White House insider David Axelrod usually works behind the scenes. But later this week he's taking center stage — with Jay Leno.

"The Tonight Show" said President Obama's senior adviser will come to Leno's couch tomorrow.

It's the first time Axelrod will appear on late-night TV.

Axelrod will be doing an encore for the Obama administration. The president was interviewed by Leno last year.

LOCKLEAR CITED OVER TRAFFIC MISHAP

Heather Locklear has a court date next month on misdemeanor hit-and-run charges after an early-morning crash knocked down a street sign.

Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Eric Dowd said Locklear was cited and released Saturday after a resident reported hearing a crash around 4 a.m. An investigation led police to Locklear, whom they believe was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

An attorney for the 48-year-old actress confirmed Locklear was cited as the car's registered owner but said "it is not yet clear who was driving the vehicle."

OSMOND'S SON KILLED SELF, CORONER SAYS

Coroner's officials say the death of Marie Osmond's son has been ruled a suicide and that drugs or alcohol didn't play a role in the teen's fall from a balcony.

Authorities had suspected that Michael Bryan killed himself by leaping from an eight-story balcony in Los Angeles in February.

The 18-year-old college student left behind a suicide note, but the coroner's office wanted toxicology results before ruling on his cause of death. The findings were released yesterday.

GOTTWALD, MRAZ HONORED FOR SONGWRITING

Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald and Jason Mraz are tops in songwriting.

Gottwald was named songwriter of the year and Mraz received song of the year honors yesterday at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' 27th annual Pop Music Awards.

The awards recognize the writers and publishers of ASCAP's most performed songs of the year.

Gottwald wrote five of the top hits of 2009, including Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold," Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" and Flo Rida's "Right Round."

Mraz's song, "I'm Yours," holds the record for the most weeks spent on Billboard's Hot 100 chart: 76 and counting.

Patti Smith received ASCAP's Founders Award and the Killers were presented with the Vanguard Award at the dinner ceremony at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles.

— Advertiser News Services