Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Anyone who follows Denise Richards' Twitter feed knows that the actress has been besieged this month by inquiries as to whether she — like former husband Charlie Sheen, who wrote to President Obama about the subject — is among the "Truthers" who believe the 9/11 attacks were actually the result of a conspiracy within the government.

"I don't believe that. Charlie's entitled to his beliefs and his opinions, but I don't believe any of it," she makes it clear. "It's such a sensitive topic. My heart goes out to all the victims — that's where the focus is for me," adds Richards.

She has a full plate of activities to focus on in her own life, meanwhile, beginning with plans to meet with Ryan Seacrest this coming week about the future of her "Denise Richards: It's Complicated" E! Channel show, which he produces.

"I knew that I wanted to do a second season because the first season was very much about all the stuff I was dealing with," notes the beauty, referring to her grief over losing her mother, paparazzi problems, insomnia and the aftermath of her ugly divorce from Sheen. "I wanted to show you can move on and move forward, take the high road and keep pursing what you want to pursue. A third season — I know it's reality and our life, and but I also want it to still be interesting," says Richards, who is also shooting a pilot for a comedy series next month.

She is serving on the event committee for the Best Friends Animal Society's Lint Roller Party Oct. 3 at the Hollywood Palladium — where the Bangles will perform and Katherine Heigl will be honored. Richards will be introducing a retrospective of the organization's 25-year history of pet rescue, including roundups in which "they go to the shelters and rescue the dogs that are about to be euthanized, get them spayed and neutered and find them homes."

Some of those animals have found homes in the "large menagerie" maintained by Richards, with her 4- and 5-year-old daughters' approval. "My daughters are very nurturing with animals. They would rather save a dog with three legs or blindness that needs extra care," she says. "I'm so proud of them for that."

HE'S GOT THE MOVES: Tyce Diorio, who has been a standout choreographer and judge on "So You Think You Can Dance," tells us the Fox show has done wonders for his career. While he's currently involved in the show's sixth season, he's also busy choreographing Cher in Las Vegas.

"It's really taken me to new heights and I'm excited for what's happening. The show keeps me busy, and when I'm not working on the show, I try to find time for my personal life and other exciting projects," says Diorio, who's also worked with Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, and Janet Jackson. In fact, he's already planning to branch out. "I'll be working on an animated film in November. I would like to direct films at some point, too. But dancing wise, I want to choreograph for as many legendary icons as I can."

In the meantime, Diorio will be busy helping select America's next favorite new dancer. "So far, we've got some really dynamic characters this season. When you see the top 20, then I think you'll see what it's shaping up into and that's when I'll know, too," he notes. "It's always different because no two people are alike so the individuality is what makes it great. There's real, real talent and it's honest and it's passionate and it's the truth, and people connect to the truth."

ALWAYS GREEN: With his "A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa" coming out on DVD at month's end — plus a guesting on David Foster's new Christmas special coming up — we asked Kermit the Frog who has stood out the most among the many iconic performers he's worked with. "Some of my favorite moments have been dancing with Gene Kelly to 'Singin' in the Rain' and singing a Christmas carol on 'SNL' with Bobby De Niro. And I've worked with so many great stars over the years — Bob Hope, Prince, Tony Bennett, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin ... and too many legends to mention," he replies.

And as for stars he'd like to collaborate with in the future? "There are a lot of stars I'd still like to share the stage with," he says. "Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, to name a few. I'd also like to work with Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz, but I know better than to mention that in a newspaper that Miss Piggy might read. ... Oops, was this on the record? Sheesh!"

FOLLOW THE MONEY: Casting is under way for filmmaker Paula Van der Oest's "Domino Effect," which takes a form somewhat similar to that of the acclaimed 2006 "Babel" with separate stories that interlock. In the case of that film, action was touched off by a gun accident. In Van der Oest's forthcoming feature, it's about a business banker in London who tries to take over a bank in Amsterdam and fails, causing both banks to go bankrupt — which in turn creates a crisis for a mechanic in Michigan, and for characters in India, China and Brazil.

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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