FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, February 18, 2005

DEFINE "MET": Us Weekly quoting model April Florio saying she was pursued by Brad Pitt in the summer of 2003, while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Pitt's reps denied the story, claiming the actor had never met Florio.

CAUGHT ON TAPE? Meanwhile, Florio telling CNBC that Us Weekly fabricated her quotes and that she only met the actor once at a party. The magazine says it has Florio on tape and stands by its story.

ONE WAY TO MAKE A LIVING: Michael Jackson's attorneys pushing to introduce evidence from a 2001 lawsuit filed by his accuser's family against J.C. Penney and Tower Records, saying it shows the family members are "professional plaintiffs" with a history of committing fraud. The family settled with the stores for more than $150,000, after claiming they were beaten by security guards.

SMOKED OUT: The Smoking Gun Website posting the 1,903 pages of sealed grand jury testimony from Michael Jackson's child-molestation case.

SLEEPOVER WARNING: Quincy Jones reportedly warned Michael Jackson against his practice of having young boys sleep in his bed, calling it "inappropriate" and "wrong," Celebrity Justice reports. Jones has been listed as a potential witness by Jackson's defense team.

STUNT SUPPORT: The Screen Actors Guild backing the addition of an Academy Award for stuntmen to the Oscar roster. The Academy has said it has no plans to comply.

FAMILY MATTERS: Ozzy Osbourne pulling out of a scheduled performance at the Music for Relief tsunami benefit in Anaheim, California because of a family emergency. No word on the nature of the emergency.

POOR SERVICE: A woman accusing Colin Farrell of stalking her was thwarted in her court proceedings after a judge informed her that Farrell had to be served with the suit before the case could commence, Celebrity Justice reports. Farrell's reps deny he has ever met his accuser.

REMEMBERED: Dan O'Herlihy, who starred in Twin Peaks and Robo Cop and was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, has died at age 85.

PRIZEWORTHY: Bono and sitar master Ravi Shankar among the nominees for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.

BASIC GUEST STAR: Sharon Stone to guest star in the April 14 episode of Will & Grace as a no-nonsense therapist who takes both Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace (Debra Messing) on as patients.

FALLING IN LOVE: Sarah Jessica Parker set to star in Love Walked In as a thirtysomething woman who thinks she has found the man of her dreams, but then must deal with the reappearance of his 11-year-old daughter in his life.

FEELS LIKE A FRAGRANCE: Shania Twain teaming with Stetson to develop a signature fragrance line.

PLASTIC IDOL: American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino helping to unveil the new American Idol Barbie at the New York Toy Fair Thursday. The doll will hit shelves this spring.

DEFLECTING BLAME: Sylvester Stallone claiming that The Contender was not to blame for the suicide of boxer Najai Turpin, a contestant on the show, who shot himself on Monday.

FROM WEST TO WITNESS: Janel Maloney portraying Amber Frey, Scott Peterson's onetime girlfriend, in an upcoming made for TV movie on CBS called Witness: The Amber Frey Story.

YOU'RE FIRED: Donald Trump firing "book smart" Boston real-estate developer Michael Tarshi from the Magna team on Thursday's episode of The Apprentice.

OFF THE ISLAND: In a surprise twist, three castaways--Jolanda, Jonathan and Wanda--eliminated in the first episode of Survivor: Palau. More than 23 million viewers tuned in for the premiere, giving the show its best opening numbers since Survivor: Africa premiered in November 2001.

OFF THE HOOK: A Pennsylvania prosecutor announcing on Thursday that Bill Cosby will not face sexual harassment charges. A woman claimed that Cosby drugged her and then groped her, but the prosecutor says there was insufficient evidence.

BAD VIBE: A preliminary hearing date scheduled to be set for Young Buck, a rapper accused of stabbing a man who punched Dr. Dre at last year's Vibe Awards.

TIME TO FACE THE MUSIC: A Los Angeles judge setting Sept. 16 as the start date for legendary record producer Phil Spector's murder trial. He's accused of shooting B-movie star Lana Clarkson.

BLAKE UPDATE: Robert Blake's lawyer on Thursday calling several witnesses who were in the actor's favorite restaurant the night of his wife's death. The witnesses all said Blake seemed perfectly normal, contradicting prosecution witnesses who said the actor seemed upset in the moments before he was accused of killing Bonny Lee Bakley.

OUT OF LUCK: The full Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denying Anna Nicole Smith's appeal to reconsider a judgment that awarded $88.5 million to the estate of her late husband instead of Smith.

ROYAL SWITCH: Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles planning to tie the knot on Apr. 8 at Windsor's local town hall, not at Windsor Castle as previously announced last week.

STORMING THE CASTLE: Britain's royal family giving a camera crew unprecedented access to Windsor Castle, west of London, for an upcoming documentary series about life in the royal household.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: CBS planning to air a one-hour prime-time tribute to CBS News anchor Dan Rather at 8 p.m. on Mar. 9, the night he exits the anchor desk after 24 years.