Stephen Colbert is having the last "word" over his seemingly imperiled presidential candidacy, which was dealt a big blow last week after the executive committee of the South Carolina Democratic Party shot down his bid in the state. "I am shocked and saddened by the South Carolina Democratic executive council's 13-to-3 vote to keep me off their presidential primary ballot," the host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" said in a statement. "Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history -- only 10 votes -- I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle. It is time for this nation to heal." But don't worry, Colbert Nation, your hero hasn't thrown in the towel entirely. "I want to say to my supporters, this is not over. While I may accept the decision of the council, the fight goes on! The dream endures!" He then made an additional comment, sarcastically acknowledging the Hollywood writers' strike that will likely keep his show from airing new episodes in the near future: "And I am going off the air until I can talk about this without weeping." The film and TV writers went on strike Monday (November 5) after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke down. Reuters reports that both sides are digging in for what could be a lengthy standoff, mostly over the writers' demands for higher fees from the distribution of movies and TV shows on DVD and over the Internet. Late-night talk shows -- including "The Colbert Report," "The Daily Show" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" -- are expected to be the first to suffer from the strike. ...

"American Idol" isn't just for singing anymore -- the seventh season will allow contenders to demonstrate their instrumental skills too, during "Hollywood Week," RollingStone.com reports. Producer Nigel Lythgoe also revealed that fewer celebrity mentors will be featured in the show's new season, which premieres in January, and that there might be a joint tour showcasing both "Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" talents. ...

Christina Aguilera has finally 'fessed up. After months of silence, the singer has finally confirmed that she will "enter into mommyhood" next year, according to Glamour UK. Though her baby bump has been prominent for months, Aguilera has not previously spoken about expecting her first child with husband Jordan Bratman. She was, however, reportedly quiet when Paris Hilton [article id="1569232"]blabbed the news[/article] at Las Vegas nightclub LAX over VMA weekend in early September. ... Though it looks like Britney Spears' [article id="1571813"]Blackout[/article] will come out [article id="1573290"]on top of the Billboard albums chart[/article] in the U.S. this week, rock veterans the Eagles trumped her in England with Long Road Out of Eden, their first new studio album in nearly 30 years, BBC News reports. The band has never been #1 in England before. And in other Brit news, more celebs are sounding off about the troubled singer. When "Extra" asked Ludacris who he thought had been naughty in 2007, he replied, "Hands down, Britney Spears has the crown on that one!" Meanwhile, Julia Roberts reached out to her in a new Vanity Fair interview, saying, "I see and hear what's happening to Britney Spears, and it's all I can do not to move her into my guesthouse and say, 'OK, this is how it's going to be!' And just take care of her." The interview appears in the magazine's new issue, which hits newsstands in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday and streets nationally November 13. ...

Trey Songz was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest at the Hippodrome in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday night, according to TMZ. The singer (born Tremaine Neverson) and members of his entourage reportedly got combative with police officers who were investigating a shot that had been fired in the venue's parking lot after the show. According to TMZ, police asked Songz not to get involved, after which he reportedly said, "Don't you know who I am?!" He was expected to be arraigned Monday. ... TMZ has unearthed footage of Snoop Dogg's brawl at London's Heathrow Airport in April 2006 -- the incident resulted in his being banned from traveling on British Airways. The rapper (real name: Calvin Broadus) is seen playing around with tourists in the video -- even dancing with kids -- but subsequent footage shows the confrontation breaking out after Snoop and his entourage were kicked out of a first-class lounge. ...

Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, Timbaland, Backstreet Boys, Jordin Sparks and others will bring some holiday cheer to New York's Madison Square Garden when they participate in Z100's annual Jingle Ball. Colbie Caillat, Boys Like Girls and the Jonas Brothers will also perform at the event, set for December 14. ... Don't be on the lookout for Ja Rule's [article id="1571974"]The Mirror[/article] this year: The album, which was previously scheduled for a November 13 release, has been delayed until 2008. ... The video for the Killers' collaboration with Lou Reed, [article id="1567956"]"Tranquilize,"[/article] is making the rounds online. ...

Linkin Park announced last week that they would be helping Southern California recover from [article id="1572814"]the devastating wildfires[/article] by donating $50,000 to a nonprofit group, but now they're ramping up their efforts by launching a charity auction through their outreach project, Music for Relief, and Unite the United. The eBay auction launched Monday and features items by LP, Green Day, Madonna, the Eagles, Avenged Sevenfold and others, in addition to VIP concert-ticket packages. Proceeds will go to California Community Foundation's Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund and the American Forests' California Wildfire ReLeaf Fund. ...

John Mayer has something to tell fans about: what he's been eating. In a new post on his blog, the wisecracking singer/songwriter shows off what's been on his plate lately -- and he's stamped the pics with watermarks, because he's sure "the tabloids and entertainment news shows will [be frothing] at the mouth" over them. ... Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel are sinking their teeth into a new comedy ... written by Al Gore's daughter?! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kristin Gore has co-written a satire called "Nailed" that revolves around a corrupt congressman and a sex-fiend lobbyist, and the actors are poised to play the respective roles. David O. Russell ("I Heart Huckabees," "Three Kings") is directing and co-authoring the screenplay for the flick, in which Biel's character goes to Washington, D.C., to fight for the rights of the bizarrely insured after a nail accidentally shoots into her head, causing her to become sex-crazed. Preproduction is due to begin in two weeks. ...

Sheriff Paul Laney, who launched a [article id="1573376"]recent sting operation[/article] in Fargo, North Dakota, under the guise of an Ozzy Osbourne party, has responded to criticisms levied by the metal singer. Ozzy fans were duped into attending a faux party that preceded the rocker's scheduled performance in the area by mere hours -- but were instead arrested on outstanding warrants upon their arrival. Osbourne insisted Laney apologize for using his name to secure the arrests. Laney told The Associated Press late last week that he "meant no disrespect toward Mr. Osbourne or his show," but that "what we did was a very creative law-enforcement technique to lure individuals who had active criminal warrants to come to us." He said using Osbourne's name in the invitations was no different than a bar advertising a Super Bowl party by mentioning the teams playing in the game. ...

The University of Maine's student government may pursue legal action against My Chemical Romance because the band canceled a recent gig at the school, according to a report in the school's paper, The Maine Campus. The rockers had said they had to cancel the show because of drummer Bob Bryar's health issues, but they did play another gig not long after the show was nixed. The student government sent the band two letters demanding more than $20,500 in compensation for costs incurred for advertising and money paid to outside contractors and cancellation fees. "Unless it is truly due to sickness or injury of the band, we intend to seek full damages for breach of contract," Derek Mitchell, the vice president of student entertainment, told the paper. "When they played Friday night, I think that kind of voids an 'Act of God' claim." The student government has given the band two weeks to pay, and if it refuses, the General Student Senate will take a vote to determine if it will pursue a lawsuit or not. ...

Howard Stern's cousin is crying foul about Jerry Seinfeld's recently released "Bee Movie," saying the flick uses his company's catchphrase, "Give Bees a Chance," without permission. Richie Gerber, known to Stern fans as "Cousin Richie," owns an organic skin and hair-care company called BeeCeuticals Organics, and claims in a lawsuit filed late last week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that DreamWorks and Paramount, after initially exploring opportunities to work with Gerber, went ahead and used the phrase to market the movie as if it were their own. "We were talking about co-sponsoring an event, a 'Bee In,' for National Pollinator Week in June," Gerber told MTV News, "and even on that press release, we used that slogan." Gerber said that despite owning the trademark on the slogan, "Bee Movie" went ahead and appropriated it, which he finds ironic, considering the movie's plot is about the human race stealing honey from bees. "We are not killer bees," Gerber said. "All we want is for them to acknowledge that it's our intellectual property and license it from us. We're worker bees, we'll work with you." ... Keanu Reeves has something in common with Britney Spears -- he's being sued by a man who claims the actor hit him with his car, according to TMZ. Alison Silva, a Brazilian photographer, says Reeves struck him in the knee on March 19, 2007, near a clinic in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Silva is seeking unspecified damages. ...

Jimmy Page is all apologies after Led Zeppelin [article id="1573307"]postponed[/article] their hugely anticipated reunion show last week due to the iconic guitarist's fractured finger. "I was regrettably put in a situation where I had to postpone my performance," he said of the show, which has been rescheduled for December 10 at London's O2 arena. "I was very conscious of the fact that many people are traveling great distances to attend," he continued. "I do want to let everyone know that this decision was unavoidable. My apologies to anyone who has been inconvenienced by this change." ...

Attention Radiohead completists (and fans of the digipak): On December 10, EMI will release a limited-edition box set collecting all seven of the band's releases on Parlophone Records -- from 1993's Pablo Honey to '03's Hail to the Thief, plus the I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings album -- repackaged in digi sleeves with their original artwork. The set (which really does come in a box) will retail for £39.99 (approximately $58). Those who purchase the physical set will also be given access to stream special footage via "Digital Insert technology." More tech-savvy Radiohead fans (which is pretty much all of them) can also download the entire set as DRM-free, 320 kbps-encoded MP3s -- plus album art for £34.99 (approximately $51) -- or purchase it as a USB memory stick, shaped in the band's "iconic bear image," for £79.99 (approximately $116). All three formats are available for pre-order at the Radiohead store. ...

Sum 41, who nixed the remaining dates on their Canadian tour last week as Deryck Whibley was suffering from a herniated disc, have now canceled the remainder of their 2007 shows in order to allow the frontman to heal. The band made the announcement in the journal section of its Web site, writing, "We're sorry that this happened and we hope our fans can understand ... We wish Deryck a quick and full recovery and can't wait to reschedule all these shows in the new year." The band was touring in support of this year's Underclass Hero album. ...

The Los Angeles Times reports that Disturbed frontman David Draiman has put his Northridge, California, castle -- with its turrets, gargoyles, dragons and griffins -- on the market at close to $2.9 million. Draiman purchased the residence for $2.5 million in 2005. The six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home, a former nondescript tract house that was transformed in 1992 by former owners with a fascination for medieval themes, has barrel-vaulted halls, a room with a 24-foot-high ceiling, theater chandeliers and secret doors located behind bookcases. ...

Sheryl Crow gets personal on her next studio album, Detours, which is due February 5, according to Billboard.com. The singer/songwriter revealed to the news outlet that the songs on the album "are very inspired by the last three years of events in my life," which included her battle with breast cancer and much-publicized split with Lance Armstrong. Beyond that, "Lullaby for Wyatt" features an appearance by her baby son of the same name and will be included in the John Cusack movie [article id="1551066"]"Grace Is Gone."[/article]

11.02.07

R. Kelly is about to hit the road for [article id="1571099"]his upcoming "Double Up" tour,[/article] which starts November 14, but that doesn't mean [article id="1568827"]his child-pornography case[/article] will be on hold for the duration of his trek. In a hearing on Friday (November 2), a Chicago judge ruled that forensics expert Dr. Sharon Cooper can testify at a hearing, to be held December 18, about the veracity of her methods to determine her claims that Kelly is the man on the sex tape. Cooper has claimed she could identify him through the veins visible on his hands, and the hearing will be used to determine whether that method is acceptable in the scientific community at large. Cooper will also testify about how she determined the age of the victim on the tape, whom prosecutors say was 14 years old at the time of the alleged taping. Kelly will be in between show dates in Sacramento, California, and Chicago, and thus able to attend the hearing. ...

Jay-Z has some Sirius radio plans -- the hip-hop mogul is taking over the satellite station for a week starting Monday, The Associated Press reports. He will be in command of Hip-Hop Nation channel 40, playing songs from his albums as well as other artists of his choosing. The stint comes at an opportune time for Jay -- his new album, [article id="1571481"]American Gangster,[/article] hits stores Tuesday. Sirius will also play back across various programs on the channel a concert Jay-Z is set to perform at Chicago's House of Blues. ...

Mariah Carey will play at a Glamour ceremony honoring the magazine's 2007 Women of the Year. She will perform with the African Children's Choir at the event, to be held Monday at New York's Avery Fisher Hall. The related issue -- which spotlights Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Edwards, Toni Morrison and others -- hits newsstands November 13. In other Mariah news, Elizabeth Arden announced on Friday an increase in first-quarter profits thanks to the singer's M by Mariah Carey perfume. The beauty-products company earned $350,000 on revenue of $271.8 million -- a year before, the company lost $1.3 million on revenue of $254.8 million in the same quarter. Profits are expected to rise again next year. ...

Da Brat was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond Thursday night, AP reports. The rapper (real name: Shawntae Harris) was involved in a serious physical altercation early Thursday morning at Jermaine Dupri's Atlanta nightclub, Studio 72. According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, police arrested her on felony aggravated-assault charges after she got into a heated confrontation with a waitress. Da Brat is said to have struck the waitress in the face with a bottle of rum, causing cuts on her face. The waitress was later taken to a local hospital for treatment. ... T-Pain had an uncomfortable experience on Friday when he was arrested in Florida on outstanding warrants, according to TMZ. The singer/rapper (real name: Faheem Najm) reportedly turned himself in to authorities at Leon County Jail, where he was charged with driving on a suspended license, and subsequently released on his own recognizance, without having to pay bail. According to TMZ, police saw T-Pain driving in Tallahassee in June and, after running his record, discovered that he had a suspended license. ...

Like [article id="1559682"]Don Imus and others[/article] before him, Duane "Dog" Chapman's racially charged comments have resulted in his show being pulled from the airwaves -- A&E yanked "Dog the Bounty Hunter" from its programming schedule on Friday. The channel's top-rated show is being pulled indefinitely, although it has not been canceled. At least two advertisers pulled away from the show on Thursday after a tape of a call between Chapman and his son Tucker -- in which the TV star used the N-word repeatedly -- surfaced on the National Enquirer's Web site the day before. Duane "Dog" Chapman's lawyer Brook Hart told AP Thursday that Tucker had taped the call and sold it to the tabloid for "a lot of money." ...

E-40 is turning 40! But the bash the Bay Area spitter is planning for November 15 at Las Vegas' Poetry Nightclub will serve as more than just a b-day celebration -- E-40 will also be using the event to celebrate 20 years in the rap game and unveil his new beverage line, 40 Water. "Rapping brought me into the entertainment game; once I got in, my eyes got bigger," he said in a statement. "As a business man, I get the best of both worlds, and the privileges of working and reaping the benefits at the best time in my career." The star-studded party will also feature a sneak peek of his 2008 album, The Ball Street Journal, a yellow carpet and more. ...

When it comes to her spending money, Britney Spears always seems to be saying "Gimme More." Recently released court papers related to [article id="1573132"]her custody dispute[/article] with ex-husband Kevin Federline show that the singer drops serious coin on clothes and entertainment and doesn't save or invest any of her almost $737,000 in monthly income, according to AP. Among Spears' monthly expenses are $49,267 in mortgages for two houses; $16,000 for clothes; and $102,000 on entertainment, gifts and vacations. And even though she's a fast-food junkie, she also stated in her financial declarations that she drops $4,758 per month dining out. She also spends zero on education, while giving $500 a month in charitable contributions. Federline, meanwhile, gets $15,000 per month in child support and $20,000 in spousal support, with the latter ending on November 15. ... Don't believe Vanessa Hudgens? Just look at her feet. The "High School Musical" starlet has submitted her hospital birth certificate, which includes her baby footprints, along with a motion that seeks the dismissal of a suit brought on by her ex-attorney Brian Schall, according to "Access Hollywood." He claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing Hudgens' funds for her recording and songwriting career. But Hudgens argues that she was too young to sign her contract -- when she did so in October 2005, she was 16 years old. A hearing is set for December 5 in Los Angeles. ...

The Spice Girls unveiled a video for "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)," their first single in seven years, on TodayShow.com on Thursday. The racy video, which features the [article id="1563553"]reunited squad[/article] shedding clothes, has since been making the rounds elsewhere. ... Jewel has recorded most of her LPs in Nashville over the years -- but now she's ready for a full-on country affair, according to Billboard.com. The singer/songwriter recently signed a multi-album deal with Valory Music Company, a new Nashville indie label named in tribute to June Carter Cash (the country legend's birth name was Valerie June Carter). "I've been wanting to do this record my whole career, but my label was always scared of country music," Jewel said. "I've always had country songs on my records." Her yet-untitled new album will be produced by John Rich of Big & Rich. ...

Morrissey in '08? The singer's recent marathon stand at the Palladium in Hollywood was supposed to be his last sweep through the U.S. for the near future, but according to Billboard.com, his lawyer says Moz will be touring again early next year -- and new music is on the way too. According to the magazine, Morrissey will sign a new deal with Sanctuary that will result in the release of a new studio album -- to be produced by Jerry Finn, who helmed 2004's You Are the Quarry -- and best-of collection next year. As for the tour, manager Merck Mercuriadis said Morrissey will "be back out in January. We'll take a short break and then start again in March." He didn't specify what cities are being considered. ...

Is Meat Loaf done? According to the U.K.'s Times Online, the rock singer announced that he was ending his career midway through a concert at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Wednesday. "I can no longer continue," he reportedly said as "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" began playing. "This is the last show I may ever do in my life." The concert ended, although it was later announced that the show had been canceled due to an illness. It's yet unclear whether Meat will still perform his scheduled Friday night show in Birmingham. According to Times Online, Meat's promoter spoke with the singer's doctor, who assured the promoter that Meat was exhausted and stressed. The newspaper also reports that his publicist chalked up the Wednesday incident to one of the singer's occasional blowouts. Meat Loaf's management did not return calls to MTV News as of press time. ... The Decemberists have canceled the rest of their Long and Short of It Tour after just two dates, due to an ongoing illness affecting an unnamed bandmember, according to the band's spokesperson. "One of our bandmembers has been ill for a while, but we thought all would be well in time for these tour dates," the group wrote in a statement. "After a couple shows, though, it has become clear that the illness is much worse than we had initially realized. We need to return home so our friend can mend. It saddens us to disappoint our fans. We hope everybody understands it is only because of an extreme situation that we had to cancel a tour we've all been excited about doing since the idea was originally hatched." There are no current plans to reschedule the tour. ...

Jack Osbourne, Jeff Buckley fan? Apparently so -- Ozzy's son will MC the Jeff Buckley 10th Anniversary Tribute Concert being staged by the late singer/songwriter's mother, Mary Guibert. The salute will happen November 15 -- two days before Buckley's birthday -- at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California, and feature 25 Los Angeles-area singer/songwriters. Proceeds will go to the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, which was co-founded by Flea. ... The soundtrack to the upcoming music mockumentary "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" will feature actor John C. Reilly -- in the guise of Cox -- singing songs written by a host of rock luminaries, including Marshall Crenshaw, Beach Boys collaborator Van Dyke Parks, former Candy Butchers leader Mike Viola and San Francisco songwriter Dan Bern. Among the original songs on the album, due out December 4, are "Guilty as Charged," "A Life Without You (Is No Life at All)" and "Let Me Hold You (Little Man)." ...

Carlos Santana and his wife are splitting after 34 years together, Marin County, California, newspaper the Marin Independent Journal reports. Deborah Santana reportedly cited irreconcilable differences in her October 19 filing in Marin County Superior Court. The couple have three children together.