M&M’s introduced its newest spokescandy during the Super Bowl, and if you thought the bespectacled Ms. Brown sounded familiar, you’re right! The sassy and sophisticated voice belongs to none other than Vanessa Williams.

“Actually, I couldn’t be happier because M&M’s is my favorite candy of all time, so that was just the kicker!” the actress says.

Williams, 48, talked to Parade.com about her sweet new role and dished on the final season of Desperate Housewives and how she plans to stay in touch with her co-stars.

On bringing Ms. Brown to life.
“The character description said they wanted her to be like Wilhelmina [Williams' character on the now-cancelled Ugly Betty], and I said, ‘Hmm, I created the role, so I think I could probably do this!’ It was a perfect combination. And to know that it was going to debut during the Super Bowl was a pretty big deal.” Read the full story

Tony Bennett is a music legend. Even Frank Sinatra called him “the best singer in the business.”

At 85, the beloved jazz singer made music history when his latest album, Duets II, debuted at the top of the Billboard album charts, making him the oldest recording artist ever to achieve the No. 1 spot.

Featuring some of the hottest voices in music, including Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, Carrie Underwood, Mariah Carey, and the late Amy Winehouse, the album is up for several Grammy awards this year.

Bennett talked to Parade.com about his monumental career, his love of painting, and why he has no plans to retire.

On his numerous Grammy nods since his first award for 1962’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
“Oh, it’s always exciting. I enjoy the Grammys so much because the whole industry is there. It’s like a big convention. You meet all the celebrities at one time and it’s fun. We’re always on the road doing our own thing, so this is the one time where everybody meets and is happy to see one another.”
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The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is one of the most talked about reality shows on TV. While the first season focused on Camille Grammer‘s highly publicized divorce from husband Kelsey Grammer [Frasier], the second season saw Taylor Armstrong struggling to deal with her abusive relationship with late ex-husband Russell Armstrong, who tragically committed suicide in August 2011.

RHOBH star Kyle Richards, 43, has also had her share of drama. Although she has a loving family life with her four daughters and husband Mauricio Umansky, her rollercoaster relationship with sister Kim Richards has captivated viewers since the show’s premiere.

Richards, who has written a new book called Life Is Not a Reality Show, talked to Parade.com about the cast’s painful second season, her relationship with Kim, and whether she’ll return for another season.

On the bond she shares with her castmates.
“It’s hard to explain. There was some rumor saying that we weren’t really friends and it was all made up, but none of us would ever agree to pretend we were friends. We do spend birthdays and holidays together and go trick-or-treating with our kids on Halloween. We also visit each other’s homes without cameras around. Yes, we have fights and disagreements, but we cry and make up just like normal people.” Read the full story

Julianne Hough shimmied her way to fame on Dancing With the Stars and went on to score a few hits in country music. Now, the 23-year-old is a force on the big screen.

In the remake of Footloose, out on DVD March 6, Hough plays Ariel, the rebellious teenage daughter of the local minister.

“It’s an iconic film that people hold so close to their heart and we got a lot of backlash for making this movie,” the actress tells Parade.com. “But a lot of the people who were so against it went to see the movie and they loved it.”

Hough talked to Parade.com about her big screen ambitions, making time for boyfriend Ryan Seacrest, and why she’s tuning in to American Idol every week.

On her early Footloose inspirations.
“It was a cult classic for me. I’m from Utah and it was filmed there and I used to pass the Lehi Roller Mills where Kevin Bacon does his angry dance when I was on my way to dance class. There are so many coincidences like that. My first dance ever on Dancing With the Stars was to ‘Let’s Hear it for the Boy.’ My brother [Derek Hough] was on the West End as Ren in Footloose. And after my first audition for the film, my mom called me as I was walking out and the radio was on and she turned it down and I was like, ‘Mom, wait! Turn it back up. What was that?’ And she said, ”Footloose’ is on.’ I was like ‘Wow. This has got to happen!’”
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Jersey Shore stars Jenni “JWoww” Farley and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi are on their way to becoming the modern day Laverne and Shirley — that is if Laverne and Shirley cruised the boardwalk for guidos and first-pumped their way across the globe.

The reality TV twosome are set to begin filming their own spinoff, and they’re ready to show their fans a softer side.

“It’s not going to be so much of the partying that you see on Jersey Shore,” Snooki told Parade.com “You’re going to see a different side of us when it comes to our relationships with our boyfriends and just our normal lives.”

“Hopefully people will see that I’m not always the party girl and I’d rather not drink and stay in and play board games.” she added.

The pair have taken their shenanigans from the Jersey Shore to Miami to Italy, but where their new spinoff will take place is still up in the air.
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Neil Patrick Harris is the ultimate jack-of-all-trades.

The 38-year-old actor (who can sing, dance, act, and host) has gone from an underage doctor on Doogie Howser, M.D. to a genuine Hollywood triple threat.

Harris, who was on hand at The Grove in Hollywood to reveal the new M&M’s character, Ms. Brown, talked to Parade.com about this season of How I Met Your Mother, his most important role as dad to one-year-old twins Harper and Gideon with partner David Burtka, and his love of Twitter.

On being a triple threat in Hollywood.
“I’m probably my biggest critic. I worry that if you spend any quality time reveling in good things then karma will slap you upside the head, so I try to stay as even keel as I’m able.” Read the full story

Andrew Lloyd Webber has made his mark on Broadway with some of the world’s most successful musicals (Phantom of the Opera, Evita, CATS).

After a record-breaking 25 years on Broadway, the Tony Award-winning composer has breathed new life into Phantom of the Opera with the sequel Love Never Dies, which follows the Phantom and Christine to turn-of-the-century New York, where the pair have come to Coney Island.

“It’s high romance. I have to say; I even find the end of it difficult to watch. It’s quite an emotional piece,” Webber told Parade.com.

The Australian production of Love Never Dies has been filmed for the big screen and hits movie theaters nationwide on Feb. 28 and March 5. The DVD will be released May 29.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, 63, talked to Parade.com about bringing the long-awaited Phantom sequel to Broadway, his journey into reality TV, and more.

Were you hesitant about bringing back characters that you are so close to, and that the audience is so close to as well?
“Not really. I wanted to write it because it closes a chapter emotionally for me. I wanted to revisit these characters once more. I always felt that the moment they met again would be a wonderful opportunity.” Read the full story

WALTER SCOTT ASKS…Regina King

The Southland star, 41, is the social media ambassador for Sunday’s SAG Awards (TNT and TBS, 8 p.m. ET). Go to twitter.com/reginaking and facebook.com/therealreginaking.

Do you have any personal Twitter rules?
I don’t think it’s a good idea to tweet negative things. Some thoughts you should keep to yourself.

Which of your characters has been closest to your personality?
My work ethic is like Lydia’s [on Southland], and the importance of family to Marcee in Jerry Maguire rings true in my life.

You’re now dating your longtime friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner [The Cosby Show]. What brought you together?
I believe the universe has a plan, and we probably wouldn’t have been ready years ago. We both had to do whatever we had to do to be ready for each other now.

Hollywood’s Famous Friends

Q: How did mixed martial arts star Gina Carano snag a role in a big Hollywood movie? —B. B., Houston

A: Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh, tired of action films featuring female stars who weren’t believable doing difficult stunts, first spotted Carano in a 2009 championship bout. Though she lost that fight, she won a meeting with Soderbergh and the lead role in his latest film, Haywire. “It was amazing,” says Carano, who hopes to continue acting, about shooting the thriller. “I got my adrenaline fix without having to actually hurt anyone.”

See photos of the fighting beauty kicking butt on the set

Admit it: You sometimes wished Carol Brady was your mom when you were growing up. Or that perhaps The Brady Bunch could adopt you. Now that you’re a mom, you realize how impossibly calm Mrs. Brady always was. Happily, Florence Henderson has a whole lot of real-life mom advice to share—she’s raised four kids. She’s still one busy lady: Her bio, Life Is Not A Stage: From Broadway Baby To A Lovely Lady And Beyond recently came out. She’s the host of the RLTV Network’s acclaimed Florence Henderson Show. And now, Florence is partnering with P&G for their Thank You, Mom campaign, which celebrates moms and supports The Special Olympics; she’s already helped raise $150,000. How awesome is that? Here, Florence’s words of parenting wisdom.

Get her tips at Parents.com >>