Mailer's out with a new book but in the hospital

Norman Mailer is on the mend after surgery to remove scar tissue around one of his lungs, his daughter-in-law said yesterday. "He's been getting better every time I see him," Salina Mailer told the Associated Press. This is the latest setback for the literary lion, who canceled his public appearances in September because of breathing difficulties. Mailer, 84, underwent the operation at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, where he is still recuperating. A Provincetown resident, Mailer won Pulitzers for "The Armies of the Night" and "The Executioner's Song." His latest book, "On God: An Uncommon Conversation" was published earlier this week.

Thirty years of arena rock have not been kind to Steven Tyler's vocal cords. Just ask Dr. Steven Zeitels, the world-class laryngologist who's had his hands inside the Aerosmith screamer's throat. "Steve sings rock 'n' roll at a very intense level," says Zeitels, director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Mass. General Hospital. "Think about it: What singer has done more large-scale rock shows than Steve?" Tyler's vocal cords - and Zeitels' remarkable work to repair them - are featured on "Incredible Human Machine," a two-hour show airing Sunday on the National Geographic Channel. We see Zeitels zap blood vessels in Tyler's throat, and then measure the movement of his vocal cords while singing "Dream On." Zeitels, whose clients have included Julie Andrews, Cher, Denyce Graves, and Frederica von Stade, said Tyler was an exemplary patient. "He's an algorithmic thinker," said Zeitels. "Amazingly bright."

Jeffrey Donovan's joining the A-list. The Amesbury-bred actor has just landed a lead in Clint Eastwood's latest film "Changeling." Donovan, who not so long ago was playing Hamlet on the Boston Common, will co-star with Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich in the drama about a woman whose son goes missing in LA in the 1920s. Donovan plays a police captain in the film that's set to start shooting soon. The UMass grad is currently starring in "Burn Notice" on the USA Network.

Kate Hudson (inset) may be single again, Us Weekly reports. The 28-year-old "Bachelor No. 2" actress has attended several recent events alone, including her high school reunion, where she chatted up NBA star and former classmate Baron Davis. The sightings of Hudson without recent squeeze Dax Shepard have prompted questions about whether she and the actor are still an item. In "Bachelor," however, Hudson will have two suitors. Yesterday, she was at Smith & Wollensky's filming a romantic scene with Dane Cook. In other scenes, Hudson's pursued by Jason Biggs.

Steve Martin and the rest of the "Pink Panther 2" cast have three more weeks of filming, but they held their wrap party at Boston Public Tuesday night. Joining the film's star and writer were Andy Garcia, John Cleese, Emily Mortimer, and Jean Reno, and the film's director Harald Zwart. While chef/co-owner Pino Maffeo's Back Bay eatery was originally called Boston Public Meat, the steakhouse had no trouble whipping up a meatless meal for Martin, a vegetarian, who was a bit late to the party after filming in Chelsea with Lily Tomlin all day.

Bill Clinton will deliver the first lecture for Brandeis's new leadership program named for the former president's personal adviser and good friend, Eli Segal, who died last year. Segal, a Brandeis alum, was CEO of the Corporation for National Community Service. Clinton's Dec. 3 lecture is expected to focus on community engagement.

Some guys have all the luck. Not only is Ben Affleck's directorial debut getting the great reviews it deserves, a swarm of supermodels showed up at a screening of "Gone Baby Gone" this week in New York. Among those catwalking the red carpet were Hana Soukupova, Maggie Rizer, and Frederique Van Der Wal. Other familiar faces included actresses Patricia Clarkson, Janine Turner, and Milena Govich; singer Sheryl Crow; B-52 frontman Fred Schneider; Howard Stern fiancee Beth Ostrosky; and Fox News femme Kimberly Guilfoyle and husband Eric Villency.

Despite an Internet announcement that Matt Damon, Ben and Casey Affleck, and Jennifer Garner would be rowing in the Head of the Charles, the celeb quartet will not be participating in a charity race on Sunday. "Sometimes rowers are in their own world," said race spokesman Jim Connelly about the erroneous posting on a site dedicated to the race. "I think someone was trying to make the news more interesting." There are some notables competing in the charity race, including Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, who has enlisted financial wiz David Fialkow to be in his rowing foursome. As of yesterday, they've raised $170,000 for the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown and are aiming for a quarter of a million dollars.

Could there be trouble brewing between Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen? According to Gawker.com, the couple had a very public quarrel Monday while dining at Extra Virgin in New York's West Village. Gawker's stalker says Brady's lady ended the argument by walking out, leaving the Pats QB to enjoy his meal solo. "Everybody was looking at them," says the spywitness. Hmm.

WBOS program director David Ginsburg is leaving the FM station at the end of the week. There was no official word on why, but in an e-mail yesterday, Ginsburg wrote that he's "open to new opportunities" and that he's starting his own blog. Of course.

Nico Calabria, a 13-year-old Concord boy born with one leg, told Ellen DeGeneres it wasn't that difficult to climb 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro - and raise nearly $60,000 for charity in the process. But when the talk-show host presented him with a new Gibson guitar on yesterday's show, the teen seemed somewhat overwhelmed. "Is this for me?" Calabria asked. "I don't take guitar lessons." To which DeGeneres quipped: "You will now."

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