FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, July 19, 2005

TALE OF THE TAPE: An Los Angeles judge issuing a restraining order Tuesday against a woman who is allegedly trying to distribute a sex tape involving Colin Farrell. The actor filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the sale of a 15-minute sex tape featuring the actor and the woman, former Playboy Playmate Nicole Narain. A hearing regarding the dispute is scheduled for Aug. 10.

THAT'S NOT HOT: Paris Latsis' ex-girlfriend, actress Zeta Graff, filing a $10 million slander suit against Paris Hilton. The complaint alleges Hilton and her reps planted a "baseless" story in the New York Post earlier this month that characterized Graff as a stalker.

LIL' DISAGREEMENT: Lil' Kim filing lawsuit against former Junior M.A.F.I.A. cohort Lil' Cease, claiming he was using her name to promote the DVD The Chronicles of Junior M.A.F.I.A. Part II: Reloaded. Cease was among those who testified against Kim in her perjury case, which resulted in a yearlong prison sentence.

IN COURT: R&B star Ashanti testifying Monday in New York in a civil case that accuses her of breach of contract. The "Only U" singer is accused of not paying her first music producer once she became successful.

REINVENTED: Madonna granting a lengthy interview to the August issue of Vogue magazine that will also include a photo spread of her posing with her two children and director hubby Guy Ritchie at the couple's English country estate. She also shares her wedding album.

MADONNA ADD: Madonna also starring in a new documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret, which she says starts with "the struggle of a dancer trying to get into a show and ends with her visit to Israel." It is scheduled for release later this year.

ONTO THE DEFENSE: After four days of testimony, the prosecution resting its case Tuesday against a photographer accused of forging Cameron Diaz's signature and trying to blackmail the actress for millions of dollars by threatening to sell topless photos taken when she was 19.

NO ROMAN HOLIDAY: Mia Farrow telling a London court in Roman Polanski's libel trial against Vanity Fair that the film director did not attempt to seduce a woman at a New York eatery just days after his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by the Manson family as alleged by the magazine.

PAPA WAS A TAX EVADER: Norman Whitfield, the Motown Records producer who cowrote the R&B classics "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," sentenced on Monday to six months of home detention for failing to report more than $4 million in songwriting royalties to the IRS.

SHOW ME THE BABY! Cuba Gooding Jr. and his wife, Sara, expecting their third child this fall, according to People.

STERN'S SUCCESSORS: Howard Stern revealing on the air Monday that comedian and Loveline host Adam Carolla and ex-Van Halen singer David Lee Roth will take his morning show time slot on Infinity Broadcasting stations in the New York and Los Angeles markets when he leaves for satellite radio.

BLUES CLUES: Variety reporting that Paramount has purchased the film rights to classic 'toon characters the Smurfs and plans to make a 3-D CGI feature film with producer Jordan Kerner and Nickelodeon Movies aiming for a 2008 release.

FOOTLOOSE: Paula Abdul appearing as a roving correspondent on So You Think You Can Dance, a new dance-themed show from American Idol producers that premieres Wednesday.

IDOL ADD: USA Today reporting that Ryan Seacrest has teamed up with sportswear manufacturer JEM to design his own line of shirts modeled after his wardrobe on American Idol.

IN THE RING: According to the Hollywood Reporter, ESPN close to snagging the rights to a second season of reality mastermind Mark Burnett's boxing-themed series The Contender, which didn't do well on NBC last season. No word whether Sylvester Stallone remains involved.

COLLARED: Also in the Reporter, Comedy Central inking a multiproject development and production deal with Blue Collar comedians Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy for a second sequel to Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie as well as a summer-themed special.

GRAMMY TIME: CBS extending its contract to broadcast the Grammy Awards for another five years through 2011, the network confirmed on Monday.

THOSE PESKY ADS ARE BACK: Looking to please advertisers, TiVo to begin featuring pop-up tags that will describe certain commercials and products being advertised.

HANGING AROUND: Ron Meyer reupping his contract to stay on as president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios for another five years through 2010, it was announced Monday.

START THEM UP: The Rolling Stones adding a second show at the historic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, two days after their Nov. 6 gig there, as part of their upcoming On Stage tour, which launches on Aug 21 at Boston's Fenway Park. Tickets go on sale July 25.