FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, February 2, 2004

Luther Vandross missing the Grammys, Barry Manilow ailing, Janet Jackson super-exposed, more

By Josh Grossberg Feb 03, 2004 4:00 AMTags

RECOVERING: Singer Barry Manilow returning home today after a brief stay at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California to treat stress-related chest pains.

IN ABSENTIA: Reps for Luther Vandross say he is too ill to attend Sunday's Grammy Awards where he's nominated for five awards, including Song of the Year for "Dance With My Father." The singer suffered a severe stroke last April and is still in a wheelchair.

TRIAL FILE: Phil Spector hiring defense attorney Leslie Abramson to handle his murder trial and ending his relationship with lawyer Robert Shapiro; Abramson became famous for her work on the murder trial of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez.

CONTROL THIS: CBS and MTV issuing apologies Sunday night after Justin Timberlake ripped off a piece of Janet Jackson's outfit and briefly exposed her breast during the Super Bowl halftime show. Timberlake said the breast-baring wasn't planned, calling it a "wardrobe malfunction."

JANET'S TAKE: Reps for Janet Jackson also blaming the Super Bowl breast-baring on a "wardrobe malfunction" and apologizing to those who were offended by the stunt. "Justin was supposed to pull away the rubber bustier to reveal a red lace bra. The garment collapsed and her breast was accidentally revealed," Jackson's rep said.

NO CHARGE: Despite numerous complaints, Houston police will not charge either Janet Jackson or Justin Timberlake for their roles in the Super Bowl breast debacle. The game took place at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

NOT BOWLED OVER: An angry Federal Communications Chairman Michael Powell announcing his agency will launch an investigation into what's already being dubbed "breast-gate." "I am outraged by what I saw," said Powell. "Like millions of Americans, my family and I gathered around the television for a celebration. Instead, that celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt."

SUPER NUMBERS: CBS' telecast of Super Bowl XXXVIII the most watched Super Bowl ever, drawing an average of 90 million viewers who watched the game in its entirety and 144 million who watched some of it. That snapped the high set by last year's Super Bowl, which was watched by 138.9 million people.

RATINGS ADD: Following the big game, CBS' debut of Survivor All-Stars attracted an average of 33.3 million viewers, garnering the biggest post-Super Bowl audience since the premiere of Survivor: The Australian Outback.

OFF THE ISLAND: Tina Wesson, the winner of Survivor: The Australia Outback, the first to get the boot on the premiere of Survivor All-Stars Sunday after the Super Bowl.

JACKSON WATCH: Documents released Monday revealing that investigators seized videotapes, computers, legal documents, a note and a letter during a Nov. 18 search of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch; no further details about the items were released.

CURTAIN CALL: Broadway's Gypsy will close on Feb. 28 after an 11-month run unless business picks up, producers said. Extreme weather conditions in New York are blamed for causing an industry-wide decline in ticket sales.

AS GOOD AS IT GETS: Oscar-winning actress Helen Hunt is expecting a baby in the summer with new boyfriend Matthew Carnahan, her rep confirmed.

GET ON OUT: Singer James Brown filing a petition on Thursday to annul his marriage to wife Tommie Rae, claiming she never divorced from a previous marriage.

REJECTED: A Van Nuys judge denying a request from media outlets to allow a camera in the courtroom to capture testimony in the upcoming murder trial of actor Robert Blake.

WELL ENOUGH SERVED: The B2K hip-hop dance drama You Got Served topped the box office, earning an estimated $16 million over the traditionally slow Super Bowl weekend.

MRS. ZAPPA: Selma Blair and rocker Ahmet Zappa swapping vows in a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony at Carrie Fisher's Beverly Hills mansion; the duo were supposed to wed at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Marina Del Ray, California, but switched locations at the last minute, according to published reports.

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO: Actor Colin Farrell named as a presenter at the 76th Academy Awards set for Feb. 29.

EXTREME REALITY: Fox greenlighting nine episodes of The Swan, a makeover show that will feature 18 female contestants who will get plastic surgery, but won't be able to see their new faces until after they've participated in the series finale, a two-hour beauty pageant. The show debuts on March 29.

PASSIONATE RESPONSE: In response to fears that Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ maligns the Jewish people, Jews and Christian groups planning lecture series, interfaith talks and other programs to try and educate the public about anti-semitism.

KUDOS! Rachel Ames, John Clarke, Jeanne Cooper and Ruth Warrick among 10 veteran actors receicing the 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, set for May 21 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

HEAVY STUFF: The Disney Channel, known for its light fare, beginning production on Tiger Cruise, a drama starring Bill Pullman about a naval carrier sent into combat with civilians aboard and set against the backdrop of the September 11 attacks.

HEY YA! Andre 3000 of hip-hop duo OutKast joining the cast of MGM's Get Shorty sequel, Be Cool, along with Harvey Keitel, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Danny DeVito among others.

REAL JEOPARDY: Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek set to resume taping his Emmy-winning quiz show Tuesday after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing his pickup truck on a rural road last Friday. He was uninjured.