FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, May 4, 2003

X2 XCELLENCE: The mutant movie sequel X2: X-Men United scored a superpowered $85.8 million atop the weekend box office--estimated to be fourth best opening gross ever.

CHEAP DATE? Madonna telling a BBC talk show that all it takes is half a pint of ale to make her "one of those English drunken girls" and denying reports that her interest in all-things English has diminished. The Ritchie family is temporarily living in the U.S. while Guy works on his next project.

WEDDING BELLS: Matt LeBlanc reportedly tying the knot with model fiancée Melissa McKnight on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, reports Extra. The two were engaged in 1998.

HEADED TO THE ALTAR: Diana Krall's father confirming this week that the jazz songbird is engaged to Elvis Costello. A wedding date was not announced.

HITCHED: Hunter S. Thompson marrying his longtime assistant Anita Beymuk in a civil ceremony in Aspen April 24.

TAXMAN: California officials delaying a decision on the tax status of Michael Jackson's Santa Barbara ranch until June. Jacko had previously applied for a tax break for preserving underdevelopped land but in April inspectors found the King of Pop didn't qualify?Jackson's taxes could double.

COUNTRY ROAD: Buddy Jewell being crowned Nashville Star Saturday on USA Networks' aspiring country singer talent show.

COVER BAND: Sum 41, Limp Bizkit, Korn and Avril Lavigne among the artists covering Metallica songs at an MTV tribute to the band Saturday. The special, which also features Metallica playing for the first time with new bassist Rob Trujillo, will air Tuesday on the music network.

HAPPY HOMECOMING: A sold-out crowd happily greeting the Dixie Chicks with cheers, clapping, and foot-stomping as the country trio kicked off their U.S. summer tour in Greenville, South Carolina, Thursday night. The show marked the first occasion the group has played Stateside since the controversy erupted over singer Natalie Maines saying she was ashamed President Bush was from their home state of Texas.

STEPPING DOWN: West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin and director Thomas Schlamme announcing they won't return to the NBC drama after this season, the show's fourth season. No reason was given.

NOT THE BEST DAMN SHOW? The Best Damn Sports Show Period hosts Tom Arnold and former NBA player John Salley named in alleged sexual harassment suit filed by a hairstylist for the Fox Sports Network show (Arnold is not accused of harassment but of ignoring the problem). Fox denies the allegations.

LEGAL RESPECT: With the investigation into the October 25 arson fire which destroyed her mansion now complete, the local code and ordinance director giving Aretha Franklin 10 days to clean up the mess.

DIRTY MONEY: Murder Inc. is secretly controlled by notorious drug kingpin Kenneth McGriffith according to an IRS affidavit published on The Smoking Gun Website. The imprisoned gang leader allegedly bankrolled the rap label run by his friend Irv Gotti.

BIG NEIGHBOR: Scientists at the Henry Buhl Jr. Planetarium and Observatory in Pittsburgh naming an asteroid after the late Fred Rogers, host of PBS' long-running Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. "Misterrogers" was formerly known as number 26858 and can be found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, about 218 million miles from the sun.

ROGERS ADD: Close to 2000 friends and fans gathering to pay tribute to Mister Rogers at a public memorial in Pittsburgh on Saturday. A private funeral was held March 1.

REMEMBERED: George Wyle, composer of the Gilligan?s Island theme and the Christmas classic "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," among others, died Friday of leukemia at the Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center in Tarzana, California. He was 87.

BACK IN THE GAME: Erstwhile Wu Tang rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard signing with Roc-A-Fella Records, working on a new album and changing his name to Dirt McGirt.

RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES: A local Rhode Island TV station yanking an episode of CBS' CSI: Miami whose plot revolved around a nightclub blaze "out of respect" for the families of victims of last February's nightclub fire which killed 99 people.

NEW IDENTITY: Alias star Jennifer Garner filling in for Gwyneth Paltrow in the indie comedy, Happy Endings, after the latter dropped out reportedly to grieve over the loss of her dad, Bruce Paltrow, who died last October. The film costars Lisa Kudrow and shoots this summer in Los Angeles.

OSCAR'S BIG CHANGES: The folks behind the Academy Awards planning to revise their rules to restrain excessive Oscar campaigning, which has gotten very aggressive over the last few years.

REMEMBERED: Elizabeth A. Hulette, a wrestling personality known to fans as "Miss Elizabeth" who managed the likes of Hulk Hogan, and Lex Luger, aka Lawrence Pfohl, and was once married to Randy "Macho Man" Savage died Thursday in Marietta, Georgia from unspecified causes. She was 42.

HULETTE ADD: While an autopsy is planned, police meanwhile took Pfohl into custody on unrelated drug charges and he was released on bond early Friday.