It's awards season, and that means it's time for the creative teams behind the contending films to wine and dine as many voters and influencers they possibly can, in hopes of getting a leg up on the competition. Monday, I told you about last Friday's "Argo" lunch, where Ben Affleck defended his film against charges of inaccuracy and stressed its relevance to geopolitics. The cheery cast of "Les Miserablés" took an altogether different approach at Tuesday's swanky lunch at the Four Seasons Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. In place of a planned Q&A, they took a cue from jazz singer Peter Cincotti -- who'd just sat down at the grand piano and bravely whacked out a jaunty version of "Master of the House" mere inches from the bemused gaze of "Les Mis" producer Cameron Mackintosh -- and decided to sing for their supper.

Stage veteran Samantha Barks, who played Eponine on London's West End before reprising the role in Tom Hooper's film adaptation, stepped up first. She sang a sultry version of "Summertime" from George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess."

Apparently, that was enough to get Hugh Jackman's competitive juices flowing. After apologizing in advance for the condition of his voice following last night's premiere party, Jackman grabbed the microphone and sang "The Way You Look Tonight" -- changing the last word to "Today," in honor of the time of day -- directly to his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, who was sitting just a few feet away. Not surprisingly, his voice sounded flawless.

You know who wasn't going to be outdone by Hugh Jackman? Jackman's fellow former Oscar host Anne Hathaway, who is a favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of tragic Fantine in the movie. But she also wasn't going to go it alone. Here she is beckoning her cast mates to join her at the front of the room.

And here they are getting ready. Recognize that pretty face up front? That's Isabelle Allen, who plays young Cosette. Her face is the one you've seen on all those billboards. Standing next to her is young Daniel Huttlestone, who plays Gavroche. I had the great pleasure of meeting them both, and they admitted that it had been a bit weird to see their faces on that huge screen last night. Rounding out the group are Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried, who play the lovers Marius and (grown-up) Cosette.

And here they all are singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Over lunch, Eric Fellner, co-chief of Working Title Films, which produced "Les Mis" with Universal Pictures, pointed out that it's a rare gift to work with such a spirited group of actors. "They're three weeks into a junket tour, and look at them," he said. No doubt their infectious enthusiasm will catch on with at least some Oscar voters.

As for me, I'm just wondering why on Earth I didn't think to shoot video. Um, next time?

The name "Rick Ross" for many stirs much emotion -- it stands at the center of what many perceive as the third leg of Black America's oppression that came at the hands of the "crack epidemic." As the stories of the Iran-Contra came out worldwide in the late '90s, Rick Ross became the anti-hero of the ghetto. Rick Ross is a name that carries with it the burden of life sentences, gains of wealth beyond imagination, memories of dead friends from childhood and the pain of a lost generation. He and his image became a sort of singular face to be placed on why the youth of Black America had failed to develop after the civil rights movement. This weekend the weight of that name bore down on William Roberts II a.k.a. Rick Ross, as he dealt with the onslaught of the true weight of a drug kingpin for the first time. So often in his portrayals of the kingpin's grandeur what was lost was the weight that figure bears, and how the knowledge of that fine balance kept a dealer responsible to the ghetto that supported his enterprise. To walk with wealth amongst poverty requires a unique recognition of the social plight of others, and an acknowledgement of the common man. As the name Rick Ross and life was mimicked in hip-hop, out of hubris the grandeur forgot to be responsible to the weight in the belief that the space occupied by entertainment would serve as a buffer from the repercussions. But what William Roberts -- the rapper "Rick Ross" -- has found out is that the weight is real, and unforgiving if not respected.

For the past few years I have worked with Freeway Rick Ross on our documentary Crack in the System by Marc Levin, and the feature film biopic on his life to be directed by Nick Cassavetes. In that time he has talked to me extensively about the things that went into his existence as a wealthy kingpin during Reaganomics, one of the hardest economic times in modern history for African Americans. It is from these discussions with Rick Ross, and my own experiences that I draw the frame of understanding of the weight of the name, and how it survived. While I don't agree with his choice to deal cocaine as a result of circumstance, I do believe the story of the crack epidemic and Iran-Contra is the most important of our generation. It does not need to be diluted by hip-hop, but rather the story should be supported for its immense historical value. That which we have seen from artist such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Akon.

As an attorney that has handled hundreds of criminal cases, I can tell you that far too many of our black men in this generation live hardened criminal lives. As a result of many factors, one being the War on Drugs black men today are the most imprisoned group in the history of the world. Some 10,000 per 100,000 black men between the ages of 25-30 are in jail or prison. To put this statistic in context, the prison rate for Africans in South Africa during the the Apartheid was 836 per 100,000. In the mid-2000s about 10.4 percent of the entire African-American male population in the United States aged 25 to 29 was incarcerated, by far the largest racial or ethnic group-by comparison, 2.4 percent of Hispanic men and 1.2 percent of white men in that same age group were incarcerated. While it has been stated many times the War on Drugs is a major problem for America, I tend to think these numbers reflect that cost is not bore by all Americans equally. The shadow of being a threatening black male is carried around in our daily lives, no matter our personal criminal record. It is within this culture that we see the mutated celebration of the black anti-hero in our entertainment. We see this with artist such as Jay-Z, Rick Ross and more rapping of cocaine dreams and drug sales leading to a way out. When the system fails to recognize you, you will operate outside of it to acquire your means for survival.

Yeah, it was all a dream on the corner serving all them fiends, me and a bunch of my ni**as we was all a team. The system labeled us killas, but momma called us kings... Walked through the hall of a prison, now it's the hall of fame -- And people got the nerve to ask why I wear ALL these chains... When I was booked, they had me shackled to the wall of shame... So I'm just representin', better yet just reminiscin' -- Put down on that Bentley truck, I used to want the Expedition -- Now it's bigger things, grew up and got bigger dreams -- Cause in my hood, ni**as try to smoke you just like nicotine -- look how far we've came... through these Maybach Curtains I see our lives have changed.

-- Maybach Music, MMG

Through these stories of survival come the makings of great tales of overcoming odds. Life stories that could even in some cases lay shame to larger than life fictional figures such as Scarface, because they are real. A place where stories exist like that of a poor black kid named Rick Ross that makes nearly a billion dollars in a lifetime despite the odds against him. This recognition has been best displayed in hip-hop culture as it has grown to celebrate these anti-heroes in song. But as the music celebrated the anti-hero it forgot itself in its success. Hip-hop forgot to pay homage to the stories and neighborhoods that underpinned its existence. These people and places just became fan bases that are suppose to continue to support an elitism that looked down upon them as they handed over their hard earned dollars.

As Ross and I wrote in a prior piece:

Inside of these song's lyrics is the kindling of a brushfire for violence, because the starting point is incorrect. It is a foundation built on low self esteem and selfish statements of I have what you can't afford -- from something as simple as a passport and its stamps, to some European item that's hard to pronounce and can even include a man's mate in some of these songs. Hip-hop has the power to be so much more than that simple. At my height I did not make hundreds of millions to belittle those around me, this is what elitism has driven rap into becoming. A tool to marginalize the have-nots as rappers say what they invented, how they will protect it and how your less than for not being in the same class. The goal cannot be to have large sums of money to marginalize your fans with diamonds they don't have, clothes they can't afford or cars they have not seen.

-- "How Hip-hop Can Heal"

Earlier this week a story was released that Suge Knight had obtained a direct admission from Rozay that he "studied 'Freeway Rick Ross' in taking on 'his' image and name." When fables become distorted recreations of reality it can become dangerous, particularly if the person called on them is not honest after the fact. The power of the name Rick Ross is its ability to truly recognize its own fault and become more through redemption, the hope is that William 'Rozay' Roberts is able to learn this part of Rick's story. As the Real Rick Ross stated earlier this week "... when you violate someone just address it as a man, you need to say that it wasn't intentional or nothing like that. It's OK to apologize and make things right with a real agreement out of respect." The hope is the artist can learn this last lesson of wisdom from a kingpin, for all of our sake. A lesson that a true boss kingpin knows when then the line is crossed, and how to apologize to a gangster if he is wrong.

Antonio Moore

Move over Colin Firth, Lifetime is reportedly looking at adapting a modern-day version of "Pride and Prejudice" for the small screen, to be produced by Jennifer Love Hewitt.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hewitt and Lifetime are joining forces for "Darcy's Town," which will take place in a small Virginia town in the present day. The script is being penned by "Charmed" writer-producer Sheryl J. Anderson and the project originated at Hewitt's production company, Fedora Films.

Hewitt and Lifetime have an existing relationship, since the star currently headlines the network's drama series "The Client List," which was renewed for a second season earlier this year. Lifetime recently signed a first-look development deal with Fedora, and "Darcy's Town" joins a number of other projects Hewitt is working on with the cable network.

The most enduring version of "Pride and Prejudice" was a British television adaptation produced in 1995, starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Ten years later, Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley took on the roles for Joe Wright's Oscar-nominated film version. No word yet on who the network is looking at to star. The Jane Austen classic was originally published in 1813, and concerned the trials and tribulations of Elizabeth, the second oldest of five sisters, and her tumultuous relationship with the reserved and standoffish Mr. Darcy.

Would you watch a modern-day version of "Pride and Prejudice?"

A solid day of work from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday, as the organization announced its short list of potential Best Original Song nominees at the 85th annual Academy Awards. Of course, "short list" is a relative term: 75 songs are eligible for a nomination despite the fact that only five will make the final cut. So! Which five songs should get nominated? Ahead a dream list of possible nominees that will never happen since "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables" and one of those songs from "Brave" will probably take up 40 percent of the list.

"100 Black Coffins" by Rick Ross ("Django Unchained")
Quentin Tarantino uses a bunch of anachronistic music cues in "Django Unchained," but none better than Rick Ross' "100 Black Coffins" (produced by Jamie Foxx, of course), which includes lyrics like this: "Hundred dead b--ches, hundred black coffins / Money on his head, B--ch I'm trying to make a fortune." AMPAS, Rozay sees your "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" and raises you !!!

"Wide Awake" by Katy Perry ("Katy Perry: Part of Me")
Whatever it takes to get Katy Perry on the Oscar stage in an exploding cupcake bra.

"Ladies of Tampa" by Matthew McConaughey ("Magic Mike")
Whatever it takes to get a shirtless Matthew McConaughey on the Oscar stage in a leather vest and cowboy hat.

"Skyfall" by Adele ("Skyfall")
If you thought there was a better movie-music moment this year than the opening credits of "Skyfall," you were wrong. Only Adele, in all her regal and royal glory, can rhyme "Skyfall" and "crumble" and make it sound Oscar worthy.

"Dull Tool" by Fiona Apple ("This Is 40")
Fiona Apple doesn't so much sing "Dull Tool" as spit its lyrics with righteous indignation. Bonus for the chance that she could accept an Academy Award, quote Maya Angelou and call the Oscars "bulls--t."

For a full list of Best Original Song eligible songs, head over to Deadline.com.

The only thing more nauseating than morning sickness has to be the wearisome and banal royal baby chatter that has been assaulting my senses this week.

It hasn't just been politicians and celebrities clamouring over crowds of well-wishers to be the first to congratulate the Royal couple; the pranksters are back in town and have broadcast news of the microscopic monarch quite literally around the world.

Even Prince Charles ran with the antipodean caper, quipping that he might in fact be a radio station when stopped by inquisitive journalists on Thursday.

Rest assured that this is a very early present for the PR industry. PRs will be peddling their wares and attaching products and brand events onto the media charabang at every opportunity. Sales speak stronger than sentiment, and the baby care PR pixies have been stat-spinning like a tribal dervish overcome by super-strength hallucinogenic cacti.

It's not just the PR pixies either; the nation's press barons have been roused from the last chance saloon into a swirl of sycophancy, each trying to prove their devotion to the Royal household. God save K-Midda, redeemer of hacks.

It's astonishing how the young royals are capable of detracting the public's attention from almost anything. The appeal of the royal brand is utterly captivating and is capable of seizing the interest of then nation even in the most unlikely conditions: Christmas? Benefit cuts? Leveson? Sex scandals? Never heard of 'em.

The PR and marketing world know a good thing when it hits them and are adept at leveraging candy floss from the nation's Good News Bible. Unfortunately, we are all too keen to gorge on the glycaemic rush.

The pages of the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph have been sprinkled accordingly with a hearty helping of product placements, and Emma Bridgewater is already sending out a royal flotilla of gurgling memorabilia our way.

There is a positive side to all of this, however. Despite the Duchess being denied the opportunity to make the announcement herself, this has been an excellent platform for public service PR. Pregnancy Sickness Support has had the opportunity to inform the public about the severity of the condition and has provided advice on how to deal with the symptoms.

If Ms Middleton's symptoms are indeed an indication of twins as the hearsay suggests, then the double trouble may be of a constitutional nature. Although the new ascension legislation is a move in the right direction, it'll be interesting to see what will happen if the New Year heralds the birth of twin royals of different genders.

On Tuesday, Grace Dent remarked in the Independent that the media's treatment of women has not changed much since Diana's days. Ms Middleton hasn't had the chance to announce her pregnancy herself, and the only qualities that she has been celebrated for have been her dress sense, marriage and now, her pregnancy. If the monarchy want to continue to appear future-facing and innovative, it would be wise not to fall into this trap.

Since their wedding, Wills and Kate have been unable to escape the spectre of the Royal Bête Noir, Princess Diana. While their happy union has created a new image for the royal family, it is inevitable that the press will start to draw comparisons.

As I remarked in June, the royal zygote is going to prove the next step in what is likely to be another turbulent chapter in the history of the monarchy. While this immaculate conception has proved a fitting finale to bring the Jubilee year to a close, the Dynamic Duchy will have to put in a lot of graft if they want to continue to capitalise from the success that they have had this year.

I wonder what the odds are on the ultimate PR stunt coming to fruition in the form of Queen Diana I?

When you begin your entertainment writing career as a fan you walk in with a lot of preconceived notions and a lot of misconceptions about actors. You think they must be so much like their characters you've grown to love. But you quickly learn they are not. They are their own person with a skill to become every woman's fantasy, which in their own reality can be a nightmare. The truth is you stop having favorites and you stop being a fan.

When it comes to Jeremy Renner however, something is different. Something about him runs deeper with me than just "that hot actor guy." I haven't felt this way about a talent in a long time. I love this man. I've seen every single thing he's done and then watched it again. I've been a fan since 2002 when he did Dahmer because I love my weird serial killer movies. I've followed him ever since. Then he got huge and it was bittersweet. I'm happy for him, but I figured he'd probably change. Hollywood changes people. Either way though, he's my new Matt Damon. I feel he was actually put on this earth to make me smile. I need more of that in this life. But at the same time "boy's got some issues." This leads me to ask the question:

Jeremy Renner: One Night Stand or the Marrying Kind?

1. Jeremy constantly says he's lonely in interviews. However, he also says that "any woman would take a No 2. seat to my job" (1). Ladies, not sure about you but that doesn't sound so great to me. If I'm going to be dating Jeremy Renner I want to know I'm his earth, moon and stars. Would you be able to handle coming in second place to Hawkeye and Aaron Cross?

2. Jeremy has had a serious girlfriend in the past. However, when he was in the middle of his Oscar nod craziness for The Hurt Locker she was trying to get her acting career off the ground. This wasn't working for him as he quotes "I was going through the Hurt Locker campaign and she's like, 'Where do I get headshots?'"(2). To me this says he wants a suitcase partner. Someone who can pack up and put their life on hold and follow him around with no strings attached. For some women this is a dream come true. Travel the world in luxury, be there for your famous boyfriend when he needs you and just chill out. But for some they'd miss their family and lose a sense of who they really are. How would this work for you, could you give up your identity for a celebrity romance?

3. Renner has a bit of a bad boy streak in him and at 40-plus years-old is that ever going to end? While it's sexy in the movies, is it sexy to have to worry about what story you might wake up to every time he's on location? I can just hear my mother now. No amount of money and fame is gonna shut her up if my partner is humiliating the family in any way. Even if yesterday he was participating in mine clearing efforts in Afghanistan.

4. He has sisters. Okay, I know a lot of people have sisters but I can barely get along with my one sister, so add two more to the mix and I might just be out. Sisters are so much drama and Jeremy is the big brother figure in the family. I can't even imagine what might go down if he brought home a serious girlfriend after becoming a huge celebrity. Hey, maybe they are the sweetest women in the world and I'm praying for his sake they are. But the thought puts ice water in my veins.

5. He has a Bromance. You know, a boy best friend that seems to take up any of his extra time. Think Chandler and Joey of Friends fame or Abed and Troy from Community. These two own a business together that they put a lot of time into. Would you ever be able to come between him and Kristoffer Winters or would it just be yet another obstacle in his life you can't push past?

6. Jeremy smokes. Dealbreaker for many. One of my friends just died of lung cancer at 34 years-old leaving behind a preschool son. He never smoked. But you get the point. I don't think I could even kiss Jeremy with smoke mouth. I'd have a migraine immediately. I get that a lot of actors smoke because it's one thing they can do to get away and they control it. They control so little in their life. But I'd worry about him all the time. Just thinking about what those carcinogens were doing to him. I already worry about him and I don't know him. Of course I could hope he'd love me so much he'd quit because he'd realize how every time he took a drag off that cigarette it was that much less time he'd have with me. But probably not. Would this bother you?

For Heaven's sakes Jeremy, are you reading this story, do you see the walls you throw up? Or maybe this is just one huge story that some women read as the greatest love story ever told?

I want to hear your opinions on whether you think you could adjust your life to fit the part of one of Hollywood's biggest celebrities significant other!

As far as my opinion goes, well, I think I'll hold this card close to the vest. My Renner feelings are something I hold dear because quite honestly I don't have a lot left at this point with Hollywood.

*This story is written fully in jest or gimmick and I wish Jeremy Renner nothing but the very best in his personal life and career.

The new season of "American Idol" doesn't premiere until January 16 (8 p.m. EST on Fox), but the publicity machine has been working overtime to hype the arrival of new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and (to a lesser extent) Keith Urban.

Carey and Minaj have been at the center of a well-publicized feud since judging began, with some speculating that the rivalry is little more than a publicity stunt. Regardless of the motivations behind the duo's supposed animosity, some Fox affiliates are already capitalizing on the relationship.

Australian network Ten has dedicated an entire commercial to highlighting Carey and Minaj's bickering, and we're certain that other channels will soon follow suit. Check out Ten's Mariah vs. Nicki ad below. (Apologies for the poor quality, we're searching for a better version.)

"American Idol" premieres Wed., Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.

Will you watch the new "American Idol"? Do you think Carey and Minaj's feud is the real deal?

"The Voice" Top 3 were revealed on Tuesday night. Terry McDermott and Cassadee Pope of Team Blake are moving on along with Team Cee Lo's Nicholas David.

Another member of Team Cee Lo, Trevin Hunte, was eliminated.

Cassadee and Terry kicked off the performances of the night with a duet of the Of Monsters and Men hit "Little Talks," while Trevin and Nicholas performed the last song of the night. The final two members of Team Cee Lo sang Mariah Carey's classic ballad "Hero" just before Trevin was eliminated.

Three "Voice" alumni also took the stage on Tuesday night. Former Team Cee Lo member Juliet Simms performed her single "Wild Child," looking more like Ashlee Simpson than ever and seemingly inspired by Miley Cyrus' "Can't Be Tamed" music video. Country singer RaeLynn, a former member of Team Blake, also performed her new single "Boyfriend," with her signature flower in her hair. Christina Aguilera's Season 2 finalist Chris Mann sang his song "Roads" and Adam Levine revealed that Christina's least favorite "Voice" contestant ever and his Season 2 finalist Tony Lucca is on his record label now.

"The Voice" two-part finale kicks off on Monday, December 17 at 8 p.m. EST.

For over two decades I made my living, in large part, performing radio pranks. I pranked individuals, I pranked co-workers, and I pranked entire cities. I even pranked a presidential candidate once (resulting in a post-show visit from two non-pranking Secret Service agents). Why have pranks always been such a big part of morning radio? Because people like them. Research and ratings both show it, undeniably. When people hear a prank being played on the radio they rarely tune out, assuming it's a good one. Same with TV, and its been that way since Candid Camera.

I can honestly say that when long-time fans approach me it's always the elaborate pranks we pulled that they want to talk about first.

The story of British nurse Jacintha Saldhana, who took her own life last week after falling victim to the world's worst Royal Family impressions by two Australian DJ's, is an unthinkable and terribly sad tragedy that was completely unpredictable. But the ensuing witch-hunt it has created can only be described as completely predictable.

We live in a world where, when something unfortunate happens, society immediately needs to know who is to blame and how severely can they be punished. And sometimes it's an easy call (a drunk football player getting behind the wheel of his car, killing his teammate, leaves little question as to who is at fault). But often it's not so easy. Bad things happen and they don't always come with a convenient or understandable explanation.

It's a safe assumption that Ms. Saldhana was a very modest person whose last wish was to have her 15 minutes of fame or to be the center of attention. I'm guessing she was a quiet, caring person who was horrified that her error may have caused international embarrassment for her employer and the Royal Family. But most mental experts agree that suicide is never the result of one event, and in the coming weeks I'm sure we'll learn more about her life and what really drove this fragile person to make such an extreme decision that now leaves her children without a mother.

And while the actions of DJ's Michael Christian and Mel Greig certainly played a role in the tragedy, it's misguided to singularly blame them for her death. They played, what 99 out of 100 times, would amount to a harmless juvenile joke that was certainly without malice or mean spirit. And I believe that needs to be considered.

In the end, they were fired. And while I understand they'd become a liability from a business standpoint, I don't like seeing people lose their jobs over things that could not have been foreseen. Remember, the radio station (2DayFM) didn't have a problem with the prank when they were enjoying ridiculous amounts of international publicity before the tragic twist (I can promise you they were loving it). And even most of us were amused, on some level, that the DJ's were able to get through to Kate Middleton's room. It's also been noted that they followed full company policy by having management approve the recorded segment before airing it in the first place.

We see people play idiotic pranks all the time with outcomes that are fairly predictable -- or at least within the scope of foresight. But this was not one of them. Simply put, sad and unfortunate things happen that sometimes defy simple explanations.

What happened last week in London was tragic but it was also fairly isolated. And unfortunately, we will now sit back and watch the very predictable over-reaction.

Jimmy Baron was part of the Morning X with Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy on 99X Atlanta for 10 years. He also hosted the morning shows on 92.9 Dave-FM. He now works in residential real estate.

A Canadian hacker accused of pilfering nude images from Carly Rae Jepsen's computer ... and trying to sell them ... has been arrested after turning himself in to police last Friday.

Ariel Winter's dad now has control over her estate -- namely her finances -- which was part of the settlement struck today outside the courtroom.

Jeff: "Obsessed." It's such a dirty word...

If "passionate" is a taking a date on a romantic winter sleigh ride, "obsessed" is stealing her scarf to smell it before you go to bed.

So saying I am "obsessed with fantasy football" makes it sound like I'm some weirdo who values puttering around with a pretend team over most other things.

Jackie: You are. Fantasy football is no longer just our hobby, it's our livelihood. We created a television show for FX called The League that revolves around -- you guessed it -- a fantasy football league.

Jeff: We wanted to do a comedy about people like us: People who know that few things in life are more satisfying then when the tight end you picked up off the free agent scrap heap scores a touchdown.

Jackie: Fantasy football takes football, the greatest American pastime and ultimate team sport, and reduces it to a celebration of individual achievement. Nothing more American than that.

Jeff: And the focus on players' stats is just another way to get closer to the sport we love. Like wanting to know the measurements of your favorite Playboy centerfold.

Jackie: I don't know if that analogy is more offensive or more dated. I think it might be a tie. And as every fantasy player knows, ties are the worst.

Jeff: As an interactive social unit you can't beat a fantasy football league. It's a like having a book club where the required reading is watching the NFL, and the discussions involve telling other members of the group to "take a ride on your suck stick."

I am in five leagues, each its own unique coterie, whether it's friends from college, comedy writers, or the grand daddy of them all my high school league.

Jackie: I find it better to be in ONE league and win it. Jeff and I are in a league with the cast of the show -- we call it The League of The League. I have won it before. How about you, Jeff?

Jeff: I believe that was a rhetorical insult.

Jackie: With the amount of energy and hours committed to winning a league, you would think that that $35 trophy was the cure for cancer wrapped in bacon. By the way, Jeff, did you even make the playoffs this year in our league? Because I did.

Jeff: And this is another reason fantasy sports are so popular -- because humans have an almost limitless capacity to gloat. In real life, there are so few opportunities to win. Flat-out beat someone else. Fantasy football lets us be what we really are -- just a bunch of australopithecines going at each other with a deer femur.

Jackie: And you don't just win. You win PUBLICLY. Because of the league message boards you can be triumphant at full volume. There's no workplace that allows you to insult your friend's intelligence, job, sexual prowess, choice of mate, or children. But in a fantasy football league it's not only allowed, it's encouraged.

Jeff: Exactly. Try finding a message board for a cooking club where people are making fun of the time you got your first hand job. I have been a comedy writer for along time and I can honestly say that some of the funniest things I have ever read have been on the message board of my high school league. It's a mix of bravado, invective and gallons of muck raked up from our past. And that exhilaration of jawing with your friends is exactly what we are trying to capture on our show.

Jackie: We love fantasy football. We don't care if people think it is an immature, offensive excuse for a sport. Because, like we said in the pilot of The League: "There are many things a man can do with his time. This is better than those things."

Jeff: In fact, we would have written this article sooner. But it's crunch time in the fantasy world, and we spent the weekend perseverating on our lineups, sweating out our teams' play and yammering on the message boards.

Jackie: Our obsession with fantasy football kept us from writing an article about how we're obsessed with fantasy football. And we are okay with that.

Paul McCartney did his best Kurt Cobain impersonation on Wednesday night, joining Nirvana's Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic for a spirited performance at the 12-12-12 concert. The special development closed the show, which benefits victims of Hurricane Sandy.

McCartney first took the stage to perform "Helter Skelter." He was later joined by Diana Krall, with whom he performed "My Valentine." But eventually, it was time: Grohl, Novoselic and Pat Smear took the stage. The men did a new song, which they said was never before performed for an audience. The performance didn't happen until 1:00 a.m., surprising given Madison Square Garden's notoriously strict curfews. It was a boisterous show, with McCartney looking pretty much amazing for his 70 years.

After the new song (we'll update with the title once it surfaces), McCartney went back to his own band.

Rumors that Sir Paul was joining the group for Wednesday's event sparked a Twitter frenzy. A spokesman for Grohl told the Guardian that the Beatle had joined Novoselic and the Foo Fighter's frontman in the studio.

McCartney, however, didn't really seem to know what he had gotten himself into. "I didn't really know who they were," he said. "They are saying how good it is to be back together. I said: 'Whoa? You guys haven't played together for all that time?' And somebody whispered to me: 'That's Nirvana. You're Kurt.' I couldn't believe it.'"

Certain headlines and media reports that McCartney was "reuniting" or "joining" Nirvana seem a bit bloated -- all indications point to the collaboration centering on 12-12-12 and a potential song.

Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain committed suicide on April 5, 1994. His body was discovered three days after, next to a suicide note. The grunge band continues to be a fan favorite, and Cobain remains a cult hero.

The concert, which took place at New York's Madison Square Garden, was live streamed on a variety of outlets. Organizers hoped the show would reach a potential audience of 2 billion.

It's the moment we've all been waiting for: Snoop has challenged Santa Claus to a rap battle.

Dressed as Moses, Snoop Lion (née Dogg) lays some heavy beats on Santa from "high" upon the mountain as part of the YouTube series, Epic Rap Battles of History.

So much drama in the Israe-L B.C. / It's kinda hard talking directly to the G O single D / Hand me my chisel, I got a new comandizzle for y'all / Thou shalt not let children sit on a grown man's lap at the mall

Not to be outdone, Santa came prepared with some rhymes of his own.

I'm from the North Pole / That's why my rhymes are so cold / I spit diamonds / But I'm serving up some fresh coal

Snoop has always found inventive ways to get into the holiday spirit. Last month, he starred as Ebenezer Snoop in a retelling of A Christmas Carol. Back in 1996, he and Nate Dogg put out the classic Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto as part of Christmas on Death Row, the seminal album in holiday gangsta rap.

Kristina Braverman (Monica Potter) has battled cancer throughout the current fourth season of "Parenthood." On this week's highly-anticipated episode, Kristina's health took a turn for the worse on Christmas Eve and she went into septic shock, leaving fans were worried it could be the end of the line for "Parenthood's" supermom.

Below, Potter talks about Kristina's fate for Season 4, filming that video message for her three TV kids, acting high, being directed by her TV husband, her connection to breast cancer and more.

What was your reaction to finding out Kristina's health would take a turn in this week's episode?
I didn't really know what was going to happen. I mean, I was hoping that she would be OK at the end of the episode, but I wasn't 100 percent sure. The whole season's been sort of like a roller coaster, but the episode itself was a mini roller coaster. I didn't want to do this episode for shock value and ratings. That was the biggest thing for me. I wanted it to be how things really happen. I questioned the whole thing about her condition and can things really turn this quickly? And apparently, they can. I haven't seen the episode yet, but everyone's really proud of it and I think we did a pretty good job.

Were you surprised by the audiences concern that Kristina would die? I read that Jason Katims didn't anticipate the episode being teased in that way.
Oh, I had heard about the promos and stuff because people were texting me and emailing saying, "Are you gonna die? Are you done?" I was like, "I don't know. Why?" [Laughs.] And they said, "Because of the promos for Episode 11." I was like, "I have no idea what you're talking about." So it was heightened for sure and it got people thinking and watching, which is always good. But like I said, I didn't want it to become something where we were baiting the audience. [But] I guess that's what networks have to do.

At what point in shooting the episode did you film the video that Kristina left for Haddie, Max and Nora?
That's funny that you're asking me that because when I saw the schedule I was like, "You guys, are you kidding?" [Laughs.] It was early on in the episode. It was Max's [Burkholder] birthday, November 1 and I remember because I remember taking my kids out for Halloween … and I had to be up early because I knew the workload was kind of heavy. You have these mini-panics, like, "Oh my God. How am I going to do this?" I studied it for a little bit, but then I just put it away because I didn't want it to feel rehearsed. And I'm so glad I did it like that because I feel like the true emotion came through. It was a weird morning. Everything was very quiet and still and there were only a few people on set. I couldn't get through it the first couple of times and then finally, I was like, "Let's go."

Was Peter [Krause] really watching it for the first time on screen or had he seen it previously?
No, he hadn't. That was the first time he was watching it from what I know. So just sitting next to me and having this computer in there, it was weird. I could hear him watching it. I turned my head and at one point, I was crying while I was unconscious. I was like, "Crap. Can't do that." [Laughs.] It was hard. Then I turned my head so it wouldn't be as noticeable. [Laughs.]

A lot of people have said this is their favorite season yet and that's in large part thanks to Kristina's storyline. Were you at all worried it wouldn't be well received?
No, I never worried about that. We just sort of dove in and did it. I didn't want to make it melodramatic. I just wanted to make it very realistic and it's really strange because a lot of people that I've grown up with and women that I know now have gone through this and some have done really well and others have not done so well.

I just got a call from my friend last night about a girl I grew up with that had breast cancer and it was in remission. Then, last Friday, it had spread to her lungs and her brain. So that was just last night. Obviously, a lot of women survive this, but, you know, some don't. And when it hit home like that, you just think, "Oh my god. I was on cheerleading with this girl and I worked with this girl at the flower shop and our families were very close." It's very strange and it's not unusual.

So I guess I never thought about how it would be received, I just wanted to make sure it was done in a really, really realistic way. And adding humor and joy to it as well. I think, because the scenes are so heavy, those moments have to be there.

Like when Julia [Erika Christensen] came over to ask Kristina for some motherly advice and she was high.
[Laughs.] That was the most fun. But that was also a hard scene to do because I wasn't high. [Laughs.] Obviously. It would have been really fun if I was, but I don't have pot. [Laughs.] But I'm so glad that they did that scene and I'm so glad that that was the only scene I was in I think in that episode because it stood alone. That's part of what happens when you're going through chemo and also what happens when you're a mom and having these real conversations with your sister-in-law and all this stuff. It just gave it some much-needed realistic components to a storyline that was so tough.

I talked to Max Burkholder last week and he thought it was hilarious.
[Laughs.] You know, I asked my boys [22-year-old Daniel and 18-year-old Liam] to watch it and they're like, "That was really realistic." And I said, "How do you know?" They're like, "We just know." Not that I'm saying my kids do that, but they watch movies. [Laughs.]

It was so nice to see Sarah Ramos back at the end of the episode. Will we see more of Haddie when the show returns in January or is there a time jump?
Episode 12 is my favorite episode. They've all been really wonderful, but Dax Sherpard directed it. There's definitely a time jump because the last we saw Kristina she was in the hospital and very, very sick. The next episode, you see her going out with the girls, getting out of the house and trying to have fun with Julia and Jasmine [Joy Bryant] and Sarah [Lauren Graham] and wanting to feel like she's normal again. It's sort of heartbreaking to see what happens when she does try to act normal and go out. That's a very rich episode and it's my favorite also for personal reasons, just because I happen to love Dax. He pushed me a lot and I liked that. There's not one flat line of emotion; it's everywhere.

And Peter Krause told me he directed Episode 13 and he directed another episode last season too. What's it like being directed by your co-stars?
I'm not gonna lie, it's kinda weird. With Peter, I feel like we're such a team so when he's directing, I'm like, "Wait a second. Don't do both. I feel like you're leaving me here hanging." And I told him that. I said, "I like that you direct, but it's so awkward when you direct me." But I kinda thought, "Well, we kind of do that anyway." When we're working and someone else is directing, we'll say, "Well, what if we do this? What if we do that?" But Peter did a great job. He did a really, really great job.

Kristina going into septic shock in last night's episode was due to her body's reaction to the chemo. So that doesn't mean everything's all good with her in regards to the cancer?
No, not at all. Oh no, not by any stretch. You see in Episode 15 that it can go either way. So that's the episode that I'm most concerned about.

I loved the scene with Camille [Bonnie Bedilia] and Kristina this season, but it didn't sit right with me that Kristina's mom wouldn't come see her. I felt like I couldn't understand why because we don't know much about the in-laws on "Parenthood."
I think the writers purposefully did that because if you bring three more characters into the mix -- say, her mom and her dad and her sister -- we have such a big cast anyway that it would be hard to fit that storyline in. It's been sprinkled throughout the last few seasons -- there's been mention of her dad -- but I think the less you know about Kristina's family the better. I mean, I made a whole backstory for her for myself because that's all I had to go on. But I think that's part of the reason she's so locked to the Bravermans because she really doesn't have that connection with her family and she doesn't have a mom or a dad that really care too much.

She's such a good mom though.
I think that's why. I think she just totally veered the other way and said, "I'm not going to do this with my kids." I see a lot of that with people that I know. It was hard actually because I really love my mom so doing that scene I had to think about Kristina being from a broken family. I wrote three pages about it to pull from. She's just so holding on to the Bravermans as hard as she can.

What have you loved about playing Kristina this season?
Gosh, everything. I love the moments that are a little bit lighter in tone. I love the moments that are just raw. I love everything. I love the fact that everybody rallies around her. You know, it was hard because I felt guilty. I told ["Parenthood" director] Larry Trilling this. I was like, "There's a fine line. Sometimes, I feel like I am sick and then I feel guilty because I'm not sick." There are moms at school that are coming up to me, giving me hugs, saying, "Are you OK?" Psychologically it's been weird. It's been really weird. I definitely have been mentally, a little bit off. [Laughs.] It messes with your head.

Should the show -- fingers crossed -- come back for a fifth season, what do you hope for Kristina and her family?
I think that since they've gone through this, for sure, their bond has never been stronger. I would hope that for poor Kristina, we'd see a lot of funnier moments next season. I like to do comedy and I think that'd be a lot of fun to show another side of her and just show her celebrating life.

Having gone through this, I think she'd be the type to loosen up.
I 100 percent agree. That's exactly what I mean. She's always been sort of the cautious one, the meddler, the this and the that and it always come a place of wanting to protect people. I also feel like going through this she's going to become a lot looser next year and, like Jason said, she won't sweat the small things as much. I think for me as a person I'll be able to relate to that a lot too.

"Parenthood" airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST on NBC.

Gillian Anderson is playing doctor on NBC's "Hannibal."

According to EW, Anderson will appear in multiple episodes of the new NBC series as Dr. Hannibal Lecter's (Mads Mikkelsen) personal psychiatrist. Since "The X-Files" wrapped Anderson has kept busy across the pond. Anderson has appeared in "Bleak House," "Great Expectations," and "The Fall." The "Hannibal" role marks her return to American TV.

"Hannibal" already has quite the guest cast list. Eddie Izzard, Anna Chlumsky, Raul Esparza, Gina Torres and Laurence Fishburne have all signed on for guest roles on the new NBC drama from Bryan Fuller.

No premiere date for "Hannibal" has been set.

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Emmy-winning actress Margo Martindale has been cast in FX's new spy drama "The Americans," the network announced Wednesday.

Martindale will play "Claudia,” a KGB illegal living in the U.S. who delivers assignments to KGB Directorate S illegals Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), Russian spies posing as Americans. She is scheduled to appear in at least eight of the 15 episodes ordered for the show's first season.

Martindale has a fruitful history with FX -- she won the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Emmy for her role as Mags Bennett in the network's Timothy Olyphant-led "Justified" in 2011.

Read FX's description of the series below.

"The Americans" is a period drama about the complex marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington D.C. shortly after Ronald Reagan is elected President. The arranged marriage of Philip and Elizabeth Jennings who have two children -– 13-year-old Paige (Holly Taylor) and 10-year-old Henry (Keidrich Sellati), who know nothing about their parents’ true identity –- grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but is constantly tested by the escalation of the Cold War and the intimate, dangerous and darkly funny relationships they must maintain with a network of spies and informants under their control. Complicating their relationship further is Philip’s growing sense of affinity for America’s values and way of life. Tensions also heighten upon the arrival of a new neighbor, Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), an FBI agent. Stan and his partner, Agent Chris Amador (Maximiliano Hernández), are members of a new division of Counterintelligence tasked with fighting against foreign agents on U.S. soil.

"The Americans" premieres Wed., Jan. 30 at 10 p.m. EST on FX.

Are you looking forward to "The Americans"?

"Jersey Shore" may be ending its run on Dec. 20, but thankfully, besties Snooki and JWoww will be continuing the party on the second season of their MTV spin-off, appropriately titled, "Snooki & JWoww," premiering Jan. 8 at 10 p.m. The new batch of episodes will feature Snooki not only giving birth to new son, Lorenzo, but also dealing with motherhood.

Courtney Love is not a fan of Paul McCartney performing with the surviving members of Nirvana, telling TMZ that she is "not amused" by the idea.

Kurt Cobain's widow said she might have been more impressed if McCartney's late bandmate John Lennon was in Sir Paul's position. "Look," she said, "maybe if John were still alive it would be cool."

News that McCartney was joining Foo Fighter's frontman Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic for a performance at the 12-12-12 Concert (a benefit for Hurricane Sandy victims) set the internet ablaze Wednesday morning.

From our earlier reporting:

"I didn't really know who they were," the Beatle said of being in the studio with Grohl and Novoselic. "They are saying how good it is to be back together. I said 'Whoa? You guys haven't played together for all that time? And somebody whispered to me 'That's Nirvana. You're Kurt.' I couldn't believe it."

The 12-12-12 benefit concert features an impressive line-up, including Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, Dave Grohl, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Chris Martin, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Eddie Vedder, Roger Waters, Kanye West, The Who and, of course, McCartney.

For more, head over to TMZ.

He plays the all-American singer-songwriter Gunnar on "Nashville," but did you know that Sam Palladio is actually British? And Clare Bowen, who plays his love interest Scarlett, is actually Australian. (Trivia!) The two didn't meet -- let alone harmonize together -- until their first day of shooting. And yet, of all the will-they-or-won't-they pairings on "Nashville," Gunnar and Scarlett are the easiest to root for.