PicturehouseThere's nothing like telling people I once went to bed with Cloris Leachman.
I did. Yesterday.
The 82-year-old legendary funnylady decided to take it easy while doing interviews for her new movie The Women, Diane English's remake of the 1939 camp classic, by relaxing under the bedcovers at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills.
No doubt her upcoming turn as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars leaves her a bit more pooped than usual these days.
So, yes, I hopped on the bed and lay beside Ms. Leachman for our li'l chitchat.
But she wasn't the only gal I talked with yesterday. Read on for the highlights...
Gossip Girls: The Women centers on a well-to-do Connecticut mom (Meg Ryan) who leans on her friends (Annette Bening, Debra Messing and Jada Pinkett Smith) for support when she finds out her husband is having an affair with a Saks Fifth Avenue saleswoman (Eva Mendes). How does everyone find out about the cheating hubby? From a catty gossiping manicurist (Debi Mazar).
Bening admits she's suffered from loose lips. "You know what? I have gotten into trouble," she says. "I can't tell you what, but it's true. [Laughs.] Now I'm pretty careful, but we all gossip."
Politics: Bening made her first trip to the Democratic National Convention last month in Denver. "There must have been a lot of one-night stands that go on at the convention, because there's just this electricity in the air and everyone's in agreement," she says. "Everyone's in the same pot."
A documentary narrated by Bening called 14 Women about the country's female senators will be previewed at the RNC, as it was at the DNC. Bening says, "Sarah Palin was such an eccentric pick because of all the other Republican women who are so much more qualified, like Olympia Snow, who is an amazing woman."
Madonna: Mazar's been friends with Madonna for 27 years, and she doesn't see Madge's ubiquitous press going away anytime in the near future. "She continues to fascinate," the actress says. "She likes her press. It's very bought and paid for and designed."
That doesn't mean Mazar is pleased with everything she reads. "It makes me angry because I'm friends with her children," she says. "I've been there since they were born—and they can read the paper!"
The Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger's production company, Jagged Films, produced The Women. His partner Victoria Pearman reveals that the Rolling Stones rocker may voice a character in their first animated movie, Ruby Tuesday. "There's a character, sort of a devil," Pearman says. "So there's some discussion about whether or not [Jagger] will play that."
Dancing With the Stars: God bless Cloris Leachman! As the oldest contestant ever on DWTS, she's got some hurdles to overcome. "I take pills for asthma and high blood pressure," says Leachman, who plays a housekeeper in The Women. "I have very bad osteoporosis."
Even so, she's having a great time with dancing partner Corky Ballas. "I've learned the fox-trot and now I'm working on the mambo," Leachman says with a smile. "But every time we start shaking, I just start laughing. I mean, I just laugh helplessly."
Bening has high hopes for Leachman. "She's got a body on her," Bening coos. "She should win."