THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with DAVID BOWIE, CRACKED ACTOR! In the mid 1970s, as part of BBC's long-running Omnibus series, Alan Yentob interviewed David Bowie during the American leg of his Diamond Dogs Tour.

MISTER HEAVENLY are a band featuring Nick Thorburn (Islands), Honus Honus (Man Man) and... Michael Cera (live, anyway).  Here's a mess of video from their second gig.

THE BUDOS BAND (a staple of the Daptone label) stopped by Oregon Public Broadcasting for a chat and mini-set in audio and video.

POP MONTREAL: Daytrotter has tracks it recorded during the confab from bands like BRAIDS and The Sheepdogs.

VIA AUDIO did the standard four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

25 DAYS OF FREE SONGS, one a day, via Amazon MP3.

THE KINKS, with the evergreen "Father Christmas."

THE END OF INDIE? The blurring lines are discussed at In These Times.

SYL JOHNSON: An underappreciated soul great gets another chance -- and a lengthy profile from the Chicago Reader.

THE WEDDING PRESENT frontman David Gedge talks to the Yorkshire Post about the band's silver anniversary. (Thx, LHB.)

DAVID LOWERY, of Camper van Beethoven and Cracker, writes about Groupon and venture capitalism.

CUTOUT BIN: From Dean & Britta to Jimi Hendrix, from Harry Nilsson to Led Zeppelin, from John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers to the Housemartins, plus Thunderclap Newman, Blondie, the Beatles, the Soft Boys, The Band and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's sole wide release in the traditionally dead post-Thanksgiving weekend is The Warrior's Way, which was largely not screened for critics. Notably, Black Swan, which opens in limited release, is currently scoring 85 percent on the ol' Tomatometer.

BRITNEY SPEARS:  An expert says purported audio of the pop wreck has been manipulated, but RadarOnline has doubled down with more audio which purports to be Britney Spears admitting not reporting agent-turned-bf Jason Trawick's alleged violent assault on her to cops because she didn't want the controversy. Again, camp Spears vehemently denies the story, claims the audio has been faked, and has threatened suit.

MILEY CYRUS: Her purse was stolen last week.  Some new pictures have *allegedly* leaked from phone and/or camera.  There is a provocative, slightly NSFW picture included in these leaked images.

THE GRAMMY AWARDS nominations went to these folks. Arcade Fire, Black Keys, Roots, Cee-Lo (who cold make the night interesting) are among the multiple noms.

EVA LONGORIA & TONY PARKER reunited... for a lunch date.

KIRSTEN DUNST talks to Vanity Fair about nude scenes, bad boys and beatnik boot camp. Just don't ask her about Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift.

NATALIE PORTMAN shares a music playlist with the L.A. Times.

QUENTIN TARANTINO was roasted at the Friar's Club; THR has the raunchiest material.

HEATH LEDGER will not appear in The Dark Knight Rises, thankfully.

THE 50 BEST DOCUMENTARIES, according to TimeOut New York.

THE TOP FILMS of 2010, according to Sight and Sound. I saw the top and the bottom.

IRAN: According to a leaked State Department cable, Saudi Prince Nayif bin Abdulaziz told John Brennan, President Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, that Iran is harboring al Qaeda members who are targeting the kingdom. The IAEA complained about a lack of Iranian cooperation in the lead-up to Dec. 5 negotiations. Tehran will take further security precautions for nuclear scientists in country.

PAKISTAN has gone from being the "most sanctioned ally" to the "most bullied ally" of the United States, according to a top Pakistani military official, who added that the "real aim of US strategy is to de-nuclearize Pakistan."

AFGHANISTAN: The complete election results have thrust Afghans into a new period of uncertainty, deepened skepticism of the government and stirred Afghanistan's always volatile ethnic fault lines.

DANCING DOG: Let's go to the (Russian) video.

A DOG survives the night under the rubble after the owners' home was flattened by a tornado.

HONEY the LABRADOR was married to her very strange owner in Toowoomba, Australia.

MAYBE THE HORSE ate your hat.

CHOKING THE CHICKEN is illegal, when done literally.