Vanessa Hudgens had hugs all around for her adoring fans

Vanessa Hudgens was taken aback and yet determined Tuesday NOT to speak of Zac Efron.

Hudgens was at the Mall of America for the unveiling of OfficeMax's "World's Largest Penny Tray," a back-to-school promotion that highlights the chain selling a variety of supplies for 1 cent.

PR people warned that Hudgens, one of Disney's "High School Musical" stars for those of you who live under a rock, was not fielding questions about her love life.

Fine. My question was not about that, even though Tuesday's USA Today included a story about the musical's "stars and sweethearts" arriving together at the Teen Choice Awards -- where Hudgens won "Choice Female Hottie." My question was about a photo of Efron on page 20 of the People magazine with the Obama family cover story. When shown the photo, Hudgens smiled and her brows shot up for an instant. And why not? The People photo of Efron, as he reportedly left the gym, included the headline "HEY ZAC -- NICE GUNS!" He looks pleasant enough, but there's a problem: The guns don't match the gams.

It's not that Efron's legs are skinny; they are just not getting nearly as much weight-action as his impressive arms. He looks like Bambi with biceps. So I told Hudgens that if she knew this young man, she should tell him that I said he should work on those legs.

As you'll see on startribune.com/video, Hudgens laughed a little, then looked in the direction of her people with a beseeching help-me-out-of-this expression before calmly gazing back at my camera with a smile that translated: I cannot believe you said that.

She's one poised actor-singer. She was also a very nice kid who seems genuinely appreciative of her enormous number of fans. As Hudgens signed autographs (get this, Coach Dungy, she PERSONALIZED them), she looked fans in the eyes, smiled at them and dispensed more hugs than many of us photogs could recall ever seeing at a Mall of America event.

What's in that hot dog? Hot dog fans are consumers of "Bizarre Foods," according to Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel show.

Zimmern had a two-day event with the Twins that included him throwing out a pitch that was a strike. He said the "Bizarre Foods" film crew has video of that momentous pitch.

On video I shot, which can be viewed at startribune.com/video, Zimmern explains why hot dogs are not much different from some of the unbelievable, i.e. disgusting, delicacies he grosses us out by eating around the world.

"It doesn't look very bizarre," Zimmern said, repeating a comment from a staffer, who couldn't believe Andrew would waste his esoteric taste buds on a hot dog. "I've had serious arguments about the nature of hot dogs and bratwurst [with] people who won't even eat [some of the food featured on the TV show]. I would rather eat water buffalo that's just chopped up on the jungle floor in the middle of northern Thailand than even find out what's in a conventional American hot dog or bratwurst."

OK, what's in a hot dog? "Pig face and tail and hoof," Zimmern claimed, along with "10 percent parts that legally they don't have to tell you." At least you know what the [exotic food items on the TV show] are.

"At least that's 100 percent Crick-ette," he said, pointing out the complimentary crickets, in flavors including salt and vinegar, fetchingly packed and passed out by Bizarre crew.

Twins group sales rep David Marley sampled the crickets. "A cross between pork rinds and cardboard," Marley said, smiling.

'Bizarre' idea took time People are shocked to hear that it took six years for Eden Prairie's Tremendous! Entertainment to sell the concept for "Bizarre Foods."

Sometimes it takes awhile for incredibly successful shows to find a home, according to the executive producer of the show. "It's timing," she said, all about reaching a network big wig who gets it.

The name of the "Bizarre Foods" exec is withheld in print so as not to blow my video reveal of her highly recognizable face. Her name has been written here many times, most notably during her news career, during which I started calling her the "Most Lovely Host Organism." She was given that appellation after a wild reporting assignment, which involved this extremely beautiful woman of regal bearing eating grubs (yick) and another matter that (wink) slips my mind.

The exec producer enjoyed giving me a gentle stick for getting into the video world, and I teased her about not being on a mattress. Final hint: Her husband is doing some work these days for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.