Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

"Heroes" regular Masi Oka reports it sometimes took superhuman effort to juggle shooting of his hit NBC show with the upcoming big-screen adaptation of "Get Smart," staring Steve Carell.

Recalling last season's "Heroes" finale, he notes, "I shot it simultaneously with the movie, and it was pretty intense." Oka, who plays the gadgetmeister in the feature inspired by the hit spy spoof TV series of the '60s, explains, "Usually if you're on a project, production has to do what's called a turnaround — which means if you wrap one day, they have to give you at least a 12-hour break. But because I was on different productions, I could be released at midnight on one show and then have to show up at 4 a.m. on the other."

This season's "Heroes" has its own demands. Fans know that Oka's character, Hiro Nakamura, has been stuck in the past in feudal Japan for the first few episodes of the new season. Oka says, "That storyline will be wrapping very quickly. In episode seven" — which airs tonight (Nov. 5) — "we come back to the present, and what happened with Hiro and his father in the present is probably going to be the main motivation moving him forward."

He says the troupe was able to get a jump-start in anticipation of the pending writers' strike, but they're only halfway through their 24-episode order for this season. Oka says he understands the pros and cons of the potential strike but points out that while producers, writers, actors and directors haggle over income generated by a movie or series, below-the-line crew members have nothing to gain from a strike and much to lose. "I feel bad for them. It's really tough," notes Oka, who's also worked for years as a research-and-development technical director, creating special effects for George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic company. He adds, "With anything, any relationship … people have to understand the greater good and reach a compromise." From his lip …

ON THE PERSONAL SIDE: "Losing my mom had a profound effect on my life," admits former "SNL" star Molly Shannon, who's taking her own role of mother and wife most seriously these days. The funny lady was only 4 years old when she was in a car crash that killed her 34-year-old mother, 3-year-old sister and 25-year-old cousin. "Now that I am a mom, I don't want to miss anything because my mom missed a lot and I missed out on a lot with her." Shannon admits it can be difficult balancing work and family life, which is why she could relate so much to her latest role as a overworked mother in Lifetime's "More of Me," premiering Nov.

19. Unlike real life, Shannon's character is able to split into three versions of herself — the perfect person at work, the perfect mother and the perfect wife. 

Despite any sacrifices Shannon's had to make with her career, she tells us she's her happiest being a mom and family will always be her priority. "I knew that I always wanted to be a mom, so I was just so happy that that worked out. I feel so fulfilled that I had children and met a great guy. It really does completely change things, though. I feel like my number-one priority is my family. It comes before everything," she says. However, that doesn't mean she's going to stop working. "It's just a balancing act. You feel guilty a lot when you work, but you want to continue to feel stimulated, so I understand what working women go through. I like that there's this movie about that."

IT'S THAT TIME: Britney's antics, Paris in jail, Kid Rock and Tommy Lee scuffling over Pam Anderson, Rosie O'Donnell's feuds, Kanye West flipping out (again) over not winning an award … Yes, 2007 is certain to go down as a memorable vintage in Tacky Celebrity Behavior, which just happens to coincide with Beck/Smith Hollywood's 30th Annual Tacky Taste Awards! In the time-honored tradition, we will be turning this space over to you, our readers, to dish about the stars you found most tacky this year. Send us your votes and be sure to tell us why your candidate deserves this oh-so-special recognition. Send it by e-mail to BeckSmithTacky07@cs.com or by street mail to BeckSmithTacky07, P.O. Box 572530, Tarzana, CA 91357. We'll present the vote results and selected comments on Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 21, so hurry!

ROLLING THE DICE: "Jimmy's got a thousand stories, and he's so charismatic, and his energy is missed," says "Las Vegas" star James Lesure about the departure of veteran actor James Caan. However, Lesure is quick to say he considers new headliner Tom Selleck a real blessing for the show. "He's super professional and prepared, which is something I really appreciate in a person. It's a different energy. His character has a bit more of a stoic energy than we've had. He's harder to read."

The show is evolving in a little different direction, he notes. "In previous years, it's been more about the capers and the actions that are going on. This year, we've started to get to know the characters a bit more and what their backgrounds are."

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

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.