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Mario's 'Love You' tops Billboard chart

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Mario's "Let Me Love You" is No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 for the second week in a row.

It's also enjoying a second week atop Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts.

Ciara's "1, 2 Step" featuring Missy Elliott moves up one to No. 2, trading places with Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot" featuring Pharrell. The latter, however, remains No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks list for a 10th week.

Averaging one slot per week, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz' "Lovers and Friends" is 4th, continuing its steady ascent towards the top of the Hot 100.

Destiny's Child's "Soldier" featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne is No. 5 this week, followed by Usher and Alicia Keys' "My Boo" and Nelly's "Over and Over" featuring Tim McGraw.

Ailing Pryor said considered suicide

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. comedian Richard Pryor, fighting multiple sclerosis, has lost the use of his voice, his sister says.

Pryor's sister Jennifer revealed on a U.S. TV appearance that her brother, who has been battling the debilitating ailment since 1986, can no longer speak, the World Entertainment Network said Thursday.

Pryor, 64, was forced to stop acting after appearing in 1997 movie "Lost Highway."

The comedian's sister also said she thinks her brother tried to kill himself in 1981 when he was thought to have set himself on fire accidentally.

But, Jennifer said, "No, no, it was not an accident. I think Richard wanted to take his life."

Muslim group offended by '24' season debut

NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Fox's crime drama "24" hasn't opened its new season yet but already has offended a Muslim group.

Officials of the Council on American-Islamic Relations expressed dismay at the depiction of a Muslim family after watching a 24-minute promotion of the series opener.

"At first I was shocked," spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed told the New York Daily News, because "they show an American-Muslim family and they portray them as terrorists."

At issue is a scene in which a teenager helps his parents plot to kill Americans.

"What we will accomplish today will change the world," the father tells the son over breakfast. "We are fortunate that our family has been chosen to do this."

Ahmed said the scene "casts a cloud of suspicion over every American-Muslim family out there."

J-Lo ruled celebrity mag covers in '04

NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Entertainer Jennifer Lopez got the most exposure of anyone this year on the covers of the big four U.S. celebrity weeklies.

People, the Star, Us Weekly and In Touch Weekly featured J-Lo on a combined total of 29 covers in 2004, the Daily News reported Thursday. That's nearly 14 percent of the issues published.

Jennifer Aniston reigned on 26 covers, followed by the Olsen twins with 23, Britney Spears had 22 and Jessica Simpson was on 19 covers.