Buzz Briefs: Jennifer Garner, Faith Hill

Garner Wins Order Against Alleged Stalker

Jennifer Garner has won a restraining order from a man she says has been stalking her for years.

An attorney for the actress appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday morning and won three years of protection for Garner, husband Ben Affleck and their daughter, Violet.

As first reported by TMZ, Garner petitioned for protection earlier this month from Steven R. Burky, 36, who she says has been harassing her since 2002.

Garner wrote in a sworn statement that she believed Burky's "obsessive, threatening and stalking behavior" posed a threat to her and her family.

The former star of the television series "Alias," Garner has also appeared in recent films such as "Juno" and "The Kingdom."

Hill Fulfills Dream With Christmas Special

Faith Hill finally got that Christmas gift she's always wanted.

Hill performed her favorite holiday songs with a 31-piece orchestra, nine-member choir and an elaborate stage set for a new PBS special.

"It has always been a dream of mine, both as a little girl and as a performer," Hill said recently of the performance, which was taped for an installment of the Public Broadcasting Service's popular "Soundstage" series.

Hill taped the show, an exclusive performance of her new "Joy to the World" CD, this fall at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago before an audience of about 3,000.

PBS will begin airing the program Thanksgiving week and repeat it through December.

During the show, Hill sang "Winter Wonderland," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "What Child Is This?" and other songs from her new CD against a festive winter backdrop. David Campbell, who arranged the music on her CD, conducted the orchestra.

"It was really important to me to marry the music on the album, the way it was performed on the album, with the presentation of the stage," she said.

Hill, 41, said she drew from Christmas records by Burl Ives, Nat King Cole and Elvis Presley to get the sound she wanted.

"That period of Christmas music evokes thoughts of the season for me no matter what time of year that I hear it. It just strikes a chord with me."

Friction Keeps Obstructing "The View"

She never mentioned Rosie O'Donnell by name, but it was clear who Barbara Walters was referring to when she opened "The View" with a complaint about former colleagues who criticize the show after they leave.

Walters says some people who have done the show have felt the need "to dump on it, maybe for their own publicity." She says "that not only hurts me, but I resent it."

Her comments came one day after O'Donnell told reporters while promoting her upcoming variety special that Walters wanted everyone on "The View" to make believe they were getting along when that wasn't the case. Since leaving the show, O'Donnell says she's experienced something almost like "post-traumatic stress disorder."

O'Donnell also took credit for making the show more political, saying before she arrived, "they wanted to talk about lipstick shades."

Taco Bell Lawyers Get Tough With Rapper 50 Cent

Rapper 50 Cent is facing a challenge to his street credibility - from Taco Bell.

Lawyers for the fast-food chain are calling his federal lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, another attempt to "burnish his gangsta rapper persona" by distorting the terms of a good-faith offer.

The squabble is over a fake letter sent out by Taco Bell Corp. asking 50 Cent to change his name for one day to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent to help publicize its value menu.

In return, the company offered to donate $10,000 to the charity of his choice.

The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, has sued for trademark infringement.

Curry Stops Short Of Kilimanjaro Summit

The "Today" show's Ann Curry didn't make it to the top of Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro.

Altitude sickness and forbidding weather forced the NBC morning show's crew to stop about 3,000 feet short of the 19,000-foot summit. They were climbing to draw attention to environmental problems, and hoped to hit the top for Friday's show.

Curry reported to her "Today" show colleagues Thursday that she was heading back down.

Said Curry: "Here's the bottom line: I just did not want to live with any one of us having any kind of serious injury just to get us live from the top of this mountain. It just wasn't worth it."

She described it as an unanimous decision by the five-person crew.

Said anchor Matt Lauer: "We're all proud of you and the team."

"Dinner Impossible" Does The Improbable

It may not be impossible, but it seemed improbable.

After getting dumped from Food Network's "Dinner: Impossible" series in March following revelations that he'd exaggerated details of his resume, Robert Irvine is making a comeback on the same show.

Production of six new episodes starring Irvine will begin this month, Food Network spokeswoman Carrie Welch said in a written statement. The show challenges its chef to prepare meals under extreme conditions.

"Our audience has continued to demonstrate its interest in and support for Robert," Welch said. "He has taken responsibility and made a conscious effort to clear the air, rebuild the relationship with Food Network and apologize for the earlier inaccuracies."

Irvine had hosted the show for four seasons. The network in March said it would revisit its decision not to renew his contract at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Food Network Iron Chef Michael Symon filled in for Irvine, taping 10 hour-long episodes.

"I am very excited to continue taping more episodes of 'Dinner: Impossible'," Irvine said in a written statement. "I am thrilled to further my relationship with the network and embark on more challenging episodes of this popular series."

New episodes starring Irvine will begin airing March 2009.