For Valentine's Day, Britney Spears expressed her romantic side by posting a letter Friday (February 11) on her fan site about her life with Kevin Federline. "I fall more and more in love with Kevin every day," she wrote. "We've been away from each other for a week now and I think I'm losing my mind! It's the longest we've been apart from one another." But it's Federline's work schedule keeping them apart, she says, not hers. She's been at home in Kentwood, Louisiana, with her mother while her husband has been posing for the March issue of Details. "The pictures are so hot!" she bragged. "Stay away, girls!" In the meantime, Spears has been playing mom by shopping for "the cutest dresses" for Kori, Federline's daughter with Shar Jackson, as well as dressing her dogs in Von Dutch clothing ("I think my dogs are so much cuter than Tinkerbell"). She's still having trouble training her dogs, which is "kind of bad because we have white carpets." And she hopes to build a dream house right behind her mom's home in Kentwood once she starts a family of her own. ...

Paris Hilton will fill out Barbara Eden's harem pants when she guests on "American Dreams" as the "I Dream of Jeannie" star. The episode airs March 16 at 8 p.m. on NBC. ... Martin Bashir's 2003 documentary on Michael Jackson, "Living With Michael Jackson," helped bring down the pop star and spark a criminal investigation. Now, Bashir, who has since become an ABC News correspondent, has a follow-up, called "Michael Jackson's Secret World," which will air as a two-hour special edition of "Primetime Live" on February 17 at 9 p.m. ET. It will include new interviews, details, and further allegations about Jackson's friendships with boys. ...

Before the major unveiling of his new live lineup at the Coachella Festival on May 1, Trent Reznor will get some road work in with Nine Inch Nails on a trio of West Coast dates: March 23 in Fresno, California; March 24 in Reno, Nevada; and March 25 in Davis, California. The band will also play a pair of dates in London on March 30 and 31. NIN's upcoming album, With Teeth (May 3), will be preceded by the single "The Hand That Feeds," due out in April. ... Several of Los Angeles' most renowned lyricists -- Ras Kass, Kurupt, Jayo Felony and newcomer Scipo -- came to party at Hollywood's Highland club Thursday night. Talib Kweli also joined the fray. Meanwhile, downstairs, the Roots, Common and Musiq competed against each other at a bowling alley. ...

On Wednesday, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx won his case against Vans Incorporated for using his picture without permission, according to "Celebrity Justice." "Somebody has to stand up, and I was willing to spend my own money and my own time to stand up for myself and other people," he told "Justice." The company reportedly ran an ad featuring Sixx in the sports magazine Thrasher without informing the musician. The jury awarded Sixx $600,000 plus interest. ... "Nirvana - Nevermind: Classic Album," a DVD documenting the making of Nirvana's breakthrough release, is due March 22. Along with a documentary featuring interviews with bassist Krist Novoselic, drummer Dave Grohl and producer Butch Vig, the DVD will include mini-docs on Grohl joining the band, the album's artwork and the song "Drain You." ...

Tricky is getting back into the acting game -- the trip-hop godfather is guesting on four consecutive episodes of "Girlfriends," starting March 21. Tricky plays Finn Robinson, the leader of a band holding auditions for a new singer, who is impressed by an impromptu performance by Lynn (played by Persia White). The show airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on UPN. ... Nine days after their Coachella performance, Austin, Texas, indie-rockers Spoon will release their fifth album, Gimmie Fiction, on May 10. The follow-up to 2002's Kill the Moonlight will feature 11 tracks, including "My Mathematical Mind" and "I Turn My Camera On." ... After a brief tour last month, Sub Pop act the Album Leaf -- who have quickly become a favorite on "The O.C." -- will hit the road again next month. The three-week tour starts in Phoenix on March 13 and ends April 3 in Montreal. ...

02.10.2005

The Roc rocked New York's Fashion Week Wednesday night when Damon Dash teamed with famed designer Patricia Field to launch their House of Rocawear collection. Held at Ono at the Hotel Gansevoort, the party celebrated the 30-piece limited-edition collection, created by Field for fall. Ja Rule, Lil' Kim, Cam'ron, Naomi Campbell, Irv Gotti, Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath,Michael Imperioli, of "The Sopranos" and others danced alongside models and fashionistas to the sounds of DJ Clark Kent. ...

Missy Elliott, Kid Rock, DMC, Chuck D and a host of others will be on hand February 25 for the JMJ: Superstar gala benefit in New York, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Adidas Superstar sneaker and honoring the life of late Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay. The event will raise funds for the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music, a nonprofit organization that provides funding and resources to support free, public school music education programs. Taking place at New York's Skylight space, the event will feature surprise performances and multimedia installations. For information and tickets, check out www.jmjfoundationformusic.org. ... Nelly and Ryan Cabrera will join a host of other celebs for the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Denver, airing live February 18 on ESPN. The players, who also include Jermaine Dupri, Brian McKnight and rocker-turned-TV-host Mark McGrath, will hoop it up alongside WNBA star Lisa Leslie and others in the league. R&B songstress Ciara will provide the halftime entertainment. ...

Hey, do you live in Texas? Were you at the Bright Eyes show in Fort Worth on Monday? If you weren't, then you were probably busy lassoing steers and forcing yourself upon Native Americans -- at least according to Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst, you were. According to a review of Bright Eyes' show at the Ridglea Theater in The Dallas Morning News, Oberst "drained another bottle of beer" and then began bashing the Lone Star State before a shocked audience. "I don't know about you, but I hate your f---ing state," Oberst announced. "I'd put a f---ing gun to my head before I'd live in your state." Later on in the show, he continued the verbal assault, noting that "if you came to this show tonight, you're not a normal Texan. If you were a normal Texan, you'd probably be roping steers and ..." Well, we'd rather not even reprint the rest. ... The second edition of the Plug: Independent Music Awards was held Wednesday night at New York's Webster Hall, with rockers TV on the Radio winning Album of the Year for Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes and Interpol taking both Indie Artist and overall Artist of the Year awards. The Arcade Fire won New Artist of the Year, rapper Jean Grae was named Female Artist of the Year, and Tom Waits won Male Artist of the Year. Also winning awards were Madvillain, Dillinger Escape Plan and Death Cab for Cutie, among others. ...

Chris Rock isn't scared of Lil Jon or George W. Bush either, and he proves that on his new album, Never Scared. Due Tuesday, the album -- Rock's fourth -- also features this year's Academy Awards host's commentary on marriage, sex and child-rearing. The material, taken from Rock's 2004 HBO comedy special of the same name, also includes a DVD with behind-the-scenes footage. ... Jessica Simpson will introduce her new lifestyle brand at industry trade show MAGIC next week in Las Vegas. The singer will meet with top retailers to sell her lines -- Sweet Kisses, the JS Collection and Princy (also Simpson's nickname) -- which will include sportswear, shoes, sneakers, jewelry, hair care, perfume and even accessories for the home. Simpson said in a statement, "Now with the launch of my own brand I will be able to share my love of fashion and my lifestyle with my fans ... I am loving this new part of my life." Simpson's products will be available this fall. ...

Ozzy Osbourne's Prince of Darkness box set, originally set for release on February 8, will now hit shelves on March 22. The four-disc compilation, which is composed mainly of Ozzy's solo hits, will also feature newly recorded covers of songs by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and duets with such unlikely collaborators as Miss Piggy and the Wu-Tang Clan. ... Motörhead and Corrosion of Conformity are heading out on the road together this spring for a 14-date trek that starts March 9 in Sayreville, New Jersey, and ends April 12 in Spokane, Washington. "Corrosion of Conformity are a fine band as everybody knows," Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister said in a statement. "Also, they must be one of the few bands who have been going as long as Motörhead! Still, we'll give them a run for their money. Glad to have those boys along." ...

After hosting a symposium last year at New York University, De La Soul have decided to take their act to other universities. The hip-hop trio have slated a series of March dates at such schools as Howard University, Morgan State University and Clark Atlanta University. At some schools, the group will speak to students in the day and then perform on campus that night. ...