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Britney Spears performs on a stage during a concert in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011. Britney Spears performs in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kyiv as part of her European tour. (AP Photo)

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Updated: February 23, 2012 8:54PM

A lot of intense negotiating continues as Simon Cowell and his cohorts on “The X Factor” scurry to lock in a high-profile female judge to join him and fellow returning judge L.A. Reid, as well as new male and female co-hosts.

Dual hosts originally were planned for last season, before Nicole Scherzinger was shifted to the judging panel and Steve Jones became the sole emcee.

Britney Spears is said to be very close to inking a deal to add major star power to the judging panel — and is said to be eager to sign on. Also circling the opportunity are Janet Jackson and Fergie, but Spears (at this point) seems to have the best shot.

† While both Cowell and axed “X Factor” judge Paula Abdul still insist her firing from the show did not injure her friendship with Cowell, I am hearing Abdul is still smarting. Unlike Scherzinger and Jones, “Paula really didn’t see it coming, her being fired from the show,” said an “X” insider Thursday. “She’s still really pissed about it, and Simon knows it.”

PALIN PEEVED: It was probably inevitable there would be loud complaints from Sarah Palin’s camp once the air date approached for the HBO film “Game Change,” about Palin’s 2008 vice presidential campaign.

Julianne Moore stars as the ex-Alaska governor who skyrocketed from relative political obscurity to become John McCain’s running mate. Though Palin and her team are disputing the accuracy of the film (debuting March 10) after seeing only promotional trailers, “Game Change” producers stress they did offer to screen the finished film for Palin and her husband, Todd, who declined.

DIGGING DEEP: I’ve learned that Whitney Houston’s mother, Cissy, is so furious about the open casket photo of her daughter being leaked to the National Enquirer, she’s demanding lie detector tests be conducted on anyone who could possibly have done it — including family members, Houston staffers and funeral home employees.

“Cissy really wants to get to the bottom of this,” said a key family source.

† While there are tales about Houston being buried with jewelry estimated at nearly a half-million bucks, I learned Thursday those jewels were only for the private viewing for family and close friends — with the gems wisely being removed from the casket before the superstar was buried.

OSCAR PARTIES: For those not heading to Tinseltown for the Oscars, there are several good choices right here in Chicago. The “official” Academy-sanctioned party, hosted by Amanda Puck, takes place Sunday at the Gene Siskel Film Center and benefits the center — part of the School of the Art Institute. … Also worth noting is the Oscar-viewing bash hosted by Sun-Times colleague Richard Roeper and Billy Dec at Rockit Bar Grill, which will raise funds for the late Maggie Daley’s favorite cause, After School Matters.

CHECK IT OUT: Local accessory designer Jessica Constable will be a guest on Nate Berkus’ show Friday (2 p.m., WMAQ-Channel 5), showcasing her Chicago one-bedroom apartment, redecorated using items from both thrift stores and dumpsters! … Radio legend Dick Biondi will be a special guest at the Theatre at the Center’s beer and wine tasting event at 6:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the 8 p.m. performance of the Munster theater’s production of “Always … Patsy Cline,” featuring Biondi’s iconic voice as the deejay.

ART SMART: The National Portrait Gallery in our nation’s capital just bought Chicago photographer Art Shay’s 1960 Saturday Evening Post portrait of Andy Griffith (poking his head out of a train window) from the Stephen Daiter Gallery here. That comes on the heels of the Detroit Art Museum acquiring Shay’s 1963 Life magazine portrait of the Supremes, once dubbed among the 50 greatest rock ’n’ roll photos by Rolling Stone.

SEEN ON THE SCENE: “Saturday Night Live” mainstay Jason Sudeikis stopped by Second City’s mainstage Wednesday and performed in the improv set with the cast. … Bulls have been celebrating the beginning of the All-Star break all over town, including Joakim Noah at both Mercadito and then Paris Club, where he was joined by teammates Omer Asik, John Lucas III, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Ronnie Brewer, Jimmy Butler and Brian Scalabrine.