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Sunday, May 11, 2008
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STARR REPORT

By MICHAEL STARR

March 5, 2007 -- Secret operation Lisa Ling, the former "View" co-host now globetrotting for National Geographic Channel (and Oprah Winfrey), called to discuss her new special, "Explorer: Inside North Korea," airing tonight at 9. It documents her undercover travels inside the totalitarian state, ruled by mysterious dic tator Kim Jong- il under a cloak of absolute secrecy. Ling was in North Korea with Dr. Sanduk Ruit, an eye surgeon allowed in to perform cataract surgery on 1,000 people (in under 10 days). Ling posed as his medical coordinator.

"They are forbidden from know ing anything about the outside world," Ling says of the North Kore ans, who don't have cell phones or Internet access. "In America we choose not to know - even though we have access to everything."

I mentioned to Ling that she was lucky, since there was a good chance she wouldn't be recognized in a culture with no access to the outside world.

"There were a couple of Chi nese tourists there . . . who actually recognized me," she says. "I literally said, 'No!' and just ran away. That was the one time I was the most afraid."

* * *

Lucy Griffiths made a splash on the BBC's "Robin Hood," playing a feisty version of Marian (no Maid here). The series premiered on BBC America last Saturday night. "The thing I like about [Mar ian] is that she's not just a pretty face - she has a mind of her own and is very de termined," says Griffiths.

The first-season DVD is out June 5.

Last, but not least:

* Ch. 2's Chris Wragge subs for Russ Mitchell on "The Early Show" today, to morrow and Friday.

* Rachael Ray and Delta Airlines challenging New Yorkers and Chicagoans to vote for their favorite pizze ria (rachaelrayshow.com) - with each city's winning loca tions going on "The Rachael Ray Show" to duke it out.

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