committed to it."

Ben, whose directorial debut "Gone Baby Gone" got raves, says the singing was more difficult than wearing a pair of short shorts (he sure looked good in 'em!).

"You couldn't really do it half-speed," he said. "You had to be painting toes and blow-drying hair. At one point we were going to take a bath together, but the bubbles couldn't get high enough, so that ended up getting scrapped."

He might not be (bleeping) Ben Affleck, but talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is pretty fond of the handsome movie star-director.

In case you've been living under a rock - and I don't think any readers of this blog are - Jimmy memorably declared "I'm (bleeping) Ben Affleck" in a music video Sunday night that Ben agreed to appear in - in an extremely tight shirt!

"Ben could not have been more sporting," Jimmy told PEOPLE of his video costar. (The song was designed as a retaliation against Kimmel's girlfriend Sarah Silverman for her clip, "I'm (bleeping) Matt Damon.) "He told us, 'Listen, if we're going to do this, we've got to do it right. I don't want you guys to worry about my image.' "

In the video, Ben and Jimmy declare their love while backed by an A-list gospel choir including Cameron Diaz, Robin Williams, Ashlee Simpson and Don Cheadle. There are also non-singing cameos by Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford, who blows the new couple a kiss before driving off in his convertible - revealing a "Honk if you're f---ing Ben Affleck" bumper sticker.

"That was his real car," Kimmel says of Ford. "He's still got that [sticker] on there!"

So what did Silverman think of the new song? "I suspected Jimmy was on the down low for a long time now," she deadpanned to the New York Daily News. "I wish I could say I was surprised by this."

Here is a LINK to the video...

This video is a freaking riot with all-star cameos and an unbelievable recreation of the "We Are the World" video from the mid-80s. I'm not crazy about some of the gay stereotypes but overall, it's a scream.

Enjoy!

Conan O'Brien, who hosted Neil Patrick Harris Friday and Tim Gunn on Monday, welcomed Anderson Cooper to his show last night and the silver fox was about as charming, funny and bitchy as I've ever seen him! He sits down and before the interview gets underway, he says to Conan: "Your hair has incredible cresting today...it's like breaking waves."

Anderson talked about moderating a recent debate of Republican presidential candidates at the Ronald Reagan PLibrary: "I tend to sweat more than Albert Brooks in 'Broadcast News.'" Sitting in the front row was Arnold Schwarzeneggar who, before the debate began, motioned to the very buff Anderson that he noticed how much he's been working out.

"I was completely thrown that Arnold Schwarzeneggar had noticed I've been working out ... so for the first time minutes, I was kind of flustered."

On blogging: "My New Year's resolution is to blog more...but it's strange because it allows all your stalkers to be at the same place at the same time."

On subbing for Regis Philbin: "I had a hard time with Nicole Richie...I literally could not think of one question to ask her. All I could think to ask her was, 'Why are you so friggen thin?' And that didn't seem appropriate. She was there to promote a book she was allegedly writing. I was actually working on a book so it was really pissing me off!"

OK, it was exciting to sit next to George Clooney at the Oscar luncheon last week. But, ya know, it was just as thrilling for me to sit next to Sam Harris at a screening of "Hairspray" last year because I have been a fan of his forever. That night at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood, my pal Jim Key and I happened to sit next to Sam and his great friend Bridget Moynahan who was very, very pregnant at that point.

I just came across this video on SamHarris.com that has him and Bridget chatting about their friendship and Sam being her birth partner when she gave birth to her baby. The father of the child is Bridget's ex, Tom Brady, who is not mentioned in the video.

As part of his "Friend Friday" series, Sam says: "I was the birth partner for Bridget, and I wiped amniotic fluid from between her legs. It was the most amazing experience ever, ever. You were pretty incredible."

Says Bridget: "So were you."

They are adorable together. Check it out.