Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Charles Gibson is anything but pleased that "The CBS Evening News" is running a distant third in the ratings with Katie Couric at the helm.

Says the anchor of ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson," "To be honest, I want Katie to do well. Not too well because we're in competition, but I think it's important that a single female anchor be accepted. We're at a time when people are considering having a woman as president. I do believe that can happen — and certainly believe that a woman can be accepted as a network news anchor."

So why has the woman who was America's darling when she co-hosted the "Today" show been unable to transfer her appeal to the "CBS Evening News"?

Gibson is convinced that the networks' star anchors have nothing to do with the situation. "It all," he says, "depends on the reporting. When the broadcast ends, it's the news that people remember, and the way it has been reported. I happen to think that top to bottom, ABC has the best reportorial staff — I have worked for the organization for 35 years, and I had damn well better believe it."

The fact that ABC's "World News" has been the only evening newscast to grow in total audience this season lends credence to Charlie's theory.

"Our staff was shaken drastically on the Richter scale," he says of the situation at the time he took over the anchor's seat, following the death of longtime anchor Peter Jennings and the loss of replacements Bob Woodruff, by grievous injury from a roadside bomb in Iraq, and Elizabeth Vargas by pregnancy. "I felt my job was to steady the ship that had been so shaken. And I was convinced that if we got good reporting, we would do fine. If we could just focus on what we do, the ratings would follow."

And so they have. So has a rare vote of confidence from within the advertising community — with four firms signing on to be single sponsors for the next month. With only one commercial, the show ends up with an extra five minutes in reportorial time and, that, as Charlie would have it, is terrific.

"My focus group of one — my wife," he says, "actually sat and watched the commercial. We hope others will be like her and figure that maybe this is something special. I hope this is true because the sponsor in this case is ponying up extra money."

CELEBRITY SCENE: "Dancing With the Stars" is the inspiration for this year's Race to Erase MS gala being held Friday the 13th at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

The lineup of performers and celebrity fashion show models includes Drew Lachey (and brother Nick as well), Mario Lopez, Tia Carrere, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, Cheryl Burke, Louis van Amstel, Rachel Hunter, Stacy Keibler, Joey Lawrence, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Molly Simms, Emmy Rossum, and Nicole Richie and her boyfriend, Joel Madden. That's the word from the amazing, dynamic Nancy Davis — the force behind the events (this is the 14th) that she reports have raised "$30 million so far" in the fight against multiple sclerosis.

Davis, the mother of five who was diagnosed with MS herself at age 33 in 1991, started her Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis in '93 and facilitates researchers from top hospitals and universities working together through her Center Without Walls.

She says she thinks the annual galas that she and designer Tommy Hilfiger spearhead are such a celebrity draw because "they're fun and easy for them to do." Earth, Wind & Fire will be playing. Ray Romano, Tom Arnold and Randy Jackson will be serving as auctioneers, with items on the block ranging from a fully tricked out Ferrari to a trip to Amsterdam, "where Tommy Hilfiger will create a fashion line for you."

Best of all, "We're on the verge of being able to announce a major breakthrough in research," says Nancy.

THE BIG-SCREEN SCENE: "Brothers & Sisters" regular Emily VanCamp says the upcoming Paramount Vantage thriller "Carriers" is more a look into man's baser nature than it is a horror film. "It's kind of scary, but it's more psychological," says VanCamp, who stars in the film with Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, and Lou Taylor Pucci. "It's a post-apocalyptic thriller and we're fleeing this pandemic. The three of them are from the other side of the tracks, and are all very close. I am this spoiled, young gal who came from a lot of money and I'm left alone, so they take me along on this journey."

THE BEAT GOES ON: Colin Farrell may be known as quite the party guy around town, but when it comes to his work, he's all business — at least, according to Manny Perez, who acted opposite Farrell in the upcoming cop movie "Pride and Glory." "I've heard of Colin being this bad boy, but this guy is such an approachable guy. It was totally the opposite of what I had read in the media," says Perez. "He believes so much in the craft. It's like, 'Let's cut the bull and get to work.' We had such a great chemistry because of that."

(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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