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With her daughter in full meltdown mode, where was Britney Spears’ mom on Saturday night? Why, throwin’ it down in the VIP at PURE nightclub at Caesars in Las Vegas — the same place Brit had to be carried out of on New Year’s. Yee-haw!

Lynne Spears, according to Vegas Confidential, went to Vegas to try to patch things up, and even took Brit’s little sis with her, dining at Social House Saturday night. Then, Lynne headed to PURE with “a few friends, taking a spot on the VIP main stage.”

Brit spent a couple days in Vegas last week, trying to escape Grease-gate, but reportedly had to leave the Wynn after her bodyguards mixed it up with photogs there.

Jessica Alba Goes Rock-Hunting

That supposed split between Jessica Alba and boytoy Cash Warren? Not so fast — as long as Jess gets some ring-finger-bling soon.

Gatecrasher reports that Alba is ready for marriage, but that Cash isn’t, and what prompted the discontent was Jessica’s desperate housewife pal Eva Longoria. “Seeing Eva get married made Jessica wistful,” says a “friend” of Eva’s. “That was the reason Jessica seemed to be in a terrible mood in Paris.” But the couple isn’t done — just waiting to walk down the aisle.

Elisabeth’s “View” – Let’s Make Whoopi!

Elisabeth Hasselbeck won’t spill the goods on who’s going to be sitting with her at “The View’s” coffee table — but she did tell People over the weekend, “I loved working with Whoopi Goldberg.” And E takes a not-so-subtle dig at former swordswoman, Rosie O’Donnell, saying, “She is soulful … and I don’t sense any sort of political agenda.” Meanwhile, Hasselbeck says she’s finally “feeling pregnant,” and that Barbara must love Whoopi too, because, “Who isn’t into Whoopi?”

Party Favors: “Wonder Years” Math-Whiz Winnie Calls Paris, Lindsay “Dumb and Irresponsible” … Starlet-Off-the-Rails Alert! Brittany Snow … “Simpsons” Make Piles of “D’oh!”

Danica McKellar — she who bewitched Fred Savage (and other young fellas on “The Wonder Years”) — is telling little girls that being all Lindsay and Paris isn’t what it’s all about. She’s written a book called “Math Doesn’t Suck,” encouraging girls not to be afraid of math — and being smart. Danica majored in Math in college. … Brittany Snow — the wide-eyed innocent in “American Dreams” — goes totally the opposite direction in her next flick, “Black Water Transit,” when she plays a troubled prostitute, she tells Us. “Basically,” says Brit, “I have sex with everyone in the movie.” … “The Simpsons” rolled up $71 million at the box office this weekend — and thousands of American women are now owed a favor by their boyfriends.

Psst! Don’t let it get out, but production has just started on the third season of Paradise Falls, the wacky sendup of TV soaps begun in 2001. But who of the cast will be back? Deb McGrath already has another steady gig on Little Mosque on the Prairie. Filming starts at the Sullivan Films backlot off Eglinton Ave. E., and then cast and crew are off to cottage country for exterior shots.

Signed, Sealed: ABC executives are hinting The View is that much closer to signing Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd (Less Than Perfect, The Wedding Bells) to the two vacant positions. Both comics would bring large dollops of humour to the proceedings without the angst caused by Rosie O’Donnell.

Add This Up: Danica McKellar, who played Winnie on The Wonder Years, is hoping to keep girls from imitating the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan with her book Math Doesn’t Suck. The actor, who’s also a mathematician, wants to tell girls that “cute and dumb isn’t as good as cute and smart.”

Out of the Woods: When Men in Trees comes back for its second season, a brand new episode will be followed by five episodes still left over from last season. Things rev up on Oct. 12. “We’re hopeful we’ll get some new people watching,” says producer Jenny Bicks.

Shorts: Edward Herrmann has signed for a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy, his first TV work since guest-starring all those years on Gilmore Girls. Herrmann won an Emmy for a similar guest gig on The Practice.

NEW YORK - Danica McKellar has a message for girls: Cute and smart is better than cute and dumb.

Ms. McKellar, who played Winnie on the 1990s television show “The Wonder Years,” is coming out with a book, “Math Doesn’t Suck,” to encourage girls to get into math.

“When girls see the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, they think that being fun and glamorous also means being dumb and irresponsible,” the 32-year-old Ms. McKellar told Newsweek for editions to hit newsstands today.

“But I want to show them that being smart is cool,” she said. “Being good at math is cool. And not only that, it can help them get what they want out of life.”

Kelly Osbourne joins ‘Chicago’

LONDON - Kelly Osbourne will make her West End debut in “Chicago.”

Miss Osbourne, 22, will join the cast at London’s Cambridge Theater, playing the role of prison matron Mama Morton during a seven-week run starting Sept. 10, the theater said today.

She found fame on the reality show “The Osbournes” alongside her parents, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and her brother, Jack. She has recorded several albums, and was host of the British TV show “Project Catwalk.”

Cage, son unveil comic book

SAN DIEGO - Nicolas Cage loves comic books so much, he created one of his own.

The actor and his 16-year-old son, Weston, took their new comic book, “Voodoo Child,” to the pop culture expo Comic-Con on Sunday.

Weston dreamt up the main character, Gabriel, a biracial teenage ghost who fights the evil of bigotry in post-Katrina New Orleans.

“He’s specifically dealing with racism,” said Mr. Cage, a lifelong comic-book collector who played Marvel superhero Johnny Blaze in the movie “Ghost Rider” this year.

Steve Martin gets married

LOS ANGELES - Steve Martin married girlfriend Anne Stringfield during a ceremony at his Los Angeles home, his publicist said.

Former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey, a friend of Mr. Martin’s, presided over Saturday’s ceremony, Alan Nierob said. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels was Mr. Martin’s best man, he said.

Most of the roughly 75 guests - who included Tom Hanks, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Carl Reiner and Ricky Jay - were not told that he and Ms. Stringfield would wed when they were invited to his home for a “party,” Mr. Nierob said. The ensuing nuptials were a surprise to them, he said.

Mr. Martin, 61, was previously married to actress Victoria Tennant, whom he divorced in 1994 after about 8 years together.

Trista, Ryan welcome child

NEW YORK - Trista Sutter has given birth to a son, Maxwell Alston Sutter, in Vail, Colo.

The baby, who weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces, is the first child for Mrs. Sutter and her husband, Vail firefighter Ryan Sutter. The couple famously fell in love on ABC’s “The Bachelorette” and were married in December 2003.

A representative for the Sutters confirmed to Usmagazine.com that Maxwell Alston was born Thursday at Vail Valley Medical Center.

“He’s perfect and beautiful, and everyone’s doing great,” Mrs. Sutter told the magazine.

Nicolas Cage loves comic books so much, he created his own.

The actor and his son Weston, 16, took their new comic book, Voodoo Child, to the pop-culture Comic-Con on Sunday in San Diego. Weston dreamt up the main character, Gabriel, a biracial teenage ghost who fights the evil of bigotry in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Nicolas Cage, 43, a lifelong comic-book collector who has another son named Kal-el, the birth name of Superman, played Marvel superhero Johnny Blaze in the movie Ghost Rider this year.

“I have very high hopes to push Voodoo Child into script and production … and perhaps play a role in the movie,” he said.

Weston said he would like to play a villain in the film.

TV STAR DID THE MATH

Danica McKellar has a message for girls: Cute and smart is better than cute and dumb.

McKellar, who played Winnie on the television show The Wonder Years from 1988 to 1993, has a book, Math Doesn’t Suck, to encourage girls to get into math.

McKellar, who majored in math in college, struggled with the subject in seventh grade, but a teacher helped her through.

The book includes tips to avoid mistakes on homework, ways to overcome test-day anxiety and profiles of three beautiful mathematicians.

Danica McKellar Who played Winnie on the 1990s television show The Wonder Years is realising a book to encourage girls to get into math called Math Doesn’t Suck.

The 32 year old Danica told Newsweek that when girls see the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, they think that being fun and glamorous also means being dumb and irresponsible, but I want to show them that being smart is cool, she said. “Being good at math is cool. And not only that, it can help them get what they want out of life.”

The book includes tips to avoid mistakes on homework, ways to overcome test-day anxiety and profiles of three beautiful mathematicians.

Danica said that “want to tell girls that cute and dumb isn’t as good as cute and smart,”

Actress and mathematician Danica McKellar wants girls to know that numbers are cool.

In really, really dorky but slightly hot news, “Wonder Years” actress Danica McKellar is trying to tell the world that you can be hot and smart. Crazy, we know.

McKellar has written a book aimed at helping young girls achieve success in math.

“When girls see the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, they think that being fun and glamorous also means being dumb and irresponsible,” says McKellar. “But I want to show them that being smart is cool. Being good at math is cool. And not only that, it can help them get what they want out of life.”

To prompt young girls into deeper thinking, McKellar has written a book entitled “Math Doesn’t Suck.” Thanks, Danica.

The book includes teen-magazine crapola like personality quizzes, horoscopes and picures of hot mathematicians. Hot mathematicians? Ohhh la la.

Want to check out other hot girls who may or may not think math doesn’t suck? Check out the latest Bodog Girls!

DEVIL RAYS 5, RED SOX 2: Daisuke Matsuzaka has been as good as advertised. If Boston would just score some runs for him, he’d have the record to prove it. Dioner Navarro, B.J. Upton and Carlos Peña homered during a five-run seventh inning as host Tampa Bay ended an eight-game losing streak. Matsuzaka (12-8) took a six-hit shutout into the seventh before being lifted after allowing Navarro’s solo homer and a one-out single to Josh Wilson. Dice-K was charged with two runs and eight hits.

BLUE JAYS 4, WHITE SOX 1: Shaun Marcum gave up two hits in eight innings for visiting Toronto. Marcum (7-4) struck out eight and walked one to outpitch Javier Vazquez. Vazquez (8-6) retired seven in a row before Curtis Thigpen walked with one out in the eighth. John McDonald and Reed Johnson singled to load the bases, and Lyle Overbay followed with a sacrfice fly to put Toronto ahead. The run broke 21-inning scoreless steak for the Blue Jays.

TWINS 4, INDIANS 1: Josh Barfield made two errors on one play to help visiting Minnesota score the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Twins rallied to beat C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia (13-6) tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, but lost for the fourth time in five starts in July.

ROYALS 10, RANGERS 0: Leo Nuñez pitched six scoreless innings in his second major-league start as host Kansas City completed a three-game sweep. Nunez (1-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha, gave up three singles with a walk and a strikeout before departing after 85 pitches.

MARINERS 14, ATHLETICS 10: Ben Broussard, playing for the ejected Richie Sexson, hit a two-run homer in the seventh to tie the score, and Jason Ellison scored the go-ahead run on an errant throw an inning later for host Seattle. The Mariners’ improbable win came after Oakland erased a 6-0 deficit, scoring four runs in the sixth inning off reliever Chris Reitsma. But the combination of Kenji Johjima, Adrian Beltre, Broussard and Ellison helped get Reitsma off the hook.

ANGELS 13, TIGERS 4: Gary Matthews Jr. drove in three runs and Garret Anderson and Casey Kotchman each had two RBIs as host Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep. Jeremy Bonderman (10-3) lost his second straight start after winning 10 of his previous 11 decisions. It was his shortest outing of the season, surrendering 11 runs - 10 earned - and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings.

NL

BRAVES 14, DIAMONDBACKS 0: Chipper Jones drove in five runs and Tim Hudson allowed three hits in seven innings as host Arizona’s eight-game winning streak ended.

Andruw Jones and Scott Thorman also homered for the Braves, who pounded out 19 hits and snapped a four-game losing streak. Jeff Francoeur went 3-for-5 and scored two runs. “This was much needed, to say the least,” Chipper Jones said.

“It puts a nice tidy bow on a bad couple of days.” Atlanta matched a season high for runs and handed Arizona its worst loss of the season.

Hudson struck out five and walked one to win his fifth straight decision.

CUBS 6, REDS 0: Carlos Zambrano became the majors’ first 14-game winner and had three hits, and Derrek Lee homered for the third time in four days for Chicago, which finished off a 4-2 road trip. Alfonso Soriano also had two hits and scored a run. Brandon Phillips’ first-inning single up the middle and Javier Valentin’s seventh-inning bloop single to center were the only hits allowed by Zambrano (14-7) in 7 1/3 innings. The righthander struck out six and walked three, and has won seven of his last eight.

PHILLIES 5, PIRATES 1: Jimmy Rollins had three hits and Kyle Kendrick tossed seven strong innings as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep. Philadelphia, winner of eight of its last nine, improved to a season-high six games over .500 (55-49) and swept the Pirates for the first time since 2001. Nate McLouth homered for Pittsburgh, which fell to 2-13 since the All-Star break.

CARDINALS 9, BREWERS 5: Ryan Ludwick’s bases-loaded walk broke an eighth-inning tie, Albert Pujols followed with a three-run double and host St. Louis rallied from a five-run deficit. Milwaukee, which led the NL Central by 8 1/2 games before play on June 24, is just a half-game ahead of the Cubs, the Brewers’ smallest margin since before play on April 22. The Cardinals are six games back after trailing by 10 1/2 at the end of June.

ROCKIES 9, DODGERS 6: Matt Holliday homered and drove in three runs, and Ubaldo Jimenez went six innings for his first major-league victory for host Colorado. Jimenez, who got no-decisions in his first two starts this season, allowed two runs and four hits. Losing pitcher Chad Billingsley allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings.

EXTRA BASES

Butler hospitalized

Former Mets outfielder Brett Butler was recovering from a mild stroke yesterday, two days after he became ill. Butler who is managing the Mobile BayBears, the Double-A affiliate of the Diamondbacks, was resting comfortably in a Montgomery, Ala., hospital, the Diamondbacks said in a statement.

Butler played 17 seasons with five major-league teams, retiring in 1997 at the age of 40. He batted .290 with 2,375 hits and 558 stolen bases. He came up with Atlanta in 1981 and also played for Cleveland, San Francisco, the Mets and the Dodgers.

Butler is in his first season managing the BayBears of the Southern League. TV analyst Matt Williams, a former Diamondbacks infielder, replaced Butler as interim manager.

Attendance mark set

Major League Baseball set its attendance record for a single day, drawing 717,478 fans for 17 games Saturday. Boosted by a pair of day-night doubleheaders, baseball broke the previous mark of 640,412, set when 17 games were played on July 3, 1999. Baseball was averaging 32,258 per game through Saturday, up 4.4 percent from last year, and is on track to break the record average of 31,632 set in 1994.

Ichiro reaches milestone

Ichiro Suzuki became the third-fastest player in major-league history to reach 1,500 hits when he singled in the second inning yesterday against Oakland’s Lenny DiNardo. Suzuki got his 1,500th hit in his 1,060th game. Only Al Simmons (1,040) and George Sisler (1,048) reached the mark quicker, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Rogers returns to DL

The Tigers placed lefthander Kenny Rogers on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his elbow. The move was made retroactive to Thursday. Rogers is 3-2 with a 5.23 ERA in just six starts this season. The four-time All-Star missed the Tigers’ first 71 games after undergoing surgery March 30 to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder and repair arteries . . . Phillies reliever Ryan Madson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder. Reliever Geoff Geary was recalled from Triple-A Ottawa and will join the team for today’s game in Chicago against the Cubs.

Lowry has pitched much better on the road than at home this year, and Penny’s annual second half decline has begun. Take the Giants as a nice-sized dog.

The San Francisco Giants and their “Barry Bonds Circus” go on the road to face the Los Angeles Dodgers this evening.
Go with Giants +162 to surprise Dodgers

The Giants send Noah Lowry to the mound, whose 4.32 road ERA shines when compared to his 7.62 home ERA this season. Lowry has also historically been a strong second half pitcher throughout his brief career.

On the flip side, Brad Penny has always worn down and been a poor second half performer, so we will back Barry’s boys and grab this big price here tonight.

Free Pick: Giants +162

Well, the San Francisco Giants have left town, and unfortunately for the hometown fans, Barry Bonds is still stuck at 754 home runs and now heads out on the road to Los Angeles for three games. The Giants then head to San Diego for three and will not be back in AT&T Park until August 6.
Giants, Dodgers to soar Over 7½ (-112)

There is a good chance that Bonds will not break the record in Los Angeles, as he has only hit one homer in 29 at-bats here this season, and he may very well get at least one of the nights off. However, that does not mean other players will not be doing their share of run-scoring.

When right-hander Brad Penny steps to the mound lately for the Dodgers, runs just seem to accumulate. In Penny’s last eight outings, the teams have scored a combined total of 84 runs or an average of 10.5 runs per game. In his last three starts especially, the Dodgers have relied more on run support than they have on Penny’s stingy pitching as they have put up five, eight, and ten runs respectively to win those games.

Giants left-hander Noah Lowry has had a very good season, but he has struggled a bit recently in his starts, as the Giants have only won one of his last five. The Dodgers could bring more problems for Lowry as they are an excellent hitting team vs. southpaws, batting .287 vs. left-handed pitching.

Both teams should score their share of runs, so go Over this rather low total

Major League Baseball drew 717,478 fans to its 17 games Saturday, making it the most well attended single day in baseball history. The 17 games attracted an average of 42,205 fans per game.

Previously, the highest attendance in a single day occurred on July 3, 1999, when 640,412 fans attended 17 Major League games. Last Saturday, July 21st, 639,628 fans turned out for 16 games, which had been the second highest total prior to yesterday.

Major League Baseball remains on pace for a fourth consecutive year of record-breaking attendance. Through yesterday’s games, 49,999,879 fans had attended games thus far this season at an average of 32,258 fans per game. Attendance through yesterday’s games is running 4.4 percent ahead of the total through the same date last season.