LANCE RESPONDS  —  LANCE Armstrong wants to set the record straight.  "Ashley Olsen and I are strictly friends," the world-renowned athlete told us.  "We have hung out amongst other friends, and she strikes me as a nice, smart lady."  Meanwhile, his ex, Sheryl Crow, is hitting …

Sources: Katharine McPhee Engaged  —  American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee is engaged to actor Nick Cokas, sources tell PEOPLE.  —  McPhee, 23, recently has been showing off a ring from Cokas, 42.  They have been dating for more than a year.  —  "Katharine is bubbling over with excitement …

Lindsay Lohan Checks In and Out of Jail!  —  TMZ has learned Lindsay Lohan checked in — and out — of the Lynwood Jail.  According to the Sheriff's website, the actress checked in at 10:30 AM and checked out at 11:54 AM.  —  That's just 67 minutes, fifteen minutes less than Nicole Richie!

The Spice Girls Take the Stage for the First Time in 10 Years  —  The Spice Girls  —  Girl power reigned Thursday night as the reunited Spice Girls performed for the first time.  —  "We're so excited!"  Geri Halliwell told PEOPLE before she and her bandmates (Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton …

STELLA'S CHEAP SHOT AT HEATHER  —  HEATHER Mills has only one full leg, but the bitter ex-model is not above using it to deliver some very mean kicks to Paul McCartney's daughter, Stella.  —  The soon-to-be-ex of the former Beatle sicced her new publicist on Stella yesterday …

Stripper Hits De La Hoya with $100 Million Suit  —  The stripper who first claimed she had racy snaps of sexy boxer Oscar De La Hoya wearing lingerie — then quickly recanted on national TV — threw a haymaker today at the Golden Boy, suing him for $100 million for smearing her rep.

Police check Amy Winehouse's beehive for drugs; manager quits  —  Amy Winehouse's life is pretty much going to Hell in a hand basket.  The British Britney Spears' husband, Blake Fielder-Civil was arrested last week for witness tampering.  Blake beat a guy up last May, and had apparently tried to bribe people involved in the case.

Ali Larter — Boob on the Loose!  —  Ali Larter finally showed off what was under her "Varsity Blues" whipped cream bikini last night — playing peek-a-boob outside of The Green Door!  Come on in!  —  The dual-personality "Hero" was out in Hollywood last night, and decided to go braless in a silky white top.

Christina Milian Confirms Christina Aguilera Is Having a Boy  —  Break out the blue!  —  Christina Milian confirmed to Usmagazine.com that her pal Christina Aguilera is having a boy.  —  "Her son is going to be pretty lucky because his mom ... she's just awesome!"

XCLUSIVE: Is Paris Hilton Looking For Mr. Perfect?  —  Looks like the man of Paris Hilton's dreams isn't in South Korea - the heiress showed up around town for the first time in a while last night, and her t-shirt left little doubts about her plans for the near future!

'SEX' AND BABY  —  "SEX and the City" star Chris Noth is about to be a baby daddy.  Noth's live-in girlfriend, actress Tara Wilson, is "about five months along," spies said.  A rep for Noth didn't get back to us, and Noth's partner in the Plumm, Noel Ashman, would only...

ONE-TRACK MIND  —  JESSICA Simpson's inter ests don't reach beyond bathing suits and high heels.  Yesterday the bubblehead co-hosted "The View" but stuck to plugging her new collection of "fashions" in stead of bantering over current events - which left her with a blank-eyed stare.

LOHAN PAL IS GOOD FOR HER  —  FRIENDS of LA deejay Samantha Ronson are coming to the defense of Lindsay Lohan's close pal.  Ronson, one of the few friends Lohan has been snapped with since leaving rehab earlier this month, has been repeatedly labeled an "enabler" and a "bad influence" in the press.

Nick and Vanessa Share Birthdays and Parties  —  It must be fate, not just non-stop vacations, that keeps Vanessa Minnillo and Nick Lachey together because the couple share a birthday — November 9 — just seven years apart.  Earlier this week Vanessa paid a visit to the vet to have her cute pup Wookie's cast taken off.

Flyer Told to Change Outfit Poses Nude  —  DALLAS (AP) — A 23-year-old college student who was told by a Southwest Airlines employee that her outfit was too revealing to fly is wearing even less on Playboy's Web site.  —  Kyla Ebbert appears in a series of pictures — some in lingerie …