Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Whitney Port of MTV's "The City" is adamant that her Whitney Eve apparel line will not be a fly-by-night operation. Port, who is following in her former "Hills" co-star Lauren Conrad's footsteps in creating fashions, says it's something she takes very seriously.

"People think I'm doing this clothing line just because I have this outlet and this publicity, but I've been wanting to design a clothing line since I was a little girl," says Port, who showed her spring 2010 collection last month at New York's Fashion Week. "I really just want to be taken seriously as a fashion designer. If all of this stuff ends tomorrow, I want to at least have my clothing line."

After a stint with famed designer Diane von Furstenberg, Port returned to work for the very difficult Kelly Cutrone of People's Revolution, as viewers are seeing in "The City's" newly launched season. "When I decided to design my clothing line, I knew that working for a designer, that wasn't going to happen. I talked with Kelly about it and she said, 'Why don't you do some freelance work here and you can use one of my showrooms as a design studio?' So I took her up on it."

While many can't handle Cutrone's critical eye, Port claims to appreciate it. "Kelly is constructive in her toughness. She's been really, really supportive of me, actually. You need someone to tell you the truth and put you in your place so it's been a positive experience for me to have that relationship with her."

Port has also been getting a lot of nice feedback from her pal Conrad. "Lauren has been a great support because she knows what I'm going through," says Port, who completely agrees with Conrad's decision to leave "The Hills." "I think it's great for her. I'm proud of her for taking that stand. She had had enough. She had been doing it long enough and I think she should focus on herself right now."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: Fox's Brad Garrett-Joely Fisher "'Til Death" comedy has certainly had its share of problems, but Fisher makes it abundantly clear that chemistry between her and Garrett has never been among them.

"I'm desperately in love with my co-star," she says of her hubby in the series, which launches its fourth season tomorrow (10/2). "I don't really want to marry him. I already have a husband, but I love his demons. I love what makes him laugh. He's filthy and irreverent, but he's also really gentle and authentic. He doesn't hold anything back — sometimes to his own fault.

The much-talked-about boldness of Brad Garrett — I kind of dig that — and I wouldn't have him any other way. He is who he is," she notes.

The show hasn't been a big hit in the ratings, and it's now been moved to the traditionally tough timeslot of Friday nights. But Fisher is staying positive. "The numbers show that we do have a tiny little core audience so hopefully we can add to that and people will realize that it's something to watch," she says. "There's so much reality TV and I love a good drama but (comedy) is necessary on TV. I think in the socioeconomic climate the way it is, people are going to stay home on a Friday night and we'll give them something to laugh at."

The two co-stars have managed to make a lot of funny together playing a married couple of 23 years.

"I've heard people compare us to 'Married … With Children' and I always thought that was a caricature of this long-time married couple with children," Fisher says. "I never thought that was a real view of what people said and did with each other, though some people might be like that," she adds with a laugh. "People ask if I bring anything from my marriage into it and I'm like, 'God, I hope this isn't a reflection of what I look like at home!"

A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND: Drew Barrymore's Five Biggest Lessons she learned as a first-time filmmaker — her "Whip It" roller derby movie opens tomorrow (10/2) — include her views about such things as storyboarding, music and working with actors. But the grabber of her rundown, which appears in the issue of Entertainment Weekly that'll hit stands tomorrow, is No. 5. It's one that other frosh filmmakers are probably not going to be able to emulate: Get advice from Steven Spielberg.

"He gave me great notes on the movie," Barrymore tells the magazine. "I had to show an early rough cut. I would have loved to show him something polished, but it was actually better because this way he could actually talk to me about it."

CASTING CORNER: The makers of a Japanese comedy flick called "Omoro" have been looking for an American actor to play the president of the United States. According to casting notices, they want an actor, interestingly enough, who either resembles President Bill Clinton or Denzel Washington. The movie has to do with a Japanese politico who wants Osaka to secede from Japan.

Casting forces have been signing up magazine models, female and male, to play a new kind of dating game on TV, for a pilot called "Matchmaker." Four contenders will vie for a prize date with a fabulous-looking partner. The prize dates will issue challenges to competitors based on their own interests. So answering questions isn't enough anymore.

With reports by Emily-Fortune 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 2009 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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