Stiller shocked by Streisand’s role as ‘Fockers’ mom

Los Angeles — Ben Stiller can’t believe Barbra Streisand agreed to play his mother in the new comedy “Meet the Fockers.”

“Nobody thought it would actually happen and it did, which was incredible,” Stiller told AP Radio in an interview. “She was so cool and funny, and it was great to see her have a chance to sort of go back to that comedy that she’s done.”

Streisand won an Oscar for her role in 1968’s “Funny Girl.”

Stiller said the 62-year-old actress was his dream choice, but he never thought she’d agree to do the movie, a sequel to 2000’s “Meet the Parents.”

In the new film, Stiller, who plays Greg Focker, and his fiancee (Teri Polo) are preparing to wed, so it’s time for her parents — the reserved Byrnes (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) — to meet the irrepressibly liberal Fockers (Streisand and Dustin Hoffman).

Murray stays confident in Speedo swimwear

Los Angeles — Bill Murray’s choice of swimwear in his new movie leaves little to the imagination. But the star of “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou” said he wasn’t embarrassed to be seen in a tiny bathing suit.

“Being in a Speedo with other men in Speedos is, you know, is like you’re on a swimming team,” he said recently, according to AP Radio. “It’s the other men that are not in Speedos that are the problem because they’re kind of going like, ‘Can you get a load of the guy in the Speedo?'”

Wes Anderson’s gleeful takeoff on undersea adventure movies stars Murray as the Jacques-Yves Cousteau-like explorer of the film’s title.

The 54-year-old actor said he didn’t see his character as being physically vain.

“I like to say I made the acting choice to have a little bit of a belly. I could’ve gotten really in shape, but I didn’t think that Steve Zissou would be a guy who’d be like completely buff,” he said. “I actually had to get a little bit out of shape.”

Several Anderson regulars are back for the film, including Owen Wilson and Anjelica Huston.

Penn and Teller make pitch for holiday blood donations

Los Angeles — Magicians Penn and Teller have conjured up a second annual blood drive they’ve tagged “Dreaming of a Red Christmas.”

The pair will donate two tickets to their show at the Rio hotel and casino to anyone who donates blood through Jan. 1, they said this week at United Blood Services in Las Vegas.

“We know that the holidays are a hard time for UBS and blood (supplies) are low, so we thought it was the least we could,” said Penn Jillette, speaking for silent partner Teller.

The same offer last year led to the donation of nearly $400,000 worth of tickets to their show at Rio’s Penn & Teller Theater, they said.

Birthday: Ryan Seacrest

“American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest is 30. Designer Kate Spade is 42. Rock singer Mary Ramsey (10,000 Maniacs) is 41. Actor Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”) is 38. Singer Ricky Martin is 33.