NY ex-employee, 51, accuses Diddy of age bias AP

NEW YORK A New York woman has sued rapper-producer Sean "Diddy" Combs, saying he fired her because of her age two decades after she helped launch his career.

Fifty-one-year-old Francesca Spero filed the age discrimination lawsuit Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan.

The lawsuit says the Malverne resident introduced Combs to hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and Uptown Records after meeting Combs in 1988. It says she worked at Combs Bad Boy Entertainment record label as an executive for 12 years before being fired in March.

The lawsuit says Spero was fired after having hip surgery and confiding to an executive that she was treated for a drug dependency relapse.

A publicist for Combs says "there are many reasons why Ms. Spero is no longer employed by Bad Boy, but age discrimination is not one of them."

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Harvey Keitel to replace Steve Carell on "Office"?

Wed Sep 1, 2010 10:50pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Hollywood Reporter - Throw another name in the hat of rumored replacements for Steve Carell on "The Office" -- Harvey Keitel.

Paul Lieberstein, who plays Toby on the show and serves as one of its executive producers, tells E News that Keitel "is probably the only guy who can do it, and hes doing TV now ... Thats what a very smart/eager man once called a win-win-win." Keitel recently starred on ABCs "Life on Mars."

Lieberstein says he has not yet approached the 71-year-old veteran of "Taxi Driver" and "Reservoir Dogs."

"I havent started any talks with his people, but Harvey would do a great job -- a very different energy," Lieberstein says. "And we dont want to bring in another Michael, having someone play a very similar character because we have such a high regard for Steve."

Carell has announced that the shows upcoming seventh season will be his last as branch manager Michael Scott, and Lieberstein insists hes serious about Keitel taking over.

"Yes, absolutely," he says. "Hes a real tough guy, but I saw him in Life on Mars and I saw a lot more comedy in his work, just little slivers of it, little things he would do that made me think hes capable of a lot more than what hes done."

So whats his back story on the show?

"Hes an old salesman who thought he could retire and the stock market went down, and he has to come out of retirement to work for a few years," Lieberstein explains.

Ellie Kemper, who plays receptionist Erin on the show, told The Hollywood Reporter at the Emmy Governors Ball on Sunday that she had somebody else entirely in mind.

"I would choose Daryl," she said, referring to the warehouse worker played by Craig Robinson whose character recently entered management training on the show. "Hes come so far."

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Review: Drew Barrymores Going the Distance AP

In "Going the Distance," Drew Barrymore plays a quick-to-laugh, ambitious young hipster who loves cool indie bands, "Shawshank Redemption" and playing the old arcade games in bars. Jason Long, on the other hand, plays a quick-to-laugh, ambitious young hipster who loves cool indie bands, "Shawshank Redemption" and playing old arcade games in bars.

The characters � Erin and Garrett � might as well have the same brain. As soon as they meet, their patter and laughter is nonstop, and after close to two hours with them, you may start wishing for mechanical troubles on one of the cross-country flights that connects their long-distance relationship.

"Going the Distance" charts the trials of early 30s love, strained by logistics and the restrictive job marketplace of a recession.

Garrett is an A&R man for a mainstream music label, and Erin is a 31-year-old trying to break into journalism. When her internship in New York at the fictional newspaper the New York Sentinel expires, she returns to San Francisco to finish her graduate studies.

But she and Garrett, who first meet casually on a boozy night, find that theyve fallen in love. With the help of texting and Skyping, they try to "make it work."

The main alteration to the simple formula of "Going the Distance" is a heavy insertion of R-rated humor. Garrett and Erin exhibit genuine horniness, a bit of realism seldom seen in romantic comedies that generally represent the higher ideals of relationships.

Most of the crudeness, though, comes from the supporting cast, largely populated by comedians.

Charlie Day the exceptionally funny co-star of "Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and Jason Sudeikis "Saturday Night Live" play Garretts sensitive frat boy buddies. Erins support system is her sister Christina Applegate, again showing as she did in `Anchorman, that she slides well into comedy. Jim Gaffigan, Rob Riggle and Kristen Schaal also have small roles.

All the best bits of "Going the Distance" come from this crew, but the tone still feels out of place. Its as though director Nanette Burstein, working from Geoff LaTulippes screenplay, tried to surround a sappy rom-com with Judd Apatow-inspired yucks. It comes across as desperate for laughs.

This is Bursteins first feature film, but she has directed several notable documentaries, including 2008s "American Teen," which took the stylish approach of an MTV reality series.

Much of "Going the Distance," too, feels contrived. The couple-surrounded-by-quirky-friends dynamic is as obvious as the movies New York locales and well-positioned indie band posters. Various products make blatant advertisements. The offices of the Sentinel shot at The Associated Press headquarters are so overstuffed with young-looking extras as to look more like a nightclub than a newsroom. An unfortunate band, the Boxer Rebellion, is used for a simple and dated view of the music industry.

Barrymores charm is that she will forever be the lovesick teenager. Shes been coy about reports that she and Long are an item off-screen. They are both likable actors, but in "Going the Distance," they are close to insufferable.

"Going the Distance," a New Line Cinema release, is rated R for sexual content, including dialogue, language throughout, some drug use and brief nudity. Running time: 103 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

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Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G � General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG � Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 � Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R � Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 � No one under 17 admitted.

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Justin Long reclaims his acting mojo in "Distance"

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 1, 2010 6:57pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - Nobody ever said Hollywood relationships were easy, and the on-again off-again affair of Justin Long and Drew Barrymore certainly proves that out.

Are they still on? Are the off? This Friday, as the pairs romantic comedy "Going the Distance" debuts in theaters, it looks as if they are on, although one never truly knows.

But if there is something Long is certain about, he told Reuters earlier this month, he has reclaimed his love of acting -- his "mojo," as he put it.

Long, 32, worked on television as a teenager and broke into movies in geeky roles on comedies such as 2004s "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story."

Despite the fact that he has starred in some big-budget flicks like "Live Free or Die Hard," he is perhaps best known as the Mac guy from the "Mac vs. PC" commercials for Apple computers.

The ads success helped make for an easy life and career, and it was only when he returned to a small theater in Massachusetts in July that he reclaimed his soul as an actor.

"Doing the play woke me up and revitalized my level of passion and love for acting," said Long. "I feel like I kinda got my acting mojo back this summer."

If only he would have said the same about Barrymore, which is what all the tabloids want to know, anyway. The pair have been locked in up-and-down relationship in recent years when they were often apart shooting different movies, which closely follows the plot of "Going the Distance."

In the movie, Long portrays a low-level music executive and Barrymore a fledgling newspaper reporter whose one-night stand turns into a summer fling in New York City.

When she heads home to San Francisco, the two decide to give a long-distance love affair a try, but soon find that flying between coasts, communicating by text message and having phone sex are no substitute for being together full time.

Was Hollywood movie art imitating the real life relationship between Long and Barrymore?

"I hesitate to really give it a detailed answer because its really personal," Long told Reuters. "Were I to really answer that question truthfully, it would be an intrinsically personal answer. Id rather not half-ass one for you, yet I guess thats what Im doing."

COY PUBLICITY PLAY?

At an August meeting with reporters to promote the film, they stayed away from one another for the most part, but a few days later at the films premiere, where Longs parents accompanied him, they appeared cozy.

Both decline to clarify their status with the media, yet only about a week ago, they were pictured together smiling and hugging at an event in Essex, England.

Perhaps it all just makes for good publicity for the film, but whatever his personal feelings may be, Long has the utmost respect for Barrymores work in "Going the Distance."

"When youre working with somebody and when you know them personally, you never know how its going to be in a professional light," said Long. "But I saw firsthand day after day how much joy she took in what she did. I saw the way she treated people she worked with. It was nice to witness."

And maybe that is exactly what he needed to see, career-wise, because when talking about work, Long said that until recently, "I was a dude in flux."

After coming into his own in comedies such as "The Break-Up" and "Accepted," and working in his fair share of horror flicks including "Jeepers Creepers" and "Drag Me to Hell," Long hit the big time opposite Bruce Willis in "Live Free or Die Hard."

At about the same time, along came the Mac commercials and Long found himself living the Hollywood life with movie stars for friends, including Barrymore. Yet, something was missing.

"I had moments in the last couple of years where I just felt like this sense of complacency started to creep in," said Long. "I dont know if it was doing the Mac commercials, which dont require any heavy lifting at all, or not stretching much in movies or not doing enough theater."

To battle those moments, Long took a role in "Samuel J. and K.", a play at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. The festival has a good reputation, but is far from the spotlights of Hollywood and Broadway. And it worked, as Long said, to help him reclaim that mojo.

Moving forward, he next appears in Robert Redfords upcoming period drama, "The Conspirator" alongside an all-star cast that includes James McAvoy, Kevin Kline and Robin Wright.

"To improvise in 1860s vernacular with 1860s colloquialisms was one of the most difficult things Ive ever been asked to do," Long said of his role. "I hope I get to do more smaller dramatic parts like that because I loved it."

Editing by Bob Tourtellotte

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Police kill gunman who held 3 at Discovery Channel AP

SILVER SPRING, Md. A man who railed against the Discovery Channels environmental programming for years burst into the companys headquarters with at least one explosive device strapped to his body Wednesday and took three people hostage at gunpoint before police shot him to death, officials said.

The hostages � two Discovery Communications employees and a security officer � were unhurt after the hourslong standoff. Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said tactical officers moved in after officers monitoring Lee on building security cameras saw him pull out his handgun and point it at one of the hostages.

An explosive device on the gunmans body detonated when police shot him, Manger said. Police were trying to determine whether two boxes and two backpacks the gunman also contained explosives.

Manger said police spent several hours negotiating with the armed man after he entered the suburban Washington building about 1 p.m. None of the 1,900 people who work in the building were hurt, and most made it out before the standoff ended.

A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing said authorities had identified James J. Lee as the likely suspect.

Lee was convicted of disorderly conduct for a protest he organized outside Discoverys offices in February 2008. According to police reports, he paid homeless people to carry signs, and set off a scramble for money when he threw fistfuls of cash into the air, calling it "just trash."

Lee was served two weeks in jail. Montgomery County States Attorney John McCarthy said Lee was ordered to stay 500 feet away from Discovery headquarters as part of his probation, which ended two weeks ago. A magistrate ordered a doctors evaluation, but the result was not immediately available Wednesday.

"The Discovery Channel produces many so-called Environmental Programs supposedly there to save the planet," Lee said in an ad he took out in a Washington newspaper to promote the protest. "But the truth is things are getting WORSE Their programs are causing more harm than good."

In court and online, Lee faulted the Discovery Channel for shows as varied as "Future Weapons," "It Takes a Thief" and "Planet Green."

A lengthy posting that could be seen Wednesday on a website registered to Lee said Discovery and its affiliates should stop "encouraging the birth of any more parasitic human infants," a possible reference to shows like "Kate Plus 8" and "19 Kids and Counting." Instead, he said, the network should air "programs encouraging human sterilization and infertility."

Discovery Communications Inc. operates U.S. cable and satellite networks including The Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet. Discovery shows include "Cash Cab" and "Man vs. Wild," and TLC airs "American Chopper" and "Kate Plus 8."

David Leavy, Discoverys executive vice president for corporate affairs, said all employees had been accounted for. "Were relieved that it ended without any harm to our employees," he said.

Melissa Shepard, 32, of Peterborough, N.H., a consultant who works in the building, said she was on the third floor with several other workers when someone announced over a loudspeaker that there was a situation in the lobby and people should stay at their desks.

After some time, they were told to move to the other end of the building. She said she was among a dozen workers who went into an office, shut the door and turned off the lights.

Then she said someone knocked on the door and told them to leave the building. She said there was some confusion as they were told to go to an upper floor or down the stairs.

"Finally, I screamed, Tell us where we need to go ... I just want to get out of there," she said. "I was shaking. ... I was like, What do we do? What do we do?"

Adam Dolan, a sales director in Discoverys education division, said that when he got to the bottom floor he saw shattered glass near the companys daycare facility and suspected it was broken to get the children out. He later got an e-mail saying the children were safe and had been taken to a McDonalds.

Dolan said the company has unarmed security guards who wont let anyone into the building without a badge.

Leavy said Discovery hopes and expects to be open Thursday. "The priority is going to be nurturing and responding to employee needs over the coming days as this is a scary event," he said.

Discovery officials are familiar with the suspect and his past protest at the building, Leavy said.

At Lees trial, The Gazette of Montgomery County reported, Lee said he began working to save the planet after being laid off from his job in San Diego.

He said he was inspired by "Ishmael," a novel by environmentalist Daniel Quinn, and by former Vice President Al Gores documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."

Quinn told The Associated Press from his home in Houston that he found out about the incident in Maryland from the media. Just a few hours later, he said he was feeling "a bit ragged" after getting calls from reporters across the country.

He said he had never heard of Lee and was stunned that Lees manifesto advocated things like human sterilization and an end to farming, ideas Quinn said he would never support.

"He wants to get more exposure ... and he thinks that he can get it ... by occupying Discovery," Quinn said. He added that if he could talk to Lee, he would tell him "hes giving a bad name to the ideas that hes trying to espouse."

___

Associated Press Writers Kathleen Miller in Silver Spring; Matthew Barakat in Rockville, Md.; Matt Apuzzo, Eileen Sullivan and Nafeesa Syeed in Washington; Ben Nuckols in Baltimore; Ramit Plushnick-Masti in Houston; and Jacob Jordan in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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Sept. 2 celebrated as ode to `Beverly Hills 90210 AP

NEW YORK OMG, its like one of those freaky Mayan calendar things or something.

But, yes, its true: Thursday Sept. 2, 2010, is being celebrated as "90210 Day." Its the one day this century that the date will line up perfectly with the famous California zip code.

For fans of the 1990s teen drama "Beverly Hills, 90210," this is an occasion for celebration in nostalgia for a show widely regarded as cheesy, but nevertheless beloved.

"Beverly Hills, 90210," aired from 1990-2000 and followed a group of teenagers in wealthy SoCal families. Its main characters � Brandon Walsh Jason Priestley, Brenda Walsh Shannen Doherty and Dylan McKay Luke Perry � became enmeshed in increasingly outlandish soap opera plots.

The event Thursday isnt inspiring any parades, but the CW network has altered its schedule. It changed things around to make sure an episode of the current incarnation of the show, simply "90210," will air.

A group on Facebook formed last year is calling it "International Beverly Hills 90210 Day." Celebrations have been organized in places such as the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, which will screen old episodes. The town of Beverly Hills, itself, is throwing a party hosted by Larry King.

Sports and pop culture writer Bill Simmons, known as "the Sportsguy" on ESPN.com where he writes, is hosting a podcast devoted to "Beverly Hills, 90210." Last week in his podcast, "The B.S. Report," Simmons announced that he will hold a special Thursday and give out "90210 Awards" such as "biggest plot stretch ever."

"Were diving so deep into this," he said. "Its almost like were performing surgery on the show."

The columnist did, though, say that after the Thursday podcast he would retire references to the show in his writing � which are frequent.

"The show premiered 20 years ago; its heyday was 15 years ago. I dont want to be that guy whos referencing things that happened 38 years ago," Simmons said.

"Much like when Michael Jordan walked away from basketball and Jim Brown walked away from football, Im walking away from `90210."

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Kelsey Grammers ex-wife among new "Housewives" cast

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 1, 2010 5:27pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - The soon to be ex-wife of "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer and a pair of Paris Hiltons aunts are among the women who make up the cast of the "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

The reality show, slated to premiere on U.S. cable network Bravo on October 14, follows the lives of well-connected women in the wealthy community of doctors, lawyers, business professionals and, of course, Hollywood stars. The cast was announced on Tuesday.

It follows in the line of similar "Real Housewives" shows that have taken place in U.S. locales such as Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey and Washington D.C.

Grammer is arguably the best known castmember of the Beverly Hills housewives group, owing to her relationship with her actor husband, whom she is currently divorcing. The show began taping before the pair announced their breakup.

Other notables include Kim Richards -- a former child star who appeared in Disneys "Escape to Which Mountain" franchise during the 1970s -- who is the aunt of celebrity socialites Paris and Nicky Hilton. Richards is joined on the show by her younger sister Kyle Richards, also an actress.

Also on board "Housewives" is Adrienne Maloof, whose family owns the Sacremento, California Kings basketball team and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

British designer/restaurant owner Lisa Vanderpump and consultant Taylor Armstrong and round out the cast.

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Review: Machete serves relentless, bloody action AP

Certainly, "Machete" is the best feature-length extension of a fake movie trailer in Hollywood history.

Fans who saw the trailer in Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantinos 2007 "Grindhouse" double-feature continually asked Rodriguez to turn the make-believe ad featuring Danny Trejo into a real blood-and-guts vengeance flick.

Rodriguez has complied, maintaining a fair amount of the wicked humor and every bit of the savage bloodshed the trailer promised.

Viewers get precisely what theyre paying for: beheadings, skewerings and kill shots to the head by the dozen, with other means of dispatch � death by corkscrew, high heels, crucifixion � tossed in for variety.

They also get a crazy range of supporting players � Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Don Johnson, Lindsay Lohan � all having a ball committing atrocities.

Rodriguez is like a kid in a candy store � a pretty twisted kid in a very sick and disturbing candy store � but fans of his R-rated stuff, including "From Dusk Till Down" and the "El Mariachi" movies, already knew that and are on board.

Theyll most definitely be on board with "Machete," which gives ex-prison inmate Trejo his first lead role in a long career of mostly smallish parts as taciturn tough guys who choose their words carefully.

Trejos Machete doesnt talk much, either, but hes a commandingly fun presence, a former Mexican federal cop working as a day laborer in Texas after being left for dead by drug kingpin Torrez Seagal, who also killed his family.

Trouble follows Machete, who goes on the run after hes hired as the fall guy in an assassination attempt on a radically conservative anti-immigration state senator De Niro.

"Machete" has the same made-on-the-cheap, outlandishly violent 70s vibe as "Grindhouse," down to the funky music provided by Rodriguezs band Chingon besides co-directing with Ethan Maniquis, Rodriguez also is a producer, co-writer and editor on the movie.

To clear his name and take sweet revenge, Machete goes on a rampage that puts him up against Seagals Torrez, De Niros senator, a slimy political kingmaker Jeff Fahey, a ruthless border vigilante Johnson and scores of lesser thugs.

Allies rally to Machetes side � a right-minded immigration agent Alba, a taco vendor who moonlights as a revolutionary Michelle Rodriguez, and Machetes priestly brother Cheech Marin.

De Niros a hoot, with a Southern drawl reminiscent of his accent in "Cape Fear" as he plays the senators comic-book xenophobia with joyous frenzy. And Trejo is a welcome variation on the slick action hero � a cunning, ragged survivor who prefers blades but gets very creative with guns, gardening tools and kitchen utensils when other weapons are scarce.

Most everyone else does their part well enough, though why Lohan signed on is a mystery. Her role is just strange � hitting close to home when she appears as a drugged-up party girl early on, with Rodriguez eventually maneuvering her into a nuns habit as she joins his overindulgent finale of gunplay and explosions.

Like most of Rodriguezs movies � whether his family flicks or his action romps � "Machete" is never as fun or funny as he thinks it is. There are clever wisecracks, and some of the action is fresh and inventive, if you dont mind blood and body parts flying in all directions.

Yet much of the violence is repetitive � when youve seen one head sent tumbling by a machete, do you really need to see 10 more? � while the movie lapses into indolence in between action sequences, the characters uninvolving, the dialogue boring.

The good news for fans: there isnt all that much downtime between the relentless action, which, after all, is what that fake "Machete" trailer promised, and what the audience has come for.

"Machete," a 20th Century Fox release, is rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity. Running time: 105 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

___

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G � General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG � Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 � Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R � Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 � No one under 17 admitted.

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Katy Perry tops U.S. album chart for first time

By Keith Caulfield

Wed Sep 1, 2010 3:44pm EDT

LOS ANGELES Billboard - Katy Perry achieved her first No. 1 album on the U.S. pop chart Wednesday, ending Eminems reign of seven nonconsecutive weeks.

Perrys third album "Teenage Dream" sold a career-best 192,000 copies during the week ended August 29, according to Nielsen SoundScan. She is the first solo woman to lead the tally since January, when Ke$has "Animal" spent one week atop the list.

Perrys breakthrough release, 2008s "One of the Boys," debuted and peaked at No. 9 in July that year with 47,000 sold in its premiere week. Its best sales frame came during Christmas week of 2008 when it shifted 63,000. It is currently at No. 86 with 1.3 million copies sold to date.

Season 3 "American Idol" champ Fantasia, in the news recently with a failed suicide attempt, started at No. 2 with "Back To Me" 117,000. That marks her highest charting album yet. Her "Free Yourself" debut started and peaked at No. 8 in 2004 with 240,000 copies; her self-titled follow-up "Fantasia" topped out at No. 19 in 2006 with 133,000.

Eminems "Recovery" slipped two to No. 3 with 98,000, taking its total to 2.3 million after 10 weeks.

Usher entered at No. 4 with "Versus," whose 46,000-unit start marked a huge drop from the 329,000-unit start for the chart-topping "Raymond v Raymond" in April. That album rebounded 12 places to No. 19, after being reissued in a deluxe edition with "Versus" as a bonus disc, much in the same way as Lady Gaga unleashed "The Fame Monster" both as a stand-alone set last November in addition to bundling it with a reissue of her "The Fame" album.

Little Big Towns "The Reason Why" debuted at No. 5 with 42,000, a new high for the country combo in terms of both rank and sales. Ditto for another country act, Randy Rogers Band, whose "Burning the Day" entered at No. 8 with 28,600.

Kems "Intimacy" dropped four to No. 6 with 30,000 in its second week, while Justin Biebers "My World 2.0" climbed one to No. 7 with 28,700. Ray LaMontagnes "God Willin & the Creek Dont Rise" slid six to No. 9 also in its second week, selling 27,900. Rock band the Devil Wears Pradas "Zombie" EP debuted at No. 10 with 25,000.

Overall album sales totaled 5.12 million units, up 1% from the previous week, but down 12% compared to the comparable sales week of 2009. Year-to-date album sales are off 12% from 2009 at 195.3 million.

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Hilton banned from Wynn resorts after Vegas arrest AP

LAS VEGAS Paris Hilton was banned Wednesday from two Wynn resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, and her boyfriend was dismissed as a nightclub partner following their arrests in a vehicle that police said reeked of marijuana.

Wynn Resorts Ltd. spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne told The Associated Press that Hilton is barred from Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.

Meanwhile, boyfriend Cy Waits was "separated" from his job after less than a week as top managing partner of the Tryst Nightclub at Wynn and XS The Nightclub at Encore, Dunne said in a statement.

Waits, his lawyer and a lawyer and publicist for the 29-year-old Hilton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The moves come after Hilton was arrested Friday for investigation of felony cocaine possession. Waits was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Charges have not yet been filed.

Hilton was arrested inside the Wynn resort, where a police lieutenant reported a small plastic bag containing 0.8 grams of cocaine fell into his hand when Hilton reached for a tube of lip balm in a purse.

The celebrity socialite is scheduled for arraignment Oct. 27 and would face probation if convicted.

A police report made public Wednesday said the suspected butt of a marijuana cigarette was found in the Cadillac Escalade in which the couple was stopped in front of the Wynn Las Vegas hotel-casino.

Waits, 34, was driving. He had bloodshot eyes, smelled of alcohol and wobbled as he failed two field sobriety tests, the arresting officer said.

Waits allowed blood to be drawn when he was booked into the Clark County jail in downtown Las Vegas, Officer Bill Cassell said. Results wont be released until the case reaches court.

Waits spent a night in jail on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence before being freed on $2,000 bail with a Nov. 29 court date.

Dunne said Waits twin brother, Jesse Waits, is continuing as general partner of the Wynn resorts Tryst and XS clubs.

The brothers were hired by Steve Wynn five years ago and became the casino owners top club managers last week when Wynn bought out Victor Drai.

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Associated Press Writer Oskar Garcia contributed to this report.

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Police: Gunman holds hostage in Discovery building AP

SILVER SPRING, Md. Police in a Washington, D.C., suburb say a gunman has taken at least one person hostage at the headquarters of Discovery Communications.

Montgomery County fire department spokesman Capt. Oscar Garcia says three bomb technicians responded to the scene in Silver Spring, Md., and several more are on their way.

Garcia says the initial report was of a suspicious package that was possibly explosive. He says nobody has been injured. Some employees have left the building.

Montgomery County Police Cpl. Dan Friz tells WJLA-TV that a gunman is in the building.

A person inside the building tells The Associated Press the man had something strapped to his chest and has hostages. The person asked not to be identified, saying people inside have been told not to speak to the media.

ATF and FBI officials say they are also responding.

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Associated Press Writer Terence Hunt in Washington contributed to this report.

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Stars poised for Venice film gala

1 September 2010 Last updated at 11:28 ET

Film stars from Hollywood and around the world are gathering for the start of the 67th Venice Film Festival.

Darren Aronofskys psychological thriller Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, will open the gala.

Director Quentin Tarantino heads up this years jury to detemine the awards, including main Golden Lion prize, which Aronofsky won in 2008 for The Wrestler.

Some 79 movies are expected to premiere over the festivals 11-day run.

Tarantino said his time in Venice would be more work than play.

"Theres a lot of really exciting movies, its a fantastic line-up," he told the Reuters news agency.

"Ive been on a few juries and I love it. Its a joy to me. But its work. Were not here for vacation," he added.

The gala is opening with an unprecedented triple-header - after Aronofskys film will be a screening of Hong Kong director Andrew Laus The Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, followed by a special midnight screening of Robert Rodriguezs Machete, starring Jessica Alba.

Director Sofia Coppolas comeback movie, Somewhere, is among the 22 movies being shown in competition.

Actor and director Casey Affleck will present his documentary, Im Still Here, about his brother-in-law actor Joaquin Phoenixs decision to retire in 2008 and reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician.

The festival will close on 11 September with an adaptation of Shakespeares The Tempest, starring Dame Helen Mirren as a female Prospero, alongside Russell Brand.

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Cops: Butt of pot cigarette found in Hilton SUV AP

LAS VEGAS A police officer reported finding the butt of what he believed was a marijuana cigarette in a vehicle driven by Paris Hiltons boyfriend after a traffic stop on the Las Vegas Strip.

A report made public Wednesday shows 34-year-old nightclub mogul Cy Waits failed field sobriety tests before his arrest late Friday.

Waits spent a night in jail on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence.

Hes free on $2,000 bail. A criminal case has not yet been filed.

Hilton was arrested on a felony cocaine possession charge after a police lieutenant says a bag containing 0.8 grams of cocaine fell out when she reached into a purse for a tube of lip balm.

The 29-year-old celebrity socialite has an Oct. 27 court date.

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Conan OBriens new show: Its `Conan AP

NEW YORK Theres Madonna, Oprah and now ... "Conan."

Conan OBrien took the simple approach Wednesday in announcing the name of his new talk show on TBS.

"Conan" will kick off Nov. 8.

He posted a YouTube video announcing the shows name to his fans. He scrawled the name on a white sheet of paper using a black marking pen.

OBrien has finished a comedy concert tour. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his short-lived stint as NBC "Tonight" show host that ended amid much drama in January, but lost to Jon Stewart and Comedy Centrals "The Daily Show."

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TBS is owned by Time Warner Inc.

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http://www.tbs.com/

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BBC staff vote for pension strike

1 September 2010 Last updated at 11:35 ET

BBC staff members have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pensions.

Bectu and the National Union of Journalists said more than 90% of members had voted for a walk out.

But the unions said the decision on whether to strike would be postponed for two weeks while it discussed alternative proposals with the BBC.

In June, the BBC announced plans to overhaul its pension scheme to try and tackle a �2bn deficit.

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the NUJ, said: "This is an unprecedented result in favour of strike action and a clear rejection of the BBCs proposals.

"We have agreed to give the BBC two weeks to come back with an improved offer or face a concerted campaign of industrial action."

Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of Bectu, added: "This is a significant mandate for strikes, which demonstrates how out of touch BBC executives are with their staff.

"We hope they will now come up with more realistic proposals, otherwise we will have no alternative but to call industrial action."

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The General Secretary of the NUJ Jeremy Dear said a decision on strike action has been postponed

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Director General Mark Thompson said in an e-mail to staff on Wednesday that an alternative proposal would be announced in the middle of September.

"We would like to meet your concerns as far as we can," he told staff - but warned, "our room for manoeuvre is limited".

The unions have promised a "concerted campaign of industrial action" if agreement is not reached.

The BBCs current pension proposals include closing its remaining scheme to new joiners and imposing a cap on the amount pensionable salaries of existing members can grow to 1% per year.

The corporation said the changes were essential to tackle the ballooning deficit in the pension scheme, which stood at �470m two years ago.

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Black Swan opens Venice Film Festival AP

VENICE, Italy Darren Aronofsky sees his newest film "Black Swan" as the companion piece to "The Wrestler."

"Black Swan" made its world premiere as the opening film at the Venice Film Festivals 67th edition on Wednesday, bringing the American director back on the Lido, where "The Wrestler" won the top Golden Lion prize two years ago.

"The more I looked into the world of ballet, I actually started to see all these similarities to the world of wrestling," the 41-year-old Aronofsky said at a news conference. "They both have these performers that use their bodies in sort of extremely, intense physical ways. Their entire performance is based on intense physicality."

The psychological melodrama is set in the world of New York City ballet and stars Natalie Portman as a perfection-seeking ballerina keen to win the role of prima-ballerina now that the long-reigning star is retiring. She is smothered by her overprotective mother, played by Barbara Hershey, a former dancer who, in one of many dichotomies in the film, may be acting out of concern for her daughters well-being or jealousy over her success.

Old jealousies and new rivalries are central to the drama, and its no surprise that much of the tension and duality is expressed in the figures of the White Swan, the perfectionist, and the Black Swan, the unrepressed inner-self.

Portman, who danced as a child, started to train a year before filming for the part.

"Six months ahead of the film, I went into sort of hyper-training, where five hours a day I was doing both ballet and cross-training, with swimming," Portman said. "A few months before was when we started getting into the choreography. It was very extreme."

Benjamin Millepied, a dancer who appeared in the film and who provided entree into the ballet world, said the training included a Russian dancers focus on upper-body and head coordination � and many of Portmans dancing scenes focus tightly, sometimes dizzily, on her upper half.

As in "The Wrestler," Aronofsky does not spare viewers from the physical realities of the protagonists world. Portmans "Nina" unwraps her feet after pushing herself through a series of pirouettes to find her big toe nail painfully split and bloodied. That is only part of her physical suffering, and the cause of which is mysterious.

The film is shot with a muted palate and in a grainy style that Aronofsky said was meant to merge the highly stylistic mood of his earlier work and the documentary style used in "The Wrestler."

Unlike other worlds that Aronofsky has been welcomed into when he proposed a film, the insular ballet universe had no interest in opening its doors, the director said.

"They just all shrugged and didnt return calls," Aronofsky said. "Slowly, through meeting Benjamin and a couple of other people, we got the stamp of approval that we were trying to do something cool. ... We tried to capture as much of that reality in a real documentary sense."

And if he failed? "We are terrified of the ballet backlash," Aronofsky jested. "These dancers are very dangerous."

While in the program notes Aronofsky said he hoped that theaters would double-bill "Black Swan" and "The Wrestler," the director told reporters that the reality in the era of new media and ever-changing delivery platforms is evolving to be otherwise.

"Who knows if any of us will be showing films in movie theaters when youve got your iPod and iPad all the time," Aronofsky said. "We made jokes the whole time about doing an iPad mix when we were mixing the film because probably most people on this planet will see it on some sort of device. They wont see it in a big theater."

At Venice, "Black Swan" was being premiered on the big screen at the Lidos glitzy Casino, the first billing in a rare opening night triple-header along with Andrew Laus "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen," and Robert Rodriguezs "Machete" � both playing out of competition.

"Machete," the story of a border vigilante starring Danny Trejo, along with Jessica Alba as an FBI agent tackling illegal immigration, started out as a faux trailer, and then was expanded into a feature-length film after audiences responded with enthusiasm.

Rodriguez said the appeal was in seeing a Hispanic character portrayed as a super hero, played by Trejo, a character actor who has appeared in 179 films.

"Danny should have been the lead all along. He just was never given the opportunity," Rodriguez said.

"Black Swan" is one of 23 films, one still unannounced, vying for the Golden Lion, which will be awarded Sept. 11.

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5 most favorite American movies AP

LOS ANGELES George Clooney, all hunky, mysterious and frequently shirtless, plays an assassin in "The American."

Thats sort of a ho-hum name for a thriller starring one of Hollywoods most powerful leading men, but it also makes you realize just how many movies have the word "American" in their title.

This week, Im choosing five of my favorites � with "American," mind you, not "America." Well have to find some other excuse to talk about the greatness of "Team America: World Police." And naturally, because there are way more than five to choose from, Ive had to exclude some biggies that are probably your favorites. So speak your mind. Its the American way:

� "American Splendor" 2003: An inventive, funny and frequently touching look at the life of groundbreaking comic-book writer Harvey Pekar. Part feature, part documentary, it offers Paul Giamatti playing the acerbic Pekar alongside Pekar himself, with Hope Davis playing his wife, Joyce, alongside the real-life Joyce. Its joyous with the possibility of experimentation. Pekar, who died this summer, was a complicated guy, so approaching him from a variety of angles paints an even more compelling picture. And it works because longtime character actor Giamatti is tremendous here in his first lead role.

� "American Beauty" 1999: In retrospect, a plastic bag floating in the wind is not the most beautiful thing in the world, but actually kind of a pretentious metaphor. Still, director Sam Mendes and writer Alan Ball were onto something here, tapping into a sense of dissatisfaction and self-doubt within seemingly idyllic suburbia at the turn of the millennium. With its dreamy, often surreal imagery the work of the late, great cinematographer Conrad L. Hall, its shot and edited gorgeously. But its also laceratingly funny, with a career-defining performance from Kevin Spacey. And oh yeah, it won five Academy Awards, including best picture.

� "American History X" 1998: Edward Norton just tears it up here, and duly gets much of the credit for the films emotional heft. His intense performance as a former neo-Nazi skinhead earned him an Oscar nomination and further solidified his persona as an actor willing to dig deep for a role. But the entire cast in this harrowing drama is strong, including Edward Furlong as Nortons worshipful younger brother, Beverly DAngelo as their mother and Ethan Suplee as a fellow neo-Nazi. Director Tony Kayes film � which Kaye wanted his name removed from in a bitter dispute over the final edit � paints a complete picture of hatred and redemption as it moves back and forth between past and present.

� "An American Werewolf in London" 1981: In an exciting departure from "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers," writer-director John Landis cleverly balanced the funny and the frightening with this story of a couple of American students David Naughton and Griffin Dunne who run into some monstrous trouble while backpacking through England. The transformation Naughtons character undergoes is riveting, and the elaborate special-effects makeup deservedly earned Rick Baker an Academy Award. "American Werewolf" also paved the way for Landis to direct Michael Jacksons landmark "Thriller" video.

� "The Last American Virgin" 1982: By far, the best of all those teenage sex comedies from the early 80s � and were not counting "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," which is in a league of its own. Yes, its about high school kids trying to get laid, with all the obligatory nudity, drugs, awkward come-ons and bawdy misadventures of the genre. But its also surprisingly relatable, has more substance and emotion than other movies of its ilk, and features a devastatingly sad ending. The completely great soundtrack includes songs by Devo, The Cars, The Police, U2, REO Speedwagon and poignant use of James Ingrams "Just Once" at the finale. There is no shame in liking this.

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Think of any other examples? Share them with AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire through Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/christylemire.

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Douglas treating throat tumor as curable disease AP

LOS ANGELES Michael Douglas is vowing to beat cancer.

The 65-year-old "Wall Street" star said in an interview with People magazine that he expects to make a full recovery after a walnut-sized tumor was found on the base of his tongue in early August. Douglas is currently undergoing an eight-week course of radiation and chemotherapy in New York. His doctors said there is no evidence that the cancer has spread.

"Im treating this as a curable disease," he said. "Its a fight. Ill beat this."

Douglas wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, said the most difficult part of the ordeal has been seeing her husband fatigued "because Michael is never tired." Zeta-Jones, who has two children � Dylan, 10, and Carys, 7 � with Douglas, said she was furious doctors didnt detect the tumor earlier. Douglas said he spent months seeking a cause for throat and ear pain.

"Without having to blame anybody ... these things sometimes just dont show up," he said.

Besides his medical battle, Douglas is also facing a legal showdown. Lawyers representing the actor and his ex-wife Diandra Douglas are tangling over her claim that shes entitled to half his earnings from "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," the "Wall Street" sequel set to open Sept. 24. Douglas said the lawsuit "kind of came out of left field."

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Natalie Portman takes a dark turn in Venice film

By Mike Collett-White

VENICE | Wed Sep 1, 2010 8:59am EDT

VENICE Reuters - The Venice film festival opens on Wednesday with "Black Swan," a dark psychological drama starring Natalie Portman as a ballerina who finally lands the lead role but loses her grip on reality as the pressure builds.

The arrival of a rival dancer, played by Mila Kunis, triggers both obsessive jealousy and sexual liberation in a plot echoing that of the ballet around which it revolves.

A steamy love scene between the actresses and elements of violence and horror make it a departure from clean-cut on-screen roles often associated with Portman.

"Director Darren Aronofsky talked to me about this sex scene in our first meeting eight years ago," Portman told reporters in Venice following a press screening and ahead of the formal evening red carpet world premiere.

"He described it as: Youre going to have a sex scene with yourself, and I thought that was very interesting because this movie is in so many ways an exploration of an artists ego and that narcissistic sort of attraction to yourself and also repulsion with yourself."

Aronofsky won the top prize in Venice -- the Golden Lion for best picture -- two years ago with "The Wrestler," and he said he saw similarities between the two.

"When I started to think about doing Black Swan after The Wrestler, I very much saw them as related to each other," said the 41-year-old.

"The more I looked into the world of ballet, I actually started to see all these similarities to the world of wrestling -- they both have these performers that use their bodies in extremely intense physical ways."

French actor Vincent Cassel, who plays the ballet director, wondered why anyone would want to go into the world of dance.

"I think if you want to be a dancer it has to be a vocation. Its like being a priest, really, because you work so hard, you work every day, it hurts like crazy and you make no money. So I guess its just not something one should do."

YOUTH OVER CELEBRITY

Black Swan kicks off the annual Venice film festival on the Lido waterfront where stars, fans and reporters rub shoulders for the next 11 days.

Festival director Marco Mueller has opted for youth in his choice of directors of the 23 competition films, and he will also hope that the presence of Hollywood mavericks can make up for the expected shortage of A-list celebrities this year.

The average age of filmmakers in the main line-up this year is an unusually low 47, and includes Oscar winner Sofia Coppola, 39, with comic drama "Somewhere."

At the other end of the age range are 78-year-old Monte Hellman, competing with low-budget crime drama "Road to Nowhere," and Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski, 72, on the Lido with the thriller "Essential Killing."

In Essential Killing, actor and painter Vincent Gallo stars as an Afghan Taliban fighter who is captured but escapes on his way to a secret detention center in Europe.

The subject matter, and Gallos reputation as an uncompromising, eccentric artist, make it one of the more eagerly anticipated movies in competition.

Actor Casey Affleck presents documentary "Im Still Here," about his brother-in-law actor Joaquin Phoenixs decision to retire in 2008 and reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician.

And Julian Schnabel directs "Slumdog Millionaire" star Freida Pinto in "Miral," about an orphaned Palestinian girl growing up in the wake of the first Arab-Israeli war, who finds herself drawn into the conflict.

Reporting by Mike Collett-White

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Tarantino calls Venice lineup cool, eclectic AP

VENICE, Italy Quentin Tarantino says the Venice Film Festival lineup is "one of the most wildest, cool, eclectic lineups" hes ever seen.

Tarantino heads the jury that will judge 22 films from 11 countries, plus one surprise film to be announced next week, for the coveted Golden Lion.

The director of "Inglourious Basterds" and "Kill Bill" ought to know about festival lineups. This isnt his first jury. In fact, the director confessed to hosting his own private festivals, lining up 15 DVDs and judging himself which was the best, a sort of unofficial Tarantino Film Fest.

He said Wednesday that he once he ran into German filmmaker Tom Tykwer and told him: "I did a little film festival for myself, and you won. Perfume won"

Tykwer is competing for the Golden Lion with his new film, "Drei," or, "Three." But Tarantino said that even though he knows and admires a lot of the directors competing for the top prize, he has no problem separating the director, even a friend, from the work.

"I give a critical read to every single film I see. Thats my job as a film fan. Thats my job as a film critic," Tarantino said. "Sometimes I even go and write a review of the film. I dont intend on publishing it or something. I do it for my edification ... I do it to explore further into the work."

Of the Venice lineup, he said: "I think it is one of the most wildest, cool, eclectic lineups. Its kind of all over the map, and thats really exciting."

The festival opens Wednesday with Darren Aronofskys psychological melodrama "Black Swan," starring Natalie Portman as a New York City ballerina trying to surpass herself and her rivals. It closes next week with Julie Taymors adaptation of Shakespeares "The Tempest."

The Golden Lion will be awarded Sept. 11.

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No TV return for Richard and Judy

1 September 2010 Last updated at 09:41 ET By Fiona Bailey Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan have categorically ruled out a return to daytime TV.

The couple, who worked together for 21 years on shows like ITVs This Morning, said they had no plans to come back to television - together or apart.

"Ive had two propositions in the last year to go back and do something on my own, but the answer is an absolute no," Madeley said.

Finnigan added she had no immediate plans to return to broadcasting at all.

Set free

Madeley, who has been presenting a Radio 2 show and will appear as a subject on Who Do You Think You Are, said his wife had "pulled back from broadcasting completely for the time being".

He added: "Some people come up to us and ask whether we miss doing daytime television.

"But have to say not in the slightest. Id say the last year professionally has been the most enjoyable I can remember. Its been like being set free."

Finnigan said that the broadcasting environment had changed since their heyday, and that producers were now "frightened about taking risks".

"I dont think the kind of shows that we made for This Morning and Channel 4 are possible anymore because it cost a lot of money," Madeley said.

"One of the reasons we decided to leave Channel 4 is [that] we could see the budgets would have to come down - and to make a good show it costs money.

"And that wasnt our wages, that money went on screen - on high quality videos, on bringing guests over the Atlantic, on high production values in studio and a big team.

"The money isnt there anymore. They have to make it on the cheap and you dont get the quality that we were able to deliver."

The duo shot to fame in 1988, broadcasting daytime programme This Morning from Liverpool, two years after they married.

They were last seen on digital channel Watch in 2009, where their audience dropped as low as 8,000.

The couple have now turned their attention to their Book Club, which was launched on Wednesday.

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Emmy resentments surface in TV industry

By Alex Ben Block

Wed Sep 1, 2010 7:53am EDT

LOS ANGELES Hollywood Reporter - The major broadcast networks are serious about splitting the Primetime Emmys into two shows, and they have support among cable networks who share a frustration about HBO so thoroughly dominating the longform categories.

One ceremony would honor all series and air on broadcast, while the other would recognize the TV movies and longform projects that run on cable, like HBOs "Temple Grandin," which ended up with seven Emmys this year. The broadcast version would use the time gained to become a more entertainment-oriented program.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences contract with the Big Four broadcasters to air the Emmys expired with Sundays telecast.

Supporters of the status quo counter that without HBO, the Emmys would lose such marquee talent as Al Pacino, Claire Danes and Tom Hanks -- film stars who attended the Emmys this year only because they worked on HBO telefilms.

"Its a little bit like crying over your own inadequacies," said Barry Levinson, who directed Pacino to an Emmy in "You Dont Know Jack" for HBO. "Broadcasters used to do longform. They stopped. So its hardly fair for them to say, Gee, now that we dont get our Emmys, were upset. Its hard to have any sympathy over things they abandoned because theyre charting another course."

"Jack" executive producer Steve Lee Jones also is against a split.

"HBO is spending serious theatrical budgets on cable TV movies," he said. "Instead of people pointing a finger at them and trying to exclude them, HBO should be rewarded for it. If others would follow suit, wed have more quality programs."

An HBO spokeswoman would say only that the network will "let the work speak for itself."

Others see hypocrisy in the potential split.

"It would be a shame for the networks to make this divide when a few years down the line they may decide they want to be making miniseries and longform again," said Gary Goetzman, Hanks producing partner at Playtone, which produced "The Pacific" with Steven Spielberg. "Who knows how theyll feel in years to come? But it is HBO that is getting the short end of the stick now if they move them off to another show."

"Pacific" led all programs with eight Emmys this year.

A top broadcast executive told The Hollywood Reporter that it has become "ridiculous" to watch HBO win with shows that have a far smaller audience than broadcast fare.

"Its not that cable series arent as important," the exec said. "They are. But look how much HBO spent on The Pacific, like $200 million. It is preposterous this Emmy show deals so much with forms dominated by HBO and a few others. It slows down the show and is not particularly relevant to what is going on right now in the rest of television."

The broadcaster wants the Emmys to evolve in the same way that the Grammys and Tonys have -- becoming as much about entertainment as kudos.

"We spend an hour giving awards to shows very few watch," he said. "What the networks are saying to the TV Academy is: You want your movies and miniseries? Do them on cable because they arent what broadcast TV is about."

He also spoke of resentment about the move of the Emmy for reality show host to the Creative Arts Emmys, which take place the weekend before the primetime event.

"You give all these awards to Temple Grandin, which was watched by a million people," he said, "but the reality show hosts -- the guy from Dancing With the Stars, the guy from American Idol and the guy from Survivor watched by many millions -- are put off to the week before."

The broadcaster also didnt endorse expanding the "wheel" of broadcasters carrying the Emmys to include cable networks. He said the show belongs on a platform that can reach the most people, and that means broadcast.

Meanwhile, an executive at another pay service also said a split is justified. He noted that other cable and pay TV competitors are series-oriented, and none can compete with HBO on spending, development resources or promotion.

"I loved The Pacific, but when they got to longform awards, it was like all of a sudden the show stopped dead in its tracks," he said. "I just think it would be a better show without 40 minutes of HBO competing with itself."

An analysis of the shows ratings by quarter-hour shows a decline during Sundays longform section.

The TV Academy declined comment until a new license is in place. That might take a while. There was a preliminary meeting involving the four major broadcasters and ATAS in early August, but no talks are scheduled.

More than a year ago, there was an effort to move some non-acting categories to the Creative Arts Emmys, especially those for writers and directors. But the talent guilds balked, and the proposed changes were rescinded. The guilds hold sway because they must approve any clips used in the Emmy show.

If the guilds as expected use their clout to keep all the awards on a single Emmy show, that could keep HBO in the game.

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Miranda Lambert tops CMA Awards with 9 nominations AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Miranda Lambert has made CMA Awards history with a record nine nominations.

Thats the most garnered by a female artist, and shell be able to celebrate with close friend Lady Antebellum and fiance Blake Shelton. Lady A earned the second most nominations with five and Shelton was next with four, tied with Zac Brown Band.

Lambert and Dierks Bentley announced nominations in five categories Wednesday morning on "Good Morning America." The first seven categories were announced Tuesday in Nashville.

Lambert, Lady A, Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban were nominated for entertainer of the year, the Country Music Associations top award.

The CMA Awards show will be aired live on ABC on Nov. 10 in Nashville.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones furious Douglas cancer went undetected

By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES | Wed Sep 1, 2010 8:19am EDT

LOS ANGELES Reuters - Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones admits having a hard time watching husband Michael Douglas battle throat cancer and has told People magazine she is furious with doctors for not detecting his disease sooner.

Douglas, the Oscar winner of "Wall Street" and a veteran of Hollywood movies and television, told the celebrity magazine that he spent months seeking attention for persistent throat and ear pain only to be told nothing was wrong until August.

The son of actor Kirk Douglas announced on August 16 that doctors had found a tumor in his throat and that he would undergo radiation and chemotherapy, which he has now started.

"It makes me furious they didnt detect it earlier," Zeta-Jones told People. "He sought every option and nothing was found."

The actress, herself an Oscar winner for "Chicago," has been married to Douglas for 10 years and the couple have two children together, Dylan, 10, and Carys, 7.

Douglas, 65, is now undergoing radiation and chemotherapy five days-a-week every three weeks to rid himself of a walnut-sized tumor at the base of his tongue.

Zeta-Jones said she cant stand the thought of watching her husband undergoing chemotherapy and radiation and loosing his strength as he battles the disease.

"I know maybe I should be stronger, but emotionally I just dont want to see that," she said, later adding, "the hardest part is seeing his fatigue, because Michael is never tired."

Douglas made his first post-announcement TV appearance on Tuesday on "The Late Show with David Letterman," and told the talk show audience that although his cancer was late "stage four," doctors say he has an 80 percent chance of recovery.

He told People magazine that he was optimistic about his odds. "Im treating this as a curable disease," he said. "Its a fight. Ill beat this."

But he admitted that he was uncertain about the future, and noted that "you just never think its going to be you."

Still, after months of feeling the pain creep up on him, of having a dry throat and hoarse voice, the news of his cancer came as little surprise to both Hollywood stars.

"It wasnt a huge shock. I knew something was up. He knew something was up," said Zeta-Jones.

And while she is furious about the lack of an early diagnosis, Douglas seems more understanding. "Without having to blame anybody ... these things sometimes just dont show up," he said.

Editing by Sandra Maler

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BBC loses court battle over Stig

1 September 2010 Last updated at 08:46 ET

The BBC has lost a legal fight to stop publication of a book which reveals the identity of Top Gears driver The Stig.

The High Court in London refused to grant the BBC an injunction blocking the publication by HarperCollins of an autobiography that unmasks the character on the BBC Two show.

The BBC began legal action against HarperCollins last week.

The case took place behind closed doors.

The BBC argued that the planned book - an autobiography of former Formula Three driver Ben Collins - would breach confidentiality obligations.

The court case follows suggestions from several newspapers speculating that The Stigs true identity was Mr Collins, who lives in Redland, Bristol, based on the financial reports of his company.

At the time, the BBC said it was "no surprise" that Ben Collins company listed Top Gear amongst its work as the driver had "appeared numerous times on the programme and he often supplied other drivers for both the programme and Top Gear Live".

Last week, HarperCollins said it would "vigorously defend" its right to publish the book, adding it was "disappointed that the BBC has chosen to spend licence fee payers money to suppress this book".

However Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman attacked the publisher, writing on the Top Gear website that the BBC had a right to protect Stigs anonymity "from a bunch of chancers" who were "hoping to cash in on it".

The BBC has never confirmed the identity of The Stig - who test drives cars on the show in a racing helmet. It maintains that unmasking him would spoil viewers enjoyment.

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Lindsay Lohan returns to theaters, as naked junkie

By Jay A. Fernandez

Wed Sep 1, 2010 7:50am EDT

LOS ANGELES Hollywood Reporter - Poor Lindsay. She cant catch a break.

Released early from rehab and free again to pursue personal and professional rehabilitation, Lindsay Lohan has an opportunity to re-enter the public consciousness with the seriousness of a newly clean starlet intent on sobriety. And then here comes "Machete."

When Robert Rodriguezs Mexploitation flick opens Friday, Lohan will have been out of jail and rehab for a mere 10 days. And the vision that fans, family and friends will see of her in the film is that of a rich, spoiled junkie who makes money on the side by doing homemade sex videos -- with her mom.

She can kiss those Kids Choice Awards goodbye.

"I want my career back," Lohan told Vanity Fair in an interview last month before heading to jail. If thats true, shes not doing herself any favors.

For most actors, a public image is cultivated like a rare plant that needs endless sunlight while being constantly cleaned of dirt. For Lohan, the past few years have been more like a Ferrari she takes straight from the car wash to the demolition derby.

As April, the errant daughter of a corrupt political operative, Lohan makes her entrance in "Machete" passed out on a filthy mattress in a drug den surrounded by gun-toting ruffians. Rescued by her pop, she is dumped into a car and swivels her drugged-out face toward him to say, "Sorry, Daddy."

In real life, Lohan feels shes the one owed an apology.

"I think if anyone should be looked at medically its him," she said to Vanity Fair about her dad, Michael Lohan. The dad in the film does get his -- after revealing that he has an unhealthy fixation on his daughter.

Most of the rest of Lohans screen time is then spent naked, after filming a sex video that includes the vengeance-seeking Machete and her characters mother -- and, courtesy of Machete, a large bottle of tequila. When she finally covers her body late in the movie, its to put on a nuns habit and strafe a riot of knife-wielding Mexicans with a submachine gun.

Granted, all of this surely is the very fun Rodriguez and Lohan were hoping to have with a ridiculous character that would play off Lohans wrecked public image. But that convent has sailed.

Lohan was cast in "Machete" in early August last year, a development she hinted at via Twitter. Although the entertainment business is all fun and games and roles are simply roles, Lohan already had spent the previous 2-1/2 years rolling in the public mud.

In January 2007, she checked into rehab for the first time, but she was arrested in May for suspected driving under the influence. More rehab and more arrests and lawsuits followed. In July 2009, her film "Labor Pains" got bumped from theaters to ABC Family, and she was in court again in October for a probation hearing related to her DUI charges.

If during that time she or her reps were looking to burnish her image, the "Machete" role probably was not the best move. Her reps at CAA and Untitled Entertainment declined comment on the decision.

She was released from her latest rehab stint on August 25, the day of the films downtown Los Angeles premiere, but she did not show up to share the spotlight with co-stars Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez. Insiders strolling the red carpet let on that reps for distributor Fox, the filmmakers and Lohan had agreed that her presence would have caused too much of a disruption, pulling attention from the film.

Asked to comment on the premiere issue, Lohans mother Dina e-mailed, "We are in a great place and I am not commenting there"

Lohans next planned project is "Inferno," an indie biopic about "Deep Throat" star Linda Lovelace. Although under different circumstances the role could provide an edgy dramatic turn to burnish an actors resume, it more likely will burnish Lohans image as damaged goods. Shes not Charlize Theron taking on "Monster" or Jennifer Connelly doing "Requiem for a Dream."

What Lohan needs is a quiet role as a guidance counselor on NBCs "Parenthood" or a "Wrestler"-style drama built around her by a gifted filmmaker. Maybe a straightforward role in an ensemble of a big disaster film. For now, though, roles that perpetuate the perception that she has no control over herself or her life might be destined to undercut the career resurgence she claims she wants.

"I know that Im a damn good actress," Lohan told Vanity Fair. "And I know that when I care about something, I put 100% and more into it."

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Among falls TV frosh, 10 new shows worth sampling AP

NEW YORK So many shows So little time

You already have to keep up with your slate of favorite returning shows. Now the networks expect you to carve out more hours to sample their 22 newcomers.

What to do? Prioritize, of course. Here are 10 new series that deserve an early look:

� "Hellcats" CW; premieres Sept. 8. Its almost laughably formulaic, but the formula works like a charm. Gorgeous prelaw student Marti scorns her universitys cheerleading squad. "I dont trust any culture that builds pyramids � human or otherwise," she scoffs. But suddenly she needs to join the squad to keep her all-important scholarship. As luck would have it, Marti Aly Michalka was a gymnastics champ in high school. But even as she enters the not-altogether-embracing world of the Hellcats, her scholarship still isnt assured: continued funding for the Hellcats is in question. So is Martis continued presence on the squad, thanks to a certain scheming rival. But in the meantime, golly, can those Hellcats dance "Hellcats" is one part youth melodrama, one part "Glee" in skimpy spandex.

� "Nikita" CW, premieres Sept. 9. Its payback time for Nikita, who is on the run from the secret government agency that trained her as a spy and an assassin � and now wants her dead. "Im gonna take you apart, piece by piece, mission by mission," vows this petite powerhouse played by Maggie Q. Meanwhile, Alex Lyndsy Fonseca is a new recruit in the sinister, mysterious Division. She wants out, too. An action-packed reboot of the 1990 film and subsequent USA network series, this "Nikita" is a slick celebration of conspiracy and sexy gals who mean to put a stop to it.

� "Hawaii Five-O" CBS; premieres Sept. 20. From the opening titles with the timeless rocking theme to the nickname "Danno," this new version of the 1970s original is a miracle of souped-up, loving restoration. Alex OLoughlin plays simmering Steve McGarrett, whos got a score to settle with some very bad people. The governor of Hawaii gives him carte blanche to set up a justice team, which includes kvetching New Jersey transplant Danny "Danno" Williams Scott Caan, as well as Chin Ho Kelly "Lost" alumnus Daniel Dae Kim and his sexy, two-fisted sister, Kono Grace Park. The pilot is a fast-paced, eye-popping, modern-day homage. Be there Aloha

� "Lone Star" Fox; premieres Sept. 20. A charismatic con man is married to one beautiful woman and shacking up with another, deep in the heart of Texas. Bob truly loves them both. He also loves the opportunity this double life affords him to pull scams in two communities � as long as he can keep his two worlds separate. "Lone Star" would make a dandy soap opera, which it is. But its more: a solid drama of a man in conflict who needs it all. The pilot is outstanding as it introduces this falls budding breakout star, James Wolk, as the schemer you root for. Adrianne Palicki "Friday Night Lights" and Eloise Mumford "Mercy" are Bobs unsuspecting mates. Its been called a blend of "Dallas" and "Friday Night Lights." Judging from the pilot, its the falls best new series.

� "The Event" NBC; premieres Sept. 20. Do you miss "Lost"? Do you wish last seasons "FlashForward" had been better? Check out "The Event," the lone new entry in the serial thriller genre. Boasting a large ensemble cast, far-flung locations and helter-skelter time sequence, "The Event" demands a week-to-week commitment for the viewer to have any chance of making sense of the conspiracy that rages at its core. Certainly the pilot episode gives you fair warning; its anything but self-contained. The hour introduces a slew of characters played by regulars including Jason Ritter, Blair Underwood, Laura Innes, Bill Smitrovich and Zeljko Ivanek and raises a slew of questions. Why did that person disappear without a trace? Why did that jetliner vanish into thin air? Then its over. NBC has taken a bold chance on this series. Are you willing to take a leap, too?

� "Raising Hope" Fox; premieres Sept. 21. Greg Garcia, creator of "My Name Is Earl," is back with a new brood of lovable losers in this wacked-out family comedy. Its a dysfunctional family, of course, whose aimless 23-year-old son, Jimmy Lucas Neff, stumbles on the fact that hes the father of a baby girl. Suddenly Jimmy has a purpose in life. He persuades his none-too-capable mom and dad Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt that baby Hope is their chance for a parenting do-over. Heres "a chance for me to do something good � a chance for all of us to do something good," says Jimmy. And that includes his goofball cousin Skyler Stone and borderline-senile grandmother Cloris Leachman, who sets the unbridled comic tone for this show by occasionally stripping to her brassiere � or even less.

� "Running Wilde" Fox; premieres Sept. 21. "Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz has paired Will Arnett, one of his stars from that preternaturally zany comedy, with Keri Russell "Felicity" as a radiantly comic odd couple. Arnett plays an oil tycoons spoiled son named Steve Wilde, the sort of narcissist who welcomes a Humanitarian of the Fiscal Year Award from his own familys company. Steve wants to reconnect with childhood sweetheart Emmy, played by Russell. But she is now an environmental activist whose tree-hugging zeal clashes with Wilde Oil and everything else Wilde stands for. "I am going to undo every entitled impulse ever drilled into you," she tells him grandly. "And then together, were gonna change the world." Dont bet on either. But the shows a good bet.

� "My Generation" ABC; premieres Sept. 23. Granted, this isnt the freshest idea for a drama series. In 1977, "What Really Happened to the Class of 65" followed up on graduates of a fictitious high school 10 years later. Now "My Generation" is framed as a documentary about graduates of Austins Greenbelt High School in 2010, intercut with footage shot of them as graduating seniors in 2000. Needless to say, the characters lives have taken unexpected twists, and their paths have crisscrossed one anothers in unexpected ways. The characters and their journeys are what make "My Generation" stand out. Boasting fresh faces and fresh writing, its a welcome twist for a new series.

� "Outsourced" NBC; premieres Sept. 23. Todd series star Ben Rappaport is startled to return from management training to find the Kansas City call center for Mid-America Novelties has been "right-sized." Thats a euphemism for outsourced to India. So Todd is dispatched to India to see if he can manage. Besides its spot-on timeliness, "Outsourced" is a delightful comedy for how it deftly harvests laughs from the inevitable culture clash, from Todds overeagerness to bridge the gap, and from the innate silliness of the companys product line whoopee cushions, foam fingers and the like. "Why do Americans need these things?" one of Todds team wants to know. Todd proudly replies, "Maybe no one NEEDS this, but in America, no one can stop you from making it. This is the definition of freedom." Theres also the chance for comedic flirtation: lovely Tonya runs the adjacent call center for an Australian-based airline. Its a bleakly funny reminder: Outsourcing is a global affair.

� "No Ordinary Family" ABC; premieres Sept. 28. Michael Chiklis "The Shield" plays a police sketch artist who feels meek both at work and at home. Julie Benz "Dexter" is his brainy wife, and two teenage kids complete this not-so-happy family. Then, through the oddest of quirks, they all gain superpowers. How can they put those remarkable strengths to good use � and make them a unifying family affair? The pilot episode takes too long to lay out the shows premise, but it adds up to a nice blend of sweetness and action. Heres hoping the series will be, too.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.; CBS is a division of CBS Corp.; Fox is a unit of News Corp.; NBC is owned by General Electric Co; CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp.

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Online:

http://www.abc.com

http://www.cbs.com

http://www.cwtv.com

http://www.fox.com

http://www.nbc.com

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EDITORS NOTE � Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmooreatap.org

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A hopeful look ahead at falls prime-time TV crop AP

NEW YORK Lets all marvel at the bumper crop of new shows about cops and courtrooms

Lets welcome back favorite stars from the past like Tom Selleck, Jimmy Smits and Dana Delany

Lets cross our fingers that ambitious new series like "No Ordinary Family" and "The Event" will find their way

Lets get ready to laugh at the half-dozen new comedies at least, some of them.

But lets dedicate this fall broadcast season to Jay Leno.

Sure, sure. It was LAST fall that Leno invaded prime time with his weeknight talk-comedy hour, only to scurry back to "The Tonight Show" in March.

By then, the guy who got caught in this squeeze play � "Tonight Show" temp Conan OBrien � had not only bolted from NBC, but also from broadcast TV altogether. As every viewer knows, hell be launching a new late-night talk show on cables TBS in November.

Credit Leno and the game of musical chairs he set in motion with reminding us how the difference between broadcast and cable is increasingly hard to detect.

Now comes the onslaught of freshman fall series on the big five broadcast networks almost all of which will premiere the week of Sept. 20. Even with the gaping five-hour hole Leno left behind for NBC to fill, the new fall crop adds up to just 22 shows � only one more than debuted last fall.

But NBC, which finished the 2009-2010 season ranked a dismal fourth, is bouncing back invigorated and maybe even contrite as it reinstates the 10 p.m. ET hour with scripted shows. And it can rest secure in the knowledge that, no matter how its fall schedule may falter, nothing could match last years "Jay Leno Show" for stinking up the joint.

With that upbeat prelude, Id like to say broadcasts fall season � on NBC and elsewhere � boasts some pleasant surprises and good reasons to explore whats new on broadcast even as cable continues its year-round rollout of competing fare.

One very pleasant surprise: No new hospital shows How did the networks avoid that rut?

Of course, other ruts � make that creative trends � remain in force.

The twentysomething crowd is the focus of, and the designated audience for, numerous new series.

Meanwhile, among falls 16 new dramas, 11 are firmly rooted in crime-fighting and/or the justice system.

� Granted, "No Ordinary Family" ABC puts the emphasis on, well, family. Its a family headed by Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz that acquires superpowers each member must learn to use responsibly. But Chiklis plays a cop who wants to prove his worth.

� "Detroit 1-8-7" ABC is a by-the-numbers police drama, with one difference: Michael Imperioli, who stars as homicide detective Louis Fitch. His glum, quirky, unsociable manner yields a character so distinct it could eclipse Imperiolis signature role as Christopher on "The Sopranos." If only the rest of "Detroit 1-8-7" were as distinctive.

� "The Whole Truth" ABC has what might seem a clever format: It follows a legal case from the alternate perspectives of the defense and the prosecution. In practice, however, the show unwinds in a choppy, he said-she said fashion whose payoff seems to come only at the end, when the truth, and the correctness of the verdict, are revealed. But maybe the project will be improved with Maura Tierney replacing Joely Richardson as the prosecutor. Rob Morrow remains as the defense attorney.

� "The Defenders" CBS co-stars Jim Belushi and Jerry OConnell as flashy, high-flying Las Vegas attorneys. Their chemistry is good. The writing could be better.

� "Body of Proof" ABC stars Dana Delany as a brilliant, sexy medical examiner with a really bad attitude. Think "Crossing Jordan," with sassy defiance upgraded to obnoxiousness.

� "Blue Bloods" CBS gathers an impressive cast led by Tom Selleck as a multigenerational family that permeates the New York City cop and court system. But "Blue Bloods" bleeds cliches. Its a good-looking, well-meaning rehash.

� The good news about "Hawaii Five-O" CBS: It takes the DNA from the circa-1970s original and reaps a robust, character-driven, crime-busting romp.

� "Outlaw" NBC wastes the fine actor Jimmy Smits as a rascally U.S. Supreme Court justice who up and quits the high court to reclaim his ideals and practice law as a social activist. He vows to fight for lost causes. This show might be one of them.

� The title of "Chase" NBC says it all. Its an action-packed Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama about U.S. marshals in Houston. Kelli Giddish is hot. So is her partner Cole Hauser. They chase bad guys, and their tight jeans dont slow them down a whit.

� "Law & Order: Los Angeles" NBC extends the "L&O" franchise to its fifth edition, the first to venture outside New Yorks jurisdiction. The pilot was unavailable for review, but cast members include the splendid actors Alfred Molina and Terrence Howard.

� "Undercovers" NBC has the sheen of uber-magnate J.J. Abrams. It has the undeniable heat of Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as husband-and-wife CIA agents who are drawn back into espionage after leaving to begin a new life as caterers. It has lavish production values at least in the pilot episode. Too bad the story is silliness and fluff. Caterers?

And now, for something a little bit different, the other five new dramas:

� ABCs "My Generation" takes the form of a documentary chronicling the stories of young adults in the present day, intercut with footage flashing back to them as graduating seniors a decade ago.

� The Fox melodrama "Lone Star" is the smartest, sexiest, most entertaining new guilty pleasure on the schedule. James Wolk plays a charismatic Texas con man living a double life mating with two dishy women he genuinely loves � even as he secretly betrays both of them.

� NBCs much-hyped "The Event" is an intriguingly disjointed, keeps-you-guessing thriller, the one new entry in the mystery-serial category.

� "Hellcats" is set among the cheer-leading squad of a Southern university. It shrewdly adapts "Glee" to a CW sensibility: Well-toned young men and women cope with hormone-dominated college life, jazzed by acrobatic cheer-leading routines. Whats not to like?

� Also on CW, "Nikita" is a re-imagining of the bygone action-intrigue series and feature film. Maggie Q stars as the bootie-kicking former spy and assassin whos out to destroy the covert agency that did her wrong.

Besides all those dramas, theres also laughter available from the new fall lineup � if you choose carefully.

� Foxs "Raising Hope" is a riotous return to the unrefined world in which "My Name Is Earl" resided. On this show, also created by Greg Garcia, a directionless lad becomes an unexpected father � and recruits his dysfunctional family to help him with his worthy new role.

� Another promising Fox comedy "Running Wilde," stars Will Arnett as a lofty, self-involved scion of an oil company who is trying to win favor from a lovely, but equally daffy environmentalist Keri Russell.

� NBCs "Outsourced" ships a management trainee for a Kansas City-based novelty company to its relocated call center in India. Not only is this sitcom painfully timely, but hilarious.

� Not so good is CBS romantic comedy "Better With You," which reunites Jennifer Finnigan and Josh Cooke remember this appealing pair from the much-funnier sitcom "Committed" back in the 2005-06 season? No? as a couple who have been living together for several years, then feel upstaged when her younger sister abruptly gets engaged.

� Nearly unwatchable is CBS "Mike & Molly," which tries to present a relatable romance between a portly man and woman, but undercuts the humor with easy jokes and cheap gags about being fat.

� And what about the much-talked-about sitcom, "Bleep My Dad Says"? Starring William Shatner as a cantankerous senior, the pilot was a disappointment and this CBS series is being overhauled. So well wait and see if bleep ends up as its operative word.

Happily, theres more than that to say about the new fall season overall.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.; CBS is a division of CBS Corp.; Fox is a unit of News Corp.; NBC is owned by General Electric Co; CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp.

___

Online:

http://www.abc.com

http://www.cbs.com

http://www.cwtv.com

http://www.fox.com

http://www.nbc.com

___

EDITORS NOTE � Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmooreatap.org

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