It's a Nasty Convention Ratings War, and CNN Claims Victory Over the Big Guys

Capitalizing on Michael Phelps's Olympic momentum, HBO will feature the world-class swimmer, right, in a cameo on "Entourage." (By Claudette Barius -- Hbo Via Associated Press)

Since he made Olympics history this month, everybody wants a piece of the Beijing Games' It Boy, Michael Phelps.

Within 24 hours of returning to U.S. soil, HBO was filming him in a cameo for its flailing Hollywood series "Entourage."

Of course, Games-broadcasting NBC also wasted no time signing Phelps to host "Saturday Night Live" when it returns Sept. 13 to kick off its 34th season (having debuted 10 years before Phelps was born).

Meanwhile, what do Phelps and Miley Cyrus have in common? Yes, both have been photographed with their shirts off, but we're talking about them both being booked as presenters at the made-for-TV trophy show "2008 MTV Video Music Awards" on Sept. 7.

The "SNL" season premiere will be historic on so many levels. NBC boasts that Phelps will be "making his acting debut." Phelps, of course, went a perfect 8-for-8 in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz's single-Games record for most gold medals won.

"SNL" is also making history; it's airing four live shows in a row when it returns -- "a rare practice," NBC says.

And in a stroke of casting genius, NBC has arranged for Phelps to share the history-making stage with Lil Wayne, who, NBC notes, has had three top-five singles: "A Milli," "Got Money" and, our personal fave, "Lollipop":

She say he so sweet

Make her wanna lick the rapper

So I let her lick the rapper

Shawty say I lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-look like a lollipop . . .