AP - A judge will likely grant Madonna and Guy Ritchie an initial divorce decree on Friday, according to the schedule for London's High Court.

AP - A case against Rod Stewart's son over a brawl at a Hollywood nightclub has been resolved.

E! Online - ABC has canceled Pushing Daisies, executive producer Bryan Fuller confirms to me exclusively.

E! Online - Former Top Chef wannabe Jill Snyder likes to joke that she's going to buy an ostrich farm.

E! Online - Sean Stewart won't be getting clubbed in court for brawling outside a Hollywood hotspot.

AP - Movies are increasingly creeping online, as video sites like YouTube and Hulu are adding feature films to their extensive libraries.

AP - A case against Rod Stewart's son over a brawl at a Hollywood nightclub has been resolved.

E! Online - Update, 5:11 p.m.: E! News reports that ABC has canceled Pushing Daisies.

Reuters - The New York Times Co slashed its dividend by almost three-quarters and plans to cut spending and reevaluate its assets to cope with an advertising decline that is gouging U.S. newspaper publishers.

AFP - The wife of Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has filed for divorce, her spokeswoman said Thursday.

Fashion Wire Daily - Forget what you’ve heard about Rihanna. "Good Girl Gone Bad" is only one half of her story. She may be a brooding and glamorous fashion plate in her music videos, but in her off hours this Grammy-winning artist partnered up with Gucci to be the face of their new Tattoo Heart accessories collection, which Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini designed as part of their annual campaign to benefit UNICEF, now in its fourth year.

A pre-"Entourage" Adrian Grenier, a post-"90210" Jason Priestley and many others popped up in Brit's clips.
By Jocelyn Vena

Taye Diggs, Britney Spears and Jason Priestley in "Boys"
Photo: Jive

Over the past decade, Britney Spears has had a gaggle of good-looking guys in her videos. From the unknown pretty faces to well-known actors — and even ex-husband Kevin Federline! — Spears has had all different types of eye candy in her clips.

Here, we recall the ones who left a lasting impression:

"(You Drive Me) Crazy," 1999

Male Lead: Adrian Grenier, who had worked in a few smaller movies before starring in the video. The song appeared in the movie "Drive Me Crazy," in which he starred with Melissa Joan Hart.

Since the Video: He's gone on to star in the successful HBO TV series "Entourage," where he plays hot young actor Vincent Chase — a character who eats girls like Britney Spears for breakfast.

"Boys Co-Ed Remix" 2002

Male Leads: To be clear, we aren't sure how all these people ended up in the video — but we aren't complaining, either. Here are the names and their pre-Brit credits: Jason Priestley ("Beverly Hills, 90210"), Taye Diggs ("How Stella Got Her Groove Back"), DJ Qualls ("Road Trip"), Pharrell (Neptunes), Mike Myers as Austin Powers (well, "Austin Powers").

Since the Video: Priestley starred in the Lifetime series "Side Order of Life" and will direct an episode of the new "90210." Diggs plays a doctor on "Private Practice" and had roles in the movie musicals "Rent" and "Chicago." Qualls co-starred in "Hustle & Flow" and has done a lot of cameos on TV shows. Pharrell has worked with everyone from Gwen Stefani to the Hives since his early days with Britney. And Myers, well, he played the Love Guru with another former Spears leading man: Justin Timberlake.

"Toxic," 2004

Male Lead: Martin Henderson, a New Zealander who starred in the TV show "Blue Sky," and supermodel Tyson Beckford, whose previous videos included Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" and 50 Cent's "21 Questions."

Since the Video: Henderson has worked in several Hollywood films, like "Flyboys" with James Franco and "Battle in Seattle" with Charlize Theron. He has a few more movies coming out next year, including "Last Man" with Guy Pearce. Meanwhile, Beckford has also been acting in films such as "Into the Blue," and he recently hosted the Bravo reality show, "Make Me a Supermodel."

"Everytime," 2004

Male Lead: Stephen Dorff, who worked in a ton of movies before hooking up with Britney, including "Blade" and "Cecil B. DeMented."

Since the Video: He's been in a bunch of movies (does anyone remember "Felon" or "Botched"?) and had an uncredited role as an "audience member" in Pamela Anderson's defunct TV show "Stacked."

"My Prerogative," 2004

Male Lead: Kevin Federline, who was a backup dancer and hooked up with Britney before landing in this video.

Since the Video: He has attempted rapping and acting, making cameos in "CSI" and "One Tree Hill" playing a, well, wannabe musician.

Honorable Mention

Madonna should get some credit for her work in Brit's 2003 video, "Me Against the Music," because we always figured Madge wore the pants in that relationship. Since the clip, Madonna has released a couple of albums and done a few tours, but she's also made a headline or two by adopting a son, allegedly dating Alex Rodriguez and getting a divorce from her director husband, Guy Ritchie.

Nameless Dudes

Finally, we'd like to take some time to recognize the anonymous pretty faces from some of Britney's other videos. They include the hot astronaut from the "Oops ... I Did It Again" video, the sexy beach guys in the "Sometimes" and "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" clips, and the wholesome boy next door in "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart." There was also that guy in "Stronger" whom we'll never be able to place. We hope the same fate doesn't befall Britney's latest man candy, Brandon Stoughton from the "Womanizer" video.

Getting pumped about the Britney Spears documentary? Share your thoughts by uploading a video to YouRHere.MTV.com, or sound off in the comments section below. "For the Record" airs Sunday, November 30, at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.

• Britney Spears' Leading Men

• Britney Spears

Chinese Democracy's label is making a sly move to beat 808s & Heartbreak in first-week sales.
By Chris Harris

Kanye West and Axl Rose
Photo: MTV News/ Getty Images

It was shaping up to be an epic battle between two of music's biggest heavyweights, with Kanye West — the Louis Vuitton Don, and the man we crowned the Hottest MC in the Game — standing in one corner, wearing the gold trunks and white Shutter Shades, ready to drop 808s & Heartbreak. And in the other: Axl Rose — sporting the black trunks, a Los Angeles Raiders jersey, red cornrows and a little album called Chinese Democracy.

Who will walk away with the championship belt? Chances are, it won't be 'Ye.

Fans are excited, critics and industry watchers look on with great anticipation, and even oddsmakers have jumped into the fray, casting Guns N' Roses as the favorite. But, at the 11th hour, GN'R are making things a bit interesting in this race toward Billboard's peak position. That's because Axl's got a secret weapon: the Eighth Day.

After years of false starts and broken promises, Geffen Records will finally issue Guns N' Roses' eagerly awaited album this coming Sunday, a day before West's latest hits stores. And a spokesperson for Geffen told MTV News that first-day sales figures for Chinese Democracy will not be reported to Nielsen SoundScan until November 30, the same day West's label will report his week-one sales.

Typically, albums are released in the U.S. on Tuesdays, and SoundScan tracks weekly sales data from Monday through Sunday, meaning that most albums' debut spots on the Billboard chart are based on six solid sales days. At first, most assumed day-one sales of Chinese Democracy — which took Rose more than 16 years to complete — would be reported next week and released the morning of November 26. But GN'R's label is holding off on releasing those sales figures until the following week, setting the stage for an extra boost in the chart standings announced on December 3.

West's only chance at a third consecutive #1 debut is the fact that Chinese Democracy will be available exclusively at Best Buy's Web site and stores, whereas 808s will be everywhere.

This is a different game from last fall, when Kanye and 50 Cent released solo albums on the very same day. After weeks of hype leading up to their showdown, West's Graduation pushed 957,000 copies, easily besting Curtis, which sold 691,000 copies in week one.

Before Geffen's plan was known, MTV News reached out to U.K. betting company Ladbrokes and online-gaming purveyors Bodog Entertainment to see which album they favor for a #1 opening. Despite West's immense popularity, the numerous leaks of Chinese Democracy over the years and GN'R's Best Buy deal, oddsmakers from both companies said Guns' LP has the best chance of scoring a chart-topping debut.

Bodoglife.com Sportsbook manager Richard Gardner put the odds at -130 in favor of Guns — which is basically the same thing as saying there's a 56 percent chance that Axl will outsell West. Meanwhile, he put the odds at -110 for a Kanye West win, or a 52 percent chance that his album will enter the chart at the peak position.

"We would quote 1/3 on Guns N' Roses, and 5/2 on Kanye West," said Nick Weinberg, head of Ladbrokes' novelty betting division. "So we make Guns N' Roses the favorite to top the charts in the week immediately after the release, due to the massive sense of anticipation surrounding the album. A lot of people have been waiting a long time for it."

• Axl Rose's Top MTV Moments
• MTV News RAW: Kanye West

• Guns N' Roses
• Kanye West

Lawsuit takes aim at 50's persona of 'belligerence and arrogance.'
By Gil Kaufman

50 Cent
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

The lawyers for Taco Bell may know about the law, but it seems they're not too up on the rules of the hip-hop game.

In a trash-talking countersuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York in September that recently surfaced, the food chain's lawyers shot back against a trademark-infringement suit filed by 50 (born Curtis Jackson) last summer, in which the MC sued the chain for allegedly making him an unauthorized spokesman in a campaign in which they suggested he change his name to "79 Cent" or "99 Cent" to match prices on the Taco Bell menu.

According to a copy of the countersuit obtained by TMZ, Taco Bell engages in some legal trash talking, in which they say the "self-described former drug dealer and hustler" creates music that falls into "the subgenre of hip-hop music known as 'gangsta rap,' a style associated with urban street gangs and characterized by violent, tough-talking braggadocio."

The suit claims that 50 has used his "colorful" past to cultivate an image of "belligerence and arrogance," and says he has a "well-publicized track record for making threats, starting feuds and filing lawsuits," while also painting himself as a charitable person who gives back to his community. Lawyers for Taco Bell claim the suit against them is "another of Jackson's attempts to burnish his gangsta rapper persona by distorting beyond all recognition a bona fide, good faith offer Taco Bell made."

The chain argues that their offer to donate $10,000 to the charity of 50's choice and give the restaurant's patrons free food if 50 showed up at any Taco Bell restaurant and "rapped an order in the drive thru using the name 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent," was made in earnest.

The suit claims that the "humorous but sincere" open letter it sent to 50 had an obvious "jovial spirit," but with a serious underlying offer. "The challenge — asking Jackson to temporarily change his name ... for charity — was a soft ridicule and good-natured lampoon of the rapper's moniker, 50 Cent, and his public image as a gangsta rapper."

As a defense, the suit notes that the letter from Taco Bell's president was not used in ads, that 50's name was never used in an ad campaign and that "celebrity challenges are notable and newsworthy and reported in the media."

In the end, Bell's lawyers say 50 could simply have responded yes or no to the offer, and if he'd said yes, both would have benefited from the publicity for his good deed. Instead, though, the suit claims he launched an "aggressive, offensive attack on Taco Bell in the press," including threatening legal action against the chain in a widely distributed sound bite in which he warned, "when my legal team is finished with them, Taco Bell is going to have a new corporate slogan: 'We messed with the bull and got the horns.' "

Peter Raymond, an attorney for 50 Cent, said in a statement released to MTV News Thursday afternoon (November 20): "Mr. Jackson filed this lawsuit to protect his valuable trademark and privacy rights against infringers like Taco Bell, who seek to make money using his name without his permission. Mr. Jackson intends to demonstrate that Taco Bell and its affiliated companies have used this same infringing tactic before by issuing press releases using other celebrities' names, such as Rihanna, Chris Brown, Fergie and Paris Hilton. Mr. Jackson believes that Taco Bell needs to be stopped. With this recent court filing, Taco Bell has not only misappropriated Mr. Jackson's name, but they have now defamed his character in a desperate attempt to defend their improper actions. Mr. Jackson intends to vigorously pursue this case."

Representatives for Taco Bell had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment at press time.

[This story was originally published at 12:31 pm E.T. on 11.20.2008]

• 50 Cent

Check out clips from Britney Spears' 'For the Record' documentary right here!
By Jocelyn Vena

Britney Spears in "Britney: For The Record"
Photo: MTV

In a 33-minute media screening for Britney Spears' new documentary, "For the Record" — which airs Sunday, November 30, on MTV — we get a fuller sense of what the singer's life has been like in recent months; a series of sneak peeks have popped up over the last few days. In the screening, which took place Thursday (November 20), we see the singer on shopping trips in New York, shooting the music video for her single "Womanizer," and her daily contact with hordes of paparazzi.

In the special, Spears likens her life to the Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day," in which every day is the same. "It's like 'Groundhog Day' every day," she says. "It's really boring. Normal is really different for everybody. In my situation, I try to make it as normal as possible for me. It could be a lot worse."

She talks about the ways that her life has changed under the conservatorship of her father, Jamie — whom she pokes fun at in one of the clips from the show — but more so due to the constant media presence surrounding her.

"I used to be a cool chick," she says. "But I feel like the paparazzi has taken that away from me — like, the way I used to live my life. I used to be a cool chick but I'm not anymore."

She also admits in the special that she feels jealous of people like Jessica Alba, or even her younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears, who can go out with their children without being followed by a mob of paparazzi. And she admits that the people she surrounded herself with the last couple years of her life were not the types of people she should have been hanging out with.

"I had let people into my life that were just bad people," she said, adding later, "You're so busy you don't see what's going on. You don't have time to stop and think. ... It's important to have good people around you."

She also talks a lot about the demise of her marriage to Kevin Federline. "When it ended I felt so alone," she explains. "I didn't really wanna think about the reality of it. I never faced it. I just ran. He started to do an album for himself and he started to do things for himself, and I just never saw him anymore."

She addresses her well-chronicled breakdown after she and Federline split.

"My trust has really been battered," she says. "Sometimes it can get kinda lonely. I had totally lost my way. I lost focus. I lost myself. I let certain people into my life that were just bad people ... because I was lonely. I really paid the consequences for that. Big time."

However, she stresses that she doesn't consider herself a "victim."

"I don't like that," she says, "I've been placed in that category and I hate that."

Getting pumped about the Britney Spears documentary? Share your thoughts by uploading a video to YouRHere.MTV.com, or sound off in the comments section below. "For the Record" airs Sunday, November 30, at 10 p.m. ET on MTV.

• Britney: For The Record

• Britney Spears

'They are trying to figure it out between me and Hillary,' rapper jokes of Barack Obama cabinet post.
By Larry Carroll

Common
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

He's a chart-topping rapper, the star of hit films like "Wanted," and a socially conscious citizen who just happens to be BFFs with our new president. With so much news in his life, what's taken Common so long to launch his own bells-and-whistles Web site?

Just moments ago, the soulful Chicagoan flipped the "on" switch, taking ThinkCommon.com live for the whole world to see. Taking a break from stocking it with blogs, videos and tiny robot aliens, he spoke exclusively to MTV News about surfing the Web, out-rapping Hillary Clinton, and his audacious plan to sell his upcoming album for 99 cents.

MTV: On the new site, one of your first blog entries says: "After years of not giving in to the Internet world, I finally got sucked in." What took so long?

Common: I've definitely been avoiding technology. It was due to me wanting to focus on other things, and I didn't get drawn into it until now.

MTV: So you're not the type of guy who rushes out and buys a new iPhone the day it comes out?

Common: No, I've still got the Motorola phone, one of the earlier ones — I've got the RAZR phone. [Laughs.] But I do appreciate those that communicate on the Internet, and I respect that community, so that's why I felt like I wanted to be a part of that and be able to dialogue with people that enjoy music, art and communicating on positive things. ... The Web site is very creative and it looks good, man. This is a reflection of what I want artistically.

MTV: When you check out ThinkCommon.com, the first thing you see is Common's Chicken Shack restaurant. What's going on in there?

Common: That's based on a place in Chicago called Harold's Chicken Shack. ... We created it to be a vault that would house a lot of old music from Common. It's like a vault holding a lot of historic and classic things that come from Common throughout the years. The whole site is based on the Chicago skyline in the future. We wanted to create something that looked futuristic, so a lot of the buildings that you'll see are based on Chicago buildings. Those are my roots.

MTV: So your vision of Chicago's future has the city being taken over by Martians? Because I'm seeing UFOs, and I think an alien is peeking up at me from the Chicken Shack window.

Common: [Laughs.] Yeah, you know that alien/robot thing comes from the video for "Universal Mind Control." [In] my imagination, I believe those spaceships are coming to beam down good information. Positive things are coming from those friendly flying saucers.

MTV: When we click on the theater marquee, we see blog entries about what's going on in your life. Is this going to be a daily thing?

Common: Yeah, I'm going to do my best to do it daily. I have a team of bloggers that will work with me and bring information, and I want to make clear now that this is straight from me. I'll be typing it — or, if I'm not typing it because my typing is slow, I may have my assistant Val typing, but the words are coming from me.

MTV: You've got a tower on your site called "Foundation," and if you click there, you get info for your Common Ground Foundation charity for children. Do you think it's important for a celebrity to give back to his community?

Common: Yeah, and man, we are doing a lot of great things. ... We just had a fundraiser in Chicago in September that brought together a lot of different corporations that donated, and we give the money to programs that are encouraging children to read, encouraging them to educate themselves on health and self-awareness.

MTV: Our new president-elect similarly talks about the importance of public service, and you've been a supporter of Barack Obama's for years. Does it feel like a new day to you, or are you just waiting until January 20th?

Common: I've been feeling a new day since November 4th at 11:35 Chicago time. [Laughs.] Ever since I first heard that announcement and witnessed everything that I witnessed, being at Grant Park. I've been feeling like I'm breathing new air, and I feel the energy coming for a lot of people. I really love it.

MTV: Any truth to the rumor that Barack is considering you for secretary of state?

Common: [Laughs.] Well, they are trying to figure it out between me and Hillary, and I keep telling them I've got some things I can bring to the table that they've never had before. [Rapping] I would be a great secretary of state/ And I'm going to innovate/ Have you ever had a secretary of state/ Who could rhyme so great?