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A.M. Surf Report: Justin Timberlake Has 'Power' Over Britney Spears; Tony Soprano Doesn't Know If He's Dead

Plus Ludacris and Nick Cannon team up for b-ball film; 'close friend' claims Nicole Richie is having Joel Madden's baby, and more.

The news happens all the time, even while you're catching up on beauty sleep. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning -- a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

[article id="1562581"]Lil Wayne told us that he's in no hurry[/article] to put out Tha Carter, Vol. 3, and if his projected 2008 release is too far off for you, blame all the artists he's been working with -- "A lot of people want to use the songs I'm on as singles. That would be a quick, 'No, reject,' if my album was out." -- plus the leader of the St. Lunatics. "I was given advice by my big brother Nelly about how to do that," Wayne explained. "He said, 'You gotta make them want you.' " ...

Glenn Danzig assures us that his Lost Classics of Danzig LP is a more than just a collection of "throwaway songs" -- and while his word should be enough (who'd argue with him?), the effort he's put into the disc may prove his point. [article id="1562582"]"This whole record was a real pain in the butt," he said[/article]. "There were a lot of surprises along the way and a lot of work." ...

Another warm weekend, another special-effects propelled blockbuster -- check out [article id="1562491"]"Kurt Loder's review of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"[/article] -- but we checked out a preview of the kind of film that premieres during awards season. [article id="1562583"]"August Rush"[/article] has all the key Oscar ingredients, starring Academy favorites (Terrence Howard and Robin Williams), centering on a cute kid in a bad spot (Freddie Highmore plays an exploited musical prodigy), and accompanied by earnest, heartfelt music (courtesy of Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik). ...

Quote of the Day: "She came off as too cool for school ... but she was the most caring person in the house." -- [article id="1562550"]""Real World: San Diego" housemate Jamie Chung remembers Frankie Abernathy[/article]

Here's what everyone else is talking about:

Who is more powerful than Oprah Winfrey? No one, according to Forbes magazine's annual Celebrity 100 Power list. Winfrey elbows last year's winner Tom Cruise down to #8, while Tiger Woods comes in second, Madonna finishes third, Rolling Stones take #4 and Brad Pitt scores #5. Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton didn't make the cut due to "diminished brand value," editor Lea Goldman told Reuters, while Jay-Z (#9), 50 Cent (#32), Justin Timberlake and (#34) Diddy (#43) rank. ...

Confused about the end of "The Sopranos"? You're not alone. Even the guy who played the boss isn't sure about the finale. "I don't know what happened to Tony," James Gandolfini told New York's Daily News. "Smarter minds than mine know the answer to that. I thought it was a great ending. You decide." ...

Ludacris and Nick Cannon are teaming up onscreen for "Ball Don't Lie," an indie drama starring streetball champ Grayson T. Boucher (a.k.a. the Professor) as a basketball prodigy, Variety reports. ...

New York Post's Page Six is getting in on the "Is Nicole Richie Pregnant?" action, reporting that she is definitely carrying Joel Madden's baby, according to a "close friend," who added, "Nicole is kind of hoping her pregnancy will keep her out of jail." ...

The White Stripes have lined up a small New York show to preview Icky Thump -- but unlike [article id="1562369"]the L.A. date[/article], this one won't be at an old Tower Records store. Instead, Jack and Meg will take the stage at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza on Tuesday. Tickets for the gig go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m, and will only be available at the venue's box office. ...

Lily Allen is striking back at reports that she's a "hot mess" -- the choice phrase a gossip site used to describe her Tuesday gig at NYC's Roseland Ballroom, which allegedly started two hours late. "Anyone who thought I was going on earlier, I'm sorry you were misinformed," Allen wrote in her MySpace blog. "I would never turn up two hours late for a gig .......EVER." But don't expect the singer to continue to set the record straight via her blog. "I'm not going to write here so often now," Allen explained. "This used to be one of my favourite things to do. I could come on here and vent how I feel honestly and get feedback from you guys . But the tabloid f---s have ruined it." ...

Nicky and Kathy Hilton told People magazine that it's hard to see Paris in jail -- "It's like right out of the movies," Nicky said. "The glass partition, the orange jumpsuit. Everything." -- but they hope that her time behind bars can serve a greater purpose. I hope this will shine a light on everybody [in those jails], Paris' mom said, explaining that the facilities "need financial help, and it's very sad to see what's going on in there." ...

Al Pacino answers readers' questions in Time and says that he probably won't compete on "Dancing With the Stars" -- not because he's got two left feet ("All due respect and trying to be as modest as I can be, I am a dancer."), and not even because he's far too A-list for a reality show. "I don't think I would be on ... mainly because I would be too shy," he explained. Check out our report for more from big Al, including [article id="1562480"]Pacino's thoughts on working with Robert De Niro[/article] and the cut that cost him a lot of points with critics. ...

E! Online's Planet Gossip reports that the long-rumored -- and denied -- Spice Girls reunion could turn into a six-month run in Las Vegas. E!'s source notes that the five singers, who have six children between them and another on the way, "can all walk away with a lot more money without having to travel." ...

Seven convicted sex offenders were arrested by Texas authorities after MySpace provided details about the former members of the social-networking site, Reuters reports. MySpace started cooperating with state authorities last month after questioning whether revealing users' identities is legal.

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