Pro-wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan is eagerly looking forward to the release of his son Nick from jail, who will be home in a few weeks for good behavior. However, he wants to set the record straight about the release.

"He's not getting home earlier. That's the biggest misconception that everybody has. He was sentenced to eight months and just like the other 800 prisoners who have been released this year, if you work a full-time job and you behave, you get days taken off," he explains. "He's not getting out any earlier than he should have. He's just working hard and not sitting in his cell staring at the walls. He's been working a full time job as a janitor scrubbing floors and

toilets."

Hogan faced a tough year with his wife filing for divorce and his son going to jail for a drunk driving accident. He tells us he's now seeing the light at the end of this very long tunnel thanks to some much-needed faith.

"It's kind of weird because I've had a lot of fastballs being thrown at my head this past year. A lot of things happened with personal stuff and different legal problems," he notes. "Someone said, 'Don't worry about it Terry, because it's alright already. It's in God's hands and everything happens for a reason.'

It made me wake up again and be very grateful and realize that I don't have to go anywhere to find anything because God's taking care of me as long as I follow the path and stay positive. Things are going to be great again."

In the meantime, Hogan has a new reality show, "Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling," premiering Saturday (10/18) on CMT where 10 celebrities will attempt to become wrestlers. "I figured they might be using it to get another look on TV and may not take it seriously, but everybody on the show got so into this." Of course some took it a little too far. "Dustin Diamond was living this character. He's a big Andy Kaufman fan, and he was a comedian who got into wrestling, so Dustin pretty much copied his character. He just got on everybody's nerves. There was definitely some drama."

TREADING CAREFULLY: Dr. Drew Pinsky has become a celebrity in his own right from his work on the radio show "Loveline" and the VH1 reality show "Celebrity Rehab," but if there's one thing he learned this year, it's not to go near Tom Cruise and his Scientology. The relationship expert and addiction specialist made some comments earlier this summer about the mega star and his religion, which led to a heated response from Cruise's lawyer. While Dr. Drew has long since apologized, he says of the experience, "It wasn't a feud that I intended, but it taught me a thing or two about being careful with my language when it comes to print. I don't judge and I mean to do no harm."

In fact, Dr. Drew tells us he'd rather use his celebrity status to help educate people, which is what he's doing on MTV's latest series "Sex ... with Mom and Dad." Luckily it's not what the title suggests. He's actually helping teens and their parents work through their problems of discussing sex, dating and relationships. "I had great reservations about the project to begin with and anyone who hears the title has the same reservation I had, but the reality is we really did some great work with these families," he explains. "Although the show is focusing on sexuality, you'll see people changing their lives — getting jobs for the first time, going back to school. Sexual behavior never exists in an isolated fashion. There are many other emotional issues that are affecting it and we get into all of that."

We'll also be seeing Dr. Drew take another swing at helping Hollywood's newest crop of addicts when the second season of "Celebrity Rehab" premieres Oct. 23 with the likes of Rodney King, Steven Adler, Sean Stewart and Amber Smith. "Celebrities tend to be a very sick group. There are a lot of mental health issues," he notes. "This season is very intense. It really makes last year look like a warm up."

HOTTER AND HOTTER: With the election now right around the corner, political comments are flying at events all over town — like the Humane Society of the United States benefit at a private Bel Air estate the other night in support of California Proposition Two, which would prohibit inhumane caging of livestock. "I don't think that anyone really wants to hurt the animals," stated Ellen DeGeneres at the $1 million-plus fund-raising event — to which one of the 400-plus guests in attendance shot back, "except Governor Palin of course." Laughter followed, not surprisingly, from the crowd that included co-host Portia de Rossi, Tobey Maguire, Buzz Aldrin, Casey Affleck, Kelly Lynch, Corey Feldman, Anne Hearst and husband Jay McInerney, BeKind founder Frances Hayward and Ken Howard, "House's" Lisa Edelstein and Olivia Wilde, "Bones'" Emily Deschanel, "Boston Legal's" Meredith Eaton and "NYPD Blue's" Charlotte Ross. A vegan dinner preceded performances by Moby and Carole King.

ON THE BOARDS: Jason Alexander, Vicki Lewis, Lea Thompson and Patrick Cassidy have a Nov. 18 date to start rehearsals for their stint in "I Love My Wife," set for a Dec. 3 opening at L.A.'s Brentwood Theatre.

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 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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