Halftime Show

Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is expected to announce his retirement tomorrow, according to a British radio report. According to BBC Radio Five Live, the 38-year-old Lewis plans to call it quits after a 15-year career in which he has spent almost 10 years as champion. A news conference is expected in London tomorrow, the BBC said. Kronk Boxing publicist Carlos Llinas told SportsTicker that Lewis' trainer, Emanuel Steward, declined to comment on the report but revealed that Steward is "dealing with a major story" and "may have more to say in a couple of days.

Janet Jackson's breast blunder continues. With her damage-control machine in full throttle, the "overexposed" singer issued yet another apology - this one videotaped - in which she said that "MTV, CBS and the NFL had no knowledge of this whatsoever, and unfortunately, the whole thing went wrong at the end. " It was essentially the same written statement she issued Monday. Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune reports that MTV has no plans to release the tape of the rehearsal for Jackson's breast-baring by singer Justin Timberlake during Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show.

'AMERICAN IDOL" runner-up Clay Aiken may not have much gangsta in him. He may not have much testosterone in him. But in our coarse, impatient, rude society dominated by diva-esque silliness perpetrated not just by mid-level stars but also-rans and wannabes, Aiken's behavior deserves to be recognized. Now it has. He tops the list of the National League of Junior Cotillions' "Ten Best-Mannered People of 2003. " Who even knew there was a National League of Junior Cotillions?

Ah, halftime. A few moments to catch our breath, refill our drinks, head to the kitchen or the bathroom while those big-ticket commercials run. Or not. This year, Super Bowl halftime alternatives - timed to coincide with the midgame break right down to the second - are proliferating, along with the alterna-choices for those opting out of game-day viewing altogether. First up: MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch Deathbowl in which, for the second year running, Claymation celebrities will square off as a clock ticks down the seconds to the resumption of the Super Bowl.

The Patriots' Irving Fryar had just completed a 36-yard touchdown catch and run with a Marc Wilson pass 1:54 before halftime. Fryar never stopped running once he reached the end zone. The Mount Holly, N.J., native ran from one side of the end zone to the other, around some band members preparing for their halftime show, and headed into the stands with the football. He went up two rows in Section 153 and gave the ball to his cousin, Arnold Oakman Jr., who was seated with several members of the Fryar family.

That Dan Quayle! And we thought the veep was really vexed by Murphy Brown's becoming a single mother. Turns out - it was all in fun! Now Quayle is a TV pitchman for the very show he excoriated for what he called a shocking lapse in family values. After sitting for an hour-long interview Tuesday morning on a Los Angeles television show, the vice president agreed to participate in a promotional advertisement for the local station's weeknight reruns of Murphy Brown. In the spot, Barbara Beck, KTLA Morning News co-anchor, asks the vice president, "So what's your favorite TV program?"

That sublime cross-genre warbler Fergie and her gang, the Black Eyed Peas , will soothe the savage NFL soul as the official act for Fox's Super Bowl XLV halftime show Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Fox says the show, which last year drew 153 mil viewers in America, is the most-watched musical event of the year. Previous acts include the Who , Bruce Springsteen , Tom Petty , Prince , and Sir Paul McCartney . Having their turkey . . . . . . and eating it, too. Celebs eat turkey - and even give thanks - just like you and me. Michael Douglas went all-American, taking wife Catherine Zeta-Jones , 41, and kids, Carys , 7½, and Dylan , 10, to Epcot Center in Florida on Wednesday, People reports.

Violent action. Sudden plot twists. Heroic and humiliating moments. Ah, the thrill of the Super Bowl. Not the game - the commercials! Over the years, Super Bowl Sunday has evolved far beyond the date of a struggle for pigskin supremacy. It's the nation's No. 1 day to party, Hallmark says, and tomorrow's broadcast (6 p.m., Channel 3) will almost certainly lure the year's biggest TV audience. But only compulsive fans and gung-ho gamblers (these are not mutually exclusive groups)

Every man, woman, child, household pet, and domesticated farmyard animal on the planet (with the exception of yours truly) watched Sunday's Super Bowl game, which saw the New York Giants fell the mighty New England Patriots, 21-17. It was the most-watched program in U.S. TV history, drawing an average of 111.3 mil domestic viewers, according to Nielsen SoundScan ( Madonna 's halftime show drew 114 mil). Global numbers aren't in, but we imagine they are spectacular.   Twitter-twitter-twitter the NFL Sunday's game also broke the Twitter record, indicating that many, many people tweeted about the contest, an indication, says Inc.com, that it was a most important cultural phenom.

It happened quite by accident. The phone rang just as I sat down at my desk to start the day. So I muted the TV, which was still set on E! from taping The Soup the night before. Turns out there's something diverting about the channel - as long as you don't pay attention. Everyone knows if you really focus on E! your brain will explode. But watching with half an eye and no ear? Curiously entertaining. Here's what I learned from a day of viewing E! on mute: I'm amazed there is no e in Kardashian , because there is almost nothing but Kardashian in E!