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Gibson must answer questions about filming

LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles judge says Mel Gibson must answer questions about planning and filming The Passion of the Christ in response to a screenwriter's lawsuit.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gregory Alarcon on Tuesday ordered Gibson to appear for a deposition by mid-January.

Screenwriter Benedict Fitzgerald claims he was underpaid for his work on Passion.

His attorneys say Gibson spent tens of thousands of dollars on his children's education while filming in Italy and paid a chiropractor $78,000.

They contend those expenses lowered payments to Fitzgerald.

Gibson's attorneys want to keep their client from having to answer questions about the blockbuster film. His lawyer didn't return an after-hours phone message.

Friday Night Lights shines again Jan. 16

LOS ANGELES - NBC says Friday Night Lights will make its season debut on the network in January, along with the new reality shows Superstars of Dance and Howie Mandel's Howie Do It.

NBC said Tuesday that the third season of Friday Night Lights will begin airing Jan. 16.

In an unusual arrangement, the acclaimed football-and-family drama was first available this season to DirecTV subscribers.

Superstars of Dance, an international competition show from the producers of Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, will premiere Jan. 4 before moving to its regular Monday time slot the next night and airing through Jan. 26.

It will be paired on Monday with Momma's Boys, a dating show from executive producer Ryan Seacrest of American Idol.

Howie Do It, a hidden-camera prank show starring Mandel while his Deal or No Deal takes a break, will debut Jan. 9.

Britney Spears to perform on X Factor

LONDON - Britney Spears is heading to London this week to perform live on The X Factor TV show.

She also is giving two concerts in London in June. A Spears' representative announced those concerts Wednesday and said they will be her only European stops on a world tour.

Spears is expected to sing Womanizer on television this Saturday. The popular single was recorded for a soon-to-be-released album.

The British singing contest is similar to American Idol in the U.S.

Source: The Associated Press