Wes Anderson brings Roald Dahl's 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' to life
Wes Anderson is “absolutely, totally convinced” that if he and co-writer Noah Baumbach had not been given the opportunity to live and work at author Roald Dahl’s famous “Gipsy House” in the English countryside — “a lot of the essence of Dahl might be missing from ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox.’”

Keeping up with crass

Sounds like things were a little tense last week, the first time reality TV star Khloe Kardashian attended a Los Angeles Lakers game at L.A.'s Staples Center since she married Lakers star Lamar Odom.

Chick magnet still works

Seems Chris Brown's conviction for beating up ex-girlfriend Rihanna hasn't hurt his love life.

Even after Rihanna beating, women love Chris Brown
Bill Zwecker: Seems Chris Brown’s conviction for beating up ex-girlfriend Rihanna hasn’t had much effect on his love life. According to one Brown business associate — who claims to spend a lot of time at the R&B superstar’s house — Brown is constantly approached by women, often quite aggressively, ‘‘with most of them, without fail, figuring out some way to slip Chris their numbers,’’ said the source.

Go to rehab? LiLo says no

Many of Lindsay Lohan's friends and business associates have been deeply concerned about the once-hot actress' continuing downward spiral -- fueled by her heavy drinking and less public but widely reported alleged drug use.

Lindsay Lohan bolts from intervention by friends
Bill Zwecker: Many of Lindsay Lohan’s friends and business associates have been deeply concerned about the once-hot actress’ continuing downward spiral — fueled by heavy drinking and less-public but widely-reported drug use. A longtime friend of Lohan’s says yet another attempt at convincing LiLo to return to rehab happened this past weekend.

Don't get Fergie started
Bill Zwecker: Things reportedly got a little testy backstage at ''Saturday Night Live'' this weekend when Fergie spied a couple of copies of People magazine -- featuring the cover story about her hubby Josh Duhamel's alleged fling with that stripper. Fergie, on the show as the musical guest with her Black Eyed Peas, threw "a mini-hissy fit,'' said a backstage spy.

Janet Jackson blames doctor for Michael's death
Bill Zwecker: There is even more drama on the Jackson family front as two of Michael’s siblings speak out against the late pop star’s doctor, currently under investigation in the singer’s death, as well as their own father. First, Janet Jackson says in a new interview that she blames Dr. Conrad Murray for Michael’s death. Plus, she and sister LaToya have temporarily set aside their ongoing feud to team up and combat their father.

Jolie, dad may reconnect
Bill Zwecker: There is some intrigue to that ''reconciliation'' Jon Voight has been claiming between himself and long-estranged daughter Angelina Jolie. The actress isn't commenting, but a close Jolie associate tells me Voight's continual chatter about a number of recent phone conversations with his daughter ''may lead to a true reconciliation, but only if Jon doesn't talk about it too much'' in public.

Rosie's gaydar under fire

While Gayle King has yet again denied that ever-persistent rumor about her and Oprah Winfrey being lovers, I've learned this most recent recurrence of the tale has members of Team Oprah peeved with Rosie O'Donnell for opening that discussion yet again.

Trump, Omarosa make up for new reality show
Bill Zwecker: One thing about Donald Trump -- he knows how to make engaging television. Even though The Donald reportedly can barely stand Omarosa, voted top TV reality villain by TV Guide -- the outspoken diva and real estate mogul are reuniting.

Michael's doc in seclusion
Bill Zwecker: We haven't heard much from -- or about -- Michael Jackson's personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray in recent weeks. Seems the controversial medico has been holed up with his legal team at the Beverly Regent Hotel in L.A. -- presumably working on a defense plan for charges the doctor is expected to be facing in the Jackson case.

Dating like it's 1989
Bill Zwecker: You just know there will be jokes made about ''has beens'' and ''been there, done that,'' but it looks like Paula Abdul and funnyman Arsenio Hall may be rekindling a romance that first ignited 20 years ago!

'Pirate Radio' set was one big 1960s music fest
Bill Zwecker: Along with outfitting his entire cast with iPods featuring some 300 songs from the mid-’60s, "Pirate Radio" director Richard Curtis felt it important to have that music blasting from speakers all over the boat, during lunch breaks or any time they weren’t filming specific scenes. ‘‘You just couldn’t escape it — nor did we want to,’’ said actress Talulah Riley.

England: their cup of tea
Bill Zwecker: Seems music mogul and superstar Jay-Z -- and his equally talented and successful wife Beyonce -- are quite taken with jolly old England. Word has it, the couple (aided by Madonna's own real estate agent) have been scouting for both a house in Mayfair (London's priciest 'hood) and an estate in the countryside near Oxford.

Incident nags Chris' career

Despite his various apologies, Chris Brown's efforts to atone for assaulting Rihanna may not be enough to satisfy fans.

Prejean won't go quietly
Bill Zwecker: A year from now, let's hope it will be ''Carrie Prejean ... who?'' But for now the controversial ex-Miss California USA is still snaring headlines. There are conflicting reports about the settlement Prejean made with pageant officials over their demand she pay them back for breast implants they financed.

No high-tech tyranny for 'Carol'
Bill Zwecker: Academy Award-winning South Side native Robert Zemeckis laughed out loud when called ''Mr. Motion Capture'' by a Chicago reporter. ''I guess there's some truth to that. I've been called worse,'' said the director, who has been in the forefront of the technology known as motion capture, or performance capture -- previously showcased in Zemeckis' ''Polar Express'' and ''Beowulf.''

Kiefer Sutherland drinking 'day and night'

The good news: Kiefer Sutherland virtually never goes anywhere he needs to drive unless someone is chauffering him.

Local actor a perfect fit for postal ads
Bill Zwecker: No question about it: Five little words have changed Mike Bradecich's life. Thanks to those ever-present U.S. Postal Service commercials, the actor's ''If it fits, it ships'' line has made the former Second City ensemble member and longtime Chicago-based actor and filmmaker a familiar figure to millions across the country.

Not the E.N.D. for Fergie
Bill Zwecker: Even though Josh Duhamel has denied the National Enquirer story he had a fling with a stripper, I've learned wife Fergie doesn't believe him. Yet, despite that, a source close to the Black Eyed Peas superstar tells me the singer is sticking with her marriage to the "Transformers" star for now.

Stripper? What stripper? Fergie isn't buying Josh's story
Bill Zwecker: Even though Josh Duhamel has denied the National Enquirer story he had a fling with a stripper, I’ve learned wife Fergie doesn't believe him. Yet, despite that, a source close to the Black Eyed Peas superstar tells me the singer is sticking with the marriage for now. ‘‘[Fergie's] been around musicians for too long. She understands show business marriages are not like other people’s,’’ my source added.

Reining in Lindsay's dad
Bill Zwecker: The stakes are very high in Lindsay Lohan's world this weekend. I've learned the actress and her mother, Dina, are attempting to orchestrate a ''summit'' with Michael Lohan, their estranged father and ex-husband.

Life imitating 'Gossip'
Bill Zwecker: There's lots of gossip from the set of ''Gossip Girl,'' including updates on the romance between Blake Lively and Penn Badgley -- whose characters, as we know, used to date on the show.

This is it for Janet, LaToya
Bill Zwecker: More raw emotion in the Jackson family: I've learned that Janet and LaToya Jackson got into expletive-filled screaming matches in three separate phone calls this week. Janet is furious about LaToya continuing to give press interviews about Michael, his kids and the "This Is It" film.

Bullock gets mom wish

Over the years, Sandra Bullock has told me on several occasions she would love to become a mom. After marrying Jesse James at age 40 in 2005, Bullock even joked, ''I became a bride late, so maybe I'll become a mother late as well.''

Taylor x 2: Swift, Lautner more than 'just friends'
Bill Zwecker: While Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner say they're just friends, it's a cover for their romance -- another celebrity attempt to keep their relationship under the radar. At a Los Angeles restaurant the other night, the two couldn't keep their eyes (or hands) off each other.

Madonna's angle with Cruz
Bill Zwecker: There's word Madonna has put her friend Penelope Cruz in a bit of a bind. While the two have been friends for several years, Cruz is beginning to think that Madonna recently has pursued her only to get close to filmmaker Pedro Almodovar -- the Spanish director and writer who made Cruz a star.