FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, October 17, 2004

SHARK BITE: Shark Tale three-peated at the weekend box office with an estimated $22.1 million, bringing the 'toon's total to $118.8 million. The R-rated puppet spoof Team America: World Police managed a wooden $12.3 million to open in third.

DEMANDING : Pay-per-view company iN DEMAND nixing plans to air Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 the night before the presidential election. Moore blasted the move, claiming the decision was prompted by pressure from "top Republican people." He is threatening a lawsuit.

THE FORCE IS WITH HIM: George Lucas will receive the American Film Institute's 33rd AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film, at a gala tribute in Los Angeles next June.

PRISON: A GOOD THING: Martha Stewart adjusting to prison life swimmingly, per a posting on her Website Friday. "The camp is fine; it is pretty much what I anticipated," she writes. "Everyone is nice...The camp is like an old-fashioned college campus--without the freedom, of course."

SLY FOX? The Fox News Channel attempting to fire the woman who is accusing Bill O'Reilly of sexual harassment, the New York Daily News reports. The network, which is suing O'Reilly Factor associate producer Andrea Mackris for extortion, reportedly is trying to convince a judge the move was not made in retaliation.

SNUBBED: Robert De Niro rejecting the Italian city of Milan's top award on Thursday, then failing to appear as expected at a film festival in Rome on Friday. No reason was given for either diss.

THE PASSION OF MEL: Mel Gibson earning a slot on Entertainment Weekly's annual power list thanks to the $610 million gross of The Passion of the Christ. The magazine didn't rank the celebs this year, just listed them. Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Michael Moore and Lindsay Lohan also made the cut.

VOTE IF YOU CAN: Leonardo DiCaprio and celebrity pals Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin and Samuel L. Jackson appearing in a set of public-service announcements encouraging people to vote on Nov. 2.

BROADWAY IDOL: Former American Idol contestant Tamyra Gray to make her Broadway debut Nov. 9 in the musical Bombay Dreams. Gray will be playing the role of Priya, the beautiful film director, for a limited engagement of 12 weeks.

ASK OPRAH: A Christian singer-songwriter taking out a billboard in Chicago asking Oprah Winfrey's help in finding funding for his performances for federal inmates by telling his story on her show. His ad reads: "Send me back to prison! My final plea is to you Miss Winfrey."

OPRAH ADD: A woman died Friday of a brain hemorrhage while waiting in line for The Oprah Winfrey Show outside Harpo Studios in Chicago.

BRIT WRIT: A federal judge in Utah giving Britney Spears one week to answer charges in a lawsuit pitting her against a drug company that used her picture in advertisement. If she doesn't respond, the judge will grant default victory to company.

ALONG THE GREAT GREEN WAY: DreamWorks and director Sam Mendes announcing they will produce Shrek: The Musical for Broadway. Jason Moore (Avenue Q) will direct the production, which is slated for a 2006 debut.

GOOD OL' BOYS: Burt Reynolds and Willie Nelson in final talks to join Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott and Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazzard movie. Reynolds would play Boss Hogg; Nelson would play Uncle Jesse.

SHAGGY ROLE: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sex and the City star Kristin Davis in talks to star opposite Tim Allen in Disney's remake of The Shaggy Dog, about a man who transforms into a sheepdog.

SLIM SHADY RADIO: Eminem kicking off his new satellite-music radio channel, dubbed Shade 45, on Oct. 28 with a live broadcast of concert in New York.