Karl 
JOE JACKSON is always fond of re-arranging his first hit, “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” This version from The Arsenio Hall Show seems to date to the Body and Soul era, based on the horn section. If you prefer it old school, you can watch his original band play it at the Marquee Club. BONUS: The Posies' Jon Auer did a live cover that alludes to the MTV theme, which would tickle Pate frontman Jon Pratt silly.
PAUL WESTERBERG gets an expansive profile in a Wall Street Journal article about his score for the upcoming animated movie Open Season: “His melodic songs feature lyrics that typically are both wry and wistful. His weakness for clever wordplay was reflected in the first song he submitted, 'Right to Arm Bears.'” The WSJ also focuses on the biz aspect: “For his trouble, Mr. Westerberg is getting the kind of exposure and promotional push that neither the Replacements nor his solo work ever received. 'I Belong' has been translated into 29 languages, including Latvian and Slovenian, and sung by local stars for international releases of the film.” And he will reunite to play with Replacement Tommy Stinson at the premiere! PLUS: You can stream two of Westerberg's songs at the link. (Thanks, Sylvia!)
LUSCIOUS JACKSON is reuniting for a children's album.
STEPHEN MERRITT and LEMONY SNICKET: Merritt, best known for his work under the Magnetic Felds monicker, is releasing an album as The Gothic Archies, with a song for every volume of Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events books. You can stream two songs at the end of a conversation between Merritt and Snickett transcribed for London's Guardian.
WOXY is rising from the grave. The 'net radio station may even be better, with an assist from “white knight” Bill Nguyen of Lala.com. This news just made Ken King's day. Delivering news that makes someone's day is one of the main reasons I do this.
THE WRENS are releasing a double-vinyl, bonus-tracked version of The Meadowlands album as they get their act together and take it on the road. There's a free MP3 at the link, too. The fan-made, band-approved video is for “She Sends Kisses.”
U2 and GREEN DAY re-enacted the famed cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road album during a break in the recording sessions for their benefit cover of The Skids' “The Saints Are Coming,” which they played live during their Monday Night Football pregame set re-opening the Superdome. The Skids were led by the late Stuart Adamson, who went on to form Big Country.
THE LEMONHEADS: Evan Dando tells London's Independent that reforming the band isn't about nostalgia. “The idea is to go where we haven't been before.” Warp speed, Dando! The self-titled comeback album is streaming in full from AOL this week.
THE KILLERS: There's an advance stream of the Sam's Town album running at MTV.com.
PETE DOHERTY-KATE MOSS UPDATE: The troubled singer and the supposedly sober supermodel, caught canoodling in first class en route to Ireland, may move their public train wreck of a relationship to the US.
TOM-KAT UPDATE: Holmes reportedly has promised Cruise another Tom-Kitten — but only after he marries her.
BRADGELINA: Pitt will not portray singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley in a biopic. But he has managed to steal Borat away from Team Aniston.
GEORGE CLOONEY, appearing at an event where California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation to help stop the atrocities in Darfur, dismissed political ambitions: “Believe me, you don't want me in politics.” I believe you, George. Told that fans have been wearing “George Clooney 2008” t-shirts, he said, “I think they're probably kidding.” I dunno — actress Lisa Rinna looks pretty serious in hers. RELATED: A piece in London's Guardian makes the case for celebity activism.
OPRAH WINFREY has decided it is bad PR to sue a man who is trying to promote her as a candidate for president.
WHITNEY HOUSTON and BOBBY BROWN BREAK-UPDATE: It appears that Brown is making outrageous demands of others in anticipation of a future without a rich wife.
JESSICA SIMPSON wants to work on a movie titled Blonde Ambition, but her creepy dad-manager's excessive demands might endanger her role in the flick — even though Creepy Joe is a producer. The picture is from the afterparty for the production Chicago in which sister Ashlee has a part. It has nothing to do with the story, but she looks like a freakin' zombie, doesn't she?
RUSSELL CROWE is angrily rejecting rumors he will play his late friend, Croc Hunter Steve Irwin, in a biopic: “There's no truth to that whatsoever. That's one of those appalling pieces of sh*t that come out of the press. While my friend's body is still warm, I'm being accused of doing commerce over his grave, and it absolutely disgusts me.” But Crowe may come back from the dead for a Gladiator sequel. He and Ridley Scott have not figured out how to do it, yet… so let me suggest Zombie Gladiator. Yeah, I have a zombie thing going on today.
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO listed his Top Ten Movies for the RED edition of London's Independent, guest-designed by Giorgio Armani.
FACTORY GIRL: Harvey Weinstein plans a year-end Oscar campaign for Sienna Miller and Guy Pierce, who play Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol in the indie flick.
THE SIMPSONS: AllSimps has 18 seasons of the show to watch on the 'net, at least until FOX's lawyers notice…
LINDSAY LOHAN was allegedly caught canoodling with the French Hotel's ex-boyfriend, Stavros Niarchos, but it appears that this may have been a failed plan to make Harry Morton jealous and the Ho-tel crazy. OTOH, Janet Charlton claims it's the relationship with Morton that may be the hoax. Meanwhile, her jailbird dad continues to try to talk to her through the newspapers. And TMZ has video of Li-Lo running into a parking meter.
FEMBOT FOR SALE on eBay! At presstime, the bid was at 3K, which is an entirely reasonable price for anyone who wants to buy it for me.
IRAQ: US and Iraqi troops have finished two weeks of building-by-building sweeps in the Shiite neighborhoods of Shaab and Ur; some anti-American violence continues, but sectarian violence and murders are down in an area generally supportive of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The Kuwait Times reports on Iraqi police success in al-Qaim, a bright spot in Anbar province. The Kuwaiti News Agency reports that al-Qaeda's Emir in Anbar province, Khalid Mahal, and aide Nasif Al-Mawla were killed during an operation in the Thar Thar region. If this pans out, Khalid Mahal's death would mark the 6th High Value Target killed or captured in Iraq in September. At ThreatsWatch, Kirk H. Sowell offers a “Guide to Understanding Iraqi Politics” that also looks at the emerging political center.
THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE: Folks wanted to fight over it, but now that Pres. Bush has ordered the declassification of its “key judgments,” you can download it and read it yourself; it's neither long nor technical. Thomas P.M. Barnett — no rote cheerleader for the Administration — had analysis of the reported leaks that seems equally applicable to the declassified document.
IT'S A GIRL! In a statement posted Monday on Zoo Atlanta's website, officials said the 19-day-old female panda cub appears to be healthy, weighing nearly 1½ pounds and measuring a little more than a foot long. Awww…
PET HOARDING: A woman who was found living with more than 300 mostly dead cats pleaded guilty to 46 misdemeanor counts of neglect Tuesday, abruptly ending her trial on animal cruelty charges.
SUICIDE SQUIRREL crashes the power grid in Spring Valley, IL.
A RARE BLACK SWAN has fallen in love with a plastic swan paddle boat for hire on a German lake, which may explain why it is rare. The locals say tourists are now nervous about hiring that particular boat thanks to its ever vigilant admirer. Cue the music.
FUDGE THE HAMSTER took an amazing journey with a happy ending. Surprisingly, there is no mention of Richard Gere. As if I was not going to go there with a hamster named “Fudge.”
