FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, June 23, 2005

MEA CULPA: Parisian luxury store Herm�s apologizing to Oprah Winfrey for not letting her in to shop after hours because it was closed for a public relations event. Winfrey's camp says the talk-show queen was humiliated and believes her race was a factor.

TOO CANDID CAMERA: Trial set to begin today in Los Angeles in the case of a photographer accused of trying to extort money from Cameron Diaz via racy photos of her taken before she was famous.

CELEBRITY IDOL: Variety reporting that Fox is looking to do a celebrity version of American Idol, which would be a 10-episode competition running about two or three weeks, probably during November sweeps.

IDOL PROBE: Former American Idol contestant Corey Clark agreeing to participate in Fox's investigation into his claims that he had an affair with Paula Abdul.

CRITICAL STAR: Film critic Roger Ebert received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday.

WAR OF THE WORDS: Calling it a "violation of basic constitutional rights," German film critics protesting Paramount for implementing a worldwide embargo preventing reviewers from publishing their critiques of Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds until the film's global release date next Wednesday.

WASHING HIS HANDS: Tom Cruise on Wednesday officially dropping his complaints against a four-person fake news crew that squirted him with water at Sunday's London premiere of War of the Worlds. However, Scotland Yard said the men may still face assault charges.

AIRING LIVE 8: AOL to broadcast Live 8 concerts online; Viacom's MTV and VH1 will handle the U.S. TV feeds, while XM Satellite Radio and Premiere Radio Networks have the radio rights.

SICK BAY: Doctors say James Earl Jones will not recover from pneumonia by next week, forcing producers to close his Broadway play, On Golden Pond. Ticket sales have plummeted in the actor's absence.

YOU'RE A BAD THING? Martha Stewart refusing to reveal what catchphrase she'll be using when she fires contestants on her Apprentice spinoff this fall. But two possibilities the domestic doyenne initially considered: "You're not a good thing" and "You're a bad thing."

NEW HOME: Brad Pitt sealing a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures for his Plan B production company, returning him to the fold of his former manager Brad Grey, who's now head of the studio. Jennifer Aniston, who cofounded the company when she was still married to Pitt, is no longer a partner but will still be involved with earlier projects set up at Warner Bros.

DON'T MESS WITH BIG BIRD: The U.S. House restoring $100 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that some congressmen had been hoping to slash Thursday. The 284-140 vote in favor of not touching the previously earmarked funds comes after intense lobbying by groups partial to PBS.

COS FOR CONCERN? Lawyers for nine women testifying against Bill Cosby in a sexual assault lawsuit asking a Philadelphia judge to let them take the stand anonymously. Judge Eduardo Robreno refused to issue an immediate ruling on the matter.

B.I.G. DEVELOPMENTS: The lead LAPD investigator in slain hip-hop star Notorious B.I.G.'s murder case testifying Thursday he believed there was enough evidence to charge former Death Row label head Suge Knight, but prosecutors asked for more evidence. The rapper's family is suing the LAPD in civil court, alleging they botched the investigation into his 1997 murder.

SAVING SIZEMORE: A Los Angeles prosecutor telling a judge Wednesday that troubled tough-guy actor Tom Sizemore violated his probation by trying to fake a drug test, not reporting to his probation officer, missing counseling sessions and not advising authorities of his new address. The judge may send the actor back to jail when a court hearing resumes Friday.

SADDLING UP: Per Variety, AMC sealing a $15 million deal for Daughters of Joy, a four-hour western miniseries executive produced and starring Robert Duvall about a rancher who takes in five enslaved Chinese women being sent to mining camps to work as prostitutes. Emmy winner Walter Hill directs.

RUNAWAY VIEWERS: An estimated 8.7 million viewers tuning in to watch so-called Runaway Bride Jennifer Wilbanks tell Katie Couric in an interview for Dateline why she skipped out days before her Georgia wedding. The ratings helped the TV magazine win its time period for Tuesday night.

BUSY SUMMER: The next three months are going to be a busy one for TV-to-DVD releases with The Simpsons, Will & Grace, Smallville, Frasier and Cheers all hitting store shelves.

DENIED: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voting against granting a consortium of stunt performers their request for an Oscar in their field.

BRAVO! Acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almod�var receiving a Bunel's Razor Award for Best Spanish Film of 2004 for his latest hit, Bad Education.