McCain making ‘SNL’ cameo before election

Washington – My friends, it’s John McCain, live from New York, just three days before the election.

Aides to the Republican presidential candidate said Friday that McCain will make a detour from battleground states to appear on “Saturday Night Live,” the late-night show that has been a must-watch for many during the political season.

Hosting the show tonight is actor Ben Affleck, a supporter of Democratic candidate Barack Obama. The musical guest is singer David Cook.

When McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, appeared on the show Oct. 18, “Saturday Night Live” earned its best ratings in 14 years. Former star and head writer Tina Fey, a Palin lookalike, has been at the center of the show’s recent parodies of the campaign.

“SNL” regular Darrell Hammond impersonates McCain on the late-night show, now in its 34th season.

McCain last appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in May, after clinching the nomination and while the Democratic primary continued. The 72-year-old Arizona senator joked about his age, saying: “I ask you, what should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly, someone who is very, very, very old.”

When McCain hosted “SNL” in 2002, he mocked singer Barbra Streisand’s political advocacy by performing a medley of her songs.

Singer Mindy McCready released from jail

Franklin, Tenn. – Mindy McCready has been released from jail after serving about 30 days for violating probation on a 2004 drug charge.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Department says the country singer was released Friday morning. She only had to serve about half of her 60-day sentence because of credits she received for good behavior and doing janitorial work in the jail.

The 32-year-old singer was accused in June of falsifying her community service records and charged with violating her probation.

Phillips pleads guilty to drug charge

Los Angeles – Mackenzie Phillips has pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and will go into drug treatment.

The former “One Day at a Time” star entered the plea Friday in Los Angeles to a felony drug possession count. The district attorney’s office says two counts of possessing heroin and a needle were dismissed, and she was ordered to complete an 18-month program.

Phillips, 48, was arrested Aug. 27 at Los Angeles International Airport after airport police found small amounts of narcotics during a security screening.

Phillips is the daughter of John Phillips, who was in the pop group the Mamas and the Papas. She has a long history of drug abuse, which led to her firing from “One Day at a Time” in 1982.

Beckham to model posh new Armani underwear

Rome – Underwear ads apparently run in the family.

Fashion icon Victoria Beckham is the spokeswoman for the new Armani fashion house lingerie line – following in the footsteps of husband David Beckham, who also appeared in the fashion house’s underwear campaign.

The company said Friday that Beckham will debut in the spring-summer 2009 advertising campaign of Emporio Armani women’s underwear.

Giorgio Armani called the former “Posh Spice” of the Spice Girls a “style icon, a dynamic lady whose influence and recognition will add great excitement” to the ad campaign.

Dublin shelves plans to build U2 Tower

Dublin, Ireland – Plans to build the tallest building in Ireland – with new recording studios for Irish supergroup U2 on top – were suspended Friday because of Dublin’s slumping property market and slide into recession.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority said it remains committed to building the long-planned U2 Tower, but a souring economy at home and abroad means the project must be shelved. It expressed hope of reopening negotiations with potential developers within 12 months.

“The objective is to see this landmark project completed. However, given the current unfavorable economic environment, more time is needed at this juncture,” the Dublin development agency said in a statement, adding it was “confident that these economic uncertainties are short- to medium-term.”

The project shelving caps a six-year struggle and three rounds of architectural competition to build a U2 Tower.

Springsteen releases song inspired by ‘devil’

Los Angeles – Bruce Springsteen chose Friday to unveil a Halloween-inspired blues rave-up, a song that came days after the artist announced he would not be able to have his annual Halloween display at his Rumson, N.J., mansion because the high volume of visitors caused too much disruption for the neighborhood.

“If you grew up in Central or South Jersey you grew up with the ‘Jersey Devil,'” Springsteen wrote on his Web site, brucespringsteen.net, where the song is available for a free download. “Here’s a little musical Halloween treat. Have fun!”

The Jersey Devil is a sort of half-man, half-beast with hooves and horselike features. In Springsteen’s harmonica-driven blues, dubbed “A Night With the Jersey Devil,” the character wields a guitar made out of human skin and bones and dines on blood.