Katy Perry seemed to be everywhere in 2011, but aside from the occasional tweet, she has been lying low so far in 2012, her recently announced divorce apparently putting a damper on her public interactions.

Now the singer is backing out of her first big post-split appearance, at tonight’s People’s Choice Awards.

“Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the People’s Choice Awards. I want to thank u all for voting for me, fingers crossed! #KATYCATS,” Perry wrote Monday on Twitter.

She didn’t elaborate on her reasons for canceling, but it will allow her to avoid media questions about her divorce.

Perry was expected to be there to accept at least a few of the seven awards for which she is nominated, including favorite female artist, favorite pop artist and song of the year.

Chances are much better that Perry will be in attendance in mid-February at the Grammy Awards, where she’s nominated for record of the year and pop solo performance.

Over the weekend, Perry returned to Twitter to address her divorce for the first time, admonishing fans, “Concerning the gossip, I want to be clear that NO ONE speaks for me. Not a blog, magazine, ‘close sources’ or my family.”

Perry’s husband, comedian Russell Brand, filed for divorce Dec. 30.

Macy says latest role has ladies looking his way

NEW YORK – William H. Macy has earned critical acclaim for playing nerdy asexual characters in films such as “Fargo” and “Magnolia.” But he says his role as a conniving deadbeat dad on Showtime’s “Shameless” series is turning him into a sex symbol.

In a recent interview, Macy said he was hit on by “two seriously good-looking women” while filming in Chicago. He was so surprised that he turned around to see if their attention was meant for someone else.

He said he couldn’t wait to tell his wife, “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman.

Macy thinks the appeal is partly his longer hair. But he noted that his character is a “rascal” who is quite sexual.

Macy said he has “always felt like Tom Cruise” but he thinks he looks like Howdy Doody

Who’ll play Elton? How about Justin?

Elton John says singer-actor Justin Timberlake is “No. 1 on my wish list” to play Elton in the upcoming movie about his life. But Scottish actor James McAvoy is the rumored frontrunner to play Elton in “Rocketman.”

“We’re making an announcement about that very, very soon,” Elton told the Los Angeles Times. “We have a director on board, and then it’s just going to be a matter of getting the script exactly the way we want it.”

SVU actress feels pain of a victim

NEW YORK – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” actress Tamara Tunie spoke out Tuesday about being a real-life crime victim, saying her former business manager exploited her trust to steal more than $1 million.

Blasting Joseph Cilibrasi as a “menace to society” as he was sentenced to 2.5 to 7.5 years in prison, Tunie said he insinuated himself into her life by joining in birthday parties, weddings and other family events, only to use that closeness to embezzle from her and leave a lasting hole in her family’s finances.

“Though I have been blessed with a healthy career, who knows how long that will last?” Tunie told a Manhattan court. “As an African-American woman, roles are few and far between, and I cannot reasonably hope to replace what was stolen.”