Issue Date: July 20, 2008
A "gut feeling" led actress-producer Rita Wilson to believe "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the stage show, could be a hit movie. We all know how that turned out. Now Wilson is hoping for the same outcome with "Mamma Mia!" She had a similar feeling after seeing the show because "it wasn't about 22-year-olds. It was about women, which had a huge appeal to me." Wilson, 51, and husband Tom Hanks, 52, have been married 20 years, which seems like a long time for Hollywooders. "There are many long-term marriages ... but you just read about the breakups in the papers," Wilson says.
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Who has sold the most records worldwide? Who is the top-selling female artist?
Ray Gee, San Bruno, Calif.
Worldwide, it's hard to tell. There's no one reliable agency tracking the numbers. The Recording Industry Association of America, which has been collecting sales data since 1958, says the female top-seller in the USA is Barbra Streisand -- she has sold 71 million albums. But if you count singles, Madonna leads with 78.5 million. Garth Brooks is the top-selling male, with 128 million albums sold. The Beatles are the top-selling group, with 170 million albums.
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"Psych" is one of my very favorite shows. Will it ever run for a full season on network TV?
Desideria di Norcia, New Holland, S.C.
Not likely, but "Psych" returned this weekend with Cybill Shepherd, 58. "I upset everyone's apple cart," she says. Her character "is a criminal psychologist... There are a lot of misconceptions about the past that I have to clear up." Shepherd has learned to enjoy her position as guest-shot glamour injection. "I used to get angry at having to stay on the set [all day]... Now I realize they do it to all older women."
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Where is Daryn Kagan, the former CNN news and sports anchor? I used to enjoy her energy and style.
David Ruffo, Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Kagan, 45, still has energy and style. She launched her website, DarynKagan.com, in November 2006, and she is the author of a new book, "What's Possible!" In it, she tells the stories of 50 people who made a difference in their lives or the lives of others. She's also working on a second documentary, "Solar Town USA," about solar energy. One little-known fact: She's a huge "Dancing With the Stars" fan and would love to be a contestant, which, if you think about it, fits with her desire to inspire.
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Who designs Barack Obama's suits?
Ray Abrams, Toledo, Ohio
We couldn't get Obama or anyone in his campaign to talk designers. Perhaps fashion consciousness is considered elitist? He reportedly shops at Barneys, but he claims he only has five suits (and just four pairs of shoes). Obama's look is classic and modern -- crisp white shirts and dark suits. His clothes are tailored, emphasizing how slim he is, and he favors pale blue ties, like the one he wore the night he clinched the Democratic nomination. He occasionally goes tie-less and rolls up his sleeves for the Everyman look, a trend we may see more of as the campaign -- and the summer weather -- heats up.
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How much of the CW show "Everybody Hates Chris" is based on comic Chris Rock's real-life experiences?
Judy Ritley, Mentor, Ohio
It used to be about 70%, but it's about 50% now, exec producer Ali LeRoi says. "It's [Chris'] story. The little things definitely happened to him." And the other half? "I draw a lot of character and relationship stuff from my own life," says LeRoi, who grew up in a Chicago neighborhood similar to Rock's old Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in New York.
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Abigail Breslin, 12, is as polished onscreen as a mini-Meryl Streep, but when the cameras aren't rolling, she is very much a kid. She gets a $12 weekly allowance, she's home-schooled, and Mom (Kim Breslin) keeps a close eye on her. Abigail shows no signs of becoming a troubled teen and has little familiarity with teen movies. Her screen heroines are Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien. Breslin's current movie, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl," is equally old-fashioned. Set in 1934 during the De-pression, Kit is about a 10-year-old's view of the world. "Kit is a lot braver than me," Breslin tells us. "I'm not a problem-solver. I get confused, although I guess if I tried, I could."
Contributing: Gayle Jo Carter, Olga Khazan, Nancy Mills
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BIRTHDAYS
July 20: Gisele Bundchen 28; Josh Holloway 39
July 21: Robin Williams 57; Cat Stevens 60
July 22: John Leguizamo 44; Danny Glover 62; Alex Trebek 68
July 23: Daniel Radcliffe 19; Omar Epps 35; Alison Krauss 37
July 24: Anna Paquin 26
July 25: Matt LeBlanc 41; Iman 53
July 26: Jeremy Piven 43; Kevin Spacey 49; Mick Jagger 65
 Ask Lorrie Lynch a question about a celeb!
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