Rutgers player withdraws Imus lawsuit

A Rutgers University basketball player on Tuesday withdrew a slander and defamation lawsuit she had filed against Don Imus and CBS Radio, among others, after the shock jock called the team "nappy headed hos."

Kia Vaughn had contended in the lawsuit filed in August in New York state Supreme Court that the comments made by Imus had damaged her reputation. The lawsuit also named various media outlets that broadcast Imus' show.

Marti McKenzie, a spokeswoman for Vaughn's attorney, Richard Ancowitz, said in a statement that Vaughn had chosen to focus on her education at New Jersey's Rutgers University as a journalism major and as an athlete with the basketball team.

"Her strong commitments to both have influenced her decision to withdraw the lawsuit at this time," the statement said.

A lawyer for Imus, Martin Garbus, said his client had paid no money to Vaughn. CBS Radio did not immediately return a message requesting comment.

Kanya Talking Shit Again

Kanye West blames MTV for Britney Spears' less than stellar performance at the Video Music Awards. "Man, they were just trying to get ratings, and they knew she wasn't ready and they exploited her," the 29-year-old rapper said Tuesday on Sirius Satellite Radio's "The Morning Mash Up."

The network made a "bad move" by having the troubled pop star open Sunday's event in Las Vegas, said West, who feels he should have kicked off the show with "Stronger," the first single from his new album, "Graduation."

"They exploited her, they played me and I really don't mess with MTV," he said.

Spears, 25, looked unprepared while performing her new song, "Gimme More," to a bewildered audience of her music industry peers. She seemed nervous and, at times, stopped singing altogether.

In a praise-filled statement released Tuesday afternoon, MTV said it "... has a long and collaborative relationship with Kanye and we hope and look forward to continuing that meaningful relationship."

West said he wanted to perform "Stronger" on the show's main stage where R&B hotshot Chris Brown wowed the crowd with Michael Jackson-esque dance moves but complied when he was asked to host a suite party.

West said it was a blow to the ego when Justin Timberlake, who also hosted a suite party, ended up "on the big stage" to give the closing performance with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado.

"Those are the big things, and you know what I do man, I really made the song 'Stronger,' you know, for stadiums," he said.

West who threw a tantrum backstage after losing all five categories for which he was nominated said he has bonded with 50 Cent over what they view as disrespectful behavior from MTV.

"So why do you have me do 'Stronger' in a suite, but you end the show with Justin?" he said. "I looked at 50 like, yo, we need to help each other as much as possible."

50 Cent has said he'd stop making solo records if West's new album outsells his "Curtis" CD in their first week out. Both albums were released Tuesday.

Jon Stewart Hosting Academy Awards

Jon Stewart will return as host of the Academy Awards.

The star of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" will get his second shot at hosting Hollywood's premiere event, which will be held on Feb. 24 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. He hosted the 78th annual awards show in 2006.

Stewart was "a terrific host" for that event, Oscar telecast producer Gil Cates said Wednesday, announcing the selection in a statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

The academy didn't indicate why it decided to go with Stewart after using comedian Ellen DeGeneres this year.

"I'm thrilled to be asked to host the Academy Awards for the second time because, as they say, the third time's a charm," Stewart joked.

Previous Cates-selected hosts include Steve Martin, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal and Stewart.

Stewart, a political satirist, injected some political humor into his 2006 performance, taking jabs at the war in Iraq and ribbing Hollywood's elite about their ties to the Democratic Party.

However, some jokes bombed and he got mixed reviews.

"His usually impeccable blend of puckishness and self-effacement fell flat," a review by The Associated Press said, adding he was "too deferential, too nice and too obvious in his targets."

The 44-year-old Stewart, who also hosted the Grammys in 2001 and 2002, noted the split decision on his own cable TV show the night after the Oscars, saying he had a great time but didn't know how he did until he saw the reviews.

"I sucked and was great!" he said. "I was a painfully smug and unfunny heir to Johnny Carson."

Led Zeppelin set for reunion gig in London

cRock legends Led Zeppelin announced a one-off comeback concert on Wednesday nearly three decades after disbanding.

The group split in 1980 after the death of drummer John Bonham and have performed only a handful of reunion gigs, last taking the stage 12 years ago at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The show will be held November 26 in London.

Tickets will cost 125 pounds ($254.30), available by ballot only with winners' names chosen at random. Fans can register at for a chance to buy tickets.

The official tickets Web site crashed shortly after the announcement as fans swarmed it for a chance to see the band, known to many of its fans simply as Zep.

The concert organizer, Harvey Goldsmith, said he thought it would be a one-off show, not a full-fledged reunion tour, but said the band seemed to be bonding well together again.

Bonham's son Jason will wield the drum sticks for Led Zeppelin, joining its founding members: singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones.

The show will be a tribute to the late founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, who signed Led Zeppelin in 1968.

"This performance stands alone as our tribute to the work and the life of our long-standing friend," Plant said in a statement.

Plant and Page have joined forces over the years, notably on an album in 1994, but Jones has been more distant. When Bonham passed away after a long battle with alcoholism, his bandmates said Led Zeppelin had died with him.

BONDING WELL

Goldsmith said the band was approaching the gig seriously.

"They thought about it very carefully, and even decided to actually rehearse for a few days to see if they could play together again," he told Reuters Television in an interview.

"I only asked them to do 30 minutes and they came back after a week's rehearsals and said they wanted to do a full show.

"So they obviously started to bond back together again. As far as I'm concerned, this is a one-off show, if something materializes after that, I'll be thrilled," Goldmsith added.

The band is scheduled to release a greatest hits collection, titled "Mothership," on November 13, and bookmaker Ladbrokes has made it odds-on favorite to top album charts.

"Reunion gigs are all the rage at the moment and we reckon Led Zeppelin will make the most of their comeback," Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said. "We fully expect to see their older fans, and a new generation of rock lovers, getting behind the group."

The concert is slated for London's 02 Arena, which has a capacity of about 22,000. The Who's Pete Townshend, and Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings and others will also play on the night.