After spending two weeks in Africa this summer with five girlfriends, Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart was inspired to create a safari-themed Halloween costume. "I had the experience of a lifetime," she says, detailing her time in Rwanda with silverback gorillas. "We hiked up with machete-wielding guides in the jungles and came upon these guys and we got to watch them two days in a row for an hour at a time. I can't tell you how wonderful it was."

With Entertainment Tonight in its 27th year on the air, there's nobody better than Mary to fill Rachael in on the latest celebrity gossip. "Last week I had a great chance to sit down with Matt Lauer and talk about his Friar's roast," she says. "But one of the things I've really had fun with this year [is the] big election now." Mary's had the chance to sit down with the Bidens, Obamas, McCains and Palins. "These interviews were so much fun because they're not strictly political interviews – you get to know them as people," she says, pointing out that part of her interview with Sarah Palin will air tonight, Friday Oct. 31.

On a personal note, Mary's son has hit a milestone that's changing her life as well. "My son is 16, and I have been able to drive him for the last 10 years to school and pick him up," she explains. "But now he's driving on his own and I'm so depressed!" Rachael points out a silver lining: "Think of what you can do with his empty room!"

"I'll tell you what," Mary tells Rachael. "I'll build a kitchen for you and you can come out to teach me to cook!"