Southern Comfort

Leeza Gibbons once studied Barbra Streisand records to lose her South Carolina accent, but the Entertainment Tonight coanchor and daytime host still has Carolina on her mind. She's returning to her home state June 4 to be inducted into a new Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame — the latest effort by the seaside resort of Myrtle Beach to emulate the entertainment-mecca success of Branson, Mo. "My parents are so excited they can't stand it," says Gibbons, who grew up in the town of Irmo. "This is big-dog action." Though it's been years since she lived in the state, Gibbons admits that despite her best efforts, her accent automatically returns "when I'm back home — or drunk."