DEAR STACY: Haven't heard about Ryan O'Neal in quite a while. What is he up to? — Kim H., Plano, Texas

DEAR KIM: The temperamental one-time heartthrob appeared in a nostalgia lover's dream in October — opposite his "Love Story" leading lady in a production of A.R. Gurney's "Love Letters" play in Beverly Hills. At age 74, he remains single following his long-term relationship with the late Farrah Fawcett. Work is slow, evidently. He told People magazine, "There's nothing out there for me. I don't want to be somebody's grandfather ... so I wait around — and dream." O'Neal has battled both leukemia and prostate cancer.

DEAR STACY: Please give the connection between Brad Pitt and Barack Obama, if indeed there is one. — Sara B., Clinton, Iowa

DEAR SARA: Ancestry.com says the movie star and the President of the United States are ninth cousins, sharing the family tree of one Edwin Hickman, who was born in 1690.

DEAR STACY: My friend and I would like you to settle an argument. The Rolling Stones classic "Brown Sugar" refers to heroin, correct? She insists it's about slave/master, black/white sex. Who is right? — JW_1430

DEAR JW_1430: You both are.

DEAR STACY: I happened to catch Brian Williams on MSNBC the other day. Is he banished from NBC forever? — Carl C., New Port Richey, Florida

DEAR CARL: I don't have a crystal ball, but I can say there are no plans to bring the former anchor, disgraced over telling tall tales about his journalism exploits, back to the broadcast network.

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