Kidman, Urban reunite

Sydney, Australia – A spokesman for Keith Urban denied media reports Wednesday that the Australian-reared country singer had completed treatment for alcohol abuse.

In response to a query by The Associated Press, his New York-based publicist, Paul Freundlich, said in an e-mail: “Keith is on a leave in Australia to be with his family during the holidays. This is a natural occurrence at this point in his treatment. He will continue with his rehab upon his return.”

No other details were immediately available.

Urban, 39, checked himself into a rehabilitation treatment center in the United States in October, with his wife, Nicole Kidman, by his side. The Grammy-winning singer issued a statement at the time saying, “One can never let one’s guard down on recovery, and I’m afraid that I have.”

Urban flew into Sydney on Tuesday, Australian Associated Press reported.

Kidman, who won a best actress Oscar for 2002’s “The Hours,” has been in Sydney since before Christmas and is working on a movie in Australia, AAP and Nine Network television reported.

The new Neverland

Las Vegas – That’s been the word all week: Michael Jackson has reportedly bid adieu to his latest nomadic camps in Ireland and Bahrain, to say “hello there!” to Las Vegas.

Us Weekly says Jackson, 48, is already ensconced at a sweet Sin City home and is negotiating to do his very own Vegas Strip show, thereby finally and gracefully saying “good night” to his youth, his years, his life.

Vegas entertainer Jeff Beacher confirms to Us that M.J.’s in town. “He wants to make his comeback here,” Beacher says. “Jackson wants this to be his new Neverland.”

James Brown’s casket on view at Apollo Theater

New York – James Brown’s music career will come full circle when his body is brought to rest on the stage of the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, where he made his explosive debut.

The public will be permitted today to visit the Apollo to have one more look at a man who helped steer modern musical tastes toward rhythm-and-blues, funk, hip-hop, disco and rap, the Rev. Al Sharpton said. Sharpton has been a close friend of Brown for decades.

“It would almost be unthinkable for a man who lived such a sensational life to go away quietly,” Sharpton said in an interview from Georgia, where he was making funeral arrangements with Brown’s children.

Sharpton said the public Apollo viewing will be followed by a private ceremony Friday in Brown’s hometown, Augusta, Ga., and another public ceremony, officiated by Sharpton, a day later at the James Brown Arena there.

Brown, known as the Godfather of Soul, died of congestive heart failure on Christmas morning in Atlanta at age 73. He had been scheduled to perform on New Year’s Eve in Manhattan at B.B. King’s blues club.