Jennifer Lopez can keep it all on wax if she likes -- at New York's Madame Tussaud's, that is. Her cast was unveiled this week at the wax museum, which boasts that the pop star's likeness is its first interactive wax figure. If gawkers whisper in the faux J. Lo's ear, she blushes. ...

Sharon Osbourne will provide backstage commentary at "VH1 Divas Duets" airing live Thursday (May 22) at 9 p.m. ET from Las Vegas. Duets scheduled for the show include Beyoncé Knowles and Jewel, Ashanti and the Isley Brothers, Whitney Houston and husband Bobby Brown, and Lisa Marie Presley and Pat Benatar. ... Dave Grohl is taking himself out of the running for rock's most eligible bachelor. The Foo Fighters frontman announced his engagement last week to 26-year-old girlfriend Jordyn Blum. The couple have been together for two years. ...

Michael Jackson was hospitalized briefly for observation and treatment after a fainting spell before he was to give a deposition in a copyright lawsuit in Indianapolis. The lawsuit alleges the Jackson 5 used two songs without license from another Gary, Indiana, band from the 1960s (the tracks appeared on a 1996 album, Pre-History: The Lost Steeltown Recordings). Prior to falling ill, Jackson's attorneys petitioned the U.S. District Court in Hammond not to publicize the location of the deposition meeting and asked that the transcript of the deposition be sealed to help the pop star keep a low profile. Jackson returned to Los Angeles via private jet after being released. ...

Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" won the International Hit of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards in London on Thursday. Also at the ceremony, hosted by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, Coldplay were named Songwriters of the Year, David Gray's "The Other Side" won Best Song and the Streets' "Weak Become Heroes" won Best Contemporary Song. ... A dance version of the classic Milton Bradley Twister game is set to be launched this June, featuring the voices and moves of Nick and Aaron Carter. Hasbro signed the singing siblings to the Twister Moves game, which requires players to follow the more than 100 dance commands called out by two recorded DJs on three CDs. Players can also make up their own moves to incorporate into the game. ...

Macy Gray is developing a cartoon for Warner Bros. Animation based on her childhood in Canton, Ohio, called "A Pretty Good Life." The raspy singer will voice the lead character and record music for the show. ... The Raveonettes will release their first full-length album, Chain Gang of Love, on August 12. The disc will follow up the band's debut EP, Whip It On. ...

The Youngbloodz, the duo of Sean Paul (no, not the Sean Paul) and J-Bo, were just signed by So So Def. They will release their next LP, Drankin' Patnaz, on July 29 and have already put out the first single, "Damn Any More," which was produced by Lil Jon. ... Painted percussionists the Blue Man Group have scheduled the second leg of their tour to start July 7 in Columbia, Missouri. The trek, which stretches to August 30 in Saratoga, New York, supports the group's latest album, The Complex, released last month. Tracy Bonham and Venus Hum, who, along with a cast that includes Dave Matthews and Gavin Rossdale, appear on The Complex, will serve as openers and are expected to join the group onstage. ...

5.21.03

As Britney Spears continues to work on her forthcoming fourth album -- which is supposed to be a departure in style for the pop princess -- she's also getting rid of a few other things from her past, in the name of charity. Spears is auctioning off her stage and movie costumes, some signed original photography and other memorabilia, as well as concert packages and "personal experiences" starting this Thursday on www.gottahaveit.com. The auction runs through June 3, and proceeds go to the Britney Spears Foundation. ...

Blu Cantrell has set a June 24 release date for her second album, Bittersweet, which features collaborations with Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, Fat Joe, Lady May and reggae star Ian Lewis of Inner Circle. Sean Paul appears on the first single, "Breathe," which was produced by Dr. Dre and will be accompanied by a Hype Williams-directed video. ... Nelly and producer 7 Aurelius were awarded Songwriters of the Year and Puddle of Mudd's "Blurry" was named Song of the Year at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards Tuesday in Beverly Hills, California. Elvis Costello was presented the ASCAP Founders' Award at the event, which included a performance of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" by the song's co-author, Linda Perry. ...

Twenty-one-year-old rapper Jason Johnson, better known as Camoflauge, was shot and killed on Monday in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Camoflauge, who made his major-label debut in 2001 with Strictly 4 Da Streets: Drugs, Sex & Violence Vol. 1, was fatally wounded while with his young son outside Pure Pain studios, where he had been recording. Police have made no arrests and have not named any suspects. ... Panjabi MC, whose remix of "Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke)" with Jay-Z is one of spring's breakout singles, will promote the July 1 release of his U.S. debut, Beware, with a week of tour dates. The trek includes several club dates in New York, including June 4 at S.O.B.'s Basement Bhangra party. ...

Legendary director Martin Scorsese's next project is a biography of Bob Dylan tentatively titled "Bob Dylan Anthology Project." The movie is currently slated for release in 2005. ... James Brown was pardoned by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services for drug-related charges that stemmed from a 1998 bust. Brown had previously served two and a half years behind bars after being arrested for drug possession in 1988. ...

The guys of 3 Doors Down will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday afternoon to see the premiere of a NASCAR Busch Series race car decked out with a 3DD design. Later that evening, the band will perform a free show at Food Lion Speed Street. ... P.O.D. will name their next LP Payable on Death, which is what their namesake acronym stands for. The 17-song follow-up to 2001's Satellite is due November 4. ...

New York Yankees slugger Bernie Williams has had his fair share of hits on the ball field, but will it carry over to success in the studio? The centerfielder will drop his debut LP, The Journey Within, on July 15. Alongside jazzy covers of Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" and Kansas' "Dust in the Wind," the album also includes seven of the guitarist's original compositions. ... The mighty Tenacious D took the stage with Styx on Tuesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for a performance of "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye." The song is featured on the new Styx album Cyclorama. ... First season "American Idol" finalist R.J. Helton is expected to release a gospel album this fall on Gospocentric/B-Rite Music, home to contemporary Christian crooner Kirk Franklin. ...

Sheryl Crow, Billy Joel, Faith Hill, Elton John, Jamie Foxx, Robin Williams and Dennis Miller will all take the stage for Andre Agassi's annual Grand Slam for Children event, which benefits at-risk youths. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on October 4. ... In other Elton John and Billy Joel charity news, the two are reaching out to less fortunate musicians by donating concert tickets from their current tour to an eBay auction that will benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to artists who can't afford health insurance. ... Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has donated almost $6 million to help provide housing for hundreds of poor and homeless people in central London. Gilmour got the idea from a community project he heard about in New York City. ...