Monday Memo

"No Strings Attached" topped the weekend box office earning over $20 million dollars. "The Green Hornet", "The Dilemma", "The King's Speech" and "True Grit" round out the top five films of the week. A recording studio owned by rapper Julez Santana was raided by police over the weekend after a ten month long investigation. Police found a 9mm handgun, marijuana and other paraphernalia in the raid. No word on when or if charges will be filed. Nicki Minaj's London tour has been filled with pandemonium, to say the least. The rapper has been getting mobbed everywhere she goes, and now the hotel where she was staying has kicked her out. She also reportedly was caught taking pictures of Buckingham Palace. She and her entourage were asked to leave. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey will reveal a family secret on her show today. She says it's something that shook her to her core.  Rapper Yo Gotti has been cleared of all charges stemming from a November 29 club shooting in which five men were wounded. Gotti and nine other men were charged with aggravated riot after a melee gone wrong in the parking lot of Level 2 entertainment in his native Memphis. Reportedly the incident started after Gotti and his friend Corey McClendon got into an argument.  According to court documents, the fight escalated into a full-on brawl after rapper OG punched McClendon. Eight other men jumped into the fight. The charges were dropped reportedly because there were not enough witnesses. Tonight's episode of "Chuck" will find Sarah teaming with Chuck's  mom to stop the evil Alexei. Chaz Bono received a standing ovation after the premiere of his documentary "Becoming Chaz". The film chronicles his gender re-assignment. He says "when you're true to yourself, people appreciate it". On the tube: "House" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC and "Chuck" on NBC. Happy Monday!

Thursday Dish

Rapper Lil Wayne will appear on the cover of the next issue of Rolling Stone magazine. The rapper discusses the jail time he served and his plans for the future in the issue. Willow Smith is reportedly in talks to star in the remake of the hit Broadway musical "Annie".  No deal has been finalized as yet. Stay tuned. Kim and Kourtney Kardashian will document the opening of their new clothing boutique Dash on "Kim & Kourtney Take New York" airing Sunday at 10:00 p.m. The show is a spinoff of the successful "Keeping Up With The Kardashians". The Grammy Awards will air next month and music's biggest night is sure to be one for the record books. The show will air on CBS. "American Idol" kicked of it's tenth season last night, and the dynamic has changed at the Fox hit. The judges made it clear that they want young hopefuls to like them, not fear them. Jennifer Lopez comes off like a more businesslike version of supportive, nurturing former judge Paula Abdul. Steven Tyler, on the other hand, brings the goofy unpredictability that was Abdul's calling card for all of her eight seasons spent on the show. Randy Jackson is the one who keeps things going and reins in the other judges when things get a little silly. Tonight, the show will hold auditions from New Orleans. It has certainly gotten back on track after a few rocky years. Actor Blair Underwood, star of the NBC hit "The Event", talked with Entertainment Weekly about what's in store for fans when the show returns on Feb. 28. He stated that the show will revamp the way it's told the story of a group of detainees who may or may not be of this world. Roger Bart will join the cast as the White House Chief Of Staff along with Virginia Madsen as the widow of  a United States senator from Alaska who assumes her husband's post. "American Idol" on Fox, "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS, "Wipeout" on ABC and "Community" on NBC. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Roundup

Rapper Jim Jones was involved in a car accident. Although the car he was driving was totaled, he suffered no serious injuries. Just when it appeared that Kelis may have to pay her former housekeeper, it turns out she may not have to pay at all. Reportedly, the woman is an  illegal alien. She earned $150 per day and worked once a week. Sources say the maid is looking into ways to be compensated and is in search of a lawyer to see if she can file a motion with the California Labor Commission. Stay tuned as this story develops. Those who have been wondering when rapper/producer Dr Dre's long awaited "Detox" CD will be released will have to wait a little longer. The good doctor reportedly posted a video tape of himself implying that the disk will be released on April 24. The problem, there's been no confirmation or denial. Stay tuned. Just for those who were unaware, rapper Nicki Minaj can be quite the twitter prankster when she choses.  She was on location with Rihanna  filming the video for her single "Fly" when Rihanna posted a picture of the two on twitter along with a note that read "me and Nicki in our new crib". Minaj flirtatiously responded and the internet was all a buzz. Minaj went on the Ryan Seacrest radio show to clear up the rumor. The two are definitely not living together. The new season of "American Idol" begins tonight. Not only will there be two new judges in the judges chairs, but Fox has also moved the show's air days and times. It will now air on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The auditions begin tonight and only time will tell who will win the grand prize. On the tube: "American Idol" on Fox, "Live To Dance" on CBS, "The Middle" on ABC and "Minute To Win It" on NBC. Happy hump day!

Tuesday Tales

Rapper Kanye West is set to make his screen debut as a gay jazz pianist in the 1930's. The project is being financed by Will Smith, Jay Z and Oprah Winfrey. No word on when the film will hit theaters. In other Kanye West news, his latest CD, "My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted, Fantasy" has shipped over one million units. He also denied dissing Brittney Spears. He reportedly took to Twitter to start a beef with the pop singer after her new single "Hold It Against Me" topped the charts. He was accused by MSNBC of trying to get a rise out of Spears. He stated that he's happy for the star. Usher cancelled two more concerts on his European tour. As mentioned previously, he took the stage in Germany only to have his voice go out. He reportedly has a respiratory infection and will have to rest. 50 Cent is in the studio working on his fifth CD. No word on when the disk will hit stores. Nicki Minaj will be the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" on Jan 29. Check your local listings. As most know, "American Idol" returns to Fox this month and auditions to determine who will make the show have begun. Contestants can also audition via My Space. The winners will be flown to Los Angeles to audition for "Idol" executive producers and then judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. The new cable network owned by Oprah Winfrey, OWN, is receiving some criticism in the African American community. Some say the shows should include more African Americans. So far, no comment from Ms Winfrey. Some are still talking about whether comic/writer/actor Ricky Gervais, who hosted Sunday's Golden Globe Awards, went too far with his jokes. So far, there's been no comment from his employers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. On DVD: "Raging Bull" and "The Social Network". On the tube: "Glee" on Fox, "NCIS" on CBS, "No Ordinary Family" on ABC and "Biggest Loser: Couples" on NBC. Happy Tuesday!

Friday Facts

Singer Usher's European tour hasn't gotten off to a very good start. The singer postponed a performance in Germany from Wednesday to Thursday (yesterday) and his voice went out when he took the stage. The audience booed as he left the stage. As mentioned previously, the stock of the company that manufactures rapper 50 Cent's signature headphone line soared when the rapper posted a tweet advising followers to purchase stock in the company. He hasn't tweeted recently, and the stock has since plummeted.  Be sure to pick up the latest issue of Jet magazine, featuring the cast of the hit show "The Game". They discuss what's in store for fans as the new season gets underway and how it feels to have the show back on the air. In other "The Game" news, fans won't see much of Kelly Pitts this season. That's due to the fact that she appears in only six of the thirteen episodes taped. The actress says she believes it may be a financial decision and also due to appearing on BET as opposed to the CW. At any rate, you can catch the show on Tuesdays at 11 p.m. on BET. If you missed the premiere of "Love That Girl' on Monday, you can catch an encore episode tonight at 7p.m. on TV One. The Golden Globe Awards will air Sunday night, and from all indications, don't expect a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Oscars. The producers say they would like the show to be viewed as a night of frivolous fun and not about preparing for the Oscars. In theaters this weekend: "The Dilemma" and "The Green Hornet". On the tube: "Kitchen Nightmares" on Fox, "Medium" on CBS, "Supernanny" on ABC and "Minute To Win It" on NBC. Make it a weekend!

Thursday Dish

An investigation has now been launched to determine if rapper 50 Cent has violated insider trading rules. As mentioned previously, the rapper took to Twitter to advise fans to purchase stock in the company that manufactures his signature headphone line. Stay tuned as this story develops. In other 50 news, he appears on the cover of the latest issue of Black Enterprise magazine. He discusses his business ventures and what's next in the issue. He certainly has become an astute business man. Eminem has signed Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf to his Shady Records label. While rumors persisted that Slaughterhouse would ink a deal with the Detroit MC due to appearing with him in Drake's "Forever" video, Yelawolf's signing has come as a surprise. The Alabama born MC says he's ready to "kill it". Eminem, along with his two new acts, will appear on the cover of the next issue of XXL magazine. The issue will hit newsstands on February 8.   "Wipeout" continues tonight with more challenges for contestants. As mentioned previously, both the Tuesday and Thursday night shows have become a hit with fans and show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. "The Big Bang Theory" continues it's hit making run as well. The show is funny and well written and acted as well. While quite a bit of buzz has surrounded the film "Green Hornet", time will tell if it lives up to it's hype. The film, which will hit theaters tomorrow, is filled with plenty of action and special effects and should be a hit with comic book film fans. On the tube: "Million Dollar Money Drop" on Fox, "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS, "Wipeout" on ABC and "Community" on NBC. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Roundup

A judge has ruled that Dr Conrad Murray will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. His license has also been suspended. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison. Mashonda, ex-wife of producer Swizz Beats, will star in a reality show titled "Love & Hip Hop". The show, which will focus on women  in the music industry, will also star the girlfriends of Jim Jones and Fabulous and Olivia, former member of GUnit. Congratulations to actress Tia Mowry of the hit show "The Game" are in order. She is expecting her first child in July. She will also document the event in a reality show for the Style Network. Rapper Snoop Dog has announced that he's inked a deal with Pony International to start his own sneaker line. No word on when the sneakers will hit stores. As if he hasn't already achieved enough in both music and business, Jay Z has invested in Buffalo Boss in his native Brooklyn. the eatery, which serves organic chicken without hormones, is owned by Jay, his mother Gloria, his sister Andrea and his cousin Jamar White. In other Jay Z news, the first single from his project with Kanye West called "H.A.M." was leaked today. Sad news out of Hollywood. Actor David Nelson, who starred on the show "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" has died. He was 74. According to a spokesperson, he died at his home in Century City CA of complications from colon cancer. Born in New York City, Nelson attended the University Of Southern California before joining his family on the small screen. "The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet" aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966 and some of the story lines where taken from the stars own lives. He is survived by his wife Yvonne, four sons, a daughter and seven grandchildren. A service will be held on Thursday at Pierce Brothers Westwood Mortuary. On the tube: "Human Target" on Fox, "Live To Dance" on CBS, "The Middle" on ABC and "Minute  To Win It" on NBC. Happy hump day!