Britney's back talking to the press again

Paris Hilton took advantage of John McCain's ad citing her and Britney Spears, but Spears stayed strangely silent. It appears she had more pressing engagements to tend to.

Spears is said to have just completed her first exclusive sit-down interview and photo shoot in nearly two years. OK! magazine, the same publication that attempted to deliver Spears' previous exclusive agreement, is said to be running her tell-all in this week’s issue.

Who can forget just how disastrously the mag’s earlier encounter with Spears was? She took clothes from the set, and her dog did unspeakable things to a Zac Posen dress.

But this time around, a source says that things went quite well. Not only did Spears answer questions (with no couture dresses harmed in the process), but her dad, Jamie Spears, who’s never spoken at length with the media, was forthcoming about Spears’ relationship with her management, Kevin Federline and her sons. The issue is on stands nationwide on Friday.

Her name was ... Kylie? She was a showgirl
Kylie Minogue is taking her tour’s Copacabana theme one step further: she’s going to release a cover of Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s hit “Copacabana.”

There was one minor sticking point, however. Minogue, who currently uses the song to close out her shows, was reportedly hoping Manilow and Sussman would agree to allow her to change “Lola” to “Kylie” in the recorded version.

Sussman, the lyricist, is rumored to have refused, saying “No way. Her name’s Lola. Not Lola Minogue, not Kylie.” 

Clooney for cabinet?
Presidential candidate Barack Obama might be dubbed a celebrity in McCain's ad, but he isn’t rubbing as many elbows with actual celebrities as some might think.

According to many reports, George Clooney is reportedly in frequent e-mail contact with Obama about “public speaking and body language” as well as more serious topics, such as being “more balanced on issues such as U.S. relations with Israel.”

Clooney’s longtime rep Stan Rosenfield says nothing of the sort is happening. “Old story, not true,” he quickly shot back.

Carrie Underwood on her country rivals
“American Idol” alum Carrie Underwood has had her fair share of country music feuds, given the short amount of time she’s been in the business. Slideshow: Celebrity Sightings

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She tells Allure magazine that “the whole Faith Hill thing (where Hill appears to react poorly when Underwood wins a CMA award) was a joke. I talked to her and she was like ‘Carrie, I’m sorry.’” Seems like it’s really time for everyone to move on past that one.

Underwood also discusses having her feelings hurt by Wynonna Judd, after Judd called her “a little bit vanilla.”

“I have to admit, that did hurt my feelings, I think everybody was curious about whether or not I’d be country enough,” Underwood tells the mag. Things have been patched up, however: “She’s a wonderful person. Her comments were misinterpreted by me.”

Courtney Hazlett delivers the Scoop Monday through Friday on msnb.com.