Side show

AND MARIAH DOESN'T WANT EEL IN HER SUSHI: One of the lingering mysteries of American Idol -- besides how did community-theater-star-in-the-making Jim Verraros make the final 10 -- is what exactly does judge Randy Jackson do in the music industry?

He was described as a producer, and he talked ad nauseum about "working with" Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. But in both cases that can mean he was the guy who made the dinner runs.

So we were interested to see Jackson's name surface prominently in connection with Carey's new album, due out Dec. 10.

The album, Charmbracelet, is being watched more closely than usual because it will be Carey's first on the label she created under her new record deal with Island/Def Jam, and her first since last year's breakdown, the megaflop that was Glitter and the collapse of her break-the-bank deal with Virgin Records.

Jackson is being called the album's producer, and he was at a prerelease listening party for an unfinished version Tuesday night in New York.

"It's the most real and honest record (Carey has) made," Jackson told FoxNews.com. "She didn't care what anyone thought of the lyrics. They were only important to her."

We note that even the dinner-run guy can make a statement like that. And Jackson may want to claim that as his only role rather than take credit for one of the album's songs: a remake of Def Leppard's Bringin' on the Heartbreak.

PHIL, ABOUT THIS CONDESCENSION PROBLEM: Who doesn't love Dr. Phil?

Most of the staff working on his new show.

Morale is terrible, staff members tell MSNBC.com. Compared with how he treats them, Dr. Tough Love is Dr. Touchy-Feely Sensitive Man with his guests. There's a lot of yelling and unhappiness behind the cameras, they say.

Phil's agent responded with "no comment."

CRUISING RIGHT ALONG: It probably wasn't part of the divorce agreement, but Nicole Kidman is getting more interesting movie projects than her ex-husband.

Variety says Kidman has signed to star in the remake of 1975's The Stepford Wives, which was based on the book about a group of suburban husbands who transform their spunky wives into robots that cater to their every whim.

And with a passion usually reserved for Steven Spielberg projects, Kidman says she just has to make a movie version of the TV series Bewitched.

"There's an enormous amount of interest in (the project)," Kidman tells USA Today. Being talked about for the pivotal role of Darrin: Mike Myers and Jim Carrey. (We think Myers is too short, but that could be worked into the plot.)

THAT'S WHAT THEY ALL SAY: Charlie Sheen says his motive for hanging onto remnants of his randy past was strictly charitable. New wife Denise Richardson didn't let the remnants hang around long enough to hear the explanation.

While exploring the garage of their new Malibu mansion, Richardson found a box containing more than 200 adult films. She pitched them.

Sheen, whose past includes an association with former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss and dates with porn star Ginger Lynn, says in a Glamourmagazine.co.uk report that he had planned to sell the tapes and give the proceeds to charity. "I just hadn't got around to it," he says.

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