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Radio host Blute defends advertising sales

Mon, 02/02/2009 - 09:00 by Shruti Sharma

Worcester, Mass. -- Former U.S. Rep. Peter Blute, R-Mass., says he is doing nothing wrong by selling advertising time to political guests of his radio talk show.

The Boston Globe said Sunday that while Blute has come under fire for his show's advertisement sales, he maintains political guests who purchase advertising time on "The Peter Blute Show" do not receive preferential treatment.

"It is survival. You have to sell ads to survive," said Blute, whose show is broadcast WCRN of Worcester, Mass.

Talkers publisher Michael Harrison, whose magazine reports on the talk show industry, said if favoritism did play a role in the Blute advertising sales, it would raise a wealth of ethical and legal issues.

"There is a degree of truth that talk show host are entertainers, but they must exercise a degree of responsibility," Harrison said. "Survival does not give a talk show host the right to do something unethical."

Snoop Dogg coaches team to victory

Mon, 02/02/2009 - 08:44 by Shruti Sharma

Tampa, Fla. -- Rapper Snoop Dogg has coached his Snoop Youth Football league team to a championship in Tampa, Fla., attendees say.

Those in attendance this weekend at Snoop Bowl VII saw the rapper's Los Angeles youth football team defeat the Tampa Bay All Stars, who were coached by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Mike Alstott, The Tampa Tribune said Sunday.

More than 3,000 people were on hand Saturday to watch the Snoop Dogg All Stars win 16-6 over the home team.

"Both teams are pretty good," said Millie Bryant, whose son Ventell played in the youth league championship.

Youth football coach Eric Carter was at the game to watch his son, Samuel Jackson, play and told the Times he would not consider offering any football advice to the losing coach.

Smithsonian eyes Franklin inauguration hat

Mon, 02/02/2009 - 08:40 by Shruti Sharma

Washington -- Singer Aretha Franklin says she is considering a request from Washington's Smithsonian Institution for the hat she wore to the recent presidential inauguration.

The "Respect" singer said in a statement that her main concern about offering the hat to the institute is its link to the ground-breaking inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama, the nation's first black president, The Detroit News reported Saturday.

"I am considering it," Franklin said. "It would be hard to part with my chapeau since it was such a crowning moment in history. I would like to smile every time I look back at it and remember what a great moment it was in American and African-American history."

Franklin's hat, which was studded with jewels and featured a large gray bow, has been the focus of numerous media reports since the Jan. 20 inauguration event.

Rapper DMX sentenced to 90 days in jail

Mon, 02/02/2009 - 08:32 by Shruti Sharma

Phoenix -- Rapper DMX will spend 90 days in jail and 18 months on supervised probation on Arizona firearms and other charges, a court commissioner says.

The rapper pleaded guilty to drug and cruelty to animals charges in relation to a raid on his home in Cave Creek, Ariz., last August. The raid uncovered 12 malnourished dogs, along with some weapons and drugs.

The 38-year-old rapper also entered a guilty plea to theft charges over a incident last April in which he gave a false name and social security number while being treated at a Phoenix hospital.

Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Phemonia Miller said while sentencing DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, that the rapper should consider altering his lifestyle to avoid additional legal problems in the future, The Arizona Republic reported Saturday.

John Updike: Man with the mighty pen

Sun, 01/02/2009 - 18:30 by Jamie Anderson

Pennsylvania, February 1: Jan. 27, 2009 will be remembered as the date of demise of a writer, bard, novelist, columnist and critic - John Hoyer Updike.

Britney Spear’s ex-associates ordered to be off

Sat, 31/01/2009 - 14:49 by Samia Sehgal

Los Angeles, January 31: Britney Spears’ former manager, her ex-boyfriend and a lawyer have been ordered to stay away from her.

PFLAG to honor Angelou, Weaver

Sat, 31/01/2009 - 09:43 by Shruti Sharma

New York -- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Friday announced plans to honor Dr. Maya Angelou and Sigourney Weaver at a gala in New York.

PFLAG said it will bestow upon Angelou its Straight for Equality in the Humanities Award; Weaver its Straight for Equality in Entertainment Award; Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole its Straight for Equality in Education Award; and IBM its Straight for Equality in Business Award at a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan next Thursday.

The first-ever Straight for Equality Awards Gala is intended to honor straight allies in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, PFLAG said in a news release.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.

LA waives Oscars fees

Sat, 31/01/2009 - 09:41 by Shruti Sharma

Los Angeles -- The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to waive $410,000 in fees and personnel costs for the upcoming Academy Awards.

The 11-0 vote came despite the city's $433 million budget shortfall, the Los Angeles Times reported. The council similarly decided several weeks ago to waive $124,163 in fees for the Grammy Awards, scheduled for Feb. 8 at the Staples Center.

The Academy Awards are to be handed out Feb. 22 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

The council recently decided that in the future, non-profit organizations such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would be required to cover at least half the fees associated with events like the Academy Awards, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2009 b

'Slumdog' wins big at Attenborough Awards

Sat, 31/01/2009 - 09:31 by Shruti Sharma

London -- The Mumbai-set drama "Slumdog Millionaire" has earned four Richard Attenborough Film Awards, it was announced in London Thursday.

The movie was declared best film of the year, while Britain's Danny Boyle won the award for best director and British actor Dev Patel the gong for rising star of the year, the BBC said.

The awards were voted for online by regional film critics across the United Kingdom over a period of six weeks.

British film star Kate Winslet won the best actress of the year honor for her work in "The Reader" and Hollywood's Mickey Rourke the actor of the year prize for his performance in "The Wrestler."

Irish playwright-turned-screenwriter Martin McDonagh earned the screenwriting award for his first feature film "In Bruges."

'ER' shooting last scenes in Chicago

Sat, 31/01/2009 - 09:24 by Shruti Sharma

Chicago -- Cast and crew members of the Chicago-set television series "ER" are filming the shows last exterior scenes in the Windy City.

The series, which is shot mainly in Los Angeles, is set to wrap after 15 seasons with a finale airing April 2.

The Southtown Star newspaper said some of the actors, as well as many of the show's behind-the-scenes workers, descended on Chicago Thursday to film the series' final outdoor scenes.

"I think I've seen about every corner of this city," actor Noah Wyle told the newspaper.

Wyle played Dr. John Carter on the medical drama from 1994 to 2006, and has returned this season for a last few appearances on the show as it wraps up.

"I'm really grateful for the way this city has supported and entrusted us," Wyle added. "I'm sorry it's all coming to a close."

Poet: Abolish Poet Laureate position

Sat, 31/01/2009 - 09:05 by Shruti Sharma

London -- British poet Wendy Cope, considered a frontrunner for the post of Poet Laureate, has ruled herself out and said the position should be abolished.

Cope said in The Royal Society of Literature Review that poets should not be expected to write for the occasion, The Telegraph reported.

"Although there is no requirement on the part of the Palace or Whitehall that the Laureate write anything at all, the press and the public expect it and the only way to get rid of that expectation is to abolish the post," she said.

Cope was also a popular favorite in 1998 to succeed Ted Hughes. Her friend
Andrew Motion instead became Poet Laureate and is stepping down at the end of his 10-year term.

In her article, Cope suggested that poets do not need an official title to write about important national events.

'Titans' named favorite football flick

Fri, 30/01/2009 - 22:11 by Shruti Sharma

Los Angeles -- Participants in a Moviefone.com poll voted Denzel Washington's 2000 film "Remember the Titans" as the best American football flick of all time.

Seventeen percent of the 1,057,882 online ballots cast were for "Titans."
"Rudy" and "Brian's Song" each earned 14 percent of the vote, while the 1974 version of "The Longest Yard" caught 11 percent, "We Are Marshall" 7

percent, "Invincible" 6 percent, and "Friday Night Lights," "Any Given Sunday" and "North Dallas Forty," each earned 5 percent.

The football-themed movies that earned 4 percent or less of the vote in descending order are "Jerry Maguire," "Knute Rockne All American," "Heaven Can Wait," "The Express," "The Program," "All the Right Moves" and "Everybody's All American," Moviefone.com said.