Will Springsteen Bring Courteney Cox Onstage? Crazy Super Bowl Bets Hit the Net

The Super Bowl, in most non-recession years at least, is an event for gamblers and casual bettors to wager on everything from the opening coin flip to the final score to how many beers they can down before the chips run out. Since Bruce Springsteen is this year’s halftime performer, he too is the subject of a bunch of interesting prop bets. On Sportsbook.com, you can bet on the E Street Band’s actual four-song set list — combos spanning everything from “Playlist A: ‘Glory Days,’ ‘My Lucky Day,’ ‘Badlands,’ ‘Born to Run’ ” to “Playlist D: ‘Born in the U.S.A.,’ ‘Thunder Road,’ ‘Rosalita,’ ‘My Lucky Day’ ” — or whether Clarence Clemons will get a featured sax solo. There’s 3-to-1 odds that Springsteen has a wardrobe malfunction, while 2-to-1 odds has Patti Scialfa having a similar Janet Jackson moment. (Steven Van Zandt is going at 8-to-1 odds, but for the sake of future generations we hope that doesn’t happen.)

Our other favorite bet: At a ridiculously-low 10-to-1, you can wager now that Springsteen will reach into the crowd and bring actress Courteney Cox onstage, just like he did in the “Dancing in the Dark” video. But sadly, the fun seems to be coming to an early end: A lot of gambling sites that were offering Springsteen-related bets have since stopped, probably because Bruce and Co. were in Tampa yesterday and today rehearsing their Super Bowl set — that would make “Playlist H: Any Other Song Combination Not Listed” a popular pick (Hint: Winner!). We’re not gonna ruin the Super Bowl surprise for you, but if you really need to know what’s going to be played you can search the appropriate Springsteen-related message boards for the answer.

And the ballots go to ... 5,810 Oscar voters

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The ballots are in the mail for the 5,810 members of Hollywood's elite who get to vote on the Academy Awards.

Wednesday's final ballots include nominees in 19 categories, among them best picture, director and the four acting prizes.

Ballots in five other categories — feature-length and short documentaries, foreign-language film, animated shorts and live-action shorts — are available only after academy members verify that they attended screenings of the nominees.

The deadline is Feb. 17 for Oscar voters to return ballots to the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. The big show itself comes five days later.

McCartney set for 'Colbert Report' visit

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Comedy Central TV channel says Paul McCartney is going to drop in on Stephen Colbert.

McCartney will be a guest on Wednesday's The Colbert Report, talking up his latest album, Electric Arguments. The work represents a collaboration between the former Beatle and producer-musician Youth, and was released under the band name the Fireman.

The Colbert Report airs at 11:30 p.m. ET weeknights.

Rourke ready to rumble in Houston

HOUSTON – Listen up wrestlin' fans: actor Mickey Rourke says he's ready to rumble with WWE superstar Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 25 in Reliant Stadium on April 5.

Rourke portrays professional wrestler Randy the Ram in the acclaimed movie "The Wrestler."

He's signed to wrestle Jericho, for real.

He made a surprise announcement Sunday night on the red carpet before the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles.

He said he was pleased by the acceptance of the movie by all the WWE wrestlers — except Jericho.

Then Rourke said he was going to toss Jericho "around the ring like tossed salad."

Meanwhile, Jericho, appearing on WWE television, said, Rourke was out of line and that he was offended by Rourke's comments. He said Rourke made "a mistake."