Pete's Hit and Run Notes

PATRICK SWAYZE says he's only at the beginning of his battle with pancreatic cancer, but told Barbara Walters he's never been one to run from a challenge. Patrick is still acting in a new A&E drama called THE BEAST premiering 15 January, despite his exhausting chemotherapy on weekends. He also admits he still smokes.  Barbara's interview with Patrick and his wife airs at 10 tonight.

JOHN TRAVOLTA , his wife Kelly Preston and their daughter Ella are now back in Ocala Florida after leaving the Bahamas Monday night with the ashes of their son, Jett.  A service for Jett will be held tomorrow, he died of a seizure last Friday - a result of Kawasaki Syndrome he was diagnosed with at an early age.

CSI fans will bid farewell to WILLIAM PETERSEN next week. His final episode as Gil Grissom will air on January 15th on CBS. Petersen has been on the show since it premiered in 2000. New cast member LAURENCE FISHBURNE is essentially taking his place on the hit drama...

THE DARK KNIGHT is among the films up for best picture at the Producers Guild of America awards. BENJAMIN BUTTON,  FROST/NIXON, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and the film MILK are also in the running for top prize. These nominations often mirror the Oscar line-up, so these could boost the chances of these movies winning the same prize at the Academy Awards.

E! ONLINE reports BRAD PITT may make a cameo on tonight's PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS. He's nominated for Favorite Leading Man and was invited, but may instead appear in a pre-taped segment. The awards show airs at 9 tonight on CBS.

President elect BARACK OBAMA has apparently offered the job of surgeon general of the United States to neurosurgeon and CNN correspondent DR. SANJAY GUPTA. He's apparently accepted the job and he's asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington. DR. GUPTA is host of HOUSE CALL and appears on PLANET IN PERIL on CNN.

A&E is apparently going to mix cops and ghosts for a new unscripted TV show. PARANORMAL COPS is about a group of Chicago officers who moonlight as ghost chasers in their spare time. The concept looks to add a new layer of credibility to an increasingly popular reality category which has featured ghost hunting teams formed by plumbers, college students and academics. The show will apparently debut later this year.

HOWIE MANDELL says his new show HOWIE DO IT is exactly what he wanted to do. He tells Canwest News it's what he loves to do; pulling pranks, creating characters, improvising and making people laugh. HOWIE DO IT is so far just a 6 part series that premieres Friday on NBC and Global, with the show being a joint project between the two networks.

JENNIFER GARNER and BEN AFFLECK have welcomed their second daughter according to People Magazine. The baby was born yesterday morning in Los Angeles. No other details were available.  ALIAS co-star VICTOR GARBER says Jennifer needs no help being a mommy, he says she's probably the best mother he's ever witnessed.

Good news for DONNA MOLNAR here in Hamilton who was lost for 3 days, buried in a snowdrift. She's slowly improving after being heavily sedated and treatment in a hyberbaric chamber. Her husband, David, says the progress is slow for her and has a long way to go and that she's not out of the woods yet. Doctors are continuing to monitor her frostbitten extremities, hoping for continued healing.