Former "ER" star Eriq La Salle was among the guests at a Sunday morning birthday party for the 3-year-old daughter of his friends Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker. The princess-themed bash on Northside Drive was coordinated by Marietta-based Posh Tot events, and featured pink cupcakes, tea and a charm lesson by Cinderella, who covered basics such as elbows off the table and no talking with your mouth full. La Salle quipped that he picked up some valuable tips.

Buzz hearts La Salle's juicy role in "Coming to America." Can we say soul glow?

Georgians not quite country

In a bit of a shocker, neither Snellville's Diana DeGarmo ("American Idol") or former Atlantan Bobby Brown won CMT's "Gone Country" Friday. Instead, it went to Julio Iglesias Jr., despite the fact his song didn't sound country at all.

DeGarmo did manage to convince host and singer/producer John Rich that she could do country (in a Faith Hill ballad sort of way) after he berated her a week earlier. Even better, Bobby Brown scaled back his nutty behavior and pulled off a heartfelt tune in front of a country crowd.

Last Thursday, in Bravo's "Make Me a Supermodel," Atlanta's Casey Skinner made it to the final six but is in danger of being eliminated this week after doing miserably in the acting scenes.

Local bands heading to Austin

We're buzzing over Shane Harrison's sweet gig. Our music critic is trailing local bands headed to Texas this week for South by Southwest, a music and film conference in Austin. Hometown legend R.E.M. kicks off the music portion of the festival, in which more than 30 bands from Atlanta and Athens will take the stage. Local favorites include Dead Confederate, Trances Arc and Melissa Young, so look for Shane's reports from the festival this week in the Atlanta Music Scene blog on accessatlanta.com.

Lil Wayne's Arizona drug charge

The Associated Press reports that rapper Lil Wayne is fighting drug charges in Arizona.

Lawyers for the New Orleans-born artist have filed a motion in Yuma County Superior Court to reduce a charge of possession of drugs for sale.

Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was indicted in February on one count each of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

The 25-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Carter's attorney, James Tilson, said the original complaint given to the grand jury was inaccurate in stating Carter had about 29 grams of cocaine when he was arrested in January. Tilson said Carter had fewer than 8 grams, according to a lab report.

Because Arizona has a statutory presumption that possession of 9 grams or more means an intent to sell, Tilson explained the amount Carter carried could mean the difference between jail time and probation.

A May 13 hearing is scheduled on the motion to remand the case back to the grand jury.

The rapper was arrested after his tour bus was stopped on Jan. 22 at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Dateland, Ariz.

Authorities said a search of the bus by Drug Enforcement Administration agents yielded nearly 4 ounces of marijuana, slightly more than 1 ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of ecstasy and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia. Officials also found a .40-caliber pistol registered to Carter, who has a concealed weapons permit in Florida.

The Arizona bust wasn't Lil Wayne's first run-in with trouble. The rapper has faced drug charges in New York and Atlanta; in August 2006, Carter was arrested near Atlantic Station, and he later failed to appear in court.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Actor Chuck Norris is 68. Actress Sharon Stone is 50. Magician Lance Burton is 48. Actress Jasmine Guy ("A Different World") is 46. Bassist Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam is 45. Singer Edie Brickell is 42. Rapper-producer Timbaland is 36. Singer Robin Thicke is 31. Singer Carrie Underwood ("American Idol") is 25.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Is it less art because a black person opened their mouth and said it? It's just casting. It's an American play. We're Americans."

—- Anika Noni Rose, on suggestions that the all-black cast of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" on Broadway makes the Tennessee Williams play, traditionally all-white, less authentic.

—-Contributing: Jennifer Brett, Shane Harrison, Rodney Ho and news services.