Today's news you might've missed:

• We were sure that it was impossible to like Kristen Bell anymore than we already do ("Veronica Mars" pretty much sealed it for us) but then she decided to share with the world the most endearing video of her reaction to having a run-in with a sloth on her birthday.

• It seems Nigel Lythgoe is totally down for our suggestion to have a sing-off for the 2012 election. The "Idol" producer has invited President Obama onto the Fox singing competition to show off his vocal skills. [Nigel Lythgoe's Twitter]
• Vanity Fair has unveiled the cover for its 2012 Hollywood issue, and, as in years past, it's raised questions about the cover's lack of diversity. [Vanity Fair/Jezebel]
• Raven Symone is readying her pipes for the Great White Way: The actress has snagged the lead in the Broadway musical production of  "Sister Act." [Deadline]
• Hopefully you enjoyed the premiere of HBO's "Luck" on Sunday, because the network has already granted the horse-racing drama a second season. [LAT]
• Word has it that "Saturday Night Live's" Paul Brittain is off the show - effective immediately. [EW]
• By the by, since we're talking about "SNL" - Lana Del Rey tells Rolling Stone that she felt fine about her criticized performance. "I thought I looked beautiful and sang fine." We believe what she's saying is: Hi, haters. [RS]

And we thought Miss Piggy got snippy with us for asking if she enjoyed bacon for breakfast.

This time, Jim Henson's resident well-dressed diva is firing back at accusations that her latest box office success, "The Muppets," is hiding a liberal agenda within its plot.

The assertion was made last year by Fox Business commentator Eric Bolling, who raised the question of whether having a wealthy oil tycoon as the movie's villain was sending an anti-corporate, anti-oil message.

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After a number of outlets whispered that Paula Abdul is parting ways with the "X Factor" after only one season, the judge/mentor is confirming the news herself.

"Yes, it's true; I won't be returning to 'The X Factor' next season. I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations," Abdul says in a statement. "Simon [Cowell] and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation."

Abdul, who previously worked with Cowell on Fox's other reality competition, "American Idol," says that the tough Brit judge "will remain a dear friend of mine and I’ve treasured my experience working this past season with my extended family at Fox and Fremantle. I want nothing more than for 'The X Factor' to exceed ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am most grateful.”

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The countdown to Madonna's hyped Super Bowl performance is on, and the singer admits that she's feeling some nerves.

"It's the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done," Madge told Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" Monday. "The Super Bowl is the holy of holies. It's like the sacred show of America. And I have to go on in the middle of that holy of holies and put on the greatest show that was ever put on before. That's no pressure."

On top of not really getting a lot of rehearsal time - "they're playing football all day so I don't really have time to do a sound check. It's a little bit like a circus act: Get in there, roll out my carpet, put on my show and get the eff off," she joked - there's also the fact that the Super Bowl halftime isn't the place to exercise a lot of artistic license.

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The idea of new "Arrested Development" episodes may have felt a little too good to be true, but producer Dean Lorey has helpfully provided those anxiously awaiting the show's return with an update.

On his blog, he assures fans that the project is in full swing - with creator Mitch Hurwitz and writer Jim Vallely joining him at the writers table to crank out a new season.

In November of last year, Netflix announced that the new episodes of "Arrested Development" would be available for U.S. Netflix subscribers to stream instantly at some point in 2013.

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If you have any lingering confusion regarding Cynthia Nixon's recent remarks on sexuality and choice, hopefully her latest statement will help clear it up.

The 45-year-old actress, who is set to marry partner Christine Marinoni, has clarified to the Advocate that while she chooses to be in a gay relationship, her bisexuality is not a choice.

It's something that could've been misconstrued, seeing that earlier this month Nixon was quoted as telling the New York Times that she's chosen to be gay. "I understand that for many people it's not, but for me it's a choice, and you don't get to define my gayness for me."

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The latest "Bachelor" episode took Ben and the 11 remaining contestants from Park City, Utah, to the Puerto Rican island of Vieques.

Chris Harrison, doing his best Brad Womack impression by rocking the plaid, informed them there would be one group date and a pair of one-on-one dates. That said, all of the women would go out with Ben in some form.

The first one-on-one went to Nicki the dental hygienist, and she and Ben went to Old San Juan for a Puerto Rican take on the snow cone. As soon as Nicki wondered if anything could go wrong, the neighborhood was drenched by heavy rains.  (Maybe the show's producers have some sort of "weather distortion machine," like the kind you only see in bad sci-fi movies.)

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Thanks to Monday night's episode of "Alcatraz," we now have a few more hints as to what's going on in the overall story.

This week's focus was on murderer/thief Cal Sweeney, but thankfully it wasn't an hour-long bank robbery episode. Instead, the bank robbery scene served the plot, with Rebecca in the unusual position of helping former Alcatraz inmate Cal escape the authorities.

While there wasn't too much of Hauser or "Doc" Soto this week, I did enjoy their scenes together. (And it looks like Rebecca takes center stage next week, as well. I am looking forward to Robert Forster's return as her uncle, the Alcatraz guard.)

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The second season of "Downton Abbey" hasn't yet wrapped up in the States, but we're already setting our sights on season 3. The fan and critic fave is expanding its cast next season with Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine.

MacLaine will appear in the series as a new character, Martha Levinson, who's the mother of Lady Grantham, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Creator Julian Fellowes has "written another brilliant character in Martha Levinson, who will be a wonderful combatant for Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess," promises executive producer Gareth Neame. "We are excited at the prospect of MacLaine playing her."

The Daily Beast reports that the second season of "Downton Abbey" will wrap up Stateside on PBS February 19, with the third season arriving in the U.S. early next year after bowing first in the U.K. this fall.

The contestants on "X Factor's" second season won't be the only new faces, as Simon Cowell's reality competition has cleaned house.

Fox has confirmed to CNN that neither "X Factor" host Steve Jones nor mentor/judge Nicole Scherzinger will return for the show's second season. Jones also confirmed the news via his Twitter account, simply saying that it was a "shame" but that he did have a great time.

I wont be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame but I cant complain as I've had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show.—
Steve Jones (@SteveJones) January 31, 2012

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