We must be getting old — how’s it possible this word got past us. Tonight, galpal Kristi schooled us on a new term. Like “cougars” — older chicks who dig younger men — “manther” is an older dude who likes the ladies half his age.

Who knew? But we’re glad to see that at least there’s a name for it, seeing all these guys at college bars on the prowl. Manthers (cue growl noise).

Don’t throw tomatoes at us, but…….

If Obama has any sense, he’ll pick  Hillary as his secretary of state. It will appease those liberal ladies who loved her and were lukewarm on him. And it will show he’s hoping to bring his party together. Lots of fractures in there, unseen but there.

She’d be really good on a lot of levels. He’s gotta have a chick and it might as well be a smart one with some experience. Plus, it’s a two-fer. For right or wrong, he gets Bill and that dude certainly holds a lot of goodwill abroad, where we need it most.

Do the right thing, dude. She’d probably be really good at it and add to your all-star team.

Damn, James Otto delivered. One guy, one guitar, big stage and an original voice. Folks paid attention because he sounded GOOD! Dude, we know very little about you but you rocked.

We hope country can embrace Darius Rucker, who sort of gives country a soulful, Dave Matthews vibe. His voice is totally unique. And we don’t care what the purists said, the music of Hootie still resonates. It’s beautiful and fun and it makes us so happy when we hear it. 

He deserved the warm reception.

In other news: Taylor Swift. Now SHE looks like a teenager. Fresh. Age-appropriate and truly talented.

For our money, Reba McEntire still has top vocal chops. She puts a real emotional voice on any song, ya know. Her vocal signature is golden, even after all these years. Lots to learn from her.

Brad Paisley……again, he’s a sexual zero. Jake Owen, seriously cute, but who manages this dude cause his potential seems way untapped? Did not think the George Strait record was better than the Chesney disk, but Strait is so iconic and a defender of the old school that he gets a lot of props. We can dig it.

So, we are watching the CMA Awards and super-underwhelmed thus far. For our money, committed Michigander Kid Rock put on a better show than nearly everyone on the stage. And he ain’t exactly country. But he is always entertaining and his unit is super-tight.

Most of the performances were dreadful. We like Kelly Pickler a lot, but man, she was out of key for most of her song. A lot of the other acts were dull, too. What’s with the leather get-ups? A few ladies there seem a little long in the tooth for that. We’d like also to mention that Jennifer Nettles needs a little better eye make-up. She looks natural, but we think she could use a bit more glam. Loved her dress. Miley Cyrus… just looks a bit rough for a teen, no? Perhaps she’s just tired from all of the acting, singing and dating and teen-queening. Or something. She just should look a bit fresher and yet she seems leagues behind her years.

The state of country is kinda lame. We think that lead singer for Lady Antebellum is kinda sorta cute, but country lacks truly attractive male stars these days. Some talented heartthrob deperately needs to break. Keith Urban can’t be the only hottie in the line-up. A lot of these dudes are just chubby and gimmicky. Kenny Chesney can’t be the only keeper of the fit body, right? He certainly has made the most of his assets, but the rest of this show crew is a little doughy. And candidly, a lot of the back-up musicians and singers are 7-times cuter than the stars. Didya see Jason Aldean’s band? We rest our case, cuter than the headliner.

Brad Paisley, probably not the greatest choice of a host. His music is Grade B, but not an engaged personality. We prefer Vince Gill but he’s always the host. Paisley’s little wife seems funny tho…..more later. We’re on a tangent and still watching.

So, she’s not a lesbian, she could be bi, she doesn’t know if she’ll end up marrying a chick or a dude. It must be tough to be in love with Lindsay Lohan and her, er….lack of clarity. In her past, she’s seemed awfully clear before, ahem…. WAY CLEAR. And then goes and calls a black person “colored.”  Is any of this ok? And is she pissing away her career, or at least what is left of it?  What we fear is poor Samantha Ronson is gonna get her heart broken, and she seems to be really nice and supportive, too. Linds says she loves Sam. But she didn’t say “in love.” We worry.

Speaking of out of the limelight, what has happened to Hillary Duff and Mischa Barton? All but disappeared. Speaking of….. Marie Osmond is keeping the weight off nicely after “Dancing With the Stars.” Perhaps it’s for the diet commercials, but still. She looks good.

One of our galpals went to a Madonna concert and came back to report that our queen was turning into Cher. AS IF. Perhaps Madge is getting a tad too old for the camp. She looks good, but is it authentic. We were super letdown that Justin and Britney didn’t perform together at her show. We’d love to see these two rekindle it, even if it was only on stage.

We were RIGHT. Mrs. Obama’s dress at the White House was Maria Pinto.

“Confessions of a Shop-a-holic,” coming soon to a theater near you. We cannot stand it. This is nearly biographical. Speaking of movies, we love Reese Witherspoon, but the new flick she’s in with Vince Vaughn is kind of a splurge for a girl who can really act, no? Vince always plays himself, it seems. Every role, he’s Vince Vaughn. Funny, tho. We think he’s great, but a one-note actor.

We’re superglad Jennifer Aniston is speaking out about Angie and Brad. She needs to tell the truth. We think she wasn’t treated right at all and we’re still pissed. We’d like her to spill it all — we bet Brad wouldn’t emerge as the do-gooder folks think he is now.

We could be wrong (doubtful, we have SUCH an eye), but we think Michelle Obama was again wearing Chicago designer Mario Pinto as she entered the White House this afternoon for a visit with her husband with President Bush and First Lady Laura.

Bright red, very Nancy Reagan, and we thought she looked simple, elegant and smashing. No big jewelry.

SUCH A TOTAL improvement over that election night Narcisco Rodriquez, which looked so soccer mom with a cardigan. If you have arms like hers, you show them off, even if it’s chilly. And girl, wear some heels. Those one and a half-inchers do not do you justice, especially in good clothes. Rock the heels, k?

And good work today. You can totally do the right thing when you try.

We hope all you little divas-in-training are watching “Entourage” this season. It’s the most fabulous show on TV. HBO, 10 p.m. Sundays, with repeats throughout the week.

We think the most watchable character on TV is Ari. We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. He’s genius and this past week’s episode proved it. He is played by the actor Jeremy Piven. We hope this show never goes off TV, so watch, watch, watch. There are instructive diva lessons, even in this dude. Like how to get your way and how to successfully turn a power play.

There is even a Web site devoted to Ari’s best quotes. You must check it out.

www.arigoldquotes.com/your-top-25-ari-gold-quotes/

Hey, at least Obama has good taste in help. While we had previously dismissed him as a Clinton operative — cue gag reflex — we do have to say that the new White House chief of staff is kinda hottie.

Seriously. Most of the Hill types are duller than dirt and as festive as beige, but this guy is cute. Plus, there is the added bonus that his brother sparked the character Ari from the HBO show “Entourage.” Ari is the our favorite character on TV, so much so that in our diva lair, we call it “The Ari Show.”

We look forward to seeing future members of the cabinet. We hope they are similarly attractive. Because looking good is governing good… or something like that. 

We’re trying to be hopeful. We really are.

Kim Cattrall, post-50 vixen extraordinaire, let the er, ahem… cat out of the bag. A “Sex and the City” sequel is forthcoming. Let divas worldwide hope and pray that they can get this one done without the supersized drama.

We love our girls… and we miss them ever so. We can’t wait to catch up and hope they can shoot this in time for summer. Wouldn’t that be parfait!

While we generously give Michelle Obama a B-minus on her unusual red and black dress, our pal Court throws up a C-minus, saying she just didn’t get it.

We do give the Obama family props for their fashion coordination, down to Barack’s red tie. A little matchy, yes, but overall, they looked good up there as a unit. Confidence is always THE BEST accessory.

Well, there you go. You wanted it.  You got it. And it’s a REALLY tough job.

We hope the reality lives up to the hype. And we can’t wait to see all of the inaugural apparel.

Loving the Cindy McCain messy chignon. She went to the polls so glamslam we were sick with glee!

Michelle Obama was fronting a more soccer mom look with her hair pulled back in a ponytail and headband, dressed down in all black. Not a good look. Quite the fashion letdown. 

We predict, however, that Michelle will be fabulous tonight at her hubbie’s Chicago celebration.

Wow, Americans! You’re really showing up. That’s supercool. Those of you who endured long lines and early mornings, way to go.

Those of you who haven’t voted: GETYOURLAZYASSESUPANDOUT. It’s time we stopped taking all of our glorious freedoms and privileges here for granted.

If you’re scared about this race today, we want ya to know that we are too. But we need change and we’re just gonna have to keep the faith that whatever happens, it’s moving us in a different direction.

The country is in dire straights and whomever wins is going to inherit a pile o’ problems. It won’t be easy to fix these either, so we are going to hunker down and try hard to unite around a better way forward for us all.

Of course, we’ll be wearing great shoes and carrying a spectacular handbag as we unite…..but how could we do it any other way. AS IF.

Go vote and feel good that you stepped up and made your feelings known. It’s key to have a say. If you don’t, then please don’t complain about the path we’re on and how it’s all so broken. As we’ve said all along, change begins with you. Inside you. Let your diva light shine and know that democracy is the best system on the planet. And even at our worst, we’re still the freest and most glorious nation on the globe, times 1,000.

TTFN

We are supersad to learn that Barack Obama’s grandmother passed away today from cancer in Hawaii. We are saddened that she died the day before the big election. How hurt he must be, even though he can’t really let down his guard and he campaigns — too much at stake.

We wish him and his family peace.

We loved John McCain on “Saturday Night Live.” He was more open and funnier than we expected. The bit about a “Republican without money” Sublime. Loved the blank plates. Obama shoulda done the townhalls with him, providing a better contrast.

Supercool that his little blonde wife (LBW) came on as the QVC presenter. Ya know, if she wasn’t already so darned rich, she kinda looks like a QVC presenter. Following along with that note…. why hasn’t she spiked his campaign with the big bucks to make up for the Obama windfall? Just curious. 

We think the polls are capturing a close race based on individual voters, but it’s the electoral college that will kill McCain on Tuesday.

Whew…..it’s almost over. Be cooler if it were more of a horserace. Some Senate and House seats will certainly provide that action, tho. November 5th will probably be a tough day to be a Republican, we surmise.

First he kicks reporters off of his plane. Not just any reporters. Three from the New York Post, the Dallas Morning News and The Washington Times. All of them had traveled with the campaign for months. And he gives their seats away frivolously to folks like Jet magazine and documentary filmmakers, as well as broadcast stars. Those publications, by the way, had all endorsed McCain.

Not so transparent, huh?  We hate it when candidates behave this way. It’s pathetic and so base. What an incredible turnoff. If you were on the fence before, this is good enough to cause you to flip.

Then, if that stunt wasn’t bad enough, he yells at the media for shooting footage of him escorting his little daughter to a Halloween party near his Chicago home. Dude, any hope of anonymity is over. You wanna be president, your private life is pretty much done for the next four years. Sure, it’s cool that you are hanging with your little girl, but to tell the press to go away and then take off running. How inelegant! 

We think your conduct in both these instances has been hardly presidential and very cheesy.

It’s a problem that often goes on behind closed doors with friends and family afraid to speak out. Domestic violence touches all sorts of lives — rich or poor and also famous.

We’re glad the Hudson family, in the midst of such tragedy, has channeled its grief into something good.

They have started a foundation to help families just like theirs.

To contribute to the Hudson-King Foundation, send money to:

c/o Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson, LLP

Attn: William L. Abrams, Esq.

237 West 35th Street, 4th Floor

New York, NY 10001

Think of all the good it would have done people who are suffering in this economy if Obama had spent that money on help and not on some infomerical… which was boring.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

And allow us to say that it seemed utterly ridiculous, if not pompous. Plus, he lied about the campaign finance stuff. 

There ya go……nuff said.