The Fix

First Word

Brit returns to rehab: After a rough weekend of hair shaving and wig buying, Britney Spears followed her downward spiral to its logical conclusion Tuesday and entered rehab. Her manager announced to the press that she "voluntarily checked herself into an undisclosed rehab facility." Or perhaps not so undisclosed -- the shaved pop tart was photographed heading in to the swanky rehab center Promises in Malibu, Calif., which was promptly buzzed by paparazzi in helicopters. OK magazine reports that a screaming match with Kevin Federline was the catalyst that finally sent her to seek professional help. (People, N.Y. Post, OK via N.Y. Daily News)

"Grey's" spins off: According to the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, the creators of "Grey's Anatomy" are trying a TV move that has a long tradition: the spinoff. The new, as-yet untitled series will follow "Grey's" Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (played by Kate Walsh) as she heads out on her own. The paper writes that "spinoffs come with a built-in audience already invested in the concept or character. There's a strong marketing hook." But they aren't without their dangers -- though Walsh plays one of the show's most popular characters, there's always the concern about how she'll fare on her own. (Wall Street Journal via Hollywood Wiretap)

Obama hits Hollywood: Finally lending some solid proof to the Hollywood-hearts-Obama thesis that has already entered the annals of conventional wisdom, presidential hopeful Barack Obama made his debut among the Tinseltown elite on Tuesday night, with a fundraiser chock-full of A-list names: Jennifer Aniston, Eddie Murphy, Natalie Maines, Ben Stiller, Morgan Freeman, Taye Diggs, Zach Braff, J.J. Abrams, Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg, among others. The reception was followed by a dinner at Geffen's home, and the stars reportedly raised about $1.3 million for Obama's campaign. (Time, Popmatters, Chicago Tribune)

White noise ... A judge in Los Angeles Tuesday ordered that all of O.J. Simpson's royalties from his past movie and TV work -- as well as any commercials -- go directly to Ron Goldman's family. (Associated Press) ... Daniel Baldwin finally made it to court in Orange County, Calif., Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to stealing a friend's car in November -- he arrived at the courthouse driving the car in question, with its owner in the passenger seat. (TMZ) ... Nicole Richie (right) also had her court date yesterday, where her lawyers entered a plea of not guilty on charges of driving under the influence -- she was arrested in December driving down the wrong side of the highway in Burbank, Calif. (TMZ) ... The family of a woman who died two years ago is now suing Michael Jackson for abuse of celebrity status, claiming that she was forced to move from her hospital unit to make room for the pop star, who checked in with symptoms of the flu. (Los Angeles Times) ... The divorce between Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro was finalized on Tuesday in a Los Angeles court -- neither is asking for spousal support. (Associated Press)

Buzz Index

• Most viewed story on Yahoo News: "Woman in Iron Lung Celebrates Birthday," Associated Press
• Most e-mailed story from the New York Times: "Flame First, Think Later: New Clues to E-Mail Misbehavior"
• Most popular track on Hype Machine: "March Into the Sea," Modest Mouse
• Most viewed story from the International Herald Tribune: "TV Talk-Show Host Craig Ferguson Refrains From Mocking Britney Spears After She Shaves Her Head"

; )

"Giuliani to Run for President of 9/11" (The Onion)

Judgment

Finding "Mary Rose": The Vineyard Theater in New York is staging a revival of J.M. Barrie's "Mary Rose" (Paige Howard, daughter of Ron Howard and a student at NYU, makes her professional debut in the title role), and reviewer Charles Isherwood notes how rare it is for any of Barrie's non-"Peter Pan" work to get produced: "After its United States premiere in 1920, 'Mary Rose' was seen on Broadway very briefly in 1951. Then, like the rest of Barrie's stage work ('Peter Pan' spectacularly excepted), it sailed off into the Neverland of theatrical obscurity." The play's main theme -- a girl who never really grows up -- is pure Barrie, but Isherwood writes that "unlike its heroine, the play is undeniably dimmed by the patina of age. Mary Rose and her family occasionally muse on the evanescence of happiness and the workings of time in human life, but they lack the depth and complexity of enduring dramatic characters." ("Reviving a Barrie Fantasy Not Called 'Peter Pan,'" N.Y. Times)

Numbers

57: Number of times ABC's "Good Morning America" reportedly called the home of Jennifer Mee, the 15-year-old Florida girl who began hiccupping four weeks ago and hasn't yet stopped, trying to get an interview. (St. Petersburg Times)

Turn On

Wednesday night, "Jericho" (CBS, 8 p.m. EST) returns from hiatus, PBS presents a special look at what life is like in "The Marines" (check local listings), and the second season of "Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg" (TV Land, 10 p.m. EST) kicks off with an interview with Jerry Seinfeld.

Talk

Fix contributors: Heather Havrilesky, Scott Lamb, Kerry Lauerman, David Marchese, Laura Miller, Andrew O'Hehir, Amy Reiter, Stephanie Zacharek

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