Couric returns to 'Today' for interview with Lauer

By DAVID BAUDER, AP
Wed Apr 13, 10:15 AM EDT

NEW YORK ? Katie Couric returned to the "Today" show Wednesday for an on-air reunion with Matt Lauer, but didn't give him an exclusive about her future.

"I'll call you," she said with a wide smile, her hand mimicking a telephone. The current "CBS Evening News" anchor, whose contract expires in June, said she expected to make a decision about her future in a few weeks.

It was her second time back on the morning show where she was host from 1991 to 2006 (the other was to promote an anti-cancer initiative). She's currently on a tour touting her new book, "The Best Advice I Ever Got," a collection of essays with words of wisdom for young people.

She insisted she hadn't made a decision on what to do next, after Lauer suggested that she knew but just hasn't told anyone yet.

Several companies are seeking to have her host a daytime talk show, including both CBS and NBC. That's considered an area of opportunity with the imminent end of daytime leader Oprah Winfrey's show.

Asked by Lauer what appealed to her about that idea, Couric mentioned the creative freedom to choose subjects and have intelligent discussions about them. Medical, health, social issues and politics were subject areas she said she'd like to address.

"It might be nice to have a little more wiggle room for me to show a little more personality," said Couric, who has sought other avenues of expression beyond the tightly-formatted, half-hour evening newscast.

Left unspoken on the air were a handful of published reports speculating she could team up again with Lauer on a talk show when his "Today" contract ends at the end of 2012. Such an idea is considered highly unlikely.

Even though she and Lauer worked side-by-side as anchors from 1997 to 2006, Couric showed loyalty to her current employer: she talked about her book Tuesday on CBS' "The Early Show," and also appeared on "The View."

She said she had no regrets about moving to CBS and loves working at the evening news.

___

Online:

NBC's "Today" show: http://on.msnbc.com/dMI26z

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Will Princess Jasmine Still Reign in Round 4? Vote in the Best Princess Tournament!

The coronation ceremony for the Best Princess Ever is right around the corner, and the upsets just will not stop! The fairy dust from round three has settled and the Final Four are here!

Did your favorite make it through? Check out the results:

The animated royalty are now completely dominating. Princess Jasmine sent Princess Di back to the palace after she pulled in 53 percent of the vote. And Cinderella still has some time left at the ball now that's she's ended Grace Kelly's tournament ambitions with her own 58 percent.

Shrek's Princess Fiona continues to hold strong against the competition. Belle proved no match for the ogre royalty, who also received 58 percent, but the real animated upset came from Disney's Tangled newcomer Rapunzel. She sent the lovable Ariel back to her undersea home with a dominating 60 percent of the votes.

So who will make it to the royal finals? It's up to you! Can Fiona take on the army of Disney princesses? Or will Jasmine continue her winning streak? Vote now and be sure to follow all the action on Twitter @RoyalsWed!

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Was Mariah Carey Reported for Drinking in the Hospital?

All new parents have their hands full, but Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon also dealt with a very unexpected visitor in the hospital where their daughter and son, Monroe and Moroccan, were born April 30.

"Child Protective Services actually came to me," Cannon told Piers Morgan on CNN Thursday, "And said that they were here to see me because there had been allegations that there was drug and alcohol use during the stay in the hospital."

But it's hardly as scandalous as it sounds: Cannon believes someone involved in Carey's care was overheard discussing a beer that allegedly boosts breastmilk production. Many moms of twins receive lactation tips specific to the challenges of feeding two newborns, but most can probably count on more privacy than Mariah Carey.

"It all started when a nurse suggested to my wife that if you drink Guinness, the dark beer, the yeast improves breastfeeding," Cannon added. "I don't know if someone heard that [and] were saying my wife was drinking beer. People will do anything to try to conjure up a story."

Cannon's theory is that a mundane conversation became a wild rumor only because of the new mom's celebrity. According to Us, he said the rep responding to information about alcohol in the patients' room understood the circumstances and agreed the allegation was ridiculous.

"To even have to deal with that, with my wife in the state that she's in while we're in the hospital, to even have to think about someone possibly wanting to investigate your children," Cannon said. "It's sad at the end of the day...when you think about people trying to make a buck off newborn babies."

Guinness beer tips aside, nursing twins is serious business for some moms, as 'Modern Family' star Julie Bowen proudly explained during a chat with George Lopez last year. On the other hand, twin mom Jennifer Lopez caused a mini-scandal in the parenting blogosphere when she confidently told People magazine she was forgoing breastfeeding altogether.

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Celebrity Children

Isla Fisher, who is currently pregnant with her second child, takes her daughter Olive for a treat at Milk on Beverly Boulevard.

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Is Bachelor Brad Really Broken Up With Emily?

Brad Womack destined to bachelorhood forever?

The reality stud?who has admitted that his TV-created romance with Emily Maynard has been "no fairy tale" since the love competition ended?has faced renewed scrutiny this week as Life & Style proclaimed their relationship dunzo.

But that's not exactly what Emily's own mom is saying...

"They have not officially broken up," Susan Maynard told People. "It's still kind of on and off."

Maynard's mom told the mag it's difficult to listen to all the rumors surrounding her 25-year-old daughter and her reality fianc�, adding they're "still just trying to get to know each other."

Emily and her daughter, Ricki, have yet to pull the trigger on a move to Austin, Texas, to officially move in with Womack, near where he owns a bar. But Susan says that it's unlikely it'll happen any time soon because there are "no plans to take Ricki out of school."

"I don't think there is any rush to move," Susan said.

Things don't appear to be going so smooth for the couple at the moment, since Womack will remain in Austin with his family for Easter weekend while Emily will bring her daughter to her parents home in West Virginia.

Of the separate weekends, Susan says she "can't say one way or another" what exactly is going on with the duo's future.

"I think they both have good intentions," she said.

Former Bachelor star Vienna Girardi also weighed in to E! News with her own take on the duo's relationship.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they broke up," she told us. "They were already not really together at the reunion show just a couple months later. I know Brad loves Emily, but I don't know her...I think they have extra baggage.

"My advice to them if they both want it they should go on a two-week cruise together to get away from everything."

Sure, a boat trip should solve it.

Or maybe not, according to Womack ex Laurel Kagay. She told E! News last month that her former boyfriend's "pattern has started" and warned Maynard that she better get out as fast as she can.

Now, regarding the Life & Style report of Brad and Emily's breakup, Kagay has more to say.

"It's sad how true and identical this sounds to how our relationship was," she tells us.

"I don't know what it will take to make Brad realize there is some work that needs to be done for him to move forward with a healthy, successful relationship. In the meantime, I think Brad is pushing away some incredible women who want to love him. Everyone deserves happiness and I hope somewhere, somehow Brad can find what he is looking for. He just needs to realize nobody is perfect."

?Additional reporting by Katie Rhames and Ken Baker

PHOTOS: Big Celebrity Splits!

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Selena Gomez Reveals, 'I Want to Be in Love'

Teen queen Selena Gomez covers the new issue of Teen Vogue, and dishes about her future, her fans and of course, her love life.

From tv and movies, to music and a clothing line, it seems the young starlet is taking the world by storm, and knows she couldn't possibly do it without one thing, her fans.

She recorded her latest single 'Who Says' for them, explaining "I just thought they needed it, because of bullying, I hope it inspires them to be who they are."

During her chat with Teen Vogue, nothing is directly said about boyfriend and pop sensation, Justin Bieber, but she does reveal a little about heartbreak and her current thoughts on love.

"But at this moment in my life, I'm at a point where I want to be in love, to give my all and fall head over heels."

On leaving behind her Disney show and her future career plans: "I'm in a very crucial spot, it's like starting over. I was trying to explain it to one of my friends, and he said 'You'll be fine. People believe in you.' But when they're putting together a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, I don't think they're going to go 'Selena Gomez would be great for this!' I'm not an option. It's humbling, having to go from this Disney high back down to having to fight for roles."

On the press, her fans and the paparazzi: "A lot of times the paparazzi will try to use them. They'll say 'Your fans want this.' And it's frustrating because my fans are amazing: They love me, they support me. And I do everything for them. But the press? They don't care about me. They just want something on me that they can use. They just want to get that shot."

On love and heartbreak: "When your heart is broken you want to hate everything. You want to say, 'I don't believe in love; this is ridiculous. It's not supposed to hurt this much.' But at this moment in my life, I'm at a point where I want to be in love, to give my all and fall head over heels. I'm eighteen. I'm not going to marry anybody I'm with and I know that. The next heartbreak I have, I'm sure I'll be like, How can I live without this person? But I'm still trying to dive in and enjoy it."

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Lindsay Lohan's Latest Casual Courtroom Attire: What's the Verdict?

Our judgment: Lindsay Lohan is guilty of underdressing for court?again.

The starlet strolled into her probation hearing this morning in wide-leg Lanvin sailor pants, Lanvin platform peep-toes, black Wolford bodysuit accessorized with sunglasses, cream scarf and a Fendi bag, her hair loosely pulled back.

PHOTOS: Court Appearances

It's a perfectly good ensemble for a business lunch or a meeting, but definitely not formal?and, more important, remorseful looking?enough for court.

On the bright side, it's better than her white mini and skintight nude dress.

So what's your judgment on LiLo's latest court getup? Weigh in below.

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WATCH: LiLo's got Gotti?

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Discovery launching network for rich men in Sept.

By DAVID BAUDER, AP
Thu Apr 14, 12:24 AM EDT

NEW YORK ? Discovery Communications Inc. is launching a television network for rich guys and their toys.

Called Velocity, the new network will replace the current network HD Theater in some 40 million homes on Sept. 25, Discovery officials said Thursday. The target audience is men with incomes of $150,000 a year and more.

"We just felt like this was a space missing in the marketplace," said David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications.

HD Theater was launched in 2002 with the specific purpose of showing high-definition versions of programs on other Discovery networks. The rapid adoption of high-def by consumers, and the addition of high-def versions of a full network's signal, rendered HD Theater obsolete.

Discovery has tested a series of programs on HD Theater in recent months that will make the switch to Velocity. They include "Chasing Classic Cars," "Cafe Racer" and "Mecum Auto Auctions."

As those titles suggest, cars will be the "bull's-eye" of Velocity programming, Zaslav said.

"Culturally, cars are so important for us guys in America," he said. "We grew up dreaming about what the day would be like when we got our licenses and what cars we would drive."

Velocity will also televise an upscale sailing race that touches on five oceans, travel programming to upscale locations, adventure sports and "real-life adrenaline shows," said Robert Scanlon, senior vice president of Velocity.

If done right, Velocity could be a magnet for advertisers, who generally pay a premium to reach an upscale audience.

There are no plans for a network to appeal to rich women. Discovery also operates the Oprah Winfrey Network, TLC and Animal Planet, networks with strong appeal to women, Zaslav said.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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