FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, March 19, 2003

SHOW GOES ON, SANS RED CARPET: In a Tuesday press conference, Gil Gates, producer of this Sunday's 75th Academy Awards, says the show is still set to go on, despite the threat of war in Iraq. However, Cates says the red carpet will be "truncated" and the show will adopt a "sober" tone to reflect the expected Iraq war.

THIS IS SOBER?! The very pregnant Catherine Zeta-Jones, joined by costar Queen Latifah and dozens of dancers choreographed by director Rob Marshall, will perform Chicago's Best Song-contending "I Move On" at Sunday's Oscars. Latifah subs for Renée Zellweger, who didn't want to sing before a live audience.

GRAND DAME: Oscar-nominated actress Cate Blanchett named as a presenter at the 75th Anniversary Academy Awards, Gil Cates announced today. It will be Blanchett's second go-round as a presenter.

PULLING THE PLUG: ABC postponing Barbara Walters' annual pre-Oscars interview special on Sunday night featuring Renée Zellweger, Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore, due to the war with Iraq.

JOINING FORCES: The major American TV networks agreeing to a video pool arrangement to share footage from Baghdad in the first 24 hours of a war. The arrangement mirrors a similar deal in the days after 9-11.

JUST RIGHT: Disney developing a romantic comedy called Just Wright, a modern-day retelling of Cinderella set in the world of pro basketball, for Queen Latifah to produce and star in.

OUTTA THERE: Barry Diller, the powerful chairman of Vivendi Universal's entertainment division, has announced his resignation on Wednesday from the cash-strapped company to focus.

DEFENDING PEE-WEE: Attorneys for Paul "Pee-wee Herman" Reubens appealing a judge's refusal to dismiss a misdemeanor child pornography possession charge. They argue the previous ruling was flawed because a 1989 statute does not apply to Reubens' case, because his collection was produced before the law was enacted.

ON THE MEND: British actress Lynn Redgrave has undergone treatment for breast cancer, her spokesman confirmed on Tuesday. Despite her illness, Redgrave is keeping busy as she's scheduled to appear in preview performances of her new off-Broadway play Talking Heads on Saturday.

BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.: Former Beatle Paul McCartney set to perform in Russia for the first time on May 24. He'll play before an expected crowd of 100,000 fans in Moscow's Red Square.

DISTRICT REDRAWN: The New York Daily News reporting that the cast of CBS' The District will return to work Monday, following the untimely death of cast member Lynne Thigpen last week. Producers are considering ways to write Thigpen's character, Ella Farmer, out of the show at the end of the season.

ON THE HOMEFRONT: As part of its new wartime security plan, New York Police stepping up security outside major TV news outlets in Manhattan to prevent possible takeovers by terrorists bent on airing anti-American messages.

STAYING ON: Ted Turner announcing on Tuesday that he will probably keep his seat on AOL Time Warner's board after he steps down as vice chairman. The media mogul also said the company should have more media-savvy directors and believes America Online should be split off from the rest of the company.

GETTING INTO THE ACT: Lisa Marie Presley making her concert debut before 1,000 enthusiastic record label executives and music sellers at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers' annual convention in Orlando. The gig was to promote her debut album, though many reportedly found it tough to hear her over her band.

THE SUM OF ALL DEALS: Former Hollywood superagent Michael Ovitz negotiating a multimillion-dollar deal with Paramount Pictures for rights to Tom Clancy's latest thriller, Red Rabbit, and hiring scribe Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) to adapt it for just under $2 million.

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER: MGM selling the latest James Bond flick, Die Another Day, to CBS and its Viacom sister networks TNN and UPN for a license fee upwards of $30 million.

RAW DEAL: NBC yanking its revival of Let's Make a Deal off the air after three weeks because the game show failed to draw viewers away from Fox's American Idol juggernaut. Two remaining episodes will be broadcast at a later date.

TUBE TALK: UPN giving the go-ahead for a comedy pilot starring hip-hop diva Eve. Meanwhile, actor Joe Mantegna will headline the CBS drama Joan of Arcadia.

GOING OUT IN STYLE: TBS Superstation snagging reruns of the WB's Dawson's Creek from Sony. As part of the deal, TBS will air four-hour marathons each weekday for six weeks beginning March 31 in order to drum up viewership for the May 14 series finale on the WB.