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CHRIS BROWN, DIDDY, GAME RECORD MIJAC TRIBUTE: Usher, Boyz II Men, Polow also on track. Plus, 50 Cent released two new songs mentioning Jackson. *Less than 24 hours after the death of Michael Jackson, a song in his honor was recorded by an all-star lineup led by The Game and had made its world premiere on a radio station in Los Angeles.

MIJAC SET TO DOMINATE MUSIC CHARTS: Past albums on track to top lists in US, UK; plus memorabilia in high demand on eBay and Craigslist. *Sales of Michael Jackson albums have hit the stratosphere since his sudden death on Thursday.

BEYONCE, ALICIA, TIMBALAND OTHERS SALUTE MIJAC: ASCAP Awards observe moment of silence; Keys, Smokey, Gordy talk about his legacy. *Celebrities stunned by the death of Michael Jackson continue to pay tribute to his legacy in the days following his death on Thursday.

GLOBAL MIJAC MEMORIALS BEING CONSIDERED: Al Sharpton says family is considering having simultaneous celebrations around the globe. *Al Sharpton, a longtime friend of the Jackson family, said he was to meet with them on Sunday to discuss ways in which Michael Jackson's life can be celebrated on the global stage.

NANNY- 'I HAD TO PUMP MICHAEL'S STOMACH MANY TIMES': Grace Rwaramba says it was routine after he'd ingest drugs; but Chopra says not true. *Grace Rwaramba, the 42-year-old nanny who cared for Michael Jackson's three children, said she routinely had to pump out the singer's stomach after he'd ingested a dangerous combination of drugs.

WHAT ABOUT MICHAEL'S KIDS?: TMZ says they want to live with grandma Katherine; mother of oldest two has legal parental rights. *Entertainment columnist Roger Friedman is reporting that Michael Jackson's final will was drawn up in 2002, and contains his wishes for the disposition of his assets and the appointment of guardians for his children.

JACKSON FAMILY ISSUES STATEMENT: 'Our pain cannot be described in words. Also, Katherine retains Michael's longtime lawyer. *The Jackson family issued a statement Saturday, conveyed by family patriarch Joseph Jackson. In full, it reads:

BET AWARDS HONOR MICHAEL JACKSON: A grieving Janet and a strange acting Papa Joe stop by (Videos) *While BET celebrated the life of Michael Jackson the entertainer, Janet Jackson ? in her first public appearance since her brother's shocking death ? memorialized him as her beloved sibling and family member, eliciting tears as she vowed his memory would live forever.

CONCERT MAGICIAN DISCUSSES MIJAC'S FINAL HOURS: Ed Alonzo says he 'looked fantastic.' *Us Magazine caught up with magician Ed Alonzo, who was hired by Michael Jackson to help design some of the illusions for the singer's London shows, and was with the singer at rehearsals for his concert the day before his death on Thursday.

USA TODAY OFFERING COMMEMORATIVE MIJAC ITEMS: Glossy publication and tabloid-sized edition honoring Jackson on newsstands now. *USA Today has published two commemorative products recognizing the life and death of Michael Jackson: a 96-page glossy-format commemorative edition titled "Michael Jackson: King of Pop," and a 40-page tabloid sized special edition titled "Michael 1958-2009." Both are on newsstands now.

NFL BEGINS REVIEW OF BURRESS INCIDENT: Commish Roger Goodell to determine whether he should be suspended. *NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has started reviewing the Plaxico Burress shooting incident under the league's personal conduct policy. If the wide receiver is found in violation, he could be suspended.

PEPA, CHILLI SCORE VH1 REALITY SHOWS: Cameras will follow rapper and singer as they look for love. *Pepa will return to VH1 without Salt next year to star in her own reality series, joining other newly-signed subjects of unscripted fare Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas from TLC and The Entertainer from "I Love NY" and "I Love Money."

COOLIO TO ENTER REHAB AFTER GUILTY PLEA: Rapper cops to drug possession and agrees to program in exchange for staying out of jail. *Coolio will avoid jail time after taking a plea deal Friday on drug charges.The rapper pleaded guilty in Los Angeles to felony cocaine possession in a deal that requires him to spend 18 months in a drug rehabilitation program.

KATHERINE GIVEN GUARDIANSHIP OF MIJAC'S KIDS: Plus, Jackson family matriarch files papers to administer son's estate. *Katherine Jackson was granted temporary guardianship of Michael Jackson's three children on Monday, and filed additional papers seeking to be named administrator of her late son's estate to ensure that his kids are its beneficiaries.

JACKSON SIBLINGS MAY MOUNT MIJAC TRIBUTE TOUR: Columnist Roger Friedman says idea of Janet-led trek with brothers is 'on the table.' *Entertainment columnist Roger Friedman says a Michael Jackson tribute tour featuring his sister Janet and his brothers is "on the table for consideration" in the wake of his death.

ORGANIZERS OF 'THRILLER' MUSICAL IN 'MOURNING': Nederlander Organization undecided about future of production. *The theater company that acquired rights to produce a musical based on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video say they have yet to decide if the planned show will move forward in the wake of his death.

USHER REGRETS ABSENCE FROM BET AWARDS: Network told reporters Friday he was 'on a plane' to join show. So what happened? *On Friday, BET CEO Debra Lee told reporters that Usher and Justin Timberlake would be last minute additions to Sunday's BET Awards telecast, which was being "overhauled" to honor Michael Jackson in the wake of his passing.

MADONNA WAS PLOTTING APPERANCE AT MIJAC GIG: Singer's manager tweets about Material Girl's wish for a surprise performance. *Madonna was apparently interested in joining Michael Jackson on stage for one of his 50 planned concert dates in London, according to her manager Guy Oseary.

CHRIHANNA WANTS PROTECTION ORDER REMOVED: Sources close to pair say they think it's 'ridiculous.' *Sources close to Rihanna and Chris Brown say both parties believe the no-contact clause in his plea deal is pointless, not to mention impractical.

JACKSON FAMILY HAS LOTS OF QUESTIONS: Plus, MiJac's doctor says singer still had a pulse when he found him on the bed unconscious. *In an interview on the Today show, Jackson family lawyer L. Londell McMillan said his clients are "quite clearly troubled" about the circumstances surrounding Jackson's death, considering he had been healthy enough to rehearse for his upcoming concerts just hours before he died.

PAPA JOE AND REV. AL HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE: Both try to explain Joe's CNN interview during BET Awards, among other issues. *Michael Jackson's funeral is still in the planning stages, but his father said he would not be buried at Neverland Ranch, which had been reported earlier in the day.

TYLER PERRY ANGRY WITH MIJAC MEDIA COVERAGE: Plus, director says Janet was en route to film 'Married Too' when she heard about Michael. *Tyler Perry called Q100's The Bert Show in Atlanta Friday morning to discuss his thoughts on Michael Jackson's passing and to urge fans and the media to give the Jackson family "respect and room to grieve."

TV GUIDE HONORING MIJAC WITH TWO SPECIALS: 'Stars Reflect' full of BET Awards red carpet interviews; 'Music Legacy' salutes his videos. *TV Guide Network will pay homage to Michael Jackson in two television specials airing this week.

NBA FINALS UPDATE: Game 2 was close all the way; Lakers edge Magic 101-96 in overtime (Video). *Lucky to have a second chance, the Los Angeles Lakers grabbed it. Kobe Bryant and Co. held on and are in control of the NBA finals , just barely. Orlando rookie Courtney Lee missed a potential winning layup as regulation ended, giving Los Angeles another shot it didn't waste.

BET PICKS UP 'WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW': Program will air on cable network in addition to syndicated telecasts. *BET has picked up cable rights to "The Wendy Williams Show," a forthcoming daily talk program featuring the New York-based disc jockey hosting celebrities, spreading gossip and discussing topical issues, reports Variety.

OBAMA BITS: Digital TV switch; would-be assassin caught; Michelle's Gap tee; 'Office' star witnesses Broadway date night. *President Obama says folks who still get their television reception through rabbit ears need to hurry up and get a converter box before the big digital switch on June 12.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SASHA: Youngest Obama turns 8 in Paris; First Family gets their sight seeing on as crowds cheer. *Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and children Malia and Sasha were the toast of Paris over the weekend as the family greeted supporters, went shopping, toured local landmarks and on Sunday celebrated Sasha's eighth birthday.

KELIS VENTS ABOUT CHEATING VIA TWITTER: Singer lashes out about philanderers, as well as 'sub par tricks that participate in the cheating.' *Kelis is dropping mad hints that her estranged husband Nas was stepping out on her before they split. The R&B singer, currently expecting her first child with the rapper, took to her Twitter page (@iamkelis) recently to share her thoughts on two-timers.

LIL WAYNE RECORDS 'KOBE BRYANT' TRIBUTE: Song talks about his dominance on the court. *Rapper and ESPN blogger Lil Wayne released a new song on Wednesday honoring No. 24 of the NBA Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers.

OPRAH VS. NEWSWEEK: Talk show host releases statement regarding cover story accusing her of promoting 'wacky cures.' *An extreme close-up of Oprah Winfrey looking angry graces the cover of Newsweek magazine this week with the headline, "Crazy Talk: Oprah, Wacky Cures & You."

JAY-Z TO RELEASE 'BLUEPRINT³' ON 9/11: Day marks 8-year anniversary of first 'Blueprint' release, which went unnoticed due to terrorist attacks. *Jay-Z has chosen September 11 as the release date for his long-awaited new album "Blueprint³," which will be distributed by Roc Nation via Atlantic Records.

DEBORAH COX GOES 'GREEN' FOR LGBT EVENT: Singer appointed National Ambassador for initiative at LA PRIDE. *Singer Deborah Cox has been named National Ambassador for the Green With Pride initiative, which will launch at the 39th annual Los Angeles LGBT PRIDE Celebration taking place in West Hollywood, June 12-14.

CASSIE BLAMES GOOGLE FOR LEAKED PHOTOS: Singer says someone hacked into her Gmail and stole her naked pics. *Singer Cassie is blaming her e-mail carrier for leaking semi-naked pictures of her to the Internet.

TERRENCE HOWARD STOPS CARS TO SAVE BIRD: Actor halts six lanes of traffic in Beverly Hills when creature wanders into the street. *The New York Post's Page Six is reporting that Terrence Howard went above and beyond to make sure that a tiny bird that had wandered into the street would not be run over and killed.

RAY NAGIN QUARANTINED IN CHINA: New Orleans mayor, his wife and security guard held after someone on his plane showed H1N1 symptoms. *New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, who traveled on Friday to Shanghai, China, on an economic development trip, was told early Sunday that a passenger on his commercial flight was confirmed to have swine flu symptoms.

NBA FINALS (GAME 3) PREVIEW: The Magic return home to Orlando against the LA Lakers. *The Lakers are up 2 games to 0, but don't expect that to last. Realize that the Orlando Magic were .6 seconds and one missed layup by rookie Courtney Lee away from evening the series up at 1 a piece.

MORE PROBLEMS FOR BARRY BONDS: Wife files for legal separation. *Looks like former major league baseball slugger Barry Bonds has got even more issues to deal with than just his upcoming trial for using performance-enhancing drugs.

VIVICA, MOS DEF, UNION IN DC FOR CONFERENCE: Russell Simmons co-hosts Children Uniting Nations event targeting at risk youth. *Children Uniting Nations (CUN), a non-profit working with at-risk and foster youth in partnership with Russell Simmons' "Hip Hop Summit Action Network," will host celebrities and legislators at today's 4th Annual "Keeping the Promise to our Children" conference in Washington D.C.

LIFETIME TAKES LATIFAH'S 'MONEY': Cable channel nabs right to entertainer's 2008 film with Holmes and Keaton. *Lifetime has acquired the cable TV rights to "Mad Money," the January 2008 comedy starring Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes as a group of women who begin robbing a bank.

NAS & KELIS ON FIRST COVER OF VIBE'S 'THE MOST': New tabloid has exclusive scoop about the divorce. *Vibe Media Group's new tabloid offering The Most! features Nas and Kelis on its first cover and provides what it says is "exclusive inside scoop" behind their "shocking divorce announcement after eight years of marriage."

R&B AND GOSPEL STARS RECORD MAZE TRIBUTE CD: Mary J. Blige, Musiq, DeVaughn, Clark Sisters and more sing Frankie Beverly classics. *A who's who of R&B and gospel artists have recorded an all-star tribute album recognizing the nearly 40-year career, 12 albums and 30 hit singles of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.

REV. WRIGHT SAYS OBAMA IS 'LIKE MY CHILD': President's former pastor makes latest comments during Saturday speech in Iowa. *The Rev. Jeremiah Wright is talking about President Obama in public again, this time during remarks he made Saturday at the Methodist Federation for Social Action awards in Ames, Iowa.

JAZZY JEFF SET CUT SHORT IN KANSAS CITY: DJ says he was asked to leave venue for being to hip hop heavy. *DJ Jazzy Jeff has become the latest victim of racial controversy at a Kansas City entertainment venue that apparently has a reputation for discrimination against the black community - and against hip hop in particular.

PROBATION FOR DMX ON ASSAULT CHARGE: Rapper to spend 18 months on supervised probation for fracas with detention officer. *Looks like DMX will not have to go right back to jail?at least for now.

STEVEN IVORY (PREVIEW): The Jones for 'Jones' *Tandy, effectively dreaded, tattooed and pierced, takes smug pride in being on music's "cutting edge." Post-this, Neo-that--as if there are any sharp edges at all left in popular music (and by the way, Tandy, it's ALL popular, even if you burrow so fashionably unfashionably [sic] underground

WHITNEY CAMP WEIGHING INTERVIEW REQUESTS: But here's the catch - her drug drama is off the table. *Whitney Houston's people are reportedly considering a flood of interview requests ahead of the Sept. 1 release of her first new studio album since 2002's "Just Whitney."

SUZAN LORI PARKS READIES 'FATHER COMES HOME': Casting complete for Pulitzer Prize-winner's play about slavery, war, freedom and family ties. *Casting is now complete for the Public LAB series presentation of Suzan-Lori Parks' Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 8 & 9), which begins performances on June 5.

NBA PLAYOFFS UPDATE: All the Lakers show up and they win; LA leads Denver 3 games to 2. *Well look who finally showed up in the Western Conference finals of the NBA Playoffs? Why, none other than the Lakers' role players for a change.

T.I. MARRIES TINY BEFORE PRISON: Private ceremony was held in Miami two weeks ago. *Unconfirmed reports about a private wedding ceremony for T.I. and his longtime girlfriend/babymama Tameka "Tiny" Cottle two weeks ago have been officially confirmed.

SONIA SOTOMAYOR - THE MOVIE?: You know it's coming; the AP wonders who will be the star. *The Associated Press is already trying to figure out who would play would be Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a movie that has yet to be announced - at least not as of press time.

ED GORDON INTERVIEWS SPIKE LEE: Director opens up about movies, politics and black stereotypes; likens Tyler Perry shows to Mantan Moreland. *On this weekend's "Our World with Black Enterprise," director Spike Lee sits down with host Ed Gordon for a no holds barred interview rife with the artist's trademark frankness.

BEYONCE ACCOSTED BY FAN IN LONDON: Man sneaks past security and runs right into singer. *Bodyguards at Beyonce's London concert on Monday night dealt swiftly with a man who managed to squeeze past security and come face to face with the singer while she was backstage.

IS TERRENCE HOWARD JUMPING THE BROOM OR NOT?: Reports that he proposed to girlfriend Zulay Henao are being disputed. *On location in Prague shooting the WWII film Red Tails, Terrence Howard took time out to ask for his girlfriend's hand in marriage. Or did he?

CHRIS BROWN SAYS 'I AIN'T A MONSTER': Watch YouTube message; both he and Rihanna have booked new movies. (Video) *Chris Brown has made his first public comments about the alleged beating he handed then-girlfriend Rihanna on Feb. 8, which led to his arrest and two felony assault charges.

WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE OF COLOR ON FALL TV?: Zap2it.com says the upcoming season 'is looking pretty monochromatic.' *Zap2it.com's Rick Porter has written a piece that examines the presence of African American, Latino and Asian American actors in the upcoming fall television season. His conclusion? "Jeez, this is not a good year for minority actors."

DRAKE SHOW DRAWS CELEBRITY CROWD: Kanye, Kweli, Leslie, Alchemist, Bun B in the building for 30-minute set. *A who's who of entertainment industry folk crowded into New York's SOB's Tuesday night to see rapper Drake perform at Hot 97's "Who's Next" concert series, reports Billboard.

TUCKER, PALMER TO HOST BRITTIANA RUN/WALK: Annual fundraiser to take place May 30 in Los Angeles. *Join Chris Tucker and Keke Palmer in the race against childhood cancer at the 4th annual Brittiana "Smile For Life" 5k Run/Walk, to take place May 30 in Los Angeles at Pacific Palisades High School.

BEYONCE OFFERS FANS CHEAP CONCERT TIX: Two thousand seats will be reduced to $20 each. *In an effort to "make her concerts affordable for all her fans," Beyonce has slashed prices on tickets for her upcoming North American tour.

RADIO ONE'S CATHY HUGHES MAKING SACRIFICES: Owner has had to cut pay and close every other Friday to stay afloat. *Radio One owner Cathy Hughes is trying hard to keep her company above water in the midst of this recession, having already cut folks' pay by as much as 10 percent and reduced office hours at the company's Maryland headquarters, reports Redding News.

CHRIS BROWN'S LAWYER CALLS NEW LAWSUIT 'FRIVOLOUS': Pap sues over alleged attack; but video shows him taking blame for beatdown. *Chris Brown's lawyer is dismissing a new assault lawsuit filed against his client by a paparazzo, insisting the snapper is simply looking to get paid.

E! TRACKS OBAMA'S EVERY MOVE IN VEGAS: President stayed at Caesars Palace, ordered steak, ran on treadmill at spa, and more. *E! Online has a full rundown of President Barack Obama's overnight stay in Las Vegas during a West coast fundraising swing earlier this week.

NBA PLAYOFFS UPDATE: Desperate Cavaliers stave off series ending defeat. *With their backs against the wall and facing sudden death, so to speak, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, at home, made like Kobe and the Lakers did in their game Wednesday night.

C-MURDER TAKES DEAL IN ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE: Rapper pleaded no contest; 10 year sentence will be shortened due to time served. *Rapper Corey "C-Murder" Miller pleaded no contest Wednesday to two counts of attempted second-degree murder, and under a plea deal, he could finish his sentence within months, reports The Times-Picayune.

DENNIS RODMAN ENTERS 'CELEBRITY REHAB': Former NBA star announced as part of season 3 cast. *Dennis Rodman is going from one reality show to another. The former NBA star boozed himself off of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" this past spring, but will try to sober up this summer as part of Dr. Drew's "Celebrity Rehab."

T.I. REP DENIES MARRIAGE REPORTS: Rapper's publicist tells Sister to Sister, 'not true.' Plus, Tiny in new BET reality show with Lil Wayne's wife. *A publicist for rapper T.I. is denying reports that his client got married to his longtime girlfriend Tameka "Tiny" Cottle during a private ceremony in Miami two weeks ago.

CNBC EXPLORES 'THE OPRAH EFFECT': Thursday's documentary dissected Oprah's Midas touch. *Last night, CNBC took a closer look at how an endorsement from Oprah Winfrey just might be the most powerful marketing tool on Earth.

KATHLEEN BRADLEY: OUT OF 'PRICE' RANGE: Former 'Barker Beauty' prepping tell-all. *Kathleen Bradley is one of the over 25 models who have graced the stage of the "Price Is Right" and showcased the prizes the game show offers. Though Bradley did the gig for ten years (1990-2000), among the longest tenure of any of the others, she's more than just one of Barker's Beauties.

'WEEDS' PROMO USES OBAMA CAMPAIGN IMAGERY: Season 5 ads for Showtime series adopts phrase 'Yes We Cannibis!' *Showtimes's marijuana-themed series "Weeds" wafts into its fifth season with a promo that borrows the most popular image and phrase from Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

RIHANNA TO ATTEND CHRIS BROWN HEARING: Her attorney says she'll be subpoenaed to testify at preliminary hearing next month. *Rihanna and Chris Brown are scheduled to be in the same courtroom next month during a preliminary hearing in his assault case.

MARIAH ALLERGIC TO HER MOVIE NOSE: Prosthetic piece for social worker role in "Precious" made her break out. *The prosthetic nose worn by Mariah Carey in her new movie "Precious" caused her to suffer a serious allergic reaction to the materials used to create it, she confessed to WENN.

OPRAH'S HARPO WELCOMES JENNY MCCARTHY: Actress signs multi-year deal to develop projects across various platforms. *Actress-turned-autism activist Jenny McCarthy has inked a multi-year deal with Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions to develop projects across various platforms, including her own syndicated talk show.

ZOE SALDANA: The Star Trek Interview with Kam Williams *Given Zoë Saldaña's meteoric rise, it only makes sense that the flick that finally rockets her to the heights of superstardom would be an intergalactic adventure like Star Trek.

JAMIE FOXX WANTS TO MAKE TYSON BIOPIC: Actor says he's already 'working on securing the rights.' *Perhaps inspired by the new documentary "Tyson," Jamie Foxx says now, more than ever, he wants to bring a theatrical version of boxer Mike Tyson's life story to the big screen.

SERENA SAYS 'QUITE FRANKLY, I'M THE BEST': No. 2 ranked player tells journalists, 'We all know who the real number one is.' *Serena Williams says she doesn't need an official WTA ranking to know who the top women's tennis player on the planet is, and neither should anyone else.

LEBRON BEATS KOBE FOR MVP: King James received honor Monday at his former high school gym. (Video) *LeBron James on Monday was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player in a ceremony that took place inside of the high school gym where he first made his name.

MIJAC TRYING OUT DANCERS FOR UK SHOWS: Singer reportedly scrutinizes hopefuls via video link. *Michael Jackson has reportedly begun auditioning dancers for his upcoming 50-night stand this summer at the UK's O2 Arena, claims gossip blogger Janet Charlton.

RODMAN TO TRY REHAB AFTER ALL: Former NBA star agrees to go, but only after attending Sunday's 'Celebrity Apprentice' finale. *Dennis Rodman will reportedly check into a rehab facility to treat his alcohol addiction after first turning down pleas from his wife and friends during a failed intervention.

SUPREME COURT TO RE-EXAMINE JANET CASE: Appeals court asked to consider reinstating CBS fine after it was thrown out last year. *The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a federal appeals court to re-examine its ruling in favor of CBS Corp. in the legal battle over Janet Jackson's infamous 2004 Super Bowl nip slip.

NAOMI'S NY NO-SHOW RAISES EYEBROWS: Supermodel usually makes a point to attend annual Costume Institute event. *Naomi Campbell was reportedly a no-show at Monday night's Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum, which this year served as the kickoff to "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion" exhibit.

ELIZABETH EDWARDS TO APPEAR ON 'OPRAH': Wife of former presidential candidate plugs her book about coping with his cheating. *Elizabeth Edwards will appear on Thursday's episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to discuss her new memoir "Resilience," which deals in part with her reaction to husband John Edwards' infidelity.

C-MURDER CAN CONTINUE HOUSE ARREST: Judge denies request by prosecutors to send rapper back to jail. *A Louisiana judge has denied a request by prosecutors to have rapper Corey "C-Murder" Miller return to jail until his August trial for second-degree murder.

PAULA ABDUL ADMITS PAINKILLER ADDICTION: 'Idol' judge said she checked herself into rehab in November. *In the June issue of Ladies' Home Journal, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul finally comes clean about her longtime addiction to painkillers.

SEAL, HEIDI NIX MEXICAN WEDDING RENEWAL: Couple too concerned with swine flu. *Seal and his wife Heidi Klum have cancelled plans to travel south of the border this month for their annual wedding vow renewal ceremony out of concern for the swine flu.

ARETHA WANTS SHARE OF HAT MONEY: Singer says she should be getting royalties for helping to sell retail version of inauguration hat. *A retail version of the infamous hat worn by Aretha Franklin during President Obama's inauguration became a hot seller in the following days and weeks, and now the Queen of Soul says she deserves a cut of the profits.

NO 'ROCK' IN DISNEY'S '20 LEAGUES': Director McG refutes casting posted in Production Weekly. *Production Weekly has retracted the listing in their production guide which said Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was to star in McG's "20 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo."

NELLY INTRODUCES APPLE BOTTOMS FRAGRANCE: Rapper's jeans brand to make more dollars through scents. *Nelly has partnered with Romane Fragrances to distribute a new line of perfume and body care products under his popular fashion brand, Apple Bottoms.

CHRIS BROWN TURNS 20 QUIETLY: Singer spends birthday with friends and family in Virginia. *Usually, turning the big 2-0 is cause for a huge celebration, but in light of his felony assault charges, Chris Brown chose to spend the special day Tuesday with family in his home state of Virginia.

RIHANNA CANCELS UAE CONCERT: Plus, singer works first red carpet in Dolce and Gabbana black tuxedo. (Photo) *Turns out Rihanna won't perform in the United Arab Emirates after all. The concert, booked a month ago and billed as her first to take place since her alleged beating by Chris Brown, has been abruptly scrapped, according to E! Online.

MIKE EPPS & WOOD HARRIS COME UP FOR 'AIR': Duo star in crook comedy opening this weekend. *The action comedy "Next Day Air" follows two bumbling criminals who accidently receive a package of cocaine that doesn't belong to them, and begin to make plans to make bank. As expected, the rightful recipient, the original owner, and the delivery guy are all out to get the package back. Th

OPRAH TARGETED BY JAMES FREY?: Controversial passage omitted from hard cover appears in forthcoming paperback release. *The upcoming paperback version of James Frey's book "Bright Shiny Morning" contains two passages that were not included in the hard cover released last year; one of which is believed to be based on his ordeal with Oprah Winfrey.

MIJAC SUED BY 'THRILLER' CO-STAR: Ola Ray says she hasn't seen a dime of promised royalties. *It's been 26 years since Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video was released, and the woman who played his love interest is just now filing a lawsuit claiming she hasn't been paid her share of royalties.

ITTY BITTY BITS: Bing is Detroit's new mayor; Grace Jones' yacht antics; Dr. Boogie's 'Chair Chats'; TV One teams with Komen for breast cancer doc. *Grace Jones made a dramatic entrance worthy of her character Strange in "Boomerang" while attending H&M's yacht party last weekend at New York's South Street Seaport.

J-HUD HALTS TOUR OVER THROAT AILMENT: Monday's Oakland stop was postponed; Dallas, and Houston shows rescheduled. *Jennifer Hudson was forced to put her tour with Robin Thicke on hold this week while being treated for a throat condition related to her singing.

NY CRITICS HAIL 'RUINED': Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play continues collecting accolades. *"Ruined," Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama set against the backdrop of an African civil war, was named best play of the season by the New York Drama Critics' Circle.

LIL KIM WILL NO LONGER BE 'DANCING WITH THE STARS': Also, did one of the judges call her a tramp? *Something is not right in the universe today. And it could be because Lil Kim, the curvaceous, hip wriggling, pint-sized rapper known the world over has been .... eliminated from "Dancing With The Stars!" Even though she consistently scored high marks throughout the competition, she got the

KEYSHIA COLE'S MAMA IS NOT DEAD: Reps say Frankie was not in a car crash and is still alive and well. *The mother of R&B star Keyshia Cole is the latest victim of Internet death rumors. Frankie Lons, who is well known to fans of her daughter's BET reality series "Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is," was rumored to have died in a car crash,

OPRAH 'DISHEARTENED' BY SECOND SCHOOL SCANDAL: Talk show host addresses latest sexual abuse allegations in statement. *Oprah Winfrey released a statement Tuesday expressing disappointment that her girls school in South Africa has been rocked by its second sex scandal in fewer than two years.

STAR JONES COMES CLEAN ON 'OPRAH': Former prosecutor explains why she lied and made others lie about her gastric bypass. *Star Jones made a stop on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to discuss her life since losing some 160 pounds, and the psychological residue that goes with it.

WANDA SYKES HEADS TO LATE NIGHT: Comedian on verge of deal for topical talk show on Fox. *Wanda Sykes is about to finalize a deal for an hour-long late-night talk show to air Saturday nights on Fox.

KIDNEY OFFERS POUR IN FOR NATALIE COLE: Singer discussed search on CNN's "Larry King'; e-mails flooded in. *Before Larry King's CNN program ended at 10 p.m. EST Tuesday night, guest Natalie Cole had dozens of e-mails from folks offering to get tested to see whether they could give her a kidney.

MARIAH'S 40TH BIRTHDAY BASH IN DETAIL: Hubby Nick Cannon throws lavish shindig in Barbados. *Nick Cannon, the man whose proposal to ex-girlfriend Selita Ebanks involved a horse drawn carriage ride through Times Square and an MTV Jumbotron, pulled out all the stops again - this time to celebrate the 40th birthday of his wife, Mariah Carey.

OBAMAS GIVE QUEEN ELIZABETH AN IPOD: Device is inscribed and loaded with Broadway tunes. *British folks had a fit when the Obamas gave British PM Gordon Brown and his wife some DVDs as a gift during their US visit. For Queen Elizabeth, the President and First Lady decided to step it up a bit.

DALLAS POLICE OFFICER QUITS FORCE: Robert Powell kept NFL player from dying mother-in-law. *Exactly a week after news broke that he detained NFL player Ryan Moats in the parking lot of a hospital where his mother-in-law was dying, Dallas police officer, Robert Powell, has resigned from the force. "With a heavy heart and great sadness, I resigned from the Dallas Police Department th

TAYE DIGGS AND IDINA MENZEL EXPECTING: Couple says baby is due later this year. *Theatre couple Taye Diggs, 38, and Idina Menzel, 37, confirmed they are expecting their first baby, reports People.com.

CASTING COUCH: Doug E. Doug, Bobb'e J. Thompson and Sam Jones III in new films. *Doug E. Doug ("Shark Tale") and Bobb'e J. Thompson ("Role Models") just finished work in the upcoming film "Snowmen," which follows three misfit boys on a quest to set a new world record.

STALLWORTH CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER: Prosecutors say NFL receiver was driving drunk when he struck pedestrian. *Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth turned himself in on Thursday on charges that he was driving drunk when he struck and killed a pedestrian after a night of drinking at a Miami Beach hotel.

DYSON BOOKS OPRAH FOR 1ST RADIO SHOW: Michael Eric Dyson's new venture begins April 6 in 18 markets. *Author and social commentator Dr. Michael Eric Dyson launches his new syndicated news/talk radio show on April 6, with media titan Oprah Winfrey as his first guest.

MICHELLE OBAMA VISITS LONDON SCHOOLGIRLS: Queen Elizabeth wasn't the only Brit to get a hug from the First Lady. *Before Michelle Obama finished her visit to an all-girl high school in London Thursday, she had delivered her first major address of the European tour, and had given warm hugs to as many of the school's enthusiastic students as possible.

PRINCE TO BATTLE KEITH URBAN ON BILLBOARD: New albums on track to debut high next week. *Prince's new album "LotusFlow3r" is set for a first place showdown with the latest effort from country star Keith Urban when both artists make their debuts next week on the Billboard 200.

LUCKY DUBE'S ASSAILANTS GET LIFE SENTENCE: Trio convicted of killing reggae star in an attempted carjacking. *The three men convicted of murdering South African reggae star Lucky Dube in a botched carjacking were sentenced Thursday to life in prison.

SANTANA TO BEGIN VEGAS RUN: Musician signs multi-year agreement with AEG for Hard Rock Hotel residency. *Carlos Santana struck a deal with concert promotion company AEG Live to perform about 36 concerts per year at its Hard Rock Hotel & Casino venue in Las Vegas, beginning May 27.

ELBA, SALDANA A COUPLE OF 'LOSERS': Actors in talks to join comic book-based film starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan. *Idris Elba and Zoe Saldana are in negotiations to join the cast of "The Losers," Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures' adaptation of the Vertigo/DC Comics book directed by Sylvain White.

GWEN IFILL WINS PEABODY AWARD: Veteran newswoman's PBS show honored along with CNN for election coverage. *PBS' "Washington Week with Gwen Ifill" has been named among the 2009 recipients of a prestigious Peabody Award, the world's oldest prize in electronic media.

QUEEN ELIZABETH NOW HAS THREE IPODS: President's gift reportedly follows one purchased in 2005 and gift from grandson in 2006. *Queen Elizabeth now has more iPods than she can handle, according to reports in the British press.

VIN DIESEL GETS 'FURIOUS' AGAIN: Actor signs up for latest franchise installment. *Action star Vin Diesel returns to his role as Dominic Toretto in the latest installment from the "The Fast & The Furious" franchise. "The timing was finally right," he said of returning. "And what led to that was a series of events."

J-HUD OK 'AS LONG AS PEOPLE DON'T BRING IT UP': Singer tells fans, 'I don't want you to cry.' *Jennifer Hudson is still not speaking publicly about the murders of her mother, brother and nephew last fall, but she does talk to Entertainment Weekly about interacting with fans who feel her pain.

TV ONE TO PREMIERE TRUMPET AWARDS: Raven Symone, Magic Johnson, Paula White and more honored. *TV One will premiere the 17th Annual Trumpet Awards, hosted by "The View's" Sherri Shepherd and "Law and Order" star Anthony Anderson, on Sunday, April 12 from 8-10 p.m.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE BRUSHES OFF 'THE TOUCH': Turns out Queen didn't mind Michelle Obama's protocol flub. (Video) *Reps for the Queen of England were quick to quell local shock and dismay that arose after she placed her hand on the back of Michelle Obama, and the first lady had the nerve to simply return the gesture.

COP STOPS NFL'S RYAN MOAT'S FAMILY FROM SEEING DYING MOM: Dallas police chief apologizes for officer's behavior; family believes race was a factor. *Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle apologized Wednesday for the behavior of an officer who stopped a family outside a hospital emergency room. "His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit," the chief said

RIHANNA GETS GUN TATTOOS: Artist now has two firearms etched in ink on both sides of her rib cage. *Five months after Rihanna was allegedly beaten up by Chris Brown, the artist went out and got two gun tattoos on either side of her rib cage, according to Los Angeles-based tattoo artist BangBang.

T.I. HAS HIS DATE WITH JUSTICE: Southern rapper gets served a year and a day. *It should come as no surprise that T.I. was sentenced on Friday to a 1 year/1 day prison stay as a result of plea deal with prosecutors over a 2007 felony weapons charge.

JILLY FROM PHILLY IS MAKING MOVES: Soon to be Mom, Jill Scott, stars in HBO series premiering tonight. *With her HBO series, "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," premiering tonight, Jill Scott was unable to be present this past Thursday evening at an invitation-only premiere at Philadelphia's Prince Music Theater. The singer/actress, who's expecting her first child on April 25th, recently rel

LEBRON JAMES ON '60 MINUTES' TONIGHT: NBA superstar takes news magazine to the high school where it all began. *Before you check out Jill Scott on HBO at eight pm, you might wanna set to the dial to CBS' "60 Minutes" at seven and check out a profile of NBA superstar LeBron James. The 24-year-old, who has led the Cavaliers to the NBA's best record this season, sat down for the one-on-one with correspon

J-HUD SETS WEDDING DATE, GETS GIFT FROM ELLEN: DeGeneres surprises singer with tandem bike; takes Hudson on a ride around studio. *During her taped performance Wednesday night following the live broadcast of "American Idol," Jennifer Hudson told host Ryan Seacrest that she and her fiancé, David Otunga, have finally set a wedding date.

ANN NESBY IS ALSO 'LULA LEE': Songbird takes on a new persona after dealing with congestive heart failure diagnosis. *Vocal powerhouse Ann Nesby is not herself these days. The singer, who helped bring notoriety to the group Sounds of Blackness in the mid ?90s and went on to launch a solid solo career, has become a new person. Nesby, after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure, lost almost 130 lbs th

SANTIGOLD READY FOR 2009 COMEUP: Artist has slightly new name, guest appearances and spring tour on deck. *Rapper/singer/songwriter Santigold is preparing to mount a spring headlining tour and has recorded guest appearances on new albums from the Beastie Boys and David Byrne, reports Billboard.com.

BEN VEREEN SUES TOOTHPASTE COMPANY: Actor says an innocent exchange was taped and used to plug product without permission. *Ben Vereen is suing a toothpaste company claiming it used unauthorized footage of him to promote the product without his permission.

SPORTS BITS: Larry Johnson on probation; Venus and Serena advance; Corey Smith boat ordeal explained. *Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was sentenced to two years probation Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace for separate incidents involving women at nightclubs last year.

QUEEN LATIFAH SIGNS ON FOR ROMANTIC COMEDY: Actress to star in modern-day Cinderella tale. *Queen Latifah has been cast in the upcoming film "Just Wright," a romantic comedy that had been set up six years ago at Disney, but was put into turnaround and picked up by Fox Searchlight, reports Variety.

DAMON DASH EXPLAINS BROKE STATUS: Former mogul says he was too focused on watching others prosper. *Damon Dash said he was so caught up in making sure the people around him were succeeding that he took his eye off the ball regarding his own financial well-being.

PRINCE VS. AEG LIVE SOUND CREW: Three-gig night plagued by technical glitches; artist calls out execs by name and urges fans to complain. *Prince pulled off his scheduled three concerts in one night on Saturday, but it came with a number of sound problems that irritated the singer and a calling out of executives that he felt were responsible.

WHO GOT PRINCE'S GUITAR AT 'TONIGHT SHOW?': Mystery man revealed as TMZ staffer. *So who was the man in the "Tonight Show" audience that was handed Prince's guitar by the artist himself?

UK CHARITY AGAINST MADONNA ADOPTION: Plus, parties planned in Malawi for David Banda's return visit. Biological dad excited. *British children's charity Save the Children UK is urging Madonna not to adopt another child from a poor African nation because it risks sending the wrong message.

MICHAEL VICK SHOPPING BOOK DEAL: Jailed quarterback still looking for ways to make money and pay creditors. *Incarcerated NFL star Michael Vick is looking to make some quick cash by writing a book that would likely detail his road from poverty to becoming the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL.

BROWN, RIHANNA AVOID KIDS' CHOICE AWARDS: Each had two nominations; Brown withdrew his name, Rihanna lost her categories. *As expected, Chris Brown and Rihanna did not attend the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday.

CHARGES AGAINST WAYNA DISMISSED: Grammy-nominated singer was arrested for trying to carry baton prop through a Houston airport. *Grammy-nominated singer Wayna is free of charges in connection with her arrest Wednesday for trying to bring a collapsible police baton through security.

MICHAEL STEELE 'DONE' REACHING OUT TO OBAMA: RNC Chairman says president 'has got a little thing about me.'(video) *RNC Chairman Michael Steele said he is "done" reaching out to President Obama, having apparently been rebuffed in his previous attempts to start a dialogue, reports Huffington Post.

EVENT CALENDAR: 'Jokes' in Vegas; Derek Keith gig; Artest fundraiser; Perez's Drama League announcement; Living Advantage workshop; NYAFF. *TV One's "Who's Got Jokes" returns for its 4th season, this time taking their search for the hottest comics to Sin City.

T.I. PERFORMS AFTER SENTENCING: Rapper joined Grand Hustle artist and met with 'Redemption' kids Friday after court. *Hours after receiving a one year federal prison sentence for gun possession, rapper T.I. took the stage in Atlanta Friday night for a surprise appearance with his Grand Hustle artist B.o.B.

METHOD MAN EXPLAINS TRUCK REPO: Rapper said he was too busy and too high to remember paying state taxes. *Method Man is blaming his love of weed for the recent repossession of his 2008 Lincoln Navigator due to unpaid back taxes.

T-PAIN LOSES TEETH IN GOLF CART SPILL: Singer reportedly left with serious injuries; Also, Akon's brother responds to T-Pain's father. *T-Pain is said to have broken four teeth and suffered several cuts and abrasions on his face during a freak golf cart accident that took place on Friday.

MEL B TO INVEST IN CABLE CHANNEL: Plus star's sister says hubby Belafonte is causing family drama. *Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown says she's investing in a new British TV channel that screens only movies from French filmmakers such as Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut and Claude Chabrol.

SPIKE LEE'S 'KOBE' FILM GETS NY PREMIERE: Telepic about Lakers star to screen at Tribeca Film Festival before ESPN debut. *Spike Lee's "Kobe Doin' Work," a telepic capturing a day in the life of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, will have its world premiere next month during the Tribeca Film Festival before its May debut on ESPN.

PRINCE LAUNCHES SUBSCRIPTION FAN SITE: Online portal to offer wide range of exclusive content for $77 per year. *Prince is launching a fan subscription service that will offer exclusive music, video, lyrics, artwork, photos and much more - all for a yearly price of $77.

OPRAH'S NEW DOG SADIE HAS PARVO: Newly-adopted cocker spaniel said to be 'holding steady.' *Oprah Winfrey's new pup Sadie is now sick with the same illness that caused the death of the dog's littermate Ivan last week, reports the Chicago Tribune.

LIL WAYNE MUST RELEASE FINANCIAL RECORDS: Court orders rapper to hand over info about sale of his latest album. *Lil Wayne has been court-ordered to produce financial records for his latest album to a folk singer who is currently suing him for copyright infringement.

OBAMA PICKS NCAA BRACKET; PREPS FOR LENO: President chooses his Final Four teams; will make TV history tonight. *The President of the United States believes the North Carolina Tar Heels will beat the Louisville Cardinals to win the 2009 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament, which kicks off today with live coverage on CBS.

KANYE CHARGED IN AIRPORT INCIDENT: Prosecutors hit rapper with battery, theft and vandalism counts. *Six months after Kanye West's infamous run-in with photogs at Los Angeles International Airport, prosecutors have filed three misdemeanor charges against the rapper for his role in the incident.

VH1'S 'BEHIND THE MUSIC' IS BACK: Lil Wayne episode among 10 new programs in the pipeline. *Lil Wayne has already agreed to participate in the return of VH1's signature documentary series "Behind the Music."

'IDOL' TEN IN DETROIT FOR SHOW'S MOTOWN WEEK: Contestants filmed segments with Gordy and Smokey at Hitsville building. *The remaining 10 finalists on "American Idol" arrived in Detroit on Thursday to prepare for next week's competition show featuring songs from the historic Motown catalog.

GIL ROBERTSON EXAMINES BLACKS IN OBAMA AGE: Author's new book views experiences through everyday African Americans. *Best-selling author Gil Robertson IV presents his newest book, a collection of essays entitled "Family Affair: What it Means to be African-American Today" (Agate/Bolden).

50 CENT IN, FOREST WHITAKER OUT: Rapper replaces Oscar winner in Stallone flick; plus, preps for tour with Fall Out Boy. *Sylvester Stallone has chosen rapper 50 Cent to replace the Academy Award-winning Forest Whitaker in "The Expendables," an action film about a team of mercenaries on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator.

'SOUL TRAIN' FOUNDER GETS PROBATION: Don Cornelius ordered to complete 52-week domestic violence treatment program. *According to a report from E! Online, Don Cornelius was sentenced to three years' probation after pleading no contest to one count of corporeal injury resulting in traumatic condition of a spouse stemming from his October, 2008 arrest.

ESPOSITO'S 'GOSPEL HILL' GETS FESTIVAL DEBUT: Danny Glover/Angela Bassett film to open ReelWorld on April 15. *Actor Giancarlo Esposito's directorial debut "Gospel Hill," starring Danny Glover and Angela Bassett, will open the ninth edition of the ReelWorld Film Festival on April 15, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

CAREY AND CANNON MAKE OFFER ON CALI HOME?: Couple said to be purchasing one of LA's most prestigious houses. *It appears as if Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's three-month hunt for a Los Angeles home is nearing an end.

ANTHONY HAMILTON MAKES HIS 'POINT': New disc from North Carolina soul man *Anthony Hamilton, after seven Grammy nominations, finally took home his first this year for a project he did with the legendary Al Green. That first award will surely just be one of many accolades the soulster is set to acquire through his career. With his third album, "The Point of it All',

SOUL FOR REAL SINGER WANTED BY POLICE: Brian Dalyrimple allegedly caught up in identity theft ring. *At press time, Brian Dalyrimple of the former R&B group Soul For Real was still on the run from Georgia police over allegations of identity theft. The 90s R&B star reportedly has his 10-month-old son with him.

OBAMA HAS OOPS MOMENT ON LENO: He apologizes for Special Olympics gaffe. *President Barack Obama has apologized to the chairman of the Special Olympics for his late-night talk show quip equating his bowling skills to those of athletes with disabilities.

ITTY BITTY BITS: Timberlake's tequila; Kobe bounces from jury duty; Grand Puba returns;. *Brand Nubian's Grand Puba will release his fourth solo album "Retroactive" under a new deal with Babygrande Records, the New York-based indie label that issued two Brand Nubian albums following their 1998 reunion.

MICHELLE OBAMA BRINGS STARS TO DC SCHOOLS: Alicia Keys, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, Mae Jemison join First Lady to talk career goals. *Michelle Obama brought along some famous woman to various Washington-area high schools on Thursday to discuss the importance of setting career goals.

S.A. COURT WANTS ANSWERS FROM R. KELLY: Singer formally asked to explain role in alleged investment scam. *A court in South Africa has sent a letter to R. Kelly seeking explanation of his involvement in an alleged investment scam, reports South Africa's The Times.

IS RIHANNA EVEN LISTENING TO OPRAH? TYRA?: Singer's mentor says their advice on domestic abuse isn't helping. *Producer Evan Rogers, the music mogul who discovered pop star Rihanna, spoke to Entertainment Weekly about all of the unsolicited advice she has received from celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks regarding her domestic dispute with Chris Brown.

STEVE HARVEY BACK ON 'OPRAH': Entertainer to plug book by taking questions from all-female audience; plus Kirk Franklin to guest-host radio show. *Syndicated radio star and best-selling author Steve Harvey's second appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will take place on Monday (March 23) before a ladies-only audience.

MICHELLE DISHES ON MR. OBAMA'S ATTENTION TO HER STYLE: First Lady says The President is very aware of what she wears, but always has questions. *The NY Times had a chance to chat with First Lady Michelle Obama about her fashion style. The found out that Mr. Obama is also keenly aware of what she wears.

WHOOPI, GLOVER, RASHAD 'BREAKING THE SILENCE': One-night-only concert part of U.N.'s Day of Remembrance for victims of slave trade. *Tony winners Stew, Phylicia Rashad, Bill T. Jones, Liev Schreiber, Whoopi Goldberg and Sarah Jones will take part in the March 25 concert event Breaking The Silence, Beating The Drum.

OBAMA VISIT TO LENO PAYS OFF: Ratings for 'The Tonight Show' were best since 2005. *In the TV interview business, it's called a 'Get.' And it looks like 'getting' President Obama on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" was, to no one's surprise, a smart move.

TP GETS MJB FOR NEXT FILM: Mary J. Blige says yes to Tyler Perry for 'I Can Do Bad ...' *Tyler Perry has made an interesting casting choice for his next film. He's chosen R&B superstar and nine-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige for "I Can Do Bad All By Myself."

SOMETHING GOES TERRIBLY WRONG AT TYRA'S 'TOP MODEL' AUDITION: Someone yelled 'fire' and chaos (and a stampede) ensued leading to 3 arrests and injuries. *In New York on Saturday three people were arrested and six others hurt after bedlam broke out while they waited to audition for "America's Next Top Model," a spokesperson for the NYPD told news radio station 1010WINS.

WNBA'S CANDACE PARKER TALKS MOTHERHOOD: Sparks forward says pregnancy was a 'surprise,' but 'everything happens for a reason.' *Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker admits that her current pregnancy at age 22 was not exactly planned, but believes the occurrence was already part of her larger fate.

NICOLE RICHIE CUTS BENNY MEDINA: Former manager had remained her 'consultant' after shutting down his company. *Nicole Richie is said to be completely done with her former manager Benny Medina.

LIL MAMA WOULD WORK WITH CHRIS BROWN AGAIN: Rapper surprised more at media response to Rihanna attack than actual incident. *In a sit down with MTV, rapper Lil Mama says she would work with Chris Brown again in a heartbeat, despite allegations that he roughed up his girlfriend Rihanna.

COLUMBUS SHORT JOINS BUNCH OF 'LOSERS': Film based on comic book about black ops commandos out for revenge. *Columbus Short has joined the DC-Vertigo comic book adaptation "The Losers" at Warner Bros. Pictures reports Blackfilm.

MC HAMMER SUED OVER UNFINISHED BOOK: Publisher says rapper needs to return advance money. *MC Hammer was sued by publishing house Simon & Schuster earlier this month over claims that he never finished an inspirational book for which he received advance money to write.

RADIOHEAD BLOGS ABOUT KANYE DISS: Frontman Thom Yorke mocks offending rapper and Miley Cyrus with Grammy snub. *Radiohead front man Thom Yorke has responded to anger expressed by Kanye West and Miley Cyrus after he turned down requests from both artists to meet him backstage at the Grammy Awards last month.

INDIA.ARIE TO LAUNCH SPRING TOUR: Singer to plug 'Testimony 2' through West Coast swing. *India.Arie begins the first leg of her 2009 Soulbird Tour next month in support of her fourth studio album, "Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics," which hit stores last month.

THICKE LOOKING FORWARD TO TOUR WITH J.HUD: Singer believes road work will be 'cathartic' for Hudson. *R&B crooner Robin Thicke said he jumped at the chance to join Jennifer Hudson on the road for a co-headlining six-week tour that begins March 31 in Albany, N.Y.

COURTNEY B. VANCE BOOKS FILM AND TV PROJECTS: Actor joins Harrison Ford in medical drama; currently shooting sci-fi pilot for ABC. *Courtney B. Vance has been added to the cast of CBS Films' medical drama "Crowley," joining Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser in the true story of John and Aileen Crowley, whose two children had a rare genetic disorder.

MONTEL WILLIAMS JOINS AIR AMERICA: TV personality to host new flagship talk show on left-leaning radio network. *Former TV talk show host Montel Williams has signed on to man a new flagship program for Air America, the struggling radio network co-launched in 2004 by comedian and would-be U.S. Senator Al Franken as a voice for the political left.

DONTE STALLWORTH ACCIDENT KILLS PEDESTRIAN: NFL player hits man with Bentley in Miami. *NFL Star Donte Stallworth was questioned and released by Miami Beach police Saturday after the car he was driving hit and killed a male pedestrian on the MacArthur Causeway.

MO'NIQUE ENDS SYNDICATED RADIO SHOW: Comedian calls it quits to focus more on film and television. *MoNique's syndicated radio show will end its run on Wednesday (March 18) after just eight months on the air.

COOLIO CANCELS SHOWS FOLLOWING ARREST: Rapper had four shows booked in Australia before crack possession charges. *Coolio has nixed a series of gigs in Australia due to his March 6th arrest at Los Angeles International Airport on drug charges.

CASE: 'EXPERIENCE' NECESSARY: Singer speaks on new CD and shooting himself in the throat. *Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? No worries either way, for R&B artist Case. His new disc is titled "The Rose Experience," and it's the singer's foray back onto the charts after an almost eight-year hiatus.

DONALD FAISON HAS RUN-IN WITH 'THE LAW': Actor joins Ced the Entertainer as reserve LAPD officer in ABC pilot. *"Scrubs" star Donald Faison has joined Cedric the Entertainer in ABC's comedy pilot "The Law," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

'DWTS' CURSE HITS KIM, GRIER IN POCKETS: Uncle Sam wants to tango with both contestants over delinquent taxes. *Lil Kim and David Alan Grier could very well have cha-cha-cha'd and waltzed their way into the next round on tonight's "Dancing with the Stars" results show, but the celebs can not dance out of their obligations to Uncle Sam.

VIDEO OF 'TOP MODEL' RIOT IN NY: Raw feed shows crowd surges, police takedowns and overall chaos at Manhattan audition. *This is not what Tyra Banks had in mind when she launched her competition series "America's Next Top Model." The New York Daily News posted video of the melee from a camera positioned in a building far above the street.

MIJAC ADDS 14 MORE NIGHTS TO O2 RUN: By popular demand, summer residency extends through September. *Michael Jackson's announced 10-night stand at London's O2 arena has grown to 24 nights following an overwhelming demand for pre-sale tickets, which became available on Wednesday and immediately sold out.

CHRIS BROWN DROPS OUT OF KIDS CHOICE AWARDS: Move comes in the wake of online petition calling for his removal from the nominees list. *Shortly after news broke that Chris Brown would not attend the Kids' Choice Awards this month, his camp announced that he has removed his name from contention altogether.

ROLAND MARTIN: CNN pundit pulls no punches *Columnist, journalist, broadcast commentator, author, and spiritualist Roland S. Martin clearly is many things, but disingenuous, he's not. The nationally syndicated and multifaceted journalist's style of no-nonsense, uncompromising commentary and journalism are quite frankly? frank, and has

FATHER OF CHRIS BROWN'S MANAGER DENIES AFFAIR: Tina Davis also issues statement addressing reports. *The father of Chris Brown's manager is denying reports that his daughter is the author of a three-page text message that Rihanna saw on his phone just before their violent incident on Feb. 8.

OPRAH, BET, TYRA DEVOTE SHOWS TO DATING ABUSE: All three scheduled to air today, *Three television shows will take on the issue of relationship violence today in the wake of pop star Rihanna's alleged beating by singer/boyfriend Chris Brown.

J.LO SUED OVER 'MONSTER IN LAW' MOVIE: Woman claims screenplay is too similar to her 1998 script. *A North Carolina woman is suing Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda and others associated with the 2005 movie "Monster-in-Law," claiming it was similar to a script she penned seven years earlier.

NICK CANNON SIGNS TWO-YEAR DEAL WITH NICKELODEON: Artist will create, star, produce and direct original programming. *Nick Cannon has been named Honorary Chairman and development consultant for Nickelodeon's TEENick, formerly known as The N network.

ITTY BITTY BITS: Beyonce's first; Jay-Z hearts Biggie; Toyota hearts Alvin Ailey; Joaquin's hoax; Black Health mag's $1; Powell on Lifetime; HBFF announces June run. *Beyonce says she has never suffered a broken heart because her only relationship has been with husband Jay-Z.

DICK GREGORY, DIDDY BEGIN SEPARATE FASTS: Comedian to stop eating until economy rebounds; rap mogul on a spiritual quest. *Activist Dick Gregory and entertainer Sean "Diddy" Combs have both begun separate fasts for vastly different reasons - one is to protest the world's economic crisis, the other is a search for deeper spirituality.

50 VS RICK ROSS GROWS TO INCLUDE PORN TAPE: Fif to post a video of Ross' baby mama engaged in sexual acts. *The rap beef between 50 Cent and Rick Ross has hit a new low. After back and forth dissing for months, Fif says he's planning to release a porn tape featuring one of Ross's baby mamas.

CHRIS BROWN WANTS WHOLE TEAM REPLACED?: Singer's mom denies report. Plus, Web site claims he bought Rihanna a $50,000 ring last week. *In the ongoing saga of Chris Brown and Rihanna, the New York Post reported yesterday that Brown is looking to replace his whole team, including longtime manager Tina Davis, current lawyer, Mark Geragos, and PR man Mike Sitrick.

ROBIN GIVENS RELATES TO RIHANNA'S ORDEAL': Actress says reports bring back memories of her relationship with Mike Tyson. *Robin Givens, who famously survived spousal abuse at the hands of boxer Mike Tyson, says Rihanna's situation with Chris Brown brings back lots of painful memories.

MIJAC'S LONDON RUN NOW EXTENDS INTO 2010: More shows added to meet overwhelming ticket demand. *At press time, Michael Jackson's residency at London's O2 arena had grown from its original 10 dates to 45 gigs, stretching the run into February 2010, according to promoter AEG Live.

SAMMY DAVIS JR's WIDOW PASSES AWAY: Altovise Gore Davis dies of stroke. *A press release from publicist Amy Malone, sent to EUR, says the Altovise Joanne Gore Davis, 65, widow of Sammy Davis Jr. has died. She passed away peacefully after suffering a severe stroke at Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, CA.

'AMERICAN IDOL' TELL-ALL BEING SHOPPED: Book claims to reveal secrets that producers had hoped would never get out. *Gossip blogger Janet Charlton reported Thursday about rumblings in the publishing world that a former "American Idol" employee is shopping around a tell-all book that could prove embarrassing to the show.

MUSIC MAESTRO QUINCY JONES MOTIVATED FOR MINISTER: Legendary musician, producer, composer and artist urges for Arts/Culture cabinet post. *Music legend Quincy Jones is trading in tour stops for a campaign trail, as he celebrates his 76th birthday today. The famed composer, artist, and activist has launched a petition campaign to create an Ambassadorship or Secretary position strictly for arts and culture - perhaps even a cabine

THEATER BITS: Jenifer Lewis in 'Hello Dolly!'; Ta'Rea Campbell in 'The Lion King'; Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Finian's Rainbow. *Jenifer Lewis steps into the role of matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi in the resident Seattle production of "Hello Dolly!, which began performances March 7 and will continue through March 29.

PRINCE TO PERFORM FOUR NIGHTS ON LENO: Three in a row will begin March 25; return visit in May to mark host's second-to-last show. *On the heels of U2's five-night run on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" to plug their new album, NBC has announced that Prince will promote his two new releases across four nights on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno."

PLAXICO GETS FOUR TICKETS IN ONE DAY: Florida cops cited him for multiple auto offenses; date pending for court appearance. *New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who was arrested on gun charges last year after he accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a club, was pulled over by the police this month and collected four separate violations.

CHRIS BROWN'S LAWYER REQUESTS HEARING: Judge will reportedly meet with Mark Geragos to discuss Rihanna testimony. *TMZ is reporting that Chris Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos, has requested a court hearing to take place before his client's scheduled April 6 arraignment on two felony charges in connection with the beating of Rihanna.

RAPPER ARABIAN PRINCE SUES OVER 'FERGIE' TUNE: Producer of JJ Fad's Supersonic says he's owed sample money for 'Fergalicious.' *The Arabian Prince, a rapper-producer who began his career as an original member of NWA, is suing Ruthless Records claiming it failed to give him a share of profits for a tune he produced that was sampled by pop star Fergie.

STEVE HARVEY HAS ADVICE FOR RIHANNA: New best-selling author tells singer 'you are not to blame.' *Steve Harvey, author of the relationship book "Think Like a Man, Act Like a Lady," sat down with Essence.com to discuss the reported reconciliation of Chris Brown and Rihanna, despite allegations that he abused her

SOMETHING GOES TERRIBLY WRONG AT TYRA'S 'TOP MODEL' AUDITION: Someone yelled 'fire' and chaos (and a stampede) ensues leading to 3 arrests. *In New York on Saturday three people were arrested and six others hurt after bedlam broke out while they waited to audition for "America's Next Top Model," a spokesperson for the NYPD told news radio station 1010WINS.

RIHANNA/CHRIS BROWN UPDATE: Pair did NOT record duet. *According to People.com, earlier reports of a recording session, overseen by producer Polow Da Don between Chris brown and Rihanna, were false.

SNIPES' 'GALLOWWALKER' IN LIMBO: Cast and crew have yet to be paid; actor wants reshoots that studio can't afford. *Moviehole.com blogger Charley Bowdre wrote yesterday that the Wesley Snipes film "Gallowwalker" is in just as much trouble as the film's star, who is awaiting appeal on a three-year sentence for tax evasion.

SHEILA E. WINS CMT'S 'GONE COUNTRY': Drummer/singer takes top prize with gospel-flavored tune 'Glorious Train.' Watch video. *Look out Taylor Swift. Sheila E. may be eyeing a country music takeover after winning CMT's fish-out-of-water reality show "Gone Country," beating fellow contestants George Clinton, Taylor Dayne, Justin Guarini and others.

IS LISARAYE RIDING THE 'PONY'?: Post claims source saw them kissing at an event. EUR's Lee Bailey was there and saw no such thing. *The New York Post's Page Six reported Sunday that LisaRaye McCoy-Misick, currently divorcing Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick, must be romantically involved with 90s R&B star Ginuwine because they were all over each other at a recent event.

RIHANNA 'EASING BACK' INTO WORK: Producer says her new music 'is going to be hot.' Plus, singer's dad 'waiting on her to call.' *Nearly one month has passed since the headline-making altercation between Chris Brown and Rihanna, and the Barbados-born songstress is said to be slowly "easing back" into her music career.

XSCAPE'S KANDI JOINS 'ATL HOUSEWIVES' CAST: Singer to replace DeShawn Snow for season 2. *Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Kandi Burruss of the 90s R&B group Xscape will join the cast of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," replacing fired housewife DeShawn Snow for the show's second season.

CHRIS BROWN/RIHANNA UPDATE: Identity of mystery woman who sent text revealed. *Leave it to celebrity police TMZ to keep digging for dirt. Well, it looks like they've found some, too. The site is reporting that the female that triggered the bruising battle between Chris Brown and Rihanna is none other than Brown's manager, Tina Davis.

CHRIS BROWN ANGLING TO AVOID JAIL: TMZ says singer would take plea deal but only to a misdemeanor and with no jail time. *TMZ.com is quoting sources who say Chris Brown's camp is hoping for a plea deal in his assault case, but only to a misdemeanor charge and with no time behind bars.

SNOOP GOES LATE NIGHT WITH NEW VARIETY SHOW: Rapper talks about deal with MTV, video games, new album and more. *Calvin Broadus Jr. better known as Snoop Dogg came on to the scene in 1992 with his hit song with Dr. Dre "Deep Cover." With a music career that has spanned nearly two decades, Snoop Doggy Dogg, now Snoop Dogg is expanding his resume even further.

C-MURDER BACK IN JAIL: Rapper allegedly violated rules of his house arrest. *Corey "C-Murder" Miller was thrown back in jail Monday for allegedly violating the rules of his house arrest.

COOLIO CHARGED WITH CRACK POSSESSION: Rapper also hit with battery charge stemming from arrest at LAX. *It was just like old times for Coolio. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged the rapper and former crack addict with a felony count of possessing crack cocaine and a misdemeanor count for possessing a crack pipe, reports the Associated Press.

ITTY BITTY BITS: Halle is 'Sexiest'; Oprah's Rihanna episode; Whoopi honored by Stella; Common's teen book club. *Halle Berry has been voted Sexiest Black Actress Alive in a new poll from "TV One Access," which was revealed in its broadcast on Sunday (March 8).

VICK'S ATLANTA HOME STILL ON MARKET: Eight-bedroom mansion failed to sell at auction. *Only two people attended Tuesday's auction of Michael Vick's mansion in Duluth, GA, which failed to sell after neither one of them brought a qualifying bid, which included a cashier's check for $160,000.

JOHN FORTE TO BEGIN TEACHING FOR CUNY: Former incarcerated rapper part of program that provides positive environment for at risk youth. *Rapper John Forte, released from prison in November after serving nearly seven years for cocaine possession, has just been hired as a teacher with The City College of New York.

NICKELODEON HAS CHRIS BROWN'S BACK: Network says it will not remove singer from list of nominees at Kids Choice Awards. *Turns out felony assault charges are not enough to sway teen network Nickelodeon from dropping him as a nominee for its annual Kids Choice Awards.

DAVID ALAN GRIER'S 'CHOCOLATE NEWS' CANCELLED: Announcement follows D.L. Hughley's demise at CNN. *Television has suffered a sudden hemorrhage of black men. Within days of D.L. Hughley's CNN show being cancelled, Comedy Central announced Tuesday that David Alan Grier's "Chocolate News" has also been given a pink slip.

MIJAC ANNOUNCES O2 ARENA DATES: Residency begins July 8 and will run for 10 nights through July 28; more dates may be added *Michael Jackson released a statement Tuesday announcing that his 10-night concert series at London's 02 Arena will begin on July 8, with additional shows to come if the first 10 sell out.

LIONEL RICHIE TRIED TO CUT TIES WITH NICOLE: Singer said it was hard to take daughter during her unruly days. *Lionel Richie said he tried hard to distance himself from daughter Nicole Richie during her wild, drug-fueled, partying years, and even attempted to cut ties with her altogether in a bid to allow the socialite to get herself together.

LIL KIM 'CONNECTS' WITH BIGGIE: Rapper says late artist 'comes to me in my dreams.' *Lil Kim launched the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" Monday in the night's first performance, a "cha cha cha" she said was dedicated to "her girls" at the federal detention center in Philadelphia, where she served 10 months for perjury.

DID CHRIS BROWN FORCE USHER'S APOLOGY?: Reps for both Brown and Ursh say reports are untrue. *The New York Daily News is reporting that Usher's apology for criticizing Chris Brown's Jet Ski ride in the midst of his domestic violence rap was not his idea, and only came about after Brown himself called and griped.

NABJ PRESENTS P.R. CONFERENCE IN NYC: Veteran publicist Terrie Williams to deliver keynote address. *The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) will present its Conference for Media Related Professionals on Saturday, March 21, at the Associated Press Headquarters in New York City.

AKON STILL WILLING TO WORK WITH CHRIS BROWN: Singer says he can separate one's professional work from personal issues. *Akon did not hesitate when asked whether he would still consider working with Chris Brown, who currently carries two felony charges in connection with the beating of his girlfriend, Rihanna.

MICHELLE OBAMA BACK ON NEW YORKER COVER: First Lady leads magazine's bi-annual Style Issue. *Michelle Obama is back on the cover of the New Yorker magazine, this time in a far less controversial artist rendering.

RIHANNA TELLS COPS OF PAST FIGHTS: One occurred three months ago in Europe, another later in Barbados. *The New York Daily News is reporting that Rihanna informed police of at least two other occasions in which an argument with boyfriend Chris Brown had become physical.

DIDDY REVEALS TRUTH ABOUT B.I.G. INTERLUDE: Mogul says sex act in 'Ready to Die' skit was the real thing. *Sean "Diddy" Combs offers revelations about one of the interludes on Notorious B.I.G.'s first album, "Ready to Die," in which the rapper appears to be engaged in a sexual act.

CHRIS BROWN, RIHANNA RECORDING A DUET: Source says they're working on a song with Polow Da Don for Brown's next album. *Not only are Chris Brown and Rihanna reportedly back together following a domestic violence dispute, but they are recording a duet that will appear on Brown's upcoming album, due out later this year.

FANTASIA LOVES HER SOME DANNY GOKEY: Show's 2004 winner says he 'moves' her whenever he sings. *"American Idol" Fantasia Barrino says she already has a clear favorite among the current season's crop of 13 finalists.

TYLER PERRY'S 'MADEA' IS BACK AND INCARCERATED: Sassy senior citizen back in theaters this weekend. *Foul-mouthed, gun-toting Madea is coming to theaters and going to jail. Filmmaker Tyler Perry brings his sassy senior back in her fourth big screen appearance in "Madea Goes to Jail," opening nationwide today. This time, Madea lands in the slammer and becomes a mother figure to a fellow jail

PHOTO OF A BEATEN RIHANNA ALL OVER THE NET: Someone leaked picture to TMZ; LAPD launches investigation. *It's the picture of Rihanna we've been waiting to see ever since the infamous beating of her, allegedly by Chris Brown, went down the morning of the Grammy Awards.

SHARPTON LEADS PROTEST AGAINST NY POST: Fallout continues after newspaper runs controversial cartoon. *As promised, Rev. Al Sharpton led a protest Thursday outside of the New York Post's headquarters, one day after the newspaper ran a cartoon that they said depicted President Barack Obama as a chimpanzee shot and killed by cops.

RIHANNA ISSUES STATEMENT: But not about Chris Brown; Starlet doesn't say much, but does thank fans. "At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown," her statement read. "She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time."

J-HUD COURTED BY PERRY FOR NEXT PROJECT: Filmmaker says he has written a movie just for her. *Tyler Perry, who graces theaters today in "Madea Goes to Jail," has already moved on to his next film - a project he wrote specifically for Jennifer Hudson.

KAM WILLIAMS' OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2009: The Envelope Please: Who Will Win, Who Deserves to Win, Who Was Snubbed *Despite having garnered a whopping 13 nominations, Oscar night is going to be a big disappointment for fans of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button which will only win a few times and just in minor categories.

'MADEA' GOES TO THE TOP: Tyler Perry's latest has most successful opening. *Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail" reigned at the weekend box office, opening with $41.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was the highest grossing film ever for both Perry and the film's studio, Lionsgate.

T.I. IN COURT AGAIN - BUT NOT ON TRIAL: Rapper speaks to at-risk high school teens as part of community service. *With one month to go before starting a yearlong federal prison sentence, rapper T.I. was in court again Friday, but this time with the aim of convincing some at-risk teens not to follow in his path.

AL GREEN CLASSICS MOVE TO NEW LABEL: Fat Possum acquires set from Hi Records. *The record label Fat Possum recently licensed the entire Hi Records catalog, which includes classics from the library of soul legend Al Green, as well as albums by Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson and longtime Green collaborator Willie Mitchell.

TONY DUNGY STILL PUSHING FOR COACHING DIVERSITY: Retired NFL coach writes op-ed piece in NY Times. *Newly retired NFL coach Tony Dungy, who became the first African American coach to win a Super Bowl, has written an opinion-editorial piece in the New York Times calling on the sport to keep its eye on the ball when it comes to diversity.

NO MORE SEX AND VIOLENCE ON JAMAICAN AIRWAVES: Island regulators took steps after "daggering" dance gets out of control. *Regulators in Jamaica have announced that explicit references to sex and violence will no longer be permitted over the airwaves, reports the Associated Press.

PLAXICO UNLIKELY TO REMAIN A GIANT: Suspended NY receiver faces felony weapons charges; team GM isn't sure if he'll be back. *New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese says he's hoping that Plaxico Burress can return next season, but he's just not sure it will happen.

NICOLE RICHIE PREGNANT AGAIN: Celeb' boyfriend makes announcement on Web site. "Nicole Richie and her boyfriend Joel Madden are expecting baby No. 2, according to an announcement on the Web site of Madden's band Good Charlotte.

RAP MUSEUM PLUGS HOLLIS QUEENS WITH $1 BURGERS: Location offers cheap eats with collection of rap artifacts. *A New York City restaurant/museum dedicated to hip hop offers with its $1 mini-burgers a complimentary viewing of a collection of more than 100 hip-hop artifacts.

OPRAH SITS DOWN WITH OCTO-GRANDPA: Nadya Suleman's father says daughter was 'absolutely irresponsible' and 'needs help.' *During Friday's live broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," the host said she was minding her own business when the father of Octomom Nadya Suleman called Harpo out of the blue and asked to be interviewed.

BARDOT WANTS SEALS ON OBAMA'S TO-DO LIST: French actress sends letter to president seeking ban on seal hunting. *As if President Obama doesn't have enough on his plate with the failing economy, foreclosure crisis and budget deficit, a French actress is hoping he will give as much attention to preserving the world's seal population.

KELLY ROWLAND TO HOST BRAVO REALITY SERIES: Singer joins designer Isaac Mizrahi for 'The Fashion Show.' *Bravo has tapped Kelly Rowland and Isaac Mizrahi to host a new reality show that aims to fill the void left by popular fashion-themed series "Project Runway."

MIJAC TO LAUNCH COMEBACK IN LONDON?" Another round of the same ol' rumors pops up again. *The Daily Mail is quoting a source who claims Michael Jackson is in serious talks with concert organizers for a comeback series of up to 30 live shows scheduled for later this year in London's O2 arena.

HALLE SAYS DAUGHTER ENHANCES HER CRAFT: Actress enlightens crowd at Essence luncheon. *Halle Berry couldn't say enough about her 11-month-old daughter Nahla Thursday at Essence magazine's Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, where she was honored for her acting, producing and philanthropic work.

FALLOUT CONTINUES OVER LEAKED RIHANNA PHOTO: LAPD still investigating; singer's dad blames cops. *The father of pop star Rihanna is blaming the Los Angeles Police Department for the leak of a photo showing his daughter's battered and bruised face following a domestic dispute with Chris Brown.

DIDDY WANTS FANS TO BOARD HIS 'TRAIN MUSIC': Mogul explains concept behind upcoming album 'Last Train to Paris.' *Sean "Diddy" Combs describes his forthcoming high-concept album, "Last Train to Paris," as an "electro-hip-hop soul funk" concoction that culminates in a love-seeking journey from London to Paris.

LEGEND WANTS CELEBS TO STIFFARM NY POST: Singer's open letter condemns chimp cartoon; urges entertainers to stop granting them interviews. *Count John Legend among those expressing outrage against the New York Post in the wake of its editorial cartoon that some black leaders feel compares President Obama's to a crazed chimpanzee that was shot by police.

VENUS MENTIONS PEER CONTROVERSY IN SPEECH: 'I thought she had to be mentioned and I felt I was going to, whether anyone else did or not.' *After winning her 40th career tournament at the Dubai Open on Saturday, Venus Williams made sure her victory speech included a salute to a fellow tour player who was refused a visa to enter the Arab region because of her Israeli nationality.

OSCAR GOES SLUMMING: 8 Acadamy Awards for 'Slumdog Millionaire.' *"Slumdog Millionaire," a rags-to-riches tale both on screen and off, was named best picture at the 81st Annual Academy Awards. The indie movie that fought an uphill battle to worldwide recognition took home eight awards, including best director honors for filmmaker Danny Boyle.

MADEA GOES TO TOP OF THE BOX OFFICE: Tyler Perry's latest opens with $41.1 million, highest weekend total for both filmmaker and Lionsgate. *Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail" dominated the weekend box office, opening with $41.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.