Final 4 perform last 'Talent' routines (AP)

LOS ANGELES � Prince Poppycock may have lost the "America's Got Talent" crown.

The outlandish operatic creation of 32-year-old singing store clerk John Quale from Los Angeles was the only act to receive the dreaded buzzer on Tuesday's edition of the NBC variety competition.

Piers Morgan declared he wasn't a fan of Poppycock's more serious, less spectacular interpretation of the aria "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."

"This didn't make me smile," he said.

The other three finalists faired better than the Prince. Michael Grimm, the fedora-wearing 30-year-old crooner from Waveland, Miss., and Jackie Evancho, the sprightly 10-year-old opera soprano from Pittsburgh, were both lauded for their respective renditions of Michael Bolton's "When a Man Loves a Woman" and "Ave Maria" from Verdi's "Otello."

"You are a little angel," Sharon Osbourne told Evancho.

Fighting Gravity, the 13-man performance troupe of Virginia Tech students from Blacksburg, Va., were also praised for their performance, which featured members of the group flying through alternating doors lit with black lights.

Morgan chastised the group for "one bad" technical mistake, but the other judges encouraged viewers to vote for the winner.

"You're exactly what makes this show so special," Howie Mandel told the troupe.

The winner of "America's Got Talent" will be revealed Wednesday and earn a headlining show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and a $1 million prize.

If the Prince doesn't become reality-TV royalty, Quale said he still has grand plans for Poppycock: He wants to unleash a saga similar to John Cameron Mitchell's 2001 rock opera, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."

"Ultimately, I do want to write an opera based around the Prince Poppycock character and his trials and tribulations," Quale said last week after securing his spot on the finale. "I would love to stage it as a full-on Ziegfeld Follies, Broadway extravaganza ... then one day, turn it into a movie."

___

NBC is owned by NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co.

___

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Celebrities discover the downside of Twitter

By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES | Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:48pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Is celebrities' obsession with Twitter starting to wane?

When singer John Mayer, one of Twitter's most high profile users with 3.7 million followers, shut his account on Monday, he was just the latest celebrity to quit the micro-blogging site.

Some stars are finding that Twitter may be great as a promotional tool or for reaching out to fans, but it also comes with a downside.

Teen singer Miley Cyrus deleted her account a year ago, persuaded into silence by her new boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth.

"Hairspray" star Amanda Bynes deleted her Twitter account last week without any notice to her fans. Earlier this month, Disney starlet Demi Lovato, 18, tweeted that she's saying "goodbye to twitter" because "the access that the other people have is uncomfortable to me."

"The blessing of tweeting for celebrities was this idea that you could bypass sending out a press release and go directly to those who are following you," said Robert Thompson, professor of Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.

However, many celebrities have found that their tweets are being made fun of, or blow up in their faces.

Although Bynes, 24, offered no explanation for quitting Twitter, she seems to have had a volatile relationship with the so-called "Twitterverse." The actress got flack for announcing on Twitter that she was retiring from acting earlier this year, and then subsequently "un-retiring" a month later.

She also got into Twitter fights with users who disagreed with her tweets, including those about her taste in men.

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT

"Many celebrities are realizing the old saying that familiarity breeds contempt," Thompson told Reuters. "We used to think that celebrities were distant people we could never communicate with. Twitter reversed that and some celebrities are growing tired of that."

Just ask country singer LeAnn Rimes, who was an active Twitter user when her marriage ended after she cheated on her husband with married actor Eddie Cibrian.

After Rimes and Cibrian divorced their spouses, the duo was photographed kissing each other, which sparked outrage. The singer began to get attacked on Twitter but when she tried defended herself on the site, users retaliated even more.

Rimes closed her account in July 2010, tweeting that it was "unhealthy for me and my family to have to read negative comments." However, a week later she was back on Twitter, saying she missed her fans and wanted to let them know "how much u r appreciated."

Paul Levinson, author of "New New Media," says Twitter has now reached a sort of "shaking out point."

"Those who joined as part of a bandwagon because their peers were on the site, are now finding out if it is truly a medium that works for them.

"For some it will continue to be one of the best things they could do. For others, it has become an imposition, a pain," Levinson said.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Comedian Ricky Gervais joined Twitter last December because he was hosting the Golden Globes and "they want me to do a running commentary on Twitter."

However, less than a month later, he quit. In his last Twitter post, Gervais wrote he was "going to stop these tweets because I don't see the point.

So is this the beginning of a mass Twitter exodus? Not so, said Bonnie Fuller, president and editor-in-chief of celebrity website HollywoodLife.com.

"For every celebrity that quits Twitter, there's 10 who sign up," Fuller said. "There are just too many of them benefiting from Twitter. Celebrities see it as a great opportunity to communicate with fans, give them information and get feedback."

Fuller cited reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who uses Twitter to successfully promote herself, the products she's lent her name to, and the careers of her sisters.

As for Mayer, a spokesperson for the Grammy-winning singer said he had closed his Twitter account because his concert tour has ended and Mayer is preparing to head back to the studio.

Mayer used Twitter to talk to fans and address controversies, including an expletive-laced Playboy magazine interview in February about his sex life.

The bluesy writer of hits like "Gravity" remains active on Facebook, his own website JohnMayer.com and what appears to be his new favorite blogging site, Tumblr.

In a post on Tumblr last week, Mayer said he felt he had "made the right move" to the new site. Despite having only 50,000 Tumblr followers, he admitted to having "an even larger Tumblr addiction" than the one he had to Twitter.

Whether or not he continues on Tumblr remains to be seen. In a September 12 post -- the latest and last post to date -- Mayer thanked fans for making his recent tour a success and signed off by saying that it was "time to (try to) disappear for a while."

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Review: Hoffman's good vibe in 'Jack Goes Boating' (AP)

Directorial debuts by actors are sometimes scene-chewing, ego-stroking exercises. Philip Seymour Hoffman's "Jack Goes Boating," so refreshingly bereft of those qualities, is more content with humility and authenticity.

The film opens with an overhead shot of Jack � overweight, unshaven and not appearing to possess anything like "gusto" � in bed. The threat of bedridden depression is never far from "Jack Goes Boating," but the film � and Jack � is propelled forward. Inertia gives way to self-improvement, love and, yes, reggae.

Quiet and stuttering, Jack is a limo driver with the goal of landing a job with the MTA. (One man's dream is another man's nightmare.) He also loves reggae; he listens to "Rivers of Babylon" constantly on headphones and in his car. The sunny song is a stark contrast to the New York winter of the film and Jack's less than jubilant life.

"Would you consider yourself a Rasta-man?" sarcastically asks his fellow driver and best friend, Clyde (John Oritz).

It turns out to be a reasonable question. Jack's blond knots may be a poor attempt at dreadlocks, but those around him gradually realize he has a way of inspiring good vibes.

Clyde, confident and sensitive at once, is married to Lucy (Daphne Rubin-Vega), who has built herself a tougher front. Years of marriage and infidelity have drained their relationship. They're coming apart at the seams from jealousy and distrust.

They set up Jack with a colleague of Lucy's, Connie (Amy Ryan), from the funeral home she works at. They assure him a dinner party of the four of them won't be awkward: "We'll just order something," they tell him over and over.

Against the odds, Jack and Connie hit it off. Further dates, though, bring more anxiety. When Connie suggests dinner, Jack devotes himself to weeks of cooking training. When she says they should go for a boat ride in the summer, he quickly sets about learning to swim.

Clyde, the kind of devoted friend anyone would want, gives Jack swimming lessons at the local YMCA. Marching along the pool, he cheers Jack on. Under water, his wide-eye, goggled face is pure hope. The film's best scenes are here; in chlorine-filled waters, Jack learns to fly.

But "Jack Goes Boating" � an ancestor of Paddy Chayefsky's "Marty" � is no simple love story. While Jack and Connie are building a new relationship, Lucy and Clyde are falling apart after years together. There's no judgment here: Love is hard and things can sour.

The film is based on the play by the same name by Bob Glaudini. Its Broadway run � which starred Hoffman, Ortiz and Rubin-Vega � was produced by LAByrinth Theater Company, for which Hoffman and Ortiz were artistic directors.

It comes as little surprise that Hoffman would know how to capture a good performance, and those of "Jack Goes Boating" are incredibly full. Ortiz and Rubin-Vega ("Rent"), both well-respected theater actors, are excellent. Ortiz, in particular, vacillates between hope and self-destruction with remarkable bipolar truthfulness.

Hoffman reveals Jack the sad sack to be an odd, inarticulate Buddha, willing to put in the work it takes for growth. Except for the climactic scene, his direction rarely feels stage-y.

"Jack Goes Boating" contains none of the easy, syncopated lilt of a reggae tune, but it moves to the awkward beat of life. Reespek, mon.

"Jack Goes Boating," an Overture Films release, is rated R for language, drug use and some sexual content. Running time: 90 minutes. Three 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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Jay-Z, Eminem and all their friends rock New York

By Mick Stingley

Tue Sep 14, 2010 9:04pm EDT

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Jay-Z and Eminem kicked off the first concert at the new Yankee Stadium on Monday with a dizzying spectacle worthy of rap's two biggest stars.

A menacing burst of rain before the show yielded to clear skies, foreshadowing an evening of ups and downs, missteps and triumph and a relentless verbal assault during a once-in-a-lifetime showcase featuring some of the biggest names in pop music.

Billed as the Home and Home tour, the show was part of a double-header featuring both headliners in their respective hometowns. Prior to Labor Day weekend, they appeared at a two-night stand at Comerica Park in Detroit, where Eminem headlined; Monday night it was Jay-Z's turn. That's the extent of the "tour," which made this such a hard ticket to come by.

Spanning more than four hours, the show ran like a hip-hop Love Boat on sweeps-week steroids, with a glittering array of guest stars. Short sets by newcomers B.o.B and J. Cole opened the show to pump up the crowd, but when Eminem took the stage at 8:30, they were quickly forgotten. Wearing a black hoodie and shorts, Em came out swinging, punching the air as he blazed into "Won't Back Down" from his chart-topping "Recovery." He seemed as if he had something to prove, forcefully spitting song's the vicious rhymes, bobbing and weaving, holding his microphone close to his mouth.

That style served him well in the grand setting as he took his fight to the 50,000 cheering fans as he moved from new material to old during his 90 minutes. Duets with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent were highlights of his set, as he let the rappers take one for themselves (Dre on "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang," 50 on "In Da Club"). But Eminem's scorching encore of "Lose Yourself," the best song Oscar winner from his autobiographical "8 Mile," punctuated with fireworks, could have ended the night right there.

If Eminem came to show and prove, Jay-Z came to show off. Two hours later, the rap mogul emerged from the floor of the stage amid smoke and fanfare from his live band and DJ. Leather jacket and sunglasses in effect, he called, "New York, wassup?" -- and the intro to "Dynasty" got the kids back up on their seats. Jay showed off his flow, which was as cool as ever, but he also showed off his friends, which was exhausting.

In no time, he was joined by a red leather-clad Kanye West for "Run This Town" and "Power." West seemed a bit hoarse (perhaps from his flight east after Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards), which only made Jay's flow seem so much smoother and easier to comprehend. Perhaps to make things easier on the eyes for the males in attendance, the oddball rap chanteuse Nicki Minaj appeared for "Monster." Although her Day Glo camp look is terribly distracting, her rhymes and delivery were arresting.

West overstayed his welcome, but Eminem returned for a duet on "Renegade" before Jay-Z finally took sole command of the stage to rip the hits "99 Problems," "Jigga What, Jigga Who," "Big Pimpin' " and "Hard Knock Life." As if hits weren't enough to sustain the already over-stimulated crowd, Chris Martin from Coldplay appeared to perform the piano-driven "Heart of the City." This gave way to Martin singing "Viva La Vida," which brought cheers and guffaws -- has Jay never seen "The 40 Year Old Virgin?"

Shortly afterward, the headliner was joined by Drake ("Light Up") and then his wife Beyonce on "Young Forever." And just when it seemed as if things were winding down, the ubiquitous New York anthem "Empire State of Mind" was called in, with Bridget Kelly taking the pregnant Alicia Keys' part. Jay continued on with several more numbers before wrapping it up at 12:45 a.m.

It was an amazing night, worthy of comparisons to the Rolling Stones and Springsteen -- though after four hours, one can see why these things don't happen every day.

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Lawyer: Smith case prosecutor encouraged perjury (AP)

LOS ANGELES � Howard K. Stern's lawyer angrily accused a prosecutor Tuesday of encouraging perjury by a key witness at the Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy trial.

Defense attorney Steve Sadow was red-faced as he asked the judge to strike the entire testimony of Nadine Alexie, a former nanny for Smith.

"I'm considering it," Superior Court Judge Robert Perry said without making a ruling.

The dispute involved testimony by Nadine Alexie that she had taught her sister-in-law Quethlie Alexie to recognize Stern's name on prescription bottles, even though Quethlie Alexie reads no English.

Sadow suggested prosecutor Renee Rose had encouraged Nadine Alexie to fabricate the story to explain her sister-in law's statements on the witness stand that she had seen Stern's name on the bottles.

When the judge left the bench, Sadow shouted at Rose: "In my whole career I've never seen a prosecutor do a stunt like that. You ought to look in the mirror and think about what you're doing. It's outrageous."

Rose did not respond to the accusation.

Asked later if Rose would have a comment, district attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said, "Whatever statement she has she will be making in court."

Before Sadow spoke, Perry dismissed jurors from the courtroom and appeared to predict what Sadow was going to say.

"Let's take a deep breath before we go on," Perry said. "I don't want to say something I will regret, so I'm not saying anything."

He urged Sadow to consider doing the same, but the lawyer said he felt he had to speak.

"That was suborned perjury," Sadow said, using the legal term for encouraging a witness to lie. "The people know this is perjurious testimony."

The uproar came after former nanny Quethlie Alexie concluded three days on the witness stand. Under questioning by defense lawyer Brad Brunon about her literacy in English, Quethlie said through a Creole interpreter that she could not read or write English, even though she could speak it.

Brunon took her through an English language affidavit she had signed trying to determine her skill. She said she couldn't read the document but had signed it anyway after it was read to her.

Earlier, she had testified she saw pill bottles of medicine in Smith's home and read Stern's name on many of them.

When Nadine Alexie took the witness stand later, Rose asked how Quethlie was able to read Stern's name on the bottles. Nadine said she began teaching Quethlie how to read and write English after they went to work for Smith.

She said she specifically showed her Stern's name and told her how to read and write it "so if she saw things in his name she would know who they belonged to."

Nadine Alexie said she went through two years of college and reads and writes English perfectly. But she insisted she did not read a one-page legal affidavit attesting to her sister's truthfulness before she signed it.

"I just didn't read it," she said.

"So you're in a lawyer's office with a notary public and they ask you to sign a document and you don't read it?" Brunon asked.

"I didn't read it," Nadine Alexie said with a shrug but no explanation.

There has been confusion about the two women's surnames. Both were originally given as Alexie, but Quethlie later said her surname was Alexis, which is how she signed the affidavit.

Stern, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor have pleaded not guilty to providing Smith with excessive opiates and sedatives. They are not charged with causing her overdose death in 2007.

The complaint by Sadow capped a day that began with jurors seeing a slide slow of 90 images of the former Playboy model appearing healthy, active and involved with her baby during the three months that Quethlie claimed she was drugged and barely able to function.

Sadow presented the pictures taken in late 2006, including some shot days after Smith gave birth to her daughter Dannielynn.

There were shots of Smith feeding and kissing the baby and posing with Stern and the baby in a family-style portrait.

Other images depicted a sun-splashed commitment ceremony with Stern in which Smith wore a wedding gown on a boat.

Quethlie Alexie previously testified that Smith was in a semiconscious state during the period when most of the photos were taken.

The prosecution responded to the slideshow by showing a few poor quality photos, including one of a disheveled-looking Smith lying in bed with what appeared to be a medicinal drip apparatus in her hand.

Quethlie Alexie testified the picture was taken when Smith was sick and Eroshevich installed the device to give her serum.

The witness also said she had signed two affidavits about the case in the Bahamas that were untrue.

With jurors dismissed from the courtroom several times, Judge Perry voiced his frustration with the witness and said, "The court sees serious credibility issues."

Perry also reiterated his previous concerns about the case.

"I think this is a very unfocused prosecution," he said. "I have problems with the way the evidence is coming out."

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Casey Affleck settles sex harassment cases

Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.

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Spanish film stars Cruz and Bardem expecting baby

Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.

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Lawyer says witness lied at prosecutor's urging (AP)

LOS ANGELES � The lawyer for Howard K. Stern has asked a judge to strike a key witness' entire testimony in the Anna Nicole Smith drug case, claiming she committed perjury at the urging of the prosecutor.

Attorney Steve Sadow was red-faced with anger as he addressed the judge outside the jury's presence Tuesday. He accused prosecutor Renee Rose of committing "suborned perjury" by a former nanny who worked for Smith.

Superior Court Judge Robert Perry urged Sadow to take a deep breath and said he was restraining himself from making a statement he might regret.

Sadow later moved to strike the testimony of Nadine Alexie, to which the judge said: "I'm considering it."

Court recessed for the day without a ruling.

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Music Review: Trey Songz's 4th release is average (AP)

Trey Songz, "Passion, Pain & Pleasure" (Atlantic Records)

Trey Songz has a new album? Yup.

The singer, who became an R&B star after the release of his breakthrough 2009 CD "Ready," is trying to capitalize on that success with "Passion, Pain & Pleasure."

But what the 25-year-old should have been is patient. The new effort shines at moments, but it sounds rushed � some of the songs are average when they could have been outstanding.

"Bottoms Up," the lead single, has a club-ready beat, but the lyrics are weak and Nicki Minaj steals Songz's thunder with her animated rhymes. "Unfortunate" starts off nicely, but its hook is annoyingly repetitive while "Red Lipstick" and "Doorbell" feel cheesy. Even the Drake-featured "Unusual" is unnecessary.

Songz fares better on the tunes about love lapses: He sounds cool on the Mario Winans-assisted "Can't Be Friends" and classic on "Please Return My Call." He downright demands that his lover come back on the thumping "Made to Be Together." Songz also shines on his signature bedroom grooves "Love Faces" and "Massage."

"Ready" was a Grammy-nominated album that made Songz one of R&B's leading male and helped him break onto the pop charts. This new album should have been released as an extension of that project.

CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: Vocals are top-notch and production crisp on "Please Return My Call," a 1990s-sounding sincere plea to a lover.

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John Grisham talks of wrongful convictions in NC (AP)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. � Best-selling author John Grisham lauded a commission in North Carolina that evaluates prisoners claims of innocence, and said Tuesday that it would be duplicated across the country.

Grisham, known for his courtroom thrillers, has lended his celebrity and skills as a lawyer to national efforts to re-examine convictions where doubt exists.

"It's so far-sighted and progressive, it's almost a dream," Grisham said of North Carolina's Innocence Commission.

The commission earlier this year held hearings that led to the release of Greg Taylor, who spent 17 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit.

Grisham, 55, has been involved in what he called the innocence movement ever since researching and writing a nonfiction book, "The Innocent Man," about an Oklahoma man wrongly sentenced to death row.

Even as a former public defender in Mississippi, Grisham said he wasn't fully aware of how widespread wrongful convictions are until he began his research.

"I realized there are a lot of innocent people in prison, and most Americans don't believe that, but it's true," he told reporters before addressing nearly 2,000 people at Wake Forest University.

Grisham, invited as part of the university law school's Innocence and Justice Clinic, also touched on recent revelations brought to light by the Taylor case.

During Taylor's hearings in February, a State Bureau of Investigation agent testified that analysts did not always include the complete results of blood tests on lab reports that were submitted to court.

The testimony led to a review of the lab's blood unit by two former federal law enforcement agents. The scathing report found that eight analysts omitted, overstated or falsely reported blood evidence in dozens of cases, including three that ended in executions and another where two men were imprisoned for killing Michael Jordan's father.

The report did not conclude that any innocent people were convicted. In some cases, there was additional evidence or admissions of guilt.

But the state's attorney general has ordered prosecutors and defense lawyers to check whether tainted lab reports helped lead to confessions or guilty pleas.

"That's got people scared to death," Grisham said, particularly the possibility that innocent people may have been executed.

"We're going to wake up one day with the clear knowledge, clear proof, that we've executed the wrong person," he said.

Taylor attended the talk and said he hopes Grisham's message sticks with the law students in the crowd.

"I'd hope they'll be influenced by him, and especially by what he's saying about how important the innocence project is," Taylor said.

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Review: `Never Let Me Go' gorgeous, provocative (AP)

Philosophically provocative and achingly sad, "Never Let Me Go" manages to touch the mind and the heart at once, and with equal measure.

Longtime video director Mark Romanek, whose last feature was the haunting "One Hour Photo" from 2002, has made a film that's sumptuously gorgeous and filled with sterling performances. The textures, the lighting � everything is carefully crafted but never stuffy, and, at times, even a little gritty in an appealing way.

But, based on the novel by acclaimed "Remains of the Day" author Kazuo Ishiguro, "Never Let Me Go" also raises intriguing questions about medical ethics and the nature of humanity itself. Some may find its tone suffocatingly heavy, and the score can feel a bit melodramatic and intrusive here and there. But if you give into it, you'll find yourself sucked into this melancholy alternate world, an ambitious hybrid of sci-fi drama and coming-of-age romance set in a British boarding school.

That's where the tale begins in the late '70s, at the exclusive Hailsham, where headmistress Miss Emily (Charlotte Rampling) reminds the children they're special in a tone that's so stern and full of conviction, it almost sounds as if she's scolding rather than encouraging them.

Prime among the students are Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, whose tentative love triangle at age 11 will form the film's dramatic arc. Young actors Isobel Meikle-Small, Charlie Rowe and Ella Purnell are all so natural and excellently cast, they actually make the relationship more compelling at this age than the actors who will go on to portray the characters as adults. That's no small feat, given that we're talking about Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley.

In adapting Ishiguro's book, screenwriter Alex Garland ("28 Days Later") reveals the mystery of the children's unusual existence slowly and suspensefully, through details and gestures that are small and spare. We know something's different about them: their fear of leaving the school grounds, the daily pills and bottles of milk lined up for them to consume, the bracelets that monitor their comings and goings. But only after a new teacher arrives, played with subtlety and sympathy by Sally Hawkins, do we (and they) learn their true purpose.

If you haven't read the novel, there's no need to divulge their secret here. Suffice it to say it's heartbreaking, and it effectively conveys the fragility and brevity of life � so much so that we don't need the narration at the end to hammer home some themes that had already been made clear in much more graceful fashion.

But this is also what makes the relationship between these three children so urgent. Quiet, bookish Kathy and raging, impulsive Tommy may seem like unlikely friends, but as they look out for each, they realize they're probably also soul mates. Ruth inserts herself between them out of jealousy, the need to be wanted, who knows? But she tears the two apart, and keeps them apart almost permanently.

"Never Let Me Go" then jumps ahead seven years, to when they're all 18 and have left school, but they're still living a sheltered life. Only then do they begin to show a curiosity about the outside world, and their hesitant interactions with others provide the film's few glimmers of humor. Jumping ahead nine more years reveals the fate that was waiting for them all along, when words like "carer," "donation" and "completion" sadly make more sense.

As she was in her star-making, Oscar-nominated performance in "An Education," Mulligan is radiant and expressive with just the slightest of glances. Knightley is believably seductive and cruel as both friend and villain. And as the man caught between them, Garfield (star of the new "Spider-Man") has the difficult task of trying to face the future realistically, despite clinging to his adolescent innocence and instincts.

As it does of its characters, "Never Let Me Go" demands much of its audience emotionally. It's worth the investment.

"Never Let Me Go," a Fox Searchlight release, is rated R for some sexuality and nudity. Running time: 103 minutes. Three 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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Oscar hopefuls emerge as Toronto hits midpoint

By Cameron French

TORONTO | Tue Sep 14, 2010 6:01pm EDT

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Film Festival may have yet to yield this year's "Slumdog Millionaire" hidden gem, but as it hits its midpoint, Colin Firth's stuttering king, Natalie Portman's dark ballerina and Danny Boyle's graphic survival film are stirring Oscar buzz.

In a year that has produced a dearth of critical successes, industry watchers are eyeing the fall film slate -- unveiled at the Venice, Telluride, and Toronto festivals in the past two weeks -- to provide a kick-start to the industry.

Film distributors love the Toronto festival because it tests out films in front of large public audiences, perhaps offering momentum to a film that may have slid under critics' radar at other festivals.

"I think Toronto is a great place to launch. I've launched a lot of films here over the years and some of them have gone on to be rewarded," actor Kevin Spacey, in town to promote the premiere of "Casino Jack", told Reuters.

While perhaps not under that radar, Darren Aronofsky's ballet-themed "Black Swan" has gained momentum since its initial screening in Venice, with critics in both cities predicting Oscar attention for star Natalie Portman.

Among Toronto premieres, Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech", starring Colin Firth as Britain's King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as his speech therapist, has received perhaps the most buzz.

"This movie has best picture and best actor nominations written all over it," Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business blog wrote. "And maybe best screenplay, best director and best supporting actor too."

Awards chatter also surrounds "127 Hours", which stars James Franco as U.S. hiker Aron Ralston, who had to take extreme measure to free himself from a boulder that pinned him while hiking in 2003.

The film, which includes a graphic amputation scene that reportedly led some audience members to faint, has prompted Oscar talk for Franco. It is also directed by Danny Boyle, whose sleeper 2008 hit "Slumdog Millionaire" rode audience momentum in Toronto to a best picture Oscar.

Clint Eastwood has received both praise and scorn for "Hereafter", which was screened without the normal media junket that accompanies high-profile films -- no news conference, no audience questions at the premiere, no photo-ops.

Early reviews have been mixed, with the supernatural movie alternatively described as compelling and unsatisfying.

But given Eastwood's recent track record at awards season for movies like "Mystic River", "Million Dollar Baby", and "Letters from Iwo Jima", he can hardly be ignored.

RISING PROFILE

The strong batch of films comes as the festival, now in its 35th year, builds its reputation as an industry event on par with the Cannes and Sundance festivals.

Toronto organizers are calling this a watershed year, as the festival moves into its first permanent home, the $200 million Bell Lightbox complex.

But for many, the festival is a hotspot for dealmaking for films looking for North American distribution.

The pace of deals appears to be slightly ahead of last year, when the acquisitions markets was still in the depths of a funding crisis.

Rights to the Abe Sylvia-directed road trip film "Dirty Girl" were picked up by Weinstein & Co over the weekend, while Sony Pictures Classics has picked up U.S. rights to Denis Villeneuve's "Incendies" for an undisclosed sum, and IFC Films has picked up U.S. rights to James Gunn's "Super".

Several high-profile titles, including the Robert Redford-directed "The Conspirator" and Emilio Estevez's "The Way" are still without distribution.

The festival, which typically screens its highest-profile films over its first five days, wraps up on September 19.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Lawyer: Kid Rock defending himself in '07 fight (AP)

DECATUR, Ga. � Kid Rock and his entourage were trying to defend themselves from another customer at a suburban Atlanta Waffle House when a fight broke out in 2007, said a lawyer for the musician who was in court Tuesday.

The entertainer, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, and five people who were with him that night are being sued over the fight. Harlen Akins claims the group beat him for no reason and is seeking unspecified punitive damages and $6,000 in medical fees, according to his lawyer.

The entertainer and his party behaved "like a pack of wild animals," starting a fight inside the restaurant and pursuing Akins into the parking lot to beat him up before leaving in their tour bus, Akins' lawyer Eric Hertz said in his opening statement in a DeKalb County court.

Akins demonstrated "a pattern of provocation and escalation," while Kid Rock and his party consistently tried to defuse the situation, said William Horton, a lawyer for Kid Rock and five others being sued.

Akins arrived at the restaurant alone shortly after 5 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2007. Kid Rock, who had given a concert in Atlanta earlier, arrived in his tour bus around the same time.

Akins and two women in Kid Rock's party, one of whom he had known for years, began talking. Kid Rock was either jealous that Akins was getting the attention or was insulted by what Akins was saying to the women, but either way, a physical attack was unjustified, Hertz said.

Horton countered that Akins got into an argument with the women and with Kid Rock, who tried to calm things down by offering to buy Akins' breakfast. It was Akins who kept trying to provoke an argument, Horton said.

As witness testimony got under way, the jury saw parts of a Waffle House surveillance video of the fight. The video shows the parties fighting, but there is no sound so jurors couldn't hear what was being said.

Kid Rock pleaded guilty in March 2008 to a misdemeanor charge of simple battery in the fight.

The civil trial is expected to wrap up Wednesday or Thursday, Judge Johnny Panos said.

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Bill Maher gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star (AP)

LOS ANGELES � Political satirist Bill Maher has been immortalized in Hollywood.

With Larry King and "Family Guy" producer Seth MacFarlane standing nearby, HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" talk show host unveiled his Walk of Fame star Tuesday outside the W Hotel at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.

Maher, who once hosted the late-night talk show "Politically Incorrect," said he wanted to thank "George Bush, Sarah Palin and the pope."

It was the 2,417th star dedicated on the famous sidewalk.

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Placido Domingo is the Person of the Year (AP)

MIAMI � Placido Domingo has been named the Latin Grammys Person of the Year.

The Latin Recording Academy said Tuesday that the Spanish tenor, chosen for his professional and philanthropic achievements, will be honored in an all-star ceremony Nov. 10 in Las Vegas, the eve of the Latin Grammys.

Domingo moved at the age of 8 from Spain to Mexico City, where he studied at the National Conservatory of Music. In 1968, he debuted with The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, where he has inaugurated 21 seasons.

As a philanthropist he founded Operalia, a contest for opera singing, and through many benefit concerts he has collected millions of dollars for victims of disasters such as Mexico's 1985 earthquake and Hurricane Katrina.

Other recipients of the honor have included Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin and Carlos Santana.

___

Online:

http://www.latingrammy.com/

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Roger Waters says new "Wall" tour has "broader meaning"

LOS ANGELES | Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:41pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters says his upcoming new production of "The Wall" will have a broader meaning than it did 30 years ago, and recalled that his own insecurities were behind the original concept.

Waters, 67, also told Rolling Stone magazine in an interview that there was "no way" Pink Floyd would get together again for another tour.

Waters, the principal songwriter of the British rock band, kicks off a 30th anniversary tour and production of "The Wall" in Toronto on Wednesday, with a full band and a newly-mounted production of the iconic rock opera about isolation.

"The Wall" tour, named after the 1979 album that became one of the top five bestselling albums of all time, first opened in Los Angeles in September 1980. The new tour is scheduled to play more than 30 dates in North America beginning in September with a European tour expected in 2011.

"It's basically the same show, but with a broader meaning," Waters told Rolling Stone in an interview for the magazine's Friday edition.

"We had to deal with the fact that it was one thing for a man in his 30s to sing about his young adult life, which was sort of an echo of his upbringing at that point. But it's something else to go on doing that when you're in your 60s," he said.

Waters, the major creative force of the band, said the idea of building a wall between himself and the audience had originally come from his sub-conscious. He famously spit on a fan in 1977.

"I was absolutely terrified every waking moment of being found out, of people discovering that I wasn't who I wanted to be. I had built this wall that I then described in theatrical terms around myself, all kinds of sexual insecurities, huge feelings of shame," he said.

"I probably was rather scary. I had a tendency to lash out," Waters added of the spitting incident.

Pink Floyd split in 1985, and Waters launched a solo career. But he reunited with band members Nick Mason, Richard Wright and David Gilmour for a performance at the Live 8 concert in London in 2005. Wright died of cancer in 2008.

Waters said he was "thankful" at having reconnected with the band after years of legal and creative disputes and said "things have gotten better since then between David and I."

But asked about a potential for a Pink Floyd performance in the future, Waters said;

"David and Nick and I might do a one-off somewhere, but there's no way we're going to do a tour. Like a Live 8 but probably just with us. It's just such a shame that we didn't get around to it before Rick died."

Rolling Stone's full interview with Waters hits newsstands on Friday.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, editing by Christine Kearney)

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Veteran character actor Harold Gould dies at 86 (AP)

LOS ANGELES � Veteran character actor Harold Gould, who played Valerie Harper's father on television's "Rhoda" and the con man Kid Twist in the 1973 movie "The Sting," has died. He was 86.

Gould's daughter-in-law, Leah Gould, told the Los Angeles Times that he died Saturday of prostate cancer at the Motion Picture and Television Fund retirement community in Woodland Hills.

Gould had a prolific career both on the big and small screens. He appeared in such films as "Harper," "Love and Death," "Freaky Friday" and "Patch Adams."

On television, he played Betty White's boyfriend on "The Golden Girls" and also made guest appearances on "Soap," "Perry Mason" and most recently "Nip/Tuck."

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Lea; his children, Deborah Gould Harris, Joshua Gould and Lowell Gould; and five grandchildren.

___

Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

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Biography paints French first lady as 'chameleon' (AP)

PARIS � French President Nicolas Sarkozy's marriage to Carla Bruni, an Italian-born heiress and ex-supermodel long considered among the world's most desirable women, was touted as a coup for the French leader.

But the author of "Carla: A Secret Life" � an unauthorized biography chronicling her transformation from an allegedly tempestuous man-eater into an apparent meek, model spouse � suggests Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has become something of a political liability for her husband.

Besma Lahouri says Bruni-Sarkozy's alleged rivalry with Michelle Obama has strained relations between the French and U.S. presidential couples, and her image of distant, well-heeled perfection has kept her at arm's length from the French people.

At a time when the conservative president's popularity has plummeted, and he is being criticized for raising the retirement age and cracking down on Eastern European Gypsy immigrants, having a more accessible first lady might soften his image, she said.

"The French don't know their first lady, and her worries seem to them very far removed from their own," Lahouri told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday, a day ahead of the much-anticipated release of her book.

All the French have seen of Bruni-Sarkozy of late, Lahouri said, is footage of her with the Queen of England and other dignitaries, picture-perfect in Christian Dior skirt suits with marching hats, shoes and handbags.

Once regarded as a poster child of the "gauche caviar," France's moneyed progressives, Bruni-Sarkozy "turned her back on her political convictions" following her 2008 marriage with Sarkozy, a tough-talking conservative, Lahouri said. "Suddenly, the Carla Bruni of yesteryear, who was free and spoke out, no longer existed. ... and she doesn't even support her husband. You never hear her publicly stand up in his defense, either."

Lahouri added it was precisely this contrast between the outspoken top model who appeared to revel in the glow of flashbulbs, living out a series of love affairs with rich and famous men in the spotlight, and the demure first lady with her sensible flats and downcast eyes that initially piqued her curiosity.

A longtime investigative reporter with L'Express news magazine and author of an unauthorized biography of French soccer icon Zinedine Zidane, Lahouri said she interviewed about 100 people � including longtime friends, fashion designers and even Bruni-Sarkozy's childhood nanny � during her research for "Carla."

But she never interviewed the first lady herself.

Bruni-Sarkozy declined Lahouri's interview requests, the author said, and the Elysee presidential palace didn't return calls from the AP seeking comment on the book � which describes Bruni-Sarkozy's life, depicting a lonesome but fabulously wealthy childhood in Turin, Italy, through her relationships with the likes of Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton through her first meeting with Sarkozy in late 2007 and their marriage just months later.

Ahead of the book's release Wednesday, French media was abuzz with questions about how much dirt it would dish. Though Lahouri said the specter of a lawsuit forced her to edit the book liberally, there's plenty of hot-button material left.

Lahouri quotes an unnamed plastic surgeon as insinuating he redid Bruni-Sarkozy's nose during the height of her modeling career in the 1990s. The author chronicles Bruni-Sarkozy's well-calculated entree into the world of rock 'n' roll, which led to her liaisons with Clapton and Jagger, who Lahouri says was married to model Jerry Hall throughout their eight-year-long relationship.

As first lady, Lahouri says, Bruni-Sarkozy's obsessions have shifted away from rock stars to women she perceives as rivals � Nicolas Sarkozy's second wife Cecilia, who was divorced from the French president months after he took office � and Michelle Obama, described in the book as "the only one in (Carla's) eyes able to challenge her for the title of the world's sexiest and most glamorous first lady."

The book chronicles the minutia of the first ladies' various meetings, suggesting that Obama's alleged antipathy, or perhaps just indifference, to Bruni-Sarkozy has allegedly helped keep relations frosty between the French and U.S. presidential couples.

Lahouri says Bruni-Sarkozy is "a chameleon," someone who has "trained herself to be a formidable actress."

"She is a very foxy woman � I choose the word 'foxy' over 'clever.' In fact, very foxy."

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Kid Rock appears in Ga. court over lawsuit (AP)

DECATUR, Ga. � Jury selection is under way in a lawsuit against musician Kid Rock stemming from a fight at a Waffle House restaurant near Atlanta.

Robert James Ritchie, better known as Kid Rock, and five members of his entourage appeared Tuesday before a DeKalb County judge.

In a lawsuit, Harlen Akins claims the musician cursed at him during the early-morning fight in October 2007, and members of his entourage beat Akins up and smashed his cell phone.

Kid Rock pleaded guilty in March 2008 to a misdemeanor charge of simple battery.

The musician stopped at the restaurant following a performance in Atlanta. The fight reportedly broke out after Akins recognized a woman in Kid Rock's party and spoke to her.

Akins filed the lawsuit in 2007.

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George Michael gets 8 weeks jail for drug driving (AP)

LONDON � George Michael was sentenced to eight weeks in jail and lost his license for five years Tuesday for driving under the influence of drugs when he crashed his car into a London photo shop.

A British judge told the wayward star his addiction to marijuana put him and the public at risk.

The former Wham! singer pleaded guilty last month to driving under the influence and possession of cannabis following a July 4 collision between his Range Rover and a Snappy Snaps store in north London.

District Judge John Perkins told the singer he had taken a "dangerous and unpredictable mix" of prescription drugs and marijuana.

"It does not appear that you took proper steps to deal with what is clearly an addiction to cannabis," the judge said. "That's a mistake which puts you and, on this occasion, the public at risk."

Perkins sentenced Michael to the prison time and a 1,250 pound ($1,930) fine during a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court.

The judge said Michael would have to serve four weeks of the sentence in prison and the rest on parole.

Michael arrived at court in a chauffeur-driven car, surrounded by four security guards and greeted by a large crowd of fans and photographers. He left with court guards who led him from the courtroom toward the cells, as one person in the public gallery sobbed.

According to police, Michael appeared "spaced out" when they found him sitting in the car, whose engine was still running, in the wee hours of July 4. He acknowledged smoking marijuana and taking a prescription sedative, prosecutors said.

It was the latest in a string of automotive and drug-related mishaps for the 47-year-old star, who has often spoken of his fondness for marijuana.

In February 2006, he was found slumped at the wheel of his car at London's busy Hyde Park Corner. That April, he hit three parked cars while trying to maneuver out of a parking space, and admitted being "a terrible driver."

In October 2006, he was found slumped over the wheel of his car as it blocked an intersection. He pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs and was sentenced to community service.

Michael's lawyer, Mukul Chawla, said the singer felt "profound shame and horror" at his actions.

"It is no exaggeration to describe him as a very kind, considerate and loyal man, constantly concerned for the plight of others," Chawla said. "The prospect he could have put anyone else in danger is an appalling prospect to him."

The judge said he was sending Michael to jail "with regret," and had taken into account his guilty plea and the fact that after the crash he had checked into a clinic to seek help for anxiety, depression and insomnia.

But he said Michael's previous conviction made a prison sentence inevitable.

Michael sighed as sentence was passed. His long-term partner Kenny Goss buried his head in his hands.

Michael gained mega-stardom in his early 20s as half of Wham! and went on to a successful solo career. His first solo album, 1987's "Faith," sold 20 million copies.

In 1998, he was arrested for lewd conduct in a public toilet in Los Angeles after being spotted by an undercover police officer. Michael went on to release a single and video, "Outside," that poked fun at that arrest.

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Winfrey nabs 1st interview with Discovery hostages (AP)

WASHINGTON � Oprah Winfrey has landed the first television interview with the hostages who were held at the Discovery Channel headquarters near Washington.

The hostages are set to appear Thursday on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" two weeks after a gunman burst into the Discovery Communications building in Silver Spring, Md. Winfrey announced the interview on her website.

Police have said 43-year-old James Lee was shot dead by officers as his three captives were preparing to make a break for it.

The hostages included two Discovery employees and a security guard. Winfrey did not say whether all three would appear on her show.

This is Winfrey's final season for her show before she launches the Oprah Winfrey Network as a joint venture with Discovery.

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New Spidey star has prepped for role all his life (AP)

TORONTO � Andrew Garfield has been playing Spider-Man since he was tiny. Now he's putting on his childhood superhero's suit for real.

With two major dramatic roles hitting theaters in the coming weeks, Garfield then follows in the title role for the new incarnation of the "Spider-Man" franchise, which begins shooting in December.

The 27-year-old Garfield can barely remember a time when Spidey and his average, awkward alter-ego Peter Parker were not part of his life.

His degree of devotion to the Marvel Comics hero?

"Massive. Since I was 4 years old," Garfield said in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, where his drama "Never Let Me Go," featuring Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, played ahead of its theatrical release Wednesday.

And the appeal of Peter Parker, the youth Garfield will play in the franchise's fresh start after Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi opted out of a fourth "Spider-Man" flick?

"His youth, his relatability, his struggle. He was just this skinny boy. He was a skinny boy who felt stronger on the inside than he looked on the outside, and I related to it immediately, and it stayed with me as I grew up.

"Every single generation of the comic, the cartoons and the movies, it all means a great deal to me. It was always something that gave me hope as a skinny little kid whose sense of injustice about the world didn't match his sense of strength about his body. I found it so inspiring and uplifting and reassuring. To be a part of that mythology and that legacy is a true honor."

Born in the United States and raised in Britain, Garfield described himself as a confused child growing up, introspective and dissatisfied at school until he did a student play at the encouragement of a teacher.

Garfield went on to drama school, did theater and television roles, then was cast by Robert Redford in his war-on-terror drama "Lions for Lambs." He won a BAFTA � the British Emmy � for his starring role in the 2007 youth drama "Boy A" and co-starred in Heath Ledger's final film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus."

"`Boy A' was like, perfect. I couldn't find any fault with it," said "Never Let Me Go" director Mark Romanek. "I had seen `Lions for Lambs,' and he's stunning in that. He sits in there in a room and holds his own with Robert Redford, one on one, in half a dozen scenes."

"Never Let Me Go" casts Garfield, Mulligan and Knightley as friends at a British boarding school in an alternate reality where the cruelest of fates awaits them and their classmates.

While the debate has raged among fans over how good a Spider-Man Garfield will turn out to be, Mulligan said her co-star will swing for the stars.

"Those big superhero films or comic films only ever work when the actors are completely truthful. If they go in with a stylized, comic book version of the performance, it's not going to work. But I know that Andrew will play the truth of what it's like to be that man in that situation," Mulligan said.

"I think it'll be like what Heath Ledger did with the Joker," she added. "Andrew, he has no other way of working other than doing things with complete truth."

Hitting theaters in October is David Fincher's "The Social Network," in which Garfield co-stars as the best friend and colleague of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg).

Garfield is about to begin his training regimen for the "Spider-Man" film, directed by Marc Webb ("(500) Days of Summer").

"We're just talking about where we want to go with it and what kind of body shape it should be. What the skill set should be," Garfield said. "I know I'm going to be doing a lot of flexibility training and a lot of strength training, because I have to swing and stuff. I'm just guessing, but it's all kind of early stages."

The "Spider-Man" casting announcement over the summer made Garfield an instant celebrity, yet he hopes to find ways to avoid giving up his anonymity entirely.

"I'll do everything I can to avoid it, I think, by not associating myself as a brand, just by associating myself as an actor and not trying or pretending to be anything else. I'm just a performer who plays roles. I don't want to be a celebrity. I don't want to be famous. I just want to have a nice, fun life, creating things that I want to create," Garfield said.

"I'm not doing it for any of the peripheral stuff. We could be making a short film, a short Spider-Man film with an unknown director, with no money, and I'd do it just to be able to play as Spider-Man," the actor explained. "That's like a childhood fantasy come to life. It's an adult fantasy, as well. I'm still climbing up the door frames in my house. It's just a bigger space I'm going to be climbing in now, with a bit more money behind it, and the cameras filming it."

___

Online:

Toronto International Film Festival: http://tiff.net

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Singer George Michael jailed for drug-drive offence

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Springsteen talks 'Darkness' with festival doc (AP)

TORONTO � Bruce Springsteen says he and the E Street Band were on a mission when they made his "Darkness on the Edge of Town" album 32 years ago.

Springsteen opens up about the career-altering album in the documentary "The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town," which premieres Tuesday at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The film, which played Monday for press, features contemporary interviews with Springsteen and his band along with rehearsal and studio footage as they made the 1978 record, which he calls a "reckoning with the adult world" after the phenomenal success of his "Born to Run" album three years earlier.

Before the premiere, Springsteen will discuss his music in a public chat with actor Edward Norton, who became friends with the rocker after they met at a concert about 10 years ago.

"That record, there's no way to overstate how much that record was a part of my life," Norton said in an interview. "I've seen the film, and it's amazing to see him at that age going through the creative process on it. Any artist, I think, will appreciate the chance to see someone who is as great as he is at that age struggling and struggling and struggling to get things to where he hears them in his head."

After its Toronto premiere, "The Promise" will air Oct. 7 on HBO, then will be included in a CD and DVD boxed set release of "Darkness on the Edge of Town" due in stores Nov. 16.

Directed by Thom Zimny, who made a similar making-of documentary about "Born to Run," "The Promise" captures Springsteen in a burst of creativity after a three-year studio lapse, when he was unable to record amid a court fight with his former manager.

Springsteen says he wanted the album to reflect the "deep despair and resilience" he saw among the small towns where he grew up.

"One of the things that's amazing to me is he's considered this quintessential American working-class artist, yet so much of his work has challenged the idea that America lives up to its ideals in some ways," Norton said. "He shows people and artists that you can live in a culture and place and love it and still question it, still challenge it."

Unlike "Born to Run" � for which Springsteen wrote nine songs, eight of them appearing on the album � "Darkness on the Edge of Town" was honed into a 10-song cycle from about 70 tunes he wrote, according to his band mates. The songs included such castoffs as "Because the Night" and "Fire," which became hits for Patti Smith and the Pointer Sisters.

Springsteen jokes that if a song did not work, he would pull out the fragments he liked and try them elsewhere, like taking car parts from one vehicle and sticking them into another to make it run. He shares failed lyrics for the album's opening anthem, "Badlands," and describes a version of the slow, meditative tale "Racing in the Streets" in which the narrator's melancholy girl, who "cries herself to sleep at night," was not even in the song.

Sound mixer Chuck Plotkin describes Springsteen's poetic instructions for how the dissonant assault of "Adam Raised a Cain" should sound next to the album's more melodic tunes. Springsteen told Plotkin to think of a movie showing two lovers having a picnic, when the scene abruptly cuts to a dead body. This song, Springsteen said, is that body.

The "Darkness" songs were leaner and angrier than those on "Born to Run," advancing from the earlier album's sense of youthful anarchy and escape to growing resignation to a "life of limitations and compromises," Springsteen says.

"`Born to Run' and `Darkness,' they're the beginning of the story," Springsteen says. "I'm beginning to tell the story that I tell for most of the rest of my working life."

___

Online:

Toronto International Film Festival: http://tiff.net

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Prince Poppycock readies final 'Got Talent' act (AP)

LOS ANGELES � Prince Poppycock is hoping to be crowned king of "America's Got Talent."

The outlandish operatic creation of 32-year-old singing store clerk John Quale (KWHAL-lay) from Los Angeles is among the final four acts performing their ultimate routines Tuesday on the NBC variety competition. Poppycock, who judge Sharon Osbourne dubbed the "male Lady Gaga," has captured imaginations with his showmanship and bellowing singing voice.

Poppycock is competing against 10-year-old soprano Jackie Evancho from Pittsburgh, 30-year-old crooner Michael Grimm from Waveland, Miss., and the 13-man performance troupe Fighting Gravity, a group of fraternity brothers from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., who use black lights and props in their special-effects routines.

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Oprah trip "Down Under" surprises Australians - with a bill

SYDNEY | Tue Sep 14, 2010 9:17am EDT

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - Oprah Winfrey might have surprised her talk show audience Monday by giving them all a free, eight-day trip to Australia but the trip also surprised Australians -- with a A$3 million (US$2.8 million) bill.

Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said the federal and state New South Wales governments would spend more than $3 million helping to bring "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to Australia as a way to boost tourism.

He said it was money well spent as it would put Australia in the spotlight with the popular TV show watched by 40 million Americans and screened in 145 countries.

"Oprah is a household name and her star power has the potential to lift Australia's profile as a premier tourist destination," Ferguson said in a statement Tuesday.

Former federal tourism minister John Brown asked the media not to be "cynical about the cost" at a time when the number of Australian leaving for overseas holidays outstrips the number of tourists coming to Australia for vacations.

"We spent hundreds of millions of dollars over 30 years without much effect, I must say that honestly," he told a news conference. "The publicity that Oprah will bring to Australia around the world is something you couldn't buy."

The trip was announced by Winfrey at the premiere of her 25th and final season Monday.

Some 300 audience members clapped, cried and hugged each other as Winfrey told them they were off to Australia for eight days and seven nights where she will film at least two episodes of her show including one at the Sydney Opera House on December 14.

It is the first time the show will have been filmed with its U.S. audience outside North America.

"I started to think about where would I most want to go. Maybe I should take all of you with me to the other side of the world ... We're going to Australia!" she said.

Previously, the famously generous Winfrey has given each audience member a new car, and recently handed staff members of her "O" Magazine Apple iPads and $10,000 checks. She has also handed out school scholarships, money for homes, and financed a school for girls in South Africa.

Winfrey won't be off the airwaves after her talk show "The Oprah Winfrey Show" ends, as her Oprah Winfrey Network is set to kick off on cable on January 1.

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Dean Goodman)

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Penelope Cruz is pregnant (AP)

MADRID � A Spanish agency that represents Penelope Cruz says the Oscar-winning Spanish actress is pregnant.

The Madrid-based agency Kuranda says in a statement that 36-year-old Cruz is four-and-a-half months pregnant.

Cruz has no children. She married Spanish actor Javier Bardem, 41, in a discreet wedding in the Bahamas in July.

They appeared together in the Woody Allen film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", for which Cruz won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2009.

In 2008 Bardem won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his role in "No Country for Old Men."

Kuranda gave no more details on Cruz, other than to say she is en route to London to complete filming of "Pirates of the Caribbean: on Stranger Tides."

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'The Apprentice' responds to an economic downturn (AP)

NEW YORK � The new season of "The Apprentice" returns the long-running business competition to its non-celebrity roots.

But there's a difference. The 16 candidates who scramble for Donald Trump's winner-take-all favor display somewhat less swagger than their counterparts from past seasons. They have brains, ability, education � and most had good jobs. Then they were slammed by the economy. Sadder but presumably wiser now, they're vying for a chance to get a fresh start with Trump.

"I hate what I'm seeing and I'm going to do something about it," he declares at the top of the show, airing Thursday at 9 p.m. EDT on NBC.

He knows that for the current crop of players, not just their careers are at stake, but the welfare of their families, too. Even their sense of self-worth.

This make-or-break subtext will be all too relatable to viewers, and it gives "The Apprentice" a dramatic new edge.

"We wanted to find people who seem like they should NEVER be out of work," says Mark Burnett, who created the series and, with Trump, is an executive producer.

He points to Alex, with a background in mechanical engineering, who after getting laid off from his job in Santa Ynez, Calif., struggled to make ends meet driving a tow truck. And Poppy, whose prospective job in breast-cancer research fell through when funding dried up. As the series begins, she is living with her parents and taking care of her grandmother.

"The people on the show decided not to lay down and cry about being in a bad situation, but to fight back," says Burnett.

And "fight" is the operative word. Even on the first episode, tensions run high.

David, in particular, wastes no time butting heads with his own teammates. Understandable. A father of five, he was once a successful telecom account manager. The economic downturn not only cost him his job but also his marriage, he tells Trump: "The ultimate goal is to bring my family back together."

Maybe not, if he doesn't learn to control his temper. Meanwhile, conflict makes for good television.

Performing under pressure is key to many of the shows that have made the 50-year-old, London-born Burnett a TV grandee. His roster currently includes "Survivor" (which begins its 21st edition on Wednesday on CBS), "Shark Tank" (which returns on ABC midseason) and the syndicated "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?"

This kind of gamesmanship characterized Burnett's first series, "Eco-Challenge," an adventure race originally airing on MTV in 1995.

Performance in the form of not getting fired before you're even hired is key to "The Apprentice." Premiering in 2004, the show boils down to "a three-month televised job interview, where you're replacing the resume with actual tasks: Either you can do them, or you can't." Anybody can fake a resume, notes Burnett, "but there's no mistake on 'The Apprentice' what you're capable of." And all the while, there's the specter of facing Trump in the boardroom.

"I think they get less sleep on 'The Apprentice' than (the castaways) do on 'Survivor,'" Burnett laughs. "For nine or 10 hours a day on 'Survivor,' it's pitch-black in the jungle." That leaves little else to do but scheme and catch some shuteye. "But on 'The Apprentice' at 2 or 3 in the morning, they're still making photocopies. They get two or three hours of sleep. They're frazzled!"

By some measures, the instant success of "Survivor" a decade ago helped trigger the stampede of reality shows that came after. But Burnett has always preferred the term "unscripted" for what he does, tactfully but firmly separating himself from other reality shows he doesn't bother to itemize. His shows must be family friendly, says Burnett, whose own family life centers on actress Roma Downey ("Touched by an Angel"), whom he wed three years ago.

Ahead in November from Burnett on TLC: "Sarah Palin's Alaska," a sort of travelogue conducted by the state's most famous family.

"I said, 'Hey, Sarah, do you want to do a show about Alaska through your eyes � the eyes of you and your family?'" He describes it as "a really nonpolitical show, a show about Alaskan adventure.

"You will not see me making salacious programming," Burnett says flatly, summing up. "Clearly, there are millions of people who are watching certain shows. But that doesn't mean you have to jump in and make that stuff. It's a personal choice, and it's not for me."

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NBC is owned by General Electric.

___

Online:

http://www.nbc.com

___

EDITOR'S NOTE � Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org

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Eminem, Jay-Z rock Yankee Stadium at concert (AP)

NEW YORK � Midway through his portion of his heavyweight twin billing with Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium, Eminem took a moment to reflect the gravity of performing a concert on a hallowed ground.

But he wasn't talking about the house that Jeter built: Instead, the Detroit rapper acknowledged the borough where they were performing � the Bronx, the origin of hip-hop.

"Do not think that I don't know where I'm at right now," the Detroit rapper told the audience at the sold-out stadium on Monday. "I'm also honored to be on this (expletive) stage in the Bronx, the (expletive) birthplace of hip-hop."

His concert with Jay-Z was yet another example of just how far the genre has come in its 30-plus-year history. The joint billing by two rap icons was the first musical concert at Yankee Stadium, which made its debut last year.

"I gotta tell y'all it's one of the most wonderful things being here tonight, being from New York City and being in Yankee Stadium," Jay-Z told the roaring crowd.

Both Eminem and Jay-Z, who performed two concerts at Detroit's Comerica Park earlier this month, brought out an all-star cast of friends to mark the occasion. During Eminem's performance, which came first, his guests included his posse D-12, protege 50 Cent, mentor Dr. Dre and new hitmaker B.o.B.

Hometown hero Jay-Z would not be outdone, calling on Kanye West, Coldplay's Chris Martin, sensations Drake and Nicki Minaj, and wife Beyonce to support his set.

Eminem and Jay-Z also performed together during Jay-Z's concert for their joint song "Renegade."

While both sets had star power, the vibe of each performance couldn't have been more different. Eminem's performance was about a triumphant comeback, whereas Jay-Z's was more like another coronation.

Eminem � one of the best-selling rappers of all time � owns the year's top-selling album with "Recovery." The album marks his critical comeback after battling a serious addiction to drugs. His concert began by recounting his struggles via a written montage on screen, and later, Eminem spoke of his gratitude for another chance.

"I missed you (expletives), did you miss me?" he said to the screams of the crowd. "It feels so good to be back."

And he demonstrated it with an impassioned if imperfect show that included new hits like "Love the Way You Lie" and the inspirational "Not Afraid" to now-classics like "Without Me" And "Lose Yourself." Though at times it was hard to hear his live rapping over his voice track, he performed with the ferocity of a boxer trying to regain his championship status, even though Eminem already has achieved it.

For Jay-Z, who has been hip-hop's reigning king for some time now, mingling with rock stars, presidents and baseball champions with ease, Monday's performance only seemed to confirm why he's still one of rap and pop's most engaging figures some 15 years after his debut.

He delivered hits like "99 Problems," "On to the Next One" and "Hard Knock Life" with precision, backed by glitzy graphics. He gave West a moment to shine as West rapped his hits "Power" and "Good Life," and the two brought out Minaj for their buzzed-about new song "Monster." He even showed he was more than rap when he brought out Martin, who sang the chorus for Jay-Z's "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)," then performed the Coldplay hit "Clocks."

The concert lasted well past midnight, and a few thousand in the crowd started to make their way to the exits while Jay-Z was still rapping to beat the after-concert rush. But most stayed behind, sensing what Jay-Z told them. "This is historic: They ain't never gonna be another night like tonight."

Well, maybe one more night � the pair has another show at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

___

Online:

http://www.eminem.com

http://www.jay-z.com

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Choir girl blazes trail for female voices in UK (AP)

LONDON � It's "girl power" in Britain all over again, but this time via cassocks and choir music instead of sequins and pop songs.

Isabel Suckling, 12, has broken an almost exclusively male singing tradition to become the first choir girl to be signed by Decca the record label, whose parent company is also home to Lady Gaga, the Rolling Stones, and Amy Winehouse.

Choir music is taken seriously in Britain, where album sales boom at Christmas time, viewers were hooked on BBC reality show "The Choir" and choir soloists have been known to hit the pop charts. Decca Record Group talent hunters searched cathedral choirs across the country, seeking to find the most talented U.K. choir girl to blaze a trail for female voices.

"When I was a chorister, it was still boys only. Today marks the start of 'girl power' for choristers, so we are delighted to have Isabel record for Decca," Dickon Stainer, president of Decca, said � in an allusion to the Spice Girls, the 1990s-era British pop stars who popularized the "girl power" motto around the world.

The blonde, angelic-looking Isabel was discovered at the York Minster choir in northern England, where she had sung since 2006. She caught the attention of Aled Jones, who took the pop charts by storm as a choir boy in the 80's with the song "Walking on Air" and who sang for Pope John Paul II and the Queen.

"I've always been interested in soprano voices and I heard that there was a pretty special girl in York so I went and investigated it further," Jones said. "She has a lovely voice and a rare talent and it has been a pleasure seeing her develop and sing songs that I did myself at her age."

Suckling's recording debut spans a variety of genres. "The Choirgirl", due out on Nov. 22 in the U.K and at a later stage in the U.S., features 14 tracks including "Pie Jesu" � Gabriel Faure's soprano aria from his Requiem � "Lux Aeterna", written especially for her by Gareth Malone, star of "The Choir", and a brand new choral recording of John Lennon's "Imagine", to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death.

Suckling also duets with 14-year-old treble Liam McNally, a finalist of the TV talent show "Britain's Got Talent" and in another song, "All Through the Night," she joins a younger Jones on a previously unreleased original vocal track recorded in 1986 during his days as a choirboy.

A cover of Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" will be the album's first single, with proceeds going to charity.

Gennaro Castaldo, spokesman for the UK's leading music retailer HMV, said "The Choirgirl" has the potential to become a Christmas sensation.

"I would say undoubtedly she is poised to climb the charts this Christmas and we will hear a great deal about this young lady soon."

For Susan Hamilton, who in 1978 broke boundaries by becoming, at age 8, one of the first girl choristers to join a cathedral choir, Suckling's singing is the confirmation of an evolution that has been years in the making.

"Girls have not been deprived of opportunities, but it takes time to change tradition," she says.

Now celebrating the signing of her record contract, sipping orange juice from a champagne glass on top of the London Eye with Jones by her side, Isabel Suckling admits she can't quite believe how things have turned out.

"It's really exciting, it hasn't quite sunk in but it is an amazing opportunity," she says.

Jones, real champagne glass in hand, jokes that the only advice he has for her is "have fun, and don't let your voice break."

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