Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Tyler James Williams, who portrays a young Chris Rock on "Everybody Hates Chris," has become a celebrity, thanks to the show's success, but the 16-year-old actor tells us he hasn't let it go to his head, and he doesn't plan to start now.

"I think things change when people start to believe the hype. Hollywood is 98 percent illusion. Our job is to be people that we're not. That's what acting is. It's the only job where you can change personalities constantly and not be considered schizophrenic," notes Williams. "I think where a lot of people either mess up or get it twisted is forgetting the reason why you're in the industry. I'm acting because it's what I love to do. I never intended on getting to the point where I am now. I just thought I'd be an actor in New York for the rest of my life. That's all I wanted, really," says Williams. "My family, my friends all keep me grounded to the point where they don't see me as Tyler James Williams from 'Everybody Hates Chris.' My head can't get big because they're constantly reminding me, 'You're not that great. Don't get it twisted.'"

While holding strong to his core values, it's only fitting that Williams host the 2008 Family Entertainment Awards, airing Dec. 12 on the CW. The show, which will boast such celebrities as Blake Lively, Mario Lopez, Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jennie Garth, Derek and Julianne Hough, Cody Linley and Leona Lewis, honors actors and programming that support quality family content. However, Williams admits he's most excited about meeting Michael Phelps' mother, Debbie. "So many people watched the Olympics and saw the moment they had. I think it's good that they incorporated it into the awards show."

WHEN THE ARMY WENT MENTAL: The idea of the military attempting to do battle by use of psychic powers may seem like science fiction, but George Clooney's forthcoming "Men Who Stare at Goats" movie will take us back to "when the army had a couple of kind of rogue intelligence people who wanted to go in a new age direction." That's the word from Stephen Root, who plays a guy trying to be a "psychic soldier" in the flick starring and being produced by Clooney, with Grant Heslov directing a cast that also includes Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.

"The idea of a new world army actually got some play. People were trying to psychically do things. They'd get in a room with goats and see if they could stop their hearts." According to Root, the new age soldiers' manual began, "The army has no choice but to be wonderful."

Even for the ever-prolific character actor, Root's schedule has been jam-packed lately.

With several films in the can, he rushed from production of "Men Who Stare at Goats" into Samuel L. Jackson's "Unthinkable" — around stints on several "Pushing Daisies" episodes and a "True Blood" appearance, in addition to his regular "King of the Hill" voice gig.

"Unthinkable" has Jackson as "a torturer. It's a very heavy subject, dealing with the morality of how far one needs to go in order to get information." Root plays Jackson's right hand man.

Next, he'll be doing a complete changeup — getting ready for his pre-Christmas nuptials in Hawaii with his lady, actress Romy Rosemont. And after that? He laughs. "I have no choice but to be wonderful."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: "They're still Drake and Josh, but they're different," says Jerry Trainor, speaking of his former cast mates, Drake Bell and Josh Peck — with whom he reunited for the Friday (12/5)-airing Nickelodeon movie, "Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh." "They both have a maturity and a gravitas, having segued into film careers and rock stardom. It's cool to see," adds Trainor, who now plays big brother Spencer to Miranda Cosgrove on the channel's hit "iCarly."

He says that "Miranda is the most changed" of the one-time "Drake & Josh" series cast. "She's much taller, more mature. I've been sort of privy to that change just because I've been working with her."

In fact, their work on the holiday movie and "iCarly" overlapped some. "It was actually fantastic, a fun change of pace," says Trainor. "There are huge differences just because of its being a movie. 'iCarly' is so fast-paced, and then it was like culture shock to do a movie shot with a single camera in between." He adds, "It was great seeing everybody again. It had that reunion feel to it. We're all a little older and a little wiser."

HERE AND THERE: "American Idol" alumna Kimberley Locke, in the midst of the 20-city American Stars in Concert for the Holidays tour — with Diana DeGarmo, Chikezie and David Hernandez — says she hasn't had much time to think of her own Christmas plans. "I don't know yet where I'm going to be spending the holidays. I might not be able to get away from going home for Christmas. Our last show is Dec. 21."

With reports by Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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