Miley Cyrus celebrates her sweet 16 on Sunday, the same day she performs at the American Music Awards, which air from 8-11 ET on ABC.

Oh what a year it’s been for this Franklin, Tennessee, native.

What’s on her birthday wish list?
 
“I wore thing ring on Good Morning America that, like, dangled,” she says. “I was like ‘mom, dad, anyone here? I really like this.’ I think it was Neil Lane. But I like jewelry and I like things that mean stuff. Certain people remind you of that, so I love jewelry.”   

Miley gets to celebrate her birthday with her family, friends and five siblings -- Christopher, Trace, Brandi, Braison and Noah -- because it often falls near Thanksgiving.

“I love it because then you’re able to have dinner with your family on your birthday,” she says of a holiday birthday. “When some people don’t get to come together for their birthday, I get the opportunity to never miss all the family being there, so it’s really great. And I get better food, better cake because we all have to share, so it’s good.”

Her underwear model boyfriend Justin Gaston, 20, will be there. “It’s hard to find a good family like this,” Justin tells me. “They’re some of the greatest people I’ve ever met. I appreciate everything.”

Justin’s close relationship with Billy Ray can make for some awkward moments, though.

“He’s given me some underwear so it’s working out real good,” Billy Ray says. “I’m gonna do those pictures. How does the pose go again? Like this?” Billy Ray does his best to strike a sexy stance.

Justin laughs. “You’ve gotta make it up as you go.”

I’m stationed near Maureen McCormick when I jet down to Nashville for the CMA Awards held at the Sommet Center. Woo-hoo!

Reese Witherspoon is radiant in red lipstick – shockingly gorgeous – but doesn’t answer when a reporter asks if she likes country music. Does she stay in a hotel when she’s in Nashville? Nah, she’s staying with her family. Nicole Kidman swans in with hubby Keith Urban, but steps back because she’s letting her hubby “enjoy his night.” Here’s Shania Twain, looking glam – and blonder – than I remember. Nice!

Energetic Miley Cyrus stops to chat, and her kind dad Billy Ray takes a photo of her limelight-loving boyfriend Justin Gaston with fawning female fans. Hahaha. And Taylor Swift is wearing 30-pound dress! “I cannot even believe I was able to walk to the red carpet,” she says. “Try to lift it up. It’s so heavy. It’s like wearing a bag of rocks, but I really like it, so I’m proud to wear this bag of rocks.”

Kellie Pickler has BFF Taylor’s back when it comes to boy troubles. “She’s like my little sister, so I’m very protective of her,” Kellie tells me. “She definitely comes first.” Now that Taylor is getting over the heartbreak of her relationship with Joe Jonas, Kellie is there as she finds a new man. “She just needs someone who is very respectful and understanding of her career,” Kel says. “You know, it’s very time-consuming what we do, so you need someone that’s confident and secure and just a good person. Just respectful.”

Dancing With The Stars performer Julianne Hough is out and about since her surgery for endometriosis. “Oh, I’m fine,” she tells me. “I’m honestly better than new. I feel great, and like I said, better than I felt before I even went in for surgery.” Her boyfriend, Chuck Wicks, was there through it all. “It was easy,” he tells me. “We rented a bunch of movies and we sat on the couch and ate popcorn. And we got a little puppy. Puppies can cure everything. Between the movies, popcorn and the puppy – and her mom was there as well –she recovered pretty quick. It was two weeks, and she was back on the dancefloor doing her thing.” (Bummer! She’s now off the show.)

What’s Reba McEntire’s pre-show ritual? “I just make sure my dress is correctly in place, I’ve got lipgloss on and I get onstage,” she says. “I am not that good at practical jokes, and they always think of better  -- or worse ones – than I can.”

Dancing With The Stars/Hannah Montana star Cody Linley is here to support Julianne and see Miley, but he’s also getting back to his roots. “I actually lived in Columbia from the ages of two to four. I don’t remember much of it, but to see autumn and see what Nashville is all about and remember again is cool.” Sadly, he’s off the show, too, which is unfortunate considering he had the will to win. “I was just going to say that my birthday’s November 20, and November 25 is the finale of Dancing With The Stars, so it would be the best 19th birthday present a boy could get to have a mirrorball trophy. Man! Winning right there. That’s my hope.” Aww!

American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo is thinking of Paula Abdul in the wake of the tragic fan incident that occurred outside her home. “Paula's a wonderful person and she deserves great things,” Diana tells me. “She's got a great personality and that's a horrible thing to have to deal with. She's in my prayers -- definitely.”

Miranda Lambert confesses she’s a big eBay shopper whose maximum bid is $100. “I’m cheap.” Does she get upset when she’s outbid? “Yes, I do. I take it personal.” Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles can’t wait to dress warmer. “I’m too excited about winter coming up,” Jennifer says. “I’m into the layered look.”

The Little Big Town girls are in awe of tourmate Carrie Underwood. “She has the best legs in the business,” Kimberly Roads says. Karen Fairchild adds, “She’s a super-disciplined person, so she eats well and she exercises every day. We’re like ‘oh Lord, we’ve gotta up our game. In the gym!’”

Here’s Hootie and The Blowfish singer Darius Rucker. What’s the best marriage advice he’s received? “My wife is always right,” he laughs.

Lady Antebellum take time to reveal their heights – Charles Kelley, 6’6,” Hillary Scott, 5’9,” and Dave Haywood, 6’1” – on the red carpet before they’re shocked by their big win for Best New Artist. They brought their moms as their dates.

“When I was younger, I didn’t attend the CMAs when [mom Linda Davis] won the CMA with Reba, but I was her date for a couple of different CMA Awards,” Hillary says. “For her to be here tonight as my date, and for her to have this crystal trophy on her shelf at home in the house I grew up in, and for me to be taking one home tonight is just crazy. She’s so proud. There’s nothing better than sitting there when the nominees were being read off and holding my mama’s hand. Knowing that she knew exactly what it felt like. We were so lucky to have our moms here. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Charles adds, “They were crying their eyes out.”

PRESS ROOM:  “I’ve never seen so much of Brad Paisley,” cohost Carrie Underwood gushes about his quick change backstage. The 45-second strip is also a highlight for Brad. “I was still getting dressed walking out,” he says. … Kenny Chesney, who has the hots for Shania, challenges Sugarland to take his Entertainer of the Year Award next year. … Rascal Flatts singer Joe Don Rooney calls fatherhood “amazing.” He says, “To be a father is just a big piece of that puzzle now that’s going to carry us on through the years.”

PARTY TIME: I catch Gretchen Wilson on her way inside the venue, Taylor Swift in the elevator at the Big Machine/Valory Records party and oh yes, there’s Jewel. The salmon and especially the mashed potatoes are amazing – so good! -- at the official CMA Awards afterparty. Delish.

Maria Menounos saves the day during North Shore Animal League’s Dogcatemy Celebrity Gala, which takes place at NYC’s Capitale. Howard Stern and wife Beth talk the Today/Access Hollywood star into filling in as host for Law and Order’s Richard Belzer, who has suddenly fallen ill, moments before festivities begin.

Luckily, Maria couldn’t be more perfect for the gig where pets dressed in top hats, tuxedos and glittery dresses are feted during a fundraiser for the no-kill animal shelter that urges shelter adoption over pet store purchases. Her entry in tonight’s video competition is all about why dogs are better than kids. The comedic satire wins Best Tail Waggin’ Comedy – an honor she shares with Chris Booker.

Maria breaks out her BlackBerry Bold to show me a video.

“There’s my dog Noelle,” she explains. “She’s a quadriplegic poodle. That’s my rescue, Athena, in my tennis court, and that’s my rescue Apollo. He knows he’s on camera. I swear he thinks he’s a superstar. And then they kiss in a minute. They’re my chickies, my little lovebugs. Watch, ready, you’re gonna see this. She sits down like a good girl right next to him, and then watch this – come on – they kiss. This is my favorite thing in the world because I get to stay connected to my dogs.”

Her five pooches have their own special traits.

“When I’ve been sick, my boy bichon Benjamin has never left my side. Only to go to the bathroom, not even for food. And he is the biggest pig in the world. He loves food, but when I'm sick he doesn’t leave my side. My quadriplegic poodle, Noelle, she’s like a healing poodle. When you’re upset, you put her on your chest – and I have five dogs – so I know she has the special power in the group. She’s very healing. My dog Apollo, the big white German shepherd I have, rescued the little bichons when they fell in the pool. Ripped them up by their neck and saved them.”  

She adds, “They are gifts from God. I truly believe that. They’re my everything. They’re my kids.”

Here comes Marcia Gay Harden and daughter Eulala, 8, who is decked out in mascara for the big night out. (They win Best Dogumentary!)

How do they spoil their pets? Although Marcia says she doesn’t believe in spoiling pets, she lets Eulala give their border collie some love. “She gave it a little teddy bear,” Marcia tells me. Eulala adds, “I also gave him a baby blanket.” Marcia continues, “It was her own from when she was a baby. She totally gives it baby things, baby blankets, baby bibs. We do take care of them.”

Mya is thrilled she recently adopted her first kitten, Mellow, from the North Shore Animal League. The owner of three dogs and one cat is gearing up for a brood of her own.

“I really believe animals prepare you for parenting,” the Lady Marmalade singer tells me. “Dogs are a 24-hour job. They are kids. They go to school as well. They’re lovable, loyal animals. They’re very responsive. They absorb a lot of information. They understand whatever language you speak over the course of time. They’re very dedicated to protecting you as the owner, and they look up to you as a child would. Whatever behavior you exemplify, they easily repeat, so if you raise them a certain way, they’ll repeat that behavior. So yes, it’s very similar to raising a kid.”

Here’s TRL host Damien Fahey and girlfriend Grasie Mercedes, who bring dog Hayden out for the evening.  “We bought him the bow tie off the Internet, gave him three treats today and stuck him in a car,” Damien tells me. “It was like a dog nap. We threw him in a town car and he just arrived here and that was it.” He laughs, “This is his first red carpet and I’m already not allowed to look him in the eye. He already has an ego problem.”

Monica Seles’ dogs love chasing tennis balls. “What’s so nice in tennis when you win a match or you lose a match, they’re always just happy to see you. After such a pressured day, it’s so nice to come home, and no matter if I won the match or I lost the match, they treat me the same way. The love they have is truly amazing – and the bond. I love both cats and dogs. They love chasing after the balls. They just really want to be near me. They really want to be part of me.”

Time for dinner! Tonight we have salmon with pickled beets and ginger-carrot broth for the entrée and chocolate passion fruit parfait for dessert. Mmm!

During the ceremony, Howard shocks wife Beth by giving her the Crystal Angel Award. “Howard doesn’t ever do that,” she gushes. “I’m too famous,” he adds. (Too famous indeed – Maria yuks that she’s acting as a shield to hide the supertall DJ from fans before the event.) Beth raised $300,000 for North Shore Animal League by running New York City Marathon on November 2.

Beth jokes that while running in the marathon, different people would say “Oh my God, it’s Beth Stern. Bababooee, bababooee, bababooee” several times as she ran.

And in the gift bag is a pink pet dress complete with diamond heart at the waist. I put it on our cat Mysty, who is totally confused because it’s a little big. Hahaha. The other cat, Spense, seems pleased I didn’t try it on her. Another day…

Carmen Electra shies away from PDA with fiancé Rob Patterson during USO Salute To Our Troops Welcome Home Reception held at NYC’s Hard Rock Café.

The brunette bombshell picks up the controls for Guitar Hero 3 and a serviceman joins her for a jam session. With her concentration sharply focused on the game – and injured war veterans -- Rob decides he’s had enough. “Screw this,” he says. “Let’s go smoke.”

Moments before, Carmen, 36, shows me her rock from the April engagement. It’s onyx!

“It’s so different,” she says, twinkling her fingers. “I love it. It’s goth.”  

She tears up when talk turns to wedding plans.

“We haven’t even had any time, to be honest, literally between both of our schedules and traveling,” the kind, friendly hostess with the mostess says. “We just worked on a show to celebrate his birthday, on E!, and that was really fun. We were trying to plan a party, pick a party planner. That was interesting. I just shot a bunch of shows for MTV, so we were in Italy for a while, and I was on tour. It’s called Chart Blast. It’s counting down the top 100 special effects video, pop star’s favorite rock videos of all time. Stuff like that. Just traveling.”

Traveling is what she relates to most when it comes to our troops.  
   
“I’m just showing support for the troops and the wounded soldiers and their families. It really brings you back to reality and the traveling of it all. All the superficial stuff.”

Alas, Rob must not mind that he’s sharing his fiancée with the troops tonight because he has alone time booked for later, and it’s sure to be total eye candy. After all, Carmen is designing a lingerie line that will include sexy goth wear.

“I love Agent Provacateur, Coco De Mer,” she says. “I get into collecting lingerie and corsets. Obviously not panties.”

Until then, Carmen gamely entertains the troops, who are enjoying shrimp, Monte Christo ham and swiss, slider burgers, baby hot dogs, chicken skewers in Thai peanut sauce, reuben sandwiches, hot pretzels, petite knish and Sabrett’s “dirty dogs” – street meat style.