‘Hero’ to the rescue

Malibu, Calif. — Although he once played the reluctant “Hero” in a movie of the same name, Dustin Hoffman wasted no time rushing to the aid of an allergic bee sting victim.

The Oscar-winning actor’s real-life heroics occurred two weeks ago when Lydia Graham, 36, walking on the beach with friends, was stung by a bee near Hoffman’s home in Malibu.

Hoffman and his wife, Lisa, were on deck chairs outside their home when they heard what happened. Hoffman’s wife, who is also allergic to bee stings, retrieved an emergency injection kit from their home and the two rushed to the woozy Graham’s aid.

“I did recognize that it was Dustin Hoffman but I was sure that … I could possibly die,” Graham said on The Early Show.”

Tom Sizemore going back to court

Los Angeles — A Superior Court judge has ordered Tom Sizemore to appear in court Aug. 5 to set another hearing into whether he violated probation after being convicted of abusing ex-girlfriend and former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss.

Prosecutors allege he made contact with Fleiss and tested positive for drugs, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Sizemore’s lawyer, Michael Rovell, said Tuesday the actor did not violate his probation. Sizemore, who has appeared in films such as “Black Hawk Down,” was sentenced in October to six months in jail on misdemeanor charges of harassing and abusing Fleiss.

Rated ‘T’ for teens?

New York — Who better to preside over awards such as “Choice Hissy Fit” and “Choice Liplock” than Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie?

The so-called “celebutants” from the Fox reality show, “The Simple Life 2,” will be hosts of the 2004 Teen Choice Awards, Fox announced Tuesday.

The awards show, scheduled to be taped Aug. 8 at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, also will include appearances by Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Usher and Ashton Kutcher. The show will air Aug. 11.

Competition Trump-style

New York — Move over, Donald Trump. Again. Yet another suit-and-tie reality show in the vein of “The Apprentice” is slated to hit the airwaves in mid-2005.

“American Start-Up,” produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s LivePlanet production company, will fund eight baby businesses with $50,000 seed capital, then eliminate them if they don’t measure up, Spike TV’s programming and production executive Vice President Kevin Kay announced last week.

Unlike the Trump-filled “The Apprentice,” Affleck and Damon won’t tell contestants they’re fired during the 10 episodes of “American Start-Up.” Instead, a board comprised of successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists will guide the eager contestants.