THE BUZZ

Lamar Odom tends to ill dad

Dallas Mavericks forward Lamar Odom, husband of reality star Khloé Kardashian, missed Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers and will be absent until at least next week as he reportedly attends to his seriously ill father, RadarOnline.com reports. The website said the NBA star is with dad Joe Odom, whom Radar said has struggled with heroin addiction. Lamar Odom's attempts at reconciling with his estranged father have been shown on E!'s "Khloé & Lamar." "I'm stressed out and distressed," Joe Odom told Radar, which did not specify the nature of his illness.

Simon mum on "X Factor" judges

Simon Cowell is playing it coy about rumors that Fergie, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being considered for "The X Factor," The Associated Press reports. Two judges' spots on the Fox TV singing contest opened up when Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger left after the first season. Cowell told a teleconference Wednesday that two women will replace them, but he declined to comment on who's being considered. With host Steve Jones' exit, Cowell says he wants to switch to a two-host format. He didn't say who might be hired.

Cops: Chris Brown named in phone theft

Miami Beach police say singer Chris Brown allegedly snatched a woman's iPhone and drove off with it after she had snapped a photo of him and rapper Tyga getting into Brown's Bentley outside the nightclub Cameo. Christal Spann, 24, filed a police report Sunday on a charge of "robbery by sudden snatching," the Miami NBC station WTVJ said Wednesday. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement yesterday, "My prosecutors are currently speaking with witnesses and reviewing all of the materials supplied by Miami Beach Police. Only after these reviews have been completed would any type of action be considered or taken." Brown's representatives did not return Newsday's request for comment.