FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, September 7, 2006

OSCAR LOVES ELLEN: Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres tapped to host the 79th Academy Awards next year, becoming the third celebrity in a row known more for small-screen work to helm Hollywood's salute to motion pictures. If the telecast can pull in a couple million viewers for every Emmy DeGeneres has won, the Academy should be pleased.

NOT SO SIMPLE LIFE: Stars may be blind, but apparently the cops aren't. Paris Hilton pulled over early Thursday and arrested for driving under the influence, after she was observed "driving erratically" and subsequently failed a police sobriety test, police said. Hilton's rep claimed she had only had one margarita and blamed the arrest on the fact that Hilton had had nothing to eat all day. That's the best excuse we've heard since Lindsay Lohan's brush with dehydration.

OFF TO WASHINGTON: Clay Aiken in line to be named to President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the White House said Wednesday. It figures Bush's a Claymate.

SAYING GOODBYE: Bob Irwin, father of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, stating that his son would be laid to rest at a private funeral at an undisclosed location within seven days, and that a public memorial would be held within two weeks. The family rejected the government's offer of a state funeral, saying it was not what Irwin would have wanted.

WHAT A RELIEF: After going seven years without, HBO reinstating Comic Relief, with headliners Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal, on Nov. 19. Funny, we never even noticed it was gone.

SO WRONG: MGM planning to make Legally Blonde 3--minus Reese Witherspoon. Sacrilege, really.

IF YOU WANNA SING OUT: Yusuf Islam, aka the former Cat Stevens, releasing his first pop album in 28 years this fall. We're thinking he really should have struck back when the iron was hot two years ago.

UNDER THE COVERS: Pamela Anderson teaming with Bed Head to launch a new line of hair and skin care products for women who want to look like Pamela Anderson.

FROM UNDER THE SEA TO ONSTAGE: A musical interpretation of The Little Mermaid premiering in Denver next summer. Because, you know, Denver's known for its coastline and all.

BEREAVED: Terri Irwin's mother, Julia Raines, telling Inside Edition that her daughter is having a hard time coming to terms with the death of her husband. "[Terri] told me, 'I'm very concerned about raising the children by myself,' but I know she'll do well," Raines said.

SEEING DOUBLE: Diana Krall and Elvis Costello expecting twins, People reports. Double the fun.

PAY UP: Michael Jackson ordered to pay Debbie Rowe $60,000 in legal fees, so that she can move forward with suing him for custody of their two children. Just one more financial woe...

FASHION FORWARD: Jon Bon Jovi teaming with Kenneth Cole to create a limited-edition outerwear collection that will debut in November. Portions of the proceeds to benefit Help USA, a charity that aids the homeless.

STORK WATCH: Marcia Cross and husband Tom Mahoney expecting their first child together, her rep confirms to E! News. For that kid's sake, we hope the expectant mommy is nothing like her Desperate Housewives alter-ego in real life, or we may have a future serial killer on our hands.

STAYING UP LATE: David Letterman reportedly close to finalizing a deal to keep him on CBS' The Late Show for another four years, per the Hollywood Reporter. Apparently, he's got more staying power than the competition.

LEAVING THE FLOCK: The Black Crowes losing another member, after Marc Ford dropped out of the band on the eve of its upcoming tour. Last month, keyboardist Eddie Hawrysch was fired from the band. If this keeps up, Chris Robinson's going to be a solo act in both his personal and professional life.

CLOSEUP READY: M.A.C Cosmetics announcing Debbie Harry, Dita Von Teese, Eve, and Lisa Marie Presley as spokespeople for the new M.A.C Viva Glam VI Lipstick and Lipglass, the sale of which benefits the M.A.C AIDS Fund. Sounds lip-smacking good to us!

ON THE CATWALK: Sharon Stone tapped as the new face of Badgley Mischka's new advertising campaign, replacing the line's prior pitch women, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Talk about going from one extreme to another.

KUDOS: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Zubin Mehta, Dolly Parton, Smokey Robinson and Steven Spielberg tapped as recipients of the 2006 Kennedy Center Honors.

CHART ATTACK: Bob Dylan's Modern Times debuting atop the Billboard 200 with more than 192,000 copies sold. The last time Dylan topped the charts was in 1976, with Desire.