The tabloids - both the newspaper and television variety - are filled with stories about celebrities. Some are true. Some are partly true. Others are completely wrong.

Did you ever wonder how a bizarre story like "David Duchovny Has Alien Baby" or "Tim Allen Gives Fortune to Chocolate Bunny" gets started? Sure there are some people who sit around and make up this stuff. But there are times when an innocent attempt to be funny can be turned into a sensational item.

Please be clear. The events in the following did happen. The words were spoken. But the comment in question is NOT, and I mean double NOT, true.

There is no way anyone should believe "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere is carrying the baby of fellow "Heroes" star Sendhil Ramamurthy.

Here's what happened.

NBC hosted a party during the Television Critics Association meetings in July. It is the one chance for critics to talk with the casts of returning series. I took the opportunity to chat with Ramamurthy about the upcoming season.

He is in the middle of explaining how much he hopes the theme of "Villains" will rekindle some of the fire from the first season when Panettiere arrives. It is hard to miss Panettiere. The 18-year-old actress is wearing a dress that looks like it was painted on her body. And with VERY thin paint. There is no way she has taken a breath since slipping into the frock. The actress makes a beeline straight to her fellow "Heroes" star.

They exchange greetings. Then as the conversation is about to go back to the NBC show, Panettiere adds, "I am actually pregnant with his child." The comment stuns Ramamurthy. All he can do is offer a smile.

Panettiere then adds, "When in doubt go straight for the pregnancy."

"This is Publicity 101 from Hayden Panettiere," Ramamurthy says.

The whole conversation was to garner a laugh. There is no way it is true. Even if Panettiere was only a few hours pregnant there would be an imprint of the fetus on the front of that dress.

But you can see how that comment used out of context would certainly make for a juicy headline.