Danny Gans, a musical impressionist who was named Vegas Entertainer of the Year for eleven consecutive years, passed away this morning at the age of 52.

Gans began his career as a minor league baseball player until an injury ended his pursuit to be a professional ball player.

In the mid nineties, while Gans had a one-man Broadway show as well as travelling for other shows as a musical impressionist, he was approached to be an entertainer in Vegas.  From 2000-2008 Gans had his own 1,250 seat theater at the Mirage and had nightly sold-out shows.  In May of last year, Danny transitioned to Steve Wynn’s Encore hotel where he had been working ever since.

A family member called for paramedics at 3:44 a.m. reporting that Gans was having trouble breathing.  He was dead by the time they arrived.

He is survived by his wife and three children.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is about to go on maternity leave from her hosting gig on The View and some insiders are saying that Barbara Walters is considering Miss California, Carrie Prejean, as a replacement.

If you watch The View, and I’m proud to say that I don’t, you can see how exasperated the other hosts are with Hasselwreck.  They all seem to think that she’s an idiot with no valid content to contribute.  According to this week’s print issue of National Enquirer, Barbara is looking to make a more permanent change.

“Adam and Eve… Not Adam and Steve!” That loud scream you heard was terrified Elisabeth Hasselbeck wailing that Baba Wawa – aka Barbara Walters – keeps plotting to bounce her from “The View” because of her shrilly-silly views.

But this time, “Elisabeth really has something to worry about,” said a show source, who revealed that while Dizzie Lizzie’s on maternity leave, Walters will audition, as her fill-in, the right-wing babe on the block – Miss USA runner-up Carrie Prejean, who made national headline with her “no gay marriage” bombshell during the pageant.

And it could turn into a permanent gig for the controversial beauty queen, say show insiders, because Barbara’s seriously fed up with Elisabeth’s coo-coo-conserva-babbble – and her looney-toon responses to co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd.

When Joy asked, for example, why she kept defending Mel Gibson – refusing to admit he’s a hypocrite for divorcing, despite his much-avowed Catholic faith – the exchange got reeeally ugly.

Said Joy: “Listen, Elisabeth, there’s a self-righteous-ness to the guy.” Shrilled Elisabeth: “Isn’t it self-righteous to call someone self-righteous?”

Groaning like an embarrassed granny, Barbara quietly gasped: “Oh, Elisabeth!” Stay tuned.

Listen, the “young professional” seat is cursed.  Ask Debbie Matenopolous and Lisa Ling.  If Carrie does come on board as a full-time host, I want her to explain how God’s plan doesn’t include same sex marriage but does include getting pageant-sponsored implants.

Gwen Stefani performed to a pre-recorded track live and without her wedding rings this morning at Rockefeller Center on Today.

Possible caption?  “Shoot me.  Some gossip blogger thinks my husband sang with Green Day.“

Last night was the Sephora store launch of Lindsay Lohan’s self-tanner, Sevin Nyne.  Linds appeared looking as patchy as ever and was joined by an attractive older woman or, you know, Ali Don’t You Know Who I Am? Lohan.

Maybe it’s just me, but if I was charging $35 dollars for what is essentially orange spray paint the face of a revolutionary new tanning product, I’d exfoliate.  Or wear pants. My feeling is that Lindsay will be headed off to rehab soon.  Do you think they could add a thirteenth step to the program that outlines the importance of sloughing?

Lindsay was just not meant to have a tan.  Not from the sun.  Not out of an aerosol container.  It’s the worst look for her and I encourage her to embrace her porcellaneous epidermis.

And speaking of distancing oneself, which I wasn’t actually speaking of, Harry Morton has denied having dated Lohan back in 2006.  Do you remember him?  For a while you couldn’t navigate onto any celeb website without seeing pictures of his tongue tapping her vulva uvula.  Now he’s told Inked magazine that they were never even a couple.  He must be trying to get a job as there is certainly no one out there who cares whether he dated, screwed or exfoliated Lindsay Lohan three years ago.  But distancing oneself from Lindsay would be the best career-building strategy at this point.  Ali, are you listening?