The game of “Gossip” is not only a fun parlor game for children, but it is a good sociological demonstration of what happens to information when it is passed by word of mouth.

Very simply, the players are lined up in a row or a circle. The first person is given a sentence or perhaps several sentences written on a piece of paper. He or she commits the information to memory and then sets the paper aside. He “whispers” the information, as well as he can remember it to the next person in line. This person does the same, passing the information down the line until it reaches the end. The last person reveals what he has been told to all assembled. The first person then reads the paper.

There are typically no prizes or winners associated with this game, but the results are often quite hilarious. It is recommended for more than six players and generally requires children of school age with minimal communication skills.

I know I’m not the only one out there who waited in HUGE lines this past weekend to catch the premiere of the amazingly clever and the darker than ever batman movie, The Dark Knight. Obviously not, because the latest in the series broke records in the U.S. with an opening weekend of $155.3 million. And I have a feeling that the number will keep on rising in the weeks to come.

As for batman, now that’s a different story. Christian Bale appears to be going through a slightly darker time. The actor is denying allegations, after being arrested, that he assaulted both his mother and sister. Calling the matter “deeply personal,” the actor is denying all allegations, cooperating and asking the media to respect his privacy. Bale made his first appearance since the claims were outed with wife Sibi at the movie’s premiere in Barcelona.

Teri Lynn Hatcher was born in Sunnyvale, California, USA on December 8, 1964 as the only child of Owen and Esther Hatcher. Her father is a nuclear physicist and her mother is a computer programmer. She spent her childhood dancing and fishing with her father. While at Fremont High School, she was captain of the Featherettes, a dance team which had the look of regular cheerleaders, with the exception of the large head dresses they would wear. She was voted “Most Likely to Become a Solid Gold Dancer” by her graduating class in 1982. Hatcher studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, while taking a degree course in mathematics and engineering at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. She became a member of the 1984 Gold Rush, the name of the professional cheerleading squad of the American football San Francisco 49ers. Hatcher went to Hollywood to lend moral support to a friend during a open casting call. She, however auditoned and won the role of the singing and dancing mermaid for the televison series, “The Love Boat.” She married actor Jon Tenney in May 1994. She gave birth to daughter Emerson Rose Tenney on November 10, 1997. Later, Teri Hatcher signed to play Sally Bowles in the road tour of Cabaret. The tour debuted in Los Angeles on March 2, 1999. Her final show was on September 4, 1999.

The 33-year-old actress – who gave birth to twins Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon last month – is said to be good friends with the busty brunette, and believes she can offer an insight into portraying the feline villain in the next Batman movie.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: “Tera and Angelina are friends and keep in touch via e-mail. They have a girl-talk thing going. After seeing reports that she’ll land the lead role, Angelina asked Tera what she thought. Tera had such insights into the role that Angelina cracked, ‘You should do it!'”

Since welcoming the twins, her fifth and sixth children with partner Brad Pitt, into the world last month, Angelina has been approached to star in a variety of movies including “The Thomas Crown Affair 2” alongside Pierce Brosnan – a role for which movie bosses want her to put on weight.

The “Wanted” star is also said to be the hot favorite to star in “Edwin A. Salt,” the espionage thriller Tom Cruise reportedly dropped out of after arguing with producers over his salary.

Good news comes from Russian music duo tatu’s personnel, Yulia Volkova. She’s been reported pregnant with her second child. She’s carrying new partner, businessman Parviz’s baby.

Singer/actor friend, Sergey Lazarev confirmed the pregnancy news, saying “Yes, she’s pregnant, she told me a few weeks ago. She’s expecting at Christmas. I’m really excited for her. Motherhood has really changed her. When she gave birth to Viktoria she suddenly grew up and calmed down. She’s a lot more mature now.”

Volkova, who is still 20 years old, already has a two-year-old daughter, Viktoria Pavlovna, from a previous relationship. The songbird, claimed as the “bad girl” of t.A.T.u, is said to be desperate for a son. Hopefully she’ll get what she’s dreamt of so far.

Seriously, Tara Reid is a genius. Tara was at the opening of “The Basement” in Australia and I won’t say that she has an eating disorder of any kind, but I will say that bulimia is the new rehab and the old “knocked up un-wed celebrity mother.” Tara Reid is brilliant because she’s apparently taken the opportunity to steal some of Lindsay Lohan’s boring thunder while she is all “clean and sober” and pays homage to all the girls of 2005/2006 that suffered from Lollipop Head Syndrome (LHS). Ahhhh 2005/2006 was such an innocent time when celebrities were only starving themselves and shoving Crest toothbrushes halfway down their throat. They were simpler times really. And, clearly, Tara Reid is trying to bring back 2005/2006 with all of the trucker hats that I guess people are still wearing in Australia?

I only have one thing to say to Tara Reid and her recent weight loss. “Want a Viper? Ya want some money? Like my boooooody? TrimSpa baby!” And we know how that shitshow turned out.

Tara Elizabeth Conner (born on December 18, 1985) is a beauty queen from Russell Springs, Kentucky who is Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.

Conner has held the titles Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002, Miss Kentucky USA 2006 and Miss USA 2006. She placed second runner-up in the Miss Teen USA 2002 pageant and fourth runner-up in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant. Conner’s overall results are higher than any of the seven other women who have competed in each of the three Miss Universe Organization pageants, narrowly beating Lynnette Cole of Tennessee, Miss USA 2000, for this honour.

Conner graduated from Russell County High School in 2004 and at the time of her Miss USA win was studying toward a degree in Business Administration from Somerset Community College. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model and waitress. Conner was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Destinations in 2004, posing for the cameras in Lake Tahoe.

BALTIMORE – Miss Kentucky was crowned Miss USA in the 55th annual pageant Friday night.

Tara Elizabeth Conner, 20, of Russell Springs, was crowned by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina, who is Miss USA 2005.

“I am an easygoing, down-to-earth girl” Conner said.

“Throughout my life, hardships and different experiences have made me a very humbled, yet strong individual,” she said. “It is because of these life lessons that I have become the person I am today.”

The new titleholder will compete July 23 in the Miss Universe competition in Los Angeles.

Miss California, Tamiko Nash, 26, of Los Angeles was first runner-up. Miss Georgia, Lisa Wilson, 26, of Rome was second runner-up; Miss Ohio, Stacy Offenberger, 26, of Marietta was third runner-up. Miss Florida, Cristin Duren, 24, of Panama City Beach was fourth runner-up.

The 51 contestants were trimmed to 15, then 10 semifinalists and finally five finalists.

The five finalists were asked questions.

The pageant is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC, which aired the competition.

Miss USA Tara Conner’s crown is safe for now as pageant officials review “behavioral and personal issues” amid reports of bad behavior at bars, FOXNews.com has learned.

“Miss USA Tara Conner has not been dethroned,” said Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, in a statement. “The Miss Universe Organization and Mr. Donald J. Trump will be evaluating her behavioral and personal issues to see what we can do to work with her, and what we will do about her reign going forward.

“Mr. Trump will make a determination and announcement within the coming week,” she said. Trump is an owner of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

The celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.com reported Thursday that executives from both the pageant and its broadcaster, NBC, met Tuesday to discuss reported problems with Kentucky native Conner, 20, and allegations of inappropriate conduct at New York City bars, according to the TMZ report, which cites unidentified sources.

THE Bollywood actress Tania Zaetta has received an undisclosed sum and a formal apology from the Chief of Defence after his department leaked false allegations she had sex with troops in Afghanistan during a concert tour.

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston met Ms Zaetta yesterday to personally apologise for any distress suffered by the former Who Dares Wins host.

“Ms Zaetta gave her time and her talent to entertain our forces serving in Afghanistan and she deserves our praise and our thanks,” Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

He also invited the former Baywatch actress to entertain the troops again. “She is welcome to again join a Forces Entertainment Tour in the near future,” he said.

The Defence Department reached a compensation agreement late last year for an “unacceptable breach of privacy” after rumours surfaced about Ms Zaetta’s conduct during an entertainment tour in April 2008.

Ms Zaetta was named in a confidential briefing paper to the Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, as having slept with soldiers at a military base in Tarin Kowt, the capital of Oruzgan province.

The document said the allegations had been made by the singer Angry Anderson, a claim the rocker has denied.

Yesterday Ms Zaetta thanked her family and friends for standing by her through a difficult time. She also thanked the “thousands of beautiful people from all over the world” who emailed her website.

“I read every single email, many of them with tears in my eyes,” the host of a series of fitness and boxing videos said.

As for the invitation to go back for round two, the actress was considering it.

“I’m very pleased this is all over now and I look forward to the next opportunity to visit our Australian troops overseas,” she said. “My trip to the Middle East with the Australian Defence Force touched my heart in many ways and will stay with me forever.”

The actress is now working on a feature film to be shot in Geelong and starting a charity, Peace for the Children, for children in conflict zones.