Sexiest vegetarians named

New York – Carrie Underwood and Kevin Eubanks have been named the “world’s sexiest vegetarians” in PETA’s annual contest.

Results were released Tuesday by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Underwood, 24, a Grammy-winning country singer, won the title in 2005. Eubanks, 49, leader of NBC’s “Tonight Show” band, is a newcomer to the winner’s circle.

Eubanks leapt ahead of his competitors with help from Jay Leno, who encouraged viewers to vote for Eubanks and “bring honor” to the late-night NBC talk show.

Runners-up in the contest, which the animal rights group said drew more than 110,000 votes on its Web site, included Joaquin Phoenix, Milo Ventimiglia, Kristen Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jared Leto and Lisa Edelstein.

Last year, Prince and Bell, who starred on the “Veronica Mars” TV series, were picked as the two sexiest vegetarians. Previous winners also include Natalie Portman, Andre 3000, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Shania Twain, Tobey Maguire, Lauren Bush, Josh Hartnett and Alicia Silverstone.

Lohan extends rehab stay

New York – Lindsay Lohan, who checked into rehab after a wild Memorial Day weekend, plans to extend her stay, says her mother, Dina Lohan.

“She’s going to be doing extended care,” Dina Lohan said in Tuesday’s editions of the Daily News. “It was her choice.”

The “Mean Girls” actress, who turns 21 on Monday, checked into rehab after she crashed her Mercedes Benz into a curb and was photographed slumped in the passenger seat of a friend’s car.

It was her second rehab stint this year. Lohan said in January she had checked into a rehabilitation center for substance abuse treatment.

It was unclear how long Lohan will stretch her stay at Promises in Malibu, Calif., but her family plans to go to California next week to celebrate her birthday.

Ty Dux, Dina Lohan’s security guard/publicist, said the birthday celebration will take place away from the Promises facility and “no alcohol” will be served.

“Lindsay is looking to rebound even better,” Dux said. “She wants to prove to everybody that she means it.”

Hefner’s life story to be made into movie

Los Angeles – Hugh Hefner’s Playboy lifestyle is set to hit the big screen.

The film, to carry the title of his magazine, will be directed by Brett Ratner, whose credits include the “Rush Hour” movies and “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

It will be produced for Universal Pictures by Brian Grazer, who won the best picture Oscar in 2002 for “A Beautiful Mind.”

Hefner, 81, sold the rights to his story to Grazer several years ago. He approved the project last week.

“Hef came from a puritanical upbringing and reinvented himself to be the godfather of the sexual revolution,” Ratner told Daily Variety, which reported the deal Monday.

“He also used his magazine to advocate civil rights and free speech, and put James Brown on his show ‘Playboy After Dark’ when they didn’t put black performers on national television,” Ratner was quoted as saying. “He broke all kinds of taboos, especially in sexuality. I want to show it all, from the First Amendment struggles to his first orgy to the stroke in the 1980s that almost killed him.”