For documentary/reality-TV warhorses Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, though, Fleiss was among their most slippery, troubling, compelling and entertaining subjects to date — at until she fled the project (HBO docs boss Sheila Nevins eventually caught up with her for a sober sit-down threading the Nevada footage). Defamer recently checked in with the duo at World of Wonder HQ in Hollywood, where the recovery seems to be coming along well under the circumstances (and after the jump).

D: Discussing this film after an LAFF screening in June, it seemed as though you two had been through hell with it. What in particular were the struggles you faced as filmmakers?

RB: We were filming at a time when Heidi was struggling with addiction, and we're not really into making "addiction" films. It's not really our oeuvre.

FB: No film is easy to make, but this one was especially difficult to make. As a documentary filmmaker, you're kind of a sponge. You soak up whatever the person is going through, and Heidi was going through lots of nasty stuff. It wasn't a very pleasant experience.

RB: You'd sort of get contact highs and contact lows.

D: You also noted at the fest how your original idea was "up with prostitution" — that you could cover Heidi's Stud Farm as a personal and social success. How did you adapt as that idea spiraled out of control with your subject?

FB: When we set out to make the film, we were all excited planning this final sequence, which would be the opening of this brothel for women — with a great musical number and ribbon-cutting and champagne and all the rest of it. But, you know, the story you plan to tell isn't necessarily the story you end up telling. And it turned out that the brothel was the macguffin. And that's OK. It wasn't so much that it "spiraled out of control."

RB: None of our films end up being what we intended them to be. It's just that this one was really different — that combined with the process being as painful as it was. But we usually like what we shoot. That's why we do it.

D: You've acknowledged that Heidi shouldn't have had a camera in front of her after a certain point in this story. So why did she?

RB: When you watch the film she wasn't that far gone. We never had the camera rolling at times when we shouldn't have. The times we shouldn't have, we didn't, or we weren't there. Us saying that we were making the film at a time when there shouldn't have been cameras there has more to do with that period of her life.

FB: At first we were like, "Is this the best thing to be doing?" But then what we locked onto - or found accidentally, however you want to put it — was this other story. And I think what the film is is this third story: Heidi Fleiss, a self-professed business woman who has commodified love and who has no time for love herself, discovers love. She falls in love with these birds. She wasn't expecting it to happen to her, and we weren't expecting it to happen to her. And I think putting that on camera is a fit story to record.

RB: And it does illustrate a very complicated and smart and interesting and funny woman.

D: And in the end she walked out anyway, right?

FB: In the end, before we were done, she stopped cooperating with us, yes. We could have put the whole film together with what we had. It was just that it was rather bleak and sort of unrelieved. The great thing about the interview where she's eight days sober is that it provides this other perspective and brings into the mix this whole other aspect of Heidi that the addict obscures. It was good to have this other aspect; you could see her looking glamorous. I don't think addiction is ever the full story of someone.

D: So are you guys going to have fun with your next project?

FB: Fun fun fun! Our next is Pam: Girl on the Loose. That debuts on E! next month.

RB: Fun fun fun!

FB: Tori and Dean, Million Dollar Listing —

RB: It's all fun all the time from here on in.

[Photo credits: Top, HBO; directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, Getty Images]

Her narcissistic attachment to her tabloid persona is front and center, as is her apparent drug abuse, but so is her humanity. In fact, the film is surprisingly sympathetic; one memorable scene shows Fleiss befriending an elderly woman in a nursing home. But Fleiss, who has agreed to join the upcoming season of VH1’s Celebrity Rehab, has yet to see it after a falling-out with the directors.

In a meandering phone conversation, Fleiss lists her complaints about the filming process, which range from the cameras disturbing her pet birds to an inadequate focus on her chain of Nevada laundromats. “I was hoping it would be fun,” she says, “but instead it was me getting mad.”

There there, Heidi. Who wouldn't be a tad peeved if they'd spent years trying to mount an ambitious male brothel and all they had to show for it was an exotic bird fetish and the stink of Febreze?

• WONDER BOYS [W Magazine]

Here's a once-prim Beverly Hills girl, daughter of a pediatrician and school teacher, who builds a world-class brothel, goes to jail, gets hooked on crystal meth — and then moves to Pahrump, Nevada to start yet another prostitution ring, this one designed for rich women who want to hire guys to service them.

Bizarre? Definitely, and that's why Sheila Nevins bought the rights to her "life story" and why the talented team of Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato decided to make a doc about her. To be sure, half way [sic] into the project Heidi decided to end her cooperation. "She's really Jekyll and Heidi," says Bailey. "Her personality changes hour by hour."

In the end, Nevins herself had to step in to grab an interview, at which we'll have a look this week during our coverage of the Los Angeles Film Festival. It was probably the exotic-bird "fetish" that put us over the top, or maybe Fleiss's allusions to the "three years in lesbian hell" that was her imprisonment. Either way, here's hoping Bart isn't pulling yet another of his banal corporate whitewashes on us — we do tend to enjoy a good "opera," especially those spotlighting B-list crank addiction. Oh, the drama.

[Photo Credit: LAFF]

• The Rise & Fall of Heidi Fleiss [PeterBart.com]

Joining him in rehab are Sean Stewart (Sons of Hollywood), Amber Smith (model/actress), Rodney King, Nikki McKibbon (American Idol), Steven Adler (Guns n Roses) and Tawny Kitaen (Actress).

Gary Busey, who is 13 years sober from his cocaine addiction, will also be joining the cast to take the journey with the others and to share his experiences on the recovery process.

Certainly, the cast cuts a wide swath of "celebrity," covering everything from the I.Q.-deficient children of successful recording artists to brutal police-beating victims (who we're concerned might unintentionally set off a second round of LA riots, this time with the city's disenfranchised addicts raging against the Sober Man), with your requisite American Idol contestants, Drummers of the Tribe, and decades-past-their-prime pin-up models thrown in for good measure. The most notable absence: small business owner and aspiring boy-pimp Heidi Fleiss, who was scheduled for intake, but according to the NY Post got cold feet at the last minute.

• Celebrity Rehab [VH1]

Apparently not entirely on top of his clients' current affairs as he should be, Sheen's publicist Stan Rosenfield issued a statement to the NY Post letting them know that "this is an old, old, old story. But, if you're looking for a really good story, I heard that Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe are getting a divorce." As the RS story alleges, Sheen had been using Nici's services up until last year. So either Rosenfield has absolutely no idea what the article claims, or thinks the usage of "old" three times will make last year seem just as long ago as 1954. In addition to adding a few more gossip pages into his Google Reader, Rosenfield might want to consider how prophecies he once made to the American Journalism Review have come to fruition: "Freedom of the press doesn't mean you have to be vitriolic...but [the press], in their rush to be super-competitive, gave the control to us. Any power, eventually we're going to lose it."

[Photo credit: Splash]

• SHEEN STAYED HOT FOR HOOKERS [NY Post]

In today's installment: Alec Baldwin, Miley Cyrus, Seth Rogen, David Spade, Amanda Bynes, Ellen Page, Lawrence Fishburne, Anthony Kiedis, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Mena Suvari, Michael C. Hall, Marilu Henner, Holly Marie Combs, Tempestt Bledsoe, Clea Duvall, Heidi Fleiss and both Rancics, Giuliana and Bill.

APRIL 13
· Just saw Seth Rogen at the Whole Foods at Fairfax and Santa Monica. He was being toted around by his quite attractive yet non-actress brunette girlfriend. She obviously wears the pants so to speak. Seth looked like he normally does; schlubby and definitely not light on his feet.

APRIL 15
· RFD is sort of like shooting vegans in a barrel, but this was too good to pass up. Tuesday, 4/15, there was a near-miss "American Pie" reunion when the kid who played Finch (imdb says, eddie kaye thomas; now appearing on the delightful "til death") left just before Mena Suvari arrived: tramp-stamped, be-wifebeatered, braless. Adjourned to the bathroom for several minutes, came out snuffling and nose-wiping. Hope nobody told her that these days they cut llallo with ground kitten bones.

APRIL 17
· Sid-ibum-Bid-ibum-Do-Me-Til-I'm-Well-Done...Anthony Keidis, looking very tan, well-groomed and happy leaving Blue Plate on Montana with his tall young bride.

APRIL 18
· I went to the 11:10pm screening of Forgetting Sarah Marshall at the Cinerama Dome and who was there but Amanda fucking Bynes! She was wearing black short shorts, gold high heels, and looked a little too young for me to be attracted to her without it being creepy. Amanda seemed to enjoy the movie though, and when she exited the theater she was being followed by an enterprising paparazzo with a video camera.
· GULAGER ALERT! Saw Clu Gulager trying to cross Fountain Ave on Friday, April 18th. Normally I try to hit people that don't use a crosswalk, but the Gulag can walk wherever he damn well pleases.

APRIL 19
· After a few weeks without a celebrity sighting to report, I can happily add not one, but TWO sightings to my favorite Defamer feature! Yesterday (4/19), my friend (who hears 4 times a day that talks just like Juno) and I were at the Hollywood Farmer's Market, when who should walk by but Ellen Page. I saw a lot of greens coming out of her giant reusable bag (could have been lettuce or the tops of carrots). And she wasn't wearing any sunglasses either, unlike Marilu Henner, who was with a hoarde of kids (maybe she was doing a scavenger hunt like Teri Hatcher). Props to Ellen for keeping it real and for helping to save the environment (she says as she goes back to the 90s).
· We saw Alec Baldwin tonight walking by himself through the food court at the Woodland Hills Promenade Mall. He was wearing blue shorts and workout jacket, seemingly oblivious to the crowd around him. He went up to the AMC theater ticket window and seemed to be grilling the cashier about something. We left and came back 10-15 minutes later and he was still there, but this time with another man I didn't recognize. That's the last we saw of him as we headed out to our car.
· Saw Miley Cyrus in the Barnes and Noble at The Grove around 11:15am holding a book called Puddlejumpers and looking at other books in the kids section. She had on giant dark glasses, but nothing else about her was incognito. She went directly to the check-out when a couple of 8-year-olds recognized her. Yeah, a superstar in the kids book section. Wild.

APRIL 20
· Yesterday, while at Swinger's cafe, Michael C. Hall (Dexter / Six Feet Under) and Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter) came to have a post-work out lunch after sweatin' it at Easton's gym across the street. Justin Kirk (Weeds) was also brunchin' it. After my delicious Swinger's lunch I headed over to Target where I saw my favorite funny lady, Ashley Jensen (Extras / Ugly Betty). I really love her! So cute in person too!
· Scariest celeb sighting: Suge Knight was on my flight to Vegas on Saturday afternoon. I guess he's fallen on hard times if he's flying Southwest but his diamonds would say otherwise.
· At the Hollywood Farmers' Market around 11 a.m., Zooey Deschanel was looking very happy (and great looking, without makeup). Her glow might have had something to do with the rave review that the NY Times gave her singing sidebar She and Him.

APRIL 21
· I was at Granville's in Burbank for my buddy's birthday[Happy Birthday Chris!]. We were all hanging out and laughing when someone realized that the girl sitting next to our table was no other than Tempestt Bledsoe a/k/a Vanessa Huxtable. She was having a quiet dinner with a girlfriend. We decided not to bother them but you know The Cosby Show was the show that I associate all these fond memories so my friend and I eventually approached them for a photo [after most of our group had gone home]. Tempestt was very gracious but declined taking a picture because she wasn't in the frame of mind. We accepted that and told her it was a pleasure meeting them. I was a little bit disappointed but my life is complete! I met Vanessa...now if I can met Rudy, life will be just sweet!
· Saw Holly Marie Combs of Charmed fame at Disneyland. Was with son, nanny type, and husband(?) She looked gorgeous, very natural looking without make up, sat on the tram with the rest of us common folk.
· Was at Koi last night, taking the parents (who are visiting from Georgia and were hoping to spot a star) out for dinner. Our party of six, which included my seven-year-old niece, was seated in the table adjacent to David Spade. He was dressed in t-shirt and a huge army green trench and trucker hat, speaking loudly enough to be heard for several tables. If that's not obnoxious enough, he dropped the "F-bomb" several times... fortunately it went right over my niece's head, but we did move her to the other side of the table so she was no longer back-to-back with Potty Mouth. He was with three male friends and kept talking about his career and how "I don't want to spend more than $3,000," presumably on dinner, but who knows. In fairness, he did say "Excuse me," and step aside allow my girlfriend to pass him on her way to the restroom, so maybe he's a gentleman every now and then. The evening left me even further confused about how he landed Heather Locklear, though...

APRIL 23
· Apparently Ventura and Sepulveda is the Beverly and Melrose of C-listers. Two days ago I saw Lawrence
Fishburne at said intersection, dressed in a plaid button down shirt, aviators and ill-fitting jeans. He
was alone and waiting to cross the street towards the Sherman Oaks Galleria. The next day I saw Stephen Root
(thanks IMDb), Mr. I-Believe-You-Have-My-Stapler of Office Space fame, going into the Marmalade Cafe not 1/2 a mile away.
· This one is for all my fellow gay girls out there. Spotted Clea Duvall and Leisha Hailey with two friends at the Tegan and Sara show at The Glass House in Pomona (ew). Two dykons walked right into the heart of a hotbed of lesbians! They were low key and adorable as all hell. Squee-age was kept to a minimum.
· I was having an early dinner (circumstances, not my age) at La Scala in Brentwood (the eggplant is to die for) and who should be in a wall booth facing the entire rest of the surprisingly busy restaurant, she in her giant while sunglasses, he under his giant bowler hat, but Ms. Paris Hilton and true love of the moment Benji Madden. No fanfare, no paparazzi, no idea why they would be having dinner at 5:30 in the afternoon (or perhaps it was lunch?), but drinks and actual food appeared to be consumed in a completely civilized manner, and the parting smile as she brushed against my shoulder on the way out will fuel my pathetic fantasy life for way too long.
· Lo and behold, who comes weaving and stumbling down Hollywood Blvd at 12:45 in the afternoon? None other than former madame Heidi Fleiss. She was decked out in all-white carrying a plastic bag. From a block away, I thought she was a drunk, homeless person. I felt like running to her father's office to demand an intervention.
· As I was pulling up into the parking lot of the Albertons at Hillhurst & Los Feliz at 6:45pm, I immediately noticed a woman exiting the store with huge blonde hair, tiny mini skirt and tight shirt. It's my first Angelyne sighting! Angelyne gets into a pink Corvette with personalized custom tags. Maybe I have low standards, but I thought she actually looked pretty hot for being 100 and I even had my glasses on. However, she must have a pound of make up on. Definitely a G.I.L.F. Oh, another thing. She looked like she didn't want to be bothered but why do you look like that when you are eldery and drive a pink corvette if you are trying to shun attention?

APRIL 24
· Giulianna and Bill Rancic jaywalked in front of my car on La Cienega. Looked like they were heading to Stone Fire Pizza Company. Though I am not sure how G's skinny legs hold her up, they looked cute together, holding hands as they crossed the street.
· Was at the Soup Plantation at the Beverly Connection on Thursday night and saw everyones favorite Goth Labrat, NCIS star Paulie Perrette. She looked really good and had a hairy bearded rocker guy in tow. I gotta learn to play guitar!

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]

A few of their favorite punching bags, accused (justly, we must say) of being card-carrying members of Collagen Addicts Anon:

On Elizabeth Hurley: "[Hurley's] bee-stung lips can't possibly be all down to make-up, can it?"

On Victoria Beckham: "Pucker up Vic, you're on camera. Mrs. Beckham has always maintained that her good looks owe nothing to surgical skill..."

On Donatella Versace: "Clearly struggling to come to grips with the onset of old age. But [for] all of her efforts to stave off the wrinkles it doesn't seem to be working that well."

[Photo Credits: Awful Plastic Surgery]

• Has Saffron Burrows got the trout pout to end all trout pouts? [Daily Mail]

"I really do know the sex business better than anyone," she said in an interview near a washing machine. "I'm not saying that to be arrogant."

Ms. Fleiss bought the land in Crystal. She visited brothels from Pahrump to Reno to study best prostitution practices. She picked an architect.

Whether or not Ms. Fleiss could actually get a brothel license from Nye County is a question worthy of introspection and debate. According to the county Web site, the board that oversees liquor, casino and brothel licenses may refuse to grant a license if the applicant has been convicted of a felony, or if the applicant has been convicted of a crime involving "moral turpitude."

While Fleiss's "three-year sentence on tax-evasion, money-laundering and pandering charges" could put her brothel license in jeopardy, we have nothing but confidence in the onetime cheerleader-procuring Sheen-servicer. And while we're certain applications have been flooding in from our fair city's underemployed porn actors and aging International Male catalog models, we think a midlife career change into the service-stud industry might also be a viable option for striking writers, allowing clientele specifically looking for a 60 minute "punch-up session" the rough sex with a nerdy, glasses-wearing WGA-member they've craved for far too long.

• With Brothel Plans Delayed, a Madame Does Laundry [NY Times]

This establishment will hire men to service women. There will be no male to male sexual services offered.

We will hire 20 men and 10 on stand-by. Lady customers will be charged $250.00 an hour that will be split 50-50 to the house. Men will be able to keep all tips. They will be charged a weekly rate for a housekeeper, room, board, and food. Weekly tests for STDS and HIV are mandatory. [...]

HBO is filming the building of a brothel, it will be up to the individual to participate. If one does not want to participate it will not effect their employment.

In addition to lucrative careers as premium hustlers, and the national notoriety that comes along with being featured on Real Sex CXVI: Desert Gigolos (which, paired with a Tell Me You Love Me episode, will make for an all-osteoporotic-erotica programming block), the lucky 30 will of course also receive the Fleiss Family discount at her nearby Dirty Laundry fluff n' fold, ensuring no Stud Farm customers will ever have to face a less than pristine banana-hammock during their $250 pleasure-filled hour.

• heidistudfarm.com

[Fifteen Sorkin bonus points are awarded to anyone who remembered that Parumph is where the Studio 60 gang once found themselves imprisoned by a judge who taught the haughty city-folk an important lesson about prejudging rubes from the Nevada desert.]

• Previously: Heidi Fleiss Threatens Release Of Charlie Sheen Tranny-Parking Video [Defamer]