Brad Pitt
Alex Berliner/BEI
Cause Celeb
Thin-again Bridget Jones star Renée Zellweger did her part recently to make sure others have enough to eat when she joined up with Barbara Walters, Paula Zahn, Kathleen Turner and Ivana Trump at a luncheon benefiting Citymeals-On-Wheels. "I have a lot of affection for this charity," Zellweger tells us of the organization, which provides hand-delivered meals for New York City's homebound elderly. "It's such an easy way to make a contribution that is substantial and can be felt immediately. I hope that people feel inspired because it's such an easy thing to do." The event, which raised more than $850,000, was co-anchored by Zahn and her daughter, Haley Cohen. Zahn says she remembers friends Gloria Steinem and Liz Smith encouraging her to come to the program about seven years ago and hasn't missed one since. "The most extraordinary thing about this program is, not only are we feeding people, but a lot of the people who receive the meals have no contact with any other human being than those who deliver their meals."
Just for Laughs
Drew Carey was quite the snark-meister when he took the stage at Carnegie Hall during the recent New York Comedy Festival. During his brief opening monologue, Carey talked about what a "s---hole" it was backstage and how the hangers in his room were sealed at the top so they couldn't be stolen. "I guess Leonard Bernstein used to steal wire hangers," Carey joked. Regarding the angioplasty surgery he had some years ago, Carey said, "It was the same thing Dick Cheney had, but they left my heart in."
Taking It Off
Who says stars can't be losers? In the "tradition" of NBC's The Biggest Loser, celebs such as plus-size model Mia Tyler, Living Single star Kim Coles, "Snapple Lady" Wendy Kaufman, Divorce Court Judge Mablean Ephriam, actor Joe Gannescolli (Vito on The Sopranos) and '80s rapper Biz Markie will submit themselves to weigh-ins and challenges on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, debuting in January. Tyler says she intends to keep her curvy figure, and just wants to lose 20 pounds. "I love being chunky, that's my job," she says. Also, she and her husband, Papa Roach drummer Dave Buckner, are trying to have a baby. "We were going to wait but we don't get to see each other all the time," she says. Tyler also says she is looking forward to being an aunt to sister Liv's baby, due at the end of December.
• By ANNE MARIE CRUZ, BRIANA HAAS and BRENDA RODRIGUEZ
