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2:00 PM ET, January 21, 2010

WeSmirch

 Top News: 
TMZ.com:
Conan O'Brien, NBC Reach $45Mil Settlement  —  Conan O'Brien and NBC worked out their final conflict hours ago and have reached a $45 million settlement ... and we've learned it's a sweeter deal for Conan than anyone thought.  —  Network sources tell TMZ the “mitigation” clause was taken off the table.
RELATED:
Bill Carter / New York Times:
Conan O'Brien and NBC to Part Ways  —  Say farewell to Conan O'Brien.  —  After a last long night of negotiations, the deal to end Mr. O'Brien's short term as host of “The Tonight Show” was concluded with an agreement that will pay him about $32 million and free him up to return to television in eight months.
PopEater:
Now It's Personal: Jay Leno Jokes About Dave Letterman's Marriage  —  Dave Letterman teed off on Jay Leno earlier this week in relation to the NBC ‘Tonight’ mess, and now Leno is fighting back directly at his nemesis — only this time, it's personal instead of business.
Discussion: OK! Magazine and Popeater
PopWatch:
This Week's Cover: TV's 50 Biggest Bombs Ever!  —  Sometimes TV networks, producers, or actors do something so stupid, it makes you ask: What the heck were they thinking?  In that spirit, we decided to take time out to honor (if you want to call it that) television's biggest bombs and blunders.
Adalian / The Wrap:
Exclusive: Conan, NBC Officially Splitsville  —  From an NBC spokeswoman:  —  “NBC confirms a deal is signed and an official announcement will be made this morning.”  —  ORIGINAL POST 3 AM CDT/ 1 AM PST  —  Our long national late-night nightmare is over.
TMZ.com:
NBC Gives Conan O'Brien the Reruns
Discussion: New York Magazine
Adalian / The Wrap:
It's Done: Conan, NBC Sign Exit Agreement (Updated)
Discussion: coverawards.com and Gawker
PopEater:
Conan O'Brien, NBC Agree on $45M Divorce Deal
Discussion: Cele|bitchy and omg!
Stephen M. Silverman / People.com:
Conan O'Brien, NBC Seal the Deal for His Exit
Discussion: The Superficial
People.com:
Tara Reid Is Engaged!  —  Tara Reid and boyfriend Michael Axtmann were having dinner at The Little Door restaurant in Los Angeles on Monday night when Axtmann asked for something not on the menu: Reid's hand in marriage.  —  “Michael surprised Tara with a beautiful round brilliant cut ring,” the actress's rep tells PEOPLE exclusively.
TMZ.com:
Jon Cryer - FBI Investigating Alleged Death Threat  —  Jon Cryer — who stars with Charlie Sheen in “Two and a Half Men” — told authorities his life was in danger — possibly by a hitman — and TMZ has learned the FBI is investigating.  —  Cryer sounded the alarm last Friday.
TMZ.com:
David Beckham Sexually Violated by Reporter  —  David Beckham grabbed headlines in Milan after a woman from an Italian prank show grabbed his crotch — carrying out a full-on sexual assault for what she thought would be a funny TV segment.  —  The video shows a “reporter” …
Discussion: X17 Online and Gawker
RELATED:
David Beckham / Metro.co.uk:
David Beckham ‘victim of sex assault’ after testicle squeezing stunt
Discussion: Dlisted and Oh No They Didn't!
Nick Squires / Telegraph:
David Beckham ambushed to see if Armani adverts ‘take public for a ride’
msnbc.com:
Edwards admits fathering child with mistress  —  Former presidential candidate promises to support his 2-year-old daughter  —  John Edwards' attorneys say he's been providing financial support for 2-year-old Quinn for about a year, and just signed a child support agreement with Rielle Hunter.
Rob Shuter / PopEater:
No Haiti Telethon Invite for Kanye West  —  Kanye West sadly will not be helping George Clooney and his pals raise funds for the earthquake victims in Haiti, as the foot-in-mouth rapper's reputation has kept him from getting an invite to the event, according to my sources.  Who can blame the producers for the snub?
RELATED:
Michael Ausiello / The Ausiello Files:
Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on ‘Lost,’ ‘Glee,’ ‘True Blood,’ ‘Gossip Girl,’ and more!  —  Got a scoop request?  An anonymous tip you're dying to share?  Just want to say hi?  You can send any/all of the above to ausielloscoop@ew.com  —  Question: How about you try something new in Ask Ausiello this week and talk about Lost.
Us Weekly:
Heidi Montag Album Sells Less Than 1,000 Copies  —  Heidi Montag's debut album may have set a record — just not a good one.  —  In its first week of release, The Hills star's album, Superficial, has sold less than 1,000 copies, according to Nielsen Soundscan.
Kaiser / Cele|bitchy:
Katherine Heigl wins over coworkers post-baby by being “tolerable”  —  It took a small, innocent baby to tame the wild beast known only as “Dame Heigl”.  This is according to Betty Confidential's sources, who claim that since Heigl adopted her beautiful little daughter Naleigh and brought …
Discussion: CelebNewsWire
Perez Hilton:
Casey Johnson's Sex Tape!!!  —  And now everyone can hear about it on E!  —  In the wake of Casey Johnson's death, former girlfriend Courtenay Semel has come forward to discuss the existence of their sex tape.  —  “We had our own sex tape,” said Semel.  “It was either listen to our families …
Discussion: E! Online
Kristin Dos Santos / E! Online:
Gossip Girl Catastrophe: The Spoiler That Will Break Your Heart  —  Do not under any circumstances read this item if you love Gossip Girl and you don't want to be spoiled for a huge/major/giant tragic plot twist that's coming toward the end of the season.  —  No one is getting killed off …
Cajun Boy / ANIMAL:
Here's a Better Look at the Goods Possessed by Scott Brown's ‘Available’ Daughters  —  A tipster who is friends with Scott Brown's daughter Ayla was nice enough to send us this photo of her and her sister Arianna posing with their now-Senator Dad while clad in sexy bikinis.
Discussion: Mediaite, Gawker and The Superficial
Roger Friedman / The Hollywood Reporter:
‘We Are the World’ Sequel Set to Aid Haiti  —  EXCLUSIVE: This column has learned that Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie are planning a massive 25th anniversary re-recording of “We Are the World.”  —  The timing couldn't be better, sadly enough.  —  The duo is summoning lots and lots of talent …
Steve ‘Frosty’ Weintraub / Collider:
8 New High Resolution Images from THE RUNAWAYS Starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning  —  Earlier this morning I posted a high resolution image from The Runaways.  It was an image that had been previously released, but I figured some of you might not have seen it in high res.
The Cheese / Hollywoodtuna:
Cheryl Tweedy Is Still Perfect!  —  Here's one of my favorite hotties Cheryl Tweedy at the National Television Awards last night showing off the cleavage she promised, no she swore was for my eyes only.  I'm not sure someone can be held accountable for promises made in a dream, but it doesn't make this any less painful for me.
Kendra Wilkinson:
HOW CUTE?!?  —  OMG he's just so cute while he sleeps I couldn't help myself!!!  All I want to do is sit around and look at him all day long lolol.  Love my lil jock
Sharon Swart / Variety:
Fuller, Craymer prep Spice Girls musical  —  Show is initially bound for London's West End  —  “Mamma Mia!” producer Judy Craymer and “American Idol” creator Simon Fuller are prepping a Spice Girls musical, tentatively titled “Viva Forever.”  —  The musical, initially bound for London's West End …
Discussion: Just Jared and Breaking News
Starpulse:
Ben Affleck Wants A Son; Jennifer Garner Reluctant To Get Pregnant Again  —  Ben Affleck is begging wife Jennifer Garner to get pregnant one more time and give him the son he's desperate for.  —  The couple have two daughters, Violet, four, and 12-month-old Seraphina, and Affleck is keen for a baby boy to complete the trio.
TMZ.com:
‘American Idol’ Hooligan — Cuffed and Released  —  The guy who was led out of “American Idol” in handcuffs on last night's show got a lucky break after the cameras stopped rolling — producers let the guy off the hook.  —  TMZ has learned 28-year-old Jarrod Norrell …
Discussion: Gawker and mjsbigblog
Michael Schneider / Variety:
Adult Swim orders lots of ‘Chicken’  —  Cabler renews ‘Robot’ for 40 more episodes  —  Adult Swim has locked in its top-rated franchise for another two seasons, handing a whopping 40-episode order to “Robot Chicken.”  —  The mega-renewal keeps “Chicken” on the channel for a fifth and sixth season.
 
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 More News: 
Us Weekly:
Victoria Beckham Admits She Carpools
Discussion: PopSugar and Just Jared
Richard Johnson / New York Post:
Amy Fisher stripping for Haiti
Discussion: Socialite Life
Michael Schneider / Variety:
Comic set for ‘Feud’
Discussion: Inside TV Blog and EW.com
X17 Online:
Rihanna Performs “Redemption Song” On Oprah, Talks Haiti Relief
Discussion: Perez Hilton
Us Weekly:
Kimora Lee Simmons Thinks Kenzo “Takes After Dad”
Discussion: Celebrity Baby Blog
 Earlier Picks: 
Us Weekly:
Rosie O'Donnell Snaps: Jay Leno is a “Bully” Who Can't “Let Go”
Discussion: Gabby Babble and ImNotObsessed.com
PopEater:
Jessica Alba Reveals She Has a Thing for Craigslist
Discussion: ImNotObsessed.com
 

 
From Mediagazer:

The Guardian:
How China is using AI news anchors to spread its propaganda on social media; Microsoft: some AI anchors were created using ByteDance's video editing app CapCut

Renee DiResta / The Guardian:
How a rightwing smear campaign against NPR and its CEO Katherine Maher, who is on Signal Foundation's board, led Elon Musk to malign Signal

Nitish Pahwa / Slate:
How bots monopolizing DeviantArt's promotional and revenue apparatuses and the platform's unwillingness to address the issue are driving artists to abandon it

 
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