How will high-powered members of Viacom's corporate family like Sumner Redstone and Les Moonves be spending some of the days freed up by not having to deal with the boring details of a contract negotiation with the WGA? By heading off for some much-needed head-clearing time early next week at Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa, an executive-pampering Xanadu located in picturesque, improbably named Carefree, Arizona. And when they finally return from their well-earned post-holiday break, they'll hardly even remember why all those rude people in red T-shirts are walking in circles in front of their studios. [United Hollywood]

Stacey Snider may have jilted Universal to go shack up with DreamWorks, but she's still got 10 months left on her contract. So either Paramount's lawyers find a way to spring her (read: $$$), or she suffers the horrible indignity of being paid ridiculous sums by Universal to vacation until her pact expires at the end of 2006. [Variety]
It's not exactly news that American Idol has staggering ratings, but holy shit: 33 million people tuned in to see the final half hour of last night's 90 minute show. [THR]
Not all pre-Oscar parties are pointless, celebrity-packed orgies of decadence; in fact, many soirees in the coming days are celebrity-packed orgies of decadence that benefit charities. [Variety]
· Rob Lowe and fellow West Wing alums Mary-Louise Parker, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Marlee Matlin, Anna Deavere Smith, Timonthy Busfield, and (deep breath, almost done) Annabeth Gish will stop by the Wing to say goodbye in its final run of episodes. [THR]
· Shortly after the announcement that CBS is suing Howard Stern, Big Les responds to a Stern attack in inimitable Moonvesian fashion: "The good news is that not as many people will hear him as would have a year ago." [Variety]