Mary Hart celebrates 25 years of chronicling the celeb world

Mary Hart celebrates 25 years of chronicling the celeb world She came to Los Angeles to get into show business. But her first big break, co-hosting a talk show with Regis Philbin, was yanked by the network after just a few months. A new entertainment show asked to interview Hart about what it was like to be a TV-show casualty. The next day, they offered her a job. That show was "Entertainment Tonight," and this year marks Hart's 25th season as its anchor. "It was one of those fortuitous and serendipitous things," Hart says, lingering over an omelet at one of her favorite breakfast spots. "It was definitely not something I foresaw doing for even three years, much less five, 10, 20, 25." As for how long the tenure could stretch, Hart's most recent contract with the show is set to expire this year, but she and "Entertainment Tonight" steered clear of any questions about its renewal.

Entertainment highlights in history

Entertainment highlights in history 1962: Johnny Carson took over as regular host of NBC's "Tonight" show, succeeding Jack Paar. He retired in 1992 after a 29-year reign on late-night television. 1968: The cult horror movie "Night of the Living Dead" had its world premiere in Pittsburgh, where it was filmed. 1970: Singer Janis Joplin was found dead of a heroin overdose at a hotel in Hollywood, Calif. She was 27. 1985: Actor Rock Hudson died at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif., after battling AIDS. He was 59. 1992: Singer Sinead O'Connor ripped up a picture of the pope during an after-midnight appearance on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." 1998: The president of the Philippines banned actress Claire Danes from entering the country. Filipinos were angry that in an interview, Danes had called Manila smelly, weird and full of rats.

Entertainment Buzz

Entertainment Buzz Paris Hilton was charged yesterday with driving under the influence and is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 28 in Superior Court on charges of driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 per cent, said Nick Velasquez, a spokesperson for Los Angeles prosecutors. The socialite was arrested Sept. 7 after being stopped in her Mercedes-Benz SLR. Police said her blood-alcohol level was 0.08 per cent, the minimum to warrant an arrest. Paparazzi swarmed the Hollywood police station after her arrest. Hours later, Hilton told morning radio host Ryan Seacrest that she had been on an early-morning hamburger run. AEROSMITH FRONTMAN LICKS HEP C Steven Tyler says he was diagnosed with hepatitis C three years ago after having the illness for a long time without any symptoms. In an interview with "Access Hollywood," the 58-year-old Aerosmith frontman said the infection was now "non-existent" in his bloodstream after 11 months of treatment, including the drug interferon.