OOPS, SHE DOES IT AGAIN: Britney Spears making a surprise appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman Tuesday to confirm that she is, indeed, expecting her second child with Kevin Federline, and is not just getting fat.
THERE'S NO GOING BACK: Howard Stern denying reports that he is considering a return to terrestrial radio. "I'm very flattered terrestrial radio can't let go of me," Stern said on his satellite show Wednesday. "But I would throw up if I had to go back. I'm never going back." Which, we guess, is good news for Whoopi Goldberg.
SAY WHAT?! "I remained faithful during my marriage. And I defy anyone to refute that."
--Richie Sambora to Us Weekly, denying that he took up with Denise Richards before splitting with Heather Locklear.
MINGLING WITH THE MASSES: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes visiting the town of Aberdeen, Washington, on Tuesday to take in a private screening of Mission: Impossible III in a local mall along with a contest winner and 150 of his closest friends. Suri apparently opting out--it seems she's sick of her dad, too.
SOFA STUNT: Meanwhile, Paramount forcing two Aberdeen radio stations to call off couch-jumping contests scheduled for Tuesday because they "felt it reflected poorly on Tom's image," according to a furniture dealer who had donated a couch for the event. We're thinking that another display of sofa acrobatics could actually help Cruise's image at this point.
MISSION: UNPOPULAR: Tom Cruise's favorability rating slipping 23 percent in the last year among adults, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll. At least Nicole Kidman still loves him.
CHART ATTACK: Tool's 10,000 Days debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, selling nearly 564,000 first-week copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan numbers. Pearl Jam proving that grunge lives, with a number two bow for the band's new eponymous disc.
DAMAGE CONTROL: A Rolling Stones spokeswoman stating that Keith Richards neither suffered brain damage nor underwent a second operation to treat his head injury. The rep called the first surgery "100 percent successful" and said Richards "continues to improve as expected."
ON THE DOWNLOAD: Fox and Apple announcing Tuesday that 16 shows from Fox, FX, Fuel, Speed and 20th Century Fox Television are now available for purchase through iTunes Music Store. Just one more way to get your 24 fix.
MILLION DOLLAR MAN: Tom Hanks recognized by Guinness World Records as the Actor With Most Consecutive $100 Million Grossing Movies, thanks to a seven-film streak of box office hits from 1998 to 2002. With The Da Vinci Code opening next week, we're guessing he's about to chalk up another one, Vatican boycott or no.
CODE OVERLOAD: A senior Philippine official stating that the mainly Catholic country should ban The Da Vinci Code, describing the film's premise as "blasphemous." Try to keep up, dude--Da Vinci Code protests are so last month.