Michael Jackson’s mother wins temporary control of estate
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Reuters
Tuesday, June 30, 2009; 8:53 AM
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine on Monday won temporary guardianship of the late singer’s children and control of his estate as a legal battle over his kids, money and belongings began to take shape. Katherine Jackson won the first round in what could become a protracted fight over an estate estimated to be valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
U2 launch world tour in Barcelona on giant stage
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Irish rock group U2 kick off their first tour in three years on Tuesday, playing to 90,000 fans in Barcelona on one of the biggest concert stages ever built. Over the next four months U2 will perform to an estimated three million fans in 31 cities across Europe and North America, with more dates expected to be announced next year.
TV “pitchman” Mays had heart disease, no trauma
TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) – Billy Mays, well known for pitching a variety of products in U.S. television commercials, had heart disease but did not appear to have suffered head trauma in a rough airplane landing prior to dying in his sleep on Sunday, a medical examiner in Florida said on Monday. The bearded, black-haired Mays, 50, who gained fame as an enthusiastic TV “pitchman” advertising an array of commercial products, was found dead by his wife at their home in Tampa, Florida.
“No Clothes” brings together comics, politicos
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) – “The News Has No Clothes,” a stage show mixing politics and comedy and featuring comedian Lewis Black and former White House press secretary Dana Perino, might be the next late-night television format. Veteran comedy producers and masterminds of the defunct U.S. Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF) in Aspen, Colorado, are returning to the mountain resort as part of this week’s Aspen Ideas Festival to try out their idea. If the stage show works, its producers hope to pitch the concept — described as “The View” and “Politically Incorrect” meet the vintage BBC show “That Was the Week That Was” — to TV networks for a possible late-night slot.
Bon Jovi makes “Stand” with Iranian protest video
DETROIT (Billboard) – A new version of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” featuring Jon Bon Jovi dueting in Farsi with exiled Iranian singer Andy Madadian, is making the rounds as an online video. The track’s co-producer, Don Was, says the video is meant to send “a musical message of worldwide solidarity” to the Iranian people in the aftermath of the country’s recent disputed election.
Rock legends form new band, call it Chickenfoot
LONDON (Reuters) – Some of the biggest names in rock have banded together to form a new supergroup. They call it Chickenfoot, a name they readily admit is “silly.” While the name may not be to everyone’s taste, Van Halen veterans Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani rose high in the U.S. charts with their eponymous debut album this month.
Hip-hop stars looking for love on VH1 shows
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – VH1 is giving two female hip-hop artists their own reality series — Sandra “Pepa” Denton of Salt-N-Pepa and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas from TLC. The as-yet-untitled series are scheduled to premiere in 2010. Eight half-hour episodes have been ordered for each.
“Bruno” is Borat-lite, and a little tedious
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – We all knew Borat. Borat was a friend of ours. Bruno, you’re no Borat. Unfair to be sure, but because everyone is going to compare Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Bruno” to his insanely funny “Borat,” let’s be honest: While pushing the PC envelope in new and imaginative ways as well as the MPAA’s R rating, especially insofar as the male member is concerned, “Bruno” is only intermittently funny and all too often the “ambushes” of celebrities and civilians look staged. The movie is even a tad — dare we say it? — tedious.
First $1 million find for U.S. Antiques Roadshow
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A woman who inherited some Chinese carved jade from her father has scored the first $1 million appraisal from experts on the U.S. television program “Antiques Roadshow,” the producers said on Monday. In a record for the show, four pieces of Chinese carved jade and celadon from the Chien Lung Dynasty (1736-1795), including a large bowl crafted for the Emperor, were given a conservative auction estimate of up to $1.07 million.
Comic-Con boasts heavy TV lineup
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – TV studios plan a strong presence at Comic-Con, the annual fan convention that seems to feature a greater number of series each summer. Next month’s lineup at the San Diego confab includes a few titles beyond the usual sci-fi and fantasy genres. Procedurals such as Fox’s “Bones” and USA’s “Burn Notice,” Fox’s musical “Glee” and Discovery’s “MythBusters” are in the mix.
