MICHAEL LOVEFEST: Some 3,000 people gathered at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch last Saturday for an elaborate homecoming celebration to rally support in the wake of child-molestation charges against him, PEOPLE reported. Celeb friends such as Brandy, Tommy Davidson, Eddie Griffin, M.C. Hammer and troubled baseball great Daryl Strawberry joined Jackson, his parents and siblings (Jermaine was there, but Janet wasn't) for the "Jackson lovefest," onetime Jackson defense attorney Brian Oxman told PEOPLE. "The support he got here tonight was overwhelming proof that many people still love him and think he has done no wrong."

EMINEM UNLEASHED: A legal decision on Monday will allow The Source magazine to publish CDs containing 20 seconds of a previously unreleased recording by Eminem in which he delivers such racially charged lyrics as "black girls are dumb." U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Lynch said limited reproduction of the recording falls within the magazine's right to "fair use" of copyrighted material for the purpose of criticism, reported the Associated Press. The Source, which has a long history of criticizing Eminem, held a press conference last month to herald the discovery of his old recording, which was made before he became famous.

'BACHELOR' BOWS: "The Bachelor" star Bob Guiney -- who is being sued by the producers of the hit ABC series, claiming he breached his contract by selling his CD and promoting it in a music video -- is willing to comply with the agreement, his lawyer told PEOPLE. But Guiney, 32, believes the agreement only applies to other TV shows and has nothing to do with music, says attorney Martin Singer. "We think this is one of the most outrageous things that anyone would try to do to try to prevent someone from earning a livelihood as a recording artist," Singer told PEOPLE.

GLADIATOR BOOTIES: Russell Crowe and wife Danielle Spencer welcomed their first child Sunday night in Sydney, Australia, the Oscar winner's publicist told the Australian Associated Press. "He's a healthy, bouncing baby boy looking forward to Christmas," said the rep, Wendy Day. The child, named Charles Spencer Crowe, weighed in at 6 lb. 2 oz. Crowe, 39, and Spencer, 32, were married at his Australian ranch in April.

COWELL SCOWLS: "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell claims there was more than one rivalry going on at the "World Idol" contest to decide the globe's top pop singer. Cowell, speaking to PEOPLE after the London taping of the show that aired on Dec. 25, believes that a few of the 11 judges were trying to mimic him. "Some of them have based themselves on my character," said Cowell, 44. "They think it is cool to be me." He particularly singled out Canadian judge Zack Werner, whom Cowell claims iss "just a failed artist trying to make a name for himself."