Remember when hearts were aflutter across the country for champion Olympic swimmer/butterface extraordinaire Michael Phelps? This summer, he was linked to everyone from Carrie Underwood to Britney Spears in the tabloids. Well, the buzz around Phelps has died down since the Olympics ended, but that doesn’t mean he’s sitting home alone waiting for the phone to ring. Apparently, the gold medalist has been spending the last few months with an aspiring model who works as a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas. He met her while in sin City for a poker game, and he even brought her home to meet mom for Thanksgiving.

Michael Phelps has taken another lap with his girlfriend – a big one. She’s spending Thanksgiving in Baltimore with him and his family.

The Olympic champ has been dating Las Vegas cocktail waitress Caroline “Caz” Pal, 26, for about two months. The two met after his record-setting performance in Beijing last summer.

“She’s there [in Maryland] meeting his family for the first time,” a source close to Pal tells PEOPLE.

Along with dating Pal, a waitress at the Palms Casino Resort’s Moon Nightclub, Phelps is spending time in Vegas working on his poker game.

[From People]

Of course, once the news came out, it didn’t take long to find partially-nude photos of Caroline Pal, who looks a little like Tila Tequila. You can see them over at Yeeah! They look like photos from a Maxim or Gear spread - panty-flashing, strategically covered breasts and so on. They aren’t too racy, but I can’t imagine Mrs. Phelps being too impressed. Michael - you can do better.

On a 60 Minutes episode, hottie newscaster Anderson Cooper challenged Olympic multi-gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps to a race… with stipulations.

Cooper’s Voiceover: Since he was in good spirits, and relatively out of shape, we decided to see how the world’s greated swimmer would do against a middle aged mortal. But there were conditions…

Cooper: How about if I, I get to dive, and I get to do freestyle..

Phelps: Okay

Cooper: One lap. You go underwater the whole way, you can’t breathe, and you can’t take a stroke.

Phelps: Let’s go! Let’s do it!

Cooper: And you’ll still beat me?

Phelps: Let’s go! (laughter)

Cooper: (laughter) Okay, I’m going to go change.

[Transcribed from YouTube]

And yes, this is where the segment reaches the true climax, because in the next second, Anderson Cooper is standing, shirtless, in swimming trunks, on a diving board. Take a moment to let that sink in…

Michael Phelps looks surprisingly less impressive than Cooper, which may just be because in general Michael Phelps is less impressive than Anderson Cooper, but it’s important to remember that this is off-season physique for Phelps. Anderson’s arms appear even bigger than Phelps. The Olympian definitely isn’t sporting his Adonis-like body we all focused on this summer at the Olympics. I backed the video up over and over on this spot, just watching Cooper stand there stretching his arms readying himself for the one-lap race with the skinny kid next to him.

But that skinny kid, no matter how out of competition shape he’s in, is still Michael Phelps.

Announcer: Take your mark… GO!
(Cooper and Phelps start the race, Phelps from a stand still in the pool, Cooper in a long dive from the board. Phelps, underwater the whole time, never using his arms to take a stroke, quickly overtakes the above water, freestyle stroking Cooper)

Cooper’s Voiceover: What does it feel like to race Michael Phelps? I couldn’t tell you, he moved by me so quickly I never even saw him.

(Race ends with a significant lead by Phelps who mocks his Olympic reaction by raising his hand with the #1 sign in the air and looking around. Cooper and Phelps laugh.)

Cooper: Alright, so I got beat by Michael Phelps, not too bad.

[Transcribed from YouTube]

In the pool you got beat by Michael Phelps, Anderson, but out of the pool, you’ve got him beat hands down, in every possible way!

As 2008 comes to a close, it’s time for the avalanche of year-end reviews and lists. I’m freaking out over the shrinking number of shopping days until Christmas, and Barbara Walters has already determined who the most fascinating people of the year are.

2008 was pretty un-fascinating, overall. The list is more of an indicator of popular culture than genuine fascinating people.

Some names on the list are obvious, like Olympic record-setter Michael Phelps, failed vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin impersonator and Emmy-winner Tina Fey, and tween queen Miley Cyrus.

Two of the names are questionable. Rush Limbaugh was one of the many blowhards commenting on the election, even encouraging people to vote for Hillary Clinton in the primaries in order to beat Barack Obama, but was he the most fascinating? It’s certainly indicative of what a circus the election was when Limbaugh is more of a draw than one of the few legitimate commentators left.

Frank Langella is a name I recognized as an actor, but I had to search IMDB to figure out why he’s on Barbara’s list. I’m still not sure. He’s an Oscar contender for Frost/Nixon, but that film doesn‘t even open until December 5, the day after the show airs.

Two of the names are just plain WTF. Will Smith and Tom Cruise must have the best publicists in the world, to make the list ahead of actors that actually had break-out years, like Robert Downey Jr., Daniel Craig, or Christian Bale. Will Smith’s Hancock is one of the high-grossing films of the year, but was overshadowed by other films. Tom Cruise had a part in Tropic Thunder, but Valkyrie is getting more talk for its delays than the quality of the film itself. In fact, Suri Cruise should have made the list instead of Tom.

The last two names on the list have yet to be released. I’ll go out on a limb and predict Barack and Michelle Obama.

Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People of 2008 will air Thursday, December 4 on ABC.

If I’ve missed any reasons why these people should be considered one of the top 10 fascinating people in the world, please let me know.

Last year’s list included Victoria and David Beckham, Justin Timberlake, the founders of MySpace, Bill Clinton, J.K. Rowling, Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Hudson, Hugo Chavez and Don Imus.

If I may make some suggestions to Barbara: Viggo Mortensen, Jensen Ackles, Gael Garcia Bernal, and the creators of icanhascheezburger.

The very private Carrie Underwood gave Elle magazine a rather revealing interview in the December issue. Accompanied by a stunning pictorial, the American Idol alum and top selling country artist got right down to business and cleared up some misconceptions and rumors, beginning with her alleged date with Olympic champion Michael Phelps.

It’s even more awkward when rumors emerge that you’re dating people you’re not—like, say, a certain Olympic gold medalist in swimming, as happened after the Beijing Games in August. “I never met the guy!” Underwood exclaims. “I’m sure he’s lovely. I’m sure he’s a great guy. He made America proud!” She giggles. “But I never met him, I never mentioned him in an interview, I never mentioned him in that way to anybody that I know. The only conversation that ever came up was when we were watching the Olympics and somebody would be, like, ‘How about that Michael Phelps?’ And it’s, like, ‘Yeah, he’s doing great!’ That was one of those completely, totally, utterly fabricated lies that came out of nowhere. I’ve had people for the last three days texting me and calling me: ‘Do you know Michael Phelps?’ No!” She laughs again. “I swear on everything, on my job, my house, my dog.… That’s how serious I am. It’s all just a lie. Anytime any [media source] ever says ‘a friend said,’ or ‘a close’ whatever— no, they didn’t! It’s just made up. None of my friends would say anything. Ever. About anything!”

Underwood also admits that she made a mistake when she said that her ex-boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, still calls her occasionally. The comment sent the Internet rumor mill into overdrive and had Romo’s current girlfriend Jessica Simpson on the offensive.

At the mere mention of Simpson’s name, Underwood begins biting her nails nervously. It’s clear she’d rather talk about anything else, but she submits, perhaps eager to set the record straight.

Why did Underwood ever say that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, with whom she was briefly associated, still calls her (a comment that Simpson, now dating Romo, “laughed at” and said was “definitely” not true)? “See, this is always a tricky thing,” Underwood answers. “I don’t think people realize that when you do an interview, the magazine comes out six months later. It was just something that was said in passing, and I would never mean to say anything to hurt anybody or to stir up anything, because I’m just not about drama. At all. I might be mad too,” Underwood adds, “if somebody said my boyfriend was calling some other girl. So I can definitely see where she would be coming from. But I haven’t talked to him since, like, May.”

[From Elle]

I’ve always liked Carrie since her days on American Idol. She’s talented, gorgeous, works her butt off and seems like a real person. She also admits her mistakes - something not many celebrities do. I think the best move for her romantically would be to get involved with a regular guy who’s not in the business.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are said to be working hard to convince Michael Phelps to star in a reality show that they’re itching to produce. The husband and wife team want to feature the 23 year-old swimmer’s life of recent luxury after he earned more Olympic medals than anyone in history and millions in endorsement deals. Demi and Ashton were seen out to dinner with Phelps and have also invited them to their place for dinner in attempt to convince him to do the show:

The Hollywood gossip mill began churning when Demi, 45, and Michael - who won a record eight gold medals at this summer’s Beijing Olympics - were spotted having drinks together at the Chateau Marmont recently.

“But it was all part of Demi and Ashton’s effort to get Michael to sign with them for a reality show,” an insder told The Enquirer.

“Demi was in a business mode and was making sure Michael knew she was serious about working with him.”

Not long after that initial meeting, Demi and Ashont, 30, invited Michael to their home for dinner.

“Ashton sees a Phelps reality show as a breakout hit,” divulged the insider.

“He said to Michael, ‘Do you want to be on a box of cereal or do you want to be a Hollywood star? It’s up to you.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, October 13, 2008]

Ashton and Demi are said to be pitching to show to three different networks, and the Enquirer reports that “a show could be in production by spring. As for Phelps, he’s said to be “in complete awe” of the famous couple, but to have not made a decision about the show yet.

Ashton’s show Pop Fiction on E! wasn’t a real success, but he did well with Beauty and The Geek and Punk’d was funny in it’s own way. It’s a decent concept to feature Phelps and his new brush with fame on a reality show, but whether it will somehow help him or not is up to question.

Reality shows have made people famous and helped shine up fading stars, but they do come at a pretty big trade off in terms of privacy and public opinion. People can’t control the way they’re portrayed on those type of shows, which tend to make participants into caricatures. It seems like someone as newly rich and famous as Phelps should work to create his own image and not try to go for cheap fame with a reality show. He earned his gold medals, now it’s up to him how he controls his public image. He’s made a few blunders, especially with those ass-grabbing pics.

Radar Magazine has some new photos of record-setting Olympian Michael Phelps getting his grope on in Vegas at the Playboy Club at the Palms. One of their writers happened to be in Sin City and witnessed Phelps enter the club, honing in on the dancers and immediately heading over to grab ass:

Radar Staff Writer Neel Shah spent the evening in Las Vegas (more on that later), and was kind enough to send along these fine photos of Olympic hero Michael Phelps “massively skeeving on girls at the Playboy Club” in that city’s Palms Casino. Neel notes that the Olympian was accompanied by an entourage of striped-shirted schmucks, one of whose sole duties appeared to be pointing a flashlight at anyone attempting to photograph the swimmer during his efforts to obtain a gold medal in ass-grabbing. (”It was unreal,” says Neel. “Within moments of entering the club he summoned two girls over… I’ve never seen such an aggressive grip.”)

But don’t be too quick to judge: Who among us, having just accomplished the greatest individual feat in Olympic history, wouldn’t head straight to Vegas to score some tail? Hell, if it were me I’d still be wearing the goggles. Anyway, see how a true champion executes a classic butt-rub maneuver on a scantily-clad cocktail server below.

[From RadarOnline]

Aren’t you, like, not supposed to touch the women working in those places? Doesn’t that kind of grabbing usually get you escorted out by a beefy doorman nearly immediately? I guess if you’re a national hero they make an exception for you. Or maybe the bouncers are scared of the guy. He probably can’t get his groove on that well out of the water, hence all the awkward touching and feeling. He’s like a sea creature just introduced to worldly delights. He doesn’t yet know the rules that govern social interaction on land and is bound to make a few mistakes.

Radar has one more photo of Phelps with a scantily clad server if you’re interested.

Country singer Carrie Underwood, 25, and world record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, 23, have been talking on the phone and texting back and forth. They haven’t met yet but they’re planning a date to take place in Nashville soon. Phelps is said to have heard that Underwood called him “cute” and that paved the way for the two to get in touch.

[Michael Phelps] is totally smitten with Carrie after her heard that she thought he was “cute,” say sources at the 2008 Olympics. They began texting and calling one another while Michael was still in Beijing and have already made plans to get together in Nashville, near where Carrie lives. Carrie suggested “a quiet dinner” as a first date, said the source.

“But Michael laughed and said, ‘I’m not so sure that you’d want to see me eat! It might not make a good first impression.’”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, September 9, 2008]

That’s cute that he said he doesn’t want her to see him eat. The Enquirer reminds us that Phelps has to consume 12,000 calories a day while he’s in training to keep up his energy. That’s more than a lot of people eat in a whole week.

I don’t really see how this guy is so attractive. He is an amazing and heroic athlete who demonstrates triumph of will and deserves to be lauded. He’s not a traditionally good looking guy when he puts a shirt on, though. I don’t see him lasting with Carrie or it going beyond a first date or two. She comes off as petty to me, and she’s clearly not over her failed relationship with Tony Romo given some of the things she’s said about him. Phelps just doesn’t seem like her type. That said, JayBird is single and open to giving the guy a chance despite his physical oddities.

Carrie Underwood is shown at the CMA Music Festival on 6/7/08. Credit: Judy Eddy / WENN. Michael Phelps is shown at an event to announce the “Visa grant for early swimming” on 8/28/08. Credit: L Gallo / WENN

She’s not performing, but Britney Spears, as part of her latest comeback attempt, will have a presence at this year’s Video Music Awards. Last week, Britney’s manager, Larry Rudolph, pulled the plug on speculation that she’d be opening the awards just like last year. But she is nominated for an award for her video, “Piece of Me,” and rumor has it that she’ll also be presenting an award along with Olympic champion Michael Phelps.

Britney Spears is to make her return to the MTV VMAs next week accompanied by Olympic swimming golden boy Michael Phelps.

The troubled star had been planning to perform live at the show too, but her manager pulled the plug on the idea - probably a good idea after her disastrous bikini-clad performance at the show last year.

Instead, it’s emerged that Britney will take the stage with human fish Phelps to present one of the many awards on September 8, introduced by host Russell Brand.

She may well end up accepting a gong too - she’s been nominated for her single Piece Of Me.

[From The Daily Mirror]

The official MTV VMA web site doesn’t list Britney as a presenter, though it does confirm that Phelps will be there.

He walked away from this summer’s Olympic Games with a record-setting eight gold medals. So what’s swimming sensation Michael Phelps going to do next? Well, after his requisite trip to Disney World — he’ll be heading out to Los Angeles’ Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7 to hand out a Moonman or two during the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.

MTV revealed Thursday (August 28) that Phelps, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Ciara, Scarlett Johansson, “Superbad” scene-stealer Christopher Mintz-Plasse and “High School Musical” stars Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens will be presenters at the show, which will air live at 9 p.m ET. They’ll join “Twilight” stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, who were also announced as presenters on Tuesday.

Additionally, it was announced that DJ AM and Blink-182 kitman Travis Barker will be mixing live drum beats to scratched records throughout the evening. Later in the show, the pair will team up with Katy Perry, T-Pain, Lupe Fiasco, the Ting Tings and other special guests to perform new and past MTV hits as part of a special celebration of the VMAs’ 25th birthday.

The news follows the recent announcements that Rihanna, Pink, T.I., Kid Rock, Paramore, Lil Wayne and the Jonas Brothers will be taking the VMA stage this year. Additional presenters and performers will be announced in the coming days.

This year’s VMAs will be hosted by British comic and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” co-star Russell Brand.

[From MTV.com]

Of course, that doesn’t mean Britney won’t be presenting- MTV might just be keeping it under wraps for now.

Britney Spears is shown on 6/26/08. Micheal Phelps is shown yesterday and this morning, 8/27/08 and 8/28/08. He should definitely keep his shirt off. Credit: WENN. Edit - more shirtless photos added by popular demand. Credit: PRPhotos

Earlier in the week there was a lot of speculation about record-setting Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps’ love life. The buff athlete graces the cover of Sports Illustrated and stands to earn millions in endorsement deals. He’s one of the hottest commodities around, but fellow American Olympic swimmer and Playboy model Amanda Beard denied hooking up with him, saying “Ewww, that’s nasty” when she was asked about it. British model Lily Donaldson hasn’t commented on a rumored romance with Phelps, but there’s at least one lovely Olympian who didn’t pass up a chance with the 6′4″ powerhouse.

Phelps, 23, was spotted making out with Australian three-time Olympic gold-winning swimmer Stephanie Rice, 20, at a party on Monday:

Phelps, fresh from shattering Mark Spitz’s 36-year-old record, was spotted Monday night in a hot make-out session with Down Under swimmer Stephanie Rice, a source tells The Post’s Clemente Lisi and Luke Dennehy. The pumped-up pair clinched and swapped spit at a celebratory bash outside the Olympic Village.

The Baltimore Bullet swooped in for the lip-lock with the 20-year-old brunette just weeks after she split from Aussie swimmer Eamon Sullivan. “All the swimmers are talking about it, and [Sullivan] is cut up about what happened,” the source said.

The day after the face-sucking frolics, Phelps and Rice cheekily posed together for Speedo - laughing and playfully groping each other as a photographer snapped them in their swimsuits. “I definitely admire him for his athletic ability and everything he’s achieved,” gushed Rice, who won three gold medals of her own. “I’m just really glad to be in the mix with that.”

Whether the dynamic duo is now a couple isn’t known. Phelps’ rep didn’t return our calls.

[From The NY Post]

I know these two are young and this may not last for them, but could you imagine what great athletes their kids would be? Rice has a couple of world records under her belt too.

Once the Olympics come to an end on Sunday Phelps will have a great new place to relax and entertain the women that are sure to flock to him. He’s purchased a $1.69 million dollar condo on the river in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He can surely afford a much bigger mansion, though. US Weekly reports that his lifetime earnings are estimated to come in around $100 million and that he already has endorsement deals with PowerBar, Omega, AT&T Wireless, Visa, Speedo, and Kelloggs.

Here’s Stephanie Rice winning the gold medal in the 200M individual Medley on 8/13/08. Credit: Insidefoto / PR Photos

Lopez never mentioned on GMA that she’s technically not doing a full triathlon
Jennifer Lopez was on Good Morning America on Monday to promote the fact that she’s competing in a triathlon for charity on September 14 in Malibu. Lopez is training with Self Magazine editor Lucy Danzinger and all proceeds raised from J.Lo’s triathlon pledges will go to Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. I looked up the triathlon taking place in Malibu on September 14, and it’s a “a half-mile ocean swim, an 18 mile out-and-back bike course, and a 4-mile out-and-back run course.” That’s certainly very difficult, and way more than I could do, but it’s technically not a full triathlon and is what is known as a “sprint triathlon,” but neither Lopez or Danzinger mentioned on GMA that she wasn’t doing a full triathlon. I’m splitting hairs here and she deserves a lot of credit, especially after just having twins six months ago, but if you believe the rumors Lopez is expecting just as much credit as a certain record-breaking Olympian.

Did Lopez say she didn’t understand why Phelps was the big story, not her?
The origins of this rumor are suspect, but Lopez supposedly said behind the scenes on Good Morning America that she didn’t understand why Michael Phelps’ Olympic victories were the big story instead of her fitness achievements. If this is true, maybe she’s just so wrapped up in training and caring for the twins that she doesn’t watch the news, go online, or read a paper. Lopez was on GMA on Monday, which is right after Phelps won his record-breaking eighth Olympic medal:

Jennifer Lopez has reportedly claimed that she is surprised by all the attention eight-time Olympic winner Michael Phelps is receiving.

According to a source at Good Morning America, the singer thought her efforts in training for triathlon were greater than Phelps’s swimming gold medal haul.

After filming a TV interview, she apparently said “she couldn’t understand why everyone is talking about that swimmer.”

The source added: “She couldn’t come up with [Michael] Phelps’ name, and then she yammered on about how she was the one training for a triathlon just six months after giving birth, and how that was the big story right now, not ‘the swimmer’.”

[From DigitalSpy]

I really hope someone made that story up. It’s possible she’s just so isolated in her Long Island mansion and focused on her children and sports training that she’s not keeping up with the news at all. She came across as pretty likable on Good Morning America, but you can see where she gets her reputation if she’s spouting self-centered crap like this.

Jennifer Lopez is shown on Good Morning America on 8/18/08. Credit: Anthony Dixon / WENN