"To think young people would listen to a 91-year-old man — it's almost thrilling. I love the contact," declares Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, who is undoubtedly the most senior movie star to keep a MySpace page. Douglas had his Internet page set up to promote his online petition asking for the issuance of a formal U.S. apology for slavery.

"Lots of people agree with me, and lots of them don't. I have the people who agree with me send in their names. When I have enough names, I will send them to the president of the United States," says Douglas, who adds that he's on the page "doing something" at least once a week.

"You know what I think? I had a helicopter crash and broke my back, and two people died. I have a pacemaker. I had a stroke. Why am I still here? I think God is pissed off at me, so he wants to give me a chance to do something worthwhile," suggests the raffish old liberal lion, who doesn't let his impaired speech stop him from giving a charm-ridden interview. "I enjoy it, and I keep busy, and I'm very encouraged," he says.

Douglas' political action dates back to his insistence on using the real name of blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo on his 1960 "Spartacus," thereby breaking the infamous Hollywood blacklist and helping end the era's communist witch-hunts.

Now, he says excitedly, "We're in historic times. I never thought I would live to see the day when a black man is a presidential candidate. My God. If you win it or lose it, it's such a big step forward. Then McCain picks a smart woman."

He has already contacted both campaigns, and says, "I'm sure that the president, whoever he is, would be in favor" of an official apology — "for the egregious acts against African Americans before the Civil War and after the Civil War. It's so important — we're a very powerful country — to show humility."

As for his life off-line, "I feel pretty good," Douglas says. "I exercise regularly, and I still work with a speech therapist. What does an actor do who can't talk? He waits for silent pictures to come back. I joke about it because I figure it's very important to laugh."

MEDICALLY SPEAKING: Dr. Travis Stork laughs when asked whether he ever imagined that signing up to become "The Bachelor" would lead to his doing a medically oriented TV talk and information show — his Monday (9/8)-debuting "The Doctors." "Never in a million years! But everything happens for a reason in life, that's what I've come to discover. You take chances, and they lead you down paths you never expected," says the emergency room physician, whose new program is being spun off from "The Dr. Phil Show." "This is actually the experience of my life. I could not be more proud of this show," he adds.

On "The Doctors," Stork joins with OB/GYN Lisa Masterson, pediatrician James Sears, and plastic and reconstructive surgeon Andrew Ordon as "America's Medical Dream Team" to bring viewers answers to their questions, up-to-date medical information, expert guests, medical controversies and patients with stories to tell. "We've finished the first five weeks so far, and we're really imparting some great medical advice and doing it in a compelling and intriguing way," says Stork.

Jay McGraw — a.k.a. Dr. Phil's son, who's also a popular author — is executive producer of "The Doctors," and according to Stork, "Jay originally came up with this concept because Dr. Phil's show was getting so many inquiries from people who wanted to share their stories or have a question answered that was more related to health issues than behavioral issues."

A STEP BACK: Salma Hayek helped get "Ugly Betty" off the ground, and now that the show has become a big hit, the mega movie star has been keeping busy with other things. "We don't see her as much now that we're in New York. Plus, since she's had Valentina she's been busy being a mom," says cast member Mark Indelicato, who plays Betty's nephew Justin. "She was really involved in the beginning because she was the celebrity face getting the show off the ground. When the show was able to stand on its own two feet, she didn't really need to publicize it as much anymore. She didn't fade out," he adds. "She's still very involved in the show and us."

ALL GOOD IN THE FATHERHOOD: From party boy to daddy duty, Scott Baio tells us these days he much prefers spending time with his daughter Bailey, who turns 1 in November. It's certainly a big change from hanging out at the Playboy mansion! "I didn't think I would feel this way. I didn't think I would have this emotion in me," gushes Baio about being a dad. "It's just spectacular. I can't wait to wake up in the morning to see my little girl."

With reports by 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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