Last of ‘The Osbournes’

New York — Mark your calendars — the Ozzy Osbourne clan will be back Jan. 17 with the final season of their reality show, MTV announced Thursday.

“The Osbournes” chronicles the lives of goth-rock star Ozzy, his wife, Sharon, and two of their children — daughter Kelly and son Jack. They first allowed MTV cameras into their Beverly Hills, Calif., home in 2002.

The hit TV series showcases the offbeat antics of the family as Ozzy and Sharon deal with the complexities of running a household, usually with a slew of obscenities.

“After three years, the MTV cameras became part of the family, documenting what is possibly the most dramatic year we have had,” Sharon Osbourne said in a statement. “Though it was rough sometimes, we are truly blessed to have had this amazing experience.”

The show will wrap up with 10 new episodes, MTV said.

“Since we began our journey with the Osbournes we have been through serious subjects like Sharon’s cancer, Jack’s rehab, Ozzy’s life-threatening ATV accident and more humorous subjects like Ozzy’s dental visits, the Osbournes’ planning a family vacation, and more dog drama then I can remember,” said MTV executive Lois Curren.

‘Godfather of Soul’ accused of rape

Chicago — A Chicago-area woman who suffers from Graves’ disease filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday alleging that soul singer James Brown was to blame for her ailment because he raped her in 1988.

The lawsuit said the woman’s treating physician had concluded that the rape was the “actual and proximate cause” of her Graves’ disease, which was diagnosed in late 2000.

Stress can play a part in causing Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, according to the National Graves’ Disease Foundation, but many times the exact cause is unknown.

Jay B. Ross, a Chicago entertainment lawyer who said he has represented Brown since 1991, downplayed the rape allegations against the “Godfather of Soul.”

“It’s not the James Brown I know and love,” Ross said. “Anyone can sue anyone in this day and age.”

Hooked on books

New York — Now that she’s written one book, Catherine Crier’s got the itch.

The Court TV host, author of “The Case Against Lawyers,” says she has three more books in the works. The first will be ready in a few months, but she says its topic is a secret.

Her network threw her a swanky party at Manhattan’s Four Seasons restaurant Wednesday, celebrating the fifth anniversary of her daily program, “Catherine Crier Live,” Court TV’s signature show.

Writer Dominick Dunne was there, and NBC’s Matt Lauer popped by to offer his best wishes.

A former Texas judge and district attorney, Crier worked at CNN, ABC and Fox News Channel before coming to Court TV.

Best guitar face

New York — Jimi Hendrix not only had the skills to become a rock legend — he apparently had the right look as well.

A recent poll found that Hendrix had the best “guitar face” — the look guitarists get when trying to nail a high note or power chord.

Hendrix received 24 percent of the 3,000 votes cast online by the public and a poll by some 20 celebrity judges. B.B. King captured 18 percent of the vote, followed by Angus Young of AC/DC with 16 percent.

Gary Lucas, guitarist for Gods and Monsters, said he voted for Hendrix because he “channeled all the soulful ecstasy of the universe through his hands, and this was naturally mirrored in his face.”

The poll was taken by on-demand television service Mag Rack.

Queen meets volunteers for tsunami disaster victims

London — Queen Elizabeth II got a glimpse of tsunami relief efforts, visiting a telephone call center set up to help families locate missing loved ones.

The queen was accompanied Wednesday by her husband, Prince Philip. She met some of the 400 volunteers who have worked since Dec. 26 logging details of missing people at the Metropolitan Police center in north London.

“She said she was impressed with the hard work of all the officers and volunteers and thanked them for all they were doing,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Bracken.

Forty-one Britons have been confirmed dead in the disaster.

Death knell for ‘Crossfire’

New York — CNN said goodbye to pundit Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, and with him likely the “Crossfire” program that has been the granddaddy of high-volume political debate shows on cable television.

CNN will probably fold “Crossfire” into its other programming, perhaps as a segment on the daytime show “Inside Politics,” said Jonathan Klein, chief executive of CNN’s U.S. network.

Klein on Wednesday told Carlson, one of the four “Crossfire” hosts, that CNN would not offer him a new contract.

The bow-tied wearing conservative pundit got into a public tussle last fall with comic Jon Stewart, who has been critical of cable political programs that devolve into shoutfests.

“I guess I come down more firmly in the Jon Stewart camp,” Klein said.

Birthdays

Actor Nicolas Cage is 41. Singer Kenny Loggins is 57. Actor David Caruso (“CSI: Miami”) is 49. “Today” show co-host Katie Couric is 48. Actor Dustin Diamond is 28. Actor Liam Aiken is 15.