Daily Insider for January 5

Monday January 05, 2004 05:31 PM EST

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January 5, 2004
MICHAEL J. FOX SCRUBS IN
Michael J. Fox may have quit Spin City to preserve his energy as he battles Parkinson's disease, but he's still keeping busy. The actor has signed on to appear as a guest star on the NBC series Scrubs, a source tells the Daily Insider. Fox, who begins production later this week in Los Angeles, will play a doctor whose behavior is slightly off due to obsessive-compulsive disorder – which, says a source, will allow Fox to incorporate his Parkinson's-related tremors into the role. Why Scrubs? It might have something to do with executive producer Bill Lawrence, who also produced Spin City. Fox, who spent the holidays with his wife, Tracy, and their children, is feeling good and recently told friends he is looking at offers for more acting work.

CURB YOUR CRAVINGS?
Curb Your Enthusiasm's Cheryl Hines, whose first child with her manager husband, Paul Young, is due in March, is not exactly following any of the trendy Hollywood diets du jour at the moment. "The first three months (of pregnancy), all I could eat was mashed potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner," says Hines, 38. "These days, I can eat a whole tub of olives, and two or three oranges almost every night." Will her Curb costar, curmudgeon Larry David, have to warm up to the idea of being called "Daddy"? "I'm here to break that news: Larry will not have a baby," says the actress. "I don't think that will be written into the script ever."

GRIN AND BARE IT
Helen Mirren takes it all off for Calendar Girls, a comedy about middle-aged women who raise money for charity by posing in the buff. Turns out the English actress wouldn't mind being nude in a real-life pinup calendar. "I'd like to be in a calendar representing the 12 greatest actresses who've ever lived. I'd be extremely proud of that one, but fat chance on that front," says Mirren, 58. "Otherwise, I think I'd definitely (do a) Harley Davidson calendar. (Me) draped over a Harley would be great."

Reported by: TODD GOLD, MARISA LAUDADIO and MOLLY LOPEZ

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