Entertainment News

NEW YORK - Rihanna on Friday described the horror she felt as her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was biting and punching her during a violent argument in February, saying she saw "no soul in his eyes."

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Cable television network A&E on Friday unveiled plans for a new reality TV show starring four brothers of late pop star Michael Jackson depicting them dealing with his death and rehearsing for an upcoming concert.

LOS ANGELES - A judge sentenced "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis on Friday to 301 days already served and a year of probation for filing false income tax returns and bribing Nevada jail workers.

NEW YORK - A reality show miniseries about the Jackson family will premiere Dec. 13 on A&E, the network says. Back-to-back hour episodes will air that night at 9 p.m. EST.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Simon Baker crime drama "The Mentalist," which just began its second season on CBS, has netted a rich off-network syndication deal with TNT.

LOS ANGELES - Nick Counter, a longtime negotiator for Hollywood producers who led the studios through two grueling writers' strikes last year and in 1988, has died. He was 69.

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Depicting an awkward romance between two young misfits set in the backdrop of a traveling carnival, "Splinterheads" mainly comes across as a low-rent version of "Adventureland." Although Brant Sersen's comedy, which opened Friday (November 6), has amusing moments, they come too far between to elevate the film above the standard indie level of quirkiness for its own sake.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Joe Jackson, the elderly father of late pop star Michael Jackson, on Friday filed a court petition seeking an allowance from the singer's estate, saying his son had supported him for many years.

WARWICK, R.I. - Two-time Oscar-nominated actor James Woods has sued a Rhode Island hospital over the 2006 death of his younger brother.

NEW YORK - Broadway has found its Spider-Man — rock singer Reeve Carney.

HONOLULU - The Honolulu Symphony said Friday it's canceling concerts for the rest of the year and filing for bankruptcy, citing a big drop in donations.

NEW YORK - Rihanna on Friday described the horror she felt as her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was biting and punching her during a violent argument in February, saying she saw "no soul in his eyes."

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - An unseasonal gust of wind greets Alicia Keys as she steps out of a doorway behind a Beverly Hills hotel on a late October afternoon.

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - In the latest addition to the popular book series "Chicken Soup for the Soul," music fans can satisfy their curiosity about the origins of their favorite songs.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - For the mini-orchestra Pink Martini, taking the slow but steady independent route has paid off during its 15-year career.

The late pop singer's will only stipulated that his mother, his children and several charities get paid. Sandra Mitchell reports.

Will she or won't she? CBS 2's Mike Flannery switched from his normal political beat Friday to ask Oprah Winfrey about her possible move to Los Angeles. The media maven complied with a brief interview, as she appeared with Ellen DeGeneres in Chicago.

Jake mans up and AC/DC is back in black

Rob Lowe plays a twisted killer in the new TV movie, 'Too Late to say Goodbye,' premiering Saturday on Lifetime Movie Network. The role is a twist from the romantic lead he plays on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters.' (Nov. 6)

Life and Style's Dawn Yanek weighs in on Rihanna's interview with Diane Sawyer.

-Yesterday's Winners: Survivor: Samoa (CBS), CSI (CBS), Grey's Anatomy (ABC), The Office (NBC), The Mentalist (CBS)

Fox, of course, was hoping for a seven game baseball series. But the sixth, and final, World Series match-up between the Yankees and the Phillies rose to a series-high 22.66 million viewers and a 7.3 rating/20 share among adults 18-49, leading Fox to an easy Wednesday victory. Here were the network averages for Nov. 4:

While speculation looms on the future of Oprah, spin-off Dr. Phil has been cleared by CBS Television Distribution through the 2013-14 season in approximately 70 percent of the country despite significant audience erosion this season. Season to-date, Dr. Phil is down by 15 percent in household rating (3.3 to 2.8) as 25 percent among key women 25-54 (2.0 to 1.5).

DEAR ABBY: I am a 16-year-old guy in my sophomore year of high school. I am known as a friendly, outgoing guy who gets along with girls. My problem is, I used to be one of the biggest jerks who ever was. I was involved in fighting and other things I won't go into. But I turned my life around.

DEAR ABBY: My boss wants my cell phone number for "work purposes." He has trouble with limits, and I am reluctant to give it to him. I don't want to receive text messages, unsolicited calls or contact outside of work. My private life is just that -- private.

DEAR ABBY: Please print this for me on behalf of myself and all the other well-intentioned folks out there who have lent money to others.

01/23/2009 - DEAR MARGO: My best friend since elementary school (I'll call her CJ) is married to a man I have never liked (I'll call him Phil). Even when they dated I considered Phil overbearing and foolish.

01/22/2009 - DEAR MARGO: I recently left my husband of 21 years and now live alone.

01/16/2009 - DEAR MARGO: My family is at their wits' end with a major upset, courtesy of my grandparents.

VALLEJO, Calif. - The California Highway Patrol say a man stole a car to make a court appearance on a previous auto theft charge.

SEOUL, South Korea - A woman in South Korea who tried to pass the written exam for a driver's license with near-daily attempts since April 2005 has finally succeeded on her 950th time. The aspiring driver spent more than 5 million won ($4,200) in application fees, but until now had failed to score the minimum 60 out of a possible 100 points needed to get behind the wheel for a driving test.

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon police have charged a man with drunken driving after he called 911 to report his marijuana as stolen but the dispatcher couldn't understand him because he was vomiting while on the road.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A sculpture of a New Zealand government minister crafted from cow manure sold for New Zealand dollars 3,080 ($2,220) on an auction Web site. The bust of New Zealand Environment Minister Nick Smith, sculpted as a protest by artist Sam Mahon, attracted 112 bids before being picked up by an anonymous buyer on Friday.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - An appeals court has ruled Pennsylvania State Police botched a prostitution investigation in which troopers gave an informant money to pay for sex four times at a massage parlor, along with a total of $180 for the man's trouble.

NEW YORK - Some suicide prevention groups aren't laughing over a scene in "The Office" where Steve Carell's character tries to scare young children by struggling in a hangman's noose.

NEW YORK - Oprah Winfrey is removing gospel singer BeBe Winans from her show's "karaoke challenge" until charges against him for allegedly pushing his ex-wife to the ground are resolved.

LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson's father is seeking an allowance from his son's estate to help cover expenses that exceed $15,000 a month, according to court documents filed Friday. The request seeking an unspecified amount for Joe Jackson was filed by lawyer Brian Oxman, who said there was no apparent reason for the administrators of the estate to not seek an allowance for the Jackson family patriarch.

NEW YORK - Rihanna on Friday described the horror she felt as her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was biting and punching her during a violent argument in February, saying she saw "no soul in his eyes."

NEW YORK - A reality show miniseries about the Jackson family will premiere Dec. 13 on A&E, the network says. Back-to-back hour episodes will air that night at 9 p.m. EST.