SPLITSVILLE: Heather Locklear filing for divorce from Richie Sambora after 10 years of marriage. "This is a private matter and there will be no further comment at this time," said Locklear's publicist.
BEYOND IDOL: Simon Cowell partnering with NBC to create a nationwide variety talent competition series, where viewers will be able to select a winner who will go on to headline a Las Vegas show.
WHAT A DRAG: Director Lee Tamahori, whose credits include Die Another Day and Along Came a Spider, scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on charges that he allegedly solicited an undercover cop while dressed in drag, TMZ.com reports.
SOUL MAN: R. Kelly scoring a leading three nominations for the 20th Annual Soul Train Music Awards. Kelly will also receive the inaugural Stevie Wonder Award for career achievement in song writing. Wonder will present the honor at the March 4 ceremony.
PHOENIX RISING: Warner Bros. announcing Thursday that filming will begin next week on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprising their roles as teenage wizards for the fifth film in the saga.
MORE CHRONICLES: Walt Disney Pictures beginning preproduction on The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the second film in the series. The movie is targeted for a Christmas 2007 release.
GRAMMY WHAMMY: Paul McCartney making his first Grammy appearance at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards Feb. 8, where he is nominated in three categories.
MORE GRAMMY ENTERTAINMENT: Kelly Clarkson and Ciara also scheduled to perform at the Grammys.
DIAPER DUTY: Joely Fisher and her husband, Chris Duddy, welcoming their second child together, a girl named True Harlow Fisher-Duddy, People reports.
BACK IN ACTION: Maya Rudolph returning to Saturday Night Live from maternity leave this week. Steve Martin hosting the episode, with musical guest Prince.
AHOY! Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean character, Captain Jack Sparrow, being added to the audio-animatronics Crew of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland and Disney World theme parks.
ONLY IN LOS ANGELES: The passerby who helped Joaquin Phoenix from his car after an accident last week was none other than Werner Herzog, the Los Angeles Times reports.
BACK TO COURT: Tom Sizemore due in court for a hearing to determine whether he violated his probation in a drug possession case when amphetamines were found in his urine.
ON THE OUTS: Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen no longer on speaking terms, People reports. Richards seeking sole custody of the couple's children, while Sheen wants joint custody.
BENCHED: ABC's Commander in Chief going on a six-week hiatus beginning March 7, when it will make way for Sons & Daughters, a new sitcom created by SNL producer Lorne Michaels.
FOR THE KIDS: Nick Lachey cofounding www.yfly.com, an Internet networking and chat site designed to keep kids safe by blocking potential online predators. The site was expected to launch Thursday, People magazine reports.
FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE: Lost star Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje delivering the traditional, daily prayer before the Hawaiian state Senate Tuesday, an experience he called "the pinnacle" of his career.
AGE RAGE: Harvey Weinstein telling New York magazine that Judi Dench was turned down from appearing on The View, Today and Good Morning America while promoting Mrs. Henderson Presents because of her age. The programs have denied the accusation.
ALICE IN WEIRDLAND: Marylin Manson set to play Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll in Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll, which he also wrote and will direct, per the Hollywood Reporter. Production expected to begin this summer.
SOUR NOTE: American Idol hopeful Jose "Sway" Penala may have violated the talent show's eligibility rules by being signed to a contract with his band, 6th Day, at the time he auditioned for the show, realitytvmagazine.com reports.
CATWALKING OUT OF TOWN: Kate Moss leaving London Thursday on a Miami-bound plane, 48 hours after she was questioned by police about her alleged cocaine use.
THE WRITE STUFF: Alex Gibney, writer-director of Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, winning the Writers Guild of America's award for Best Documentary Writing.
KUDOS: Christian singer Chris Tomlin leading the Dove Award nominations for gospel music on Wednesday with nine, including Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.