Attorney: Brooke Sheen wants case dismissed (AP)

AP - Charlie Sheen and his wife were reunited Monday after a judge modified a restraining order and allowed them them to work out their differences following a Christmas Day domestic violence dispute in which the actor allegedly pinned his spouse on a bed with a knife to her throat.

Rep. John Murtha, Iraq war critic, dies at 77 (AP)

AP - Rep. John Murtha, the tall, gruff-mannered former Marine who became the de facto voice of veterans on Capitol Hill and later an outspoken and influential critic of the Iraq War, died Monday. He was 77. The Pennsylvania Democrat had been suffering from complications from gallbladder surgery. He died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., with his family at his bedside, the hospital said.

Michael Jackson's doctor pleads not guilty (AP)

AP - The doctor who prosecutors say caused Michael Jackson's death has been released from jail after posting $75,000 in bail, only a few hours after surrendering to authorities on a manslaughter charge.

Seats at premium on planes, trains out of DC (AP)

AP - A $20 cab ride to the airport skyrocketed to the "snow rate" of $100 in the nation's capital, and those travelers who could get to the airport or train station still had to haggle or wait in long lines to escape the snowbound Mid-Atlantic.

AP Interview: NY's Paterson lashes back at rumors (AP)

AP - New York Gov. David Paterson on Monday lashed back at what he called a "callous and sleazy" assault on his character in statehouse rumors and media reports that include accusations about womanizing and drug use, allegations he flatly denied.

February 08, 2010 - 4:30 PM / ET: Spanish Broadcasting System Announces Promotion of Albert Rodriguez in Miami

February 08, 2010 - 3:49 PM / ET: March of Dimes Helps Nurses Care for Mothers and Babies

February 08, 2010 - 2:34 PM / ET: Gloria Molina Launches 'eastLAworks' Initiative to Help Support Local Merchants & Promote Community Efforts

February 08, 2010 - 12:15 PM / ET: Univision Announces Star-Studded Line Up for 22nd Edition of 'Premio Lo Nuestro a la Música Latina' Awards

February 08, 2010 - 10:30 AM / ET: JetBlue Begins Nonstop Service Between Orlando and Montego Bay, Jamaica

Whatever the weather, US moguls team is ready (AP)

Bob Gainey steps down as Canadiens general manager (AP)

Saints raise their city's spirits, maybe for good (AP)

Yankees add Thames, finalize Winn (AP)

Delaware beats UNC-Wilmington 69-62 (AP)

Howard Stern Considering Replacing Simon Cowell On 'American Idol'

'There's not a better job on the planet than judging a karaoke contest,' Stern says on his Sirius radio show.
By James Montgomery, with additional reporting by Gil Kaufman

Howard Stern
Photo: Jim Spellman/ WireImage

On Monday (February 8), Howard Stern not only confirmed reports that Fox is interested in hiring him to replace departing "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, but that the interest is mutual.

"There's not a better job on the planet than judging a f-----g karaoke contest," Stern told his satellite radio listeners. "It might be possible, we'll see."

Stern, who frequently dissects "Idol" on his radio program, joked that the deciding factor in the negotiations might be the size of the paycheck show producers are willing to shell out for his services.

"They'd have to pay me a ton of dough, because I already make a ton of dough," he said.

Stern's five-year, $500 million contract with Sirius XM is set to expire in January of next year. And according to some reports, "Idol" producers are prepared to match that deal.

"A $100 million to judge a karaoke contest? Yeah, I think I would do that show for $100 million," Stern said. "It would be the best thing that happened to me. What a cush job: $100 million for four months. Who wouldn't take that?"

Stern added that he wouldn't do a radio show if he landed the "Idol" job, and said that, while the show is "nothing" without Cowell, he had read reports that it was the acerbic Brit himself who suggested the longtime shock jock take his place at the end of this season.

"I'm not going to comment about any discussions I might or might not have had," he said. "I watch 'American Idol.' ... people seem to think that if I was on it, because I'm such a foul-mouthed, miserable f---, that I would get them thrown off the air. I know how to judge."

And to that end, he said that, really, he's the best man for the job, since he'd be able to replace the acerbic wit the show would be missing without Cowell.

"If I do say so myself, I can't imagine anyone else but me replacing [Cowell]," Stern said. "I mean, how else are they going to make that show work? Who knows how to broadcast and who knows how to be interesting? And who's not afraid to speak their mind?"

And what else would Stern bring to the table? Well, judging by the jokes he made about current "Idol" judges Randy Jackson and Ellen DeGeneres, he wouldn't be opposed to sparring with his fellow judges. And when asked about the kinds of critiques he'd offer up to auditioners, he replied with this hypothetical nugget.

" 'Hey Fantasia, you're not getting little boys hard. You look like you stepped out of a cartoon. ... They want a Britney Spears or a Rihanna," Stern said. "Little boys are scared that you are going to sit on them. You're out. ... You've got to go clean up your act. Get a haircut like Rihanna if you want little boys [to get excited about] you."

Should make for an interesting show! A spokesperson for 19 Entertainment, which produces "American Idol," told MTV News there was no comment on the Stern situation.

Would Howard Stern make a good replacement for Simon Cowell on "American Idol"? What do you think? Sound off in the comments below!

• Simon Cowell Leaves 'American Idol'

• Who Should Replace Simon Cowell On 'American Idol'?
• Simon Cowell On "American Idol"

What Can Lil Wayne Expect During His Time In Jail? Experts Weigh In

'He's definitely going to be treated differently,' retired NYPD detective Derrick Parker says of Wayne's prison stint.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Lil Wayne
Photo: Newscom

Lil Wayne's life revolves around a daily regime of "SportsCenter," studio time and sweets. But on Tuesday (February 9), the Cash Money lyricist will be formally sentenced to prison after he struck a plea deal with Manhattan prosecutors stemming from a 2007 arrest in New York on gun charges. After he officially enters his plea, the rapper is expected to then turn himself in immediately to begin a one-year jail sentence.

Not since Tupac has such an accomplished and relevant MC faced an impending prison term. But will the lithe New Orleans rapper survive the daunting conditions at the notorious Rikers Island facility?

"Lil Wayne is gonna be OK," retired NYPD detective and noted "hip-hop cop" Derrick Parker told MTV News. "While he's in jail, it's a matter of fact they may not put him with the general population because of who he is and his popularity. They might lock him down and let him come out with a supervisor and stuff like that [when he's] in the main area — but he's definitely going to be treated differently."

According to Parker, the way Wayne will be handled will depend on safety concerns for the rapper as well as an effort to maintain as much normalcy at the facility as possible — it won't resemble pampered treatment by any means. Parker said despite Wayne's small physical stature and his propensity to signal a particular gang affiliation in his rhymes, the rapper won't have much to fear in terms of extortion, bullying or worse.

Parker compared Wayne to former New York Giants football player Plaxico Burress, another celebrity who was convicted on gun charges in New York. However, Wayne could be better prepared for life behind bars — Burress hired a jail coach to assist him with acclimating to prison, something Wayne wouldn't even consider.

"Wayne is from the streets, from the Magnolia Houses in New Orleans, so I'm sure those guys have been in jail or locked up at some point," Parker said. "So being in prison is no big deal to them. Plaxico isn't built for that — he's the type of guy that's never been locked up like that before. He's gonna need a coach or someone to tell him what to expect, since he's not used to that."

But what exactly can Wayne expect? Fortunately, he won't have to cut his trademark tresses.

"The days of doing that are over," retired corrections officer Charles Reid told MTV News. "They can't make inmates do that anymore — it's within their rights to maintain any kind of hairstyle."

Wayne will have a few comforts of home while he's away. He will be able to watch network television — not cable, however. And he'll be able to watch DVD movies. He told Rolling Stone recently he plans to take an iPod in with him to assist with writing music, but a source close to the prison facility told MTV News that would not be allowed.

Reid, who worked at Rikers Island for 21 years as an officer and an investigator, said Wayne's days would continue to be regimented, but in a much different way. He suggested the rapper may have to succumb to some work conditions, whether in sanitation or the mess hall, for example. Reid also noted that different wings of the prison carry different types of criminals, but guessed that Wayne would be housed in a dormitory area and not even be confined to a cell.

"Like a hospital, where there's maybe 20 to 25 beds in an open ward, or it maybe bunk beds," Reid said of Wayne's possible lodgings. "Where he has a nightstand to keep his personal belongings."

Due to the short nature of Wayne's sentence — one year, which could mean 10 months, including the possibly of early release after serving 80 percent of good time, possibly putting him back onstage in a little as eight months — the rapper could very well spend his entire term at Rikers Island.

It won't be known for sure if Wayne will be transferred upstate until he enters the New York corrections system and is processed. (A representative for the Corrections Department did not return several inquiries made by MTV as of press time.)

"I think he's gonna go in there and do his time and do it quietly," Parker said. "If he does it with good behavior, that will be a plus for him — then he'll be out and putting out a new album."

How do you think Lil Wayne will fare with his upcoming jail time? Let us know in the comments below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com!

• Lil Wayne Goes To Jail

• Lil Wayne

The Game Says He Lost $1,000 To Dr. Dre On Super Bowl Bet

'I'd figured Peyton Manning wouldn't disappoint in the Bowl,' MC says of putting his money on the Colts.
By Shaheem Reid

Game
Photo: Gallo Images/ Getty Images

When Peyton Manning threw that interception in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV, the Game says he felt the $1000 he put up on the Colts slipping through his fingers. The underdog New Orleans Saints won the game and surprised a lot of NFL fans.

"I lost some money, man," Game admitted. "I was going with the Colts, man — for no reason. The Saints or the Colts, that ain't my team, man. I'd figured Peyton Manning wouldn't disappoint in the Bowl, but he got his Jim Kelly on. He could have easily tied that game up. But [Manning] was outta the game. I know that face — it's like that sick face n---as make when they knowing it's a wrap. He couldn't shake the face. He came out and played exactly how his expression was. He's used to having it his way. [The Saints] came out there and did they thing, man."

Game says he lost about $1,000 to Dr. Dre, his lab partner for his new LP The R.E.D. Album. The controversial MC watched the game at the Doc's crib and even had a chance to reflect on his career while The Who played the half-time show.

"I was sitting outside of Dre's house yesterday, me and Stat Quo. We was talking about my career and where he is with his and the people that were around that ain't around," Game recalled. "He was telling me, 'N---a, you did the sh--, you went up against everybody,' and we really right back here in Dre's front yard talking at half time of the game. [Stat] was going for the Colts too. He lost some money to Dre too — gotta throw him under the bus too. But yeah man, the way the life is and the way sh-- happens, it's crazy. But it's a beautiful thing that a n---a is still existing in hip-hop and has the force to sell records."

Game's new album will also feature production by Pharrell Williams, Cool and Dre and appearances by Rick Ross, Ashanti and Justin Timberlake.http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628190/20091214/timberlake_justin.jhtml.

• The Game
• Dr. Dre

Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray Pleads Not Guilty

Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter earlier in the day; bail was set at $75,000.
By Eric Ditzian

Dr. Conrad Murray arrives for his arraignment of at the Airport Los Angeles Courthouse today
Photo: Toby Canham/ Getty Images

Hours after Dr. Conrad Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Michael Jackson's 2009 death, the embattled physician pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon (February 8) during an arraignment hearing at a Los Angeles courthouse, according to The Associated Press.

Murray's bail was set at $75,000, three times greater than the bail usually set for such crimes. Without being handcuffed, Murray was then taken into custody for booking. He must surrender his passport, allowing him to travel within the United States but not out of the country. Prosecutors had been seeking bail of $300,000, but Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz rejected that amount. The involuntary-manslaughter charge carries a maximum jail sentence of four years.

Speaking with reporters following the hearing, Ed Chernoff, Murray's lawyer, said his client would not be talking to press. "He's going to go home," Chernoff said. "He's going to go back to his family. He's going to go back to his patients."

Members of the Jackson family — including the singer's parents, Joe and Katherine, sister La Toya and brothers Jermaine, Tito and Randy — were present during the hearing. Afterward the family made its way through a throng of fans and reporters outside the courthouse without making a formal comment to the press. "We need justice," Joe announced at one point as he made his way to his vehicle, according to The New York Times.

During the hearing, Randy Jackson tweeted, "Sitting in court & I'm sad. Those profiting most from my bro's death: AEG, Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega, Estate Executors r nowhere in sight."

"This charge is a slap on the wrist," Brian Oxman, Joe Jackson's lawyer, told People. "There's great disappointment here. [Conrad Murray] should've been charged with a higher degree of responsibility. What he did was reckless. It was a disregard for human life."

Earlier in the day, prosecutors filed a criminal complaint alleging Murray acted "unlawfully, and without malice [to] kill Michael Joseph Jackson" in administering the surgical anesthetic propofol and other tranquilizers to the singer. The coroner's report has indicated that Murray gave Jackson a dose of propofol sufficient for "major surgery" and that the pop singer died of "acute propofol intoxication."

Murray had been treating Jackson as the King of Pop prepared for a series of comeback concerts at London's O2 arena. Murray told investigators that he administered the sedatives to Jackson several times in the hours leading up to his death and eventually discovered that Jackson was no longer breathing. The singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT on June 25.

• Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos

• Michael Jackson

Drake Announces Eco-Friendly College Tour

The Away From Home Tour will stop at 15 schools this spring.
By Cristina Ramos

Drake
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Grammy nominee Drake will embark on his first solo tour of the U.S., it was announced Monday (February 8). The Young Money MC will headline at 25 cities nationwide beginning April 6 and will be implementing an eco-friendly policy throughout the tour.

The Away From Home Tour will stop at 15 college campuses along the way, including Penn State, Michigan State and University of Central Florida. Drizzy will also be making stops at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and sharing the stage with Paramore and Ke$ha at the Bamboozle Festival in Rutherford, New Jersey.

The eco-friendly show, which is part of the 5th Annual Campus Consciousness tour and hopes to promote environmental sustainability through music, also includes Canadian rapper K-OS and synthpop band Francis and the Lights. The showcase will also feature national and campus-based green and socially conscious groups educating students at the "half rock tour, half environmental campaign" events.

The spring tour will begin at Eastern Illinois University. Plans to add more dates are developing.

Drake's tour dates according to the press release:

» April 6 - Charleston, IL @ Eastern Illinois University
» April 6 - Columbus, OH @Private Location
» April 9 - State College, PA @ Penn State University
» April 10 - Boston, MA @ Private Location
» April 11 - Lock Haven, PA @ Private Location
» April 14 - East Lansing, MI @ Michigan State University
» April 15 - Rochester Hills, MI @ Oakland University
» April 16 - Morgantown, WV @ West Virginia University
» April 21 - Orlando, FL @ University of Central Florida
» April 22 - Greenville, SC @Furman University
» - TBA
» April 24 - New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
» April 26 - Kansas City, MO @ University of Missouri, Kansas City
» April 27 - Lexington, KY @ University of Kentucky
» April 29 - Lowell, MA @ University Mass Lowell
» April 20 - Syracuse, NY @ Private Location
» May 1 - Boston, MA @ Private Location
» May 1 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Bamboozle Festival
» May 4 - Worcester, MA @ Holy Cross
» May 5 - Towson, MD @ Towson University
» May 6 - Cheney, PA @ Cheney University
» May 7 - Ithaca, NY @ Private Location
» May 8 - Plymouth, NH @ Private Location

• Drake