‘Bennifer,’ the sequel

New York — Oscar-winning Hollywood heartthrob Ben Affleck and his girlfriend of nine months, Jennifer Garner, are engaged to be married, People magazine reported late Wednesday.

Affleck, 32, popped the question over the weekend, according to the magazine, setting the stage for a second round of “Bennifer” wedding fever following Affleck’s aborted nuptial plans with Jennifer Lopez.

“Though neither Affleck nor Garner will officially confirm it, a close friend of his has been spreading the word that the couple are going to tie the knot,” the magazine said.

Affleck’s publicist has denied the pair are planning to marry, while Garner’s representatives refused to comment on the rampant reports of the pair’s betrothal.

But Star magazine reported that “Pearl Harbor” star Affleck went down on one knee during a party during the weekend to celebrate the 33rd birthday of “Elektra” actress Garner at her Los Angeles home.

The couple, who met during the filming of the comic-book adventure “Daredevil,” began dating in August, after Affleck’s break-up with J.Lo.

No joke: Seacrest gets a star

Los Angeles — The host of “American Idol” has become an idol himself.

Ryan Seacrest was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday in a ceremony attended by his Fox TV colleagues, “Idol” judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell.

“Listen, Simon,” Jackson said to Cowell during their ceremonial speech. “What would we say about this day?”

“Ill-deserved,” the famously grumpy Cowell replied, dryly. “I cannot believe that April the 20th is going to be Ryan Seacrest Day. I am officially taking this day off my diary.”

Seacrest, 30, a 15-year radio veteran, confessed, “I remember getting up this morning at 3:30 a.m. on my way in to do the morning show, and I thought, ‘One person is going to come today.’ … I thought this would be the most unpopular star dedication ever.”

After the ceremony Seacrest said, “I actually thought it was a joke when I heard that they were going to do this.”

Abdul denies drug rumors

New York — Don’t mistake Paula Abdul’s “American Idol” niceties or silliness for drug addiction. Despite a neuropathic disorder and 12 operations, Abdul says she’s “not addicted to pills of any kind.”

“If people only knew what I’ve gone through with pain and pills,” Abdul, 42, says in the May 2 issue of People magazine. “I’m dancing for joy at the fact that not even a year ago I was in so much pain I could barely get up.”

Last November, the “Idol” judge was diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a chronic neurological disorder that causes severe pain.

Abdul remarked that her 25 years of pain have been long and arduous, beginning with a cheerleading accident at 17 that injured a disc in her neck. The pain was punctuated with “a couple of car accidents” in the 1980s, her battle with bulimia, an emergency plane landing in 1992, paralysis in 1998 and years of failed treatments.

The choreographer and former Laker girl is talking about her chronic pain after reading messages posted on the Fox talent show’s Web site that attributed her odd antics to drug addiction.

Moore awards defiance

San Marcos, Calif. — Michael Moore has established a scholarship for students who defy the administration at California State University, San Marcos — the school that canceled a talk by the filmmaker last year.

The Michael Moore Freedom of Speech Scholarship will award $2,500 each to two Cal State San Marcos students “who have done the most to fight for issues of student rights by standing up to the administration,” according to a news release issued Wednesday.

The first of the annual scholarships will be awarded in the 2005-2006 academic year.

Cal State San Marcos President Karen Hynes revoked Moore’s invitation to speak last fall because she said the school was prohibited from spending state money on partisan political activity. Hynes said she didn’t think there would be enough time to find a speaker whose opinions could balance Moore’s liberal views.

In October 2004, the “Fahrenheit 9/11” filmmaker spoke to 10,000 people off campus at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, where he announced his plans to start what he called a “hellraiser” scholarship.

Jackson trial judge denies battered women testimony

Santa Maria, Calif. — The judge in Michael Jackson’s child molestation trial Thursday refused a prosecution bid to call an expert on battered women to explain the demeanor of the accuser’s mother during her five days on the witness stand.

The ruling was a victory for the pop star’s defense team; defense attorney Robert Sanger argued vehemently against the expert, saying such testimony was irrelevant.

“She has committed perjury in this case from the stand,” he said of the mother. “This is not because she’s a battered woman. It’s because she lies for gain … in repeated declarations for money.”

The ruling came as Judge Rodney S. Melville dealt with pending motions before a long weekend. Court was to be in recess today.