Nicole Scherzinger attempted to go incognito and casual in Hollywood yesterday, but as soon as we got a peek at her insane abs, we knew exactly who it was!

The Dancing With The Stars champ is keeping busy prepping for her role as Maureen in RENT, which will run August 6-8 at the Hollywood Bowl. Neil Patrick Harris, who starred in the musical in 1997, will direct the show, and he recently joked in an interview, "Nicole had a wonderful audition – she was well prepared, sang beautifully, and had us all laughing. If only she was somewhat attractive and didn’t have two left feet..."

So is the stunning songbird just as popular now that she's a respected solo artist? Or did you like her better with her fellow Dolls?

Spotted: Britney Spears' sorta manager slash boyfriend Jason Trawick picking up takeout and some other edibles from Crumbs Bake Shop in Calabasas on Friday afternoon. Brit Brit definitely has him well trained!

There's always a new twist...

Yesterday a prosecutor dropped the bombshell that Anna Nicole Smith was a co-conspirator in the actions that have brought Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Howard Stern to trial for over-prescribing drugs to the late star.

Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose said during a pre-trial hearing, "I think it's obvious she was part of the conspiracy because she wanted this medication." However, Superior Court Judge Robert Perry wasn't buying it, as he said he was not going to dismiss any charges against the defendants and added, "It's a surprise to me. It's a different situation if she's orchestrating it." Rose responded, "There's no reason for a doctor to overprescribe if she is not asking for it."

Perry said he fears the defendants will not get a fair trial if the court focuses on Smith's cause of death rather than the drug conspiracy surrounding her two doctors and Stern. "That's not what this case is about," Perry said. "The case is about were they overprescribing and was she addicted."

Jurors are set to return to court Monday for in-depth questioning, and opening statements are scheduled to begin on Wednesday August 4.

Last night we caught Sean Penn leaving the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood with a pal, and the notoriously cranky Oscar winner played nice with photogs as he walked to his car. Since Sean was ordered to undergo 300 hours of community service and 36 hours of anger management counseling following an assault on a paparazzo last fall, we're pretty sure this is about as angry as he's going to get...

Then again, he could pull a Bruce Willis and douse photogs with a bottle of water!

First Johnny Depp, then Leo, and now Owen Wilson? Oscar winner Marion Cotillard sure has her pick of the hotties when it comes to onscreen kissing partners!

We snapped the two sharing a smooch as they shot some scenes for Woody Allen's next film, Midnight in Paris in Paris, and the two appeared to have excellent chemistry as cameras rolled. This film boasts an all star cast including Charlie Sheen, Adrien Brody, Elsa Pataky, Rachel McAdams and even France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, so we can't imagine it's not going to be a hit!

But not the kind that would upset PETA!

The deliciously dirty hot Ed Westwick was out and about in Hollywood yesterday, and he showed off his impressively hairy chest in a shirt that was cut lower than anything we've seen on a Pussycat Doll recently. If you've got it, flaunt it, and clearly the Gossip Girl star knows that some ladies have a fetish for a guy with a magic carpet...

Al Gore has been cleared of sexual abuse charges in Portland, Oregon. The Portland District Attorney determined that the former Vice President did not commit acts of sexual harassment that warranted prosecution, reports ABC News.

Senior Deputy DA Don Rees questioned one of Gore's accusers for selling her story to a tabloid and failing a polygraph test, and she said in a statement, "This case is not appropriate for criminal prosecution. The matter is closed and the investigative materials will be returned to PPB [the Portland Police Bureau]."

Gore's spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, issued the following statement:

"Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He respects and appreciates the thorough and professional work of the Portland authorities and is pleased that this matter has now been resolved."

...and that rock AND that super hot tush!

Yesterday we caught Megan Fox leaving the gym in Hollywood, and as usual, the Jonah Hex hottie kept her face covered up, but she did give us a peek at that bod she slaves away for. She's got a few projects in the works, so hopefully we'll see more of her luscious lips and electric eyes in the months to come...