MINAJ/CAREY FEUD A PUBLICITY STUNT?!

This probably won’t come as much of a surprise, but sources tell the Hollywood Reporter the Nicki Minaj/Mariah Carey feud is all being faked for publicity. “The Mariah-Nicki diva battle is exactly what Fox executives wanted all along,” said a source, who adds that the two divas are in on the joke. “No one’s really worried. They know the parts they’re supposed to play.” But if that’s true, nobody told Nicki. According to TMZ, the rapper is fuming because she believes producers are behind Mariah’s nastiness. The insiders claim Nicki is convinced producers are purposely trying to upset her because they think an angry Nicki would be good for ratings.

CAREY TELLS BARBARA WALTERS SHE WAS THREATENED/MINAJ FIGHTS BACK AGAINST ‘‘LIES!’’

It sounds like Mariah Carey isn’t aware that her American Idol feud with Nicki Minaj is a publicity stunt either. Barbara Walters said on The View yesterday that Mariah confirmed to her that Nicki threatened her. Mariah told Barbara that several sources heard Nicki ranting, “if I had a gun I would shoot the b**ch.” Carey told Walters she’s “very concerned,” because “Nicki is unpredictable.” Mariah doesn’t think Nicki will really do anything but she “can’t take a chance” and has hired extra security. [See About Last Night Afternoon for audio.] But Nicki insists she didn’t make such a threat, taking to Twitter to defend herself against the “lies” in the media. “Hey yAll. Lets just say nicki said smthn about a gun. ppl will believe it cuz she’s a black rapper. Lmao. I’ll then hit up Barbara n milk it,” Minaj Tweeted Thursday. “Ironically no camera or mic heard the gun comment tho…Not even the producers believed u. Say no to violence barbz.” After blasting Walters a bit more, Nicki ended her Twitter rant by writing, “I guess it hurts 2 have the producers tell u to ur face that nicki is the best judge we’ve had since simon (Cowell). Awww, poor u. Keep them lies cmn.”

URBAN STAYING NEUTRAL ON IDOL!

Meanwhile, the other new judge on Idol, Keith Urban, is just trying to keep the peace. “I was the U.N.,” Urban told Extra regarding the Mariah/Nicki fight. He later quipped that he was “Switzerland.” But regardless of the arguments, Urban is happy to sit alongside judges that care so much. "I love it, I gotta say," he said. "I love working with passionate people. I love artists. Everyone just sort of expressing themselves. It's a very alive and very invigorating work environment. A lot of passion."

Q-Keith Urban is married to Nicole Kidman, and the couple has two daughters. What are the kids’ names? Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret

CHEATING ACCUSATIONS FLY DURING HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY REUNION PART 2!

The second part of the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion special is bound to be a doozy. In the episode airing Sunday, Teresa Giudice and Jacqueline Laurita are once again at each other’s throats, with both sides accusing each other’s spouses of cheating. It starts when Teresa says to Jacqueline, “Didn’t (Chris) cheat on you a long time ago? That’s what you told me.” Jacqueline denies Teresa’s claim, and then turns the tables telling her, “Now that you’re going there, you told me your husband (Joe) cheated on you several times. You caught him with his secretary, the babysitter…and you asked me what you should do because my ex-husband had cheated on me.” Teresa, of course, denied she ever said that, adding, “if my husband cheated on me, he would not be sitting on this couch right now.”

COOPER FURIOUS THAT STAR JONES CALLED HIS COMING OUT A PUBLICITY STUNT!

Anderson Cooper is furious at Star Jones for accusing him of coming out for publicity. “I haven't thought about Star Jones in I don't know how long. I was unaware she was even on TV still ... but she apparently shows up on a morning show. Out of the blue Star Jones ... said this was a ratings ploy by me to boost ratings,” said Cooper, who was on assignment in Africa when he confirmed his sexual preference via an email to a journalist friend. "If I was wanting to boost ratings, I would have waited to announce it on 'A Very Special Episode' that would have been promo'd for weeks and weeks and there would have been commercials ... 'Anderson's Huge Announcement.’”  Cooper pointed out that Star was the queen of free publicity, specifically mentioning her “hawking her wedding every single day to get free products.” Cooper added that he invited Star on his show to talk about her comments but she turned him down. Said Cooper, "I would think she would want as much publicity as possible given her penchant for wanting publicity." [See About Last Night Afternoon for audio.]

Q-What is the name of Star Jones now ex-husband, who she married in a sponsor-filled wedding in the Big Apple? Al Reynolds

BALDWIN WANTED ANOTHER SEASON OF 30 ROCK!

The seventh and final season of 30 Rock premiered last night, but if star Alec Baldwin had his way, the show would have stuck around for at least season eight. "I offered NBC to cut my pay 20 percent in order to have a full 7^th and 8^th seasons of 30 Rock," he Tweeted yesterday.  "I realize times have changed." Show creator Tina Fey recently told Entertainment Weekly that even though the show announced it was ending, Baldwin had been lobbying cast members for one more year. Said Tina, “not a day goes by that he doesn't go around to the crew and agitate for a season 8: 'You've gotta change your minds!' It's like, 'It's not really up to me -- and also, no.'"

Q-Fey’s character Liz Lemmon has had a string of boyfriends who were played by some very famous celebrities. What actor played her pilot beau Carol Burnett? Matt Damon

CLIP OF HOGAN SEX TAPE HITS INTERNET!

Gawker yesterday posted one minute of what they say is a 30-minute sex tape featuring Hulk Hogan (NSFW) and the ex-wife of his best friend. TMZ reported in April that a Hogan tape had been circulating, and The Dirty posted some screen shots, but this is the first actual footage to hit the web. Back in April, the 59-year-old Hogan claimed he had been “secretly taped.”

TEEN MOM HASN’T SEEN DAUGHTER SINCE SHE’S BEEN JAILED!

Teen Mom Amber Portwood has revealed in a new interview that she has not seen her three-year-old daughter Leah since she was sent to jail in June. She blames her ex Gary Shirley, who has yet to file the necessary paperwork to bring Leah for a visit, even though Amber has sent him the papers twice. “I try to give him excuses,”  the 22-year-old told Dr. Drew in an MTV special airing October 9^th. “In my head I say, ‘maybe he just can’t handle it’ or ‘maybe he doesn’t want Leah to cry.’” Gary recently admitted to In Touch that he has yet to explain to Leah that her mother is in jail. Amber has spoken to her daughter on the phone, and says the toddler will say things like, “Can I come over to your house?” Added Amber, “I don’t really think Leah understands at all.”

SEINFELD DEFENDS THE WORD ‘‘REALLY!’’

Jerry Seinfeld has taken issue with a New York Times critic who recently wrote a piece about the overuse of the word “really.” Neil Genzlinger wrote that he couldn’t “wrap his head around” the use of the word when it’s “delivered with a high-pitched sneer to indicate a contempt so complete that it requires no classification.”  Genzlinger called “really?” a “cop-out word,” whose “moment passed several years ago.” Well, in response, Seinfeld, who often used the word in his stand-up routines, wrote that Genzlinger’s column was “so deeply vacuous that I couldn’t help but feel that you have stepped into my area of expertise.”   "Really, Neil? Really? You’re upset about too many people saying, 'Really?'? I mean, really," he wrote. "OK, fine, when it’s used in scripted media, it is a little lazy. But comedy writers are lazy. You’re not fixing that. So, here’s the bottom line. If you’re a writer, fine, don’t use it. But in conversation it is fun to say."

Q-In 2010, Jerry produced a reality TV series for NBC. What was it called? The Marriage Ref

KARDASHIAN CALLS KANYE HER BEST FRIEND!

Kim Kardashian just can’t stop talking about her relationship with Kanye West. “It’s so nice to have a best friend in this game who understands everything you’re going through. Being with someone I’ve known for so many years is comforting,” Kim tells Tatler magazine, which also features a photo spread with Kim posing in a wedding dress. “He’s been there through so many different stages of my life and before I was famous, so this relationship is a different thing entirely. It’s good to be aware that he definitely doesn’t want anything from me too, because he understands the business.” She adds, “I can’t even think about being with anyone else than the man I’m with.”

BROWN DUMPS GIRLFRIEND BECAUSE OF RIHANNA!

Chris Brown and Rihanna seemed to have rekindled their romance in New York this week, and now Brown has gotten rid of one thing standing in the way of a full scale reunion. Yesterday Brown announced he’s ended his relationship with girlfriend Karrueche Tran. “I have decided to be single to focus on my career,” he said. “I love Karrueche very much but I don't want to see her hurt over my friendship with Rihanna. I'd rather be single allowing us to both be happy in our lives." On Wednesday, Brown and Rihanna were spotted together at the Jay-Z concert in Brooklyn. They were also reportedly together at a club on Monday, where they disappeared into a bathroom for 20 minutes.

Q-Rihanna made her big screen acting debut this summer, in what box office bomb? Battleship

THE ONE THING KIDMAN WOULDN’T DO IN THE PAPERBOY!

Nicole Kidman does some outrageous things in her new movie The Paperboy, including peeing on Zac Efron, but, according to the film’s director Lee Daniels, the one thing she wouldn’t do is call an African American cast member the N-word. According to Daniels, Kidman “looked slightly annoyed,” when he asked her to do it, and explained that she felt the slur didn’t “feel right for the character.”  She added, “I have a son who's African-American and I just didn't feel it was right. It wasn't right."  The Paperboy opens today in select cities.

Q-Nicole Kidman has been nominated for three Best Actress Academy Awards. Can you name the films for which she was nominated?  Moulin Rouge and The Hours (which she won) and Rabbit Hole

DRAG RACE STAR DIED OF HEART FAILURE

Earlier this week it was announced that RuPaul’s Drag Race star Sahara Davenport died at the age of 27, and now her cause of death has been revealed.   Davenport, whose real name was Antoine Ashley, died of heart failure on October 1^st, according to a statement.  Davenport’s mother Angela released a statement saying, “My family and I would like to thank everyone for their condolences and support. We know that our angel is now dancing in heaven.”

MONTAG WON’T STRIP AT STRIP CLUB APPEARANCE!

Heidi Montag is trying to get back in the spotlight. The former reality show star will host the three-year anniversary party for Las Vegas’ Crazy Horse II strip club later this month. But male fans hoping to see all of Heidi may be disappointed. TMZ reports that while Heidi and her hubby Spencer Pratt will attend the festivities, she will not be doing any stripping.

THIEVES STEAL $127K WORTH OF JEWELRY FROM JULIANNE MOORE!

Julianne Moore’s New York home was robbed.  The New York Post reports that $127,000 worth of Cartier jewelry was stolen from the actress’ West Village home sometime between June 6^th and August 28^th, when the actress and her husband director Bart Freundlich were having work done on their place.  Among the items taken were a $33,000 platinum diamond tennis bracelet and four Cartier watches worth $77,800 in total. So far no arrests have been made.

Q-In the 80s, Moore played twins on what CBS soap opera, which earned her a Daytime Emmy Award? As The World Turns

GOSSELIN DOESN’T BLAME TV SHOW FOR DIVORCE!

Kate Gosselin told Katie Couric this week that reality TV was not to blame for the breakdown of her marriage to Jon.  "A lot of people try to pin reality TV and say, 'My gosh. It ended in divorce. Big surprise.' We went through a lot. The signs were always there, and obviously having eight kids in a short span of time didn't help that," she explained. "And I'm not at all blaming my kids, I'm just saying…” Kate added, "I know the red flags were always there. So looking back, had you never heard the names Jon and Kate Gosselin, I'm certain that I would be in that spot now. It's hard because like any mom I just want the best for my kids."

TV TIDBITS!

�œ Arrested Development fans are getting a chance to appear on their favorite show.  Netflix, which will air the fourth season of the former Fox show, recently announced a contest in which six fans will be awarded walk on roles. “The Bluths have walked on so many people we thought it was only fair to let a few fans walk on them,” said creator and executive producer Mitch Hurwitz.  To enter, fans must create an original piece of Arrested Development content and submit it through Twitter, Instagram or Tumbler with the hashtag #BluthWalkOn. The contest ends October 16^th.

�œ Fox announced yesterday that a new season of Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares will premiere Friday, October 26^th at 8 pm. Meanwhile, Kiefer Sutherland’s Touch, which was supposed to premiere on the 26^th, has been pushed back to January.

�œ R&B singer Jill Scott has landed a role on the final season of Fox’s Fringe. She’ll play a woman named Simone, described as “an incredibly intuitive woman, an oracle-like person.”

�œ ABC Family has renewed Pretty Little Liars for a fourth season.

�œ The Netflix original series House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey, will premiere February 1^st, 2013. All thirteen episodes of the drama will air on that day.