FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, April 22, 2003

HEY, MR. DJ: Madonna's 10th album of original material, American Life, arrives in stores today. Despite mixed reviews, the disc is expected to debut at number one on next week's album charts.

PERSONALITY PLUS: Final overnight ratings proving America does care to unmask Fox's Mr. Personality, which placed second with 12.2 million viewers to CBS' Everybody Loves Raymond last night.

ANTE UP: Jim Carrey reaching an out of court settlement with his ex-wife over child support payments. Melissa Carrey had complained that $10,000 wasn't enough to raise their teen daughter.

LIVE, FROM NEW YORK: Newly minted Oscar winner Adrien Brody assuming hosting duties of Saturday Night Live on May 10.

DIGGING DEEP: Paul McCartney issuing an unreleased Wings track for the soundtrack to the upcoming Michael Dougls-Albert Brooks comedy The In-Laws. McCartney remixed the 1972 tune "A Love For You" for the movie's May release.

PRE-SWEEPS: NBC and Fox entering the May sweeps race neck and neck among 18 to 49 year olds. Friends was last week's most popular sitcom, while American Idol's Tuesday edition was the week's most popular show.

VERY SPECIAL REUNION: The cast of Bev-Niners coming back for Beverly Hills, 90210: 10-year High School Reunion to share the memories. Tori Spelling won't appear according to her rep. She "loved her time on the show...but has since moved on."

CODA: Songwriter Felice Bryant died at her home in Tennessee of cancer-related complications. Bryant cowrote the Everly Brothers songs Bye Bye Love and Wake Up Little Susie with her husband. She was 77.

PAYBACK: The first federal lawsuit filed today in connection with the deadly Rhode Island nightclub fire. The complaint, filed by two survivors and the widow of a victim, blame the state of Rhode Island, state fire marshals, the town of West Warwick, the club's owners, Great White and American Foam Corp. (which sold the highly flamable soundproofing foam) for the tragedy that killed 99 and injured nearly 200 more.

DR. FEELGOOD: Stephen King writing a midseason series for ABC. Kingdom Hospital will bow January 2004 with a two-hour movie, followed by 13 weekly episodes. Casting begins next month.

ENDORSED IN THE U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen defending the Dixie Chicks on his Website, calling them "terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech."

LIFE GOES ON: Meanwhile, the Dixie Chicks maintaining healthy tickets sales for their upcoming concert tour despite radio and retail backlash because of Natalie Maines' controversial comments about President Bush.

CHICKS ADD: The Dixie Chicks Primetime interview with Diane Sawyer switching to Thursday night. The special edition was previously slated for Friday.

NBC SCORES GOLD: The Peacock net took home 13 sports Emmys at the 24th annual Sports Emmy Awards Monday night. Nine of those awards were for NBC's coverage of the 2002 Winter Olympics. ESPN nabbed six Emmys, HBO got five, and ESPN2 and Fox took home four apiece, while ABC and CBS scored two awards each at the ceremony.

WILD ONE: Peter Fonda receiving the Maverick Award from the Video Software Dealers Association for his ground-breaking appearance in flicks like Easy Rider, The Trip and The Hired Hand.

BAD VIBRATIONS: Brother Records Inc. suing former Beach Boy Al Jardine for $2 million plus damages for using the band's name when he tours. The licensing dispute began in 1998. Last year Jardine appealed a ruling in favor of former bandmate Mike Love.

REAL DEAL: Mike Fleiss (The Bachelor) inking a deal to bring his production company Next Entertainment to CBS--the Eye will tap Fleiss to exec-produce projects and has second-look rights to anything he develops (ABC signed a first-look deal last October), reports Variety.

FOOLS RUSH IN: Fox announcing two summer reality series: Anything For Love, which encourages the lovestruck to act like idiots and is hosted by smarmy Mark Walberg; and Paradise Hotel, a sexy singles resort that'll invite viewers to join in on the fun.

FUNNY BUSINESS: Viacom buying the remaining 50 percent stake in Comedy Central from AOL Time Warner for about $1.23 billion to gain full control of the cable network.

SUPER SPINOFF: The WB's Smallville getting its own "Webisodes." The original online two-minute-and-30-second-segments will feature the adventures of Chloe Sullivan.

COMING AROUND AGAIN: Meredith Monroe (Dawson's Creek) joining Breckin Myers' untitled ABC sitcom pilot about a shy guy and his outgoing wife and her large family, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

COMPETING FOR CASTRO: PBC announcing plans for its own Castro documentary as HBO shelves Oliver Stone's largely flattering look at the dictator because of recent human rights abuses.

CLASSY LADY: Personal effects of Audrey Hepburn's auctioned off at Sotheby's raise $177,000 for her children's charity, which is linked to UNICEF.