Nick Stahl gained a whole new understanding of life as a disabled person while prepping for his role in "Quid Pro Quo," opening tomorrow (6/13), in which he plays a partially paralyzed investigative reporter for public radio.

"I went around the city in a wheelchair to see what it was like," he tells us, referring to New York. "My first impression was how hard it was, how physically taxing it was. You don't really realize, the city is kind of on a slant. The sidewalks, you consider them flat, and they're really not … I got to gauge people's reactions as well. There were two kind of main reactions. One was just avoidance — not making eye contact … The other was people who were overly helpful."

The actor known as savior-of-the-world John Connor from the "Terminator" series, and as the star of HBO's eerie "Carnivale" series of a few years ago, found that the chair made him suddenly incognito. He was only recognized twice, he says.

"Quid Pro Quo" marks another trip to the dark and strange side for Stahl, whose character gets lured by a mysterious beauty (Vera Farmiga) into investigating the story of a subculture of people afflicted with a perverse desire to be disabled.

"I really didn't (know) anything about this," he says. "I read the script and thought it was so well written, and the character was so complex and interesting, and the twists in the script were so genuinely surprising and weird I was really caught off guard by it. These types of roles, complex roles like this, I'm always attracted to as well."

However, "I've never shied away from the mainstream — ever," says Stahl, who plays a telepath in the forthcoming thriller "Speed of Thought." "If people see you in a certain light, they're going to want you for other movies like that. The fact is that I tend to have done more independent, experimental, darker, edgy kinds of things since I was younger. But I'm open to any kind of story."

PERSONALLY SPEAKING: Ed Westwick may be the bad boy of "Gossip Girl," but unlike many of his young, famous counterparts, he tells us he has no desire to be Hollywood's newest party guy. "I'm not of the nature where I'm going to be the most ideal person for Page Six. I'm not a crazy kind of person who goes nuts," claims Westwick. "I'm a young guy, so of course I'm going to go out, and there will probably be times in my life where there are things that happen that people are going to raise an eyebrow to because that's life. I'm growing up," notes the British actor. "It's the same with everyone else on the show or with anyone who's been in our situation. It comes with the territory. As long as you've got a brain, it can work to people's advantage."

POWER OF THE TUBE: Last month, "America's Got Talent" winner Terry Fator signed a five-year deal reported to be worth a staggering $100 million to headline at Las Vegas's Mirage Hotel. Last week, the comedian/ventriloquist headlined a fundraiser in Kalispell, Mont., that the nice guy entertainer considered a makeup gig. The beneficiary was Kalispell's Miracle Field. "They're popping up all over the place — baseball diamonds with soft surfaces for disabled kids, kids with bone problems, kids with hemophilia. They're not only good for the bodies of the children, but good for the souls of the parents and children," he reports. "I wanted so badly to do good for them last year, but I just couldn't get the ticket sales. Before 'America's Got Talent' I couldn't even sell a third of the venue. What a difference a year makes. This time, within a week every ticket was sold. It's just wonderful after 20 years to be in that position."

Fator's success story will be highlighted when "America's Got Talent" begins its new season on NBC June 17. "They've had camera crews following me around. And I'll be back for the finale. I'm going to come in and do some special things," he says.

His Mirage gig launches Valentine's Day, 2009. "I still have seven months to wait. I feel like a kid who can't stand waiting for Christmas. But my entire summer, fall and winter are completely slammed, so I'll be busy," says Fator, who has a schedule of shows at the Las Vegas Hilton to complete this year. "I don't know how I'll find the time to write and rehearse a whole new show for the Mirage, but I will. When I get onstage I want it to be right. I'm a perfectionist." He also notes "AGT" producer "Simon Cowell and all the judges told me they're going to come see me at the Mirage."

CELEB SCENE: Adding to that strange feeling that all celebrities know each other — Paula Abdul bonded with Jill Zarin from "The Real Housewives of NYC" at Nick & Toni's in East Hampton the other night. Abdul shared that it was her first time in the Hamptons and that she was having a great time. We're so pleased.

With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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