Mariah Carey wants an Oscar, and we're thrilled to announce that she actually has a shot: Her Straight-to-Flopz™ indie Tennessee will launch its required theatrical qualifying run next month in L.A. and New York, clearing the way for the telecast-challenged Academy to welcome Carey to perform her potential Best Original Song nominee "Right to Dream." And Mariah. Can't. Wait.Nor can we, despite the low odds for Carey to pull a Grobanesque showstopper that the Oscarcast most certainly needs. Her reasoning is much purer, however, not so unlike the dulcet tones of her awards-hopeful and the heart-squeezing, Willie Nelson-aided sincerity at its core:

· David Lynch is signing copies of David Lynch: The Lime Green Set at Amoeba. Don't forget: he's always open to the idea of some new wives! · The Hold Steady and Drive-By Truckers play the Wiltern, Deerhunter performs at the El Rey, and Danger Bees buzz into the Silver Lake Lounge. · Comedy Death Ray (featuring Sarah Silverman) is holding down the fort at UCB.

It's an all Bravo night! Watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion and then compare it to the equally petty, yet inferior The Real Housewives of Orange County. In anticipation of Rosie Live tomorrow night, here are Rosie's thoughts on meeting Nene (as well as Rosie's Strawberry Cake recipe). WATCH The Real Housewives of Atlanta Reunion: Watch What Happens [9 PM, Bravo] - On tonight's succintly-titled reunion special, NeNe confronts Kim about Kim's lying, name-calling ("low-budget bitch) ways, resulting in some major finger-pointing and NeNe's threat to beat Kim's ass outside. Lisa also confronts Kim, and then Kim cries about the cancer that robbed her of her "trademark beautiful hair." We can't wait for season two.The Real Housewives of Orange County [10 PM, Bravo] - Season four of TRHoOC premieres with a new threat and housewife, Gretchen. Gretchen fun facts: She freely admits she is not physically attracted to her rich husband 23 years her senior, her husband proposed to her from his hospital bed, and she has real breasts. TiVo

Just when we thought nothing much had changed in the narcoleptic parallel universe of SAG contract negotiations, we're hearing now that the union's saber-rattlers are finally bringing the heavy weaponry to bear on their studio nemeses: A recent dinner hosting Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Warren Beatty and other influential legends reportedly gave the blessing for a crippling actor's strike. (UPDATE: Not at this meeting, anyway — Sharon Waxman has retracted her original story. More after the jump.)A more formal strike authorization will be sought from SAG's 120,000 members in the weeks ahead, but as Sharon Waxman hinted late Monday, when Hollywood royalty gathers secretly to help drop-kick the industry into another winter of chaos, what's really left to vote on?

Too Many Irons In the Fire: Though Robert Downey Jr. is signed on for an Iron Man sequel and an Avengers film that will group together Marvel heroes including Thor, the Hulk, and Captain America, the actor is starting to sounds a little concerned about the latter property. "If we don't get it right, it's really going to suck," he told MTV. "Nothing that happened in Iron Man is really outside the realm of possibility. Once you start talking about Valhalla and supersized super soldiers and jolly green giants, it warrants much further discussion." [MTV]

Details unveiled Tom Cruise this morning as the cover boy of its annual Power Issue. Sadly, Cruise only makes No. 7 — a position shared last year by Kevin Federline and Larry Birkhead. But perhaps it's the thought that counts: Previous Power Issues have ranked the "most influential men under 45," but the magazine has expanded its age range in 2008 to include "the most influential men under 47," thus barely qualifying the 46 year-old star in time for his Valkyrie promo tour. Excerpts of his acceptance speech follow the jump.Cruise doesn't spill much new information in his brief interview, though he does unveil a few of the careful calculations behind choosing both his pro-dance Tropic Thunder cameo and the role of an eyepatch-clad Nazi:

Though Ricky Gervais's version of The Office folded up shop after two six-episode runs, that wouldn't amount to even half of a current season of the Steve Carell-toplined Office, which is continually pressed into service for hourlong episodes, spinoffs, and expanded seasons by NBC. Though the moves have pumped up ratings for the sitcom, the results are not always well-regarded by critics — or by a burnt-out cast, says Rainn Wilson:

Washington Post readers expecting an audience with Alec Baldwin last hour were disappointed when the star backed out of his live chat appearance at what appears to be the last minute. "Alec is running a few minutes behind schedule," the editors noted shortly after 1 p.m. "We should be starting soon." And then, not long afterward, the final indignity: "Alec Baldwin had to cancel. We will try to reschedule for either later in the day or a future date." Probably just something about an overlooked sushi date with his daughter; that's the life of a working Dad for you.

He Speaks! Ever since his Proposition 8 contribution came to light, LA Film Fest director Richard Raddon has maintained radio silence. Now, with his resignation confirmed, he's finally issued a statement about the brouhaha. We've got it for you after the jump:“I feel honored to have worked with such a wonderful group of people at the Los Angeles Film Festival over the last nine years. I am proud of our accomplishments. And I am proud to have worked at Film Independent, an organization whose principles and values of diversity and artistic integrity I cherish. I have always held the belief that all people, no matter race, religion, or sexual orientation, are entitled to equal rights. As many know, I consider myself a devout and faithful Mormon. I prefer to keep the details around my contribution through my church a private matter. But I am profoundly sorry for the negative attention that my actions have drawn to Film Independent and for the hurt and pain that is being experienced in the GLBT community.” [The Advocate]

Hugh Jackman picked up his Australia co-star Nicole Kidman's infamous late-night slack Monday on Conan, offering his host an impromptu run through some of the perplexing Aussie phrases littering his Outback epic. The accompanying tutorial includes a few samples for your learning pleasure, but please: the Sexiest Man Alive's choice of "budgie smuggler," "shut the door," and any other homoerotically-tinged vernacular herein are purely coincidental. Expect Jackman's beleaguered wife to mount yet another vehement bathroom-stall defense of his straightness by the end of the business day. [NBC]

Hollywood PrivacyWatch: 11/23 — Was at the Grove to have a bite at the Farmer's Market and to see a movie. At the Farmer's Market I saw a woman who looked like DITA VON TEESE all dressed up in a black dress, pale makeup and of course the very red lipstick. She was with 2 other women who were dressed almost exactly like her. If it wasn't her, it was a good carbon copy. Later, I saw JACK STEHLIN from Weeds in Starbucks with what looked like his family. Very unassuming and seemed friendly. On the way to my car I saw MIRA FURLAN (crazy French lady from Lost), rushing across the street. She was dressed in an outfit that could have been actual Lost wardrobe. She's very pretty. [Hollywood PrivacyWatch is written by and for Defamer readers; send your sightings to tips@defamer.com.]

Nicole Kidman's cringe-inducing appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman last night is continuing to serve up some aftershocks, and during the star's appearance on Regis and Kelly today, Regis treated Kidman as though she were promoting her late-night trainwreck, not Australia.To be fair, Kidman (made up to look like an insane cross between a pilgrim and the Baroness from The Sound of Music) attempted to be diplomatic about the appearance, but Regis refused to have it, placing the blame for the encounter squarely on Letterman. Careful, Regis — a war with Dave is one that few walk away from as the victor. Just look what happened to John McCain! [Live with Regis and Kelly]

We like to keep up with news regarding Joan Hyler, the nails-tough producer/manager who was nearly killed in Malibu last August when a car struck her on the Pacific Coast Highway. A little more than three months later, we're told in the latest update to her blog, Hyler is doing more than just standing up, "gustily eating chicken," and making a generally miraculous recovery: She's playing Hollywood Catch-Up in the hospital! Help us bring her up to speed after the jump.The most recent post to Hyler's CarePages site lays out perhaps a minor problem in the grand scheme of things, but an inconvenience nonetheless: Three months convalescing in and out of comas, sedation and immobility would knock even the best of us out of the industry loop:

For all the rumblings about a Cinemark boycott at Sundance or an El Coyote fatwa after the anti-gay Proposition 8 passed, one troubling scenario hit a little closer to home for a newly mobilized gay Hollywood. Almost two weeks ago, it came to light that LA Film Festival director Richard Raddon gave $1500 to the "Yes on 8" cause, a revelation that caused Raddon to tender his resignation to Film Independent. At the time, the board did not accept Raddon's offer, though the move didn't quite stem the debate over Raddon's future and whether a potential boycott would devastate the festival when it returns next summer. Now, David Poland breaks word of a new development.According to Poland, Raddon's now resigned for real — and it isn't simply a gesture that Film Independent can reject. The move comes after reporters at the LAT finally seemed to realize, "Oh hey, a big juicy Hollywood story in our backyard. Maybe we should cover it?" Their weekend piece explored not only Raddon's donation but the division that exists within gay Hollywood over how to proceed:

Yes, that's Britney Spears on the cover of Rolling Stone, with the least exposed flesh she's ever shown on the cover of that magazine. Her interview inside is similarly unrevealing, mostly recounting Britney's dating travails (of one beau, Britney said she was "trying to ask him questions, like, 'OK, you're into martial arts, so what kind of martial arts are you into?' And he was like, 'Oh, all kinds'"), though she does take the time to tweak Kevin Federline's skills as a father. It may not surprise you, reader, to learn that K-Fed's kick game is far superior to his parenting:

Don't let declining animation revenues and skyrocketing unemployment get you down; your Japanese knight in candy-colored armor will soon trot into town on his bug-eyed steed with succor for all. Or at least a more entertaining environment to enjoy whatever hallucinogens you turn to as the recession deepens: The iconic Japanese artist/animator/sculptor/merchandiser Takashi Murakami is opening an L.A. studio in 2009.The LAT reports today that Murakami, the "Japanese Warhol" and low-culture recycler who was received like a rock star at last year's MOCA retrospective, is leasing 9,000 square feet on N. Highland Ave. for his West Coast outpost. He and about 30 employees will commence blowing your mind with variations on Murakami's celebrated cheer-mutants KaiKai and Kiki, who will reportedly receive a feature-length treatment as the artist's housewarming gift to himself:

The year-end demolition derby that is Oscar season is ramping up, and among the next big films to face the gauntlet is Gus Van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic, Milk. Already the recipient of oodles of pre-release buzz (so there, says Focus Features), its release Wednesday will cap a period of real-world gay activism that has unmistakable parallels to the events in the film. Senior editor S.T. VanAirsdale and associate editor Kyle Buchanan have already seen the movie and are ready to share their thoughts; so which editor wanted to see more James Franco, and which wanted to see more of James Franco's stunt phallus? Read on to find out!KB: So, Stu, you and I have both seen one of the year's most anticipated movies, Milk. I'm curious about our reactions, because we both came to from a different place. I saw it before the election, and you saw it after. Also, I'm a gay man, and you're not (aside from that one time at summer camp). STV: True, true. KB: So what did you think of it? STV: I liked it! Well-made prestige Oscar bait. KB: On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate its Van Santyness? Or perhaps, on a scale of Finding Forrester to Gerry? STV: 1 being Finding Forrester, Milk is right around a 3. KB: It's pretty straightforward, except for the occasional fun pop touch. I liked the film too, although I felt it ends better than it begins. The beginning is verrry biopic-y, every introduction is portentous and expositional. STV: It's a problem throughout, though. KB: People say things like, "Let me tell you something, CLEVE JONES..." I am pretty sure I never use people's last names when talking to them. Though maybe I would if I knew they'd be famous one day! STV: Try it with me some time, let's see what happens. KB: Do you think we'll see a single review of this film that won't mention Milk's parallel to Obama, or Prop 8? STV: This one won't be it, I guess. I hope so, though. KB: The Prop 8 stuff is pretty hard to ignore, considering Milk is trying to overturn the anti-gay Prop 6 in the movie. He even makes some remarks, like that the anti-Prop 6 ad campaign was "closeted," that I heard about the "No on 8" campaign. STV: So we need 100 critics saying it's relevant?

Even though every magazine is dying and Christmas has officially been canceled, one brave publication is soldiering on with an expensive (non-Holiday) festivity anyway. It's Vanity Fair's legendary Oscar party (one year they had colored cigarettes in bowls! It's like the Governor's Ball, only cool!), which was sadly canceled last year because of the Communist writers' strike. Everyone assumed it would be nixed again this year, in light of everyone being broke, but bossman in charge Graydon Carter says it's on, baby:

Hollywood PrivacyWatch: Shipping With the Stars Edition! 11/24 —I saw JASON PRIESTLEY and his wife, maybe? (a cute blonde) having someone from the UPS store in Toluca Lake bring a dolly-full of boxes from the store to their car. As the parking lot behind the store was packed, we all had to fight to even get out, and I think I may have cut him off… oops… [Hollywood PrivacyWatch is written by and for Defamer readers; send your sightings to tips@defamer.com.]

· Lionsgate will distribute More Than a Game, the documentary about LeBron James's high-school years that will be cross-promoted by Nike, Coca-Cola, State Farm and other brands in a much-needed boost for the otherwise underexposed NBA superstar. [Variety] · Fed up with the "barren" film landscape in the US, Taxi Driver screenwriter Paul Schrader is taking his career-defining transgressions to the world's one remaining bastion of angst, fear, profanity and sex: Bollywood. [THR] After the jump: What legendary newslady will spend today in Chicago scarfing up sloppy Obama seconds?· Barbara Walters will follow 60 Minutes' blockbuster lead for ABC, interviewing Barack and Michelle Obama for a one-hour ABC News special airing Wednesay at 10 p.m. [THR] · His gawky, browbeaten work here is done: Fox News's resident liberal punching bag Alan Colmes is departing Hannity & Colmes at the end of the year. [Variety] · Producer-director Barry Sonnenfeld is attached to develop the book Things a Man Should Never Do Past 30 as a series for CBS. [THR] · Donations are now being accepted for the food drive "Feed the Need," a Jamie Foxx-endorsed tie-in with his movie The Soloist. In keeping with the themes of the film, however, donors are kindly asked to supply meals that will keep for at least six months in storage without spoiling. [Variety]