Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Comic Richard Lewis reports he's been juggling his standup gigs with some earthly digs now that he's on the board of Urban Farming, a nonprofit organization founded by singer/songwriter Taja Sevelle to help eradicate hunger by planting food crops on unused land in urban areas.

"I'm on a lot of different boards and I do what I can, but this is really a labor of love," says Lewis, explaining that his wife, Joyce Lapinsky, is the development consultant for Urban Farming. Since 2005, the group has launched gardens in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Minneapolis.

"I can't believe how many people go to bed in our country without a decent meal or hungry. We have to get over the idea 'Oh, we're in America … ' Guess what? It's happening here, too, and it's been here for ages. Working with my wife for Urban Farming is a no-brainer for me."

Lewis says Joyce "likes to plant and do all these hands-on things. But forget about me planting. Let me do everything other than planting because I'm afraid of soil, to be honest with you."

Be that as it may, the actor — whose former "Anything But Love" series with Jamie Lee Curtis was recently released on DVD — says, "I'm shameless about turning to people I know who can help. I've asked presidents of companies who are fans, 'Hey, what about Urban Farming?' It's hard to say, 'No, I don't want to donate or help feed the hungry.'" He adds, "This is a perk I have no problem with. I'm not asking for a good seat at a restaurant. I know it's going to eventually be helping literally thousands, if not millions of people, eventually have food, so it's a fabulous thing." For more information, visit www.urbanfarming.org.

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: Dame Julie Andrews reports her best-selling children's book series, "Dumpy, the Dump Truck," is on a fast track to the small screen.

"We'll be working in collaboration with PBS and hopefully toward the end of the year we'll be starting to tape them," says Dame Julie, who reprises her Queenly role in "Shrek the Third." "We may use part animation, but it will be mostly live action with puppets and things like that, of course." She adds her involvement won't just be behind the scenes.

"Certainly I'll be the hostess for it, and to a great extent I will be the glue that holds it together."

Andrews says to expect "a lot of other things in the works" from the publishing imprint she shares with her daughter. "We have another book coming out on Mother's Day called 'Thanks to You,'" she says, adding, "We're under the Harper Collins banner, and it's been great. I've been writing books for about 30 years now, and the actual publishing we've been running for five or six years now."

MUSICALLY SPEAKING: David James Elliot says that since moving into his new house, which has a recording studio, he's been getting back to his first love — music. "I was in bands. That's where I started," the "Close to Home" and former "Jag" star tells us. "Both of my brothers are musicians. My father grew up playing." As far as making an album, Elliot responds, "Who knows? I'm doing it for me right now. I love jamming with the guys — getting together and making music. I've got my studio sound proofed so we can have band rehearsal at my place."

THE REAL DEAL: "Ugly Betty's" Ana Ortiz says she can't wait until Salma Hayek "gets in and directs an episode because she has a great eye for what's going on." The sultry Salma, who has a thriving production firm and a bundle of directing and producing credits in addition to "Betty," is certainly no mere figurehead, according to the actress, who plays Betty's sister Hilda. She notes, "Salma is so involved with us. She is the most hands-on person … She believes in the talent of the cast and she believes in the message of the show. I think she's going to continue to make really cutting-edge TV and film."

(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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