FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, December 30, 2003

JUST BEAT IT? Michael Jackson's publicist has split with the singer over "strategic differences." However, Jackson's attorney claims the spokesperson was fired for making an unauthorized statement to the press. Jackson's camp has also denied any official relationship with the Nation of Islam, which may or may not be providing security for the superstar.

INTERVIEW THRILLER: Michael Jackson telling CBS' 60 Minutes that he still believes it's okay to sleep with children and said he would slit his wrists before he would ever hurt a child. He also accused authorities of manhandling him during his arrest on child-molestation charges and says he's still in pain.

STILL A TUBE DRAW: The former King of Pop's 60 Minutes interview snagging 19.65 million viewers, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research.

JAIL RAIL: Santa Barbara jail officials holding a press conference Wednesday to defend their treatment of Michael Jackson while he was in their custody; Jackson has said he was manhandled and locked in a restroom for 45 minutes--the officials claim he was treated with courtesy and respect.

UNSOLVED: A police investigation into the October death of Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter Elliott Smith proved inconclusive; officials remain unsure if the stab wound that killed Smith was self-inflicted, as originally believed, or the result of an attack.

HONORED: Eric Clapton and Kinks founder Ray Davies receiving royal honors from Queen Elizabeth II Wednesday--both musicians were awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In all, 981 people were singled out for awards in the annual New Year's honor list.

HEADED TO THE ALTAR: Katie Holmes and longtime beau Chris Klein are engaged, his rep confirmed Tuesday. No word on when the winsome twosome will get hitched, they've been together for five years.

WHACK PACK IS BACK: HBO's The Sopranos kicking off its fifth season on March 7 with 13 new episodes. Production on the sixth, and likely final, season doesn't begin until 2005.

JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH: Fox patching together an extra episode of the Simple Life from unused footage to air the night before the season finale, January 14.

MEDIOCRE IDOL: Fox's World Idol special on Christmas drawing just 6.5 million viewers to come in second in total viewers for the night, while CBS' lineup of three crime dramas drew 11.2 million to lead the competition.

BACK TO WORK: Brad Renfro, on probation for stealing a yacht, snagging a supporting role opposite Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley in The Jacket, a thriller set to begin filming next month in the United Kingdom.

OSCAR ANTICIPATION: Nomination ballots for the 76th Academy Awards mailed out Monday to the 5,803 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The voters must return the ballots by January 17; nominations will be announced January 27.

OSCAR TRIVIA: A total of 254 feature-length films being considered on the ballot for Oscar's Best Picture of 2003 category.

PASSING: Home Improvement star Earl Hindman, who played the perpetually hidden neighbor Wilson, died Monday of lung cancer. He was 61. Hindman previously starred on Ryan's Hope for 16 years.

CODA: Hong Kong pop star Anita Mui died Tuesday after losing a battle with cervical cancer. The 40-year-old was known to the Chinese as the "Asian Madonna."

WITH HEART: Angelina Jolie visiting a Sudanese refugee camp in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. where she donated $20,000 to build a community health center.

KATE'S KID: Kate Winslet and director-hubby Sam Mendes welcoming a baby boy named Joe December 22 in New York. The 7-pound, 13-ounce boy is a first for the couple, who married in May. Winslet has a young daughter from her previous marriage.

MORE STORK NEWS: Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin and hubby Kevin Grandalski welcoming their fourth child, Isabelle Jane Grandalski, last Friday. Matlin rejoins The West Wing in January.