Paris Hilton appeared in a Miami courtroom yesterday to testify in a civil lawsuit that was filed against her by the investors of the movie Pledge This.  They claim that Paris didn’t do enough to promote the pic — she was the executive producer even though she was unaware of what that meant – and are seeking $8M.

Didn’t the court reporter do a great rendering of our gal Paris?  More actual pics in the gallery of Paris working it in the court’s parking lot.

At the 3 Olives party last night, I tracked down a bunch more celebs to get the dirt on their lives. Erin Lucas — chain-smoking in the VIP area (NYC clubs are all non-smoking) and “catching up” with her ex-boyfriend from The City — took time to take a pic with me and answer some questions about why she wasn’t returning to the next season of The City. “I’m doing a couple things on the side,” she says. “I can’t really talk about it very much. It was a personal decision of mine to not continue on to season two. I’m kind of a gypsy. I’d like to focus on hosting — that’s what I went to school for, and that’s what I love.” I asked her about the AC/DC tat on her side — her dad’s the bassist for the group — and she said she changed her last name and tried to hide the fact that he was her father. “I never wanted to be known as the girl whose dad was in AC/DC, but that flew right out the window after the first season.”

Then I had a chance to talk to Lindsey Vuolo, Playmate Extraordinaire. She was at Kendra’s wedding and they’re close friends, so of course I had to ask her about Kendra’s impending motherhood. I mean, this is a girl who can’t keep her room even remotely clean — how’s she gonna raise a baby? “She is going to be a great mom,” says Lindsey, “because she wants to be a mom. She wanted to be married, she wanted to have a baby. She looks crazy and stupid on TV, but she is really a good person and she has a great family. She’ll learn, like we all do. I mean, it’s a baby, so I think she realizes she needs to be a little more responsible, but she’ll definitely have help. Her mom and her grandmother are fantastic. I wish her the best.”

Here’s Lindsey on the red carpet:

Then I grabbed Housewife Danielle Staub for a photo and interview. I have to admit, she looked really pretty when I first saw her on the carpet and in the club, but the camera flash kind of did away with all that. (I can’t say it did me any favors either). I stood next to her for this photo and I swear her tits are made of rubber. Too funny. But you know what? I kind of thought she was awesome. She’s had scandal after scandal dug up about her — she was a stripper, she abused drugs, she’s been arrested — but she’s kept a positive attitude about it all. “I didn’t know that people would dig up things [when I signed up for the show], but I’m kind of really relived it happened the way it did,” she says. “I kind of wish people would leave my past in the past and let me tell my own story. And I’m about to do that … I’m writing a book.” But as for all the stories from her past — which she’s admitted are true — she says it’s freeing to have that all out there. “It’s almost like taking those tights off at the end of the day.”

Last, I talked to Kelly Bensimon — who divorced photographer Gilles Bensimon in 2007. I didn’t take a photo with Kelly. I didn’t want to be anywhere near a photo with Kelly. She is way too freakishly gorgeous in person. Totally unreal. So of course I had to ask her about her beauty regime. “I use body scrub every day and use a Neutrogena body oil on my skin, keeps my skin really soft,” she told me. “I drink a ton of water. And I sleep a lot. I really don’t drink that much, and I think that’s one of the reasons I look the way that I look. I’m not one of those people who is always on a diet, I just exercise and take care of myself and live a healthy life. I think of the word ‘diet’ as ‘die’ with a ‘t.’” Kelly’s launching a line of costume jewelry, so I asked her about her favorite fashion trend right now. “Shorts,” she says. “Shorts are like the new mini. You can run around and have fun in them but you still feel covered.” Kelly was, of course, looking absolutely stunning in a pair of glittery silver shorts, which I’m sure I never could have afforded, let alone looked good in. But she? Looked fabulous.

Lance Bass walked the red carpet really quickly, didn’t do many interviews, and then spent the rest of the night holed up in the VIP area texting away, Lohan-style. So I didn’t get a chance to talk with him, but I did grab him and make him take a photo with me, and he was really sweet about it, even though I’m pretty sure he was very annoyed with me:

And what would the end of the night be without a crazy non-celeb photo shoot on the red carpet? Yes, of course, my friend Kate and I hopped right on up there and made random people on the street take our photos. The fabulous end result?

All in all? Exactly what an NYC party should be like. We had a blast. And now? I must sleep.

A couple of weeks ago, I went on a little rant about an episode of Kathy Griffin’s show where Paris Hilton said she never performs a certain sexual act that we’ve all seen her perform multiple times on video.

What I didn’t mention was that during that same episode, Kathy & Paris’s trip was interrupted by Jill Zarin from Real Housewives of New Jersey York. The show made it seem as though Jill had just burst in on them and then wanted to tag along all day. Not so, claimed Jill, when I caught up with her at the 3 Olives party last night and grilled her about it.

“What happened is I was out there visiting colleges, and I was shopping on Robinson and I ran into their film crew and they were like, ‘Oh, Paris and Kathy are going to be here shopping, do you want to be in it?’ And I was like, ‘Sure, why not!’ And I walked into the store and we just gossiped and then I went to see American Idol. That’s why I was all dressed up – I was on my way to American Idol. So Kathy made that up when she said I wanted to keep shopping with them. I was going to see the Idol taping.”

I asked her what she thought about seeing Idol in person: “I was a little disappointed. It wasn’t what I was expected. I wasn’t a big fan of any one performer in particular — they’re all talented — but being inside the studio it wasn’t that impressive. It looks different on TV.”

I guess everything looks different on TV. Jill was kind and personable and not at all annoying when I chatted with her. Oh, and the reason she was looking at colleges? For her teenage daughter, who tagged along with her to the party and who I later spotted partying in the VIP area.

Meanwhile, Jessie from NYC Prep showed up and tried to walk the red carpet but got turned away … because she’s not 21 yet. Maybe if she had a famous mom?

Hey kids! So, I’m in NYC right now, having a blast and chasing down stories. I attended a party tonight for 3 Olives and the launch of their new bubblegum-flavored vodka. I didn’t try it, but the verdict was that it was “weird but good.” Go figure. Or just go buy a bottle.

Kim Kardashian was hosting the event, so I got a chance to speak with her. We talked about Paris Jackson’s moving speech at her father’s memorial (you can view it here) and Kim weighed in with some of her own experience. “I spoke at my father’s funeral,” she said, referring to the late Robert Kardashian, “and that was the hardest thing I had to do, and I was 22, and she’s only 11. I just thought it was really brave of her. But it was really something she wanted to do. She wasn’t scheduled to talk, but you could very much see that day that she wanted to say something to all the people. She was standing on the side saying she wanted to speak. I was so glad that I spoke at my father’s funeral, even though I was really nervous and thought I couldn’t do it, but that one opportunity to speak your mind is so important, and she lived in the moment.”

So what’s up next for Kim?

“I’m producing my own shows,” she says. “I think that’s the next step for me, getting in the background and producing. I love the whole process of making a show, creating a show and seeing it come to life. There’s a competition-type show, a reality show, there’s a few that I have in the works.”

I really wanted to show you guys what a red carpet looks like from a reporter’s perspective. These things are INSANE. So I took video of Kim & Khloe doing the carpet. The audio is relatively quiet in the video, but in person it’s just deafening screams coming from every direction yelling at every person about everything. It’s a total madhouse. Every time I see one of things things in person it just blows me away. That said, all the reporters and photographers on the carpet got along really well this time, and I met some fantastic folks from People, Star, Life & Style and E!, all of whom were covering the event as well. I made friends! And we all sat there and made fun of the celebs when we weren’t talking to them. I have found my people.

God, there is hardly anything on television during the summer and I’m losing my mind over it.  How do I fill my hours each evening?  Will I have to resort to … reading? 

The Television Editor over at Boston Now (as well as the author of a great column titled “Two Tivos to Paradise”) pretty much keeps me up to date on what summer shows premiere and when.  It’s pretty helpful, since I don’t know how to work my program guide or my DVR.  

Speaking of summer shows, I do have one favorite returning on July 21st — Hell’s Kitchen Season 6.  See video above of ex-Marine Joseph asking Gordon Ramsay if he wants to step outside.  I hope Gordon shoves a John Dory up this guy’s rectum.

Unfortunately, reality television will never be what it was when it was just a novelty.  Back then, people just were themselves, but then came the Omarosas of the world and now everyone secures an agent before they appear on these shows. 

Anyway, that’s enough for today.  I’m off to read.  Or … needlepoint.  Gag.

It doesn’t even seem possible that Jim Carrey is old enough to be a grandfather, but it’s the next role he’s slated for.

Carrey confirmed to E! News that his only child, 21-year-old Jane is expecting her first child with her longtime boyfriend, Nitro.  He’s in music — he fronts the band Blood Money — and his real name is Alex Santana, but can you just imagine the joy of learning that your daughter is knocked up by a dude who answers to Nitro?  Ah, young love.

Hey, does this make Jenny McCarthy a grandmother?  Because my mood will improve considerably if that’s the case.