Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine: Views on Immigrants A majority of Americans now think immigrants are a burden on society, but they’re also viewed more positively than ever before. A new Pew poll shows that 80 percent of Americans think immigrants from Latin America work very hard …

George Clooney | Affleck and Astor George Clooney’s Breakup Two nice guys have broken up in the last couple of days, and no, I am not talking about Lance Bass. George Clooney is one half of this couple, and director Steven Soderbergh is the other half. They’ve announced that their …

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine: Double Standard? An Al Qaeda-linked extremist group is threatening the pope and the non-Muslim world with the very thing the pope is in trouble for criticizing last week: conversion by force. The Mujahedeen Shura Council — which includes Al Qaeda in Iraq …

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine: Not Evil, Just Sick? New York Congressman Charlie Rangel is calling Vice President Cheney a “son of a bitch” and says he should go to “rehab” for “whatever personality deficit he may have suffered.” Rangel talked to The New York Post after …

Scarlett Johansson | ‘Diddy’ | ‘All the King’s Men’ Scarlett Johansson Record Deal in the Works Scarlett Johansson and Lindsay Lohan are about to have something in common. Scarlett, I am told, has signed a deal to make her first record. “Scarlett Sings Tom Waits” is being recorded now and …

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine: Newt Knows Best? Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is blaming President Bush for costing Republicans control of Congress… blasting his decision to replace Donald Rumsfeld after the election. Gingrich told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the president should have announced the decision two …

Lisa Marie Presley | James Gandolfini, Jackie Bissett | Golden Globes, Golden Suit | Joan Collins | Ruth Warrick Another Lisa Marie Presley Album? Lisa Marie Presley is serious about her recording career, like it or not. The daughter of the world’s most famous singer is about to release her …

They say sex sells in advertising, but apparently, Daddy changing a diaper can also lead to big bucks. Fathers are watching the little tykes without Mom around in ads for carpeting, department stores, nasal spray, wireless technology, cereal and other products — a move that experts say reflects the modern …

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine: British Parliament member George Galloway (search) is refusing to back down from his claim that Prime Minister Tony Blair was to blame for the terror attacks in London, insisting, “if you go on bombing other people they will go on bombing us.” …

Let me ask you something: Do you read food labels? I remember a friend of mine who was a top executive at a major grocery chain said women do. Men don’t. Which makes me think McDonald’s (search) could be losing a lot of women customers. That’s because pretty soon, the …