Ashlee Simpson and Ashton Kutcher both took the stage at the CW TCA press day in Pasadena this morning to promote their new projects. Ashlee was in the middle of her Melrose Place costars while Ashton fielded questions about executive producing The Beautiful Life. The cast of Vampire Diaries also introduced their hot new show, which of course meant questions about Robert Pattinson and check out more details on Buzz. With Ashton, the question on everyone's mind with Mischa, and he assured everyone that she has not been recast or missed a day of work.

To see quotes from Ashton on Mischa as well as what Ashlee had to say about her character and Bronx just read more.

• Ashlee on what Pete and her family thinks about the show: He loves it! He's happy for me. He's seen the pilot. He's like my best friend so I do tell him the storylines - I don't tell anyone else! My whole family has seen the pilot and they love it. I never really watched too much TV until I got pregnant, so I'm excited to be a part of that.
• Ashlee on the chance of Jessica guest-starring on Melrose: No, no. I mean, that would be so much fun, but I think we've mixed enough family and work, so for now we're good just being sisters.
• How Ashlee celebrated getting the part: I went to sleep at 10 with my son!
• Ashton on Mischa's role: The great thing about Mischa for this show is that she's done it before. We have a lot of young cast members and her navigation and guidance is essential for us as a unit. Mischa will be very prominent on the show. She's one of the lead characters.

Ashton Kutcher had two ladies, Demi Moore and Rumer Willis, on his arm last night at the LA premiere of Spread. He spent a few months last year working on the movie, which has him starring as a womanizing man about town. He was also joined by his female costars, Margarita Levieva and Anne Heche, for the stroll down the red carpet before the movie's Aug. 14 release. This morning Ashton was up bright and early to bring The Beautiful Life to the TCAs, where he responded to questions about Mischa, saying she "never missed a day of work" and acts as a guide for the younger cast members. More on all that later.

To see more from the bash just read more.

Images include: Anne Heche, Ashton Kutcher, Chris McGurk, Corey Feldman, Demi Moore, Garcelle Beauvais, Rumer Willis, Margarita Levieva, James Tupper, Mike Nilon

I’m not some huge fan of either Ashton Kutcher or Demi Moore, but how cute are they in these pictures? Demi and Ashton came out for the premiere of Spread in Los Angeles last night, and both of them are looking great. Demi especially - that color looks amazing on her, and it seems like Ashton can’t keep his eyes or his hands off of her. Sweet. They really do seem to love each other. I’d love to see them adopt or have a baby together, I bet that would only bring them closer.

To promote his role in Spread, which is a “sex comedy centered on a serial womanizer and his jilted lover”, Ashton appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. He told a funny-weird story about how Demi’s famous doll collection freaks him out. Demi has something crazy like 3,000 dolls, mostly porcelain, insured for more than $2 million. Rumors abound that Demi has rooms - or maybe even an entire house - devoted to her doll collection. But having an alleged home devoted to her dolls isn’t enough - no, Demi makes Ashton sleep with these little life-like dolls in their bedroom:

It’s a miracle ASHTON KUTCHER manages to sleep at night. The actor admits he’s “freaked out” by wife DEMI MOORE’s collection of lifelike dolls - not least the terrifying shotgun-wielding granny.

Having been scared witless as a kid watching the Child’s Play films - featuring evil serial-killing doll Chucky - Ashton says he struggles to keep his nerve around his wife’s inanimate pals, especially the ones located in their bedroom.

He told US TV host CONAN O’BRIEN: “They upset me - I saw Chucky! These things freak me out, man, and she’s got like thousands of them. They’re everywhere - and they’re freaky. I think the dolls have souls. And they’re always looking at you - we have some in the bedroom and that makes things just weird. Some of these things are worth a lot of money apparently but they frighten me a little bit.”

Ashton also revealed he dreams of being best buddies with President BARACK OBAMA. He added: “I have dreams that we’re, like, pals - we like drink beers together, Michelle gets upset that we’re staying out too late. I had a dream that we were flying in Air Force One and a plane came up next to us and started shooting us.”

“I was freaking out and he just turned around and said, ‘It happens all the time.’ He was so cool about it!”

[From The Sun]

I think that dreaming about Barack Obama is actually kind of funny. I always get a kick out of dreams about famous people. It’s always totally random, for me, at least. Like, I’m obsessed with Gerard Butler during the day, but at night I have a sex dream about Keith Olbermann. We were getting busy on a balcony, surrounded by the remnants of a party. Strange. And yet sexy!

As I was researching Demi’s doll collection, I found this fascinating article from Entertainment Weekly. Apparently, it was Demi’s ex-husband Bruce Willis who got her started on dolls. When they first fell in love, Bruce bought Demi two Anne Mitrani “sculpture” dolls, at a price of $32,000. Mitrani dolls are famous for their lifelike appearance, some even claim that it feels like “you’re looking at a real person.” That, apparently, was the beginning of Demi’s collection, and Demi has spent literally millions of dollars collecting the rarest and most precious dolls in the world. It’s an interesting hobby/collection to have, but I do feel badly for Ashton. Maybe they could work out a compromise - no dolls in the bedroom.

UPDATE: I just thought this was a cute addition to the story - when US Weekly spoke to Ashton last night, he wasn’t sure if the rumors were true that Demi might be taking his last name to celebrate their fourth anniversary. He told US: “She hasn’t told me, so you might be revealing a secret… I think it would be fantastic, but at the same time, it’s a name, you know? Like, call me Mr. Moore, I don’t care. I’ve been called a lot worse!” Ashton also says that Demi “becomes more beautiful to me by the minute and I don’t know what it is. She’s got the magic thing.”

Here’s Ashton, Demi, and Rumer Willis at the “Spread” Los Angeles premiere last night. Images thanks to Fame Pictures .

Ashton Kutcher was asked to give a talk at Fortune Magazine’s Brainstorm Tech Con in Pasadena all about Twitter. However it quickly devolved into Ashton discussing all the reasons he’s the most powerful and amazing creature alive. Of course all that power is best illustrated by his epic twittering. He shuts down websites with a few mere touches of computer keys! He has millions of followers who hang on his every word, eager for new pearls of wisdom from their sage leader! He has the most influence of anyone in social media – ever! Or close.

“I shut down a website everyday because I send too much traffic there from my Twitter feed.” The entrepreneur/entertainer told the crowd and his onstage interviewer. When asked why he tweets Kutcher admitted that it’s fun. He keeps in touch with his audience and it’s a platform to syndicate content. “I started Twitter as a communication device to stay in touch with fans.”

He’s not an accidental tourist of tech. He seems to know exactly what he’s doing and why it has value. “Do you know how much studios pay to get in touch with an actors audience?!” asked Kutcher. “I do all that with a touch of a button.” Serwer wondered about the fact that he has more followers than CNN on Twitter. Kutcher replied, “I’m shocked that an individual could have as much influence [in social media] than a media conglomerate.”

He said his new film The Killers needed a joke for a scene so he got on Twitter and asked his fans for suggestions. And he got them. Tons. “I don’t know if it will end up in the final cut.” No word on if the fan would get a credit or payment.

Why does Twitter work, asked Serwer. “It’s the ability to create viral syndication quickly,” responded Kutcher.

Which all leads back to advertising and the ability to sell whatever product to a growing audience who has grown immune to the old models. “Banner ads are like billboards,” said Kutcher. Meaning people are so used to them they no longer see them. He stated that entertainment and advertising “they are going to have to marry each other in a deeper way.”

[From Media Bistro]

This whole ego stroking interview makes it sound like Ashton’s suffering from some serious delusions of grandeur. I practically expect him to go into the corner, wrap his arms around his back and start making out with himself, fifth grade humor style. It’s just so unnecessary and unattractive. Twitter may be a joke to some of us and the center of other people’s lives. That’s fair. It definitely has its uses and is important to a lot of people, and Ashton’s trying to explain its utility in marketing. But he just comes off as such a douche since he unnecessarily spends so much time bragging about his epic might.

Next week, expect to possibly learn how Ashton controls the weather all while stopping an out of control bus from running over some old people on walkers. And shamed CNN in the process.

Here are Ashton and Demi at Diddy’s White Party on the Fourth of July. Images thanks to WENN.com .

After Mischa Barton’s breakdown there was talk that her upcoming series, CW’s The Beautiful Life, was quietly training another actress to replace her as the lead. In a role that may hit too close to home, Mischa is set to play a down and out drug-addicted model struggling to hang on to her waning career. The series’ producer, Ashton Kutcher, dismisses rumors that Mischa is off the show and says Barton will soon be in NY to start shooting and that she’s “doing great.”

Ashton Kutcher says Mischa Barton is heading to New York to join the cast of her new show, “The Beautiful Life,” according to Reuters.

Ashton, the producer behind The CW show, commented on the actress at a technology conference in Pasadena where he discussed his involvement with Twitter.

“I can tell you right now Mischa Barton is doing great,” Ashton reportedly said.

In a previous statement to Access Hollywood, the star’s rep said Mischa was “improving each day” following her hospitalization last week.

Access previously broke the news that the former “The O.C.” star had been taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 15, after a source said she was placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold (also known as a 5150) by authorities.

Production on the show, on which Mischa plays a model attempting a comeback, was pushed back to the end of the month “due to set construction issues,” a CW rep told Access last week.

The show is set to begin shooting on July 31.

[From Access Hollywood, source has automatic music]

The National Enquirer claims this week that Ashton and his wife, Demi Moore, are trying to help Mischa by introducing her to the mystical Jewish-type cult they follow, Kabbalah. At least it’s not Scientology, but it would be a lot cheaper and probably more helpful for Mischa to get counseling and go to rehab:

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher… want to spearhead the recovery of the deeply troubled actress, who landed in a Los Angeles psychiatric unit after a bizarre meltdown.

“Demi and Ashton both feel Mischa has an incredible career ahead of her if she can free herself from her demons of poor self-esteem and substance abuse,” said a source.

The couple believes the teachings of Kabbalah - a type of Jewish mysticism - can help Mischa, the source said, adding that both Demi and Ashton generously reached out to Mischa’s family to offer their assistance.

Ashton feels particularly responsible for Mischa because he’s overseeing the production of her new series, “The Beautiful Life,” in which she plays an aging model. He personally selected her for the role.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, August 3, 2009]

People need to find their own route to recovery and happiness, and sinking a lot of money and faith into various treatments and philosophies only helps those who believe in it. You’re better off seeing a therapist or doctor that works for you and buying a bunch of self help books, in my opinion. That’s my path, though, and other people get better mileage out of religion. I can’t see Mischa becoming a Kabbalah devotee, but a lot of celebrities do it and their involvement doesn’t make sense to me either.

In less cultastic news, Demi tweeted photos over the weekend of Ashton de-skunking their dog. She wrote that they used a combination of peroxide and baking soda and were going to try tomato juice next and that the “whole house stinks!”

Demi and Ashton are shown at Scout LaRue Willis’s 18th birthday party at the Cicada restaurant in Los Angeles California on July 17, 2009. Credit: Fame Pictures