Friendly Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton -- who has taken the ''famous for being famous'' label to a whole new level -- is looking to Chicago as a source of bodies for her new reality show, ''Paris Hilton's My New BFF.''

Here's the deal: After people apply online (ParisBFF.com/viplist), the celebutant heiress and her advisers will invite some to a casting reception and audition at Chicago's Level nightclub April 12-14.

After the Chicago tryouts -- and similar ones in New York, Las Vegas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami -- Hilton & Co. will whittle down to 20 cast members by the time taping begins in late May. According to the show producers, they are seeking ''hot bitches and fabulously fierce guys who are at least the age of 21 and appear under 30.''

''Paris Hilton's My New BFF'' (that stands for Best Friend Forever) will begin airing its 10 episodes on MTV later this year.

- Speaking of Ms. Hilton, she was part of a pretty sophisticated April Fool's joke. The brainiacs at the Harvard Lampoon chose National Geographic for their annual spoof -- turning out an ''issue'' focusing on Paris supposedly going to Africa to help save endangered species.

ROMANTIC RUMBLINGS: Word from Miami -- where Owen Wilson recently filmed ''Marley & Me'' -- confirms rumors that he and Kate Hudson have rekindled their relationship. While the tight-lipped Hudson and Wilson are back locking lips, I hear other talk about the duo officially moving in together at a new Manhattan apartment may be a bit premature.

''They are definitely back together, but not ready to make that leap -- quite yet,'' a good friend tells me.

- Jennifer Aniston, Wilson's co-star in ''Marley & Me,'' seems to be drawn to films about broken or damaged relationships. First Aniston filmed ''The Break-Up'' here, after being dumped by ex-hubby Brad Pitt. Now her new production company has snagged two projects with splitsville themes. One is based on Getting Rid of Matthew, a novel by Ricky Gervais' wife, Jane Fallon. Aniston would play a tough PR woman who regrets her affair with a married father of two -- and how it's messed up his life. She's bored with him, so she creates a new persona, befriends his estranged wife and works to reconcile the couple -- and falls for their oldest son along the way!

Another project Aniston may film is ''The Divorce Party,'' where she'd play the commitment-phobic fiancee of a guy whose parents announce the end of their marriage at their 35th anniversary party.

Happy stuff, Jen!

TV TALK: ''Everybody Loves Raymond'' star Ray Romano is coming back to TV -- co-creating and starring in ''Men of a Certain Age.'' The proposed TNT series is about three longtime pals with various mid-life crises. ... Also at TNT is ''Truth in Advertising,'' a new drama series starring ''Will & Grace'' star Eric McCormack and ''Ed'' mainstay Tom Cavanagh -- a show set in Chicago's high-pressure advertising world. Co-starring Monica Potter, Griffin Dunne and Sarah Clarke, ''Truth'' will begin airing in 2009.

SEEN ON SCENE: Local musicians the Plain White T's entertained the crowd at Rockit Bar & Grill with a special surprise performance Friday night -- later heading to the Underground, where deejay Cy Young entertained them with a remix of their hit ''Delilah.'' ... Speaking of Underground, that was the nightspot of choice for uber-producer Michael Bay (''Transformers'') while he was in town last weekend.

QUITE A TREK: After recently wrapping ''Baby on Board'' here, Jerry O'Connell is off to Scotland -- to compete in the Drambuie Pursuit, a 100-mile adventure race through the Scottish Highlands. The actor joins team members as they retrace the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, for whom the secret Drambuie recipe was created in 1745.

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Color Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images / Paris Hilton is looking for new friends. ; Color Photo: Jennifer Aniston seems to be drawn to movies about damaged relationships. ;