Phoenix TV appearance is instant classic

New York — One night after his memorably weird interview with actor Joaquin Phoenix, David Letterman made a joke in his “Late Show” monologue questioning whether Phoenix was on drugs.

The actor had appeared to forget the name of his “Two Lovers” co-star, Gwyneth Paltrow, stuck gum under the edge of Letterman’s desk and apparently cursed at bandleader Paul Shaffer for laughing at him during Wednesday night’s show.

Hours after Phoenix’s Letterman appearance, which was punctuated by intervals of uncomfortable silence from both, it became an Internet sensation. By Thursday evening, it had been viewed more than 180,000 times on YouTube.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight,” Letterman said at the interview’s end.

Nude photo of Madonna auctioned for $37K

New York — A full-frontal, nude photo of a 20-year-old Madonna fetched $37,500 at auction Thursday, an apparent record auction price for a photograph of the superstar singer.

An unnamed European buyer bought the picture, which had been expected to sell for up to $15,000, according to Christie’s auction house.

Madonna, then known as Madonna Louise Ciccone, was a dancer trying to make ends meet when she answered a newspaper ad seeking a nude model. She may have earned as little as $25 for the 1979 photo session.

Lee Friedlander’s raw, explicit black-and-white image appeared in Playboy in 1985. Friedlander has said of the photo session that Madonna “seemed very confident, a street-wise girl. She told me she was putting a band together but half the kids that age are doing that. She was a good professional model.”

Wanda Sykes to roast Obama at dinner

New York — Wanda Sykes will soon get the chance to make fun of President Barack Obama to his face.

The comic actress said Thursday that she has been selected as the entertainer at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner in Washington, slated for May 9.

Obama is expected to attend the black-tie affair at the Washington Hilton and to follow in his predecessors’ tradition by putting on a comedy act of his own. The guest list of some 2,000 people will likely include the usual mix of Washington elite, White House press corps and Hollywood celebrities.

“The first thing I did when they asked me to do this gig — I made sure my taxes were paid,” quipped Sykes, taking a dig at the withdrawal of former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle from Obama’s cabinet due to unpaid taxes.

American Idol semifinalist disqualified

Los Angeles — An “American Idol” contestant with a lengthy entertainment resume has been disqualified after reaching the show’s top 36.

In its press released issued Wednesday night announcing the semifinalists, Fox TV said that Joanna Pacitti was “ineligible to continue.” No reason was given by Fox.

But a person familiar with the decision said Thursday that Pacitti was dropped to avoid any appearance of business impropriety. The person, who did not elaborate, spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized by Fox and the show’s producers to talk about the dismissal.

The decision was made because Pacitti had once worked with a person subsequently hired by 19 Entertainment, which produces “American Idol” with FremantleMedia, said another person familiar with the disqualification. Pacitti also knew a second 19 Entertainment employee, the person said.

Pacitti was dropped from the show to avoid any suggestion of unfairness, said the person, who asked that his or her name not be used because the person was not authorized to talk about the dismissal.

Mandy Moore engaged to Ryan Adams

Los Angeles — Singer-actress Mandy Moore and rock singer Ryan Adams are engaged.

Moore’s publicist Jillian Fowkes confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the two are planning to wed. No details were announced.

The 24-year-old Moore started out as a squeaky-clean teen singer and later crossed into movies with featured roles in such films as “License to Wed,” “A Walk to Remember,” “Saved” and “American Dreamz.”

Adams, who played in the band Whiskeytown during the 1990s before turning solo, is known for his song “New York, New York,” which appeared on his album “Gold,” released in 2001.

Usher’s wife recovering after cardiac arrest

Sao Paulo — The wife of R&B singer Usher continues to recover in a Sao Paulo hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest shortly before undergoing plastic surgery, the spokeswoman of the doctor who was to perform the procedure said Thursday.

Ellen Dastry, spokeswoman for plastic surgeon Silvio Sterman, says Tameka Raymond checked into the Sao Rafael Hospital last Friday for a “simple liposuction.” Dastry said that Raymond suffered a cardiac arrest while being anesthetized for the procedure “but was revived in less than a minute by heart massage.” She was then placed in an induced coma before being taken to the intensive-care unit, a procedure Dastry said was “absolutely normal” and performed in order to “avoid unnecessary complications.”