A teary but smiling Gloria Estefan mounted the stage at the end of a march she spearheaded that drew tens of thousands of demonstrators in Miami's Little Havana to support Cuban dissidents yesterday.

"Thank you Miami," Estefan told the crowd. "We are a people united by our love for freedom. We are here with all our different flags. That is what this great country allows us to do."

Shouting "Libertad! Libertad!" the marchers had gathered in support of the Ladies in White, a group of Cuban mothers and wives of 75 dissidents arrested in a 2003 government crackdown there. Last week, as the Ladies in White marched through Havana to mark the anniversary of the arrests, pro-government groups surrounded them and Cuban state security agents put several in choke holds.

Estefan, a Cuban-born, Grammy award winning singer and songwriter, held up a photo of the Ladies in White and two gladiola stems, the same flowers the Cuban dissidents carry when marching.

PALIN REALITY SHOW IN THE WORKS ON TLC

Discovery Communications' TLC cable network — home to Kate Gosselin and her brood as well as "Cake Boss" — has just added former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin to its roster.

TLC is the new home for a reality show featuring Palin and her family. Details about the show, which will be produced by Mark Burnett, whose credits include the CBS hit "Survivor," are sketchy. The show has an eight-episode commitment and is expected to premiere later this year at the earliest.

AILING EBERT PLANNING NEW TV SHOW

Roger Ebert says he and his wife are going ahead with plans to produce a new movie review television program with the working title "Roger Ebert presents At the Movies."

The movie reviewer wrote yesterday on his Chicago Sun-Times blog that he can't give details, but they're "deeply involved" in talks.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning reviewer writes that he would like to make "occasional appearances" on the air. Ebert lost his ability to speak after cancer surgery.

Ebert also writes: "the Thumbs will return," referring to the well-known "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" reviews.

FORMER 'IDOL' STAR BUSTED DOING 110 MPH

The Washington State Patrol says former "American Idol" star Sanjaya Malakar was caught speeding 110 mph on Interstate 405 outside of Seattle. He was stopped about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and given a $411 ticket.

The 20-year-old singer gained fame four years ago on the "American Idol" talent show.

— Advertiser News Services