Friends

Judy Greer knows she's played the “best friend role” in what feels like countless romantic comedies. But she's not going to swear them off. “I see actors making decisions like, 'I don't want to do that anymore.' Like, 'I don't want to be on a television show anymore. I want to be a movie star,'” says Greer, whose new film, “The Descendants,” opens Nov. 18. “Then it's like they never do anything again, and you see them back on television.” Fortunately, the Michigan-raised DePaul grad - who has appeared in many films, including “27 Dresses” and “The Wedding Planner,” but is probably best known for her role as Kitty Sanchez in “Arrested Development” - sometimes gets to stretch.

People say the dog is man's best friend. With the way men melt for a cute pooch like a Slurpee in the sun, I've got to believe it. My dog, Figaro, is good at reeling in the bachelors, all right, and having men approach my dog first makes me less likely to run away in nervous terror. Yet there is a problem: Figaro is a horrible wingman. A good wingman will get the sexy singles interested and then pass the torch at the appropriate moment. Figaro, on the other hand, can't quite figure out the right time to let me take over.

Earmuffs! There is a new F-word in town, and it is dirtier than Rick Santorum's name, more loaded than Mitt Romney's wallet and more vile than the inside of Rush Limbaugh's mouth. Yes, "feminist" has taken over as the year's most foul word. Whenever a student tries to argue for access to safe and effective birth control, an unapologetic woman runs for president, or a Girl Scout tries to sell a box of Thin Mints, out pops that dirty little three-syllable word - fem-in-ist - usually along with a few choice adjectives.

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(Note from the Wingman: In this column, I use the word "friends" the way Facebook does. It's basically the people you know socially who won't kill you and take your stuff if given the opportunity.) I'm not surprising anyone by saying Chicago is a city of "Who do you know?" Your associations here define the experience, and your friends can make or break your social standing. You remember "Super Friends," right? That group of big-time heroes who united to stomp evil (and hang out with teenagers for some reason)

When the Chicago Fire signed Germany's Arne Friedrich in the offseason, they knew they had a defender with World Cup experience. And when they drafted Austin Berry in the 2012 MLS Superdraft, they knew they had the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. What they might not have known was how quickly Friedrich and Berry would develop into a solid core at the center of team's defense. Or how quickly the 24-year-old Berry would "grow up" before the veteran's eyes. "In this state of the season, maybe he looks like a 40-year-old guy because he has problems with shoulder, with his thumb, with his ankle.

Alec Baldwin said it got him kicked off a plane. John Mayer called it "the new Twitter. " Both celebs are obviously fans of Words With Friends, but neither can boast the game hooked them up with the love of their life, like Megan Lawless and Jasper Jasperse can. The game, a Scrabble-like contest for smartphones (and smart people), allows friends, family and strangers to compete to see who can construct the best words. Players get points for playing different letters and can chat during the game.

This spring and summer I have not one, not two, but three friends attempting to hike the entire 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. They've quit their jobs or taken leaves of absence, they've moved out of their apartments, they've sunk their savings into packs, gear, and Ramen noodles. They are glory-bound. Two weeks ago I dropped one of my best friends from home, KDoe, off at the start of the trail on Springer Mountain in Georgia. It was pouring rain and the trip up the mountain and back down on a suspect gravel road with no guardrail in sight was one of the more harrowing experiences I've had in a while.

Looks like Reese Witherspoon's happy family is about to get a little bit bigger. The gossip sites lit up with "insider" confirmations and pics that looks suspiciously like she's got a baby bump on Wedneday. Since tons of famous folks are pregnant or have newbies of their own lately, we took a guess at who Reese's bundle of joy will be hanging out with -- based on their made-up social cliques. damoran@tribune.com | @redeyedana The model kids For when the baby feels like hanging out with the cute crowd Adriana Lima Could Adriana and Reese's babies be birthday twins?

Former White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle recently had to leave his beloved pit bull, Slater, behind when he was traded to Toronto due to Ontario's ban on the breed. Blackhawks winger Bryan Bickell's fiancée, Amanda Caskenette, can't imagine having to go through the same thing with their beloved 7-year-old pit bull, Bailey. "The way the ban and media in general portrays pit bulls couldn't be further from the truth," the 29-year-old Roscoe Village resident said via email. "We couldn't imagine our lives without Bailey and the joy, loyalty, and comfort she gives us. " While Bickell is known for doing whatever he can to help his teammates on the ice, Caskenette is hoping to do the same for Bailey off it. Caskenette and her friend Alicia Boemi recently started Chicago Loves Pits, a not-for-profit designed to promote awareness and encourage adoption of what she says is one of the most misunderstood breeds.