FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, December 15, 2004

AUTOPSY ANSWERS: An autopsy revealing that late rapper ODB died of an accidental overdose caused by combining a prescription painkiller and cocaine. The Wu-Tang Clan founding member collapsed and died in his recording studio on Nov. 13.

SMOOTH CRIMINAL? Prosecutors in the Michael Jackson molestation case filing a motion arguing that they should be allowed to introduce evidence that the singer has committed other sex crimes over the years that went uncharged.

MORE JACKSON: Meanwhile, Michael Jackson's legal team asked a judge Wednesday to seal some documents related to a family law matter between the pop star and his ex-wife Deborah Rowe. A hearing date on the request has reportedly been set for Feb. 2.

SOME SINGING REQUIRED: Ashlee Simpson set to headline her first U.S. tour, which will kick off in February. Her MTV reality series, The Ashlee Simpson show will begin its second season early next year.

HE FEELS GOOD: James Brown resting comfortably Wednesday after undergoing surgery to treat his recently diagnosed prostate cancer. The Godfather of Soul's doctors expected him to make a full recovery.

FORD'S WAR: Variety reporting Harrison Ford has signed on to play a key character for an upcoming feature film about the current war in Iraq. The production company Double Feature is set to produce the drama, tentatively titled True Glory: The Battle for Fallujah, with backing from Universal.

BIRD BRAIN: A man known as the "Bird Man" of Fifth Avenue was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stalking Paula Zahn after her building's co-op board had a hawks' nest removed from the residence. Zahn's husband serves as president of the board.

WHAT A KICK: A man allegedly injured in August by a Rod Stewart-launched soccer ball during a Hollywood Bowl show sued the singer on Wednesday for damages stemming from "personal injuries, physical disability and physical and emotional distress, pain and suffering." The man's wife also sued Stewart, claiming she had lost her husband's companionship.

ROYAL TOUR: Queen planning a tour next year with guitarist-vocalist Paul Rodgers replacing late frontman Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1991.

NICK AT NIGHT: Variety reporting Nick Lachey will play a retired baseball player returning home to his dysfunctional family for a new half-hour comedy on Fox.

KUDOS: Sidney Lumet, whose directing credits include 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon and Network, set to receive an honorary Oscar at the 77th Academy Awards on Feb. 27.

NEW ADDICTION: The Panic Channel, a new band made up of three-quarters of Jane's Addiction, has begun recording a debut album, Dave Navarro tells Billboard. Navarro formed the band in May with bassist Chris Chaney and drummer Stephen Perkins after a bitter split with Perry Farrell. Steve Isaacs, formerly of Skycycle, serves as the new band's lead singer.

SEEING RED: Ludacris topping the charts with his latest album, The Red Light District, which sold 322,000 copies in the week ended Dec. 11, per Nielsen SoundScan data. U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb was in second and Eminem's Encore was third.

RECOVERING: Barbra Streisand reportedly doing well after undergoing surgery to remove a benign polyp in her colon earlier this month. The surgery did not interrupt her promotional rounds for the upcoming Meet the Fockers, set to open Dec. 22.

WE'RE INNOCENT, MAN: Two teenagers charged with stealing a laptop that contained the "heart and soul" of Robert Blake's defense pleaded innocent in Los Angeles Wednesday. The theft of the laptop, which was found Tuesday in a pawn shop, caused the murder trial's start date to be pushed back from Dec. 6 to next Monday. The teens are due back in court Dec. 28.

THE REAL WORLD OF REALITY TV: RDF Media, a British TV production company, filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging Fox ripped off RDF's U.K. series Wife Swap to create Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: A cane that Charlie Chaplin used in the movie Modern Times sold at a Christie's auction of movie memorabilia for $91,800 Tuesday, while two prop moustaches the actor wore in The Great Dictator fetched $23,000 and $34,300.

GOOD DEED: A new music video by Wyclef Jean released by the U.N. World Food Program to benefit Haitians who have suffered through heavy floods and rising violence.

GOT GAME: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas collecting a leading four awards at Spike TV's second annual Video Game Awards Tuesday night, including Game of the Year and Best Male Performance for Samuel L. Jackson who plays a crooked cop.

IT WILL SURVIVE: CBS renewing Survivor for an 11th and 12th season. The 10th season is set to premiere in February.

GUESTING GAME: Sopranos star Lorraine Bracco set to play an attorney on an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Trial By Jury, a spokeswoman for the show said Tuesday.

TALKING THE TALK: Tyra Banks's upcoming gabfest, The Tyra Banks Show, which is set to launch in syndication next fall has landed its first station--an NBC affiliate in Portland, Oregon, where it will replace The Tony Danza Show in the lineup.

DIAPER DUTY: Liv Tyler and rocker-hubby Royston Langdon welcoming a baby boy Tuesday in New York City, her publicist confirms. No word on the tyke's name, but he tipped the scales at 8 pounds, according to People magazine, and "has full lips."

DIMEBAG REMEMBERED: A public memorial service was held in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday night for slain heavy metal guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott. His funeral was private and held at an undisclosed location, per his family's wishes.

HE'LL BE BACK: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announcing he'll return to the big screen next year in a cameo in The Kid and I, a comedy written, directed and starring old pal Tom Arnold.

SINGLES NO MORE? Anna Kournikova telling onlookers at a Sunday charity tennis event in Boca Raton, Florida, that she and Enrique Iglesias have officially tied the knot, Us Weekly reports. The couple reportedly got married in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a few weeks ago. Reps for the couple had no comment.