David Carradine may be 72 now, but you'd never know it by his latest project, "Kung Fu Killer" — which he acknowledges was one of his most strenuous roles to date. He makes it clear he has no intention of slowing down.

"I figure I'll probably go out doing some fight scene, but I'll probably be in my 80s when that happens," he says.

There certainly are very few actors who could take his place as far as being willing to put themselves on the line physically in order to get a more realistic shot. "I'd like to see this CGI [computer-generated imagery] stuff go away. There's just entirely too much of it. It causes me to lose interest when they concentrate on it too much," says Carradine, who performed over 30 choreographed fights for "Kung Fu Killer."

"It was a very tough location and tough work, but this was one of my favorites for sure," he tells us of the two-part Spike TV movie airing August 17 and 18. "I think playing this character I finally got rid of the funny, peaceful kung fu character that I always play. I think I finally killed him. Well, maybe I haven't killed him completely, but at least I got to do something that was really mean."

THE BIG SCREEN SCENE: "A comedy about a man who loses his testicles — I hope that doesn't keep guys away," says Jean Smart, speaking of "Barry Munday," the forthcoming feature in which she plays parent to Patrick Wilson. "It's actually very much of a man's movie," she lets us know.

"Patrick is so attractive and such a good actor — it's a little depressing to be playing his mother."

Smart says she's been a fan of Wilson's for years. But his daring performance in "Munday" "just takes it to another level. His character is a major player at the beginning of the movie, but later his real personality emerges and he's kind of a nerd."

That would be "later" as in after the physique-altering attack by one of his conquest's irate fathers.

Life's been a whirlwind for Smart of late. The actress, who is Emmy nominated for playing the occasionally vicious mother of Christina Applegate on "Samantha Who," had a week's overlap in her series schedule when she started "Munday" — and went on to a second feature, "Youth in Revolt," immediately after.

She's charmed thoroughly by her other onscreen son, Michael Cera, as well. Cera requested her for "Youth in Revolt," which just wrapped production in Michigan. "What an amazing young man — mature beyond his years," she says of the very hot 20-year-old lead of "Juno" and "Superbad" fame. The soign?e Smart plays against type as a trailer trash gal in "Revolt," with Steve Buscemi as her estranged mate and Ray Liotta as a boyfriend. "Having a teenage son gets in her way a little bit. She wants to have a man to take care of her," notes Jean.

Meanwhile, there's her TV daughter — and fellow nominee — Applegate. "Oh, my goodness. I really want Christina to win," says Jean, who already has two Emmys out of five nominations. "We've been trading phone messages, but I'm looking forward to getting together," now that she's back in town.

OH, REALITY: DJ Jim "Poorman" Trenton aims to bring his act to TV with "Poorman's Sex Line." Of course, radio listeners recall Poorman on the hugely popular "Loveline" for 10 years with Dr. Drew Pinsky. "Sex Line" will feature call-ins, with Trenton and four "gorgeous bikini girl co-hosts," per casting sources. They've been looking for those gals, including "an M.D. who gives medical advice." Say what? Dr. Drew never wore a bikini. Or maybe he did, and we just didn't know. Anyway, the pay rate is $200, non-union, per episode. They expect to have celebrity guests on the show.

VIDEOLAND, TOO: Speaking of "Loveline" alumni, it sounds like David Alan Grier, whose "Chocolate News" faux news show is on the way on Comedy Central in October, is up to no good. The very funny man's casting forces were on the lookout last week for a couple of extras to simulate having sex in a car – no nudity required, though — for $150, which is fifty bucks less than being a bikini doctor, but the job requirements are so much easier.

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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