Sideshow |

A harrowing flashback for lovers of

The Translucent One

yesterday when they had to relive the trauma of

Nicole Kidman

's car crash with the online dissemination of a video that caught Thursday's horrific, albeit injury-free, event. (Well, a hospital exam revealed

she

was unharmed, while seven mortals - zombies and cameramen - sustained minor injuries.)

During a stunt for her flick The Invasion, Nicole's Jaguar - which was being pulled by a camera-mounted rig at 50 m.p.h. and had stuntmen in zombie garb hanging off its hood - ran off course and hit a pole.

In less horrifying injury news, someone's foot made contact with

Bruce Willis

' forehead Wednesday during a fight sequence on the L.A. set of Bruce's new

Die Hard

movie. He was unhurt, except for a gash above his right eye, sources murmur.

B.B. King

had to scrap a concert Thursday night in Galveston, Texas, checking into a hospital for undisclosed reasons. A hospital rep headed off morbid rumors, saying the blues maestro was not in the intensive-care unit, was in good condition yesterday, and would most likely go home late yesterday or today.

Last month, President Bush awarded King the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his musical contributions.

Bahrain, France, Ireland: stops on the pilgrimage of more than a year made by

Michael Jackson

since the end of his child molestation trial in June '05. He didn't travel on foot, much less barefoot or on his knees, as some pilgrims do, but the One-Gloved Wonder, who is now - finally - back in the United States, has been working hard for a comeback. His return will be launched with grotesquely overpriced publicity appearances (he'll hang out a while, not sing) at two carefully orchestrated parties in Japan. (Three grand gets you in to gawk at him, say "Hi," and get his autograph!)

Jackson and his rep confirmed his triumphant landing in America in a call with the Associated Press, which was allowed to ask only one question.

The AP was, like, "How are you?"

Michael: "I'm fine, thank you."

Man, I can already smell that comeback - big time.

How could it happen again in this post-

Mel Gibson

/

Michael Richards

era?

Ask Ted Nugent, who's been accused of making racist remarks about immigrants and non-English speakers during his performance at Texas Gov. Rick Perry's inaugural ball.

On second thought, don't. The straight-edge rocker, who lives in Waco, Texas, calls the allegations "pure, unadulterated lies." Writing in the Waco Tribune-Herald, Nugent said "the vicious lies and hateful allegations" were made against him by "unprofessional and downright goofy media punks," and denied using any offensive language.

Nugent does support having English as a standard language: "I will intensify my fight for a united America by demanding all Americans speak English," he wrote.