Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

"It" rapper/comedian/actor/producer Nick Cannon is banking on the just-wrapped drama "American Son" to widen Hollywood's perception of his talents.

"It's something that's extremely dramatic," says Cannon, who plays the lead character in the film that also stars Melonie Diaz (cq), Matt O'Leary and Chi McBride. "It's about a young Marine and what he goes through during the 100 hours before his deployment. I was excited about doing something few people have seen me do." Cannon says to prepare for the role, he did "about three weeks of boot camp to learn how Marines handle themselves." But the most challenging aspect of the shoot? "We actually shot this full scene with me naked. I didn't expect to have to do that. That was interesting. I mean, I had nothing on at all … But I'm kind of an exhibitionist anyway, so I kind of got over it," he adds with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Cannon is hosting "Nick Cannon's Star Camp," a reality series streaming every Sunday on Nickelodeon's broadband video player, TurboNick (www.turbonick.com). The show follows a new eight-member youth supergroup, known as The Giggle Club, as they learn how to be stars. "We do everything from media training to physical training, to showing them how to write songs and prepare themselves for auditions," says Cannon, who's also co-exec producing the project with Quincy Jones and Quincy "QD3" Jones III. The finale concert performance of "Star Camp" is set to air in Nickelodeon's TEENick (cq) block on Sunday, Aug. 26. After that, Cannon says, "We're putting out an album and putting them on the road as well. Right now we're putting a Star Camp record label together for everybody involved."

THE JOINT IS JUMPIN: Eddie Matos excitedly reports the nightclub his character runs in CBS' upcoming family drama "Cane" will be featuring "some great musical acts. How great would it be if my Duke's Nightclub was the equivalent of the Bada Bing Club in 'The Sopranos'?" The actor, who plays the youngest son in the series that also stars Jimmy Smits, Rita Moreno and Hector Elizondo, says he's not at liberty to drop names just yet, but those musical acts will be forthcoming from Interscope Records — the home of the likes of Eminem, 50 Cent, Enrique Iglesias and Robin Thicke.

"I actually know some of the names and you're going to be like 'Yo, you had so-and-so on your show?'"

A drummer in real life, Matos plays in his own band called 23 Link Chain, but says it's extremely doubtful he'll be able to wrangle them onto the show. "I don't think heavy metal's going to really go, because we play Latin and hip-hop music in the nightclub," he says, adding, "and the level of talent they hope they're going to bring to the show would make me look like a fool. For the most part you'll see me in the wings dancing and bobbin' my head cause it's my joint."

UNDERSTANDING PRIORITIES: Although Julian McMahon and ex-wife Brooke Burns split years ago, they're solid when it comes to their 7-year-old daughter Madison, he makes clear. "To me the most important relationship a child has is with her parents. Brooke and I feel very strongly about that. I maintain a continuous connection with her." So Madison is often with the "Nip/Tuck" star as he goes here, there and everywhere on locations — including the Canadian glacier where he went to film this summer's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."

"She went with me, absolutely! She has more mileage points than anybody; she's cranking them up, man," he says. "It's pretty funny. She thinks it's part of a normal life." Madison is already showing signs of following in her parents' footsteps. "She likes to perform. Being in that thing myself, it's a little hard not to look at her that way," he says. "She has that little twinkle in her eye. But that decision will come when she gets old enough to make those decisions herself."

CLOSE TO HOME: Julie White, who's soon to appear in "The Nanny Diaries," tells us that audiences will get a chance to see a much more accurate portrayal of Scarlett Johansson in the movie hitting theaters in September. "Scarlett is very sweet in this movie and very close to herself. She plays a young girl who just graduated from college and doesn't know what to do with herself and ends up being a nanny to a very, very dysfunctional, rich family," explains White of what to expect. "It's a social satire of the Upper East Side moms. What I've seen of it is quite magical." Upcoming next, says White, is a project alongside Kevin Bacon for the HBO movie "Taking Chance" and the new ABC series "Cavemen."

(With reports by Stephanie DuBois and 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 2007 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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