Michael Jackson was discharged from the Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, California, on Wednesday one day after he was admitted for flulike symptoms. His reps say he will continue recovery at his home. Jackson's stay at the facility had been causing problems for other patients trying to gain admittance, because of the media crews and photographers stationed outside. The hospital earlier had asked the media to stay away from the emergency entrance and instead camp out in a separate, newly designated press area nearby, so that the "life safety" of patients wouldn't be compromised. ...

Hilary Duff is going to the dogs -- literally. The proud "parent" of five pooches, Duff is asking other pet owners to think about animal welfare via a public service announcement she's just shot for "Desex and the City," a campaign promoting spaying and neutering that's running in Los Angeles next month. Participating veterinarians are offering discounts to anyone bringing in their pets for a little readjustment. On Sunday, the singer also shot the cover -- with her puppy Lola -- for the new magazine New York Dog for the April/May issue (on newsstands in late March), in which she explains her commitment to animal causes. "I think there are so many dogs that we don't need any more for a while," she told the magazine. "Or until all of them have homes. It's just unfair to the dogs and puppies to not have a home or the right living conditions." For Duff's canines, "the right living conditions" equals massive pampering -- from doggie clothes and shoes to nail polish and jewelry (Lola, for instance, has a bracelet for a dog collar courtesy of bling king Jacob the Jeweler). Duff even has her own doggie accessories line, "Little Dog," named in honor of a pet who passed about a year ago, for which all the proceeds are donated to the Living Free No-Kill shelter in Palm Springs, California. ...

The bids have been totaled from the celebrity auction spearheaded by Ashlee Simpson and Teen People, and the sale of items like autographed clothing, a foosball table and concert tickets from artists including Simpson, big sister Jessica and Ashlee's on-again-off-again boyfriend Ryan Cabrera pulled in more than $42,000. The money will go to UNICEF's tsunami-relief efforts. ... Snoop Dogg was injured on Saturday when a concertgoer threw a glass bottle and hit him in the head toward the end of his set in Nottingham, England. According to his rep, while Snoop did require medical attention, he did not need stitches. He has since resumed the overseas tour. ... Jay-Z is looking to get lucky in Atlantic City. The MC-turned-label-president is planning on opening his second 40/40 sports bar and lounge in the East Coast's answer to Sin City. Currently, few details about the New Jersey lounge are available, but it is scheduled to open on the Fourth of July at Atlantic City Outlets - The Walk. ...

Fresh off his Grammy win, Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas made his official debut as a fashion designer with his I.Am clothing line Tuesday night at the Magic convention in Las Vegas. The launch event included a performance by the Peas and Macy Gray. Known for his one-of-a-kind ensembles, the Peas frontman began designing his own signature line in 2001, drawing from his background in fashion -- he attended Los Angeles' Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. A high-end men and women's fashion line that consists of blazers, shirts, waistcoats, skirts, pants and scarves, I.Am clothing has already found fans in such celebrity clients as Ashlee Simpson, Kelly Osbourne and members of Coldplay through its exclusive availability in L.A.'s Fred Segal store. After the Vegas convention, I.Am clothing will be available worldwide. ... Alanis Morissette is now an American citizen. At a ceremony last week, the Canadian singer was sworn in at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and later sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" during her show that night. "It can be difficult to travel and being an American will make it easier to travel over borders," she said in a statement. "I'd like to make political comments and not have my chops busted by people who say I don't have the right to comment." However, she said, "I will never renounce my Canadian citizenship. I consider myself a Canadian-American." ...

On Tuesday, DMX was scheduled to appear in a North Castle, New York, criminal court on a host of traffic violations. However, the hearing has been adjourned until March 29. The charges stem from a December 15 arrest in which the rapper was pulled over for driving 104 mph in a 65 mph zone. The charges include third-degree unlicensed operation, speeding and driving an unregistered vehicle. DMX pleaded not guilty to the charges on January 18. ... Bruce Springsteen is set to release his 19th album, Devils & Dust, on April 26. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, who worked with Springsteen on 2002's The Rising, the album was recorded in Los Angeles and Springsteen's home state of New Jersey. The Boss plans to tour behind the LP, but no dates or venues have been announced yet. ...

Fountains of Wayne are playing a fund-raising event to benefit autism education and research. Comedy Love Call, taking place March 7 at the Beacon Theatre in New York, will also feature Nellie McKay, Adam Sandler, Jon Stewart, Tina Fey and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, among others. ... Coheed and Cambria have set a March 22 release date for the DVD "Live at the Starland Ballroom." The performance featured on the home video was taped on August 20, 2004 at the Sayreville, New Jersey, venue. ... Less Than Jake have been tapped to headline a Drive-Thru and Fueled by Ramen Records joint tour, which kicks off on April 1. The lineup also includes Allister, Hidden in Plain View and Kane Hodder. No dates or cities have been announced yet, but the labels are brainstorming other ideas for the trek, including a limited-edition toy based on tour artwork that would be available only at shows. ...

Jennifer Lopez has canceled her European concert tour due to illness, The Associated Press reports. Lopez also called off a trip to England for a British charity premiere of her movie "Shall We Dance?" "I very much wanted to be in London today but unfortunately I'm not well," J. Lo said in a statement. "At the advice of my doctors I'm unable to travel. ... Please accept my sincerest apologies." ...

02.15.2005

Mariah Carey has shot not one, but two new videos so far for her upcoming album, The Emancipation of Mimi. Both "It's Like That" and "We Belong Together" were shot in Los Angeles by director Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour," "Red Dragon"), who last worked with Carey in 1999 on her "Heartbreaker" clip. "It's Like That" has a Vegas casino story line, while in "We Belong Together" Carey races to the altar in her very own wedding dress, a Vera Wang number she wore back in 1993 when she married Tommy Mottola. The videos feature cameos by Jermaine Dupri (who produced both tracks), Eric Roberts and Jay-Z, among others. ...

A recording engineer who worked on Ray Charles' Grammy-winning Genius Loves Company has sued the singer's estate and record label for breach of contract, claiming that he was denied the appropriate credit on the album, according to one of his lawyers. Mark Fleming's attorneys filed the suit on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, just three days before Charles' final recording won eight Grammys, three of which Fleming's suit suggests he should have shared. ... Wyclef Jean and Chaka Khan will headline the sixth annual concert to benefit Children Uniting Nations, a Los Angeles mentoring program for foster children. The benefit and black-tie gala, which will be held on Oscar night (February 27), also includes a formal dinner and a live auction. "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul will serve as the master of ceremonies; guests expected to attend include Jamie Foxx and Paris Hilton. More information can be found at www.ChildrenUnitingNations.org. ...

Bride-to-be Kelly Rowland graces the cover of the April/ May issue of Modern Bride, and in the accompanying cover story she talks candidly about her relationship with Dallas Cowboy Roy Williams, whom she'll marry later this year. Among the revelations in the article is that Williams wanted to help plan the wedding, a task from which most men run. "He really put me in my place," Rowland said, "he was like, 'You're making all of the decisions, where do I come in?' " The Destiny's Child singer also jokes about the proposal: Apparently her man got down on one knee and asked, "Would you do me the honor of being my husband -- I mean wife?!" ... Former "American Idol" contestant Kimberley Locke has gotten engaged to her high school sweetheart, whom she's dated, on and off, for 10 years. The pair have not yet set a date for the wedding. Meanwhile, Locke is working on her sophomore album, which is scheduled to be released by the end of 2005. ...

Grandiose Swedish rockers the Soundtrack of Our Lives are bringing their aural assault to North America for a spring tour. The trek, in support of their upcoming album Origins Volume 1 (March 15), starts March 11 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and runs until April 6 in Vancouver, British Columbia. ... Sweater-nerds rejoice: Vancouver power-pop rockers the New Pornographers will wrap up the recording of their third album in March. Appearing on the LP, due in late summer, are usual suspects Neko Case and Destroyer's Dan Bejar. ...

Missing-in-action trip-pop chanteuse Esthero will finally come out of hibernation this spring. Wikked Lil' Girls, her first album since 1998's Breath From Another, features Andre 3000, Sean Lennon and Cee-Lo. ... It's been a while since we've heard from Geoff Wilkinson, the man behind the jazz-sampling one-hit wonder Us3. Well, Wilkinson is back with his first stateside Us3 album in seven years, Questions (April 26), which ditches his trademark jazz sampling for live music and vocals from South Africa's Mpho. As a reminder of the good old days, though, the album will feature two new remixes of Us3's biggest hit, "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)." ...

Two U.K. newspapers, the Sunday Times and The Sun, have agreed to pay Yusuf Islam (the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens) "substantial damages," after both alleged that Islam supported terrorism. According to a post on his Web site, in addition to paying damages, both newspapers also published apologies, stating that "Mr. Islam is not, and never has been, involved in or supported terrorism." The British-born Islam made headlines in September when he was removed from a flight because U.S. officials said his name appeared on a "no-fly list." ...

Dance rockers Bloc Party are planning their first North American invasion. The British quartet, whose debut album, Silent Alarm, drops March 22, will mount a 19-date tour that will kick off in New York on February 20, make a stop off at South by Southwest in March and then wrap up April 30 at Coachella. The band's singer, Kele Okereke, can also be heard on the track "Believe," which appears on the new Chemical Brothers album, Push the Button. ... Currently on tour with the Secret Machines and the Moving Units, Los Angeles noise-pop trio Autolux will tackle 13 dates in March and April with Ambulance LTD and then join the Raveonettes for 21 dates in May and June. ...