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

IN CASE YOU FORGOT: New Line rereleasing extended editions of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers two weeks before the December 17 release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to refresh filmgoers' memories, reports Variety.

OUTFOXED: A federal judge dissing Fox News Channel's attempt to block publishing of Al Franken's new book, which mocks Fox's "fair and balanced" slogan.

ALL NIGHT LONG: Justin Timberlake performing a special concert at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on August 28 following the MTV Music Awards ceremony. Tickets for the intimate show will go on sale five days before the event.

DISCHARGED: Boy Meets Boy contestant Michael Jason Tiner was discharged from the Navy for violating its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy by appearing on the Bravo dating show. He received an honorable discharge.

COMING OUT: Release dates set for Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard's debut efforts. Aiken's as-of-yet-untitled disc hits stores first, on October 14; Studdard's album, Soulful, featuring collaborations with R. Kelly, Missy Elliott and Fat Joe, has been pushed back to November 11.

HE WANTS TO ROCK: Ted Nugent suing the city of Muskegon, Michigan, which nixed the rocker's June 30 concert after he allegedly made racial comments during a radio appearance. Nugent is suing for damage to his rep and career, according to his attorney.

SICK DAY: The Rolling Stones postponing a London concert on their world Licks tour because frontman Mick Jagger has the flu. The band is expected to honor a second date on Sunday.

VICTORY: Chip and Reichen emerging as the winners of CBS' Amazing Race 4, snatching the $1 million prize from second-place couple Kelly and Jon.

FUNNY BONE: Bob Newhart joining the cast of ER for a three-episode arc in October. He'll play Ben Hollander, an architect suffering with macular degeneration who befriends Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield).

HE'S BACK: Jerry Seinfeld guest-starring on the fourth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, reports TV Guide. Seinfeld will play himself in the show's season finale, airing in 2004, as an audience member when Larry David hits Broadway.

DOING IT FOR THE KIDS: Billy Crystal, inspired by the birth of his first grandchild, is trying his hand at children's books. HarperCollins Children's Books will published Crystal's literary efforts, starting with I Already Know I Love You next April.

LOVE-LOVE: Smash Mouth, Monica and Daniel Bedingfield to join tennis stars Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, and Anna Kournikova in a tennis and music festival to help kick off the 2003 US Open on Arthur Ashe Kids' Day on August 23.

MAKING FUNNY: George Lopez hosting the 4th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on September 3.

SMOOTH MOVE: Irv Gotti and his attorney were no-shows at an arraignment on Tuesday on a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance. The rap mogul was arrested August 15 at the Oakland Arena for allegedly carrying one Ecstasy pill. Cops had no problem with his stash of Viagra.

SPLITSVILLE: According to court documents, Ricki Lake and her husband, Rob Sussman, have separated after nine years of marriage.

IT'S ALIVE: USA Network renewing its sci-fi series The Dead Zone, starring Anthony Michael Hall, for a third season, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Production will begin this fall for a summer run.

ISLAND MAN: Barbados tapping Cosby kid Malcolm-Jamal Warner to star in a promotional campaign. Commercials featuring Warner and his girlfriend will begin running on BET in October, the pair will also host an hourlong music special and preview the Barbados Jazz Festival.

DEADLY MISTAKE: Actor Flavio Peniche was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in Mexico on Saturday after the gun he used in a scene turned out to contain real bullets. While another actor on the B-movie The Scorpion's Vengeance died of gunshot wounds, Peniche was released on bail and cops are now searching for the film's producer and props manager who have disappeared.

A REUNION, OF SORTS: Cast members of 1978's Animal House reuniting for a parade down Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday (which culminated in a food fight) to promote the 25th anniversary DVD set for release next Tuesday. Tim Matheson (Otto), Stephen Furst (Flounder) and John Vernon (Dean Wormer) were in attendance, as was John Belushi's widow, Judy Belushi Pisano, who played an extra in the original movie.

THE STING: Two former executives in Robert Redford's production company suing the actor for failing to pay off the tab on a $750,000 settlement agreed upon in October 2001, which ended an earlier legal dispute.

CODA: Tony Jackson, bass player for The Searchers, best known for the 1964 song "Needles and Pins," has died in Nottingham, England. He was 63.