What a mensch!

Britney's boy wants to spare two tasteless pranksters; Kelly Preston spills the beans about sex with Travolta! Plus: "Survivor's" Jerri strips, Heche looks for some spotlight and a celebrity quiz for Premium readers!

Published June 22, 2001 11:35PM (EDT)

Justin Timberlake may not be in a coma, but his noggin is a little confused by the false report put forth by a couple of Dallas DJs that he was -- and that his girlfriend Britney Spears was a complete goner.

For a few minutes there, even he thought the report might be true. "The first thing I did was call Britney because I was, like, 'Well maybe it got twisted, maybe something did happen to her,'" the 'N Sync-er tells the Toronto Sun. "'Cause she was in L.A. and I was in, I believe, Philadelphia the day it happened. So we were across the country from each other, and I immediately called her. The first thing she said to me was, 'Hey, where are you?'"

But even though Timberlake says it "sucks" that his friends and family had to go through such a big scare, he bears the recently canned radio pranksters behind the hoax, Kramer and Twitch, no ill will.

"I feel sorry that they got fired," he said.

So, in fact, do some of his band mates. "I understand why they should be reprimanded. They're straight out lying to people and that's not cool to mislead people. But if it was part of a joke or something I would understand it. Then it shouldn't be a big deal," JC Chasez told the Toronto paper.

"I think it went a little bit too far, because I had friends that were really concerned," opined Chris Kirkpatrick. "But firing them for it? That might be a bit extreme."

Do I smell the beginnings of a boy band letter-writing campaign to save these poor misunderstood hoaxsters from the unemployment line? What do you say, boys? Who's 'N?

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Look who's talking

"John and I have actually played naked stewardess on occasion, which is always a lot of fun!"

-- Kelly Preston, painting way too vivid a picture about her sex life with hubby John Travolta, on TV Guide Online.

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Juicy bits

Will she be photographed lounging in a whopping tub of mushy rice? Pictured playfully displaying her Outback? Whatever the setting, "Survivor" schemer Jerri Manthey has gone ahead and shed her swimsuit for Playboy. Her fellow loser Amber Brkich, who has turned out to be quite the blabbermouth, leaked the news Monday on Craig Kilborn's show -- and Manthey's rep has confirmed the rumor. Her nekkid pictorial is expected to grace the magazine's September issue. Though in her case, grace may be the wrong word ...

Marriage to a man apparently is not enough for Anne Heche. Now she's looking to get hitched to a network. Variety reports that Ellen DeGeneres' ex is taking meetings with TV types in hopes of landing her own series. JAM! TV reports that the affianced actress is also gearing up for the September release of her autobiography, "Call Me Crazy." As if she had to ask.

Speaking of celebrities who are ready for their closeups ... Komo, the Komodo dragon that snacked on Phil Bronstein's toe, has suddenly found himself the most popular animal in the Los Angeles Zoo. "It's been incredible," commented zoo spokesman Lora LaMarca of the days since Komo took his infamous nibble out of Mr. Sharon Stone. "Everyone who comes in asks where the Komodo dragon is." Forget Anne Heche -- this reptile is hungry for his own TV show.

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You can say that again

And now, back by popular demand, another chance to test your celebrity quotient (CQ) by matching the celebrity with the quote.

1) "I feel I have the right to look at them, but nobody else should."
A) Brad Pitt on Jennifer Aniston's breasts.
B) Angelina Jolie on the bite marks she's inflicted on Billy Bob Thornton's body.
C) Katerina Witt on the secret files the East Germans kept on her for years.

2) "It's been very weird to find out how ready people are to think the worst of you."
A) Meg Ryan on the whole Russell Crowe thingy.
B) Tom Cruise on the whole Nicole Kidman thingy.
C) Jerri Manthey on the whole "Survivor" thingy.

3) "It's very small, but it is there."
A) President Bush on his brain.
B) Salma Hayek on her mustache.
C) Howard Stern on his manhood.

4) "I think her mom was a bit taken aback."
A) KEGL radio program director Dwayne Dougherty on the Britney Spears death hoax.
B) Director John Stockwell on Kirsten Dunst's "Crazy/Beautiful" nude scene.
C) Christina Aguilera's grandmother, Delcie Fidler, on her granddaughter's "Lady Marmalade" video.

Answers:

1) C. We didn't want to see them anyway. (Source: The New York Post)

2) A. You'll know the worst when you hear it. (Source: Us magazine)

3) B. But come on, you know it could've been A or C. (Source: USA Today)

4) B. Taken aback all the way to the bank. (Source: Mr. Showbiz)

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Miss something? Read yesterday's Nothing Personal.


By Amy Reiter

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