FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, February 18, 2003

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: Kate Hudson has been tapped to host the Sci-Tech portion of the Academy Awards at the Regent Beverly Wilshire on March 1. The early awards honor "devices, methods, formulas, discoveries or inventions of special and outstanding value to the arts and sciences of motion pictures."

DIAGNOSED: Daniel Lue, the Survivor: Amazon contestant who flubbed the balance beam challenge last week, was diagnosed with malaria last Wednesday, reports the Houston Chronicle. The tax accountant, who took antimalaria medication prior to and after returning from his jungle voyage, is recovering at home.

THE SHAPE OF HIS HEART: AJ McLean cancelling his Valentine's Day wedding to karaoke chanteuse Sarah Martin. A rep for McLean said the nuptials were postponed while the couple concentrated on "their [respective] careers as well as their relationship."

WHO'S BAD? A Los Angeles judge ruling that Michael Jackson's cross-complaints against former business manager Myung-Ho Lee can continue to court, reports City News Service. Jackson's attorneys had asked the judge to toss out a $13 million lawsuit brought by Lee, alleging that the former business manager breached contracts and did not act in good faith while advising Jacko.

MUSICAL CORPORATE CHAIRS: Jamie Kellner stepping down as chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, though he'll continue to serve as top dog at the WB Network through summer 2004. He'll be replaced at Turner by Philip I. Kent, former pres of CNN News Group.

MUSIC FACTORY PROBE: Boy band promoter Lou Pearlman investigated for ripping off aspiring entertainers who were charged $1,500 to have their photos posted on his company's Website. Pearlman claims to be unaware of the allegations.

LIVE FROM YOUR UNDERWEAR DRAWER: Based on improved ratings Saturday Night Live is planning to spin out a line of pyjamas and boxer shorts this fall, featuring logos, taglines and images from the show's 1975 to '79 heyday, reports Variety. A women's apparel line will soon follow.

SLOW AND STEADY WINS IT: Undercover construction worker Evan Marriott choosing good girl Zora Andrich as his reality-show soul mate during Joe Millionaire's season finale Monday night. Fox's "fairytale" ended with a $1 million check for the love struck couple.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Paul McCartney announcing today he will kick off a world tour in April with dates across Europe. Fans will also be able to see McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr on DVD this March performing during a 1994 jam session caught on tape.

BACK TO SCHOOL: American Idol finalist Tamyra Gray will star as a shy student with a powerful singing voice in a four-episode arc of Boston Public beginning next Monday.

DOUBLE DOWN: Singles hotspot the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas will be the location for ABC's newest reality series Winner Takes All. Contestants bet on who can complete challenges for a chance to win $10,000 to $200,000 per episode.

RETURN TO THE CREEK: Kevin Williamson penning the two-hour series finale of Dawson's Creek nearly four years after the Creek creator left the WB drama, reports the Hollywood Reporter. The episode, which imagines what Dawson and friends will be like in the future, is due to air May 14.

SPICY REUNION? A rep for the Spice Girls denying rumors of a comeback album or reunion tour. All five members of the band got together for a meeting on Monday for the first time since they split five years ago, prompting speculation in British newspapers that the Girls were considering getting back together. At least we'll always have Spice World.

IT'S A MARVEL: The comic book fantasy adventure Daredevil, starring Ben Affleck as the slick suited vigilante, got off to a blinding start debuting with an estimated $43.5 million, record box-office for a Presidents' Day weekend.

STORK WATCH: Helena Bonham-Carter and Tim Burton are rumored to be expecting, according to London's Sunday Express. The filmmaker ditched his muse, former fiancee, Lisa Marie to shack up with Bonham-Carter.

COWABUNGA! Fox's Sunday night flashback dominated the ratings with The Simpsons' 300th anniversary episode drawing a whopping 21.2 million fans while even more viewers, 22 million to be precise, tuned in to the episode that followed and 19.2 million nostalgic viewers stuck around for the Married With Children reunion. In comparison ABC's The Music Man attracted a mere 13.1 million viewers.

IT'S NOT TV: Coming soon to your TV screen: HBO coughing up approximately $15 million for the exclusive right to air Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones for 18 months starting late this summer. The pricey payout also gives HBO exclusive screening rights to the previous four Star Wars movies and first bidding rights on Episode III, which is in pre-production, reports Variety.

JUMPING THE GUN: NBC releasing drug lord drama Kingpin on DVD February 16, two days before the series ends its six-episode run, reports Variety. The DVD will reportedly include behind-the-scenes footage, cast interviews and too-hot-for-broadcast footage not seen on TV.

UH-HUH: Billy Bob Thornton earning the Horton Foote Special Achievement Award for Screenplay Writing at the 14th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration this Saturday. The tattooed thespian will be on hand to answer questions after a screening of Sling Blade.

JUST A TRIM: Cedric the Entertainer agreeing to reprise his role in the sequel to the Barbershop, scheduled to premiere later this year. The movie's original star Ice Cube is in negotiations with MGM for a salary hike. The picture cost $12 million to make and earned close to $76 million.

GOLDEN OLDIE: Johnny Cash releasing a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt." The septuagenarian's version is getting airplay on KROQ, MTV2 and VH1.

MEA CULPA: The owner of Hello! magazine, who published unauthorized wedding photos of actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, apologizing to the couple on Monday in London's High Court for offending them and causing distress. But Eduardo Sanchez Juncoalso said he thought their angry reaction to the pictures was a "little bit exaggerated."