The show wasn't a complete wash, however. Aside from Speidi's bizarre return (more on that later), I must admit that I'm still delighted by watching "celebrities" forced to degrade themselves on television. The food challenge involved the stars sticking their hands in a hole filled with different creepy crawlies (tarantulas, earthworms in cow dung, and, uh, frogs?) in order to blah, blah, blah, not important. All you need to know is that Lou Diamond Phillips' arm got chewed off by rats, and then after he got fixed by the medics, he compared his experience on the show to that of the brave men and women who fought in the Vietnam War! Say what?!!

Also, Daniel "Black Sheep" Baldwin joined the cast, much to the delight of Janice, who saw the addition as an opportunity to get more screen time. She's already announced that she plans on seducing Stephen's brother. Gross. But Daniel's debut was upstaged by ...

THE RETURN OF SPEIDI!

Yep, in the show's highlight, Spencer and Heidi appeared in the live portion of the show and blamed the devil for making them leave the jungle Monday night. (I'm not making that up.) Their three-minute grovel-a-thon was hilariously transparent. They begged America to keep them on the show because they wanted to do it for their charities, but it's obvious that other motivations are involved. Spencer pleaded insanity and said producers should have put him in a straitjacket. (Don't give producers any ideas, Spencer. They still have two more weeks of challenges to plan!)

Producers aren't making it easy for them, though. Co-host Myleene Klass told the duo that they'd have to spend the night in the Lost Chamber, a pitch black room inhabited by snakes, spiders, cockroaches and eel sperm. (Unclear whether they're expected to sleep there or just complete the challenge that sparked their departure earlier this week.) And the rest of the celebs have to agree to accept them back to the camp. (You just know NBC execs are going to strong-arm the cast in allowing Speidi back on the show.)

The entire saga makes me think this was all pre-planned by Speidi to begin with, and I love them for it. They know how to make good television, and they've managed to get their names in headlines much more than if they had just stayed there and played along. They've mastered the art of media manipulation, and their over-the-top personalities (devil and Jesus-loving angel) are so overdone, it borders on performance art. I can't get enough of it.

Heidi and Spencer's live appearance ended as you'd expect it to: with an impromptu prayer. Like an overexcited 8-year-old girl, Heidi clasped her hands together and squealed, "Please, Jesus, let us back in the camp!"

I know somewhere up in heaven, Jesus is rolling his eyes, while Andy Kaufman and Andy Warhol are rolling on the floor laughing.

(If you missed any of "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" this week, I'm told MTV is re-airing it in a "mini-marathon" this weekend.)

What do you think of Heidi and Spencer? Annoying, spoiled brats or media-savvy geniuses?

Stars showed up in full force last night in Santa Monica for Maxim's annual Hot 100 party. The mag just unveiled its list of Hollywood's hottest ladies — with "Year One" co-star Olivia Wilde taking the coveted #1 spot — and the event's red carpet was just as sizzling.

Ciara may have been down at #32 on the list, but the sexy singer stole the spotlight on the red carpet, sporting some throwback cornrows. Though they didn't make this year's list, Tila Tequila and Vanessa Minnillo were graciously willing to party with those who did and both broke out the bold colors.

And would it really be a party without an appearance by the recently christened Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Pratt? We think not. Heidi Montag (#81) and her hubby showed up fashionably late, arriving at just a little before 11 p.m. Check out the pics of all the other stars who came out to celebrate Maxim's hottest!

Well, it turns out missing his phone call was the best thing that could have happened, because Spencer leaves the best voicemails ever.

Although he didn't identify himself by his given name until later in the message, I've seen "The Hills" enough to know who it was on the other end of the receiver. Bear in mind I've never really met him — except for that one time on the red carpet when I fell on him — so I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember me, thus making this voicemail to a complete stranger even more amazing. Highlights include his multiple nicknames and a promise for the "hottest interview" of my life.

First off, I have never met somebody with so many nicknames. Secondly, the interview was quite, um, "hot," as Spencer did share that he plans on releasing a whole rap album and kind of started some white rap beef with Asher Roth. Did we forget to mention he's kind of like Jay-Z AND Biggie? But the voicemail was the highlight of my day. Enjoy!

Right? It's hard to believe that Spencer, who spends his days "managing" Heidi's music career (taking time out for various other endeavors like walking red carpets), admitted to the TheDailyBeast.com that he and his new wife love being in the spotlight.

"Heidi and I, do we love fame," Pratt told the Web site. "We're honored to be famous. We feel blessed to be famous."

Spencer also admits that he and Heidi, who frequently Tweets about Jesus, hopes that God grants them fame for much, much longer.

"We pray every day to stay famous. It's the most fun. That's our mentality with fame," he said. "That's why we're so different than everybody else in these tabloids — because we embrace it."

Lucky for them, then, that "The Hills" has been renewed for another season. Just kidding. We're sure they can be famous without "The Hills," too.

As it turns out, Spencer Pratt has assumed the role of Heidi's personal videographer — and judging by the look on Spencer's face, he takes his job quite seriously. (And judging by the look on Heidi's face, she does too.) If it is her full-time job to show up to events and look pretty, well, then, mission accomplished.

Although we don't know the specifics of just what Heidi previewed at the listening party, we hope that one of those songs had Spencer as a guest star. "Spencer Pratt is amazing," she said recently. "I'd love to get him on my album. He sings, he raps — he does everything." Camera work included.

"I'm friends with everybody now," Spencer revealed to us at the finale party. "I'm going to be nice to everyone. It's a New Year's resolution: Be a nicer Spencer."

For a guy who's feuded with everyone on "The Hills" over the last few seasons — his family, Heidi's family, Brody Jenner, and maybe even himself (the episode did seem to make us believe he is turning into a cooler dude) — Spencer realizes now that 2009 may be a good year to stop feuding and start loving.

We here at MTV News hope that Spencer can follow through on his goal to improve himself, and we're going to help him bone up with the aid of some self-help books.

1. "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" by Malcolm Gladwell — This should be easy for a guy who probably doesn't put much thought into many of the things he does.
2. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne — This would be great because there are many aspects of Spencer's life we wish would remain a mystery.
3. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert — If it means we can get rid of Spencer for a while he finds himself, we say go for it.

We only chose three because we don't want to overwhelm Mr. Pratt with too much heavy reading; He is busy planning a real wedding and all. Happy New Year, Spencer!

Well, apparently red-carpet faves Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt from the hit MTV show didn't get the memo. So when the duo turned up this morning at what we're sure will be the new hot spot in L.A. — the Taco Bell at Venice and La Brea — to once again team up with the restaurant chain to raise awareness for world hunger, it was a shock to some patrons who were in a hurry to get their quesadillas.

See what Heidi has to say about Lauren, after the jump!

Besides spilling the beans (sorry, couldn't help it) on what they were there for, they gave us the scoop on the possible reunion between LC and Heidi. "Life's too short," Heidi said of her feud with the former friend. And when we asked Spencer about it, he said he thought it would be cool if Lauren came out to T-Bell to support the cause — but we kinda got the feeling he was being sarcastic.

In the interview — which also includes mentions of Montag's clothing line, Heidiwood — Montag said that she and Pratt read the Bible regularly, and described herself as "kind of non-denominational Baptist." She also mentions plans for a humanitarian trip to Africa in August to "feed children and build things."

"I have been the most religious person since I was 2 years old," she said. "I always felt this crazy connection to God."

Which is where the Christian album comes in, which Montag says she's interested in making at some point in the future. And while the article doesn't mention when said album will materialize, there is a video interview including a clip of her video for "Fashion," which is full of vocal effects but seems short on religious sentiment.

And while she and Pratt have had their share of ups and downs, Montag said that her beau is "the most amazing person to ever exist. Everything you could ever want in a best friend, soulmate and boyfriend."

In the interview, she was also asked about the sex tape that Lauren Conrad had supposedly shot with ex-beau Jason Wahler. "I don't even want to talk about that," Montag said. "There were rumors about a sex tape, but I had nothing to do with that. God knows the truth in all of this, and at the end of the day, that is the only thing that matters. Jesus was persecuted, and I'm going to get persecuted, ya know? But it doesn't matter to me."

Heidi Montag sings in French?!

UsMagazine.com posted an exclusive first listen to the "Hills" star's newest single, "Fashion." The track is wildly applauded — surprise, surprise — by Montag's fiance, manager and "Hills" co-star Spencer Pratt.

"It's the greatest song of my life," Pratt told Us on Friday.

Of your life? But what about her single "Body Language," based on Yaz's 1982 single "Situation"?

True, "Fashion" covers new ground, with Heidi's French skills — and a whole lot of fashion brands — in the lyrics. Prada, Heidiwood, you know ...

What do you think about the track? Tell us!