The Church of Scientology is none too pleased with a Vanity Fair article appearing next month. It says that Iranian born actress Nazanin Boniadi ( How I Met Your Mother) was audited by the church of Scientology to date Tom Cruise back in 2004.

“The entire story is hogwash,’’ the Church said in a statement.

The rep also said former Scientologist, Paul Haggis is off base. The filmmaker corroborated reporter Maureen Orth’s controversial cover story to Showbiz411, saying Boniadi, 34, was indeed snared in Tom’s den. The two reportedly dated from November 2004 until January 2005.

According to VF, Cruise eventually wanted someone more powerful in Hollywood like Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson or .... Katie Holmes.

A rep for the famed couch jumper also denies the story.

Coffee talk

Welcome to the madness! Former football star Michael Strahan stepped into Live! With Kelly as permanent co-host on Tuesday. The gap-toothed former New York Giant jogged onto the morning show set and picked up co-host Kelly Ripa in a bear hug then drew “ahhhs” from women in the audience when he presented her with a dozen red roses. “It’s so nice to have a co-host literally sweep you off your feet,” Ripa said, “and I know that he can bench press me if he wanted to.”

The bachelor

Nope, George Clooney didn’t propose to his girlfriend of more than a year, Stacy Keibler. But she is wearing a gold ring that looks a little like a wedding band, spies tell CelebrityLaundry.com. It appears to be just a gift, nothing more, nothing less. The former WWE wrestler, 32, recently introduced the actor, 51, to her parents and vice versa while vacationing in Italy. So it’s getting a little serious, right?

Lovey dovey

Romance on the set alert: Bachelorette costars Kirsten Dunst and Garret Hedlund only have eyes for each other. Recent pictures of the two in NYC show the new couple stepping out doing cute things like grocery shop hand-in-hand.

Off day

Bad pasta? Green Day’s lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong was “rushed to the hospital ... due to illness” in Italy on Saturday night, said bassist Mike Dirnt in a video on the band’s website, but he didn’t elaborate.