IDOL TIME: American Idol champ Ruben Studdard to release his debut album, Soulful, on December 9. Runner-up Clay Aiken's rookie effort, Measure of a Man, drops today.

APOLOGY ACCEPTED: Nicole Kidman accepting an apology and undisclosed damages Tuesday from the British publishers of The Sun tabloid to settle a libel suit over an article alleging she had an affair with Jude Law.

DIVORCING: Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland filed for divorce Tuesday from his wife Mary, less than two months after a failed attempt at reconciliation. The couple married on May 22, 2000 and separated on September 19, 2002. Mary Weiland filed for divorce two days later, but subsequently dropped the case.

RIGHT ON, BABS: Barbra Streisand to receive a Human Rights Campaign award for her support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. "Her passion and leadership are important to all Americans," said Elizabeth Birch, the group's executive director. The award will be presented March 6.

LIVING LEGEND: Eight-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan to be presented the "Legend Award" at the 2003 World Music Awards in Monaco. The awards will air October 18.

HONEYMOON'S OVER: After three years of marriage, Star Trek's Patrick Stewart and wife Wendy Neuss Stewart filing for a legal separation.

POLITICAL AMBITION: Gary Coleman tapped as a political analyst for the new All Comedy Radio network--Coleman finished eighth in the California governor recall election.

AILING: Della Reese revealing on Larry King Live that she suffers from diabetes. Reese said through diet and lifestyle changes that she is learning to control and live with the disease.

WHOLE LOTTA MAN: GQ announcing its Men of the Year to be featured in the November issue, including Justin Timberlake, Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, 50 Cent and the Rock. Ten of the 26 winners will be accept their honors live on October 21 on Spike TV.

MTV, OLE: Diego Luna hosting the second annual MTV Video Music Awards Latin America 2003 on October 23 at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach. The show will air live on MTV Latin America and MTV2.

RECOGNIZED: Actor and industry player Karl Malden, who won an Oscar as Blanche du Bois' suitor Mitch in 1951's "A Streetcar Named Desire," to be honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. The ceremony will air on TNT on February 22.

STEPPING UP: Ludacris inking a footwear deal with Sole City Inc., the official licensee of TROOP Footwear. The hip hop artist will design his own line, Da' Hood Collection by Ludacris, due out in February 2004.

FLASHING BLAINE: A "flash mob" gathered underneath magician David Blaine's hanging cage Monday. Participants held up ringing cell phones, and then chanted, "What goes up, must come down." The mob then quickly dispersed. Blaine has been living in his cage for several weeks now, with only a sleeping bag and a water supply.

RELEASED: Las Vegas authorities have decided to release Montecore, the 600-pound tiger that attacked Roy Horn earlier this month. The cat has been quarantined since the incident but is expected back at the MGM Mirage's Secret Gardent as early as Tuesday. Horn remains in critical condition, but is said to be improving.

KUDOCAST: 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' winning Album of the Year at the Source Awards Monday night, while his hit song "In Da Club" earned him Single of the Year, Male Solo Artist. Nelly and Lil' Kim also honored at the ceremony, which will be broadcast on November 11 on BET.

PASSED OVER: Jenna Elfman won't be taking over for Jane Krakowski in Broadway's Tony-winning musical revival Nine. Instead, Krakowski's understudy Sara Gettelfinger will play the part of vixen Carla. Elfman allegedly needed more rehearsal time, something the production schedule didn't allow for.

STONES TO ROLL: The Rolling Stones will play two Hong Kong shows as part of the city's "Harborfest" on November 7 and 9. The band had previously been dropped from the roster after promoters said the Stones did not commit to the event on time.

JOINING THE FRAY: Actors, including Sean Penn and Naomi Watts, drafting a soon-to-be released protest statement over the ban on Oscar screeners, report the trades.

PROTEST CONTINUES: Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America West becoming the first major entertainment guild to object to the MPAA's ban on Oscar screeners in a statement released Monday from WGA West prez Victoria Riskin. "To place a gag order on screeners is to tilt the playing field from small films to large," she said.

SALES HELP: Bridgette Wilson-Sampras being cast as the lead in Shopgirl, the theatrical adaption of Steve Martin's novella, which also stars Martin, Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

MAD ABOUT HIM: Former Mad About You star Paul Reiser inking a two-year writing-producing deal with NBC to create, write and executive produce projects while also supervising other series for the studio, reports Variety.

RAINBOW CONNECTION: The major broadcast networks getting kudos for including incorporating "people of color into their corporation," Esteban Torres, chairman of the Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition, said at a news conference Monday.

GETTING HITCHED: Bachelorette Trista Rehn to appear on the cover of the December/January issue of Modern Bride magazine in a strapless Michelle Roth wedding gown with a full skirt following her marriage to Ryan Sutter.