01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, March 31, 2004

NBC has inked late-night television's ratings king, Jay Leno, to a contract extension that will keep him as Tonight show host until the end of 2009.

Leno's contract had been due to expire at the end of next year.

Leno, who replaced Johnny Carson as Tonight show host in 1992, eclipsed CBS rival David Letterman in the ratings during the 1995-96 season and hasn't looked back.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Hollywood Reporter, quoting unnamed sources, said it was believed Leno would make between $25 million and $27 million per year. He was said to make under $20 million annually in his last deal.

Although he pronounced himself happy with the terms, Leno told The New York Times that "I'm still not making Dave money." Letterman reportedly makes about $31 million a year.

Hours after appearing on David Letterman's The Late Show Monday and explaining away her infamous "wardrobe malfunction," Janet Jackson spent the night partying at New York's Spice Market restaurant with her boyfriend, Jermaine Dupri, and an assortment of celebrity pals while celebrating the release of her new album, Damita Jo.

When The Associated Press asked rapper-producer Dupri whether the two might be hearing wedding bells, he said, "Y'all hear them before I do!"

The event drew a crowd that included Virgin Records labelmate Courtney Love, Patti LaBelle, boxer Lennox Lewis, Ja Rule, fashion designer Betsey Johnson, Brian McKnight, recent presidential candidate Al Sharpton, Nick Cannon, Island Def Jam President L.A. Reid and Ice-T.

Cox Communications will present a live program focusing on The Special Olympics this morning at 10:30 a.m. on Cox 3, the cable company's local information channel.

The hour-long show, called Celebrating Champions, will air from Cox's studios in Lincoln. Guests will include Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch, Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty, local Special Olympic athletes who attended the 2003 World Games in Ireland, and officials from the Special Olympic organization.

Rhode Island filmmaker Peter Farrelly will participate by phone. The Farrelly Brothers latest movie, The Ringer, is set at the Special Olympics.

Celebrating Champions will also air tomorrow at 9 p.m., Saturday at noon, April 6 at 3 p.m., and April 9 at 8 p.m.

Compiled by Lifebeat editor Alexis Magner Miller from staff and wire reports.