WAITING GAME: To thwart scalpers, Fox says it's looking into selling same-day Star Wars prequel tickets on a first-come, first-served basis.
PREQUEL: This move would mean no advanced sales. At least for the film's first two weeks in theaters.
GIVING BACK: Star Wars guru George Lucas donating $1.5 million to alma mater USC for a new digital studio.
IT PAYS TO THANK THE PARENTS IN YOUR SPEECH: Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner have bought their baby Gwyneth the $160,000 diamond necklace she wore as a loaner on Oscar night, The New York Times says.
GASSED UP: Howard Stern ready to star in his long-delayed stinky superhero epic, The Adventures of Fartman, its writer tells Daily Variety.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN: Stern's TV show to invade the United Kingdom under a new deal, the British Press Association reports.
COMING HOME: Oscar winner Saving Private Ryan available for video rental starting May 25. Look for a Very Special Intro by Steven Spielberg.
APE NEWS: James Cameron out, Michael Bay (Armageddon) "enthusiastic," on the directing gig for the long-planned Planet of the Apes remake, the Hollywood Reporter says.
STANDING UP: Oscar winner Susan Sarandon joining protesters today in New York City for the latest demonstration over a police shooting.
OOPS: Winona Ryder rushed to the E.R. Monday after slipping on fake blood on the Pennsylvania set of her new movie, Girl, Interrupted, USA Today says. The bum knee checked out okay.
BLUE SKIES: Ron Howard $605,000 richer after a Los Angeles jury sides with him in a landord dispute. The EDtv director says he'll donate the money to charity.
SICK BAY: Everybody Loves Raymond costar Peter Boyle, 65, suffered a minor heart attack on the sitcom set Monday. A show rep says he's "going to be fine."
SMOOTH: TLC's FanMail topping the pop album charts for the fourth straight week. Rapper Eminem is No. 2 with Slim Shady.
PRAISE BE: Christian singer Michael W. Smith dominating gospel music's Dove Awards with six awards, including Best Artist, Wednesday in Nashville.
RED-CARPET DAY: E!'s wall-to-wall Oscars coverage on Sunday scored the network the highest ratings of its eight-year history.
KEEP THE COFFEE COMING: Peter Jennings to host a marathon 27-hour news and entertainment special to ring in 2000, ABC says.
TRUE BELIEVER: CBS' honcho says he's still serious about wanting to buy NBC and thinks federal laws nixing such a move should be changed.
GOOD SPORTS: Powered by its Winter Olympics coverage, CBS nabs a league-leading 30 Sports Emmy nominations. Winners announced April 21 in New York.
BUSTED: Grammy-winning country singer Ray Price ("Release Me") free on bond following an arrest for pot possession in Texas.
TAGGED: Disneyland dinged with two safety citations for the clipper-ship accident that killed a park guest last Christmas Eve.