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Will Eddie Murphy’s new fat-femme flick, Norbit, hurt his chances for an Oscar? Certainly ain’t hurtin’ his bank account, that’s fer sure! And what’s got Justin Timberlake under the weather after his bang-up performance Friday night? Did he catch something from K-Fed on the carpet? The premiere of Norbit was chock-full o' some big celebs and some not, many of whom accessorized their debut down the red carpet à la pimp cups and stogies—no joke. Last Thursday at the Mann Theater in Westwood. The Oscar-nominated star (for Dreamgirls, natch) of the film, Eddie Murphy, classed it up on the carpet in a turtleneck and was followed down by his more talkative half, bro Charlie Murphy. When I asked C. Murph about the speculation that a comedy role may hurt his bro's chances for an Oscar, he pooh-poohed: "In this world, there's always going to be a whole bunch of people who say something negative. At the end of the day, he's nominated for an Oscar. [Norbit] is an outstanding performance. I don't know how it can hurt his chances." So, snot-nosed Academy voters who are on the proverbial voting fence, there ya have it. Then I asked Ed-doll himself which was harder to play—comedy or drama? "It's all the same," he said matter-of-factly. Can we say yawnsville? You could at least make something up, Mr. Em, as everybody knows it's the comic turns that are harder, my opinion (why the ef do you think so many comedians do themselves in, in the end, huh?).

Norbit's leading gal (the one not played by girlie-gunnin' Murphy), Thandie Newton, had similar thoughts to mine, go figure. The sweet to-do hon from last year's Best Pic winning flick, Crash, said she has high hopes for Eddie and that she herself takes comedy very seriously, you should know. "My Cousin Vinny, that was very funny," Newton sassed. "She [Marisa Tomei] got an Oscar for that. I think comedy roles are tough. If you looked at Eddie, and then look at Dreamgirls and Norbit—you can't say which is more challenging for him." Well, I'm not sure I'd go that far, T-doll, but I get your politically incorrect drift, fer sure. In fact, seems everyone in Hell-Ay and their mama thinks Eddie just might win a friggin' Oscar this year.

Comedian Chris Rock came out to support the big-broad show and was his usual sassy self. The onetime Oscar host even had some odd advice for this year's emcee, Ellen DeGeneres. "Stay off the pipe!" Chris boomed, if a bit cryptically. Uh, thanks, but I wasn't asking for advice for Whitney Houston. It's official…Justin Timberlake is out to take over the world. At least that's what it seems like to moi. First, he took the music world by storm with his solo album and brought sex-ay back. He's launched his own clothing line and taken over the indie screen with his acting career. And now, he's coming to your small screen…the very small screen, that is, with the launch of JT-TV.

Justin celebrated the launch of his new channel, available only on cell phones, at the Verizon Wireless/Rolling Stone Pre-Grammy get-down at the Avalon on Friday. This is where his red carpet run-in with Kevin Federline occurred, as I'm sure you've heard by now. And of course, seeing two of Britney's ex-men mingling made me think of her recent exhibitionist exploits in InWhySee.

Puking in her car and then changing into go-go dancer outfits at Club One wasn't exactly what I had in mind for Brit, post-K-Fed. I asked some fellow guests at the party who've worked closely with Miz Spears for their two cents on her comeback.

"I know how Britney is, and she's probably gonna take the world by storm," said Taryn Manning, who you'll remember starred with Brit in the critically acclaimed Crossroads. "She just has to refocus. She knows what to do."    

Former Mickey Mouse Clubber and current bud JC Chasez echoed these sentiments. "Just get focused and then put the time in and do the work," he said, when I asked what her plan should be. "I think she'd do great if she'd do that." Def putting in time and work that night was J.T., who performed alongside the Black Eyed Peas, Timbaland and Nelly Furtado. Seems he worked it a little too hard, as he called in sick the next night at the Clive Davis party, where he was set to take the stage.

Shakira, headed up to her hotel room with two beefy goon-guards. Sunday at 1 peeyem at the Four Seasons Hotel, in the Hills of Bev. Bet she was getting some beauty rest before her sexed-up—but spectacular—Grammy performance with Wyclef Jean that night. The Latina diva was dressed down in tight jeans and a brown blouse but looked fab, natch. Let's face it…the girl can make a brown bag look hot. Too bad we can't say the same for… Rachel Zoe, former skinny-minny stylist to Nicole Richie, possibly recruiting new socialite victims—I mean clientele—during New York Fashion Week at the XFit Lycra denim gifting and display booth. Rachel was spendin' some serious time with blond babe about town Tinsley Mortimer. The new gal-pals picked out pairs of Serfontaine jeans and probably exchanged some diet tips as well, yuck. Dressed to the overly done nines back in Hell-Ay was…

Chamillionaire, also spotted at the Four Seasons before the Grammy get-down, where he picked up an award. The rapper was holding court with two security guards—oh, I swear, these music toughies are so damn girlie with their paranoia, already. (I mean, since when is one gorilla type not enough?) The revvin' rapper was rockin' a sex-ay pinstripe suit, dark shades and the always in style Tinseltown must-have accessory, the standard BlackBerry. A rapper reliving his glory days elsewhere was…

MC Hammer, joining the Black Eyed Peas on stage for a nanosecond. The Third Annual Peapod Foundation Benefit Concert on Thursday night at the Avalon. Obviously this charitable event put Will.I.Am in a benevolent mood, as he graciously invited the has-been rapper up on stage—where the Hammer, in a white fur coat, did a few dance moves. You know K-Fed wishes it were him!