Formerly the domain of B-list actors and fading stars, appearing on the boob tube has recently become de rigueur for big name celebs. From Naomi Campbell to Britney Spears to Lindsay Lohan, TV has been all about the guest appearance this past year, and it doesn't look like it will be changing anytime soon. In between caring for five-month-old Harlow and filming her new reality TV series, Nicole Richie will appear in an episode of Chuck this fall. According to People.com, the executive producer Josh Schwartz says that, "Nicole auditioned for the part and was very funny." Meanwhile, Mary-Kate Olsen — who guest-starred on the series Weeds earlier this year, to critical acclaim — has signed on to appear on Samantha Who? "She showed up alone, ready to work, is great on set and is serious about the job," Executive Producer Don Todd says. And while it's unclear whether these performances will be award-worthy, the top 10 finalists for this year's Emmy Award for comedy and drama were announced this morning. Among the shows in the running for the prestigious TV award are Curb Your Enthusiasm, Flight of the Conchords, The Office, Ugly Betty, Weeds, Grey's Anatomy, Mad Men, and The Tudors. No word yet on whether Victoria Beckham will win for her acting turn on Ugly Betty last season.

In a year when Juno dominated award season buzz and the TV show The Secret Life of the American Teen got the greenlight, it took a special type of teen pregnancy story to catch America's attention. Enter Jamie Lynn Spears, who shocked even Us Weekly editors when she announced that she was pregnant at 16. Nine months later and the actress/famous younger sister has given birth a healthy baby girl. According to TMZ.com, Spears' baby daddy (who is also her fiancé) Casey Aldridge was afraid to hold his newborn daughter Maddie Briann, for fear of dropping her. Although Spears is still recuperating in the hospital, relatives say that she is thrilled to be a mother. Britney, meanwhile, is back in the studio, hard at work on her next album. May we suggest a collection of pop lullabies?

"Britney is like this Tennessee Williams tragic figure. The fatter she gets, the weirder she gets, the more I love her. I found her moderately appealing in the late 90s, but now I would marry her in a heartbeat."

Says Moby, in a recent issue The Sun of his unlikely (but somehow, likely) crush.

Tennessee Williams, by the way, was a gay twentieth century playwright from the American south who had an abusive father, a controlling mother, and a schizophrenic sister. Tennessee suffered from temporary paralysis, self-loathing, alcoholism, amphetamine addiction, and died randomly by choking on an eyedrop bottlecap.

So basically, he was a pretty lucky guy.

I can totally see where Moby was going with his comparison... Southern roots/"country", check. Controlling mother, check. Amphetamine addiction, check. Hates himself, check. Family history of mental illness, check. Gay tendencies, check. Alcoholism, hmm...

Check.

Moby does have a point - Brit Brit certainly has more complexity than anyone woulda given her credit for back in the "Baby one more Time" days!

But is he infatuated enough to help the popwreck resuscitate her career and life??

Jamie Lynn Spears is engaged, People Magazine is reporting, after noticing the Zoey 101 star's sparkly new engagement ring from baby daddy Casey Aldridge. The source reports:

Mom-to-be Jamie Lynn Spears is sporting some sparkling new jewelry - an engagement ring from fiance Casey Aldridge.

Spears, 16, has been flashing the rock to friends and family around Louisiana and Mississippi, a source close to the family tells PEOPLE.

"She's got an engagement ring," the source says. "She's been showing it off, talking about it."

Hmm. So maybe the baby really isn't some tv producer's bastard fetus???

A couple previews of Britney Spears' guest appearance in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother hit the web today, in addition to a teaser released earlier this week.

Abby - the smiling, happy, clean-cut looking character Britney plays - is a dermatologist's receptionist who forms a crush on Josh Radnor's character, Ted, when she accidentally walks in on him having a tattoo removed.

The cameo came about after Britney's "people" (apparently she has an entourage again) contacted CBS seeking a "funny role" for Britney to play that would involve acting as more than just "another version of herself". Britney's people loved the part, and had the starlet memorizing her lines just 24 hours after receiving the script. On set, the show's creator says Britney "seemed to fit right in" and "have a good time" as she did a lot of "laughing" and joking around with the cast.

Is the image overhaul Brit's folks implemented actually working?? The show and the part may be cheesy as hell, but at least Britney appears to be motivated again. And she actually looks pretty ... even her hair looks good!

Will it last?

Lest we forget the less recent "version" of Britney, South Park put out an episode this week depicting (with the show's usual grotesque genius) the irony and general bizarreness of Britney's mental state as well as the media circus that surrounds her.

See below for the latest Britney T.V. exposure...