It’s too late to bar Katie’s door
Katie Couric may mark her 15th anniversary as “Today” show anchor this week by making the decision to leave.
Couric, whose contract with NBC expires at the end of May, has reportedly reached an agreement “in principle” to move over to CBS, where she would take over the “CBS Evening News” and become the first woman to anchor a network newscast by herself.
Her first day as “Today” anchor was April 5, 1991, and the show plans to mark that anniversary on the air this morning.
Couric, 49, likely would begin at “CBS Evening News” in September, replacing Bob Schieffer, who has filled in during the year since Dan Rather‘s exit.
Meredith Vieira of “The View” has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Couric as Matt Lauer‘s co-host on the top-rated “Today.” Other possibilities include “Today” weekend host Campbell Brown, NBC reporter Natalie Morales and “Today” newsreader Ann Curry.
A nutty confessor?
One face you’ll definitely be seeing on NBC next fall is Jerry Lewis.
The 80-year-old comedian will play the homeless uncle of Richard Belzer‘s police Detective John Munch in a guest spot on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
In the episode, detectives find Lewis’ character living on the street and arrest him as a suspect in a murder case.
But no hard-drive time
A hairdresser hired for the guests at Kevin Costner‘s 2004 wedding has pleaded guilty to stealing the actor’s laptop computer with photos of the ceremony.
Pascal Bensimon, owner of an upscale Aspen, Colo., salon, was ordered to pay $1,500 restitution, serve two years of probation and perform 25 hours of community service.
Roamin’ Naomi
Photos were released this week of composer-conductor Quincy Jones visiting former South African President Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg.
What wasn’t publicized was a meeting between Mandela and supermodel Naomi Campbell – who was charged with assault in New York City last week for allegedly throwing her cell phone at a housekeeper.
Ready for some blackmail?
Hank Williams Jr. surrendered to police Tuesday over an alleged assault on a hotel waitress last month, a charge his publicist claimed is driven by “greed.”
Holly Hornbeak, 19, told police that the country superstar asked to kiss her and lifted her off the ground in a chokehold.
In a release headlined “Hank Jr. victim of greed,” his publicist said Williams received a letter from Hornbeak’s lawyer seeking “an outlandish amount of money,” and that she decided to press charges after he refused to meet the demands.
The birthday bunch
Actress Gail Storm (“My Little Margie”) is 84. Actor Michael Moriarty (“Law and Order”) is 65. Actor Max Gail (“Sons and Daughters,” “Barney Miller”) is 63. Actress Jane Asher is 60. Singer Agnetha Faltskog (Abba) is 56. Country singer Troy Gentry (Montgomery Gentry) is 39. Singer Paula Cole is 38. Country singer Pat Green is 34. Rapper-producer Pharrell Williams is 32.