FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, November 11, 2003

REMEMBERED: TV icon Art Carney has died at age 85. Carney is best known for playing Ed Norton opposite Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners. He also won an Oscar for the 1974 film Harry and Tonto.

MARITAL WOES: Christian Slater's wife, Ryan Haddon, was arrested Monday for throwing a glass at her hubby while staying at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He needed nine stitches to close the gash. Haddon has since been released on her own recognizance.

GOODBYE: Righteous Brother Bill Medley sang at a memorial service for his longtime bandmate, Bobby Hatfield, Tuesday. Hundreds turned out for the service to bid farewell to Hatfield, who died last week at age 63.

HE MAKES HOW MUCH? P. Diddy being forced to reveal his financial information in family court in a child-support case brought by the mother of his 10-year-old son Justin, reports the New York Post. The judge also rejected Diddy's request to be identified only by his initials to keep the case out of the media.

DIDDY ADD: Meanwhile, a former bodyguard to P. Diddy was one of two men killed in a gunfight outside an Atlanta nightclub around 4 a.m. Tuesday; Anthony "Wolf" Jones, 38, was shot in an argument over a woman, police said.

DIET DENIAL: Lawyers for Catherine Zeta-Jones sending warning letters to media outlets after reports appeared that the star shed pounds via the popular Atkins diet. The letters state that Zeta-Jones has been "improperly linked" to the diet, the Smoking Gun reports.

FOLLOWING BRITNEY: Justin Timberlake getting into the eatery business by buying a share of the Los Angeles restaurant and club Chi, which opened two weeks ago inside the Hyatt Hotel on Sunset Boulevard.

SCRAPPED: Popster Christina Aguilera nixing the last two shows of her British tour Monday after coming down with acute bronchitis.

HOTEL BILL: A British hotel owner who sued Van Morrison for canceling a performance at his establishment was awarded $66,800 compensation by a court on Tuesday.

ROCK CITY: The late Joey Ramone will have a street in New York City named after him called Joey Ramone Place, reports Rolling Stone. It's located at the corner of 2nd street and the Bowery. Ramone died of cancer in 2001.

PAM'S A-OKAY? Tommy Lee claiming his ex-wife, Pamela Anderson, was just joking when she said her hepatitis C disease would kill her in five to 10 years.

ROSIE REVELATIONS: Gruner + Jahr chief financial exec admitting on the stand to "managing" Rosie's numbers so the mag could continue to publish. Lawyers for Rosie O'Donnell had accused the publisher of fudging circulation numbers to keep the celeb on board.

SWITCHING GEARS: Brian Williams, Tom Brokaw's heir apparent, leaving his anchor desk at CNBC in January. He'll focus on reporting for NBC before taking over from Brokaw at NBC Nightly News after the 2004 presidential election,

DESPERATELY SEEKING SINGLE DADS: NBC holding open casting calls in four cities this weekend to find contestants for the next edition of Who Wants to Marry My Dad? Single dads should have attractive kids who are at least 18 years old.

IT'S THEIR FAULT: NBC blaming Nielsen Media Research methodology for the drop in younger viewers, claiming a change in Nielsen's statistical sample is responsible.

JUST FOR LAUGHS: The WB giving full season pickup orders to Reba and newcomers Like Family and Run of the House. It's also ordered three extra episodes each of About the Andersons and Steve Harvey's Big Time.

AXED: Broadway show Bobbi Boland, starring Farrah Fawcett, closing two weeks before its official opening due to dismal reviews of preview performances.

KUDOS: Christopher Reeves honoring Tony-winning producer Francine LeFrak through his Paralysis Foundation (CRPF) on November 24 for her fundraising efforts for spinal cord research. Robin Williams was the first recipient of the CRPF's Human Spirit Award in 1998.

TUITION FEES: Ray Charles donating $1 million to Dillard University for the creation of a program about black culture. The musician received an honorary degree from the school in May.

YULE JEWEL: Harry Connick Jr., Ashanti, Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard among those performing on NBC's special Christmas in Rockefeller Center, airing December 3.