Tattle: Clay Aiken and producer-friend are expecting

CLAYMANIANCS, brace yourselves:

Clay Aiken

is somebody's baby daddy.

TMZ.com broke this story yesterday afternoon, a few hours before Aiken was scheduled to appear on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," plugging and singing from his new album "On My Way Here." According to TMZ, the mother of Clay's child is Jaymes Foster, a 40-something record producer who is the crooner's best friend. Sounds like friends with benefits to us.

This might dispel all those "is he or isn't he?" rumors about Aiken, 29, except that TMZ.com has been told that Foster was artificially inseminated. So maybe no deed was done. Nevertheless, Aiken is no mere sperm donor - he plans to have an active role in shaping the life of this little lump of Clay.

Gilbert back on 'Prairie'

Melissa Gilbert, all grown up at 44, is returning to "The Little House on the Prairie," but this time she's the Ma. Gilbert, who portrayed Laura Ingalls in the '70s TV series that starred Michael Landon, will appear on the Guthrie Theater stage in Minneapolis when the "Little House" stories become a musical this summer. Playing "Pa" (the Landon role) in the musical is Steve Blanchard, better known as the Beast in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast."

A reason to live

Patrick Swayze, 55, who shocked and saddened Hollywood in March when he announced he was battling pancreatic cancer, is being sought by the producers of "Point Break: Indo," to appear in the film, a sequel to the actor's 1991 action film "Point Break." "One day, two days, a week of shooting - whatever they can get Patrick for, they'll make it work," a studio insider told Life&Style magazine. And if his health precludes him from working, the producers assure they have a back-up plan, using flashbacks and references to the old plot lines and characters, so that Swayze will still be part of the new film.

It's official

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, 23, who married Fall Out Boy-friend Pete Wentz, 28, earlier this month, is pregnant.

And the happy couple realizes that this is not much of a surprise to faithful followers of celebrity gossip.

"While many have speculated about this, we wanted to wait until after the first trimester to officially confirm that we are expecting our first child," read a statement Wednesday on Wentz's blog. "This is truly the most joyous time in our lives and we are excited to share the happy news and start our family."

Translation: It's over

Jennifer Butler Murray has officially filed for divorce from her Oscar-nominated hubby, Bill Murray, after more than 10 years of marriage. The 42-year-old wife and mother of four, who separated from her husband a year ago, wants the marriage ended on the grounds of drug addiction, physical abuse, adultery and abandonment.

Jennifer Murray has requested a restraining order against her husband, who she says hit her in the face last November and then told her she was "lucky he didn't kill her."

Fox picks up the Garbage

The producers of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" have gone digging through the Garbage for a new cast member.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson will join the Fox drama in its second season and not just in a small role.

Manson will be a cast regular, playing Catherine Weaver, CEO of a high-tech company. No other details are provided, but in the "Terminator" universe, CEOs at high-tech companies tend to exist only to push humanity one step closer to the brink of robo-domination.

This will be Manson's first major break into acting. The Scottish singer's hits with Garbage include "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Stupid Girl." *

The Associated Press, People magazine, and TV Guide contributed to this report.