STORK UPDATE: After weeks of rumors, Rosie O'Donnell finally confirming this week that her partner, Kelli Carpenter, is pregnant. No word on the due date, but Rosie's rep says the entertainer is "ecstatic." O'Donnell bows out of her talk show next week.
KNOCKOUT: Fox scratching John Wayne Bobbitt from tonight's taping of Celebrity Boxing 2 after the former Marine with the reattached penis was arrested for allegedly beating his current wife in their Las Vegas home. The fight allegedly erupted after his wife said she didn't want to accompany him to Los Angeles to see the fight live.
GEEK FIGHT! Fox also confirming that Dustin Diamond ("Screech" from Saved by the Bell) has signed on to fight Ron Palillo ("Horshack" from Welcome Back Kotter) for the special.
ALL EYES ON THEM: CBS unveiling five new dramas and two new comedies for its fall lineup, including the new spinoff CSI: Miami and the new John Wells medical drama Presidio Med. Gone from the lineup are Baby Bob and The Education of Max Bickford, while returning shows include The Agency and The Amazing Race.
FOX IN FORCE: Fox is set to debut four new dramas, including David E. Kelley's new femme lawyer series, Girls Club, two comedies, and a sketch-variety show. Returning next season are the network's critically hailed 24, as well as That '70s Show, Futurama,King of the Hill and, of course, The Simpsons. The network unveils its full lineup Thursday.
THE REVOLUTION'S HERE: Directors Larry and Andy Wachowski posting a teaser trailer to the third Matrix installment, The Matrix Revolutions, on the film's Website, www.thematrix.com. The film isn't due in theaters until late 2003.
FATHERS OF ROCK: Rock 'n' roll pioneers Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Bo Diddley making a rare public appearance together Tuesday to receive the inaugural BMI Icon Awards and be toasted for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers."
SPACE COWBOY: Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay involved in an assault Wednesday after the London premiere of Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones. Witnesses say Kay was head-butted and suffered facial injuries in an apparent altercation with a press photographer. Police are investigating.
FASTER FORCE: Star Wars mastermind George Lucas announcing that Attack of the Clones will be made available on DVD this fall, as opposed to Phantom Menace, which took much longer to be released on the format. The film opens tonight at midnight.
JAR JAR RETURNS: Box-office analysts predicting Attack of the Clones will gross between $90 million and $100 million in its first four days of release. Meanwhile, it's also predicted U.S. businesses will lose $319 million in productivity due to employees calling in sick to see the movie.
WEDDING BELLS! The oft-engaged but never married Claudia Schiffer set to finally walk the aisle. The supermodel will swap vows with British film producer Matthew Vaughn on May 25 in a ceremony to be held in England's rural Suffolk County.
GAME WARS: A day after Sony said it would slash prices on its PlayStation 2 to $199, Microsoft announcing it's also cutting the price of its Xbox console from $299 to $199.
STAGE VETERANS: Bernadette Peters and Gregory Hines tapped to host this year's Tony Awards June 2. The show marks Peters' first stint as emcee while Hines previously shared hosting chores with Glenn Close and Nathan Lane in 1994.
HECHE OF A SHOW: Anne Heche in talks to replace Jennifer Jason Leigh in David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Proof, on Broadway. Leigh's last performance is slated for June 30.
IN THE NET: A St. Louis jewelry salesman apologizing for telling Penthouse magazine that his topless videotape pictures of a fashion designer's daughter-in-law were really shots of tennis babe Anna Kournikova.
BIG PIMPIN': Rap star Jay-Z reneging on buying a $6.5 million penthouse in the New York city neighborhood of TriBeCa, causing the owner to sue two neighbors for interfering with the deal.
RECONCILING: Liza Minnelli's 94-year-old stepmother dropping her elder abuse and breach of contract lawsuit against the Hollywood legend.
HE JUST WANTS TO DANCE: Gosford Park director Robert Altman in talks to helm The Company, an ensemble film about ballet dancers that will co-star Neve Campbell, who is also attached to produce. The project has roles for more than 50 people.
MORE TED: ABC News announcing Ted Koppel's Nightline will create a new series tentatively titled Nightline Close-Up, to replace the recently-axed Politically Incorrect until early 2003 when Jimmy Kimmel's late-night comedy show will debut. The show, coanchored by Koppel and Chris Bury, will feature daily personality profiles.
MEMORIALIZED: Late R&B singer and actress Aaliyah snagging four nominations including best R&B Female, Viewer's Choice and Best Video for "Rock the Boat" to lead the second BET Awards, slated to air live June 25 on the music channel.
PROFESSOR COSTANZA: Seinfeld alum and Tony winner Jason Alexander tapped by the University of Southern California as the inaugural George Burns Distinguished Visiting Professor in Performance in the School of Theater. He'll begin teaching classes in the fall semester.