Lily Allen is returning to work after [article id="1579874"]suffering a miscarriage[/article] last week, Us Weekly reports. The British songstress will begin shooting her upcoming TV show, "Lily Allen and Friends," on Wednesday. The show will air on the U.K.'s BBC3. "She has insisted on coming back to work," a BBC insider told Us. "Obviously it's tough for her right now, but she is a professional and sees going back to work as a way to focus on something else." Allen was four months along with her first child with boyfriend Ed Simons, one-half of the Chemical Brothers, when she had the miscarriage. ...

Pinhead Gunpowder, a side project for Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, will be playing two very rare shows next month. The band is booked to perform February 3 at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California, and on February 4 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. The last time the band performed live was back in 2001. ...

Four eyewitnesses have reportedly stepped forward to support a claim from real-estate agent Gerard Rechnitzer that he was assaulted by Sean "Diddy" Combs at an Oscar party last year. The Associated Press reports that papers filed by Rechnitzer's attorney contain a witness report from Marianna Ruiz, who said in papers filed last week that Combs struck Rechnitzer unprovoked. "I just kind of remember seeing him go flying, not flying as in like feet off the ground, but he went back significantly," said Ruiz, who was part of a group at the club with the Rechnitzer. "I was just in shock that somebody would ... just kind of strike somebody out of nowhere." A second witness, Michael Sherman, reportedly said that, "all of a sudden, he hit him. And there was a taxi behind Gerard. Gerard got knocked into the taxi." Sherman added that Combs then allegedly tried to spit on Ruiz, who was standing nearby. Rechnitzer is seeking unspecified damages in the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last year over the incident, which took place on February 25, 2007. The suit, which Combs' attorneys have called "completely baseless," also claims that the rap impresario pushed Rechnitzer's girlfriend. ...

Paris Hilton had a rather uncomfortable experience the last time she appeared on David Letterman's talk show -- but not uncomfortable enough to keep her from coming back. Hilton will appear on "The Late Show With David Letterman" on February 1, according to TMZ. During Hilton's September 28 visit, Letterman asked questions about the heiress' [article id="1563367"]stint in prison[/article] and wouldn't let up. It will be Hilton's sixth appearance on the show. In other Hilton news, Us Weekly caught up with the celeb at Sundance to ask about her on-and-off friend Britney Spears. "She's such a sweet girl when I'm alone with her; she's a completely different person than she's made out to be," Hilton told Us. "And I love her. I think she's very sweet and has a big heart. She's amazing." The "Simple Life" star wished the best for the troubled pop star. "I just want her to be happy," she said. "I think everything's going to be OK." ...

Kiefer Sutherland was released from jail early Monday morning after serving 48 days on a drunken driving charge. According to The Associated Press, the "24" actor was quickly ushered out of a back door of the Glendale, California, jail to avoid the crush of press. Sutherland, who had his own cell and ate alone, reportedly spent most of his jail sentence apart from other inmates, interacting with fellow prisoners only when he was on the way to the laundry room where he worked cleaning sheets, pillowcases and blankets. The actor pleaded no contest in October to driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.08 percent and was sentenced to 30 days, as well as 18 days for violating probation stemming from a 2004 drunken-driving arrest. ...

AFI plan on returning to the same studio where they recorded most of their earliest albums, to begin work on what will be their next LP. Guitarist Jade Puget wrote on the band's MySpace blog, "We're currently working on new songs," and noted that being in the old studio has the band feeling "very nostalgic." ... Why was Gwyneth Paltrow hospitalized last week? Her chef pal Mario Batali says the actress' trip to New York's Mount Sinai Hospital was due to "a little gastrointestinal situation," according to UsMagazine.com. "It's now been straightened out," said Batali, who is traveling with Paltrow to Spain in three weeks to shoot a PBS cooking show, set to air in October. Paltrow's rep issued a statement on Tuesday (January 22), saying, "She is at home and OK." ...

The original lineup of New York hardcore legends Biohazard will reunite for a series of performances this summer in commemoration of the band's 20th anniversary. Bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei, drummer Danny Schuler, and guitarist Bobby Hambel have not performed together publicly since 1995. "Biohazard was the single most important chapter in our lives," Seinfeld said. "Our music brought us together and helped us rise up out of the streets of Brooklyn. Our journey has been an amazing one, and for me, it's all about my brothers Billy, Bobby and Danny, and of course the fans, whose undying support has never given up on the hopes of a reunion of the original band." ...

Christian metalcore outfit Norma Jean have tapped Spitfire's Chris Raines as their new drummer. The announcement ends months of auditions to find a replacement for Daniel Davison, who left in September.

1.21.08

Usher's father, Usher Raymond III, passed away at an Atlanta hospital on Friday, a rep for the singer confirmed to MTV News. The cause of death was not immediately known; People.com reported that the funeral will take place this week at the Taylor Funeral Home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ...

Britney Spears spent more than two hours at the Los Angeles office of Kevin Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, on Monday (January 21) for an ongoing deposition in the [article id="1579624"]former couple's custody battle,[/article] according to People.com. Spears was videotaped driving up to the office, accompanied by friend Sam Lufti, at around 10:40 a.m. PT and left at around 1:20 p.m. The deposition is expected to continue on Tuesday.

1.18.08

Lindsay Lohan has gotten a harsh assignment as part of her community service for [article id="1567795"]misdemeanor drunk driving.[/article] The Associated Press reported that the 21-year-old actress will be working two four-hour days at a morgue as part of her court-ordered program meant to show drivers the real-life consequences of drunk driving. Lohan -- who must serve 10 days of community service as part of her plea deal -- worked at an American Red Cross blood-services facility in a Los Angeles suburb in November. She has also been ordered to spend two days working in a hospital emergency room. ...

A New York judge told Foxy Brown on Thursday that she's going to have to provide medical proof for why she should be let out of jail to repair her defective cochlear implant, a surgically implanted hearing device. AP reports that acting Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson told the rapper (born Inga Marchand) that she needs more information before deciding if she can let Brown out of jail to fly to California for treatment and a repair of the implant. Brown, who was [article id="1569165"]sentenced to a year in jail[/article] in September for probation violation, recently [article id="1579744"]petitioned the court[/article] via a handwritten letter to allow her to travel for treatment, saying that her [article id="1535227"]hearing condition[/article] is worsening in jail and that she faces serious, potentially permanent hearing loss if the issue isn't resolved. Assistant District Attorney Cindy Chung had objected, saying Brown had not shown any proof that the procedure could not be done in New York and calling the request a "desperate and frivolous petition." Before being led out of court, Brown reportedly told the judge she had done a lot of thinking in jail about how to control her emotions and make better decisions, saying, "I have too much talent to throw it away. ... I know I will make you proud and my family proud." The seemingly nonplussed judge replied, "I'm glad you're learning some very hard lessons that needed to be learned." ...

Britney Spears, who has done little to promote her [article id="1571813"]Blackout album[/article] aside from appearing in the tabloids on a daily basis, has landed a paying gig. Spears will host a party for the Scandinavian Style Mansion at a private residence in Beverly Hills, California, on February 16, party organizer Claus Hjelmbak confirmed. "She's going to do the press line and be there for a few hours," Hjelmbak told MTV News. She was a guest for a similar party for the Mansion featuring items from luxury brands on December 1. "Even though she wasn't the host, she was so sweet to everybody and so generous with her time," Hjelmbak said. "She made all these little kids and all my clients feel amazing." ...

Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, was in court Friday (January 18) to enter a plea of innocent to [article id="1573876"]charges of assault and conspiracy.[/article] According to The Associated Press, Winehouse was not in the London courtroom to hear Fielder-Civil confirm his name and enter the plea, but she did show up afterward in a silver BMW, surrounded by bodyguards who shielded her from the paparazzi. Despite rumors that the couple could be headed for divorce, Winehouse was seen whispering, "I love you handsome ... gorgeous one," to her husband as he was led away. Fielder-Civil, 25, who is accused of attacking a pub landlord, and then later conspiring along with several other men to convince the man to withdraw as a witness in the trial, has been in jail since November. Fielder-Civil is due back in court on February 29 to enter a plea on the charge of obstructing justice. AP reports that the landlord in the case, James King, denied the conspiracy charge during his appearance on Friday. ...

Dreams come true: Paramore are set to co-headline a tour with their idols Jimmy Eat World. The trek will launch in March, with dates to be announced shortly. "If it all ends tomorrow, we will be happy knowing that we got a tour with the band that gave us a reason to play music," Paramore singer Hayley Williams said in a statement. "We got to know them last December while playing festivals together. They put on a great show and we think it's going to be an awesome bill," added Jimmy Eat World singer Jim Adkins. ... Every Time I Die, Chiodos, Motion City Soundtrack, Meg and Dia, Thrice and the Bled are featured on the audio portion of the Take Action! Volume 7 CD/DVD compilation, which is scheduled for a March 4 release. ...

The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. -- the site of a recent bid by talk-show host Stephen Colbert to have his portrait enshrined alongside some of America's legendary presidents -- is about to unveil an exhibition honoring hip-hop. "Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture" will open February 8 and feature photographer David Scheinbaum's portraits of famous rappers, paintings by Kehinde Wiley of LL Cool J and Ice-T based on famous European and American paintings from the 17th-19th centuries, and a poem by Nikki Giovanni that will be transcribed onto the walls of the exhibition by artist Shinique Smith. There will also be four portrait murals created by a pair of Washington graffiti artists that will be featured in the hallway between the galleries. ...

Velvet Revolver's Slash recently told Illinois' Northwest Herald that the band will begin working on its next LP in April. Slash is also planning to record a solo album sometime in the next year or two, he said. ... Staind frontman Aaron Lewis' three-night solo acoustic run at the Mohegan Sun Arena and Cabaret in Uncasville, Connecticut, next month will be filmed for the rocker's first-ever solo DVD. There's no word yet on when the effort will be ready for mass consumption, but we'll keep you posted. ... Chevelle and Finger Eleven will hit the road together next month for a spate of live gigs. The first is set for February 19 in Flint, Michigan, and so far, shows are booked through March 18 in Providence, Rhode Island. More dates will be revealed in the coming weeks. ...

Hard as it may be to believe, Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore has recorded the score to an adult film, according to Wired. "Extra Action (And Extra Hardcore)," which hits stores March 18 and was directed by Richard Kern, is an hourlong film that features "unpretentious, unadorned and definitely undressed" women, asked to "roll around and do something interesting for a few minutes." ...

Seal has signed on as the headliner of Musicians on Call's fourth annual Benefit Concert & Auction, which will take place January 29 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square. Among the items up for bid from the organization, which brings music to patients in health-care facilities, are two front-row concert tickets and a one-on-one piano lesson from Gavin DeGraw, a Fender bass signed by Sting, an acoustic guitar signed by Bon Jovi, and a meet-and-greet and two tickets for a Daughtry or Carrie Underwood/ Keith Urban show. ... Against stiff odds, Tanya Andersen has beaten the Recording Industry Association of America again. The single mother, who became a folk hero among the thousands of targets of the association's downloading lawsuits when the RIAA dropped its 2005 suit against her for lack of evidence, got word on Tuesday that a judge had ruled in her favor once more. Wired News reports that an Oregon judge ordered the RIAA to pay the 42-year-old Andersen's legal-defense fees from the copyright-infringement case, upholding a September ruling that the organization had appealed.

[This story was originally published at 2:48 pm E.T. on 1.22.2008]