Posted Oct. 29, 2008

Elisabeth Hasselbeck introduces Sarah Palin at a rally in Kissimmee, Fla., on Oct. 26. (©AP) More photos

For most people, the logical response to the ear-splittingly shrill political arguments of "The View" would be to change the channel as quickly as possible. But are some angry folks doing more than just reaching for the remote? The New York Post claims "View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg told a crowd at an Art and Educational Justice symposium on Monday that her conservative couch mate, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, receives more death threats than anyone else on the show, beating out Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters. But an ABC rep denies that's the case, insisting to "Extra," "Whoopi was completely misquoted. She never said that." No word on whether Goldberg was also misquoted when she praised her John McCain-boosting co-worker. "Politically we could not be more opposite, but I respect her tremendously," the Whoopster reportedly said. "Truth is, we could not have a dialogue without Elisabeth. It's not that we have to agree; the important thing is that we have the conversation." Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times says tensions between Hasselbeck and the Barack Obama-supporting Behar have "gotten so ugly, they only speak on air or when a camera is anywhere in their vicinity." But a "View" rep pooh-poohs any politically motivated enmity, telling Us, "These fabricated rumors about alleged dissension between Elisabeth and Joy are as untrue today as they were yesterday, a week ago and when the rumor(s) first started."

Patrick Swayze makes an appearance at the Stand Up to Cancer event in Los Angeles last month. (©Retna Ltd.) More photos

"How do you nurture a positive attitude when all the statistics say you're a dead man? You go to work." That's Patrick Swayze, talking to The New York Times about his decision to star in the A&E drama "The Beast" following his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in January. "I just love to work hard," he says of the 12-hour days he puts in to play an unorthodox FBI agent on the Chicago-based show. "I do find myself, at the end of the day, riding home sort of catching myself with a smile on my face. I'm proud of what I'm doing." The actor, 56, who became alarmingly gaunt as he battled the disease, has reportedly packed on 20 pounds with the help of "muscle-building shakes" and has missed only a day and a half of filming. "I'm still fine to work, I haven't changed -- oh, I have changed, what am I saying? It's a battle zone I go through," admits Swayze, whose main support system is his wife of 32 years, Lisa Niemi. "Chemo, no matter how you cut it, is hell on wheels." "The Beast" will debut in January, and there's already talk of a second season, which is just fine with the star. "There is probably that little bird that flies through your insides and says, 'I sure would like to make a mark in life,'" he tells the paper. "I've made a pretty decent mark so far -- nothing to scoff at. But it does make you think: Wait a minute. There's more I want to do. Lots more. Get on with it."

Robert Pattinson hits the Hollywood Film Festival on Oct. 27. (©Retna Ltd.)

In what could become the "Twilight" collectible that fangirls will gladly fight to the death for, Robert Pattinson, who plays dreamy vampire Edward Cullen in the hugely anticipated flick, says his meticulously mussed locks may soon be history. "I cannot wait to cut it off," he tells E! News, acknowledging that he doesn't really get the fascination with his trademark shaggy coif. "Nothing's ever baffled me as much as this," he shrugs. "I wanted to get a haircut today, but they wouldn't let me. They were like, 'You can't ruin our marketing!'"

Joaquin and Gwyneth film "Two Lovers" in New York last November. (©WireImage.com)

After his Best Actor Oscar nomination for 2005's "Walk the Line," Joaquin Phoenix seemed poised to ascend to the A-list. Instead, he fell under the radar, which is apparently where he plans to stay. In a cringe-y interview with "Extra" on Monday at a star-stuffed event in San Francisco to benefit the late Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang camps for sick children, the actor, 34, announced that "Two Lovers," his upcoming drama with Gwyneth Paltrow, would be his final big-screen role. "I want to take this opportunity ... to give you the exclusive and just talk a little bit about the fact that this will be my last performance as an actor," mumbled Phoenix, who was reportedly being trailed by his own camera crew. "I'm not doing films anymore. I've been through that. I've done it." The future, he said, will be all about "working on my music." When the interviewer laughed nervously over this revelation, the actor's mood quickly soured and he testily asked what was so funny. According to USA Today, a "furious" Joaquin then exited the room in a huff, yelling, "That guy's an ..." (the family-friendly paper doesn't finish his incensed sentiment, so feel free to insert the expletive of your choice). Phoenix's rep doesn't deny his thespian retirement plans, sighing to "Extra," "That is what he told me." Joaquin, who learned to play the guitar for his role as Johnny Cash, has been working on an album with Tim Burgess, the sometime front man for the British band the Charlatans. In May, Burgess told Billboard that collaborating with the star has been a challenge because he keeps "scrapping everything or redoing everything. I'm sad to say that I think it's one of those records that may never come out, to be honest with you."

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