Nicki Minaj close to signing on for American Idol

Plus, Rosie O'Donnell suffers a heart attack; Comedian Phyllis Diller dies at 95; Survivor to feature TV star, baseball MVP; Nickelodeon reunites Sopranos stars; and Kick-Ass 2 pursuing Jim Carrey.

Nicki Minaj could be joining Mariah Carey as a new judge on American Idol. Joel Ryan / AP Photo

Rosie O'Donnell suffers a heart attack

Rosie O'Donnell says she suffered a heart attack last week and is "lucky to be here". The 50-year-old comedian detailed the experience on her blog on Monday, saying one of her arteries was 99 per cent blocked and a stent was inserted. O'Donnell wrote in a kind of verse: "Know the symptoms ladies / listen to the voice inside / the one we all so easily ignore." She recently hosted The Rosie Show on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It was cancelled in March.- AP

Comedian Phyllis Diller dies at 95

Phyllis Diller, who in the 1960s helped pave the way for female comics in Hollywood, died on Monday in Los Angeles. She was 95. Known for her distinctive laugh and self-deprecating humour, Diller was a staple of television from the 1950s until her retirement in 2002. She also performed in more than 30 films. Friend and fellow comic Joan Rivers wrote on Twitter that she was "beyond saddened" by the death of Diller, an artist she said she "adored". - AFP

Nicki Minaj close to signing on for Idol

A person close to Nicki Minaj told the Associated Pressthat the singer is nearing a deal to judge American Idol. If Minaj signs on, she would join Mariah Carey as a new judge on the top-rating series, which returns in January. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez announced their exits from the show last month. Other musicians linked to the gig include Nick Jonas, Keith Urban and Enrique Iglesias. - AP

Survivor to feature TV star, baseball MVP

The 18 "castaways" for the newest season of the reality series Survivor, set in the Philippines, has been announced. The cast includes Lisa Whelchel, the star of the 1980s sitcom The Facts of Life, as well as the former Major League Baseball MVP Jeff Kent. The season premiere is set for September 19.

Nickelodeon reunites Sopranos stars

The children's network Nickelodeon is reuniting four members of the mob drama The Sopranos for a TV movie. The film, Nicky Deuce, stars Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, Tony Sirico and Vincent Curatola, who played mobsters on the show. It's the first time they have performed together since The Sopranos ended in 2007. Nicky Deuce is set to premiere next year on Nickelodeon. - AP

Kick-Ass 2 pursuing Jim Carrey

The producers of Kick-Ass 2 are reportedly courting Jim Carrey to star in the sequel to the 2010 superhero comedy, which brings back the original cast members Chloé Moretz, Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Nicolas Cage. John Leguizamo has also signed on. In previous interviews, Carrey has said he's a fan of the film's director, Matthew Vaughn.