More News...

By (AP)

The campaign is over, but Barack Obama is still a TV hit.

CBS' "60 Minutes" had its highest overnight ratings in nearly a decade with Sunday's episode featuring Steve Kroft interviewing the president-elect and future first lady. Nielsen Media Research's preliminary estimate the show was seen by 24.5 million people on Sunday.

That's more than any other episode of a prime-time show seen this season, and the biggest audience for "60 Minutes" since January 1999.

Sunday's "60 Minutes" was likely helped by being immediately preceded by a down-to-the-wire NFL game betw...

By Lauren Victoria Burke (AP)

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano has hit a milestone in any politician's career _ she was parodied on "Saturday Night Live."

The brief impersonation by cast member Kristen Wiig came during host Paul Rudd's opening monologue.

Rudd discussed the show's popular political impersonations and assured the audience there were plenty of good impressions left to do.

That included Napolitano, a Democrat mentioned as a possible attorney general in Barack Obama's administration.

Wiig then came out donning Napolitano's hairstyle _ short and black with a gray spot in the front....

By TONY ESPARZA (AP)

The first time Steve Kroft went to Barack Obama's house to interview him two weeks before his presidential campaign kickoff, Obama's daughter Sasha answered the door.

Don't expect that to ever happen again. Life has changed dramatically for the Obama family, as Kroft learned Friday in Chicago when he conducted the first postelection interview with Obama. It was for Sunday's "60 Minutes" on CBS.

The interview was a major coup for Kroft, who's marking his 20th year with the CBS News program in the middle of the year's biggest stories _ the presidential campaign and the eco...

By Ray Farmer (AP)

Climbing Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro is no weekend hike, and the "Today" show's Ann Curry was feeling it on Saturday.

The NBC reporter was sent on assignment for the popular morning show's "Ends of the Earth" feature, which begins Monday. The program's four chief personalities will embark on lengthy road trips to illustrate environmental stories.

"This is like climbing a Stairmaster for six hours a day with 20 pounds on your back," Curry said in a telephone interview from her tent following Saturday's climb.

She's hardly an experienced climber. The last mountain...

By DAN STEINBERG (AP)

Montecito is home to the rich and famous, but it's not flashy. It's exclusive, but not haughty. And it's far enough from the sprawl of Los Angeles for comfort _ while still close enough for convenience.

People who live in this enclave tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the mountains call it a paradise, one that has long drawn old money and, in recent years, flush celebrities.

Among them are Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe, Montecito neighbors who commiserated by phone Friday during the taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." While the homes of each had apparently escaped damage as...

By DAN STEINBERG (AP)

Montecito is home to the rich and famous, but not flashy. It's exclusive, but not haughty. And it's far enough from the sprawl of Los Angeles for comfort _ while still close enough for convenience.

People who live in this coastal enclave tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the mountains call it a paradise, one that has long drawn old money and, in recent years, flush celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe.

Residents extolled Montecito's charms Friday, even as the Santa Barbara community surrendered a swath of its multimillion-dollar homes to a brutal wildfire. Lowe...

By Kevork Djansezian (AP)

Rob Lowe says he and his children fled a wildfire raging in California with just minutes to spare.

The 44-year-old actor said Friday in a telephone interview with local station KABC-TV that the entire mountain around his Montecito home was on fire and flames were shooting 200 feet in the air.

The actor says his home was ultimately spared, but as they left, the wind was blowing at 70 miles an hour and "it was just like Armageddon."

Lowe says he was watching football with his son Thursday night when his wife called to alert him. He says they didn't see any fire engines or...

By DAN STEINBERG (AP)

Hilary Duff will soon become a fixture on NBC.

The former Lizzie McGuire has signed a talent and development deal with the network. NBC said it will come up with a new series for Duff to star in, although it offered no details on what that might be.

In addition, the network said Friday that Duff will appear as a guest in several other NBC series over the next year, but there were no details.

Duff recently co-starred in the John Cusack movie "War, Inc." and has three feature films coming out next year.

The announcement was made by Ben Silverman, co-chairman, NBC...

By Evan Agostini (AP)

Add Christian Slater and Brooke Shields to the list of actors with TV failures on their records.

NBC is pulling the plug on "My Own Worst Enemy" and "Lipstick Jungle," two of its more high-profile young series, according to two network executives who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the decision.

The network will not order new episodes of either series when their current orders _ nine in the case of "My Own Worst Enemy" and 13 for "Lipstick Jungle" _ run out, the executives said.

"My Own Worst Enemy" was giv...

By Chris Carlson (AP)

Another year, another set of fascinating people.

Barbara Walters is weighing in with her annual "10 Most Fascinating People" special, and for 2008, the honor roll includes Tom Cruise, Tina Fey and Will Smith.

Walters will also feature Rush Limbaugh, Miley Cyrus and Michael Phelps. The show will air Dec. 4, ABC announced Thursday.

The network did not release the names of the other four honorees, including the No. 1 Most Fascinating Person of 2008. The list is drawn from the year's most prominent names in entertainment, sports, politics and pop culture.

___

AB...

By Mark J. Terrill (AP)

For nearly seven weeks, Melora Hardin is trading the offices of Scranton's Dunder Mifflin for the bright lights of Broadway.

The actress who plays Jan Levenson on the hit NBC TV series "The Office" will join the cast of "Chicago" Dec. 29 to portray that killer chorine Roxie Hart. Hardin will appear in the long-running revival at the Ambassador Theatre through Feb. 12.

By Gus Ruelas (AP)

This year's American Music Awards will be diva-heavy, with Beyonce topping the list.

The singer is to perform at the Nov. 23 ceremony in Los Angeles, which will air 8 p.m. EST live on ABC.

The show will include many of pop's top female singers. Also part of the performing lineup: Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift and Rihanna.

Annie Lennox is to receive the AMA's Award of Merit.

Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the 36th annual event. Other performers include Kanye West, the Jonas Brothers, Ne-Yo and Miley Cyrus.

___

On the Net:

By Steve Parsons (AP)

Lindsay Lohan referred to President-elect Barack Obama as the country's "first colored president" in an interview on "Access Hollywood."

Describing her experience on Election Day, Lohan said: "It was really exciting. It's an amazing feeling. It's our first colored president."

A spokeswoman for Lohan didn't immediately return messages left Wednesday.

Interviewer Maria Menounos didn't question the 22-year-old actress on her use of the term. "Access Hollywood" also didn't cite her remark in its online story, but did post an "extended interview" video on its We...

By Gus Ruelas (AP)

William Shatner is continuing to feud with former "Star Trek" co-star George Takei.

In his latest online video, Shatner says: "George has been mean to me for a long time _ I mean, decades and decades."

Shatner complained in a previous video that he wasn't invited to Takei's September wedding to Brad Altman. Takei and Altman have said Shatner was invited; Shatner says he didn't receive the invitation.

Says Shatner: "I would not expect him to invite me to a place where he wanted to be surrounded by love and he'd see my little red face poking out there, and look at m...

By Evan Agostini (AP)

A fan of Paula Abdul was found dead in a car parked near a home belonging to the "American Idol" judge, police said Wednesday.

The death appears to be a suicide, Capt. Jim Miller told KTTV-TV. He said the woman, who was in her 30s and was not identified, had an infatuation with Abdul.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened at what transpired yesterday," Abdul said in a statement released by her publicist, Jeff Ballard. "My heart and prayers go out to her family.

Police spokeswoman Julianne Sohn says officers responded to a call about 6 p.m. Tuesday and arrived in the Sherm...

By Gus Ruelas (AP)

Authorities are investigating battery allegations against Emmy-winning actor Brad Garrett in an incident involving a photographer in West Hollywood.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Kristin Aloma says the 48-year-old Garrett has not been arrested in the incident that occurred late Tuesday or early Wednesday. She did not provide further details.

A message left for Garrett's manager, Glenn Robbins, was not immediately returned.

Garrett stars in the Fox sitcom "'Til Death." He won three best supporting actor Emmys for his role in the comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond."<...