Ledger Pop Journal - Celebrity News & Sports

Despite the scandals that plagued her reign last year, former Miss USA Tara Conner says if she had the chance to do it all over, "I wouldn't have done anything differently." Controversy became Conner's last name after reports surfaced that she turned into a party animal, had been sneaking men into the Trump Place apartment appointed for Miss USA, was drinking underage, tested positive for cocaine, and kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair in public.

Despite Lesbian, Drug Charges Miss USA Tara Conner Says No Changes

Conner escaped dethronement only after Miss USA pageant owner/exec producer Donald Trump decided to give her a second chance and she entered rehab last December.

"I know it sounds crazy," says Conner of not wanting to change a thing about the past year, "but we all make mistakes. No one in this world is perfect. I can sit here and try to beat myself up about being the one who did go out too much, but all of these mistakes have formed the person I am today, who is someone I'm very proud of and have a lot of respect for."
Connor will be seen offering the benefit of her hindsight to 2007's reigning beauty queens, Miss Universe Riyo Mori, Miss USA Rachel Smith and Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, in MTV's Oct. 10-debuting reality series "Pageant Place," which chronicles what happens to a beauty queen after the win.

"I pretty much touched base on every issue you could touch base on," notes Conner, "so I'm an unofficial peer consultant there to try to keep them sane, help them look on the bright side of things and realize everything in life is temporary."

In retrospect, she says, "The crazy thing about it is that when I received the title, I didn't know what I wanted to achieve because of this disease, alcoholism, and all the 'isms' I fell into." In fact, she says now, "In no way did I think I would win and be put in this position, and when the first runner up got called, I thought, 'Oh, s---! What do I do now?' I was scared to death. I didn't realize how much went into it, how stressful it was. … I was only able to get three good sober months in as Miss USA, but it was still the best year of my life. It was the hardest year but still the best."

FUTBOL HERO: Soccer icon David Beckham's membership in the L.A. Galaxy has certainly raised the excitement level about soccer in the United States -- at least around the "Rules of Engagement" set. "Rules" actress Bianca Kajlich, who's married to Galaxy star Landon Donovan, tells us people are a lot more interested in seeing her husband when he visits her at work now that he's teammates with Beckham.

"It's great that we really genuinely enjoy going to the other's workplace and watch each other do what we do. Now it's a little more interesting because there are more people attracted to watching the Galaxy. It's funny how I came back to work after hiatus and suddenly everyone knew more about soccer," says Bianca. And when she goes to meet Landon at the field, things are different, as well. "I don't ever remember security being that big of an issue, and now I drive up and they're like, 'Where's your ticket?' I'm like, 'I've never had to show my ticket before.'"

Bianca's been glad to get back in front of the studio audiences for her CBS sitcom, which has its second season premiere Monday, Sept. 24. Speaking of her on-screen love interest, Oliver Hudson, she admits, "We are quite competitive with each other. We talked the entire summer trying to figure out who's been working out more and who's going to be more buff when we returned. I think I won."

GETTING WALKED ON: Stacy Keach added a star on the Walk of Fame to his list of honors the other day -- inaugurating the (SET ITAL) new (END ITAL) Walk of Fame in Oldenburg, Germany, that is. Keach's career was celebrated there with a 20-film retrospective and a Lifetime Achievement Award at this month's Oldenburg FilmFest, and then he was surprised with the unveiling of his star as the first such tribute on that town's Boulevard der Stars. According to Keach, "It's right outside one of the biggest banks in town, so I hope that's a good sign." So, on this occasion, Keach was doing something Hollywood folk love to do … laughing all the way to the bank.

LIVING DOLL: Jane Krakowski tells us she's looking forward to being on the big screen alongside child star Abigail Breslin in the summer 2008 release "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery," based on the popular historical doll and book -- and accessories! -- series. Kittredge is the Depression-era American Girl, and the story is told through her eyes, notes Krakowski. "There are a bunch of really great actors in it who I've always wanted to work with," she adds of working with Joan Cusack, Stanley Tucci and Julia Ormond. "It's listed as a drama, but it has lots of comedic people in it, so I think it will sort of be a blend of both." Of course, all eyes will be on last year's Oscar nominee, Breslin. "I thought she was fantastic in this movie."

Krakowski can next be seen when her Emmy-winning "30 Rock" returns for its second season Oct. 4, with Jerry Seinfeld as guest. "Talk about a huge NBC Thursday-night star. It's a good help and endorsement for our program," she says.