Ricky Gervais' controversial stint hosting the Golden Globes last year helped propel him into fourth place in two (count 'em) categories of Twitter's "Hot Topics" lists of 2011.

This year Gervais may have toned down the gags at the Globes, but he showed "Late Show" (Weeknights, 11:35 p.m. EST on CBS) host David Letterman that he's still capable of dishing out a good old tongue-lashing.

Discussing how his gags were better-received by the audience at this year's Globes, Gervais joked "Last year they had a right stick up their a***, maybe they had it removed."

Next in line for some Gervais-style ribbing was Letterman.

Talking about he'd love to have lunch in London with Gervais and Stephen Merchant, Letterman tried to remember the name of "the tasteless white fish that everybody gets there."

As Letterman fumbled for the right words, Gervais -- who this week has been mooted as a possible late night talk show host -- addressed his remarks to the production crew, suggesting they might want to edit the section out of the telecast.

When Letterman finally remembered the name of the fish, Gervais quipped "What's that, Grandad? 'Dover Sole!'"

"The Late Show With David Letterman" airs Weeknights, 11:35 p.m. EST on CBS.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

RuPaul visited the Bravo Clubhouse last night and talked to "Watch What Happens Live" (Weeknights., 11 p.m. EST on Bravo) host Andy Cohen about the alleged simmering feud between Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Never one to mince words, RuPaul's opinion on the feud is, "it probably sells a lot of records." And does Gaga's "Born This Way" remind him of anything? Say, Madonna's 1989 hit "Express Yourself," for instance?

"Oh, hell, yes!"

Answering questions from viewers, Cohen and RuPaul then moved on to the Madonna vs. Elton John and David Furnish feud.

John and Furnish were accused of being sore losers earlier this week after they criticized Madonna's Golden Globes win for Best Original Song.

RuPaul and fellow "WWHL" interviewee Tabatha Coffey reached a surprisingly diplomatic consensus by agreeing that "it's good to be sweet in public when you're a person in public."

And which "Real Housewife" does RuPaul think looks most like a drag queen? (Drum roll, please ...) "That would be NeNe Leakes, honey."

Catch the latest gossip from Andy and his guests on "Watch What Happens Live," Weeknights at 11 p.m. EST on Bravo.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 4 kicks off Monday, January 30 at 9 p.m. EST on Logo.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

NeNe Leakes famously tried to quit "Celebrity Apprentice," only to be fired by Donald Trump anyway. She talked about her experiences on that show, and particularly her feud with Star Jones, on "The Rosie Show" (Weeknights, 7 p.m. EST on OWN). In describing her first day arriving to film the show, Leakes said of Jones, "She was standing back and looking at me like, I don't like reality stars."

"What you guys don't know, is Star and I went to dinners together." Leakes said. The women apparently bonded after a medical incident. "Every night after shows we would go to dinner. We double-dated."

But Leakes' take on all of that now was that Jones was being disingenuous in their new friendship. "She was very sneaky," she said. "She was getting around me to see how I really was so that she could like get me. And when I realized how manipulative she was, it set me so off."

So much so, that the growing tension between the women was one of the reasons Leakes left the show. As for making amends with Jones, Leakes says she has no interest in that, but also that she doesn't hold a grudge.

NeNe Leakes can be seen on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Sunday nights at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo. Catch "The Rosie Show" weeknights at 7 p.m. EST on OWN.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

Dear Mr. Carter (or may I call you Jay-Z, since you don't seem to put much stock in formality?)

You have apparently told the Daily News that you have not stopped using the word "bitch" after all. For two days you refused to comment on reports that a poem renouncing that word was written by you. But today you are quoted as saying "That poem and story are fake."

I hope you understand that while the words attributed to you may have been fake, the response of countless fans to what they thought was your announcement was very very real. When millions of people believed you had realized that the misogyny in rap lyrics was offensive (a realization they believed you'd reached now that you have a daughter) they all said "it's about time."

I know you are busy tonight with the re-opening of your club 40/40, but maybe you could find a little time to read some of the thoughts in the 500-plus comments here on The Huffington Post.

Read about how other parents of other daughters find the word "bitch" (among more words you are so fond of) insulting. Listen to them question how your wife, who is a champion of strong girls, feels about it. Look for one single comment here that says "dang it Jay-Z, I refuse to buy your records if you don't call women nasty names." You won't find one. Instead you will find a lot of people who know that words have power, and who also know that you are a maestro with words, and who figure you can probably come up with some better ones than the lazy, vulgar shortcuts you've gotten into the habit of using.

Jay-Z, I am apologizing here to my readers. I assumed that you had written the poem in question, because it had been "vetted" by several sites with far more expertise in the music industry than I have. That was my mistake, and I don't like to make mistakes.

But I am not the only one who should be issuing an apology. I'm thinking you also owe one, to your public -- not for the words that aren't actually yours, but for the ones that still are.

Sincerely,

Lisa Belkin

So, which one are you sleeping with -- the drummer or the guitarist? Or did you go home with a fan? C'mon. You musicians are all the same, right? Throngs of groupie fanboys at your beck and call?

Thus went the playful text from an attractive guy-friend who had just come to one of my shows. He had given me the cursory "Nice show slash I'll see you soon slash but there's no way I'm waiting in that line to say hello to you" wave as he passed me in the merch booth, selling my wares to adorably tipsy audience members at the Hotel Cafe.

Now I was back in my dark hotel room, far from the venue on Cahuenga Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood, where singer-songwriters get record deals for writing songs that end up on Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl. Where I myself scored a record deal a few years ago with songs that ended up on Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl.

Now I was back in my dark hotel room -- alone, the smirk on my face illuminated by the iPhone glow of sardonic text messages.

My mind went down a familiar path, a path I've been treading for the past few years, as I focused on the words.

you musicians are all the same

... right?

throngs of groupie fanboys

at your beck

and call.

In fact, the sentiment of the text was one my female peers in rock and I have heard a hundred times over -- the gist being: you rock chicks must be fending off sexual advances from groupies like Mick and Keith in an outtake of "Cocksucker Blues." These comments, dispensed by friends, strangers and even family, are intended, I can only assume, to boost the presumably fragile ego of the performer, but the truth is, we "rock chicks" are in fact not engaging in many -- if any -- SexyFunTimes™ post-show. I thought I was alone, unique in my post-show solitude. But as I continued to find -- through months and months of careful research and data gathering -- I was the norm.

No one I talked to was reaping the sorts of sexual benefits people associate with musicians. None of us had a male equivalent of a Cynthia Plastercaster or a Marianne Faithful. Not even close. And if you follow Neko Case on Twitter, you already know that "ladies in bands don't get any action," as she so eloquently put it. Many -- myself, Michelle Branch, Miranda Brown (Crooked Fingers) and others -- concurred. It's true. None. Zilch. Nada. In fact, in many cases, being a performer seemed to actually work against us. It's almost as if a career on stage all but ensures a dismal romantic future with men -- specifically, with any "civilian" male in the general vicinity of our performance.

"Why do you think I married my bass player?" Branch joked.

It's not that we women wish for "throngs of groupie fanboys" (most of us don't). What's compelling is that the phenomenon of "throngs of groupie fanboys" does not exist when the shoe is on the other foot, and when that other foot belongs not to Mick Jagger but to a PJ Harvey or a Juliette Lewis.

It's not just musicians, either. Over the next several months, I asked the same question of any female performer I met -- comedians, authors, anyone who stepped onto a stage in a position of some illusory "power," especially those who travel or tour regularly: Has it been your experience that female performers enjoy the same sort of sexual attention/"action" that men in your position have enjoyed?

The answer was always the same: a resounding, "NO."

The follow-up, as you may suspect, was something along the lines of, "Well, why the hell not?"

The answers were so varied and interesting, I thought they merited more than just one column. Everybody had a theory -- ranging from the obvious ("The Question of Intimidation") to the esoteric ("The Issue of Guitar as Phallic Symbol/Cockblock") -- and I'll be examining each one over the coming months with the help of psychologists, gender studies scholars, sexperts, and my fellow rock friends. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you guys: are you a female performer who's experienced this phenomenon? Any fanboy groupies out there want to prove me wrong?

Recently I was asked to revamp the NYC apartment of reality show darlings Ashley Herbert and JP Rosenbaum of The Bachelorette phenomenon. Smack dab in the middle of shooting a bunch of luxury lifestyle segments in Italy and another NBC home makeover, I wasn't sure I was up for any diva-like demands or annoying requests of the "Um, we only sleep on 5,000 thread count organic sheets" variety. I was in for a pleasant surprise!

Upon meeting JP and Ashley, I instantly that knew we would get along perfectly and they would be great to work with, and I was right. Out of all the famous people (and not so famous but sort of think they are) I've worked with on decorating their homes, Ashley and JP are unquestionably my favorites thus far. They are sweet and kind and gracious. And more importantly, they let me do my thing, resulting in a fabulous space where they both feel comfortable and happy. So, if you were expecting me to dish some other kind of gossip, it's not going to happen. I've got nothing but good things to say about this couple. Besides, anyone who can put together furniture like a full time staffer at Ikea with an engineering degree, is soo my new BFF!

Ok, so enough gushing about JP and Ashley. Let's talk design...

The apartment started out as JP's. To say it was a Typical Young Single Guy's Apartment in Manhattan, is an understatement. You know, beige couch, huge TV, striped beige comforter, the works. But it's a great space, with sweeping New York views and, at only about 800 square feet, it's not hard to pull off something fabulous! Ashley, busy graduating dental school (yeah, dental school) didn't have the time to devote to making it feel like a home where a girl lived, too. No worries, that's my job! I called on the Furniture Gods at Hayneedle to help make my life a whole lot easier and turned it into a cool, young couple's retreat. Modern, clean furnishings in the living room with pops of color throughout. In the bedroom, we went from Bed In A Bag to a glam and sexy black, ivory and metallic vibe. We added storage and decorative accents for warmth and flowers in every room. It looks amazing and I'm thrilled they love it.

For the full spread on Ashley & JP's new Love Nest, pick up Us Weekly Magazine and check it out!

With their sexy new digs, it wouldn't be the biggest shocker if the next phone call I got from them was to do a baby nursery... just saying. Either way, I hope their new and improved space brings them lots of joy. Keep rockin'!

XO
Courtney

Check your local TV listings and international magazines for more of Celeb Designer, Courtney Cachet's style ideas and tips! You can catch her frequent appearances nationwide on TV, where she dishes out all the latest in home and lifestyle! Keep up with her on www.courtneycachet.com or Facebook and join the conversation!

Yes...

Made it to New Zealand. Auckland, to be exact. It's summer time!!!

The sun's out. Loud and proud. Twas a fuckin' slog yesterday though. Sleep deprivation is a killer.

Some girl comes up to me at the airport in Japan. She was pregnant. She says to me, "Can you touch my stomach and bless my baby?" Sorry? "Please touch my stomach and bless my baby."

Ok...there you go, kid...consider yourself blessed. Then she says, "Please can you name my baby?" What? "Please name my baby." What now? Right now? "Yes please."

Ok...Is it a boy or a girl? "Oh, I don't know yet!" Jeez...meet me half way, eh?

Anyway, the flight was ok. Got some kip at least. The jet lag's not too bad when you get this far around the world. Feeling back to normal.

I haven't been to NZ since 1997. I have no recollection of it at all! My tour manager informed me I may have had an impromptu sing song round a piano in a hotel bar with that singer Joe Cocker! I don't remember that at all! Scary, eh?

Looking forwards to the gig tomorrow. My first festival of the year. Kasabian are on the bill so it should be a blast.

ONWARDS.

GD

I produced the 2008 documentary The Business of Being Born to educate women about their choices in childbirth, and raise questions about maternity care in the U.S. So many aspects of our system did not make sense to me and did not seem to function in the best interest of mothers and babies. It was shocking to me that 40 other countries ranked ahead of the U.S. in terms of newborn death risk and that our maternal mortality rates were on the rise. Both my children's births were such empowering, transformative experiences for me that I became passionate about making sure other new parents had the same opportunities. I felt most pregnant women were overly subjected to the "what-could-go-wrong" stories and the fear-based information.

The Business of Being Born, (a.k.a. BOBB) became an underground hit, a film that film critic Owen Gleiberman recently dubbed "... the rare documentary that is actually changing lives. It deserves to be called revolutionary." My director, Abby Epstein, and I receive hundreds of emails from parents who credit the film for setting them on the path to a positive birth experience or saving them from a potentially damaging one. Last November, Abby and I released our follow-up series, More Business of Being Born (a.k.a. More-BOBB.) Our new set of four films delves deeper into all things birth and features well-known faces including Cindy Crawford, Alanis Morissette, Gisele Bundchen, Melissa Joan Hart, Christy Turlington Burns and Laila Ali speaking openly about their diverse birth experiences.

WATCH:

Abby and I created More-BOBB to answer essential questions about labor and childbirth, covering topics that are not typically discussed in detail at a routine obstetric appointment. We just started hosting community screenings around the country and I am reminded once again about why this arena is my passion. Women desperately need this information as there seems to be a huge lack of resources and access to birth options. One appreciative mommy blogger wrote: "I really can't express how comprehensive and valuable these DVDs are. Save your Thursday nights and just watch these instead of going to pre-natal class..."

One of our films is titled "The VBAC Dilemma." What's a VBAC you might ask? It stands for "vaginal birth after cesarean." The VBAC rate has dropped from 28 percent in the 1990's to 9 percent today. You also might ask why most people still believe the old adage "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" and are not even aware that a VBAC can actually be a safer option in some cases than a repeat c-section. And you might be surprised to learn that a mother in Los Angeles is able to have a VBAC but a mother who lives 60 miles away in Ventura would be forced to have a repeat cesarean simply because the hospital's insurance policy wont cover it. Access to VBACs is becoming more crucial now that one in three American women give birth by cesarean. By denying mothers access to VBACs, more women are having multiple cesareans which become riskier with each surgery.

For me, this is not about promoting natural birth or claiming one model of care is superior to another. This is about doing the best for mothers and babies. The bottom line is that mothers who receive attentive prenatal care and have a safe, positive birth experience are in a better position to create a healthy attachment to their infants, have more success breastfeeding and enter the experience of motherhood feeling empowered. And, that concept -- the respect for birth as the sacred beginning of motherhood -- is what has become sorely lost in our mainstream medical system.

Globally, in 2009, an estimated 3.3 million babies died during their first four weeks of life. Researchers have estimated that these deaths could be reduced by two-thirds with measures like providing antibiotics and implementing resuscitation techniques. I ask you to join me in fighting for the right of all mothers to have access to safe birth options. How and where you decide to bring your child into this world is a choice that belongs to you. Like the life-changing empowerment I experienced during the births of my children, my work on behalf of global motherhood has revolutionized my purpose in the world.

For more info on More Business of Being Born please go to: http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/ and please join our amazing community at http://www.mybestbirth.com/

Why do they bother putting an expiration date on sour cream?
In which direction does a Jewish dyslexic read?
When a ventriloquist performs oral sex, does he move his lips?

Our goal in this column is always to 'Connect the Generations' by offering Lessons for 30-Somethings from People Who've Been 30 Twice. Nevertheless, even Baby Boomers don't know everything.

My Internet Suggestion Box has included recommendations that
1) 'your brilliant column should be longer'.. .2) 'it's wonderful and should appear more often'... 3) 'you're stupid and I wish you'd shut up. '

Your kind words are much appreciated -- a big hug and thanks to those of you with such exquisite taste in literature -- but bloggers can be haters, too, like the ones who take this stuff seriously. It's for laughs, people, and clearly I've failed if you are dissecting syntax or political correctness. Either that or you're a humorless, nit-picking moron.

Here are some of the nice questions.

How do you handle criticism?

You can't hurt me because I've been married three times and once accidentally observed childbirth from a distance of 10 feet.

Mostly, I'm immune because of a late night talk show that went on the air -- and off -- 25 years ago; a show you obviously didn't like or we'd still be doing it.

Thicke of the Night was supposed to challenge Johnny Carson. They said it couldn't be done and I was the guy they chose to prove it. The show was ahead of its time... it should've been on in 2084, when all of us are dead.

Critics were divided -- some thought it stunk like a dead fish, others said 'Uncle Fester's gym socks.' One reviewer actually tried to pay a compliment and wrote that 'Alan Thicke has a nice, SELF-DEFECATING sense of humor.'

We had a sponsor whose commercials sounded like a joke but it was legit: Lightweight Feminine Napkins. In the middle of every program, the announcer would say, "Once you've tried new lightweight, you'll never go back to thick again.'

It was a cold year but I learned a good lesson:
When the chips are down, you can count your friends on one hand...
you can express your feelings for the others on one finger.
Remember: Life itself ends in cancellation.

Did you help (your son) Robin with his music career?

Hardly. His kind of talent skips a generation. I did teach him about royalties, however.... I wrote the Diff'rent Strokes and Facts of Life themes and when people ask how royalties work, I answer, 'Very nicely, thank you,' and explain that when someone from the cast gets get arrested for DUI or gun possession and Mario Lopez reports it on Extra, they play my song and I get 11 cents

I composed some music you hear whether you want to or not, like the theme for every refrigerator ever caressed that special way by Vanna White on the show that makes The Price is Right look like the Harvard Bar examination, Wheel of Fortune!

I don't mean to brag but I've written dozens of game show themes and Robin hasn't written one. He's in a rut, all he writes are hits. I have the artistic freedom to get up in the middle of the night with an epiphany for the Turtle Wax underscore on Jeopardy! and better yet, I know who to call to make that dream come true!

From the 'AfterLife' column: Do you believe in Heaven?

I want to believe in Heaven but who gets to go? It can't be just the Ten Commandments people because that would be Hell. I love Tim Tebow but I'll bet he has some friends who behave so well they'll die of boredom. There are some people you didn't want to bump into at the Class Reunion much less for Eternity.

Do we die the way we lived or is just a coincidence that Evelyn Woods went quickly... that Jean Dixon had a 'sense' she was going and that Orville Redenbacher suddenly went "pop!"?

I admit that I expect -- nay, demand -- tears when I go. I want people blubbering and wailing uncontrollably and throwing themselves on the floor.

And NO CREMATION for me, please! After all the years I spent lathering on sunblock spf 50, I deserve better than some Forest Lawn intern torching my carcass on his lunch break.

I want to be a nuisance to the end and -- in the ultimate environmental hypocrisy -- take up space in the ground forever, surrounded by a gigantic wooden casket. Yes, I'm taking a couple of trees with me. And on the way to my finite resting place, a procession of gas-guzzling SUV's. (I'm sorry Al Gore and I love Ed Begley but he can kiss my Aston-Martin at the final curtain.)

I want a Hummer Hearse and I hope it gets rear-ended and the back door flips open and my container rolls out in the middle of the Ventura Freeway in rush-hour, causing the biggest traffic jam LA has seen since OJ's Bronco. I want that Action News chopper overhead reporting that Alan Thicke is tying up traffic on the 405, creating such chaos and commotion that people have to drive around my sorry ass until everyone who's ever pissed me off is two hours late for something very important!

Meanwhile, thanks for listening! Sincerely, 'Boomer Boy Forever.'

America's foremost peddler of excessive butter, cream, salt and sugar, chef Paula Deen, has finally confirmed rumors that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago. Her timing for this announcement was clearly no accident as she also revealed that she is now a paid spokesperson for the Novo-Nordisk diabetes drug, Victoza.

Ms. Deen, whose high-calorie recipes and super-sized portions have made her both a Food Network favorite and a public health nightmare, appears appallingly opportunistic for simultaneously revealing both her diagnosis and a deal with a pharmaceutical company. But could this announcement by one of America's most high-profile chefs actually be a blessing in disguise, particularly for her devoted fan base? Could her diagnosis act as a wake up call to those in denial about the relationship between what you eat and your health? It certainly could, if Ms. Deen chooses the right path.

In a rocky start, Ms. Deen demonstrated a healthy dose of both denial and damage control on the Today Show when she refused to acknowledge that her weight and/or eating habits contributed to her illness. "On my show I share all these yummy, fattening recipes but I tell people (to eat) in moderation," Ms. Deen said. She claimed she's always eaten in moderation and reminded Americans that, "I'm your cook, not your doctor."

No one I know would go to Ms. Deen for medical advice. However, on the cooking front, this charming and up-from-the-bootstraps southern chef is an inspiration to many. And that's why her diagnosis with a serious, chronic disease that is heavily related to unhealthy food choices may actually resonate with Americans.

For those unfamiliar with why diabetes is such a devastating ailment, here's a brief primer. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, amputation, and blindness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2007. And if current trends continue, 1 of 3 U.S. adults will have diabetes by 2050. The good news? More than 85 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight and weight reduction can prevent onset.

No question that there's been a collective haze of denial hovering over America for decades as waistlines increased dramatically along with hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol counts. With Big Food refusing to play a meaningful role in the overhaul of our disease-producing food system, and federal legislators unable to pass important policies that would help reshape the nation's food environment, Americans have been lulled into a sense of complacency about what we eat. Enter Ms. Deen, America's most visible cheerleader for unhealthy eating habits, who even after her diagnosis said diabetes won't change how she cooks. Imagine the impact she could have if she renounced her old lifestyle and began publicly modeling a healthier one.

As it stands, Ms. Deen is at a crossroads. Her fame and diagnosis have presented her with a unique opportunity, which can create a legacy as either a role model or a punch line. So far she's hurtling down the punch line path -- encouraging Americans to pop a pill for their diabetes while she continues to hawk fare like deep-fried cheesecake, deep-fried lasagna, deep-fried stuffing on a stick (are you sensing a pattern here?) and her notorious Lady's Brunch Burger which consists of a burger topped with bacon and fried egg on a sliced glazed donut.

But it's not too late for her to toss out the deep fryer, modify her recipes and admit she was wrong. A reinvented Paula Deen, cooking wholesome, tasty, healthier food and modeling a physically active lifestyle would be an inspiration to her legion of trusting fans. Everyone loves a celebrity resurrection, and Ms. Deen sure could use one right now.

So if Ms. Deen is reading this, let me sum up my advice. Ditch the Novo-Nordisk gig, admit you've seen the light and become America's dietary savior. You'll save lives. You'll earn new respect. You won't even miss those Twinkie Pies or Fried Butter Balls as you bask in your newfound role of Dietary Role Model in Chief. And as an added bonus, you'll increase the likelihood that you'll live to see your grandchildren grow up.

Could this be the true meaning behind the expression, "the South will rise again?"

President Obama stood up to Big Oil and its puppets in Congress and denied a permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline yesterday. This is encouraging news for the communities whose air and water would have been directly threatened by this pipeline, from Canada to Nebraska to the Gulf Coast. And it's an important piece of the struggle to avert a runaway climate catastrophe. But since the Keystone XL has become a pitched political battle, this announcement is also an encouraging affirmation of the power of people, creative protest, and grassroots organizing in the face of the entrenched power and big bucks of the oil industry.

Earlier this month, American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard, the oil industry's top lobbyist, directly threatened President Obama with "huge political consequences" if he rejected Keystone XL. Speaker of the House John Boehner has been pushing the tar sands pipeline at every opportunity. Like most of the members of Congress that support Keystone XL, Boehner has taken piles of campaign cash from the very oil companies that were hoping to boost their profits with this scheme to pipe Canadian tar sands through America's heartland to the Gulf of Mexico and overseas markets.

This immense pressure from the oil industry came after months of grassroots organizing against the pipeline, weeks of creative protest in Washington DC where we and more than 1200 others were arrested in front of the White House, and a broad, diverse coalition mobilizing all around the United States and Canada to stop this pipeline.

Faced with a clear choice between Big Oil and all its money, threats, and politicians on the one hand, and a people powered movement determined to stop this enormous threat to our air, water, food security, and climate on the other, President Obama made the right call.

Of course, this does not mean the end of the oil industry's efforts to expand production of the tar sands. TransCanada and other oil companies will continue to seek other ways to exploit the tar sands, and the politicians who do their bidding will devise new bills to push tar sands pipelines. No doubt the American Petroleum Institute will take out even more astroturf "Vote 4 Energy" ads slamming the President for his decision.

When that happens, we hope President Obama remembers how good it feels to stand up to the oil industry's political threats, and keep working to make good on his promise to "end the tyranny of oil" and move America to a clean energy future.

Hi Marlo - Our son Kameron was bullied relentlessly and committed suicide on January 18th. He was 14 years old. In lieu of flowers we asked for donations be made to St Jude's, my mom's favorite for decades. I know you're busy, but just wondering of you could take a look at our son. We have nothing else to lose. ~ Thanks

This heartbreaking note posted on my Facebook page started my kinship with an extraordinary man. He lived every parent's silent dread -- looking back on the senseless death of an innocent child asking "How?" and "Why?" and "What could have been done?" Kevin Jacobsen's son saw no alternative but to take his own life rather than face another day of relentless bullying.

Kevin inspired those around him. He inspired me. When he spoke to a crowded room at the U.S. Department of Education at a bullying conference last fall, he roused them to a standing ovation. He hid his pain behind action. His notes to me about anti-bullying legislation were carefully considered. He served as a bridge to other families. He decided that no family should suffer as his did.

Then came even more devastating news -- on January 7, Kevin, the father who had suffered and learned; the inspired leader of other families -- took his own life, too. I can't begin to say I have insight into this second act of sadness. Just that I was hit by an unrelenting wave of shock. I pray for Wanda and her family to find strength.

My resolve now is even stronger. I will not stand by and see other families destroyed. We must defeat this issue. Parents, teachers, grandparents, and -- most of all -- kids, must band together and stop this epidemic in our schools and on our playgrounds. No child should ever be made to feel such desperation. No parent should have to lose a child this way. No wife should lose a husband and son. Join with me now. Our children deserve better. The Jacobsen family -- you are not alone. We will not stop until bullying recedes into the past and becomes nothing more than a sad chapter of inhumanity and a reminder that we must all stand together.

To support the Jacobsen family during this difficult time, visit http://www.wandajacobsendonationfund.com

RuPaul was recently interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile on his Sirius OutQ radio show and clearly demonstrated how completely out-of-touch he is with the reality that most full-time trans people (i.e., transsexuals) actually live in.

Before I continue, I want to make clear that my opinions expressed here are directed toward RuPaul exclusively, not toward drag performers in general, nor toward drag as a concept or an art form.

The truth is that RuPaul's drag persona is not a real person but a fictional character he portrays as a performer to make money, no more a reflection of true reality than Captain Kirk or Stephen Colbert, who, like RuPaul, also uses his real name when portraying a caricatured, fictional character created and performed solely for entertainment purposes. As RuPaul himself has said of his drag performances, "I do it once in a while for fun, but I really only do it when I'm getting paid, ch-ching!"

For someone like RuPaul who does not actually live a transgender life but only engages in transgender expression as a way to make money, his response to Signorile's asking what he thought of Lance Bass apologizing for using the word "tranny" was a testament to his ignorance of and utter detachment from the lives most trans people live:

It's ridiculous! It's ridiculous! Words -- it goes back to grade school: "sticks and stones," you know the rest. The thing is you have to look at the ego, you have to follow the money, and the payoff. And the payoff is that the ego wants attention no matter what. It will try to get it wherever the hell it can, whether it's positive or negative. So you have to ignore it, basically; you have to starve it out. And unfortunately in our culture, one person can write a letter to the network and they shut something down. It's unfortunate. But I love the word "tranny."

And no one has ever said the word "tranny" in a derogatory sense. In fact, you have to go to the intent of the person saying it. Of course, Lance Bass, his intent would never be to be derogatory. Never. So, you know, that's really ridiculous. And I hate the fact that he's apologized. I wish he would have said, "F-you, you tranny jerk!"

While like many real-life trans folks, I'm tempted to ask "Is he for real?", I already know the answer. Yes, he is for real, because RuPaul is neither a true trans woman nor someone who lives a life reflecting reality for most of us. What RuPaul actually is is a gay male actor, a super-rich celebrity performer who has probably made more money portraying a comedic caricature of a woman than most real trans women will see in their lifetimes.

As a celebrity performer, RuPaul is someone who doesn't have to go to interview after interview looking for work, always hoping that this will finally be the time that the interviewer will actually consider his résumé, not his gender identity, as the key factor in deciding whether or not he'll be hired.

RuPaul doesn't have to worry if one day his landlord will decide he doesn't want a "tranny" around and legally throw him out on the street without notice. He doesn't have to be concerned that his bosses might fire him and replace him with a non-trans person just because a higher-up decides he doesn't want a "tranny" working for his company.

Not only doesn't RuPaul have to worry about facing discrimination because of his transgender expression, but he has financially profited quite handsomely from it. If we use the quote above as our guide, RuPaul doesn't see his doing drag as a form of self-expression, but rather simply as a business, a route to wealth and financial success. Ch-ching indeed.

While I thought that for the most part Signorile conducted an excellent interview, I have to wonder why he chose to ask RuPaul the question in the first place. From my perspective, it's much like asking William Shatner what he thinks of NASA. Shatner might have some interesting thoughts on the subject, but it's understood at the outset that he portrayed a role, a fictional character, that he's never actually gone into space himself, and he's not really an expert on space travel.

For someone like RuPaul, who engages in a form of transgender expression part-time exclusively as a moneymaking enterprise, to try to tell people who live and work 24/7 in a gender role they were not assigned at birth, people who are legally denied the right to work, rent a home, or even just to have a drink in a local bar free of discrimination in 34 states, what they should or shouldn't find offensive is the very height of arrogance. It's also clear evidence of a complete detachment from and lack of interest in the reality most trans Americans actually live in.

No, RuPaul, you don't get to tell me or any other real-life, 24/7 trans person what we should or shouldn't be offended by. You don't get to tell us to lighten up, not when our lives, our ability to live, work, and take care of the families that depend on us are on the line, not when we can still legally be fired, thrown out of our homes, or even denied access to public spaces just because we're transgender in most of this country. You don't get to compare yourself to us or cast yourself as a voice of our community, because you neither represent us nor understand us. You don't get to speak for us, RuPaul, or get to tell us what to think or how to feel, because the truth is that you're not one of us.

You're nothing like us, RuPaul, nothing like us at all.

"This is America, where everyone has the right to life, love and the pursuit of fame."
-- Ryan Seacrest, American Idol, 2010

In the new millennium, people face messages highlighting the significance of fame everywhere they look. Not only in reality television shows such as "Keeping up with the Kardashians" and "American Idol", but also in popular fictional TV shows, even those targeted to children. After watching some of these shows with my then 9-year-old daughter, I grumbled about the drastic change in "values." Worried that I was becoming one of those predictable adults who lament that things were much better in the past, I decided to test my hypothesis.

I conducted a study with Dr. Patricia Greenfield at the UCLA campus of the Children's Digital Media Center@LA, which was published in Cyberpsychology last summer. We found that in 2007, fame was the number one value communicated to preteens on popular TV. In every other year, fame ranked towards the bottom of a list of 16 values, coming in at number 15 or 16. Interestingly enough, community feeling (to be part of a group) ranked number 11 in 2007, while in every other year it came in at number one or number two.

We next examined whether tweens were picking up on these messages, and that research was just published in Developmental Psychology. We wondered if the synergy between the fame-oriented content of popular TV shows and the opportunity to post online videos and status updates for "friends" and strangers created the perfect storm for a desire for fame. In our discussions, we asked preteens what they wanted in their future. Their number one choice? Fame.

"My friends and I are making a YouTube Channel... Our goal is to try and get a million subscribers."

The above quote came from an 11-year-old boy who wasn't interested in showcasing a talent -- his only interest seemed to be in getting a huge number of YouTube subscribers. Given that these digital media invite you to broadcast yourself, share your life, and then hope for attention that is counted by number of views, likes, or comments, can you blame him?

These days, it's easy to see the phenomenal success of teenagers who achieved fame, such as Justin Bieber, or infamy, such as Rebecca Black. Kids, already focused on popularity and status, crave the virtual audience that they see bring so much attention to others. And the inexperience to think that fame comes easily, without a connection to talent or hard work.

"First, I'm gonna take it seriously, play, um, travel basketball, and, um, I'm going (to) college for one year, see if I'm really good, and, I wanna be on a really bad team, so, I can be like the star."

Anyone else see a flaw in this sixth grade boy's logic? Of course, these kids will get older and realize fame is not that simple to achieve. But what will they have given up in the meantime? This same boy later told us he didn't care about school. Psychological research has shown that a focus on extrinsic rewards, outside of oneself, can reduce achievement motivation. Fame may be the ultimate extrinsic reward.

In the 21st century, TV content socializes children more than at any other point in its history. Even though children today have a myriad of media choices, they still watch television an average of 4 1/2 hours a day. If the messages kids see on TV are about young people achieving great success and renown, it's only natural for kids to start wanting this for themselves. Moreover with the rapid growth of digital media, children can now showcase themselves to an audience beyond their immediate community, using the tools at their fingertips to enact fame. Nevertheless, the pursuit of fame is embedded in the fabric of our society, in America -- every person, no matter where they come from, is supposed to have the opportunity to become successful and achieve to their fullest extent. This is one of the strengths of our society, as long as it is connected to hard work, talent and persistence.

So, rather than throw up one's hands and say "kids today," parents can actively work towards helping children comprehend and navigate the messages embedded in television and social media.

First, model for your children hard work, effort and persistence. Teach them through your actions that success only comes from those who try, try and try again.

Second, watch shows with kids and narrate your values; you can even watch reality TV that demonstrate the incredibly difficult work and talent contestants must perform in order to impress the judges (e.g. Project Runway comes to mind).

And third, engage your children in some kind of community service or group activities. Even though many of our kids spend more time with media than they do with us (the latest estimates are nearly 8 hours a day), always remember that parents are still the most important influence in their lives.

PHOTOS: A history of the top-rated shows for tweens.

It takes a real man to rap about a miscarriage.

Women, clothes, cars and money?

That's the easy stuff.

Loss, fear, vulnerability and love?

Not so much.

There's a line in Jay-Z's beautiful new song "Glory," that he dedicated to his newborn daughter, Blue Ivy, that changed the way I look at him.

I mean, I was already a fan, but there is something about the way he revealed something so painful -- even in the midst of his joy -- that made me respect him even more.

"False alarms and false starts /All made better by the sound of your heart / All the pain of the last time / I prayed so hard it was the last time," he opens.

USA Today said Jay's telling of he and Beyonce's loss in "Glory" ventured into "TMI territory" but I disagree.

I think what he did was brave -- and rare.

In hip hop culture to put yourself out there about anything of importance to you carries with it some degree of risk: the risk of being labeled soft, of losing street cred and respect among your fans. The opposite of swagger.

So for an MC -- a man -- as notoriously private as Shawn Carter -- to rap about his devastation on that track, in my mind, made him a little bit of a hero.

And, while it may not have been his intention, sharing his humanity in this way with the world helped to create a space for other people to do the same.

Other people like me.

I suffered through my own miscarriage last year.

Aside from a few close friends, I didn't tell very many people about it. As you can imagine, it's just not the sort of thing you bring up at dinner parties.

Sometimes I wish it were.

If the reality of miscarriages were discussed more openly -- given how often they occur -- I might not have been as surprised as I was when it happened to me.

If you've been blessed to never have experienced a miscarriage, just know: losing a baby -- at any stage of its development -- is very, very hard.

It is a loss that changes you.

It is a loss that makes you question everything you know about life, and death and fairness.
Nobody tells you in the midst of your euphoria -- the excitement you feel the moment you see two little pink lines appear on a stick -- not to get attached. That you could lose your baby -- particularly if this is your first time conceiving, or if you're over a certain age.

No. When you first realize you're pregnant you skip right over those nine months of pregnancy in your mind, and go directly to thoughts of child care, ballet lessons and the first day of school.

Your future.

The last thing you're expecting is for your baby not to survive. The last thing you are expecting is for her to go away as suddenly as she came, with you left to carry on with life as if your little miracle had never happened.

Fortunately, having a supportive family makes any hardship bearable.

Having great friends to lean on is also a gift.

And, apparently, so is music.

It's funny how something as random as a rap song can remind you that God makes no mistakes, that your time will come, and not to give up hope.

When conservatives rant against "gay rights," almost always included is some kind of "think of the children!" message. Just a couple of weeks ago Rick Santorum (snicker) made some truly heinous comments about how children would be better off with a father in prison than two gay fathers at home.

I have always thought these arguments were a load of crap. After all, I know several families with two moms or two dads, and they have never seemed all that different to me. But the families I know are generally within my community and live in my neighborhood. What about those other families out there, ones I wouldn't identify with so easily? Could a family who was very different from my own also be the same? I thought about it awhile and ended up sending a message to Sean Maher. Sean, an actor, publicly announced he was gay on Sept. 26 last year in Entertainment Weekly, stating that his family (with his partner and two young children) were the driving factor in his decision to come out.

Our family has a mom and a dad, we live in a red state, and we are definitely middle-class. We don't know anyone famous (or even close) and have nothing to do with the entertainment industry. Sean's family has two dads, they live in California (one of our bluest states), and they are affluent. Sean has appeared in several movies and television shows, including the recently cancelled Playboy Club and the beloved sci-fi cult hit Firefly.

(I have to make a confession here. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am huge nerd. At a party not long ago, a friend and I started singing the lyrics to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode, "Once More with Feeling," back and forth to one another, just to annoy everyone. So I was definitely aware of who Sean Maher was before he came out of the closet. Imagine my surprise -- and glee! -- when he emailed me back and was interested in talking to me.)

Within the first few words of our conversation, it was obvious: Sean is head-over-heels in love with his partner and kids. We started by talking about parenting small children: how much love and devotion can be inspired by those tiny humans, how they make us laugh, and, of course, sleep deprivation.

It wasn't long before we realized that we had a deeper, heartfelt similarity: we both had a deep understanding of what a privilege and honor it is to be a parent.

Sean and his partner Paul went the open-adoption route to create their family. Adoption is something that has to be thought out, discussed, and researched in length before anyone can even begin. It is a long, paperwork-filled process that sometimes comes with moments of pain and heartache. But at the end comes this amazing little baby (and his or her amazing birth mother), making it more than worth every moment that came before it.

My husband Dave and I, on the other hand, went through infertility. Infertility is filled with doctor visits, evasive tests, and what feels like endless heartache. It requires soul searching and research, and long conversations about what a couple is (and, more importantly, isn't) willing to do to have biological children. We were lucky and now have three amazing boys.

And after our children arrived, both Sean and I felt a huge appreciation for the process it took to get there. It taught us both, in no uncertain terms, what an amazing privilege and miracle it is to be a parent. The journey was beautiful to us, because the lessons it taught were such important ones.

Another similarity that really struck me was how Sean and I, as well as our partners, cherished the experience of falling in love all over again once we became parents. Sean recalled a day when his daughter was a newborn, and he walked into the living room to find Paul asleep on the couch with their also-sleeping young daughter curled into his chest. Sean just melted at the sight of the two of them, his heart so filled with love and gratitude.

I couldn't help but think of how Dave often tells people his favorite moments of our children's infancy: when he would find me on our living-room couch, passed out with the exhaustion only a newborn can bring, with one of our sons still curled into my breast, and his heart would burst with pride and love.

There were other similarities. Sean spent two years as a stay-at-home parent and primary caregiver, a role Dave has filled since our first son was born and still does to this day. They both experienced challenges with taking on this traditionally female role, even in this day and age. We both live without our parents in babysitting distance. We both have a community of close friends we adore and lean on. And there were so many others.

After a while, the differences of gender, location, and financial status just weren't that big a deal. We are families founded in love and built with work and determination. We're both so damned grateful and proud, and we can't wait to see where life brings us next.

Sean and I both know how lucky we are. (And we know all those people shrieking "think of the children!" are full of shit.)

To be authentic, according to most authorities on authenticity, is to be true to one's own self, to one's own nature. I suppose Paula Deen, while instructing viewers to add butter, sugar, and more butter and sugar (and then deep frying everything in more butter) to her recipes -- allegedly based on her "Grandmama Paul's Southern cooking" -- was being authentic even as she was, perhaps not knowingly, helping to lead millions of Americans on the path towards obesity.

Of course, there is such a thing as free will. We could watch -- as many of us do -- Ms. Deen on TV having a grand old time whipping up these calorie-laden, high-fat content foods purely for the entertainment value. She's charming, funny and a real (shall I say authentic?) down-home gal. So, let me set the record straight right up front about this: I have no issue with what she has been touting all these years to millions. But I'm feeling strangely uncomfortable with the fact that she didn't talk about her type 2 diabetes until three years after her diagnosis, and now she's going to make even more money by promoting a drug to treat the illness.

I believe in privacy. Everyone is entitled to it. But if you're in the public eye -- as Ms. Deen is -- and your television show and cookbooks offer recipes that when prepared according to instruction, and consumed regularly, could contribute to weight gain -- resulting in a whole host of related health issues including diabetes -- one might expect the celebrity to share the information with her fans a little sooner. It's not a privacy issue. It's all about being real.

Studies have shown that obesity contributes to many illnesses and diseases including diabetes, which is running rampant in this country. Often referred to as the "lifestyle illness," contributing factors of type 2 diabetes include too much weight and too little exercise. Ms. Deen, being an authentic woman, ate her own cooking while urging others to follow suit, even in the face of an alarming rate of obesity among young children, who conventional wisdom suggests, get their meals cooked for them by parents. These parents might very well be influenced by the authentic cooking of Ms. Deen and other chefs who believe in a style of food preparation we can only describe as indulgent.

For sure, we don't usually develop diabetes from food alone. Heredity and lack of exercise certainly play a role. In an interview for the New York Times article about Ms. Deen's announcement, however, a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association said:

You can't just eat your way to Type 2 diabetes. But, there's no denying that Paula's food has a lot of what we call the deadly triangle: fat, sugar and salt.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke and is the number one cause of kidney failure, blindness and lower limb amputations in America. Diagnosing and controlling diabetes is especially important for women, because cardiovascular disease is actually "more deadly" in diabetic women than in diabetic men.

Ms. Deen, still being true to herself, announced her diabetes on the "Today Show" and along with her two sons, is embarking on a nationwide tour promoting new, improved, healthier recipes and the importance of exercise to keep diabetes at bay. All good.

I wonder, however, how her legions of fans will feel about Ms. Deen's recent revelation that she will be a spokesperson for Victoza, a diabetes medication from Norvo Nordick, which costs about $500 a month. No question there are followers who are understandably supportive and forgiving, but there are many who are not. The posts on social media have been fast, furious and ferocious. One tweeter noted,

Paula Deen has a golden opportunity to send a very important message to this country, if she wants to join the fight against diabetes in a truly authentic way: eat less, eat healthier, move your body ... and do all these things BEFORE you develop diabetes. Then, maybe you won't need to take the drug to treat it.

Her authentic self will be standing ... and we'll be listening.

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There's a great radio contest on DC101 everyday at 5:00. It's called "DC101 Can You Make It Stop?" They play a "really bad" song and take callers until someone gets the title and artist right -- at which point they stop playing the song. "Really bad" is subjective because I won the contest once by knowing Lita Ford's "Kiss Me Deadly" and you'll never catch me saying that Lita made a bad song.

Why am I telling you about a DC Radio Contest? Because this is how I feel about the Kardashians. Can anyone make it stop? Anyone? It's not just about the fake marriage or the equally fake and very scripted "reality" show anymore. It's reached a whole new level with the next ridiculous wave of bad press, much of it to the tune of their lawsuits against anyone and everyone who says anything negative about them. Someone out there doesn't like the Kardashians. Wait. A lot of people out there don't like the Kardashians.

Fox News reported last week that Kim only donates the ebay-minimum to charities she hawks -- just 10 percent. The argument was made along the way that the K-sisters are selling items they "personally" paid for. Uh... let's see. If they worked 9-5 Monday to Friday for 10 straight weeks to make enough money to buy that Herve Leger dress, then OK, I could see that statement holding water. But when Kim charges people thousands of dollars to "mention" their product on Twitter? That's not exactly earning the money, is it? It's just sort of letting it get dumped in your lap.

ABC News is reporting that Kim and Mom-a-ger/Fame seeker Extraordinaire Kris Jenner re-shot a scene in which Kim discusses her crumbling marriage and the reasons behind it. The problem is that they shot the scene and dressed up to look like it was filmed during the actual crumbling of the marriage months ago. Revisionist History is probably the only class for which the Kardashians received an "A."

I'm also enjoying how the Kardashians are so outraged about the accusation that Khloe isn't Robert Kardashian's child. Well Kris, you sort of brought this on yourself. If my mother wrote a tell-all practically bragging about her extramarital affairs, I would certainly expect people to look at my brothers and I and play the "which one doesn't belong with the rest of these" game.

In other news, Kim is suing The Gap for using her likeness in an ad. I watched this commerical and I fail to see how this cheapened her brand or violated her likeness. This one seems like a stretch, especially considering how the world came to learn about Kim Kardashian. Does this mean that every woman with brown eyes and long dark hair has to be worried about being sued? Just... wow. And The Gap is fighting back! They are actually going to make her prove her claims. You can't hear me The Gap, but I'm clapping over here for you. Clapping and virtually high-fiving you.

There are other suits the K's have filed as well -- apparently the old publicist who called Kim out for staging her antics, and the suit about the how slave labor makes the clothes on that clothing line at Sears that's apparently sucking wind. The list seems endless.

It's funny to me that they are so quick to sue people but then they know where to draw the line. We all know Kim and the K's had to be stewing over their SNL portrayal as anal-bleaching idiots with a Stage-Mom but Khloe tweeted about how funny they thought it was. Guess suing NBC and/or SNL would be a bit much? Or when Ricky Gervais poked fun at Kim at the Golden Globes, Kim reportedly found it funny. Sure ya did. Sure.

Anyway, I'm sick of it. I think most of the country is sick of it. My parents tolerated my decade-long obsession with Axl Rose, but Axl Rose was talented enough to lead a band with the highest selling debut album ever. The Kardashians don't have talent. Just a PR spin that never seems to end.

Perhaps their day on DC 101's "Can You Make it Stop?" isn't far off. I'll be the first caller saying "Yes I can! It's the sound of the Kardashians, circling the drain!"

A girl can hope.

Michael Clarke Duncan and Omarosa are dating. That's right: the gargantuan actor and infamous reality show villain are very much in love. Duncan stopped by "The Talk" (weekdays on CBS) on Wednesday to promote his new Fox show "The Finder," but his relationship with Omarosa quickly took center stage.

Before Duncan came on, the ladies had been discussing couples who have loud sex. When Duncan sat down, he immediately confessed to being pretty noisy himself. "I'm the loud one. I admit it, I'm a talker. 'You dirty so and so!'" he demonstrated, throwing in a few spanks for good measure. But then he thought better of what he'd said. "I know Omarosa's gonna kill me now. Sorry 'bout that, baby."

Duncan went on to regale the panel with more fun stories about his life with Omarosa. He told the ladies that she usually hangs out on "The Finder" set while they're shooting, but the open invitation has its limits. Duncan prefers to not have Omarosa watch him work when he has "kissing scenes" to shoot. "So I just say, 'Hey baby, this week I need to concentrate ... I just need to focus. But she wasn't happy about that, so she didn't cook for like a week," he joked. One person who was probably happy about her absence? The actress Duncan had to kiss in the scene.

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Katherine Heigl wants you to know one thing: She's really, really sorry that she left "Grey's Anatomy." So sorry, in fact, that she can't even watch the show anymore.

"It just makes me sad ... I feel like I'm missing the party," Heigl told TVLine. "I live about five minutes from the studios, so I have to physically hold myself [back] from just popping in and being like, 'Hey guys -- whatcha doin'?"

Heigl left her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on "Grey's Anatomy" after five seasons in 2010 to focus on her movie career, and while making the press rounds for her new movie "One For the Money," she mentioned that she would like to return to the ABC medical drama. Now, it's seemingly all the actress can talk about.

"I really, really, really want to see where [Izzie] is," Heigl told E! Online late last week. "I just want to know what happened to her and where she went and what she's doing now." Heigl said she's even reached out about it. "I've told them I want to," she told E!

Days later on "The View," Heigl confirmed that she's approached the writers about a possible return to Seattle Grace. "I always felt that if they wanted me to come back and sort of wrap up that storyline," Heigl told the ladies of "The View," with her adopted daughter Naleigh by her side. "I want them to know that I'm down with it if they want me to, but I completely understand if it doesn't necessarily work."

Although Heigl has yet to be approached by the "Grey's" writers, which TVLine confirms, she's not giving up hope just yet.

"You never know," teased Heigl.

"Grey's Anatomy" will air a special alternate universe episode, titled "If/Then," -- sadly, without Izzie Stevens -- on Thurs., Jan. 26 at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.