Zac Efron opens up about his days at Disney. Who may be replacing Matt Lauer on the Today Show? And, which rapper just turned himself in to police?

Celebuzz has the scoop on Wednesday morning’s trending stories.

Zac Efron Talks About His “Luckiest Break”

Efron says in a new interview that High School Musical was his luckiest break. Find out what else he had to say about Disney on Gossip Cop.

Leaked Photos Of Hard Partying ‘Teen Mom’ Star Surface

Just days after she was busted for driving under the influence, photos have leaked of Teen Mom star, Farrah Abraham, partying and kissing another woman while wearing lingerie. FOX News has the full story with pics.

Anderson Cooper To Replace Matt Lauer on ‘Today’ Show?

Rumor has it that Anderson Cooper may be taking over for Lauer on the morning show’s couch. TMZ has the scoop.

Gucci Mane Turns Himself In For Assault

Rapper and Spring Breakers star, Gucci Mane, turned himself in to police for aggravated assault with a weapon. Head over to Vulture for the details.

‘The Golden Girls’ Go Viral

Everyone is talking about gay marriage and equal rights this week, even The Golden Girls. Watch the clip that has gone viral on The Frisky.

Bottoms up — with breast milk?

That’s exactly what Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and fiancé Jionni LaValle, along with BFF Jenni “JWoww” Farley and her fiancé, Roger Matthews, decided to do on the latest episode of MTV’s Jersey Shore spinoff, Snooki & JWOWW. They poured Polizzi’s mommy milk into shot glasses, toasted each other and threw the two ounces back.

“In the last nine months, the only shot I’ve taken is my own breast milk,” Polizzi said on the Tuesday night show (see video below). “And something is disgusting about that.”

So when the MTV stars stopped by Anderson Live to co-host, Polizzi — who welcomed son Lorenzo LaValle last August — thought host Anderson Cooper might want to get in on the breast milk action.

“I love you so much that I actually brought some for you. Here you go,” Polizzi said on the Wednesday episode of his daytime talker, pushing a milky shot glass toward Cooper. “I just pumped it backstage.”

“You gotta be kidding me. I’m sorry there’s no way. I can’t,” Cooper giggled. “I’m lactose intolerant…. That [would] live on YouTube forever.”

Thankfully, it was just almond milk, Polizzi admitted.

But the Snooki & JWOWW stars gulped down the real thing on their show. “That was her real boob milk,” Farley said. “What you think breast milk would taste like, that’s what it tastes like.”

And what did Polizzi think of her own milk? “It was warm,” she said, “but Lorenzo likes it.”

Well, that’s what counts!

Silence, haters.

Instead of the usual pomp and circumstance that comes with an Academy Award, Anne Hathaway has faced a backlash since snagging Best Supporting Actress for her role in Les Miserables. Hathaway’s cult of critics — so-called Hathahaters — have been bashing the actress, taking aim at everything from her decision to ditch Valentino for Prada on the Oscars red carpet to her overly-rehearsed acceptance speeches throughout awards season.

But not everyone is hopping on the anti-Hathaway bandwagon. Just days after Girls creator Lena Dunham jumped to the Oscar-winner’s defense, newsman Anderson Cooper is showing his support for the under-fire star.

“The level of hatred people have toward Anne Hathaway — I had no idea,” he said Thursday on his CBS daytime talk show, Anderson Live. “She seems like a perfectly lovely person. I don’t understand. I think she’s incredibly talented [and] she seems like a lovely person.”

“I have no dog in this hunt. I don’t know Anne Hathaway,” he added. “It just seems so unfair to me.”

Not only did Cooper stick up for Hathaway, but he also spoke out against her haters.

“People have all these judgements about her, but they don’t know what she’s really like,” he said in defense of the 30-year-old star. “No one knows what anyone of these people are like in real life…. People form all these opinions of people based on nothing. You have no actual evidence.”

Cooper, who wasn’t even aware of the widespread Hathaway hate until he heard his Anderson Live team talking about it, even adamantly defended the actress’ Oscar acceptance speech on his show.

“I feel like I just woke up and everyone is hating her. It upset me because so many people on my staff were like, ‘Ugh, that speech she made at the Oscars,’” he said. “You know what a bad speech is? Everybody else’s speech…. She got up there, she made eye contact, she remembered all the people’s names without reading it.”

“That’s because it was rehearsed,” argued his episode co-host, CNN journalist Isha Sesay, who mocked Hathaway’s seemingly feigned shock in snagging Oscar gold.

“You don’t think [Jennifer Lawrence's] fall was rehearsed?” Cooper retorted. “Please. If [Hathaway] hadn’t seem surprised, you all would all be like, ‘Oh, she wasn’t even surprised.’ I feel bad for her. There’s no winning for her. Give her a break.”

Though it doesn’t appear that the Hathahaters will be giving the actress a break anytime soon, Cooper made sure the star knows he’s on her side.

“Anne Hathaway, if you’re out there,” he added, “I’m sorry all these people are jerks. I think you’re lovely. I’m on team Hathaway.”

So where do you stand on Anne Hathaway? Love, hate or neutral? Tell us in the comments.

“Gangnam Style” is so 2012. Right now it’s all about the Harlem Shake.

Though originally the name of a 1980s dance that turned mainstream, G. Dep’s “Let’s Get It” music video, the Harlem Shake has gone on to be referenced in mumerous songs over the years, including a track by Brooklyn-based producer Baauer.

Now that song has become the backdrop music in Harlem Shake meme, the latest online dance craze to take the Internet by storm.

And since the release of a video by the YouTube comedy video blogger Filthy Frank, the revived ‘shake’ has spawned tens of millions of viral videos.

Want to hop on the bandwagon? Here’s how you get down with the Harlem Shake.

Step 1: Hit play on Baauer’s “Harlem Shake.”

Step 2: At the beginning, only one person (often masked) starts dancing. All others in the room or area appear oblivious, going about their ordinary tasks.

Step 3: When the beat drops, the clip cuts to everyone dancing crazy, sometimes in costume and/or with props.

Not only is it spreading like wildfire on the web — with videos featuring everyone from college swimmers, to military men, to subway riders, to grandmas — but the Harlem Shake is even sweeping shows across the nation, from CBS’ Anderson Live to NBC’s TODAY show.

Watch television teams — and one radio squad — get in on the latest dance craze, below.

1. TODAY

2. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

3. On Air with Ryan Seacrest

4. SportsCentre

5. Anderson Live

6. Happy Endings

There’s a pint-sized pooch bringing some much-needed bowwow to daytime television.

Meet Nico, the prized Chi-Poo, a Chihuahua-Poodle blend, of Anderson Cooper‘s CBS talker, Anderson Live. Since shortly after the CNN anchorman started his first-ever foray into daytime television, the show’s executive producer, Terence Noonan, has been bringing along his trusty canine sidekick a few times a week.

And in no time, Nico took to the spotlight, finding his perfect perch on Noonan’s on-set station. Whether he’s lounging near Noonan’s laptop or snuggling his snout in his owners’ arms, the 3½-year-old mixed-breed shows off his sweet mug several times a week on Anderson Live.

“Nico loves being the unofficial mascot and greeter of the show,” Noonan told Celebuzz. “Spending his days greeting the audience and guests, taking naps on producers’ laptops and showing off his latest fashion finds are just some of the ways he passes his time on set.”

And he’s even formed an unbreakable bond with Anderson.

“Nico frequently attends closed-door briefing meetings, stealing the seat right next to Anderson,” Noonan said. “Nico thinks he is as much a star as Anderson, if not more.”

Thanks to his prime position on the talker, there’s no doubt Nico’s star is now on the rise. From studio audience members asking for photo ops to fawning fans sending him mail, the always dapperly dressed dog — who dons cozy sweaters, tuxedo jackets and rain coats — is quickly catching the adoring attention of the public eye.

“Fans send Nico everything from doggy treats to new outfits,” Noonan said, adding that they cherish a one follower’s hand-drawn sketch a fan drew of Nico in Italy.

Now, even the famous set are hopping aboard the Nico bandwagon, such as former Jersey Shore star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and singer-actress Keke Palmer.

“Even What Not to Wear host Stacy London couldn’t get enough of him!” Noonan gushed.

To cater to his ever-expanding fan base, the tiny tail-wagger has launched his name into the world of social media, joining both Facebook and Twitter.

“The fame of being the unofficial Anderson Live mascot has gone to his head, so he demanded his own Facebook page to shine,” Noonan explained, adding the account racked up “over 300 likes in less than 24 hours.”

That puts him right on the heels of another Hollywood pooch: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump‘s Pomeranian, Giggy.

“Giggy who?” Noonan joked. “Nico is on a daily nationally-syndicated talk show. He doesn’t just occasionally appear on a weekly soap opera.”

Now that Nico has trotted into the spotlight, the pawsibilities are endless.

“Nico takes his celebrity status very seriously and doesn’t want to put his name on just any product like some of his celebrity peers,” explains Noonan. “He is currently taking meetings about creating his own clothing and product line. The sky’s the limit for this new star.”

“Sit up. Fix your hair. Suck it in,” comedienne Dena Blizzard, better known as One Funny Mother, suggests to the studio audience as the producers count down the cameras.

And 3, 2, 1…and we’re rolling. As the audience rises from its seats with a round of applause, Anderson Cooper and his co-host of the day, Stacy London, stride onto the Anderson Live set, settle in to their posts, and dive right into the episode’s First 15. Talk hops from the hot dog, beer and peanuts-flavored Ballpark Gum, to the dapperly-dressed Menswear Dog, to a love note between two smitten 8th grade students, and to Unicorn Poop cookies.

Following the fun fluff, it’s on to Anderson Live Alert about revenge porn, a growing phenomenon that sees scorned exes post sexually-explicit photos of their former girlfriends or wives on websites. After hearing from two victims and their lawyer, Anderson brings in a legal expert as he speaks over the phone to the webmaster — who shields his identity with an alias and distorted voice — who operates the porn site.

The show wraps up on a lighter note, with the always-affable Today co-host Hoda Kotb dishing on her new book, 10 Years Later, which chronicles how adversity transformed the lives of six inspiring individuals, and the highlights of her career — winning an Emmy, a Murrow and of course, getting Anderson drunk.

But what shakes down on the set of Anderson Live when the cameras aren’t rolling?

Before, during and after taping each episode, there’s plenty of smiles, laughter and memory-making shared among the team.

As Anderson prepares for show in his private quarters (where spiffy suits seem to line the walls), the show’s guests are graciously escorted into their dedicated dressing room at CBS Studios, where some snacks, water, a television and a release form await them. Before long, an Anderson Live team member leads each to the land of the glam squad, where Kristi whips hair into masterpieces and Travis works his makeup magic.

All along, producers bounce around, briefing the Blogger of the Day and prepping guests for their specific segments. Before descending a few floors to the set, the audio team straps a mic pack to the waistbands of all on-air participants, asking for a speedy sound check before giving them the green light.

Under the bright spotlights of the studio, a center-stage perch awaits Anderson, his co-host of the day and guests, as executive producer Terence Noonan and his trust pet pooch, Nico, settle into the side-stage setup, which broadcasts a steady stream of Anderson Live-related tweets on a display board. The studio audience is already settled into the cushioned seats, chuckling at the wisecracks of Dena Blizzard, the comedienne charged with warming up the crowd each taping.

Even after the episode gets under way, commercial breaks provide a breather: producers pop on and off to provide Anderson with notes and props; the hair-and-makeup team dash in to tend to touch-ups on both the hosts and guests; and Dena calls for impromptu dance-offs among the studio audience.

After it’s all a wrap, Anderson scurries over to his in-studio photo booth, where he snaps candid shots with his guests, audience members and the Blogger of the Day before disappearing down the halls. As the staff swiftly tidies up the set, guests are ushered back up to the dressing rooms to pick up their personal belongings. Then it’s ta-ta (for now), as each is chaperoned to an awaiting car service just outside of CBS studios.

To see the experience from beginning to end, scan through the gallery, above.

It’s time for the One Minute Social Buzz!

Hyla gives the lowdown on what Hollywood was hollering about this week on Twitter — including a fun fashion exchange between Britney Spears and Russell Crowe, a dig at Manti Te’o, and the latest reactions to Beyonce‘s lip-syncing scandal.

Spears and  Crowe exchanged friendly tweets about their similar blue-hatted looks in the actor’s Les Mis and Brit’s “Toxic” video. Spears tweeted, ”LOL. Cute hat @RussellCrowe. You wear it well. Maybe we should perform a Toxic/Work Song mashup ;),”

And in news that just won’t die, celebs were still talking about Beyonce-gate, but Anderson Cooper had the last word when he tweeted. “Who cares if @Beyonce didn’t sing live at Inauguration. She looked and sounded amazing!” Well said, Coops.

Plus, find out what Modern Family‘s Eric Stonestreet had to say about the Te’o hoax. Hint: It wasn’t very nice! (But it sure was funny.)

For more on the week’s hottest tweets, check out the latest edition of One Minute Buzz, above. Did we miss any fun celeb tweets from the week? Tell us below.

Ring, ring.

“Hello,” a man says. “This is Anderson Cooper‘s car service.”

Well, that makes my 5:45 a.m. wake-up call worth it. It’s still before dawn, but I’m dressed and dolled up — underneath my three layers of winter wear, of course — ready to be whisked off by my awaiting town car to Anderson Live! There, I will be live tweeting today’s episode from the studio audience as the show’s “Blogger of the Day.”

By 7 a.m., I’m watching CBS morning shows in my own private dressing room — still a world away from the spacious, wardrobe-packed rooms that greet Anderson Cooper and his star guests. But I’m beyond content with my cushy seating, mini water bottles, coffee and plate of pastries.

After secretly snapping a few framed photos of Anderson with past interviewees (think Janet Jackson, Debra Messing and  Judi Dench), I’m escorted down a seemingly endless hall to hair and makeup. Blabbing and beautifying ensues before I leave feeling like the belle of the ball with carefully coiffed bouncy waves and camera-ready makeup.

A pit stop in my dressing room — for one final caffeine jolt and to collect my MacBook Air — then it’s off to the studio. As I’m ushered to my assigned seat, comedienne Dena Blizzard, better known as One Funny Mother, is warming up the crowd with some wisecracks. Producers prep the crowd, a friendly fella slaps a Celebuzz sticker on my laptop, and then it’s a countdown to the man of the hour.

A standing ovation welcomes Anderson and his returning guest host, Rosie Perez. And we’re off with the First 15, tackling the American Idol feud, the bone-chilling temperatures across the country, and even heavy topics like the Pentagon lifting a ban on women in combat. The remainder of the episode delves into the risk of online profiles, hearing first-hand the experiences of Diane O’Meara, the real-life woman who became the face of the Manti Te’o hoax, and Alicia Kozakiewicz, who was abducted by a stranger she encountered on the Internet. And it all wraps up with a healthy dose of hotness: guest Liam McIntyre of Spartacus: Vengeance fame.

If you missed my live-tweeting from this morning, here’s my top 10 highlights from my morning with the Silver Fox:

1. Is Anderson as nice as they say?
“Better than that,” insists my Romantique Limos morning driver, who dropped me at CBS studios before the sun even nudged above the New York City skyline. “I’ve been picking him up for three years now…he’s usually my first pickup of the day. And, let me tell you, he’s a nice guy. Quiet, but he’s a nice guy.” Happy to hear it, though I truly hadn’t a doubt in my mind.

2. The Big Freeze
“Everyone is talking about how cold it is, but as I remember, this is what winter is,” Anderson says matter-of-factly. “This is what happens.” Touché. While some shiver, Rosie embraces the chill. “I like to stand out in my backyard and breathe so I can see my breath.” Normal? Probably not. Adorably quirky? Absolutely.

3. They’re still Bey-lieving.
How could they not talk about the controversy on everyone’s lips? Beyoncé-gate. Despite all the hoopla surrounding her lip-sync scandal, Anderson is standing by Queen B. “I’m a big Beyoncé fan, but I don’t really care,” he says. “I don’t think it’s a big deal.” Rosie agrees it is a bunch of over-the-top brouhaha. “My whole family knows I’m obsessed with Beyoncé. When I’m in the shower, I’m her,” she confesses, singing a little line from “Crazy In Love.” Though Rosie “was like, ‘No, she didn’t,” when she first heard the news, she believes “the story has been blown out of proportion.”

4. Beware of the flu.
Anderson is “obsessed” with the flu. Don’t fear for him, though. “My flu shot kicked in yesterday…so now I feel invincible,” he says, adding that the “shot is only 60 percent effective.” Rosie, who claims she caught the flu from a supermarket cashier, swears by olive leaf extract as a holistic cure. But Anderson can’t get on board, exclaiming “it’s disgusting” after downing a dropper-full.

5. Birthday boy?
In talking flu prevention, Anderson admits he’s compulsive about washing his hands. “In the men’s room at CNN, I’m sitting there singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to myself,” he confesses (the CDC recommends humming the tune from beginning to end twice to ensure effective hand-washing.) “People are walking by like, ‘Why is Anderson singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to himself? He must be very lonely.’” Boy, would I like to be a fly on the wall in that restroom.

6. Put it to rest, dueling divas.
Though she doesn’t tune in often to American Idol since Simon Cowell left, Rosie — who is “all about women’s power” — feels fazed by the feud between judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. “I think both women are guilty. It bothers me,” she says. “There’s a mature way to defend your point.” Though Anderson isn’t sure he buys “how real all the fighting is,” he pinpoints its true purpose: “It gives the show buzz, and gives people a reason to watch.” But he bemoans how all that drama steals attention from the Idol hopefuls: “No one is talking about the performers, which is really sad.” Agreed, Anderson.

7. Boogie down.
Before the show even kicked off, several unsuspecting audience members agree to show off their best breaking-it-down moves (count me out) in a dance competition to — what else? — Justin Bieber’s “Beauty and a Beat.” The grand prize: An Anderson Live! t-shirt. During commercial breaks, the dance-off continues with new bold-and-brave contestants. My favorite? The broadcast journalism professor from University of Tennessee, Sam Swan, who slowly stripped off his conservative black blazer to the applause of the in-studio students. Seems the Silver Fox will make you do funny things. I, instead, held on to my humility.

8. Doggie Doo!
“It’s pretty self-explanatory,” Anderson insists of the way-wacky kids’ toy. It goes something like this: Feed the fake pooch, squeeze its leash, squeal at the fart noises and wait for it to go…plop. Then what? Clean up! “It comes with these little shovels,” he adds. But Anderson struggles to, well, get the “doo” out. “It’s supposed to come out. We practiced with this backstage. It worked,” he says with a laugh. “Maybe the dog is constipated,” Rosie chimes in. “How hard can this toy be that I can’t make it work? Oh wait, there it is, I see it!” he excitedly exclaims, as he yanks out the playdough-like putty from the pup’s tush. One word: gross.

9. Manti Te’o
The show’s mood takes a turn for the serious with talk of the headline-hitting Manti Te’o hoax. “I had no idea. I keep up on…the times, but I don’t follow college football. I don’t follow college football players’ girlfriends,” says Diane O’Meara, whose identity was stolen in the faux girlfriend stunt. “All it would have taken was for me to Google it.” Even though she had no hand in the hoax, Diane is bearing the consequences. “I’ve shut down all my social media accounts. It’s like living in a cage,” she says somberly. “We’re searchable now. We’re encouraged to be searchable. But you have to think about..what’s being exposed. It’s very hard to protect yourself in this day and age.”

10. I. Am. Spartacus.
“I’m either having a hot flash, or you’re making me hot,” Rosie says to Liam McIntyre. But, girls, don’t get your hopes up — the hunk from Down Under is taken. The actor recently got engaged to actress/girlfriend Erin Hasan. But it was no ordinary proposal: After a year of planning, Liam had his wife-to-be whisked away at Disney World and dressed up as her favorite fairy-tale princess before presenting her with a meal of her favorite food. He — fittingly, in prince attire — then got down on one knee to pop the question. Swoon.

“I don’t know what’s better…Being healthy and really happy, or people noticing how healthy and really happy you are? It’s just surreal. I never knew this kind of happiness existed. Cherishing this moment…So thankful for recovery. God is good.”

Which Hollywood star raved about being in the highest of spirits as we approach the New Year?

Was it Demi Lovato, Jessica Simpson or Anne Hathaway?

Find out in Celebuzz’s top quotes of the week.

Who was the beaming beauty that couldn’t contain her excitement about her newfound peace and happiness?

It was Demi Lovato!

In a post-Christmas moment of reflection, the X Factor judge tweeted her sublime happiness.

“It’s just an incredible feeling when people who haven’t seen you in a while tell you ‘You look so happy’.. Well I’m glad it shows!!” she continued.

What’s got Demi so elated?

The 20-year-old Unbroken artist has seemingly come into her own after succumbing to her inner demons back in 2010. Plagued by Hollywood pressures to be thin and beautiful, Lovato found herself the brink of a mental breakdown. The starlet snapped and punched one of her dancers on tour, and subsequently checked herself into rehab.

Since her release from rehab, Lovato has been outspoken about her struggle with bulimia, battle with depression, and bipolar disorder diagnosis, hoping to help others who may be enduring the same personal torment.

With a covetable spot as a celebrity judge on X Factor, a new album on the way, and now, these over-the-top blissful tweets, she appears to have succeeded with her recovery.

We wish you well, Demi!

Do you think the former Disney star will hold her place on Simon Cowell’s X Factor, or will she get the axe that is allegedly coming to co-host Britney Spears, as well? Sound off in the comments below.

Find out what else your favorite celebs had to say this week in Celebuzz’s Top 10 Quotes of the Week.

“Après moi, le déluge,” said King Louis XV of France, predicting the anarchy of the French Revolution that followed not long after his demise.

Oprah Winfrey could have said the same thing. The end of her 25-year-old talk show last year left a power vacuum in daytime talk that many competitors scrambled to fill, unleashing chaos in the sunny realm of morning and afternoon chat. Some combatants were new to the arena, some returned after long absences, and some were battle-scarred veterans who had never left the field. At stake: the loyalties of viewers (many of them searching for a new daytime haven after Oprah’s departure) and the dollars of sponsors (ditto).

The battle began in earnest with the launching of no fewer than six new shows in September and October. By the end of November, however, ratings sweeps began to make clear who was on top, who was struggling, and who was on their way out.

Some stayed just above the fray — or just below it. The View is, by now, an institution, one that can survive any cast change to its panel and still land big, enviable “gets” like the Obamas. At the other end of the food chain, Maury Povich and Jerry Springer maintain an if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it attitude to their long-running circus-freak sideshows, which will always have a loyal if not large following.

Here, then, is a gallery of the winners and losers of daytime talk in 2012. Relish their victories, lament their defeats, but always remember: behind all that happy chatter lie untold reserves of ruthless ambition.

Anderson Cooper is hosting a special Hurricane Sandy aftermath episode on Thursday’s episode of Anderson Live! Joining Cooper is co-host Deborah Norville and NYU nurse Margo Condon. Condon, who works in the NIC-U at NYU’s hospital, helped save 20 babies during the storm. Cooper is also partnering with Kellogg and Crocs among other companies to donate to those in need. The episode airs Thursday. Check your local listings for network and time. [Anderson]

The 2012 Soul Train awards have announced John Legend, Fantasia and Charlie Wilson will perform on the annual show which films in Vegas on Nov. 9. The show will be hosted by Cedric The Entertainer and will honor R&B group New Edition with the lifetime achievement award. The Soul Train Awards will air on BET and Cetric on Sunday, Nov. 25 at 9 PM. [Soul Train]

The “Cake Boss,” Buddy Valastro has picked his 13 new contestants for Season 3 of TLC’s Next Great Baker. As with other seasons, the winner of the competition will get a $100,000 prize, a feature in Redbook and a chance to work with Valastro at Carlo’s. Season 3 will consist of 10 episodes and premiere with a special 90-minute episode on Monday, Nov. 26 at 9 PM. [TLC]

Who won the ratings game on Halloween? CBS led the night overall with 10.9 million viewers and a 6.8 rating while ABC shows Modern Family and Nashville hit season lows with 10.4 and 5.8 million overall viewers. Halloween classic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,  broadcast on ABC led the hour in the ad-coveted 18-49 demo in the 8 o’clock hour. [Zap2it]

FX has renewed dark comedy, Wilfred, for Season 3. The show, starring Elijiah Wood and Jason Gann, will air for 13 episodes beginning in June of 2013. In addition, new showrunners Reed Agnew and Eli Jome are taking over for the third season. David Zuckerman, former Wilfred boss will remain an executive producer on the show. [TVLine]

Michael Madsen is heading to FOX’s The Mob Doctor for a two-episode stint. The actor will play Russel King, a veteran criminal who Grace (Jordana Spiro) may have to operate on. His first appearance will be in Episode 9. [TV Guide]

Oprah Winfrey’s OWN and The Huffington Post launched Huff Post Own on Thursday. This new part of The Huffington Post’s website will provide advice and ideas to motivate and inspire its users. In addition, the site will include some of Oprah’s Favorite Things from Winfrey’s Holiday O List in O, The Oprah Magazine. An exclusive video montage of the best Favorite Things moments and trivia will be available exclusively. [HuffPost OWN]

Anderson Cooper’s daytime talk show, Anderson Live!, has been cancelled after just two seasons.

Cooper and Warner Bros. have both confirmed that the show, which just began its second season this past September, has not been picked up for Season 3. An inside source tells Celebuzz that rumors are indicating it may be replaced by Bethenny Frankel’s new talk show, which she confirmed was a go with producer Ellen DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

In a statment, Cooper tells the New York Times, “I am very proud of the work that our terrific staff has put into launching and sustaining our show for two seasons. I am also grateful to Telepictures for giving me the opportunity, and indebted to viewers, who have responded so positively. I look forward to doing more great shows this season, and though I’m sorry we won’t be continuing, I have truly enjoyed it.”

Warner Bros., which distributes the show for national syndication issued the following statement,  “We are extremely proud of Anderson and the show that he and the entire production team have produced. While we made significant changes to the format, set and produced it live in its second season, the series will not be coming back for a third season in a marketplace that has become increasingly difficult to break through. We will continue to deliver top-quality shows throughout next summer.”

Anderson Live! is nationally syndicated and airs live four days a week from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. It will continue to run through the Summer of 2013.

The show, which began airing in 2011,  features the award-winning journalist and a daily-guest co-host discussing breaking news and trends as well as interviews with newsmakers and A-list celebrities.

It was recently nominated for three daytime Emmy awards this year: Outstanding Directing in a Talk Show/Morning Program, Outstanding Talk Show Host, Outstanding Talk Show/Informative.

Monday’s episode of the show will be co-hosted by CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield and focus on disaster preparedness as Hurricane Sandy approaches NYC and the east coast.

Cooper executive produces the show along with Terrence Noonan. It is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution and produced by StrongChild Productions in association with Telepictures Productions.

Warner Bros. didn’t immediately respond to Celebuzz’s request for confirmation.

Check your local listings for where you can see the rest of Anderson Live’s second season.

“Coming out” has always been in tough in Hollywood — but nowadays, celebrities are having an easier time declaring their sexual orientation thanks to numerous campaigns — like Dan Savages‘ It Gets Better — encouraging acceptance.

This year was a big year for the GLBT community as President Barack Obama officially declared his support on same-sex marriage.

“I’ve just concluded for me personally, it is important for me to affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” the Commander in Chief told ABC News on Wednesday, May 9.

Who in Hollywood has also spoke up for the gay community since then?

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper — whose sexuality has been under the microscope for years — finally came out in a letter to The Daily Beast.

“The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud,” he wrote.

Aside from receiving an outpour of warm regards to his coming out, many celebs have since followed suit.

The Big Bang Theory‘s Jim Parsons and Odd Future rapper Frank Ocean also came out in 2012.

Celebrate National Coming Out Day and launch the gallery — above — for more inspiring celebrities who have stood proud and out.

Newsman and daytime talker Anderson Cooper may be trying not to perpetuate his ongoing feud with Star Jones, but recent comments are doing quite the opposite.

On Wednesday’s episode of daytime show Anderson Live, the host’s war of words with Jones came up while speaking to a viewer on Skype who referenced the former The View co-host.

In turn, Cooper, 45, tried to stay above the fray, including mentioning that he turned down a request from NBC’S Today to hash it out with Jones, 50. “Don’t get me in a war with Star Jones now,” he says on his show, according to THR.

“I said my peace on Star Jones, I am not one to have a feud. She tweeted back something. I said my peace and then she tweeted me and I’m not responding. Actually, the Today show tried to book me to go on with Star Jones, so we could tussle. I was like, ‘I’ve got nothing more to say, nor do I want to be in a room with her. I’m done.’ ”

What is Anderson’s beef with Star?

The feud started when Jones went on Today in July and accused Cooper of coming out as gay for ratings. Last week, he addressed the comment on his show saying that comment “annoyed” him (and his mom). Furthermore, he said that if he wanted to get ratings from the admission then he would’ve done it on his own show with massive promotion.

Also, the journalist pointed out that he was out of the country at the time of his coming out and the daytime show wasn’t on the air that week and he wasn’t scheduled to be on CNN for several days after the coming out statement either.

Cooper and Star join a long list of celebrities who have had beef with each other. Flip through the above gallery to see other star feuds.

What are your thoughts on Anderson and Star’s feud? Sound off in the comments section below.

Lindsay Lohan may be staying out of trouble, but  Anderson Cooper isn’t giving her a free pass after her recent comments about fellow embattled star Amanda Bynes.

The CNN anchor slammed Lohan on his daytime talk show Tuesday after the Liz & Dick actress complained about Bynes’ recent run-ins with the law.

“If I’m Lindsay Lohan, I would just be quiet and just do your job,” he said after reading Lohan’s Twitter rant against the former Nickelodeon star. “Get off Twitter, just stop hanging out and just do your job and comeback.”

Despite his harsh criticism, Cooper expressed that he wishes nothing but the best for Lohan.

“Everybody loves a comeback — everybody’s rooting for you,” Cooper said, referencing Lohan. “Just do your job. I feel bad for her; I wish her nothing but the best.”

On Sunday, Lohan, 26, launched into a rant on her personal Twitter about her unfair treatment with the police, writing, “Why did I get put in jail and a nickelodeon star has had NO punishment(s) so far?”

Lohan’s complaints were a bit off-base, as Bynes is currently faces three charges: one DUI and two counts of misdemeanor hit-and-run for incidents occurring on April 6, 10 and August 4, respectively.

That’s not all: the 26-year-old was pulled over by police at 8:20AM on Sunday, and her car was subsequently impounded after police discovered her license had been suspended.

She has since been spotted taking cabs around Hollywood.

“Her car was impounded and she received a misdemeanor citation … She was not arrested. I believe she was by herself. This occurred on Hollywood Way, just south of the main entrance to the Bob Hope Airport,” Victor Gill of the Burbank Airport Police said shortly after the incident occurred.

The She’s The Man actress is due in court on Sept. 21. If convicted, she could face up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine.

Lohan, meanwhile, is gearing up for a comeback with her three latest films: a Lifetime biopic of Elizabeth Taylor titled Liz & Dick, a Bret Easton Ellis-helmed flick named The Canyons and Scary Movie 5.

It looks like Anderson Cooper has a soft spot for MTV star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.

The daytime host surprised the new mom with two dozen cannolis from Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, N.J. — the setting for TLC’s hit show Cake Boss.

What did Snooki have to say about Cooper’s delicious gift? 

Snooki gave Cooper a proper Twitter thank you. ”Thank u so much. Just got ur gift! We love you, Mr.Anderstand!”

The 24-year-old Jersey Shore and Snooki & JWoww star gave birth to her first child, a baby boy named Lorenzo Dominic with fiance Jionni LaValle, early Sunday morning. And while her Jersey Shore castmates have been tweeting their congratulations to Snooks, Cooper’s gesture stand out for being particularly sweet.

It’s hard to imagine that Cooper once criticized the reality star in April for riding off her reality TV fame. However, after Snooki’s appearance on his daytime talk show Anderson, it seems the tides have changed.

But Cooper isn’t the first celebrity to gift a fellow celebrity with an elaborate baby gift. Kim Kardashian reportedly gave Beyonce and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy a $5,000 diamond-studded baby bracelet. Meanwhile, Beyonce’s celebrity BFF Gwyneth Paltrow gifted Bey with a $979 Bugaboo stroller for baby Blue. Not to mention that Oprah Winfrey allegedly sent Blue Ivy “a trunk of her favorite children’s books.”

Below, find out how Snooki is adjusting to being a new mom. 

Anderson Cooper will be back on daytime for a second season, but not without a pretty big overhaul. Renamed Anderson Live, Cooper returns with a more social media-friendly live format and he won’t have to carry it off alone.

What are the biggest changes to Anderson?

He’ll be joined by daily co-hosts. And with the addition of new co-executive producer George Davilas (The Doctors), the new “live” format will make better use of Cooper’s journalistic inclinations allowing him to update his audience with breaking news and updates as well as interact with fans via Twitter. That doesn’t mean they’re abandoning celebrity guests for serious news. They’ve already booked Richard Gere, Emma Watson, Modern Family’s Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell, among others. The new revamped Anderson Live returns Monday, Sept. 10. [Anderson]

Comedy Central announced a summer concert series called – and say this three times fast — Pepsi Presents StePhest Colbchella ‘012: Rocktaugustfest. The series will feature performances and interviews from several artists including The Flaming Lips, fun., Grandmaster Flash, Grizzly Bear and Santigold. It will shoot on New York City’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Friday, August 10 and begin airing nightly on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report during the week of August 13 at 11:30 PM. [Comedy Central]

Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts is taking a little break before actually taking medical leave for a bone marrow transplant in late-August or early-September. The newswoman felt ill while shooting Wednesday’s show and said, “Well, a full disclosure here, I’m not feeling too well. In fact, I’m going to leave, and let you all do the rest of the program on your own. I’m going to take a little time off, just to get some va-cay. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” ABC has made it clear that she’ll return to the show before taking official medical leave. Roberts suffers from blood and bone marrow disease. As Celebuzz previously reported, colleages Katie Couric, Kelly Ripa, Barbara Walters, among others have offered to step in for Roberts while she’s away. [The Wrap]

HBO made a couple announcements during the TCA press tour in Beverly Hills on Wednesday. Firstly, critically acclaimed Girls and Enlightened are scheduled to kick off ten-episode second seasons in January of 2013. Co-President Richard Pepler and Programming President Michael Lombardo also announced a Larry David movie in the works, which is currently in the writing stage. [HBO]

Many of you probably arrived to work on Monday and heard a buzz surrounding Anderson Cooper. The CNN journalist and syndicated daytime talk show host declared to his friend and The Daily Beast writer Andrew Sullivan, “The fact is, I’m gay.”

Cooper, who’s very used to breaking news, was suddenly the news. But, to those of us who follow his career, the various entertainment outlets’ not-so-subtle “outing” stories on him or have even a smidge of what some call “gaydar,” it was both news and non-news at the same time.

“You almost had to be living under a rock to not know that Anderson Cooper is gay, so this not a big deal to most people,” media blog jimromenesko.com founder and editor Jim Romenesko tells Celebuzz. “I see on my Facebook wall that people are reacting with a shrug. Things have changed so much since Ellen [DeGeneres] appeared on Time magazine, then blamed her career dive on coming out.”

It’s true. Celebrity coming outs across the board don’t have the media punch they once had in our society and they don’t have to be done via splashy magazine cover stories anymore – as Cooper, Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons and Heroes actor Zachary Quinto’s “coming outs” have shown. In fact, it was an Entertainment Weekly article on just that subject that prompted Sullivan to reach out to Cooper in the first place.

And what does Cooper’s timing say about his intentions?

“What I found interesting was the way he came out — the friendly confines of Andrew Sullivan’s blog,” Romenesko says. “Also, I noticed that he waited until Gay Pride Month [June] was over before making the announcement. I read that as Cooper saying: I don’t want to make a splash; I just want to say it and move on.”

TV Guide Magazine’s senior writer Damian Holbrook humorously weighed in on Cooper’s timing, as well. “Come on, every gay worth his weight in Prada knows that it’s just too cliché to come out during Pride,” he jokingly tells us.

On a more serious note, Holbrook defends Cooper’s timing from his critics. “There will always be people who have something to say about when someone of note comes out,” he says.

“The fact of the matter is, it’s not their call: Anderson came out when he decided it was right, and it should be every LGBT person’s right to choose their own timing,” he continues. “I am sure a ton of thought and consideration went into his announcement, and I am glad he was able to do it on his own terms and with the class we have come to expect from him.”

Hollywood.com senior writer and former staff writer at Gawker, Brian Moylan, who has written several articles about Cooper over his career, also weighs in on the newsman’s timing, “I think that the continued media scrutiny of his personal life more or less forced him out and I’m glad he finally did the right thing.”

“I can only speculate as to why he chose right now,” Senior writer for The Atlantic Wire, Richard Lawson, weighs in. “But, my guess would be that he was just exhausted by all the negative blowback.”

And in this modern, more low-key world of celebrity coming outs, the media experts we spoke to see very little fallout from Cooper’s decision unlike the era in which DeGeneres stepped out of the closet.

“While I’m sure there are people in existence who didn’t know Anderson Cooper is gay,” Kate Aurthur, West Coast editor of The Daily Beast/Newsweek, which broke the story, tells Celebuzz. “I find it hard to imagine that those people, if they ever were his fans or watch his CNN broadcast, will be affected by his coming out— or that’s what I’d like to think anyway.”

Lawson, who wrote a reaction piece after the news broke, tells us, “I doubt many people will view him differently. His longtime guardedness about his personal life has probably inured people to the fact that the topic is generally off limits, either way. Journalistic integrity-wise, I don’t see it changing much of anything. He’ll probably get a little bump in approval in the wake of the news, but I think those who like and respect him will continue to do so, and those that don’t still won’t.”

That doesn’t mean the silver fox’s quiet declaration isn’t significant for his career or that it holds no meaning for his TV audience. Several of the media experts we spoke to feel that the decision most likely represents a new chapter for his TV career and his viewing audience.

“This might improve his on-air persona, make him more relaxed,” Romenesko says. “He doesn’t have to worry if Gawker got another photo of him biking with his boyfriend in SoHo.”

Aurthur agrees, “I feel like his new freedom could open things up for him; he’s always stopped short of talking about his romantic life even while he’s discussed deeply personal issues, such as his brother’s suicide. It’s hard to imagine, though, that Cooper will pivot into constantly discussing personal things; after all, as he pointed out to Andrew Sullivan, he is a real reporter, and that’s where his interests lie. But I think we’ll all be relieved that when he covers or talks about topics of interest to the LGBT community— whether that’s Real Housewives or gay teen suicide— that there isn’t a distracting elephant in the room.”

Additional reporting by Rachel Levy.

What’s your take on Cooper coming clean on his sexuality? Sound off in the comments section below.

Anderson Cooper has officially come out publicly as a homosexual man.

There’s been media speculation through the years over the CNN news anchor and daytime talk show host’s sexuality, but Cooper has finally revealed to The Daily Beast that he is in fact gay.

In an email to the publication, the 45-year-old detailed his struggle to maintain privacy in his personal life despite being a public figure.

Much of Cooper’s desire for privacy comes from a safety standpoint. He said:

“Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I’ve often found myself in some very dangerous places. For my safety and the safety of those I work with, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people’s stories, and not my own. I have found that sometimes the less an interview subject knows about me, the better I can safely and effectively do my job as a journalist.”

Cooper also described how he didn’t want his silence to be interpreted as hiding his sexuality.

“Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. It’s become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something – something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.”

The journalist added, “The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.”

UPDATE: Following his announcement, an outpouring of support for Cooper popped up on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, including a message from Kathy Griffin, who posted a photo of herself and AC holding hands, saying she’s “proud” of her friend.

Here I am w/ my friend @andersoncooper who I’m so proud of. tinyurl.com/chw8qyu instagr.am/p/MlwRdCtDEP/

— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) July 2, 2012

Now more than ever, social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming an outlet for many celebs to inform their followers about worthy causes that need mass attention.

Now trending is the case of slain Florida teenager, Trayvon Martin, who was gunned down in a gated community by a neighborhood watchman. 

On February 26 of this year, a 17 year-old-boy named Trayvon Martin was shot in Florida by a man who claimed to be a neighborhood watchman in a gated community.  The boy was unarmed and walking through the community when he was pursued by George Zimmerman – who claimed the boy looked “suspicious.”  At some point during the pursuit of the boy, Zimmerman shot and killed him, claiming that he felt “threatened.”

There has been an outcry by many celebrities to bring attention to this case, specifically that the killer is still free and has yet to be charged with the murder. From Anderson Cooper to Gabrielle Union, Star Jones, and John Legend, here’s what some celebs are saying about this very controversial case:

#TrayvonMartin case has exposed some ppl as monsters…not just Zimmerman but ANY1 who makes excuses 4 a man who kills an unarmed child  – Gabrielle Union

 this is real Trayvon martin was only 17 years old! if we let this slide they will keep killin 17 year olds your kid will be next! – Wyclef Jean

Anyone who thinks that the struggle is over or that you live in a “post-racial society” because our President has brown skin. #TrayvonMartin – Star Jones

Do you think if #trayvonmartin had been white would he have been labeled “suspicious?” Would his shooter have been arrested? – Anderson Cooper

I’m gonna keep sending this out until justice is served. Racial profiling on our people has got to end. #trayvonmartin – Janelle Monae

As seen last week with the massive spreading of the KONY viral video, there seems to be no limit to amount of people that can be reached when word begins to spread on a socially relevant cause.  

What do you think about this case? Do you think there will be justice for Trayvon? Let us know in the comments.