THE BUZZ.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

DYLAN GOES SATELLITE: Bob Dylan hosting his own XM Satellite Radio show? Bet he's got an amazing record collection ... if you like 1920s through '50s country, folk and blues.

The weekly, hour-long show kicks off in March on Deep Tracks (XM Channel 40) and will feature handpicked selections by Dylan, who said on Tuesday in a statement issued by XM that, despite having his music played on radio, ``This is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic.''

The show will also feature interviews, commentary and e-mails from listeners. No word yet on a title or if Dylan, who's always on the road, plans on hosting the show from his tour bus.

XM Satellite Radio reaches more than 5 million subscribers with its commercial-free music, sports, weather, traffic, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming. For information, go to www.xmradio.com.

GET THE PARTY STARTED: TV's annual New Year's Eve party from Times Square will feature musical performances by Kanye West, Adam Levine, Shakira and Fall Out Boy.

The two-hour telecast, which begins at 10:30 p.m. EST (live) and PST (on tape), will have MTV VJs Damien Fahey, Vanessa Minnillo, Quddus Philippe, La La Vazquez and Susie Castillo as hosts, the network announced Monday. Common, All-American Rejects and Young Jeezy will also perform. There will be an appearance by the Rev. Run and his family, MTV said.

THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF IT: Bono and Jesse Helms? Not only are they friends, but the Irish rocker and arch-conservative former North Carolina senator also share a common cause: fighting AIDS in Africa. Before U2 opened to a raucous crowd of 17,000 at the city's new downtown arena, Bono had dinner with Helms. ``He (Bono) called us a couple of weeks ago and said he wanted to see his old friend the senator,'' said John Dodd, president of the Jesse Helms Center, who accompanied Helms and other family members to Monday's meeting. Since they were introduced several years ago, the Republican Helms and Bono have become close allies in the fight against the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Helms, who is 84 and suffers from a number of serious health problems, arrived backstage before the show and was joined by Bono for a casual meal. On the menu: grilled chicken, roast beef and salmon. ``It was nothing fancy,'' Dodd said. ``They ate in the cafeteria with the roadies and the rest of the crew.'' The two men talked for a few minutes about their work and what they have been able to accomplish and what still needs to be done, Dodd said.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) HOWDY, PARDNERS

Actor Tommy Lee Jones, left, and former Vice President Al Gore pose for photographers at the premiere of the Western ``The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,'' Monday in New York. The new film is Jones' directorial debut.

Tina Fineberg/Associated Press

(2 -- color) LADIES' MAN

Heath Ledger, who stars in ``Casanova,'' seems comfortable with the attention of co-stars Lena Olin, left, and Sienna Miller, during a screening of the film Sunday in New York.

Stuart Ramson/Associated Press

(3 -- color) DOES THIS HURT?

UCLA student Trent Huntington, 21, screams into a microphone as a patch of chest hair is removed during a chest-waxing contest Monday in Hollywood to celebrate the unrated version of the movie ``The 40-Year-Old Virgin.''

Lucas Jackson/Associated Press