From CNN Entertainment reporter Kareen Wynter in Los Angeles:

I couldn't believe it when my crew and I arrived outside of the UCLA Medical Center in L.A.'s Westwood district today to cover the latest in the Britney Spears saga. In fact, I almost had to ask if we were at the right hospital. (In fact, maybe I did. My mind is a bit blurry right now after a morning of nonstop live shots.)

Because not only were there no other media or paparazzi on hand, but no fans. That's right - fans. Earlier this month, some of Britney's faithful followers actually beat some of the media to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when she was hospitalized there, but today ... nothing.

Given recent history, I thought that this would rank as one of the big stories of the day. Well, a local news station finally showed up after about an hour. Another crew popped up a short time later. But the bottom line is, even after being out here for eight hours, the media circus that has trailed Spears at every opportunity just wasn't out in full force today.

So, that got me thinking. Is the media growing tired of this troubled pop star? I doubt it. But I do believe that a jadedness has set in - that many of those who cover Spears are no longer shocked by some of her unexpected misfortunes. I have to admit, when I got the 1 a.m. call about Spears' latest hospitalization, I wasn't surprised. Not at all.

Spears' family, friends, and advisers have all publicly expressed concern for her well-being. Let's just hope that, finally, she does get the support that she needs to get through whatever it is she is going through.

– Kareen Wynter 

From CNN Entertainment Producer Matt Carey:

A terrible pall has been cast over the Sundance Film Festival by the shocking death of Heath Ledger. The festival is just days away from handing out its awards, but the normally celebratory mood has been replaced by a feeling of sadness and almost dread. Everyone around here looks like they’ve been kicked in the stomach.

A lot of stars with films at the festival had a personal connection to Ledger - no one more so than his ex-fiancee Michelle Williams, whose Sundance film is "Incendiary." She never came to Park City to promote it. But Naomi Watts, who was romantically involved with him at one point and co-starred with Ledger in "Ned Kelly," was in town when the news hit. She later canceled all of her interviews to promote her film, "Funny Games."

Some stars here have been gracious enough to share their feelings about Ledger as an actor and a person. Lukas Haas, who told us he had met Ledger several times, described him as a "very sweet" person. Jacqueline Bissett (who, like Haas, stars in the Sundance film "Death in Love") said she met Ledger in Venice, Italy, where he premiered his film "Casanova." She called him an actor of tremendous talent and potential.

Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci ("Blind Date") also paid tribute to him as a performer. Tucci said he was especially impressed by Ledger’s work in "Brokeback Mountain," which earned Ledger his only Oscar nomination.

The Sundance Film Festival hasn’t been pleased with reporters asking questions about Ledger. When we came to the premiere of "Death in Love" Tuesday evening, a Sundance press officer threatened to revoke our credentials if we asked any questions about the late actor. She said we were there only to ask questions about the film. I find that akin to someone in the White House telling the press corps what they can and can’t ask the President. I don't think it serves us as a society to restrict what the media can ask in public settings.

It's difficult to ask stars for their thoughts on such an occasion and yet I can't help thinking, who better to characterize an actor's contributions than a fellow actor? In times of tragedy people take comfort from hearing what others are feeling and thinking on the matter, and it's really in that spirit that I ask - not out of a salacious desire to pry.

None of this is meant to imply that members of the media should ask questions in anything but a sensitive and respectful manner. And I respect any star's right to decline to answer a question, be it about Heath Ledger or any other issue. But to prevent us from asking is a form of prior restraint.

– Matt Carey 

From Entertainment Producer Matt Carey in Park City, Utah:

The Sundance Film Festival is generally about art and commerce, but politics wasn’t far away Monday night.

Mike Gravel, the former Alaska senator who's running a quixotic campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, turned up at the Sundance Film Festival that evening. While the leading Democratic Presidential candidates were debating in South Carolina, Gravel was sitting on a panel sponsored by the Creative Coalition.

We talked afterwards, and true to form, he was very outspoken.

He slammed Sen. Barack Obama, saying he was "inconsistent" on the issues and that his "lack of experience shows." He added, "I don't think in many respects he knows what he's saying or the ramifications of what he's saying."

Ouch! I guess he won’t be on the short list of vice-presidential nominees if Obama gets the nomination.

But Gravel didn't stop there. He also slammed CNN for keeping him out of the South Carolina debate, calling it a "conspiracy between the network" and the Democratic National Committee. And he said he was bored during the debates, even the ones in which he participated.

Perhaps most surprisingly, he said it won’t make any difference who is elected President. He suggested it's going to be the "same old-same old" either way.

From CNN Entertainment reporter Brooke Anderson:  

The rock stars of U2 lit up Sundance with their star power and incomparable music. ("New Year's Day," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Stuck in a Moment" are some of my favorites, though it's hard to name just a few.)

The group was in Park City premiering "U2 3D," a concert documentary, offering audiences with 3-D glasses a front-row seat to their 2006 stadium shows in South America.

U2's live shows are incredible - and the film is also electrifying. A conversation with Bono and The Edge ... well, that was just plain cool.

I spoke with the band before the debut of their film. Here are some of the highlights (and yes, Bono does most of the talking when they do interviews):

• Bono jokes he's been wearing sunglasses all these years because he's been looking at things in 3-D.
• Bono believes "Irish people are essentially Latin people who don't know how to dance."
• Bono admits it's cold in Park City and that he had some Irish whiskey before our chat.
• As a publicist tried to pull them away, Bono stayed to talk longer, saying "We love CNN."

And Bono, we love you guys, too.

From CNN Entertainment Producer Jennifer Wolfe:

Julian McMahon may be the Lothario on FX’s "Nip/Tuck," but Dylan Walsh certainly turned heads at the CNN suite today.

He arrived alone.

He arrived early.

And he came to talk about "Just Add Water," his film at the Slamdance Film Festival.

But being the good sport he is, Walsh indulged the "Nip/Tuck" fans in the crowd and offered a little teaser of some upcoming episodes.

He tells us that his character Sean McNamara's TV career really takes off and he gets a manager, portrayed by Sharon Gless, and what starts out as a positive relationship turns very dark.

Thanks for the tip Dylan. We award you the "Actor with the Least Entourage" Award.

From CNN Entertainment reporter Brooke Anderson:

Yes, Colin Farrell is an Irishman. Yes, he's "dangerous," sexy ... a rebel. But I have interviewed Colin before where he kept his language in check. Not this time. He let himself get a little too comfortable as we were talking live on CNN about his new film "In Bruges."

Farrell was explaining why director Martin McDonagh allowed him to keep his Irish accent while starring as a hit man based in London. He said that McDonagh probably saw his recent film "Cassandra's Dream" and thought "F**k that, he's Irish!"

Then, realizing his slip, he exclaimed, "Oh s**t!"

I was immediately flustered and mortified, as was he. His co-star Brendan Gleeson began laughing hysterically. In the end, we all joked about it, brushed it off, and eventually moved on with the interview.

Colin was very sweet and apologetic afterward. He told me that if the FCC decides to come after me to let him know and he'll have a chat with them.

Good thing the FCC doesn't regulate language on cable.

From CNN Entertainment Producer Jennifer Wolfe:

Alan Alda hates Earl Grey tea. He believes the world is divided into two types of people, those who love Earl Grey and those who don't.

That was the launching pad for a lively discussion about food here at our Treasure Mountain Inn Suite at the Sundance Film Festival. Alda was here to do an interview about his new film "Diminished Capacity" - but beforehand, we talked food.

Alan offered up a pasta recipe that he’s fond of and swears it's great - although a little unconventional:

Take one box of pasta (any type will do). Soak it in a half-cup of olive oil. Then spread the pasta in a Pyrex dish and add a can of diced tomatoes. A dash of salt and pepper (no garlic, he insists). Bake for a while and eat.

He added the pasta's consistency is more "al gummy" than al dente.

Alan's other foodie offering was a dessert:

Take pizza dough. Spread it very thin. Take a bunch of seedless grapes (off the vine, I'm guessing). Dip the grapes in sugar. Place them on top of the pizza dough. Add another layer of pizza dough on top. Crimp the edges. Then top it with some more sugared grapes and bake in an oven.

Unfortunately, I never got a temperature or a time from him. (Alan, if you’re reading this, send that along, OK?)

Our resident Italian, Jenny D'Attoma from "Showbiz Tonight," says she's going to ask her father about that one. He's from Italy and she's a first-generation American.

Alan may believe the world is divided into Earl Grey lovers and Earl Grey haters, but I'm convinced the world is actually divided into people who bake and people who cook. I think Alan firmly resides in the cook's camp.

From CNN Entertainment Producer Jennifer Wolfe in Park City, Utah:

It’s well documented: where there’s a star there’s usually an entourage. At Sundance, it’s no different.

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, promoting their film "In Bruges," came to our live location with a room full of people. I didn’t count, but I think there were at least four handlers per star, personal publicists, film publicists and any number of other sorts.

Nick Cannon also had a room full of folks. They hung out and strategized about how he should showcase his role as a young Marine getting ready to ship out to Iraq in "American Son." Everyone sat and joked about things we can’t repeat and stared at their Blackberries, waiting for the next vital communication.

And then there was Stanley Tucci. He came with one person, did a spot with CNN.com Live and quickly popped over to my computer to catch the end of his segment.

Tucci then asked about Gaza - while waiting for his interview he’d heard an item on the strife there - and he wanted to know more, so we started scrolling through other stories. While clicking through the site, we saw Allan Melvin, "Sam the Butcher" from "The Brady Bunch," had died. Tucci said he’d grown up watching the show. He was low-key and friendly and left our suite the way he came in, with little fanfare.

Then there’s the ultimate "Entourage" guy –- the star of the HBO show of that name, Adrian Grenier. He was in town to promote his film on air-drumming titled "Adventures in Power" and he was scheduled to appear on CNN Sunday. After much back-and-forth with his people, the interview time was set, the tapes were pulled and edited and everything was ready.

Then, a few hours before the segment, we got a one-line e-mail: Grenier was sick.

Scramble time. We filled the hole with a piece on a documentary titled "Bigger Stronger Faster."

Later, one of our photographers spotted Grenier at the Slamdance Festival, which is located just downstairs from our production space in the Treasure Mountain Inn.

Last night, a CNN producer spotted him "in the window of Hollywood Lounge at midnight with a drink in his hand talking to some girl."

She must've been nursing him back to health.

Columnist Leonard Pitts on the Britney frenzy.

All this week, CNN has been asking readers to send us their ideas for the perfect new gadget, and we've gotten a ton of responses.

Some of the ideas were practical, like adding voice-activated features and GPS to the iPhone, a portable language translator for travelers, or a six-disk changer for the Xbox 360, so gamers won't have to get up to switch from "Soul Calibur IV" to "Halo 3."

Dick Tracy-style cell phone watches, paper-thin computers that can be folded up and put in a purse and retractable car overhangs to keep you dry while loading groceries or bucking kids into cars seats are a little more fantastic, but not too hard to imagine.

Other suggestions, like an ATM card that never runs out of money, were just absurd (though I'm totally signing up for one if they ever come out).

Several people suggested medical devices that would be a huge help to people with diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other conditions.

CNN.com's Nicole Saidi compiled our I-Reporters' ideas, which you can check out here.

Who knows, some of these ideas might turn into the hottest new gadgets at next year's CES.