Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

The critically adored but ratings poor "Friday Night Lights" wraps for the season — or forever — in Dallas at the end of this week, with its cast and crew holding out hope that NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly has not changed his mind about wanting to bring the show back for a second season.

"I wish I knew we were comin' back, then my wife would let me buy new tires for the car," quips Kyle Chandler, who stars as the football coach on "Lights." He then notes, "I think some people still haven't seen the show because they think it's a football series, and that's not true — football's just the backdrop," he says. "It's a drama about family and young people and ... " It happens to be one of the best dramas on the tube.

Chandler has the big-screen "The Kingdom" with Jamie Foxx being readied for release. He shot it last summer in Phoenix, at a time, he says, when "It was 117 degrees! Oh, my gosh, every single building has air-conditioning there, even the outhouses. I understood why when I got off the plane."

It's been repeatedly reported that "I Dream of Jeannie" will be his next big-screen project, but he stresses, "I haven't been asked to do it, I'm not doing it." And he would appreciate it, he says, if the film information Web sites "would stop saying I am."

DARKNESS AND LIGHT: Teen star Sara Paxton of "Darcy's Wild Life" and "Aquamarine" is going bad — but only on camera, we're glad to report. The lovely 18-year-old stars in Lifetime's March 26 "The Party Never Stops," playing a college freshman who gets involved in binge drinking with her party-girl roommate (Chelsea Hobbs), much to the horror of her mother (Nancy Travis). Paxton's most dramatic role ever, it took her through many scenes of anger, anguish and drunkenness — and after wrapping the telepic, "I took a five-month break," she says.

Paxton is currently in Florida, playing a wicked witch of a coed to Amanda Bynes' Snow Whitish student in a big-screen modern-day send-up of the fairy tale, "Sydney White." Paxton's character, she notes, "is not just mean, she's really funny. I'm going back to the comedy." And she's keeping her naturally blond locks because "I have to be blond.

She notes that she "definitely" plans to become a university student for real — but for the moment, "I'm going to take some online classes to start."

MAKING THE SCENE: We spotted a dressed-down Leonardo DiCaprio trying to look incognito in front of The Gig in Los Angeles, which is known for its indie music scene. Before one recent show, he was slowly pacing back and forth by himself until he was greeted by a group five female friends, all of whom he hugged. Nice. Across the street, "Saturday Night Live's" Will Forte was hanging outside of his old comedy stomping grounds, The Groundlings. Ah, just a typical night in Hollywood!

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, USE 'EM: Now reality shows are becoming fodder for … scripted shows and movies. There's a faux reality show shooting on the beach, we're told, as part of the plot in Matthew McConaughey's "Surfer Dude" movie. That feature is heading toward a beginning-of-May production start, by the way, and McConaughey is also one of the producers, along with fellow surfer Tom Hanks. (McConaughey's looking mighty ripped in a TMZ.com paparazzi shot snapped at the shore the other day, you may have noticed. All that working out with best bud Lance Armstrong has paid off for the movie.)

And then there's the Kelsey Grammer-produced CW pilot "Dash 4 Cash," which is a fully scripted show about a reality show, following the progress of characters competing in a global race and the secret romances and other off-camera action they manage to pull off.

SMELL LIKE NEW YORK: The colorful Tiffany Pollard has become a big hit with her reality show "I Love New York" on VH1, but like most reality stars, she's already hoping to transition her fame into an acting career. "I would definitely love to act. I think that is something that would fit well in my life. If I put my mind to it, it will get done," claims Pollard, aka New York. "Right now my schedule is so hectic with the success of the show. I've been doing appearances and interviews and just making my way through the industry," she notes. Acting certainly isn't the only thing Pollard has in mind. "I want to get my jewelry line going. Also, someone said I look like I smell great so I'm like, 'Now I need to have my own fragrance.'" Huh? Who knew you could see someone's smell?

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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