From her days as a wannabe on MTV's "Making the Band 3," Aubrey O'Day knows a thing or two about auditions. So it was nothing for her to sit in judg ment last night as dozens of pixies (above) pranced around the Avalon stage for a shot at joining the Celtics dance team. "What qualifies me to be a judge? Well, I'm a dancer and I like hot girls," O'Day told us, laughing. "I guess I'm looking for girls that have an 'it' factor. . . . That's what I have, and I'm looking for a girl like me." (Who isn't?) Not only did the bevy of beauties dance last night, they also donned Britney Spears get-ups as well as swimwear. Of her own future plans, O'Day said she's starting small : "My main goal is to change the world in whatever way I can do that."

Tyler's vocal cords up close and personal

Never mind his puckered puss, Steven Tyler's vocal cords are the stars of this show. The National Geographic Channel yesterday gave us a sneak peek of a two-hour special called "The Incredible Human Machine," and the Aerosmith singer's innards are in it. The show, premiering Oct. 21, includes footage of Tyler's vocal cords shot during the singer's surgery. Speaking to TV critics yesterday in Beverly Hills, Tyler's surgeon, Steven Zeitels, said National Geographic had asked if he had any "unique cases" they could include in the show. "I had the comfort level with this particular organization, and I thought Steven might, too," Zeitels said. Unfortunately for the critics, the footage of Tyler's surgery was screened as they were trying to eat lunch.

Filmmaking bill awaits Patrick's approval

Legislation to make Massachusetts more appealing to filmmakers got a final nod yesterday and is now awaiting Governor Deval Patrick's signature. The House voted yesterday to approve an amended version of the bill that streamlined tax incentive legislation originally passed two years ago. The Senate approved the same measure a few days ago. Among the film projects that could be made here are Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan's follow - up to "The Departed," and a "Pink Panther" sequel.

Cantone gets inside 'View' on opening

Comic Mario Cantone may have had an unofficial audition yesterday to fill "The View" seat vacated by Rosie O'Donnell, but the Stoneham native says he doesn't think he should get the permanent gig. "I think I could, but I think it should be a woman," the Emerson alum told the TV show "Extra." "It's a woman's show. I think a gay man is still a man , and the viewpoints could be very different."

Harvard OKs Sanders for Washington film

Attention movie directors: You can't film on Harvard campus, but you can film in Harvard's Sanders Theatre, or so Denzel Washington has learned. The director/star of "The Great Debaters" -- about a debate team from a tiny, all-black college that ate Harvard's lunch back in 1935 -- will be allowed to film the debate scene at Sanders next week . It's a great location, since that's where the real debate took place. "Sanders is regularly rented out as a music venue, so it's outside the rules that forbid filming on campus," said Harvard spokesman Joe Wrinn. The flick also stars Forest Whitaker and Kimberly Elise.

Wahlberg's bullish about 'The Fighter'

Looks like "The Fighter" is about to start filming, and Mark Wahlberg has high hopes for the pugilist biopic. The Oscar nominee tells MTV that the movie based on the life of Lowell's own "Irish" Micky Ward could be an instant classic. "If it ain't gonna be like 'Raging Bull,' then it ain't worth doing," said Walhberg. "It's one of those amazing stories that I hope I get an opportunity to tell in my career. It's going to be one of them gems." The Dorchester native, who'll play the rocky Ward, confirmed that Rachel Weisz's boyfriend, Darren Aronofsky , is on board to direct, and Matt Damon will play trainer Dick Eklund. No word on when shooting will start, but producers have said they hope to film the bulk of the movie here. "The whole thing is to make it look real," said Wahlberg. "I want to do these guys justice." As committed as Mark's been to this movie, brother Donnie deserves credit, too. The film's executive producer, Keith Dorrington, says Donnie helped get Hollywood interested. "That's probably true, I think that project wouldn't be where it is without me," Mark's big brother told us. "But that's a story that will get told. I'm not going to comment on it further other than to say, it's a great story."

Bundchen to bond with Bono on music video?

Remember when supermodels were de rigueur in music videos? Examples include Linda Evangelista in George Michael 's "Freedom," Naomi Campbell in Jay-Z's "Change Clothes," Kate Moss in Elton John's "The Way You Look Tonight," Iman in Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time," Claudia Schiffer in Bon Jovi's "Say It Isn't So," Christie Brinkley in Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl," Helena Christensen in Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game . " Soon, we may be able to add Gisele Bundchen to that list. Word is Tom Brady's supermodel sweetheart is in talks with Bono to star in a video for U2's new CD. Bundchen and Bono became friendly when she worked -- gratis -- for the singer's RED campaign.

While Dane Cook, the star of "Bachelor No. 2" was in Los Angeles at the ESPY Awards (inset), nearly a dozen comics were here trying to land a spot in the Arlington native's upcoming movie. Hopefuls including Jessica Casiano, Don Gavin, Dave Russo, Chris and Dave Walsh, Jim Dunn, Chris Tabb, and Corey Manning performed short sets at the Comedy Connection Wednesday. Director Howard Deutch and producer Mike Elliott say they'll look over footage of the tryouts with Cook to see if they can find spots for any of the locals in the film.

A song in the park

Brandi Carlile performs yesterday as part of the WBOS free concert series at Copley Square Park.

Power lunch

The Click Five held a garden party of sorts yesterday at the Prudential Center. The power-pop quintet -- with new frontman Kyle Patrick -- gave a free lunchtime concert as part of a series sponsored by radio station Mix 98.5.

More celebrity news

-- Compiled from wire reports

Miss New Jersey keeps her crown

Miss New Jersey can keep her crown despite photos that show her acting -- in her words -- "not in a ladylike manner." Hours after a nervous Amy Polumbo went public yesterday with photos that had been sent anonymously to pageant officials, those officials decided the pictures did not merit stripping her of the title. The pictures include one showing what Polumbo said was her boyfriend apparently biting her breast through her shirt, another of her in a limousine wearing jeans with her legs spread in the air, and another of her in what appears to be a Halloween costume dress holding two small pumpkins up to her breasts. (AP)

Power lunch

David Beckham and his wife, Victoria, at Heathrow Airport in London yesterday with their sons (from left) Cruz, Brooklyn, and Romeo. Beckham is travel ing to California where he has signed to play soccer for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

BBC apologizes to Queen Elizabeth

The British Broadcasting Corp. apologized to Queen Elizabeth II yesterday for saying she had walked out of a portrait sitting with photographer Annie Leibovitz. The BBC said a trailer released Wednesday from the documentary "A Year With the Queen" showed the monarch arriving, not departing. That scene showed the queen walking down a Buckingham Palace corridor, and telling her lady-in-waiting: "I'm not changing anything. I've had enough dressing like this, thank you very much." "In this trailer, there is a sequence that implies that the queen left a sitting prematurely," the BBC said. "This was not the case, and the actual sequence of events was misrepresented." (AP)

Lowe: Give tax break to plug-in hybrid owners

Actor Rob Lowe (inset) appeared before lawmakers yesterday and promoted tax credits for people who add a plug-in feature to hybrid cars and trucks. Lowe, who portrays a member of Congress on television, testified before a special House panel looking at energy and global warming issues. Later he appeared at a demonstration near the Capitol featuring a Toyota Prius that had been converted to a plug-in hybrid. "Like a lot of Americans, I've been watching as the climate changes and as we are in a war on terror where our oil addiction helps fund people thatwant to kill us," he said. (AP)

Former lawyer for Spector testifies

A former lawyer for Phil Spector reluctantly testified under threat of jail yesterday that she saw a defense forensic expert pick up a small white object at the scene of Lana Clarkson's death. Sara Caplan said the object was not the size of a missing piece of the actress's fingernail. Called by the prosecution in Spector's murder trial, Caplan gave essentially the same story she had in a previous hearing without jurors present . She said she saw famous forensic scientist Henry Lee pick up an item about 1 inch in circumference with rough edges and put it in a vial. She said she never saw the item again. Prosecutors contend the item could be evidence of a struggle but was never turned over to them. (AP)

Blues Traveler frontman wins reprieve for pot

John Popper (inset) has been granted a conditional dismissal in a Washington state marijuana case that resulted in his arrest in March. The misdemeanor charge of possession of pot and drug paraphernalia will be dropped if the Blues Traveler frontman avoids getting caught with marijuana for at least a year. Popper, 40, of Snohomish, and Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, who was driving, were arrested and released on their own recognizance March 6 after a state trooper said Popper's Mercedes sport-utility vehicle was clocked at 111 m.p.h. The car was searched after the trooper said he smelled marijuana. (AP)

Sheen engaged to a real estate investor

Charlie Sheen is engaged to Brooke Mueller, a real estate investor. Sheen's spokesman, Stan Rosenfield, said yesterday that Sheen, 41, proposed to Mueller, 29, during a recent trip to Costa Rica. He said the couple met in April 2006. Sheen has two daughters, Sam, 3, and Lola, 2, from his marriage to Denise Richards. They divorced last year. (AP)

Globe correspondent Joel Brown contributed . Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.