Drake, Rihanna, Katy Perry dominate MTV video awards

Drake was nominated for five MTV Music Video Awards while Katy Perry received four nods Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES -- MTV announced the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, and there were clear leaders -- and one eyebrow-raising omission.

Drake and Rihanna led the field with five nods apiece. The latter was heavily featured on Drake's album "Take Care," and the two frequently spur speculation about their relationship (most recently when Drake's and Chris Brown's posses erupted in a champagne-hurling brawl, reportedly over Rihanna). The two will each compete with Brown in different categories, Rihanna in choreography and Drake for male video.

Katy Perry landed four noms, while Coldplay, M.I.A., Jay-Z, and Kanye's "Watch the Throne" and newcomer Frank Ocean scored three apiece.

The snub? Lady Gaga, the figurehead of last year's ceremonies, got zero. She was eligible in two categories and earned much early praise for her extravagant, cinematic art-epics.

The always eventful telecast takes place at Staples Center on Sept. 6 and will feature live performances by Alicia Keys and U.K. boy band phenom One Direction.

Bret Michaels, Kristi Gibson call off engagement

NEW YORK -- Bret Michaels and longtime girlfriend Kristi Gibson have called off their engagement.

Michaels' publicist, Joanna Mignano, said in a statement Monday the couple have separated.

Michaels and Gibson have dated on and off for about 18 years. They got engaged in 2010. They have two daughters, Raine Elizabeth and Jorja Bleu.

The statement says Michaels and Gibson will "remain great friends and are committed to jointly raising" their daughters.

Michaels is the vocalist for the band Poison. He also appeared in his own VH1 reality show.

Country's Toby Keith postpones concert

NASHVILLE -- Surgery has briefly sidelined country star Toby Keith.

Keith has had his gallbladder removed and was forced to reschedule his show today at Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wis. That concert date has been rescheduled to Aug. 30.

A Monday news release says the 51-year-old Oklahoma native will resume his Live in Overdrive tour Friday at the WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Keith's spokeswoman says he is doing fine after the outpatient procedure.

Pitbull can say he's safe from Alaska bears

KODIAK, Alaska -- Miami rapper Pitbull can now say he's safe from bears in Alaska.

Pitbull received a care package Monday from Walmart during his visit to Kodiak, complete with bear repellent spray and bear bells used by hikers to make noise, the Kodiak Daily Mirror reported.

The bear spray had special meaning to about 250 people who attended the Pitbull appearance at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak. The rapper had tweeted he heard the local Walmart sold the spray.

In a marketing deal, Pitbull -- whose real name is Armando Christian Perez -- agreed to visit the Walmart that got the most likes on its Facebook page.

Kodiak was the easy winner, thanks to David Thorpe, a Boston writer who thought it would be funny to send Pitbull to the most remote Walmart possible. Thorpe also was in Kodiak Monday and met the rapper.

Pitbull was a sport, receiving a key to the city from Kodiak Mayor Pat Branson, who donned shades to mimic the dapper rapper's look.

Judge grants Sheryl Crow restraining order vs. man

LOS ANGELES -- A judge has granted Sheryl Crow a temporary restraining order against a man who is accused of threatening to shoot the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter.

The order requires Phillip Gordon Sparks, 45, to stay 100 yards away and not attempt to contact Crow, her family or any of her workers. She wrote in a sworn statement that she is fearful of Sparks because he has claimed in profane online tirades that she has stolen money from him and broken into his house.

She also states Sparks recently went to the offices of an entertainment union and told a worker that he was going to "just shoot" her.

Ex-'Idol' finalist Kimberley Locke wants to be a judge

NEW YORK -- Kimberley Locke wants to fill that vacant judge's chair on American Idol. The season two finalist feels having a former contestant on the show can bring renewed interest to the popular TV singing competition.

"I would love to sit in that chair and, you know, give some advice from the contestant's standpoint because I've been on that stage and I know what it's like," Locke said Monday.