The fifth season of American Idol will kick off on Fox on Jan. 17. During the competition's three week semifinals in late February and early March, the network will air the reality series on three consecutive days each week, with the boys performing on Tuesday and the girls on Wednesday, followed by an hour long live results show on Thursday.

The man accused of blackmailing Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis was ordered to stand trial following testimony from Francis and a cameo of sorts from Paris Hilton.

Mariah Carey's Don't Forget About Us rose to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, putting her in a tie with Elvis Presley for second place among artists with the most No. 1 singles in the rock era. The Beatles hold the top spot.

After 36 years on ABC, Monday Night Football concluded its 555 episode network run with a game between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. The series switches networks next season, when ESPN begins an eight-year deal in which it will pay $1.1 billion per year for Monday night rights.

NBC got some early holiday cheer last week as the game show Deal or No Deal wrapped its five night run with double digit ratings improvements in the crucial 8 p.m. hour, where the network has lagged the most so far this season.

Slipknot percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan says the band will spend 2006 off the road after performing 233 shows in support of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses). Slipknot already has been offered a stray date or two on next year's Ozzfest, said Crahan. The next band product to hit shelves should be a DVD.

Velvet Revolver have set Libertad, the Spanish word for freedom, as the working title for their new CD.

Mike Myers split from wife Robin Ruzan was announced by his publicist. No reason was given, just the promise, as expressed by rep Ina Treciokas in a statement, that the pair "remain committed and caring friends."

After four-plus years and two children together, Laura Dern and Ben Harper tied the knot in a Yule-themed ceremony, according to Us Weekly.

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme received a visit from an old friend during a show in Los Angeles. Homme was joined by John Garcia, the singer of his previous band, Kyuss.

Carrie Underwood is more than an American Idol: She's Oklahoman of the Year as well. Oklahoma Today magazine picked the country singer who won Fox's talent competition this year, saying the Checotah native encompasses all that makes the state great and has the character and humility to be so honored.

Dreamworks Pictures will distribute the Korean film Typhoon in American theaters next year. This will be the first Korean film to get a major U.S. release. The movie tells of a modern-day pirate planning an attack on North and South Korea. Shooting took place in Thailand, Korea and Russia.

Cinderella frontman Tom Keifer produced three tracks for American Idol runner-up Bo Bice this past November. The tracks Cinnamon & Novacaine, Whiskey Women and Time, and Sinner in a Sin are the bonus tracks on Bo's DualDisc The Real Thing, which was released December 13.

With Destiny's Child calling it a career this fall, group member Kelly Rowland has quickly dived in to work on her next solo album.

Fox Searchlight will be making Johnson Family Vacation 2, with Cedric the Entertainer expected to reprise his role. Johnson Family Vacation 2 is expected to pick up where the Johnsons' holiday ended. The first film, which starred Cedric the Entertainer, followed the Johnson family on their cross country trek to their annual family reunion.