"Dear John" rode a surprisingly strong wave of support from the fickle but fervent teenage-girl audience to the highest ever opening for a movie on Super Bowl weekend, knocking "Avatar" out of the top spot in the process.

"Dear John," Hollywood's fifth adaptation of a tear-jerker Nicholas Sparks novel, sold $32.4 million worth of tickets in the U.S. and Canada from Friday through Sunday, according to an estimate from distributor Sony Pictures.

That's significantly higher than last week's estimates based on pre-release polling, which predicted that "Avatar" would stay ahead of the Sparks film. James Cameron's 3-D blockbuster ended up declining 25 percent on its eighth weekend to $23.6 million. Combined with the $76 million it collected in 120 foreign countries this weekend, "Avatar" increased its worldwide total to more than $2.2 billion.

The John Travolta over-the-top action flick "From Paris With Love" was a disappointment for Lionsgate, opening to just $8.1 million.

"Dear John," which stars young actors Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfriend, posted the highest Super Bowl opening, not accounting for ticket price inflation, thanks almost entirely to a single demographic: teen and college-age girls. The audience of the Lasse Hallstrom-directed film was 84 percent female and 64 percent younger than 21, according to exit polls.

Though pictures that appeal to young women can be hugely successful, as evidenced by "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," several recent ones aimed at that crowd have generated less than impressive results, such as "Leap Year" and "The Lovely Bones."

Actor Gary Coleman pleads guilty in Utah court

SALT LAKE CITY -- Former child television star Gary Coleman pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge related to a domestic violence incident last April. In a deal with the prosecutor, Coleman entered the plea in Santaquin Justice Court on his 42nd birthday.

Court clerk Jane Swan said the original charge of domestic violence assault was dropped. There are no details of the April 18 incident in court documents, but defense attorney Randy Kester said that Coleman and his wife, Shannon Price, had an argument that got out of hand. "No one was injured and no ambulances were called," Kester said. "It was just a disagreement."

Judge Sharla Williams sentenced Coleman to a month in jail. The "Diff'rent Strokes" star will serve the time only if he fails to complete a domestic violence course and pay a $595 fine.

Leif Garrett charged with heroin possession in LA

Former 1970s teen idol Leif Garrett has been charged with felony possession of heroin after his arrest in a Los Angeles subway station.

The 48-year-old singer and actor was charged Friday and is free on bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 24.

Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says deputies confronted Garrett at the downtown Metro Red Line station Monday. They say he admitted having black tar heroin in his shoe.

Garrett was also arrested for heroin possession at an LA subway station in 2006.

A phone message left for publicist Barbara Papageorge was not immediately returned, and it was not clear if Garrett had an attorney.

Garrett had a handful of hit songs and was a constant cover boy on teen magazines in the 1970s.

Who Dat? Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Dat Who

The cry of "Who Dat" wasn't all about the New Orleans Saints at the Super Bowl -- it was also said by onlookers as cameras flashed at the sight of A-list celebrities at the big game, including Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise with kids in tow.

Sometime New Orleans resident Pitt was escorted into the game on a golf cart with security moments before it began. The bearded Pitt was with son Maddox and shouted out his allegiance to "Who Dat" nation before the Saints big win over the Colts.

By contrast, Cruise just went into the stadium like other ticket holders, up an escalator with daughter Suri in his arms.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher didn't have security but may have wished they had opted for some after cameras chased them into the stadium. Later, they huddled together on the sidelines before kickoff, avoiding the cameras -- even though they were inches from their faces.

Other celebrity sightings included John Travolta, who was seen leaving before the Saints made their game-winning comeback.

Before the game, LL Cool J declared himself on the side of the team that ultimately lost, the Colts.

"I'm from New York: There's a Manning connection," he said, referring to Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning's little brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli.

But he knew the potential repercussions of announcing his pick as soon as he said it.

"They're gonna beat me up," he said of rabid Saints fans. "I feel like I've got 5 pounds of beads!"

Gloria Estefan and husband, Emilio, part owners of the Miami Dolphins, proclaimed they weren't there to root for anybody in particular -- they were just proud the Super Bowl was back in their town.

DeGeneres to start as 'Idol' judge

Forget the singers in the spotlight. All eyes will be on the judges' table tonight at 8 as Ellen DeGeneres begins her much-publicized stint eyeing up the talent on "American Idol."

DeGeneres takes over for recently departed 'Idol' judge Paula Abdul, in what's said to be the biggest shake-up for Fox's top-rated show, just a few weeks into its ninth season.

Hollywood stars vie for London theater awards

Hollywood heavyweights feature strongly in the race for Britain's 2010 Laurence Olivier theater awards, with Rachel Weisz, Jude Law and James Earl Jones among the nominees announced Monday.

Jones is shortlisted for best actor for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," alongside Law for "Hamlet," James McAvoy for "Three Days of Rain," Mark Rylance for "Jerusalem," Ken Stott for "A View from the Bridge" and Samuel West for "Enron." Weisz received a best-actress nomination for portraying Blanche Dubois in "A Streetcar Named Desire."

The Olivier awards, Britain's equivalent of Broadway's Tonys, honor achievements in London theater, musicals, dance and opera. Winners will be announced in London March 21.

-- from wire and staff reports