With the luster of Lindsay Lohan's stardom dimmed  -- a lot -- due to her record ofhard partying, legal woes, drug trouble and flops, Lohan watchers are speculating over her chances of post-rehab redemption via her "Ugly Betty" arc that starts tomorrow night (5/22).

She won't be sitting idly by wondering, that's for sure. In fact, the whirl that is Lindsay's world is spinning as fast as ever. She's currently prepping for "Labor Pains," which has been set for a June 2 start date -- the day after she's to present at the MTV Movie Awards. That's the big-screen comedy in which she'll play a girl so desperate not to get fired from her job, she falsely claims to be pregnant -- then finds herself getting special treatment and sympathy.

On the heels of wrapping "Labor Pains," Lindsay – who turns 22 on July 2 -- is due to head to New York, barring an actors' strike, for the start of next season's "Ugly Betty," in which she's to appear in five episodes as a mean girl from high school who resurfaces in Betty's (America Ferrera) life.

She's also readying her much-discussed third album to debut in early fall.

Meanwhile, a casting notice has gone out for the role of Nancy Pitman in Matthew Bright's "The Manson Girls," the film detailing the murderous Charles Manson cult story through the eyes of his female followers -- to which Lohan was attached. Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood recently reported that Lindsay had been dropped from the project because other actors didn't want to work with her  -- to which Lindsay's rep quickly responded that her departure was due to scheduling conflicts.

Whatever -- the fact that producers are still hiring Lindsay brings to mind an observation made by comedic icon Bob Newhart years ago, that oftentimes, those who survive in this business are those whose talent exceeds their need to self -destruct.

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: Supermodel Beverly Johnson, who is making a television comeback, is comparing herself to Paula Abdul. Given the sometimes bizarre antics of Abdul, you certainly don't hear that said too often, but Johnson is referring to her use of positive comments when it comes to judging contestants. Johnson herself is a judge on the new ,original series, "She's Got the Look," premiering June 4 on TV Land. "I was trying to call myself the Paula Abdul because I love her. I love her as a person, and I consider myself a real nice person. However, I don't know if I was so nice," admits Johnson of her behavior on the show, which sets out to discover a woman 35 or older to become the next great supermodel-of-a-certain-age. "I hope I didn't come off too mean. I think I was fair. I was honest and I wanted to move them along to their dreams, but criticism, no matter how you give it, stings."

Johnson, who was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of American Vogue, tells us she certainly had plenty to say. "I don't know if I was supposed to or not, but I interjected whenever I got the chance. I knew what it was like to leave your kids when you have to go away to work. Plus, there was a sense of urgency because at this age they want to put this career in forward motion."

As for Johnson's career, she says she's put in the long hours and now she's focusing more of her attention on golf. "I built my dream home on a golf course. This was all before I knew I was going back into show business. I recently played in the LPGA Pro-Am tournament. I missed the cup by one, but I was so excited to be on ESPN."

CORONATION EQUATION: Derek Luke says working with one of his icons, Spike Lee, on the upcoming "Miracle at St. Anna" constituted a high mark in his career. "In New York, Spike has this group of people that he always works with and now I can say I was amongst that group. It's almost like being crowned being part of that. I went in with no type of thought of what it should be, but I left with a proudness, you know what I'm saying? It was a blessing to work with Spike." He notes, "I was always a fan. He had to be one of the first influences on my life as a filmmaker. His films really touched me." Luke co-stars with Laz Alonso, Michael Ealy and John Turturro in the film about four African-American GIs stuck behind enemy lines in Italy during WW II.

FREE LOVE AND HARD RAIN: Quite a casting job for the forces working on Ang Lee's planned "Taking Woodstock" feature  -- it has 54 roles. The adaptation of Elliot Tiber's "Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life" details how Tiber, described as a lonely gay Jewish man who managed a Catskills mountains hotel, wound up becoming a pivotal player in the making of the legendary 1969 Woodstock music festival

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.
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