Kanye West might have a problem with it, but this is definitely Taylor Swift's year.

The 19-year-old twanger pocketed a leading five prizes, including the biggest, Artist of the Year, at Sunday's American Music Awards, while Michael Jackson made some history from beyond the grave.

The late King of Pop won four posthumous awards—including Favorite Pop/Rock Artist and Pop/Rock Album for his 2003 greatest hits set, Number Ones—bringing his AMA career total to 25.

In a night win neither of the top winners was present (Jackson for obvious reasons; Swift was in London rehearsing for a show at Wembley Arena), the Los Angeles cemerony was marked by a couple of outrageous performances (thank you, Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga) and welcome comebacks by Rihanna and Whitney Houston. But in the end, the ghost of Jackson was the night's most compelling presence.

"We love you, Michael," said a sequined-glove-sporting Jermaine Jackson who accepted the honor on his brother's behalf. "It's not just about the winnings, the awards, it's mainly the message. The message that Michael had will live on forever...and he saw good in everyone and he wanted them to do good.  To start with love and let's love each other."

Sister Janet kicked things off with a medley of her hits. Even Swift, who accepted her Artist of the Year award (without interruption) live via satellite, paid tribute to Michael, whom she beat.

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Carrie Prejean may have been out of sight at Sunday's Miss California USA pageant—but she definitely was not out of mind.

The annual pageant, held at Agua Caliente Resort and Casino in Rancho Mirage, was full of overt digs at the controversial beauty queen. Donald Trump, the owner of Miss Universe, even got in on the action, appearing via video feed to introduce the interview portion of the show.

"Get ready for some really tough questions…and as time has proven, they get us in a lot of trouble," he promised.

Host Chris Jacobs also contributed a few cracks about Prejean, saying that one lucky girl would win the chance to "become TMZ's new favorite topic" and "give Larry King something inappropriate to talk about." He also referenced her solo sex-tape scandal, joking that a producer wanted to call Miss Photogenic "the Carrie Prejean award."

Backstage, pageant co-director Shanna Moakler weighed in on the controversies that have colored the organization's year. (Moakler, who left her post at Miss California USA during Prejean's reign, returned after Trump ousted the scandal-ridden titleholder.)

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Summit Entertainment

It was big. It was bigger than expected. It was record-setting. But more on the new Sandra Bullock movie later.

New Moon will close out its remarkable debut weekend with an estimated $140.7 million, its studio reported today. 

"I dare say in all the office pools, I don't think anyone had near this top gross," Summit Entertainment distribution president Richie Fay said.

The towering take makes the Twilight sequel the third-biggest opener in Hollywood history. Or, to put it in a way that will appease vampire-dismissing superhero boosters: Yes, The Dark Knight's opening-weekend mark is safe; and, yes, Spider-Man 3's second-place slot is secure.

But, get over your spandex-supporting selves because New Moon sucked up its own share of records:

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Jon Gosselin came bearing gifts. He left one giant step closer to losing a wife.

The artists otherwise known as Jon & Kate met face to face at a Pennsylvania law office on Saturday for a daylong arbitration meeting to essentially put a stake in their marriage.

Sources close to TLC's former fun couple say that the Gosselins closed in on finalizing custody arrangements for the eight and the division of assets. Jon even showed up with a bouquet of roses at the start of the meeting as a symbol of his newfound commitment to make things right.

But while Kate seemed amenable to the terms of their divorce, she left sans flowers.

The final episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 (at least as we know it) airs Monday. Their marriage could be over before the new year.

(Originally published Nov. 21, 2009, at 8:33 p.m. PT)

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Revisit the demise of a reality-TV marriage in our Gory Gosselin Gossip gallery.

Summit Entertainment

As a PG-rated Robin might cry, "Holy crap, Batman!"

New Moon smashed The Dark Knight's single-day and opening-day box-office records with an estimated $72.7 million Friday, its studio reported today.

If the movie's unprecedented midnight business was "absolutely freakish," then its unprecedented full-day take was simply phenomenal.

"It doubled the opening day of the first movie—and Twilight was no slouch itself," Box Office Mojo's Brandon Gray said. "It's just sensational."

With New Moon having already eclipsed its $50 million budget, two of Dark Knight's showiest records, and Twilight's entire opening-weekend gross, about the only question left is: How big can this thing get?

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Before everyone and his mother had a daytime talk show, there was Oprah Winfrey.

And the news that in less than two years there won't be an Oprah Winfrey Show as we know it has prompted an outpouring of well wishes and appreciations from those whose stars have shined a little brighter thanks to Oprah's warm glow.

"I am going to enjoy every episode between now and 2011," offered Food Network star turned syndicated talk-show host Rachael Ray, who waited until Oprah had discussed the matter "one-on-one" with her audience today to comment.

"Oprah opened the door for me to move into daytime television and I can't thank her enough. I look forward to seeing what she does next…there will only ever be one Oprah!"

Hell, even Dr. Phil McGraw knows who first put him on the map.

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Whoever said "everything leaves a paper trail" was damn right.

Dr. Conrad Murray has admitted to giving Michael Jackson the surgical anesthetic propofol to help him sleep, and police say they know where he got it.

According to additional search warrant documents released Friday, investigators found receipts in Murray's Nevada office showing that the cardiologist purchased five bottles the drug from a Las Vegas pharmacy on May 12 and had it mailed to the L.A. mansion Jackson was living in when he died a month later.

All of which should come as no shock to anyone, according to Murray's attorney.

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R.Pattz wasn't there, so why did a bunch of screaming fangirls nearly cause a riot at a Long Island mall?

They were waiting for Justin Bieber, of course!

One girl ended up at the hospital and a member of Bieber's entourage was arrested after more than 1,000 young-and-rowdy fans whipped themselves into a frenzy awaiting the arrival of the the 15-year-old Canadian pop star, who ended up steering clear of the mall altogether because of the melee.

"They are not allowing me to come into the mall. if you dont leave I and my fans will be arrested as the police just told us," Bieber twittered this evening, about an hour after writing, "On my way to Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island, NY to sign and meet fans!! im pumped. see u there."

Aw.

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UPDATE 2: E! News has obtained audio of two 911 calls made by what sounds like two different people on the bus that crashed. In the first, the caller tells the dispatcher that the driver is "losing color," while the second caller says that he has gone into cardiac arrest.

UPDATE 1: The Cyrus family has issued a statement responding to this morning's tragedy on Miley's official site:

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Bill 'Uncle Bill' Douglas. Members of our tour are like members of our family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family in the midst of this tragedy. He will truly be missed."
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One person is dead and at least one more suffered minor injuries after one of Miley Cyrus' tour buses crashed and flipped onto its side in Virginia this morning.

Cyrus herself was not on board the bus at the time; the Disney has primarily been jetting to tour dates on a private plane for much of this tour.

"She was not on any of the buses and not on scene at any point," Virginia State Police Sgt. Thomas Molner told E! News. "She was on a different route."

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When Miley Cyrus' infamous slant-eyed photo leaked online, we knew there was going to be trouble. When a Los Angeles woman filed a class-action suit against the Disney star on behalf of her Asian brothers and sisters, we knew it was going to be a lengthy battle. But when it turned out she was seeking roughly $4 billion—yes, billion—in damages from the teen, we knew what outcome was inevitable.

In a win for common sense everywhere, an L.A. judge today threw out Lucie Kim's lawsuit, saying that while the photo may have been offensive, it didn't break any state laws.

Especially not the one Kim claimed it did.

In her complaint, Kim accused Cyrus of violating a statute that prohibits businesses from discriminating against minorities, specifically in terms of offering equal access to public accommodations.

And while Miley's clearly a budding empire, she's not, strictly speaking, a business. Or, so far as we know, offering shelter.

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Summit Entertainment

What else is there to say about New Moon that hasn't already been gushed? That the sequel to you-know-what starring you-know-who and -who and -who grossed a record-setting, undead-enlivening, "absolutely freakish" $26.3 million in Friday midnight screenings?

Well, there's that.

Yes, New Moon usurped the midnight crown from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($22.2 million), which ousted The Dark Knight ($18.5 million) this past July. Nudge the person in the theater next to you, and pass it on.

How do we know you're reading this on a handheld at a multiplex? Because chances are you are.

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Not paying your taxes for five years? Understandable. Going to prison for three years as a result? Totally unreasonable. At least according to Wesley Snipes' crack (but not that crack) defense team.

Attorneys for the Uncle Sam-dodging Blade star have filed an appeal against the actor's would-be imprisonment, calling the sentence "unreasonable" and claiming that his tax-evasion trial—which came to a close last February after Snipes was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a return—should have taken place in New York and not Florida.

Nevermind that the 47-year-old actor's housing records showed that he lived in both states or that his legal team had ample time prior to the years-in-the-making trial to seek the location swap.

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