Stompin' Tom is going digital for Canada Day.

The Canadian music legend is issuing five of his classic albums, including Bud The Spud, on iTunes beginning Tuesday.

It's the first time Tom Connors, who has recorded 49 albums, has released his work digitally, EMI said in a release Monday.

The other albums to be released are:

- Fiddle & Song.
- Ode For The Road.
- My Stompin Grounds.
- Live At The Horseshoe.

Individual songs from the albums, including hits such as Sudbury Saturday Night, are also available.

More of Connors's catalogue is expected to be released digitally over the next few months.

Connors has a new album coming out later this year, recently performed duirng the NHL awards show in Toronto and will be honoured with his own stamp next year.

He is already a recipient of the Order of Canada and the Governor General's Award of Performing Excellence.

Bon Jovi Playing Free Central Park Show

Iconic New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi will play a free concert in Central Park on July 12, mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today (June 30).

Alongside frontman Jon Bon Jovi, as well as officials from Major League Baseball and Bank of America, Bloomberg outlined the details of the event at a City Hall press conference.

The show, billed as an "All-Star Concert in Central Park," will take place in conjunction with the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which is set for July 15 at Yankee Stadium.

"We've gotten the chance to bookend what is the most successful tour in the world this year with a free concert for anyone in New York," Bon Jovi said. "I just traveled the world again, and New York is still the greatest city in the world."

The concert will take place at 8 p.m. on the park's Great Lawn and will not be televised. Fans will be allowed to enter the area beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets will be available beginning July 2 at baseball parks as well as at events throughout New York.

The majority of the tickets will be available at Yankee Stadium, but will also be available at Shea Stadium and at the parks of the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees. Additionally, tickets will be available through radio sweepstakes, promotional giveaways and in-store programs. Fan can also get tickets at MLB.com.

No more than 60,000 tickets will be distributed in an attempt to maintain the safety and integrity of the lawn's grass, Bloomberg said. "Our interest is in keeping the park open and making sure at the same time that we protect the investment the public has made," he said.

Bon Jovi said fans should expect a full-blown rock show despite the restrictions in place to protect the grass. "This will be our major stadium production," he said.

The band's "Lost Highway" tour wraps July 14-15 in New York.

New CD Releases, July 1: John Mayer, Alkaline Trio, Los Lonely Boys

John Mayer "Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles"

This 2-CD live set was recorded during the vocalist/guitarist's gig on Dec. 8, 2007 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. It features Mayer performing in three different settings: an acoustic show, fronting the John Mayer Trio (with bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan) and leading his regular electric band.

"Where the Light is" will also be released on DVD and Blue-Ray configurations, and is being shown in theaters across the country for one night only (June 30).

Mayer is also scheduled to tour this summer. The trip will commence with a July 2 date in Milwaukee, WI, and is currently scheduled to last through the end of August. Support acts rotating through the tour will include Colbie Caillat, Brett Dennen, Paramore and OneRepublic.

* * *
Alkaline Trio "Agony & Irony"

The Chicago-based alt-rockers return with their sixth studio album, which marks the group's first collection of all-new material since 2005's "Crimson." The latter set peaked at No. 25 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Last year, the group issued "Remains," a 22-track compilation album. The dual CD/DVD release features non-album sides that the band has recorded for compilations, EPs and international versions of its studio albums, along with a 45-minute DVD including all of the band's music videos from the three studio albums preceding "Agony."

Fans can share in the "Agony" during Alkaline Trio's in-progress tour. The trek is currently scheduled to stretch through an Aug. 3 date in Lawrence, KS.

* * *
Los Lonely Boys "Forgiven"

The Garza brothers--Henry (guitar), JoJo (bass) and Ringo (drums)--are back and ready to release their third album. The set follows 2006's "Sacred," which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200, and the band's double-platinum-selling, Grammy-winning 2003 self-titled debut, which spawned the No. 1 adult-contemporary hit "Heaven."

The first single from "Forgiven" is "Staying With Me." These "Texican" rockers will support the new album during a co-headlining trek with Los Lobos. Dubbed the "Brotherhood Tour," the outing is set to begin July 18 in Portland, OR.

* * *
My Chemical Romance "The Black Parade is Dead"

"The Black Parade," released in late 2006, made these modern goth rockers into superstars in the music business. Yet, all good things must come to an end. Judging by the title of their new release, "The Black Parade is Dead," the band members are presumably just about ready to turn the page on this chapter in their careers and get on the next thing. This live set, released in both CD and DVD formats, documents two concerts from Oct. 2007: a small club show in New Jersey and the final "Black Parade" gig in Mexico City.

* * *
Vanessa Hudgens "Identified"

You might not know her name, but trust that your kids know her voice. Hudgens is best known for her role in the Disney phenomenon "High School Musical" (she starred as Gabriella Montez). The 19-year-old vocalist already has one hit record to her credit--her platinum-selling 2006 debut, "V"--and now she's hoping for another taste of success with her sophomore effort, "Identified."

* * *
More new releases:
Deltron 3030, "Deltron 3030" (Traffic)
G-Unit, "T.O.S.: Terminate on Sight" (G-Unit)
Kansas, "Two for the Show" (Sony)
Van Morrison, "Enlightenment" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "A Night in San Francisco" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "No Guru, No Method, No Teacher" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "Veedon Fleece" (Polydor)
Night Ranger, "Hole in the Sun" (VH1)
Relient K, "The Bird and the Bee Sides" (Warner Bros.)
Tech N9ne, "Killer" (Strange Music)
Thrillseekers, "Nightmusic, Vol. 3" (Water Music)
Various Artists, "Hed Kandi Beach House 2008" (Ministry of Sound)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Hancock" (Varese)

Maher and Shandling honor George Carlin at service

LOS ANGELES - He was the comedian who actually said the seven words you can never say on television, but close friends and family members remembered George Carlin as a man who, when he was off stage, had only a kind word for everyone he met.

At a private memorial service Sunday attended by some 150 people — "That was as small as we could keep it," chuckled Carlin's daughter, Kelly Carlin McCall — her father was memorialized by comedians Bill Maher, Garry Shandling and others as someone who had no enemies, in part because he was nice to everyone he spoke to.

"What everyone said tonight is if you spent time with my father, whether it was five seconds or five hours, he was kind, attentive, very connected to you, compassionate," said Carlin's daughter.

Among those who spoke at the service, which was closed to the public and news media, was Shandling, who told of being a teenage college student when he sought out Carlin nearly 40 years ago.

"My dad read his material and encouraged him to continue on, which was a life-changing moment in Gary's life," McCall told The Associated Press after the service.

Overall, Carlin's daughter said, the service was a happy event, one presided over in part by her father himself, who spoke from a montage of video clips assembled from his 51-year career.

Carlin, who died June 22 of heart failure, recorded nearly two dozen albums, 14 HBO comedy specials, wrote three best-selling books and appeared in numerous movies and TV shows.

"It was a very, very light event, as he wanted it," McCall said of the two-hour service. "He wanted a lot of laughter. I'd say 90 percent of it was laughing and just remembering what he brought to us in his funny way."

Although his standup routines were often filled with four-letter words — so many that early in his career Carlin was sometimes hauled off stage and taken to jail — his dead-on ability to highlight the absurdities of everyday life, and do so in such comical voices and faces, made his humor come across as anything but harsh.

And although famous for four-letter words, Carlin, 71, did not always use them. He was also Mr. Conductor on the children's show "Shining Time Station," Fillmore the hippie van in the 2006 children's movie "Cars," and the guest host of the first "Saturday Night Live" episode ever broadcast. That 1975 show was replayed by NBC on Saturday night in his honor.

There also was more to Carlin than just the comedian, said McCall, and that too was reflected at her father's funeral.

He loved music, and his service was attended by Kenny Rankin, who sang "Here's That Rainy Day," and Spanky McFarland of the 1960s pop group Spanky and Our Gang, who performed the song "Coming Home."

Other speakers included Carlin's older brother, Patrick, his partner, Sally Wade, and his former standup partner, Jack Burns. Carlin's wife, Brenda Hosbrook Carlin, died in 1997.

Carlin and Burns had met in 1960, and although they worked as a comedy duo only briefly they remained lifelong friends.

In an earlier AP interview, Burns recalled Carlin calling him several times a year to remind him of such things as the anniversary of the day they met, the day they did their first show together and, in one less-than-joyful incident, the day they were jailed for armed robbery in Texas in a case of mistaken identity.

That's just the sentimentalist he was, said McCall, who is Carlin's only child.

"He went out of his way to make sure friends and family members, if they needed anything, he was there for them," she said. "He was a complete man. He was more than just the seven words you can never say on television."

'Rock Band 2' to include new online modes, songs

LOS ANGELES - "Rock Band" is ready for an encore.

A sequel to the play-along music game that redefined the genre last year will be released first for the Xbox 360 in September, according to publisher MTV Games and developer Harmonix. "Rock Band 2" will feature a new variety of instruments, online modes and songs, and will allow players to import their previously purchased "Rock Band" tunes.

"With the original 'Rock Band,' the focus was on innovation," Harmonix co-founder and CEO Alex Rigopulos told The Associated Press. "With 'Rock Band 2,' the focus is on perfection of the experience. We've had a year to listen to our fans and build out the scope, depth and polish of the experience, so it feels like a second-generation band game."

MTV Games and Harmonix will debut "Rock Band 2" on Microsoft's Xbox 360 in September then make the game available for Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 as well as Nintendo's Wii later in the year. The original "Rock Band" was simultaneously released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 last November before later coming to the PlayStation 2 and Wii.

"Microsoft has been a great partner for 'Rock Band,'" said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music Group, which oversees the "Rock Band" franchise. "It's just so easy to download the content using the Xbox 360 system. It's evolved into a great marketing partnership as well. They'll really blow it out for us."

"Rock Band" allows up to four gamers to form a virtual band, thrashing and singing along to songs with friends online or in-person on various phony instruments. The second edition will feature a playlist of over 80 songs — all master recordings — which will include more female-fronted bands and artists who have never contributed tunes to a music game.

If you've already downloaded a song for the original "Rock Band" — at about $1.99 per track, which can't be transferred to an MP3 player — it will immediately be loaded into your "Rock Band 2" song list without needing to be repurchased or re-downloaded. It's the first time such retroactive compatibility has been introduced in a music game.

"It's the No. 1 most-requested feature from our fans," said Rigopulos.

All prior versions of "Rock Band" instruments, as well as many from the competing "Guitar Hero" franchise, will also be compatible with "Rock Band 2." Harmonix will unleash a collection of new instrument-shaped controllers, including a sturdier drum kit and a Fender Stratocaster reproduction guitar lined with faux wood-grain buttons.

"For fans interested in hardware, the second-generation peripherals are an amazing step forward from the first-generation guitar and drums," said Rigopulos of Harmonix, which created the first two "Guitar Hero" games. "The instruments make huge strides in both fit and finish as well as features and functions."

Thus far, over 15 million songs of the over 200 available tracks have been downloaded from the "Rock Band" online music store since the game's launch last November. The catalog includes songs from rock acts such as The Rolling Stones, Blondie, The Cars, Wolfmother, Queens of the Stone Age, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth and Jimmy Buffett.

MTV Games and Harmonix are releasing 12 "Rock Band" songs on July 15 from The Who — ranging from "My Generation" to "Who Are You" — that all utilize the band's master recordings. The tracks will be available for $1.99 individually or $19.99 together. The special release coincides with the upcoming "VH1 Rock Honors" ceremony commemorating The Who.

"Their music really comes alive when you're playing it," said Rigopulos. "We were trying to release 'Who's Next' in its entirety, but we were unable to locate all the masters. So in the face of that, Pete (Townshend) and Roger (Daltrey) helped curate this best-of soundtrack of everything we were able to find."

The official announcement of "Rock Band 2" means the industry's rhythm game rivalry will enter a three-way matchup this fall against Activision and RedOctane's latest "Guitar Hero" title and Konami's new-music-game-on-the-block "Rock Revolution," which will use the Wii's controllers to simulate air guitars and drums.

Playing music on plastic guitars has become a big business. "Guitar Hero III" has sold 2.5 million units while "Rock Band" has moved 1.3 million units. Both music games are in the top-10 moneymakers for 2008 so far, according to the most recent monthly video game sales data from NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier.

Rigopulos wouldn't comment on how much "Rock Band 2" would cost. The original game bundled with all the instruments went for about $170 at launch. Rigopulos said MTV Games, Harmonix and distributor Electronic Arts were making every effort possible to provide several choices for consumers looking to gear up for "Rock Band 2."

"Guitar Hero World Tour" — the fourth iteration of the franchise that started the music-game trend — will be released in October and will feature a "Rock Band"-like assemblage of peripheral instruments for the first time, as well as the ability make instrumental music, a feature Rigopulos said won't be found on "Rock Band 2."

"We really felt like we wanted to do it right," said Rigopulos. "We're taking a radically different approach to that problem. It's something we wanted to take more time to do it right. It's actually something we're not focused on in 'Rock Band 2.' We're really focused on other areas related to the music and bringing the community together."

MTV Games and Harmonix plan to announce additional "Rock Band 2" details — including the game's playlist — at the E3 Media and Business Summit in July. MTV executive Toffler hinted that "Rock Band 2" will be expanding upon idea of what it means to play online as well eventually broadening the musical genres of available downloadable content.

"I believe we're going to see global online competitions where bands performing throughout the world will compete against each other," said Toffler. "I'm personally excited to open up the genres of music to country, hip-hop and R&B. We've just scratched the surface, really."

'WALL-E,' 'Wanted' team up as $100 million duo

LOS ANGELES - A lonely little robot made millions of friends during the weekend — and even outgunned Angelina Jolie.

"WALL-E," the Pixar Animation tale of a robot toiling away on a long-abandoned Earth, debuted as the No. 1 movie with $62.5 million in ticket sales, with Jolie's assassin thriller "Wanted" opening in second place with $51.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The two movies combined to keep Hollywood on a roll. The top 12 movies took in $179.2 million, up 22 percent from the same weekend last year, when Pixar's "Ratouille" opened with $47 million.

It was the fifth straight weekend that revenues climbed. Revenues for the summer season that began May 2 are up 6 percent over last year's record pace, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

The sour economy and high gas prices may be helping to fuel Hollywood's boom, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. Movies tend to thrive when times are tough because they are relatively cheap compared to sports events, concerts and other outings.

"Audiences are obviously gravitating toward the movies as their first choice for entertainment," Dergarabedian said. "It doesn't take that much gas to get to the local multiplex. That might have a little something to do with this, as well."

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, the Warner Bros. comedy "Get Smart," slipped to third place with $20 million, raising its total to $77.3 million.

"WALL-E" maintains the perfect track record of Pixar, the Walt Disney unit that has made nine films, all of them critical and commercial successes, including "Cars," "Monsters, Inc." and the "Toy Story" flicks. "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles" put up the biggest opening-weekend numbers among Pixar movies, both pulling in just over $70 million.

Set centuries in the future, "WALL-E" is the story of a rickety, walking trash compactor that humans left running after abandoning the over-polluted planet.

The movie overcame a dialogue challenge — the two main robot characters barely speak, beyond each other's names — using wildly inventive visuals and sound effects to propel much of the story.

Like other Pixar films, "WALL-E" packed in family crowds, as well as adults without children.

"The real secret is they're not children's movies. They're movies for everybody. Children absolutely adore them, but parents enjoy them on a different level," said Mark Zoradi, president of Disney's motion-picture group. "You can't be nine-for-nine like Pixar is without that."

The G-rated "WALL-E" was complemented by Jolie's R-rated "Wanted," which distributor Universal originally planned to release back in March. The studio decided the movie was too good to release at a slower moviegoing time and moved it to summer on a weekend when competition for a violent action tale would be light.

"We knew `WALL-E' would be huge, but it's not the same audience as `Wanted,'" said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal.

"Wanted" stars Jolie as a member of a secret society of assassins whose new recruit (James McAvoy) is trained to use his superhuman abilities to take out a rogue killer.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "WALL-E," $62.5 million.
2. "Wanted," $51.1 million.
3. "Get Smart," $20 million.
4. "Kung Fu Panda," $11.7 million.
5. "The Incredible Hulk," $9.2 million.
6. "The Love Guru," $5.4 million.
7. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $5 million.
8. "The Happening," $3.9 million.
9. "Sex and the City," $3.8 million.
10. "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," $3.2 million.

The Couch Potato Report - June 28th, 2008

This week The Couch Potato Report peels a few Canadian films, one about rails and ties, and My Name Is Juani, from Spain.

It is the pre-Canada Day edition of The Report, and the the Hot Potato this week comes from La Belle Province, it is the Quebec film CRUSING BAR or MEET MARKET, en anglais.

This film is a comedy, with some very funny scenes, about four very different men from very different lifestyles, who are all going out to try and find some companionship on a Saturday night.

The four men don't know each other, and they don't even interact in the movie, but they do all have a connection.

All four of them - the very shy nerd, a broken- hearted junkie, a snob yuppy, and a middle-aged married man - are all played by the same actor.

Michel Côté plays all four lead characters, and he gives all four a unique series of body movements and voices.

CRUISING BAR or MEET MARKET - en Anglais - was actually released in Canadian theatres in 1989, but it is only debuting on DVD now, and I am glad it is. It isn't perfect, but it is very, very good and I easily recommend it...and the cheesy 80's disco music it features.

Our next two films don't feature one actor giving multiple performances, but they do both have the same guy playing one role.

That guy is Vancouver born Ryan Reynolds and the films are DEFINITELY MAYBE and CHAOS THEORY.

Did I like them...definitely...well, maybe...lets get to the facts...but first this clip.

In DEFINITELY MAYBE Reynolds is a man who tries to explain his impending divorce and past relationships to his 11-year-old daughter, after she pesters him relentlessly to do so.

Abigail Breslin from LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE is the daughter.

Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks and Isla Fisher are the women who Reynolds has romanced and they, he, and Breslin are all pretty good in this film, and the film itself would like to be a cross between WHEN HARRY MET SALLY and THE PRINCESS BRIDE...but ultimately it comes up just a bit shy.

I liked it, and it has a really nice ending, but as a whole DEFINITELY MAYBE is a film that I would only say is definitely not bad.

I would also say that the other Ryan Reynolds film I have for you would like to be not bad, but it isn't even worthy of that mild praise.

CHAOS THEORY isn't awful, but it definitely is the lesser of these two films.

In this made-in Vancouver film, Reynolds is a man who has every day of his life planned out, but when he misses the morning ferry, his whole life changes in a way that could never have planned, let alone imagined.

After his planned out world falls apart, he becomes completely spontaneous as his life falls apart...and I wish I could tell you chaos reigns...the good type of chaos...but instead the film just becomes overly dramatic, and while there is some good stuff in CHAOS THEORY, there just isn't enough for me to say very many good things about it.

So, if you liked Ryan Reynolds work in VAN WILDER, or the made in Saskatchewan film JUST FRIENDS, and you need to make a choice between CHAOS THEORY or DEFINITELY MAYBE...see the latter...or just close your eyes and pick...let chaos reign, baby!!!

MAMA'S BOY is this week's next release, and it is the type of film that we have seen before...this one marks the third time in the past two years, in fact, that we have seen the story of an mid-twenties man who either whon't move out of his Mother's house, or can't let her be happy with the man she has fallen for.

FAILURE TO LAUNCH came out in 2006 with Matthew McCoaughey...MR. WOODCOCK was last year's entry, it starred Sean William Scott and Billy Bob Thornton, and this year we have MAMA'S BOY, with Jon Heder, Jeff Daniels and Diane Keaton.

Poor, poor Diane Keaton!

Jon Heder from NAPOLEON DYNAMITE plays a twenty-nine year-old slacker named Jeffery who lives with his mom.

His lifestyle is threatened when Mom and her self-help guru boyfriend fall in love.

MAMA'S BOY also stars Canadian born actress Sarah Chalk from SCRUBS, but even her presense, and the fact that the film co-stars the great Diane Keaton can't save this mess.

At one point, Anna Ferris - who also stars in this film, an dthe previoulsy mentioned made-in-Saskatchewan movie JUST FRIENDS - calls the Jeffery character pathetic...and that is what he is. The lead actor in MAMA'S BOY is pathetic, and as a result the film is not worth your time, just like FAILURE TO LAUNCH and MR. WOODCOCK weren't.

RAILS & TIES is our second to last release this week, and it is a very well written and acted movie, that marks the directorial debut of Allison Eastwood, daughter of Clint.

Kevin Bacon plays a train engineer who is at the controls during a deadly collision.

A young boy escapes the accident, and he, Bacon and Bacon's terminally ill wife - played by Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden - all form a unique bond.

RAILS & TIES is a very, very dramatic movie, but it is very worthy of your time.

And this week's entry in the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD is also worthy of your time!!

This week I'd like to tell you about the you, fresh and hip film MY NAME IS JUANI from Spain

In this film a small-town girl named Juani and her best friend leave to seek fame and fortune in the big city.

Once they arrive in Madrid - population 3.2 million - some of their dreams are fulfilled and others are dashed.

Through it all the young actresses and the filmmakers give us music, cars, gadgets, and unique on screen visuals to wash it all down with.

Unfortunately, the ending of MY NAME IS JUANI is extremey unsatisfying, but this is still a very good film, and it is the latest entry in The FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL On DVD!!

The entertaining Spanish film MY NAME IS JUANI, the very dramatic, but very good RAILS & TIES, the useless MAMA'S BOY, Ryan Reynold's latest two films - CHAOS THEORY and DEFINIETLY MAYBE and the Quebec movie CRUISING BAR or MEET MARKET - en Anglais - are all available now on DVD.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

The Canadian made film DAKOTA about two friends who were once were inseparable; now they barely speak; the British film IN BRUGES; the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD continues with GONE WITH THE WOMAN from Norway; and the 2 DVD set YANKEE STADIUM looks at BASEBALL'S CATHEDRAL from OPENING DAY 1923 TO Opening Day 2008.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

Activision launches Aerosmith-only "Guitar Hero"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Aerosmith fans can finally get their chance to step into the shoes of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry as video game developer Activision Inc released its Guitar Hero: Aerosmith game on Friday.

Dozens flocked to the Hard Rock restaurant in Times Square to see the legendary five-member rock band debut the game and try out the latest Guitar Hero addition.

Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford even brought his sons to take a look at the band's creation.

The game features 30 of the band's most notable hits such as "Love in an Elevator" and "Sweet Emotion." It also includes songs from various artists Aerosmith performed and collaborated with over the years, including Run D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" by Joan Jett.

There is even a special guitar controller emblazoned with the band's red-and-white logo for hard core fans.

The game and guitar controller bundle for Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360, Sony Corp's PlayStation3 and Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii sells for $99.99, with an additional PlayStation2 version for $89.99. The game is also sold individually for each of the consoles and costs $59.99 and $49.99, respectively.

The Aerosmith game is the first Guitar Hero edition that focuses on an individual rock band. The previous three versions of the game featured various rock music genres that ranged from grunge, classic rock, metal, punk and '80s hits.

"This is an experiment for us," said Charles Huang, co-founder of Activision's RedOctane unit, which oversees the Guitar Hero franchise. "There are certain artists that have so much great music like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen ... but we wanted to do something much bigger."

The Santa Monica, California-based company said Aerosmith's vast collection of rock hits and elite status in the music industry made the band the ideal choice for the new game.

"There's only a handful of bands that have that longevity," Huang said.

During the game's creation, band members spent two weeks performing in a motion capture studio in order for their video game figures to move exactly as the group performs on stage.

Activision is set to come out with a Metallica Guitar Hero edition in 2009, but declined to specify what month the game will be released.

The company will also release Guitar Hero: World Tour during the Christmas season, which will include a drum set and microphone in addition to the guitar controller. This version will rival Activision's biggest competitor "Rock Band," produced by Viacom Inc's MTV unit and Electronic Arts Inc.

Mr. Big out, Goldblum in for `Criminal Intent'

LOS ANGELES - Mr. Big is out, and Mr. Goldblum is in.

Jeff Goldblum will be joining "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" while Chris Noth — Mr. Big in the "Sex and the City" TV show and movie — is leaving after three seasons, a series spokeswoman said Thursday.

"Criminal Intent," part of the "Law & Order" franchise that includes the original series and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," recently was picked up for a 16-episode eighth season by USA Network.

"Jeff's presence will add a new dimension to an already successful show," series creator Dick Wolf said.

Noth's character, New York police Detective Mike Logan, was a member of the "Law & Order" family since the start, Wolf noted, adding, "We all wish him the best."

Noth played Logan on the original NBC series from 1990 to '95, in a "Law & Order" TV movie and then on "Criminal Intent" starting in 2005. The show's seventh season airs Sundays on USA.

A call requesting comment from Noth was not immediately returned by his representative.

Goldblum recently starred in the short-lived NBC series "Raines" but is mostly known as a film actor with credits that include "Jurassic Park," "The Lost World," "Independence Day" and "The Fly."

He shared an Academy Award nomination in 2005 for the live-action short film "Little Surprises."

"Criminal Intent" originally aired on NBC. But when the network decided that last season's schedule had room for only two of the shows a deal was struck to air "Criminal Intent" first on USA, then on NBC.

NBC and USA are corporate cousins within NBC Universal, and "Criminal Intent" reruns on USA already had proved among its most popular programming.

"Criminal Intent," which looks at cases from both the perspective of police and lawbreakers, stars Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe and Eric Bogosian.

'Dark Knight' credits pay tribute to Ledger

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Heath Ledger is getting a fond tribute from his collaborators on "The Dark Knight." The end credits of the "Batman Begins" sequel include a farewell note to Ledger, who died in January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs; and to special-effects technician Conway Wickliffe, who was killed last September in a stunt-car accident.

"In memory of our friends Heath Ledger & Conway Wickliffe," reads the tribute included in the credits, which went up Thursday on the Warner Bros. publicity Web site.

Ledger plays the villainous Joker in "The Dark Knight," who begins a reign of terror on Gotham City that pits him against conflicted hero Batman (Christian Bale).

Arriving in theaters July 18, the movie reteams Bale with director Christopher Nolan and returning co-stars Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. Joining the cast are Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Beginning months before Ledger's death, his frenetic performance and demented-clown makeup have been a cornerstone of the marketing campaign for the film.

"I needed a phenomenal actor, but he also had to be someone unafraid of taking on such an iconic role," Nolan says in the production notes for "The Dark Knight." "Heath created something entirely original. It's stunning, it's captivating. ... It's going to blow people away."

Oasis set to 'Dig Out' new album after tour

Oasis is set to release its first studio album in three years when the band drops "Dig Out Your Soul" in fans' laps this fall.

The British pop-rockers--who are currently gearing up for a North American run kicking off Aug. 26 in Seattle, followed by visits to eight Canadian cities--have a set an Oct. 7 release date for the new LP, which sees Dave Sardy return to production duties following his work on the band's 2005 album, "Don't Believe the Truth."

"I wanted to write music that had a groove; not songs that followed that traditional pattern of verse, chorus and middle eight," said the band's principal songwriter, guitarist Noel Gallagher, in a press release. "I wanted a sound that was more hypnotic; more driving. Songs that would draw you in, in a different way. Songs that you would maybe have to connect to--to feel."

The set's first single, "The Shock of the Lightning," is scheduled to hit radio stations in late September.

"If 'The Shock of the Lightning' sounds instant and compelling to you, it's because it was written dead fast," Gallagher recently posted on the group's website. "And recorded dead fast. [The single] basically is the demo. And it has retained its energy. And there's a lot to be said for that, I think. The first time you record something is always the best."

In 2006, Oasis also put out a two-disc career retrospective dubbed "Stop the Clocks," which features hits including "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova," as well as B-sides such as "Acquiesce" and "Half the World Away."

Meanwhile, the Gallagher brothers recently released their first digital single, "Lord Don't Slow Me Down," which comes from the double-DVD of the same name. The film, which surfaced in October, captures Oasis' yearlong world tour to support "Don't Believe the Truth." The first disc includes a feature-length documentary and Q&A with Noel Gallagher, and the second comprises the band's homecoming concert at the City of Manchester Stadium and footage sent in by fans.

August 2008
26 - Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater
27 - Vancouver, British Columbia - GM Place
29 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
30 - Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome

September 2008
1 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTC Centre
4 - Ottawa, Ontario - Scotiabank Place
5 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
7 - Toronto, Ontario - Toronto Island Park/Virgin Festival
9 - London, Ontario - John Labatt Centre

Saturday Night Live Rewinds For Carlin Tribute

Saturday Night Live will pay tribute to late comedian George Carlin this coming weekend by re-airing the programme's 1975 debut, which the funnyman hosted.

Carlin died after suffering a heart attack on Sunday. He was 71.

In a tribute to the comic, SNL creator Lorne Michaels says, "He was gracious, fearless, and most of all, funny."

'Big Bird' costume creator Kermit Love dies of heart failure at 91

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The man who helped Jim Henson create the beloved "Sesame Street" character Big Bird has died from congestive heart failure. He was 91.

Kermit Love died Saturday. He was a prolific costume designer for some of ballet's most prominent choreographers, including luminaries like Twyla Tharp, Robert Joffrey and George Balanchine. His work creating costumes and masks caught Jim Henson's attention.

Henson designed the original sketches of Big Bird and Love then built the three-metre-tall yellow-feathered costume for "Sesame Street," which was first televised in the U.S. in 1969. It was Love's idea to add a few feathers designed to fall off, to create a more realistic feel.

Love also helped design costumes and puppets for Mr. Snuffleupagus, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster, among other "Sesame Street" characters. He even appeared on the show himself as Willy, the fantasy neighborhood's resident hot dog vendor.

According to the New York Times, Love always insisted he wasn't the namesake of Henson's famous frog.

Love also designed costumes and puppets for theatre, film and advertising, including the Snuggle bear from the fabric softener commercials.

Anne Hathaway's ex-boyfriend arrested on fraud charges

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Italian businessman who had been the long-time boyfriend of actress Anne Hathaway was arrested on Tuesday on charges of operating a fraudulent real estate scheme that he claimed was linked to the Vatican, U.S. authorities said.

Raffaello Follieri, 29, was charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering in a criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. He was expected to appear in court later in the day.

Follieri is accused of operating a scheme in which he led investors to believe that he had close connections with the Vatican that enabled him to buy the Catholic Church's unwanted U.S. real estate properties at a discount, according to federal prosecutors and the FBI.

Follieri and others used the investors' money for expensive clothes and restaurant meals, a $37,000-a-month Manhattan apartment, dog-walking services and other personal expenditures including medical expenses for his girlfriend at the time, according to the complaint. Authorities did not identify the girlfriend.

For four years, Follieri had dated Hathaway, who starred in "Get Smart," "The Devil Wears Prada" and other movies. Last week, Britain's The Daily Mail reported that the two had split.

The complaint said Follieri, of Foggia, Italy, had made false representations that included claims that the Vatican formally appointed him to manage its financial affairs and that he met with the Pope when he visited Rome.

WITNESSES

In reality, according to the complaint, Follieri did not have any connections that allowed him to buy Church real estate at below-market rates.

The complaint cites witnesses who said Follieri kept various ceremonial robes at his office in New York, including those of senior clergymen. In one instance, according to the complaint, Follieri asked a monsignor who was traveling with him to change out of his robes "and put on the robe of a more senior clergyman in order to create the false impression that Follieri had close ties to the Vatican."

When asked for comment, Follieri's lawyer, Flora Edwards, said: "It's a little premature at this time. I am hopeful we will be able to resolve everything."

The complaint contends Follieri got millions of dollars in investment money from an unspecified private equity firm based on his misrepresentations. The fraudulent scheme lasted from June 2005 through June 2007, according to the complaint.

According to published reports, California supermarket mogul Ron Burkle has previously sued Follieri in Delaware of misusing money from a joint real estate venture involving buying and reselling properties owned by the Catholic Church.

In the complaint, Follieri was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering.

If convicted, he could face as much as five years in prison for conspiracy, 20 years for wire fraud and 20 years in prison for money laundering, plus fines.

'Sopranos' box set on sale in November

NEW YORK - A 30-disc box set with every episode of the HBO series "The Sopranos" goes on sale Nov. 11 with a list price of US$399.99, HBO Video said Monday.

Besides seven seasons worth of episodes, the set has two bonus DVDs that include an interview with creator David Chase by Alec Baldwin. The set will have two "Supper with the Sopranos" features, sit-down dinners (food not included) with Chase and various actors discussing their favourite scenes, auditions and other aspects of the show.

Chase also discusses how the show was cast and the evolution of the characters. He includes three music soundtrack CDs that he curated and were previously released, and 16 scenes that were filmed but never made it on the air. The set includes a recording of a New York seminar on cast members who were whacked and various spoofs on other TV outlets.

Four hundred dollars won't buy you Tony Soprano, however. James Gandolfini didn't participate in any of the "extras."

Diva Dion's AC/DC cover deemed worst ever: guitar mag

Céline Dion has a dubious distinction to add to her myriad awards and achievements: world's worst song cover, according to a popular European guitar magazine.

British-based Total Guitar conducted a poll that named the French-Canadian singer's rendition of You Shook Me All Night Long the No. 1 "worst cover song," editor Stephen Lawson said, according to Agence France-Presse.

Performed about six years ago during her hit Las Vegas run, the diva's version of the classic AC/DC anthem was sung as a duet with U.S. pop singer Anastacia. The magazine dubbed the cover "sacrilege" and an "offence."

Other cover songs the magazine scoffed at include:

British girl groups Sugababes and Girls Aloud performing Walk This Way, made famous by Aerosmith and Run DMC.

British boy band Westlife's rendition of rock ballad More Than Words by Extreme.

Pop Idol winner Will Young's version of Light My Fire by The Doors.

Oasis hit Wonderwall as performed by easy-listening lounge act The Mike Flowers Pops.

Flops aside, the poll also highlighted a handful of the most successful song tributes.

"The best covers are unlikely choices and they do something radical," Lawson said.

Electric-guitar legend Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower came in first, followed by the Beatles version of Twist and Shout — originally recorded by U.S. R&B group The Top Notes.

Rounding out the best five were:

The Guns N' Roses cover of Live and Let Die, by Paul McCartney and Wings.

Nirvana's rendition of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World.

British rock band Muse's version of Feeling Good, written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint — the Smell of the Crowd.

Total Guitar, touted as the bestselling guitar magazine in Europe, is known for regularly carrying tablatures (guitar-music notations) of popular music, reviews of guitar equipment and interviews with prominent guitarists.

The Beatles Reportedly Heading to “Guitar Hero” or “Rock Band”

Following the success of two weeks of the Beatles‘ music on American Idol, the Fab Four’s catalog may be branching out again: Reps for the band are reportedly talking to both Activision and MTV Games about possibly releasing a Guitar Hero or Rock Band based around Beatles’ tunes.

According to a source close to the negotiations, the final deal could be worth millions, but first must get the approval of both Apple Corps. and EMI. Apple Corps’ tight grip on the Beatles catalog has loosened since Jeff Jones became the company’s chief executive, as evidenced by the band’s music appearing in American Idol, Cirque du Soleil Love show and the film Across the Universe.

“To my view, it’s only a matter of time before we see Beatles songs that are the original recordings in motion pictures, in television work, and yes, maybe even one day in a commercial,” said Sony/ATV chief executive Martin Bandier, who holds more than 200 Beatles copyrights.

Whichever video game company wins the battle to release a Beatles-themed game, a source says a deal “could be reached in a matter of weeks.”

New CD Releases, June 24: Motley Crue, Amos Lee, Sigur Ros

Motley Crue "Saints of Los Angeles"

These veteran head-bangers are set to release their first new studio album since 2000's "New Tattoo." "Saints of Los Angeles" was recorded by the band’s original lineup: drummer Tommy Lee, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx and vocalist Tommy Lee. The previous record to feature that cast was 1997's "Generation Swine."

The first single from "Saints of Los Angeles" is its title track, which includes backup vocals from Buckcherry's Josh Todd, Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix, Sixx:A.M.'s James Michael and Trapt's Chris Brown.

The Crue will support the record this summer by headlining its own touring festival, dubbed Crue Fest. The road trip, which also features Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Crue bassist Nikki Sixx's side-project Sixx:A.M. and alt-rockers Trapt, kicks off July 1 in West Palm Beach, FL.

* * *
Amos Lee "Last Days at the Lodge"

The Philadelphia-born singer/songwriter returns with a follow-up to 2006's "Supply and Demand," which was produced by Natalie Merchant's bassist, Barrie Maguire, and peaked at No. 76 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Last Days at the Lodge" was produced by legendary studio presence Don Was (Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones), and features a veteran cast of back-up talent, including Doyle Bramhall, Jr (Eric Clapton) on guitar, Spooner Oldham (Neil Young, Aretha Franklin) on keys, Pino Palladino (The Who, John Mayer Trio) on bass and James Gadson (Bill Withers) on drums, among others.

Lee will support "Last Days at the Lodge" with a tour that begins July 8 in Kitchener, Ontario, and stretches into late August.

* * *
Sigur Ros "Med Sud i Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust"

These Icelandic alt-rockers never make things easy on their listeners--especially not those who speak only English. The title of their latest album, "Med Sud i Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust," won't be attempted by many DJs on air. The English translation of the title is "With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly."

This disc, the band's fifth studio album and its first since 2005's "Takk...," does include one song performed in English ("All Alright"), which is a first for the band. "Med Sud i Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust" was co-produced by the band with veteran producer Flood (U2, Smashing Pumpkins) and recorded in New York City; London; the band's hometown of Reykjavik, Iceland; and Havana, Cuba.

The group recently finished up a short North American tour, which included a set at the giant Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, TN.

* * *
Alejandro Escovedo "Real Animal"

The popular singer/songwriter/guitarist is ready to unleash "Real Animal," which follows 2006's "The Boxing Mirror." Wasting no time, the road warrior is already on tour in support of the album.

The 13-track "Real Animal" was produced by legendary studio hand Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T Rex). Escovedo's previous album was helmed by another great producer, The Velvet Underground’s John Cale.

* * *
Shinedown "The Sound of Madness"

The platinum-selling hard-rock troupe is back with its third album, which follows 2003's "Leave a Whisper" and 2005’s "Us and Them." The lead single from "The Sound of Madness" is "Devour."

* * *
More new releases:
Gerald Albright, "Sax for Stax" (Peak)
Eric Darius, "Goin' All Out" (Blue Note)
Jon Foreman, "Spring and Summer" (Credential)
Hercules and Love Affair, "Hercules and Love Affair" (Mute)
Billy Idol, "The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself" (Capitol)
Edwin McCain, "Nobody's Fault But Mine" (Time Life)
Reckless Kelly, "Bulletproof" (Yep Roc)
Thalia, "Lunada" (EMI)
Three 6 Mafia, "Last 2 Walk" (Sony)
Walter Trout, "The Outsider" (Megaforce)
Steve Tyrell, "Back to Bacharach" (Koch)
Various artists, "Big Blue Ball" (Real World)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Into Great Silence: Office of the Night" (Jade)
"Wall*e" (Disney)

Dody Goodman, stage and TV comedian, dies at 93

NEW YORK - Dody Goodman, the delightfully daffy comedian known for her television appearances on Jack Paar's late-night talk show and as the mother on the soap-opera parody "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," has died at 93.

Goodman died Sunday at Englewood (N.J.) Hospital and Medical Center, said Joan Adams, a close family friend. The actress had been ill for some time and had lived in the Actors Fund Home in Englewood since October, Adams said.

Goodman, with her pixyish appearance and Southern-tinged, quavery voice, had an eclectic show-business career. She moved easily from stage to television to movies, where she appeared in such popular films as "Grease" and "Grease 2," playing Blanche, the principal's assistant, and in "Splash."

It was on "The Tonight Show" when Paar was the late night TV program's second host in the late 1950s that Goodman first received national attention. Her quirky, off-kilter remarks inevitably got laughs and endeared audiences.

"I was just thrown into the talking," Goodman said in a 1994 interview with The Associated Press. "I had no idea how to do that. In fact, they just called me up and asked me if I wanted to be on 'The Jack Paar Show.' I didn't know who Jack Paar was. They said, 'We just want you to sit and talk."'

After a falling out with Paar, other chat shows took up the slack, including "The Merv Griffin Show" and "Girl Talk." And there were roles on TV series, too, most notably her appearances as Martha Shumway (Louise Lasser's mother) on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," starting in 1976, and guest shots on such shows as "Diff'rent Strokes," "St. Elsewhere" and "Murder, She Wrote."

In later years, Goodman was a regular in "Nunsense" and its various sequels, appearing off-Broadway and on tour in Dan Goggin's comic musical celebration of the Little Sisters of Hoboken. She started out playing Sister Mary Amnesia, later graduating to the role of Mother Superior.

"Dody had the most impeccable comic timing," Goggin said. "When we had her in the show, she was the only person on Earth who could walk on stage, say, 'Are you ready to start?' and bring the house down. Within seconds, the audience was eating out of her hand."

The actress was born Dolores Goodman on Oct. 28, 1914, in Columbus, Ohio, where her father ran a small cigar factory. She arrived in New York in the late 1930s to study dance at the School of American Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School, and later graduated to Broadway musicals.

The actress performed regularly on stage in the 1940s and early '50s as a chorus member in such musicals as "Something for the Boys," "One Touch of Venus," "Laffing Room Only," "Miss Liberty," "Call Me Madam," "My Darlin' Aida" and "Wonderful Town," in which she originated the role of Violet, the streetwalker.

"I had to make so many transitions into other things," Goodman said in the AP interview. "When I first came out of dancing, I did revues."

It was the early to mid-'50s, when small, topical nightclub revues flourished. Goodman, a natural comedian, thrived in them. She performed in shows by Ben Bagley and Julius Monk, and in Jerry Herman's first effort, a revue called "Parade."

In more recent times, she appeared on David Letterman's late-night talk show.

"He understands my sense of humor. I will do a dumb thing for fun. That's how I got the reputation for being dopey and dumb. I don't like dumb jokes but I will do dumb things for a laugh," she said in the AP interview.

Goodman, who never married, is survived by seven nieces and nephews, 11 great nieces and nephews and 15 great-great nieces and nephews, Adams said.

A memorial service is planned.

George Carlin mourned as counterculture hero

LOS ANGELES - Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. Some People Are Stupid. Stuff. People I Can Do Without.

George Carlin, who died of heart failure Sunday at 71, leaves behind not only a series of memorable routines, but a legal legacy: His most celebrated monologue, a frantic, informed riff on those infamous seven words, led to a Supreme Court decision on broadcasting offensive language.

The counterculture hero's jokes also targeted things such as misplaced shame, religious hypocrisy and linguistic quirks — why, he asked, do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

"He was a genius and I will miss him dearly," Jack Burns, who was the other half of a comedy duo with Carlin in the early 1960s, told The Associated Press.

The actor Ben Stiller called Carlin "a hugely influential force in stand-up comedy. He had an amazing mind, and his humor was brave, and always challenging us to look at ourselves and question our belief systems, while being incredibly entertaining. He was one of the greats."

Carlin constantly breached the accepted boundaries of comedy and language, particularly with his routine on the "Seven Words" — all of which are taboo on broadcast TV to this day.

When he uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, freed on $150 bail and exonerated when a Wisconsin judge dismissed the case, saying it was indecent but citing free speech and the lack of any disturbance.

When the words were later played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government's authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language during hours when children might be listening.

"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," he told The Associated Press earlier this year.

Despite his reputation as unapologetically irreverent, Carlin was a television staple through the decades, serving as host of the "Saturday Night Live" debut in 1975 — noting on his Web site that he was "loaded on cocaine all week long" — and appearing some 130 times on "The Tonight Show."

He produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, a few TV shows and appeared in several movies, from his own comedy specials to "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" in 1989 — a testament to his range from cerebral satire and cultural commentary to downright silliness (sometimes hitting all points in one stroke).

"Why do they lock gas station bathrooms?" he once mused. "Are they afraid someone will clean them?"

He won four Grammy Awards for best spoken comedy album and was nominated for five Emmys. On Tuesday, it was announced that Carlin was being awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which will be presented Nov. 10 in Washington and broadcast on PBS.

Carlin started his career on the traditional nightclub circuit in a coat and tie, pairing with Burns to spoof TV game shows, news and movies. Perhaps in spite of the outlaw soul, "George was fairly conservative when I met him," said Burns, describing himself as the more left-leaning of the two. It was a degree of separation that would reverse when they came upon Lenny Bruce, the original shock comic, in the early '60s.

"We were working in Chicago, and we went to see Lenny, and we were both blown away," Burns said, recalling the moment as the beginning of the end for their collaboration if not their close friendship. "It was an epiphany for George. The comedy we were doing at the time wasn't exactly groundbreaking, and George knew then that he wanted to go in a different direction."

That direction would make Carlin as much a social commentator and philosopher as comedian, a position he would relish through the years.

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things — bad language and whatever — it's all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition," Carlin told the AP in a 2004 interview. "There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

Carlin was born on May 12, 1937, and grew up in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan, raised by a single mother. After dropping out of school in the ninth grade, he joined the Air Force in 1954. He received three court-martials and numerous disciplinary punishments, according to his official Web site.

While in the Air Force he started working as an off-base disc jockey at a radio station in Shreveport, La., and after receiving a general discharge in 1957, took an announcing job at WEZE in Boston.

"Fired after three months for driving mobile news van to New York to buy pot," his Web site says.

From there he went on to a job on the night shift as a deejay at a radio station in Fort Worth, Texas. Carlin also worked variety of temporary jobs, including carnival organist and marketing director for a peanut brittle.

In 1960, he left with $300 and Burns, a Texas radio buddy, for Hollywood to pursue a nightclub career as comedy team Burns & Carlin. His first break came just months later when the duo appeared on Jack Paar's "Tonight Show."

Carlin said he hoped to emulate his childhood hero, Danny Kaye, the kindly, rubber-faced comedian who ruled over the decade Carlin grew up in — the 1950s — with a clever but gentle humor reflective of the times.

It didn't work for him, and the pair broke up by 1962.

"I was doing superficial comedy entertaining people who didn't really care: Businessmen, people in nightclubs, conservative people. And I had been doing that for the better part of 10 years when it finally dawned on me that I was in the wrong place doing the wrong things for the wrong people," Carlin reflected recently as he prepared for his 14th HBO special, "It's Bad For Ya."

Eventually Carlin lost the buttoned-up look and changed to his trademark beard, ponytail and all-black attire.

But even with his decidedly adult-comedy bent, Carlin never lost his childlike sense of mischief, even voicing kid-friendly projects like episodes of the TV show "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" and the spacey Volkswagen bus Fillmore in the 2006 Pixar hit "Cars."

Carlin's first wife, Brenda, died in 1997. He is survived by wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; son-in-law Bob McCall; brother Patrick Carlin; and sister-in-law Marlene Carlin.

'Get Smart' gets audience with $39.2M debut

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Audiences still get Maxwell Smart. Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway's "Get Smart," the Warner Bros. big screen update of the 1960s spy sitcom, raked in $39.2 million to debut as the No. 1 weekend movie, according to studio estimates Sunday.

But movie-goers did not get Mike Myers' "The Love Guru," the weekend's other new wide release. The Paramount Pictures comedy about a self-help mentor took in just $14 million to open at No. 4.

In limited release, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" opened strongly with $222,697 in five theaters, averaging $44,539 a cinema, compared with $10,012 in 3,911 theaters for "Get Smart."

"Kit Kittredge," released by Picturehouse and based on the popular line of American Girl dolls, stars Abigail Breslin as a 9-year-old aspiring newspaper reporter during the Depression. The film expands into wide release July 2.

The weekend's No. 2 spot was a photo finish between DreamWorks Animation and Paramount's "Kung Fu Panda" and Universal's "The Incredible Hulk."

In its third weekend, "Kung Fu Panda" pulled in $21.7 million, raising its domestic total to $155.6 million. "The Incredible Hulk" was right behind with $21.6 million in its second weekend to lift its total to $96.5 million.

"Panda" and "Hulk" were close enough that their rankings could change when final numbers are released Monday.

Hollywood's summer surge continued, with total revenues climbing for the fourth straight weekend compared to last year. The top 12 movies took in $136.9 million, up nearly 10 percent from the same weekend in 2007, when Carell's "Evan Almighty" opened at No. 1 with $31.2 million.

The industry is on track to beat the revenue record set last summer, when receipts topped $4 billion for the first time.

"While the country may be suffering with a so-called recession, people are finding movies a fairly inexpensive way to get their entertainment," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "This proves the conventional wisdom that, during tough economic times, the movies flourish."

In "Get Smart," Carell re-creates the bumbling Max Smart character created by Don Adams, with Hathaway playing the capable Agent 99 as the duo try to stop a plot to arm unstable governments with nuclear bombs. Dwayne Johnson co-stars as a superstar spy colleague.

Critics picked apart the movie for emphasizing action over the crisp verbal comedy of the TV show, but Warner Bros. figures that was a wise commercial move. While 60 percent of the audience was 25 or older, that still meant a sizable younger crowd that was more keen on the movie's action, said Dan Fellman, the studio's head of distribution.

"We were very pleased to have 40 percent under 25, because they did not grow up on the television show," Fellman said. "The filmmakers did a great job in making that happen. They broadened the audience and brought it into a modern-day bent."

Myers — who dreamed up the "Love Guru" character, co-wrote the script and was a producer on the movie — has been accustomed to blockbuster openings with the three "Shrek" flicks and his two "Austin Powers" spy sequels.

"Mike Myers, the master of the spy spoof, opens his movie against a spy comedy, and the spy movie genre was obviously a lot more appealing to audiences," Dergarabedian said.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Get Smart," $39.2 million.
2. "Kung Fu Panda," $21.7 million.
3. "The Incredible Hulk," $21.6 million.
4. "The Love Guru," $14 million.
5. "The Happening," $10 million.
6. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $8.4 million.
7. "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," $7.2 million.
8. "Sex and the City," $6.5 million.
9. "Iron Man," $4 million.
10. "The Strangers," $1.9 million.

The Couch Potato Report - June 21st, 2008

This week The Couch Potato Report peels some muffins for Granny and asks if you feel lucky. Well, do ya? Punk?!?

Saturday is National Aboriginal Day.

It is an important day in our Country.

In cooperation with national Aboriginal organizations, the Government of Canada designated June 21 National Aboriginal Day. This date was chosen because it corresponds to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and because for generations, many Aboriginal groups have celebrated their culture and heritage at this time of year.

National Aboriginal Day provides an opportunity for us all to become better acquainted with the cultural diversity of Inuit, Métis and First Nations peoples, discover the unique accomplishments of Aboriginal peoples in fields as varied as agriculture, the environment and the arts, and celebrate their significant contribution to Canadian society.

One sad chapter of Canadian's history that is bound to come up today is the Canadian residential school system, partially due to the Prime Minister's recent apology on behalf of the Canadian Government in front of an audience of First Nations delegates in the House of Commons.

Perhaps, on a day of Celebration for Canada's Aboriginal people, referencing the residential school system isn't a good idea...but, those who forget their history are condemed to repeat it...and this sad chapter of our country's history must never be forgotten!

And that is why the Hot Potato this week is MUFFINS FOR GRANNY.

MUFFINS FOR GRANNY is filmmaker Nadia McLaren's story of her grandmother.

To tell her Granny's story, she uses home movies, and animation.

She also features seven elders who talk openly and honestly about their experiences in residential school in Ontario, and how if affected them.

The stories in MUFFINS FOR GRANNY are so powerful and tough to hear, especially if you don't know a lot about what happened in the residential schools, or have never spoken to someone who survived the experience.

The work of the filmmaker with a project like this is to not let the movie get in the way of the stories being told on screen, but unfortunately McLaren's movie does get in the way at times.

Some of the Survivor's stories are edited together with others, and they would have been much more effective had she just left the camera on the Elders until they were done telling their story, and there were times that silence would been more effective than adding music.

But, regardless of my "reviewer" issues with it, this one film that I feel stands above any criticisms I could offer.

MUFFINS FOR GRANNY is a documentary that everyone should see, so we can all find out what happened in the residential schools, and help the ongoing healing process...if we can.

You might not find MUFFINS FOR GRANNY in every store, but it is one that you should search out and watch with others.

Our next release this week, switching genres completely, is one that you will find in almost every store...it is THE DIRTY HARRY (START CLIP) ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION.

This seven-disc box set features newly remastered versions of all five "Dirty Harry" films, as well as a wide array of new and old commentaries, special features and documentaries that take us deep into what Inspector Harry Callahan and Clint Eastwood have meant to pop culture.

The set also includes reproductions of telegrams related to the production, a 40-page souvenir booklet and the documentary "Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows," a comprehensive look at Eastwood's career that is narrated by Morgan Freeman and features many stars in their own right talking about the man.

THE DIRTY HARRY ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION is a fantastically comprehensive set, and if you are a fan of these films, or Clint Eastwood...it is a must have!

This week's next two films should have come together in a Box Set, or been released as a Two-Disc Special Edition, but they don't...however, I am going to speak about them as if they are one.

And if you like music, especially the unique sounds that were being produced in the late seventies and early eighties, then do not miss the film CONTROL and the documentary JOY DIVISION!

Joy Division were a British band from Manchester who evolved from their initial punk rock influences, to develop a sound and style that pioneered the post-punk movement of the late 1970s.

Despite the band's growing success, vocalist Ian Curtis was beset with depression and personal difficulties, including a dissolving marriage and his diagnosis with epilepsy and he found it increasingly difficult to perform at live concerts, and often had seizures during performances.

In May 1980, on the eve of the band's first American tour, Curtis, overwhelmed with depression, committed suicide.

The film - CONTROL - is a profile of Ian Curtis, with some facts changed for cinematic effect, and the documentary JOY DIVISION is a fact filled chronological account of the band.

I love Joy Division, and so I completely enjoyed both of these releases.

If you love the group as well, or just enjoy films about musicians and music then you should see them as well.

I think the documentary is the better of the two, but they do go together, even if love will tear us apart.

Okay, let me quickly tell you about the romantic comedy FOOLS GOLD and the non-comedy BE KIND REWIND.

Quickly only due to the fact they are only worth seeing if there is absolutely nothing else available!

FOOLS GOLD is definitely the better of the two as Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughay reunite, and the chemistry they had in HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN TEN DAYS is still present.

In this film they play about a recently divorced couple who rekindle their romantic life while searching for a lost treasure.

Admittedly, I liked FOOLS GOLD, because I like Kate and Matt, but there is way too much plot and it gets less interesting as it plays out.

BE KIND REWIND is a film that I should have LOVED because it is about movies, but unfortunately it is a misfire from the same director who gave us the brilliant ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND!!

When all of their video tapes go blank due to a magnetic presence in co-star Jack Black, two hapless friends have to recreate the films as there are customers who are still looking for movies to watch, and the friends don't want the store's pwner to find out what they have done.

And - as it turns out - the recreations turn out to be more popular with customers than the originals.

There are some entertaining moments, and if you are a lover of films as well, there might be a few moments when you find yourself smiling at BE KIND REWIND, but ultimately it is a cliche filled film of scenes that we have seen many times before...and that is too bad as I wanted to love this movie, and I didn't.

But if there is nothing else on the shelf, and you are in the mood for a film, it isn't awful.

Faint praise, I know, but I have reserved the praise I have left this morning for this week's entry in the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD!

This week's film is THOSE WHO REMAIN from France.

Bertrand and Lorraine are those who remain.

Those who try and find a way to live each day while their spouses are being treated for cancer.

To help each other bear the guilt they feel from being alive, Bertrand and Lorraine become friends and they help each other get through the days, until an attraction develops.

There are moments in THOSE WHO REMAIN when you may find yourself actually yelling at the characters as they make decisions that you might not agree with, and that is why - even though it is a very slow moving film - I think you should search this one out as well.

It is just so infuriating at times, but the French film THOSE WHO REMAIN is worthy of your time, and it is available now on DVD..., along with the non-comedy BE KIND REWIND, the okay rental FOOLS GOLD, the great CONTROL and the documentary on the band JOY DIVISION, the fantastic THE DIRTY HARRY ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION and the residential school documentary MUFFINS FOR GRANNY, a movie that you might not find in every store, but it is one that you should search out and watch with others.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

I will have five new films for your summer movie viewing, and the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD rolls on with MY NAME IS JUANI from Spain

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

Julie Couillard plans to write autobiography

An autobiography of Julie Couillard, the woman at the heart of a scandal involving former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier, will be published this fall.

The autobiography, to be published in French and English, was announced Friday by both Les Editions de l'Homme, Quebec's largest publishing house, and English Canada's McClelland & Stewart.

"Her book will recount a unique life from her modest beginnings in a working-class neighbourhood of Montreal to her spectacular emergence on the national scene last May," McClelland & Stewart said in its release about the autobiography.

No terms of the book deal were disclosed.

Bernier resigned as foreign affairs minister in May only hours before Couillard described in a television interview how he had left classified briefing documents for a NATO summit at her Montreal home. The two had recently ended their relationship.

It was then revealed that Couillard had been involved with three men who had ties to the Hells Angels, going back to the 1990s.

McLelland & Stewart said Couillard would chronicle her life from childhood experiences, through the tragic death of her companion in 1990s biker gang wars, to her meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush while at Bernier's side.

"Julie Couillard will reveal the details of a life marked by both tragedy and exhilaration," the release said.

Blue Jays Fire Gibbons, Bring Back Cito Gaston

fter being swept in Milwaukee by the Brewers and losing five straight games, the Toronto Blue Jays have fired manager John Gibbons, coaches Marty Pevey, Ernie Whitt and Gary Denbo.

Cito Gaston has returned as the manager. Nick Leyva will coach at third base and Gene Tenace returns as the hitting coach. Roving hitting instructor Dwayne Murphy will take over as the first base coach.

Gaston becomes the first two-time manager of the Blue Jays, moving over from his position as club ambassador and special assistant to the president and CEO.

He managed the Blue Jays from 1989-1997 and led the team to four playoff appearances including back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993.

The team made the announcement Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh before the start of their three game series with the Pirates.

The Jays, who were expected to contend in the AL East and the Wild Card, find themselves in last place in the division with a 35-39 record.

Gibbons, took over the Jays job at the end of the 2004 season, replacing Carlos Tosca. In three full seasons from 2004-2008 under Gibbons, the Jays never finished with fewer than 80 wins or more than 87.

"You never really anticipate it, there's always that possibility," Gibbons said during a conference call. "We were struggling, there's no question about that. Hopefully change is good. I'm still a big fan of these guys and I want to see them succeed."

In 610 career games as a manger, Gibbons has a 305-305 record. He was making $650,000 this year.

The 61-year-old Tenace worked as the Blue Jays' hitting coach and bench coach between 1990-97. Leyva also is making a return to the Jays. The 54-year old was the third-base coach from 1993-97.

Gaston becomes the fourth Blue Jays manager in seven years under General Manager J.P. Ricciardi. Tosca replaced the fired Buck Martinez, whom Ricciardi inherited from former GM Gord Ash.

Hockey Night in Canada theme contest opens

Canadians will have an opportunity to leave their musical mark on the country's most famous sports show with the official launch Thursday of Canada's Hockey Anthem Challenge.

Aspiring composers will be able to submit audio or video files with their bid to provide the new theme music for Hockey Night in Canada.

"Between now and October, we invite musicians to create and everyone in the country to help us select the perfect new music to represent the most famous hockey broadcast in the world," said Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports.

"With Canada’s Hockey Anthem Challenge, we will create a new theme for the hockey nation, something that will tell the world what CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada is all about."

The winning entry will receive $100,000 in cash and half of the ongoing performance royalties, with the other half going to Canadian minor league hockey.

At least five semifinalists will be presented to the country and judged by a celebrity panel on a CBC network television special on Oct. 4. The judges will be announced shortly.

"We’re going to create just the right mix [of judges] to ensure we come up with a winner that’s both musically exceptional and appealing to the all-Canadian hockey fan," said Moore.

Two finalists will then face off at the beginning of the HNIC doubleheader on Thursday, Oct. 9, with fans having the opportunity to vote for the winner.

The new theme will be unveiled two days later on the traditional Saturday broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada.

"Canadians have never been shy about anything to do with hockey," said Moore. "This is going to be an event where hockey history is made."

Song entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET Aug. 31. Even those without a song in the hunt will able to weigh in on submissions, posting reviews and ratings at the contest website CBCSports.ca/hockey/anthemchallenge.

The contest is open to Canadian residents only.

"Get Smart," "Love Guru" compete for laughs

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Oh, we've got comedy.

"Get Smart" and "The Love Guru" will open in North American theaters on Friday, saddled with middling to bad buzz, and the result could make the weekend no laughing matter for at least one of them.

"Get Smart" -- the big-screen adaptation of the classic TV show -- looks likely to top the weekend rankings with ticket sales of $30 million-$35 million. The $80 million film, which stars Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway, is a co-production between Warner Bros. and Australia's Village Roadshow. The two previously partnered on the recent bomb "Speed Racer."

Paramount's Mike Myers spoof "The Love Guru" should conjure about $20 million, finishing third after a second-weekend haul of $25 million or so for Universal's incumbent champion "The Incredible Hulk."

Paramount has been subjected to industry snickering for deciding to release its $60 million comedy at the same time as the clearly stronger "Get Smart." But though Warners is operating from a position of strength, even its willingness to stick with its first-choice date has many suggesting that the situation is less than ideal for either studio.

"The thought was always, 'When is one of these two pictures going to move?"' a rival distribution boss said. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they're going to hurt each other and that one of them is going to do better than the other."

Paramount executives said their film's lower cost and a crowded summer schedule make such concerns much ado about something that little could be done about. Additionally, the studio shared the financial burden with independent producer Spyglass.

Myers hasn't appeared onscreen in six years. His biggest live-action bow remains "Austin Powers in Goldmember," which debuted with $73.1 million in July 2002. "The Love Guru" has drawn fire -- some might say free publicity -- from activist groups claiming that its mocking of a phony-baloney Indian spiritual leader treads heavily on Hindi religious sensitivities.

New Oscar rule limits song noms to 2 per film

LOS ANGELES - Last time around, the Oscar songs category was three times "Enchanted" — a trick that may never be repeated.

The number of original songs that can be nominated from a single movie will now be limited to two, according to a rule change by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The academy's governors approved the change late Tuesday.

Last year, Disney's "Enchanted" had three titles in contention: "Happy Working Song," "So Close" and "That's How You Know." The winner of best original song: "Falling Slowly," from "Once."

The new rule would also have applied in 2007, when three songs from "Dreamgirls" were nominated. That year, the Oscar went to "I Need to Wake Up" from "An Inconvenient Truth."

Seinfeld a comedian, not an actor

NEW YORK - Jerry Seinfeld claims a cookbook author is cooking up some fancy semantics by calling him an actor rather than a comedian to minimize the humour in statements she says defamed her.

Lawyers for Seinfeld say Missy Chase Lapine's lawyers resorted to the switch in words to describe Seinfeld when several weeks ago they filed a rewritten version of her lawsuit against him and his wife in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

"Jerry Seinfeld is an enormously wealthy and well-known actor," Lapine's revised lawsuit said. The original had called him a comedian.

Lapine, the author of "The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals," accused Seinfeld's wife, Jessica Seinfeld, of plagiarizing her cookbook when in October she published her own, entitled: "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food."

During an appearance on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman," Jerry Seinfeld said Lapine was accusing his wife of "vegetable plagiarism" and compared her to the three-name killers of John Lennon and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

"If you read history, many of the three-name people do become assassins," Seinfeld said. "Mark David Chapman. And you know, James Earl Ray. So that's my concern."

His lawyers said in court papers filed late Tuesday: "No reasonable viewer could have thought that Seinfeld really meant that Lapine ... might become an 'assassin' simply because she has three names."

Lapine's lawyers have said Seinfeld, best known for the popular television comedy series "Seinfeld," used the Letterman appearance to launch a "malicious, premeditated and knowingly false and defamatory attack" on her.

"The issues of law will be decided by the court, and we are confident of the outcome," Lapine lawyer Howard B. Miller said Wednesday.

Seinfeld's lawyers asked a judge to toss out the lawsuit on First Amendment grounds.

In separate court papers, Jessica Seinfeld accused Lapine of falsely claiming she invented the idea of hiding fruits and vegetables in children's meals when "countless prior works utilized this very same unprotectable idea," including a 1971 book. She called the lawsuit "opportunistic."

Canadian war epic to open TIFF

TORONTO - Paul Gross' Passchendaele, an epic about the famously tragic battle in the First World War, will open the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

The all-Canadian film, which is poised to become the signature piece of Gross' career, was announced yesterday as the festival's opening-night gala. This is the prestige position in Toronto's annual extravaganza of film.

Gross, widely known as the Mountie from the TV series Due South, wrote, directed and produced Passchendaele, in which he co-stars as a Canadian soldier who returns to the Belgium front despite severe injuries from an earlier campaign. Canadian troops, as they had at Vimy Ridge, proved to be among the most heroic and effective among the Allies fighting the German Imperial Army at Passchendaele, a village near Ypres in West Flanders.

"It is rare that Canadians get to experience their own histories via the moving image, particularly on the big screen," Piers Handling, director and CEO of the Film Festival Group, said yesterday in a statement.

"Paul Gross is an inspiring Canadian and a leader in our industry," Cameron Bailey, filmfest co-director, said in his statement.

"By paying tribute to our nation's heroes -- including his own grandfather, an Alberta veteran of Passchendaele -- Gross uses the visceral charge of movies to contribute a foundation chapter to our national history. While never ignoring the horrifying truths of this or any war, Passchendaele stands as truly epic storytelling from western Canada."

The Calgary-born Gross, 49, comes from a family of Canadian soldiers. After his grandfather served in WWI, his father, Bob Gross, became a tank commander in the Canadian Army. While Paul was growing up, his family moved about from base to base in Canada, the U.S., England and Germany.

As an actor, Gross made his TV debut in 1985 and gradually evolved into a homegrown star who has tapped into the Canadian psyche before, including as the narrator of the 2006 mini-series, Hockey: A People's History.

As a writer, Gross wrote for TV series and specials, including two episodes of Due South and the drama Gross Misconduct in 1993. He also wrote the script for the curling comedy Men With Brooms, which marked his directorial debut. Passchendaele is his second feature as a director.

In the new film, Gross plays an injured soldier who falls in love with a nurse, played by Caroline Dhavernas, while being nursed back to health in Calgary. When her sickly brother enlists, he feels obliged to return to the war effort to protect the youth, who is portrayed by Joe Dinicol. Gil Bellows also has a major role.

The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypes, was fought in several stages for six months in 1917 under horrific conditions, including in water-logged trenches and over muddy fighting terrain. Paralyzed by the brutally bad decisions of the British commander, Field Marshal Douglas Haig, the Allies suffered staggering losses in the campaign, which proved to be futile in the overall war effort.

The Canadians were instrumental in what successes could be gained in the second battle of Passchendaele in late 1917. Gross' film tells that tale literally "on the ground." The filming took place in Alberta.

Moranis unsure of Bob & Doug Toon

TORONTO - The Fox network is eyeing the new Global-TV cartoon "The Animated Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie" - and Doug is ready to dump a reluctant Bob in order to continue with the show.

Dave Thomas says his McKenzie sibling, Rick Moranis, was a hesitant participant in the series, airing on Global this fall.

"He doesn't enjoy doing any showbiz stuff anymore," Thomas said Tuesday in an interview from Los Angeles, where he was busy working on scripts for the show.

"I can't even guarantee his involvement long term in this, but whatever ... if I have to drag a sound-alike in for his voice, I'll do that. I don't think anyone would care because it's a new product."

Thanks to Global's haste in green-lighting the show, Thomas says, Fox executives were immediately interested when he pitched it to them and asked to see scripts and the pilot.

"We submit the pilot in early August, and we'll hear after that. But I think they'll go for it - I think they like this show. Just to get them this close is good, and means we can probably get someone else interested if they're not."

The series is based on the lovable hosers from the SCTV show, but Thomas says the beer-swilling brothers find themselves in a whole different environment in the new series.

"They are in a world that they weren't in before, and they have some friends who are a little raunchier than they are," he says.

"But Bob and Doug are tolerant guys and they like everybody. That's why people like them - they're so good-natured. They don't hate anybody."

U.S. fans have long loved the iconic Canadian duo, Thomas adds, and there's been no push by Fox to have him Americanize the show in any way. The network has had runaway successes with its animated series, including "The Simpsons" and "American Dad."

"They've got thoughts on jokes and stuff like that but nothing that would make it any less Canadian," Thomas says.

"And Americans have been behind Bob and Doug from the get-go ... 'Strange Brew' is a perennial college, beer-drinking movie here in the States. Americans are looking for stuff to laugh at just like Canadians."

Thomas says he never dreamed that Bob and Doug would have such enduring appeal when he and Moranis dreamed up the concept almost 30 years ago as a raised middle finger to the CRTC's Canadian content regulations during SCTV's heyday.

Offended by the CBC's request to add some obvious Canadian content into the show to keep the CRTC happy, Moranis and Thomas came up with Bob and Doug, who embodied every possible Canadian stereotype - from their fondness for beer, toques and lumberjack jackets to their use of the word "eh" in almost every sentence.

"I thought it was a bit of a nightmare back then, when I thought of myself as a young artist, but now that I think of myself as an old hack, I'm glad I have Bob and Doug," Thomas says.

Best of 10: AFI releases top-10 genre film lists

LOS ANGELES - The American Film Institute's top-10 lists of the best in 10 film genres:

ANIMATION

1. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.

2. "Pinocchio," 1940.

3. "Bambi," 1942.

4. "The Lion King," 1994.

5. "Fantasia," 1940.

6. "Toy Story," 1995.

7. "Beauty and the Beast," 1991.

8. "Shrek," 2001.

9. "Cinderella," 1950.

10. "Finding Nemo," 2003.

FANTASY

1. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.

2. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.

3. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.

4. "King Kong," 1933.

5. "Miracle on 34th Street, 1947.

6. "Field of Dreams," 1989.

7. "Harvey," 1950.

8. "Groundhog Day," 1993.

9. "The Thief of Bagdad," 1924.

10. "Big," 1988.

GANGSTER

1. "The Godfather," 1972.

2. "Goodfellas," 1990.

3. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.

4. "White Heat," 1949.

5. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.

6. "Scarface: The Shame of a Nation," 1932.

7. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.

8. "The Public Enemy," 1931.

9. "Little Caesar," 1930.

10. "Scarface," 1983.

SCIENCE FICTION

1. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.

2. "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope," 1977.

3. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.

4. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.

5. "The Day The Earth Stood Still," 1951.

6. "Blade Runner," 1982.

7. "Alien," 1979.

8. "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," 1991.

9. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," 1956.

10. "Back to the Future," 1985.

WESTERN

1. "The Searchers," 1956.

2. "High Noon," 1952.

3. "Shane," 1953.

4. "Unforgiven," 1992.

5. "Red River," 1948.

6. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.

7. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.

8. "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," 1971.

9. "Stagecoach," 1939.

10. "Cat Ballou," 1965.

SPORTS

1. "Raging Bull," 1980.

2. "Rocky," 1976.

3. "The Pride of the Yankees," 1942.

4. "Hoosiers," 1986.

5. "Bull Durham," 1988.

6. "The Hustler," 1961.

7. "Caddyshack," 1980.

8. "Breaking Away," 1979.

9. "National Velvet," 1944.

10. "Jerry Maguire," 1996.

MYSTERY

1. "Vertigo," 1958.

2. "Chinatown," 1974.

3. "Rear Window," 1954.

4. "Laura," 1944.

5. "The Third Man," 1949.

6. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.

7. "North By Northwest," 1959.

8. "Blue Velvet," 1986.

9. "Dial M for Murder," 1954.

10. "The Usual Suspects," 1995.

ROMANTIC COMEDY

1. "City Lights," 1931.

2. "Annie Hall," 1977.

3. "It Happened One Night," 1934.

4. "Roman Holiday," 1953.

5. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.

6. "When Harry Met Sally ...," 1989.

7. "Adam's Rib," 1949.

8. "Moonstruck," 1987.

9. "Harold and Maude," 1971.

10. "Sleepless in Seattle," 1993.

COURTROOM DRAMA

1. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.

2. "12 Angry Men," 1957.

3. "Kramer Vs. Kramer," 1979.

4. "The Verdict," 1982.

5. "A Few Good Men," 1992.

6. "Witness for the Prosecution," 1957.

7. "Anatomy of a Murder," 1959.

8. "In Cold Blood," 1967.

9. "A Cry in the Dark," 1988.

10. "Judgment at Nuremberg," 1961.

EPIC

1. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.

2. "Ben-Hur," 1959.

3. "Schindler's List," 1993.

4. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.

5. "Spartacus," 1960.

6. "Titanic," 1997.

7. "All Quiet on the Western Front," 1930.

8. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.

9. "Reds," 1981.

10. "The Ten Commandments," 1956.

Actress-dancer Cyd Charisse dies in L.A. at 86

LOS ANGELES - Cyd Charisse, the long-legged beauty who danced with the Ballet Russe as a teenager and starred in MGM musicals with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, died Tuesday. She was 86.

Charisse was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday after suffering an apparent heart attack, said her publicist, Gene Schwam.

She appeared in dramatic films, but her fame came from the Technicolor musicals of the 1940s and 1950s.

Classically trained, she could dance anything, from a pas de deux in 1946's "Ziegfeld Follies" to the lowdown Mickey Spillane satire of 1953's "The Band Wagon" (with Astaire).

She also forged a popular song-and-dance partnership on television and in nightclub appearances with her husband, singer Tony Martin.

Her height was 5 feet, 6 inches, but in high heels and full-length stockings, she seemed serenely tall, and she moved with extraordinary grace. Her flawless beauty and jet-black hair contributed to an aura of perfection that Astaire described in his 1959 memoir, "Steps in Time," as "beautiful dynamite."

"Her beauty was breathtaking," Debbie Reynolds, who starred with Charisse in the 1952 classic "Singin' in the Rain," said in a statement. "The world will miss her dancing."

Charisse arrived at MGM as the studio was establishing itself as the king of musicals. Three producers — Arthur Freed, Joe Pasternak and Jack Cummings — headed units that drew from the greatest collection of musical talent. Dancers, singers, directors, choreographers, composers, conductors and a symphony-size orchestra were under contract and available. The contract list also included the screen's two greatest male dancers: Astaire and Kelly.

Astaire, who danced with her in "The Band Wagon" and "Silk Stockings," said of Charisse in a 1983 interview: "She wasn't a tap dancer, she's just beautiful, trained, very strong in whatever we did. When we were dancing, we didn't know what time it was."

She first gained notice as a member of the famed Ballet Russe, and got her start in Hollywood when star David Lichine was hired by Columbia Pictures for a ballet sequence in a 1943 Don Ameche-Janet Blair musical, "Something to Shout About."

Although that film failed to live up to its title, its ballet sequence attracted wide notice, and Charisse (then billed as Lily Norwood) began receiving movie offers.

"I had just done that number with David as a favor to him," she said in "The Two of Us," her 1976 double autobiography with Martin. "Honestly, the idea of working movies had never once entered my head. I was a dancer, not an actress. I had no delusions about myself. I couldn't act — I had never acted. So how could I be a movie star?"

She overcame her doubts and signed a seven-year contract at MGM. She also got a new name, the exotic "Cyd" instead of her lifelong nickname Sid to go with her first husband's last name.

"Singin' in the Rain" marked a breakthrough.

When Freed was dissatisfied with another dancer who had been cast, Charisse inherited the role and danced with Kelly in the "Broadway Melody" number that climaxed the movie. She stunned critics and audiences with her 25-foot Chinese silk scarf that floated in the air with the aid of a wind machine.

Charisse also danced with Kelly in "Brigadoon," "It's Always Fair Weather" and "Invitation to the Dance." She missed what might have been her greatest opportunity: to appear with Kelly in the 1951 Academy Award winner, "An American in Paris." She was pregnant, and Leslie Caron was cast in the role.

In 1996, Charisse recalled her reaction on entering the movies: "Ballet is a closed world and very rigid; MGM was a fairyland. You'd walk down the lot, seeing all these fabulous movies being made with the greatest talent in the world sitting there. It was a dream to walk through that lot."

Her first assignment was a "Ziegfeld Follies" sequence in which she was one of the female dancers "flitting around Astaire as he danced."

Like most young MGM contract players, she was schooled in drama and voice, and diction lessons eliminated her Texas accent. The singing lessons didn't take, however, and the songs in her musicals were dubbed.

She graduated to featured dancer in sequences for such films as "Till the Clouds Roll By," "Fiesta," "On an Island with You" and "Words and Music." She also appeared in such dramatic films as "East Side, West Side," "Tension" and "Mark of the Renegade."

"Silk Stockings" in 1957 marked the end of her dancing career in films, as well as the twilight of the movie musical. With the film business suffering from the onslaught of television, MGM dismantled its great collection of talent. Musicals were too expensive, and foreign audiences had soured on them.

Charisse continued with dramatic films, several of them made in Europe. She and Martin took their musical act to Las Vegas and elsewhere. In 1992 she finally made her Broadway debut, taking over the starring role as the unhappy ballerina in the musicalized "Grand Hotel." The musical had premiered in 1989 with Liliane Montevecchi in the role.

"I've done about everything in show business except to play on Broadway," Charisse said in a 1992 Associated Press interview. "I always hoped that I would one day. It's the World Series of show business. If anybody tells you they're not intimidated, they're lying."

In 1974, Charisse returned to MGM for a TV drama. Gazing over the half-filled commissary at lunchtime, she mused: "You never realize that good things are going to be over sometime. It all seemed so natural then: Clark Gable and Robert Taylor lunching at one table. Lana Turner would be lunching at a table in the corner. Ava Gardner, too.

"I grew up at this studio, and it didn't seem unusual to see all those stars. Nowadays, you'd never find so many names in one commissary. In fact, there aren't that many stars."

Her name was Tula Ellice Finklea when she was born in Amarillo, Texas, on March 8, 1922. From her earliest years she was called Sid, because her older brother couldn't say "sister." She was a sickly girl who started dancing lessons to build up her strength after a bout with polio.

"I was so frail they were afraid to touch me," she recalled in that 1996 interview.

At 14 she auditioned for the head of the famed Ballet Russe, and became part of the corps de ballet and toured the U.S. and Europe. To appear with the nearly all-Russian company, she was first billed as Celia Siderova, than as Maria Istromena.

At one point during the European tour, she met up again with Nico Charisse, a handsome young dancer she had studied with for a time in Los Angeles. They married in Paris in 1939.

The Ballet Russe disbanded after the war broke out, and the newlyweds returned to Hollywood. In 1942, a son, Nicky, was born.

In 1948, the year after she and Nico divorced, Charisse married Martin. Her second son, Tony Jr., was born in 1950.

Elton John set for two Regina shows

REGINA -- The rumours of Sir Elton John coming to Regina are correct, with just one small qualifier.

For months rumours have been swirling around the Queen City that John would follow in the footsteps of the Rolling Stones and play an outdoor concert at Mosaic Stadium in September.

Well, everything but the location of the performance was correct -- instead of playing Mosaic Stadium, John will play two shows at the Brandt Centre on September 16 and 17.

The Regina dates are part of a growing list of shows in Western Canada, joining Calgary (Sept. 12), Edmonton (Sept. 13) and Winnipeg (Sept. 19). Dates for Saskatoon and Vancouver might also be added in the coming days.

John currently performs with three different types of shows: He performs solo with his piano; he performs Red Piano shows in Las Vegas, which combines the music with visual imagery; and, he performs with a five-piece band. The Regina dates will be John and his band.

If ticket sales for the Winnipeg date are any indication, selling out two shows at the Brandt Centre shouldn't be a problem. When tickets went on sale Monday for the show at the MTS Centre, which can seat up to 15,000 for concerts, the Sept. 19 show reportedly sold out in less than one minute.

The 61-year-old John is a rock and roll legend and it is estimated that he has sold over 200 million albums worldwide, including 100 million in the United States. "Candle In The Wind 1997," a tribute to Princess Diana, is the No. 1-selling single in music history having sold more than 33 million copies. It also raised $30 million for the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund.

John's list of chart success is equally impressive: 59 Top 40 hits, 16 Top 10 hits and nine No. 1 singles. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Jan. 19, 1994, John also has captured five Grammy Awards and one Academy Award. He also received the Grammy Legend Award in 1999.

His impressive catalogue of singles includes "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Crocodile Rock," "Daniel," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Candle In The Wind," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (a duet with Kiki Dee), "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word," "The Bitch Is Back," "I Guess That's Why The Call It The Blues," "I'm Still Standing," "Nikita," "Circle of Life," and "I Want Love."

A tireless worker on behalf of AIDS-related issues, John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth on Feb. 12, 1998.

Tickets for the Regina dates will go on sale at 10 a.m. on June 23. Tickets will be $149 and $99, with an additional $2 charity fee and the regular service fees. Tickets will be available at the Brandt Centre box office, by phone (543-7800) and online (www.ticketmaster.ca).

A limited amount of tickets will also be made available to members of the Rocket Club, John's fan club. Members are given the opportunity to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public. However, the Rocket Club does not guarantee tickets with membership.

Carell, Hathaway smarten up as new Max, Agent 99

LAS VEGAS - Steve Carell did not necessarily see the Maxwell Smart in himself. Everyone else did, including co-star Anne Hathaway and the studio behind the big-screen "Get Smart," which simply called Carell in and offered him the job, no questions asked.

Carell takes on the title role created by Don Adams in the 1960s TV show about a brainy but bungling spy, with Hathaway playing his supremely capable partner, Agent 99, a part originated by Barbara Feldon.

Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry as a comic response to James Bond and other espionage adventures, "Get Smart" has endured in syndication, in follow-up movies and a short-lived second TV series in the 1990s.

Directed by Peter Segal, the new "Get Smart" chronicles Max's rise from crackerjack analyst to field agent for U.S. spy outfit Control, paired with dubious 99 as they try to foil a plot to distribute nukes to unstable governments.

The cast includes Dwayne Johnson as a star Control agent, Alan Arkin as the Chief and bad guy Terence Stamp, who played Kryptonian supervillain Zod and made Christopher Reeve kneel before him in "Superman II."

Carell and Hathaway chatted with The Associated Press, fondly recalling Feldon and the late Adams, discussing the show's longevity and sharing a funny Zod tale.

___

AP: People tend to be skeptical about TV adaptations, but when Steve was cast as Max, they kind of nodded and said, "Good choice." What do you and Don Adams have in common?

Carell: There's a bit of a physical resemblance that would be part of the equation. But aside from that, it's hard talking about him in the same breath as myself, because I don't aspire to be as good as he was. He's iconic and the way he did the character is iconic, and I don't have any pretense of trying to live up to that. If anything, I'm just trying to get an essence of what he did as opposed to any sort of imitation or channeling.

Hathaway: I thought it was perfect casting. He pays me to say this, but Steve's being very, very humble, because his take on Max is just spectacular. I think the reason Steve Carell seems to fit (glances at Carell and laughs) — I can't look at you while I'm saying this ...

Carell: I love it when you use my whole name.

Hathaway: The thing about Steve stepping into Don's shoes that makes sense is Steve's take on comedy. He can do the big, over-the-top, slightly absurd stuff really well, but he also does the real subtle moments really well. And the thing about Don Adams, he never played Maxwell Smart as a fumbling goon. He played him as a very serious man who didn't know he was in a comedy. And Steve's really good at doing that. A lot of his characters don't know that they're funny, and that's what makes him hilarious.

AP: Now the same question for Anne. What do you and Barbara Feldon have in common?

Hathaway: I appreciate this question now. It's a tough one. I'm so very different from Agent 99, and the bar that Barbara Feldon set and what Barbara Feldon's 99 meant to people, I'm never going to be able to touch that. The world was in a very different place then. We needed Agent 99. When Barbara Feldon played her, we needed to see a girl who could keep up with the boys, who was smart and who was sexy while being smart. She inspired so many women. When you look at the kind of women we aspire to be today, a lot of them are very similar to Barbara Feldon's 99. There's no way I'm going to be able to touch that kind of legacy, but I do think I have good chemistry with my co-star, so that's probably what I have in common with her.

Carell: Anne was the first person to come in and do a screen test. It was actually the first time I'd said any of the lines. And after she walked out of the room, we all looked at each other and knew it. It was almost as if everyone else could have gone home at that point, frankly. I'd seen a lot of Anne's work, but there was a sophistication to her and a slyness and sort of a coolness and a deadpan. And she is a great improviser, too. I tend to play around, especially during an audition, just to find different moments and beats, and she was not only there, following, but leading and sharing it.

Hathaway: I always tell people regarding improvising, Steve's an abstract expressionist and I finger paint. I'm a very good finger painter, but it's on a different level.

AP: Why has "Get Smart" endured so well?

Hathaway: It's sophisticated family humor. That's what the show had going for it. My parents watched it when they were kids, and then when it was on Nick at Nite in reruns, I would watch it with them when I was a kid. In addition to it just being so funny was the chemistry that Don Adams and Barbara Feldon had. You couldn't take your eyes off them. It was fun to watch them play. ... Don Adams, people don't remember that he was a fantastic actor. There's this one episode where he has to pretend he's gone bad and he has to convince 99 that he's gone bad, and he plays it so straight. It's a different Max. It's colder and harder and harsher. Don Adams was a really, really good straight actor.

Carell: Also, look at who created it. Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. In terms of having longevity, "Young Frankenstein" is still one of my favorite movies. "The Producers," obviously. His stuff just holds up. For the most part, it really does. That's a huge element, the writing staff, if you look at the people involved.

Hathaway: Steve, you're such a nice person. I'm like, "It was the actors. The actors are what endured."

AP: The movie's more an action comedy than a spy spoof. Were you trying to avoid parodying spy flicks?

Carell: When I first started talking to Pete (Segal the director) about just tonally what the movie could potentially look like, I said, "What about a comedic `Bourne Identity?'" You take the action in that and you make it a legitimate spy movie that's funny, as opposed to taking the cliches of spy movies and turning them on their heads. If the villains are like Terence Stamp, these guys are scary and actually have some threat to them. There's some sense of jeopardy. The comedy laid on top of that might resonate more.

Hathaway: There's a great story about Terence. He was switching hotels when we were shooting in Montreal. He just went downstairs and he couldn't find a taxi. He was standing around looking for a taxi and some guy just drove up and went, "Zod?" And he goes, "Yes." And the guy goes, "What are you doing in Montreal?" "I'm making a movie. Can you give me a ride?" And the guy goes, "Absolutely." So the guy drove him to his hotel.

AP: I hope the guy didn't make him say, "Kneel before Zod."

Carell: I'm sure he's had to say it to like, cash a check.

Effects guru Stan Winston dies of cancer at 62

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood special-effects maestro Stan Winston has died at age 62.

The Oscar-winning visual effects artist died at his home Sunday evening surrounded by family after a seven-year struggle with multiple myeloma, according to a representative from Stan Winston Studio.

Winston won visual effects Oscars for 1986's "Aliens, "1992's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and 1993's "Jurassic Park."

Winston is survived by his wife, Karen; a son, daughter, brother and four grandchildren.

Hedley cleans up at MMVAs

Torrential downpours couldn't dampen the spirits at last night's MuchMusic Video Awards in downtown Toronto where love 'em or hate 'em pop-punk act Hedley cleaned up with four awards.

The B.C.-based group -- whose outspoken, heavily tattooed and ear-pierced frontman Jacob Hoggard has been known to flash his backside at previous MMVAs -- won for best video and best director for the song For The Nights I Can't Remember and best rock video and best cinematography for She's So Sorry.

Heading into the freewheeling, performance-heavy awards ceremony held at MuchMusic's Toronto headquarters which draws thousands of people into the streets every year, Hedley had a leading six MMVA nods. (Hoggard gained national prominence placing third during Season 2 of Canadian Idol.)

Close behind Hedley's six nods were Palestinian-born, Ottawa-based rapper Belly and Mississauga, Ont., ska-punk outfit illScarlett with five nominations each.

At press time, the three People's Choice Awards had yet to be handed out with Hedley and illScarlett also in the running for favourite Canadian group and Belly up for favourite Canadian artist.

Another multiple winner last night was R&B-pop singer Rihanna whose clip for Don't Stop The Music won for best international video (artist) while Umbrella featuring Jay-Z picked up MuchMusic.com's most watched video.

Linkin Park's Bleed It Out took home best international video (group), while the clip for shaggy-haired Montreal rocker Sam Roberts' latest single Them Kids, won best post-production.

Ridin' by Belly featuring Mario Winans picked up best rap video, and Wintersleep's Weighty Ghost was named best independent video.

"This one really goes to the (director) Dave Pawsey and (effects supervisor) Jonathan Legris, again we're just happy that they managed to make a statement with our song through video, they did all the hard work," said Roberts, accepting the award during the MMVA red-carpet special.

In addition to Hedley, Rihanna and illScarlett, among last night's scheduled MMVA performers were New Kids On The Block, whose recent reunion has led to three shows at the Air Canada Centre including the tour launch on Sept. 19, Girlicious, Simple Plan, rappers Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon and Flo Rida, Sean Kingston, and America's Best Dance Crew (Season 2) JabbaWockeeZ.

Presenters included Mel C, aka Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls, Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford, Brody Jenner of The Hills, Kristen Cavallari of Laguna Beach fame, and gossip monger Perez Hilton.

"We're really excited, 15 years has been way too long," joked Jocz of the NKOTB reunion.

Also in attendance was comic actor Rainn Wilson of The Office -- who could be seen on the red carpet taking pictures with fans before the rain fell.

"It's a little Rain-ny this year," kidded Wilson of the dark storm clouds above that eventually opened up and soaked the red carpet and everyone on it. "Hey, do you want to get under my umbrella, brella, brella, brella?"

New CD Releases, June 17: Coldplay, Rihanna, Judas Priest

Coldplay "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends"

The mega-popular UK band finally returns with its fourth studio album, "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends." The disc--perhaps the year's most highly anticipated rock record--follows 2005's tremendously successful "X&Y," which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date.

"Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends" was produced by Brian Eno and Markus Dravs. Its first single is the track "Violet Hill," which already is a hit on modern rock radio.

Coldplay will support the new album with a major North American tour, which kicks off next month and is currently scheduled to run through November.

* * *
Rihanna "Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded"

This limited-edition CD/DVD upgrade to Rihanna's recent chart-topping album features three bonus tracks as well as behind-the-scenes footage with the star. The three new songs are "Disturbia," a cover version of Maroon 5's "If I Never See Your Face Again" (which features Maroon 5) and "Take a Bow," which recently topped Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

The CD also features all the songs that fans have come to love off the original "Good Girls Gone Bad," including, of course, the mega-hit "Umbrella." In other news, Rihanna recently finished up her stint as the main support on Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour, the blockbuster trek that also offered up sets by Lupe Fiasco and N.E.R.D.

* * *
Judas Priest "Nostradamus"

These metal-music titans are back with a follow-up to 2005's "Angel of Retribution." "Nostradamus" is a highly ambitious affair--a double-disc concept album that tells the tale of the world-famous 16th Century French prophet.

Priest will support "Nostradamus" as part of the Metal Masters Tour. The 15-date trek--which should help fill the head-banging void left by the Ozzfest tour's transformation this year to a one-off event--will also feature Heaven & Hell, Motorhead and Testament, and is scheduled to begin Aug. 6 in Camden, NJ.

* * *
The Offspring "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace"

The O.C. pop-punk troupe is ready to drop its eighth studio album. "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" comes after a four-and-half year recording hiatus; the band's previous disc was 2003's "Splinter."

"Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, The Cult). The new album's first single, "Hammerhead," is already a hit on modern rock radio.

* * *
Wolf Parade "At Mount Zoomer"

The acclaimed indie-rock act is set to follow 2005's "Apologies to the Queen Mary." Singer/keyboardist Spencer Krug and guitarist Dan Boeckner handled the bulk of the songwriting duties on "At Mount Zoomer." The Canadian band will support the new album with a headlining tour that kicks off July 7 in Pontiac, MI.

* * *
More new releases:
Chicago, "Stone of Sisyphus (XXXII)" (Rhino)
Kathy Griffin, "For Your Consideration" (Red Ink)
Mick Hucknall, "Tribute to Bobby" (Rhino)
Chanté Moore, "Love the Woman" (Peak)
The Notwist, "The Devil, You + Me" (Domino)
Katy Perry, "One of the Boys" (Capitol)
The Pogues, "Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say...Pogue Mahone" (Warner Bros.)
Diana Ross, "Everything is Everything" (Hip-O)
Silver Jews, "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea" (Drag City)
Teddy Thompson, "A Piece of What You Need" (Verve Forecast)
Dan Tyminski, "Wheels" (Rounder)
Julieta Venegas, "MTV Unplugged" (Sony)
Dennis Wilson, "Pacific Ocean Blue--Legacy Edition" (Sony Legacy)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Camp Rock" (Disney)

He's Big Bird: Caroll Spinney loves every feather

NEW YORK - On the street, Caroll Spinney is a 74-year-old of modest proportions. On the job, transformed into Big Bird, he stands 8 feet 2 inches tall and is 6 years old.

Being Big Bird is sweaty, physical work. But Spinney, who has worked on Sesame Street for nearly four decades playing both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, has no wish to be anywhere else.

"I can't imagine willingly walking away from Big Bird and Oscar," he said.

Spinney's workday transformation begins with a pair of orange furry jeans encircled in hot pink ridges. Next, manhole-size pink webbed feet made of foam — built around a pair of Hush Puppies loafers. Between takes, he protects them from his kindergarten co-stars with custom-made purple slippers.

The crew straps a television monitor to his chest. Wearing drugstore reading glasses, Spinney will watch the monitor while inside the top half of the costume to see how Big Bird appears on camera. Otherwise, he's blind inside the bird.

To play the role, "you have to not be claustrophobic," he said. "You have to be willing to walk, not seeing anything in front of you."

Spinney tops off his ensemble with the familiar 25-pound top half of Big Bird, a combination of costume and puppet. He works Big Bird's mouth with his hand and the eyes with a coat hanger attached to his pinky finger.

The set is kept so cold for his scenes that the crew sometimes wears hats and jackets. For Spinney, who called out from his perch on the stoop of 123 Sesame Place that he could no longer feel his hands, the relationship between man and bird is worth it.

He remembers a visit to Georgia Tech in 1972, when the costume was "ravaged" by ROTC students. When he found Big Bird, one of the eyes was hanging off, its mechanism ruined.

"When I saw him lying in the dirt, it was like seeing your child dead on the floor," Spinney said. "I went into shock."

Spinney got his start on Sesame Street during its first season in 1969, after Muppets founder Jim Henson saw him perform at a puppeteer's convention.

Henson chose him as Big Bird after Frank Oz, who helped develop Bert, Grover and Cookie Monster, swore off costume puppets following a stint in commercials as the La Choy Dragon, which was equipped with an in-costume flame-thrower.

Spinney met his wife, Debra, at Sesame Workshop, and has three grown children and four grandchildren. He's one of a handful of original cast members still on the show; the only other original puppeteer still working full time is Jerry Nelson, who plays The Count.

"One of the things I really enjoy about Sesame Street is that years go by and I'm still the same age," Spinney said. "I'd love to be 70 again, 60 and 50 and 40."

After all these years, Sesame Street remains seasonless. There are crunchy autumn leaves at the foot of the stoop of 123 Sesame Place, because the set looks flat without them, but the garden around the corner is in full summer bloom. Since no brands are allowed on the show, the shelves of Hooper's Store are stocked with Sesame-ized magazines, like "City Monsters: Puffy Furry Fun for All Ages!" and "Stacking Stones."

"We deal with a lot of life's realities on Sesame Street, but not everything," Spinney said. "No one worries about him (Big Bird) sleeping all alone on the street."

While the show takes place in a magical mirror New York, the set is at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, where decidedly grittier fare such as "Fort Apache-The Bronx" was also filmed.

On the last day of filming this spring, the Big Bird head was wheeled upright on a dolly as Spinney sat on the stoop. "Bird on the move!" shouted senior muppet wrangler Michelle Hickey as she pushed it up a ramp.

She pulled the bird off the dolly and put a hand in Big Bird's slack mouth as Spinney, sitting on the stoop, held up his right arm to put it on. As Big Bird's face came to life, another puppeteer, hiding behind a pile of books, acted as Spinney's right-hand man, working Big Bird's right arm as well as a monofilament controlling the left arm.

A question came from the crew: "How's the kid placement?" It was fine.

"And the count is to Big Bird," the floor manager said. The scene began with Big Bird asking two children whether they'd like to hear a story.

When Big Bird and Oscar appear in the same scene, Spinney pre-records Oscar's voice, then act the scene as Big Bird while someone else puppeteers Oscar.

Spinney says he modeled Oscar on the Bronx taxi driver who drove him to the old Muppet Mansion the first day he played the character, greeting him with a gruff, "Where to, Mac?" In Spinney's mind, Oscar is 43.

When the Big Bird costume is not in use, it's stored in a crate about 10 feet high. A muppet wrangler smooths Big Bird's feathers when they get ruffled and hand-glues replacements if they get crunched.

The feathers arrive from supplier American Plume & Fancy Feather Co. in New York's garment district on boas, dyed two colors of yellow. The muppet wranglers grade them, A through D. Only A and B-plus feathers are applied to Big Bird's head and neck.

"I'm still using the head we started with," Spinney said. "He's had face lifts." He estimates Big Bird has been through four bodies. Oscar still has his original eyebrows.

A muppet wrangler also travels with Big Bird when he's on the road. The body of the costume is shipped in two crates; the head travels in a separate box.

"My worst fear is that we take off and I would see the boxes lying on the tarmac," Hickey said.

After seven years of working with Spinney, Hickey described him as having "the heart of Big Bird and a teeny bit of Oscar."

Elizabeth Fernandez, 20, started working at Sesame Street as an intern in the research department and is now an assistant talent coordinator, working with the children who appear on the show, while she finishes college at night.

"People here are so encouraging about going to school, getting your master's degree," she said. "There's room to move up; a lot of people started as interns."

"It really is Sesame Street."

Tony Awards make a nod to the past and future

NEW YORK - Broadway looked to the future — and to its past — at the 2008 Tony Awards with "In the Heights," the best musical winner, and "August: Osage County," the best play, sharing the spotlight with a nearly 60-year-old "South Pacific."

Both "Heights," a salsa and rap-flavored look at the Latino immigrant experience in Upper Manhattan, and "August," a brutal dissection of a backbiting Oklahoma family, were written by artists making their Broadway debuts.

Yet it was Lincoln Center Theater's lush, lavish revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic that took more awards — seven — than any other show Sunday at Radio City Music Hall. Besides winning the musical-revival prize, it collected awards for debonair leading man Paulo Szot, who plays the French plantation owner Emile de Becque; director Bartlett Sher; and for the designers of its sets, costumes, lighting and sound.

Sher, in his acceptance speech, thanked not only the men who wrote the show's music and lyrics, but its original director, Joshua Logan, and James Michener, who wrote the World War II short story on which the musical (which won nine Tonys back in 1950) is based.

"They were kind of incredible men, because they seem to teach me particularly that in a way I wasn't only an artist but I was also a citizen," Sher said. "And the work that we do in these musicals or in any of these plays is not only important in terms of entertaining people, but that our country was really a pretty great place, and that perhaps it could be a little better, and perhaps, in fact, we could change."

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the Tony-winning score for "In the Heights," rapped his acceptance speech and later proclaimed, "It is like the best prom ever, dude. I have several more musicals inside my head, and I want to write them." The show, which was first seen off-Broadway last season before moving to Broadway this year, also won awards for choreography and orchestrations.

"August" playwright Tracy Letts, whose previous work in New York was only seen off-Broadway, said, "Writing is better than acting. You get to use your words and you don't need to be there eight days a week."

And in thanking his producers, Letts took a swipe at Broadway shows that cast movie stars and winners from TV reality shows and said, "They did an amazing thing: They decided to produce an American play on Broadway with theater actors."

Two of his "August" actors, Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed, and the play's director, Anna D. Shapiro, also won Tonys for their work in the show, which began life last summer at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Said Dunagan, who portrays the bilious matriarch in the play: "This is so overwhelming. This whole year has been entirely unexpected and astonishing. ... After 34 years in regional theater, I never thought about it (the Tonys). I watched it on television like everybody else."

Despite losing the musical revival prize to "South Pacific," "Gypsy" monopolized the musical performance prizes, taking three of the four awards.

The most dramatic was Patti LuPone's win for her portrayal of Rose, the ultimate stage mother. Her rendition of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" during the show got the cheering audience to its feet.

"It's such a wonderful gift to be an actor who makes her living on the Broadway stage and then every 30 years or so picks up one of these," said an exuberant LuPone, who last won a Tony in 1980 for "Evita." "I was afraid to write a speech, because I had written a couple before and they never made it out of my purse. So I'm going to use one of the old ones and add a few names."

Her co-star, Boyd Gaines, did even better. He collected his fourth Tony, winning for his portrayal of Rose's gentlemanly candy-salesman suitor, Herbie. And Laura Benanti, who plays the ugly duckling daughter who blossoms into Gypsy Rose Lee in the show, received the featured-actress award.

"Boeing-Boeing," a 1960s sex farce awash in slammed doors and split-second timing, took the play revival prize. Its lead, Mark Rylance, who portrays a nerdy visitor to Paris, won the top acting prize. He gave the night's most bewildering acceptance speech, riffing about wearing clothing appropriate to your vocation or avocation.

"Otherwise, it might appear that you don't know what you're doing, that you're just wandering the earth, no particular reason for being here, no particular place to go," he said. "Thanks very much for this."

"Passing Strange," which had been expected to give "In the Heights" the stiffest competition, managed to take only one award — book of a musical — for its star and creator, Stew, another Broadway newcomer.

He said the intention of "Passing Strange," a young black man's journey through sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, was to stay "true to the music that people actually listen to... on subways or when they're at home getting stoned or when they're at parties."

Wedding Bells (Again) for Sara Evans

Los Angeles (E! Online) - If at first you don't succeed...

Country music star Sara Evans married former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker Saturday evening in an outdoor ceremony on a farm in Franklin, Tenn. It's the second marriage for both.

More than 130 guests witnessed the bride, 37, being escorted down the aisle by her 8-year-old son Avery. The black-and-white-themed ceremony was a family affair, with the couple's seven children (Evans has three and Barker has four) serving as attendants.

Evans wore an ivory silk taffeta wedding gown by Vera Wang, while Barker, 35, wore a suit by Dolce and Gabbana. He hosts a morning sports radio show in Alabama.

The couple announced their engagement on March 24 and were introduced to each other last year by their minister, Joe Beam, who performed the nuptials. They had each turned to Beam for support after their respective divorces.

Barker's 14-year marriage ended in the summer of 2007. Evans' 13-year marriage to politico Craig Schelske came to a grinding halt in October 2006 amid allegations of infidelity on both sides. The ugly, high-profile divorce began while she was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

'Hulk' grabs muscular $54.5M on opening weekend

LOS ANGELES - "The Incredible Hulk" was a box-office bruiser, yanking in $54.5 million over opening weekend and laying to rest the stigma of his unappreciated big-screen adventure five years ago.

"The Hulk got a second chance, got angry and came back with a vengeance," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "This was a big question mark going in. The film had a history or a checkered past."

Ang Lee's "Hulk" opened in 2003 with a whopping $62.1 million weekend but then rolled over and died in subsequent weeks amid terrible word of mouth. That movie crawled to $132.2 million in sales, seemingly a respectable total but actually meager considering its huge first weekend.

Marvel Studios, which financed "The Incredible Hulk," and distributor Universal hope the new movie, starring Edward Norton as the scientist who turns into the Hulk when maddened, will have a longer shelf life and eventually top out with better numbers than its predecessor.

Also rebounding off a bad last movie was director M. Night Shyamalan, whose fright flick "The Happening" with Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel opened at a sturdy No. 3 with $30.5 million.

Shyamalan, whose blockbusters include "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs," flopped two years ago with "Lady in the Water."

"Night rocked," said Chris Aronson, distribution executive for 20th Century Fox, which released "The Happening," a tale of an airborne toxin that prompts people to kill themselves in ghastly ways. "Any time you're coming off an effort like `Lady in the Water' that was perceived as a disappointment, movie-goers and critics tend to be a little gun-shy, but the numbers speak for themselves."

Fans and critics definitely were gun-shy on "The Incredible Hulk," some expecting the movie to bomb because of the bad taste "Hulk" left in audiences' mouths.

"With all the naysayers, this is a huge accomplishment," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal. "For months, they thought this was going to be a bomb."

The new movie is not a sequel to 2003's "Hulk" but, in Marvel's terms, a reboot. Fans found the earlier movie too dark and brooding.

This take is more action-oriented, casting Norton's Bruce Banner as a fugitive in the vein of "The Incredible Hulk" TV series starring Bill Bixby in the 1970s and '80s.

Despite solid reviews and fan buzz, "The Incredible Hulk" did nearly $8 million less over opening weekend than "Hulk." That gap widens even more factoring in today's higher ticket prices.

But the new flick still put up some of the best numbers ever for a movie opening in June. The studio's exit polls show audiences are recommending the movie to friends, giving it a good shot to surpass the total gross of "Hulk," Rocco said.

The movie also pulled in $31 million in 38 other countries, putting its worldwide total at $85.5 million.

DreamWorks Animation and Paramount's "Kung Fu Panda," the previous weekend's No. 1 movie, slipped to second place with $34.3 million, raising its total to $118 million.

A solid June lineup has pushed Hollywood ahead of last year's record box office pace. Since the first weekend of May, domestic grosses total $1.46 billion, up 4.6 percent from 2007's, according to Media By Numbers. Factoring in higher ticket prices, actual movie attendance this summer is up 1.6 percent.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Incredible Hulk," $54.5 million.
2. "Kung Fu Panda," $34.3 million.
3. "The Happening," $30.5 million.
4. "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," $16.4 million.
5. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $13.5 million.
6. "Sex and the City," $10.2 million.
7. "Iron Man," $5.1 million.
8. "The Strangers," $4.1 million.
9. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," $3 million.
10. "What Happens in Vegas," $1.7 million.

The Couch Potato Report - June 14th, 2008

This week The Couch Potato Report peels 52 DVDs, including box sets for Dads AND Grads!

If you find yourself in need of a gift idea for Father's Day, a Graduate, or just someone who loves to watch movies and DVDs this week, you are in luck!!

I have 8 BOX SETS to tell you about, AND this week's FOREIGN FILM ON DVD.

Let me start with this week's HOT POTATO - a set that includes two of my all-time favourite films - that set is ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE COLLECTION!

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE COLLECTION is a 5-DVD set that includes the fantasic original 1985 CBC film, the superb 1987 follow up ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE SEQUEL and 2000's ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE CONTINUING STORY, along with a bonus disc that features two new documentaries, Missing Scenes, Lost Footage and more.

But the real reason to pick up this COLLECTION is due to the films, and the performances they contain, especially in the first one!

The trilogy begins with a headstrong, chatty and sometimes stubborn orphan girl who ends up at the Green Gables farm in Prince Edward Island, even though the brother and sister who run the farm had requested a boy to work as a farmhand.

They decide to keep her, even though she has a vivid imagination, colourfully theatrical language and penchant for finding trouble.

That knack for trouble follws her throughout her life, even when she is not at fault.

The scenery, mostly filmed in Ontario, is beautiful, and the stories in these films are great.

Plus, Megan Follows will always hold a special place in my heart - and I am sure yours too - for her work as Anne,...and Montreal born Colleen Dewhurst will forever be Marilla, but above all else, there is the great Richard Farnsworth.

His performance as Matthew Cuthbert is one for the ages!

The original "Anne Of Green Gables" book was published on June 20, 1908, and as all Canadians who love great literature celebrate this centenary, films lovers can now join that celebration through ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE COLLECTION.

This is a great series of Canadian films, and if you love these movies as much as I do, then it is a must (START CLIP HERE) have.

PLUS, if you are a trivia buff, you will be able to answer this question after you see the films again: Which two members of the comedy troupe Kids In The Hall appear in the Anne Of Green Gables Trilogy?

I will give you that answer in just a few minutes, but right now, please allow me to tell you about a spectacular Box Set that would be a great gift idea for almost all Dads and Grads - the 17 DVD BBC NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION.

The set features four documentary series:

Planet Earth - takes us to the highest peaks and the lowest valleys with astonishing photography and incredible detail.

The Blue Planet - is entirely dedicated to the deep oceans of the earth.

The Life of Mammals - shows us many of the 4000 species that have outlived dinosaurs.

and The Life of Birds puts on display the evolution and habits of birds, offering glimpses into the habitats of some of the world's rarest ones.

These documentaries, and this box set doesn't just cover the wildlife on our planet, it also gives us a one-of-a-kind look at mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, and much, much more!!

Plus, if you have ever wanted to see bears in Alaska opening clams, 14,000 walruses lying on a beach, snails surfing in South Africa and dozens of other things that you can't even imagine,

The 17 DVD BBC NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION is one of the most incredible box sets that I have ever seen, and I highly reccomend it!

I also highly recommend the 9 DVD set for ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS that has ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING...but only if you love bawdy British humour.

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS - also known as AB FAB - was an Emmy Award-winning sitcom written by and starring Jennifer Saunders and co-starring Joanna Lumley, that was broadcast on the BBC from 1992 to 1996 and 2001 to 2005.

The show is about Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone, two well-off, substance-abusing fashion and fad-obsessed Londoners who value fame and style over all.

Edina's daughter provides the voice of reality, and her mother supplies a voice of truth.

Ab Fab is now back on DVD in the first complete collection ever offered in North America and the 9 DVDs come in a plush, cross-stitched fabric cover.

The set is called ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING because that is what it has...the Five limited seasons, the special that includes the Ab Fab trip to New York, and there are also extras aplenty.

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS is a show that features comedy that never apologizes, and if you enjoy that sort of thing, or know someone who does, then this is a set that will make you - or them - laugh...repeatedly.

Up next is the 5 DVD set for SEASON ONE of the television series CROSSING JORDAN, starring Edmonton born Jill Hennessy as a crime-solving medical examiner.

CROSSING JORDAN ran from September 2001 to May of 2007, and even though I am a huge fan of Jill Hennessy, it was a show that I could never get into on TV.

But while watching this set this week, I did enjoy the show more...even though I still think that it is just a female version of QUINCY, and the creators of the show seemed to admit that when they cast Jack Klugman - the man who played QUINCY - on the show...but I digress.

CROSSING JORDAN - SEASON ONE is primarily for fans of the show, but if you liked QUINCY, or you enjoy shows that focus on solving crimes, maybe you'll enjoy it too.

We all enjoyed THE COSBY SHOW, whether we were fans of the show when it first came on in 1984, or when it went off the air in 1992, and now the final two seasons of this beloved comedy are available on DVD in THE COSBY SHOW - SEASONS 7 & 8.

Each set has three DVDs, and even though I have seen the episodes on them dozens of times, I still laughed, enjoyed and was emotionally involved with the Huxtable family, an upper-middle class African-American family living in a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights, New York, at 10 Stigwood Avenue.

SEASON EIGHT was the show's last, and so with the release of these final two Box Sets you can see Sondra, Elvin, Denise, Martin, Theo, Rudy, Olivia and Pam anytime you'd like.

Plus, you can see Cliff and Claire dance in their living room one final time as they walted off stage and into television history.

I will always love THE COSBY SHOW...and I will also always love THE INCREDIBLE HULK and that is because I started to watch and enjoy them when I was a kid...and as you know, many of the things we love as kids stay with us forever.

And no, with the release of the new INCREDIBLE HULK movie in theatres yesterday, SEASONS 3 & 4 of the HULK television series have been released on DVD.

The television show THE INCREDIBLE HULK that was based on the comic books of the same name ran from 1978 to 1982.

The SEASON 3 box set has five DVDs and SEASON 4 four, and if you enjoyed the show when it aired, they are must haves!

Of if you know someone who enjoyed either this new theatrcal release, or maybe even the one in 2003, then these would be great for them...or you.

Perhaps you don't care for television shows, or huge summer films like THE INCREDIBLE HULK,...well, I can understand that.

If you'd prefer an alternative to the action filled, very loud, check-your-brain-at-the-door summer movie season, each week I will offer you an alternative, one current release that you will need your brain to enjoy.

It's THE FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD!

This week I want to tell you about the film 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS from Romania.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS won the Palme d'Or and the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and it is a compelling and engrossing film!

It is set in Communist Romania in the final years of the Ceausescu era and is about two female students who are roommates in a university dormitory.

They are trying to terminate a pregnancy, an activity that was a crime in the country at the time.

The film's title refers to how far along the pregnancy is, and other than that, I am not going to say much more as the less you know about this film, the better.

What I will tell you is that I highly recommend it!

At times it is harsh, rough, and very disturbing, but even during those scenes you will still want to know what will happen.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS is a unique film, it is this week's selection in THE FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL, and it is available now on DVD along with the box sets for THE INCREDIBLE HULK - SEASONS 3 & 4, THE COSBY SHOW - SEASONS 7 & 8, CROSSING JORDAN - SEASON ONE, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS - ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, THE BBC NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION and the superb ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE COLLECTION.

Oh, and as for the trivia question I asked a few minutes ago...Which two members of the comedy troupe Kids In The Hall appear in the Anne Of Green Gables Trilogy?...the answer is Bruce McCulloch and Dave Folley. Both of them appear in ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - THE SEQUEL.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

I will tell you about eight new releases, including BE KIND REWIND, THE DIRTY HARRY ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION and MUFFINS FOR GRANNY about a filmmaker who helps tell the stories of seven elders dramatically affected by their experiences in residential school.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

TV newsman Tim Russert dies of heart attack

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tim Russert, the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" and the American network's Washington bureau chief, died on Friday of a heart attack, NBC said. He was 58.

The MSNBC cable network interrupted its programming for a special report by former anchorman Tom Brokaw who said Russert collapsed and died at work in NBC's Washington bureau after returning from a trip to Italy with his family.

"This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice," Brokaw said. He called Russert a beloved colleague and said his late colleague loved the 2008 political campaign, working to the point of exhaustion week after week.

Russert, who took over "Meet the Press" in 1991 and oversaw a rise in the Sunday program's popularity, was known for both tough questioning of American political figures and a cheerful television persona.

He was also political analyst for "NBC Nightly News" and the "Today" Program, and anchored "The Tim Russert Show," a weekly interview program on CNBC cable-TV channel.

New U2 Album Could Arrive By October

U2 manager Paul McGuinness, in an interview this week with BBC 6 Music, suggested that a new album from the band could be just around the corner.

McGuinness said that the exact release date for a new release was "not clear yet but I would think towards the end of October."

He added, "We will obviously work with whatever technology is available to make the release of the new record as interesting as possible."

Plant, Krauss 'In No Hurry' To End Collaboration

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss are hoping to turn their platinum-certified, Grammy Award-winning "Raising Sand" into a going concern.

"I'm in no hurry to go anywhere," Plant told Billboard.com during a teleconference with reporters today (June 12). "I want to stay very close. This is a font of knowledge, and I'm sticking as close to it as I can."

Krauss concurred, "we're all having a wonderful time, and I hope and I think all three of us are hoping to continue this and that it go on and on." But she added that the duo's association shouldn't bring the curtain down on any of their other projects.

"That doesn't mean we've lost any love for who we've played for and play with," she said. "The guys in Union Station, that's like home. So I hope to continue this and go back home, too."

And while no firm plans are in motion yet for a "Raising Sand" sequel, producer T-Bone Burnett, who's also the musical director for the current Plant-Krauss concert tour, said in a separate conversation that he hopes to get another shot at the collaboration.

"I feel like we're just starting to know what we can do with it," Burnett said. "The two of them are so incredibly good that I would hate to not continue to work with both of them."

For the moment, Plant and Krauss are definitely working together through July 19, when the tour wraps up in Nashville (they also stop at the Bonnaroo Music Festival on Sunday). And both said that they're enjoying the opportunity to expand and enhance their musical partnership on the road.

"I'm surprised at the varying of the performances show to show," Krauss said. "Because of the personalities within the band, it has changed the show night to night, not only the show overall but each tune takes on a different character. Everything has its own identity from night to that. That's very exciting for all of us."

Plant, meanwhile, says performing the album's rootsy music, as well as revamped versions of some Led Zeppelin songs, live has "become quite an illumination, really. What has been created with the chemistry between the three of us has its down kind of genre, really. I'm a very fortunate man. I couldn't wish for anything better than this."

Newman dismisses cancer rumor

"Newman says he's doing nicely."

With that statement from his spokesman, screen icon Paul Newman employed his characteristic laid-back style to brush off reports that he is ailing with cancer.

The 83-year-old star of The Sting and Cool Hand Luke has appeared gaunt in recent photographs. Then on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that A.E. Hotchner, who partnered with Newman to start Newman's Own food company in the 1980s, confirmed that the actor had been fighting cancer.

But Hotchner later told Access Hollywood he didn't know anything for sure.

The actor's spokesman, Jeff Sanderson, deliverer of the "doing nicely" statement, would not elaborate on the remark Wednesday or comment on Hotchner's statements.

Fans posted messages on blogs and in the comments section of news stories, offering prayers and well-wishes for the actor, whatever his health status.

Shawn Levy, who covers film for The (Portland) Oregonian and is working on a Newman biography, says rumors of illness have been circulating since the beginning of the year but are only now gathering mass attention. He notes a previous dismissal of the cancer rumor: Newman's statement joked that he was being treated "for athlete's foot and hair loss."

Seeing photos of an aged Newman can be startling to fans, he points out. "People forget. Even though the number 83 is staring them in the face, they think of Newman as younger than he is. We think of him as a 1960s guy because of Butch Cassidy and Cool Hand Luke, but he was in his 40s when those came out."

But for a man in his 80s, Newman has been very active, Levy says. "We're talking about this guy like he's dying, but last year at 82, he finished fourth place in a car race in Watkins Glen, N.Y."

Feeling the "Love": Mike Myers and Friends at "The Love Guru" Premiere

Los Angeles - "The Love Guru" brought the crowds out to Grauman's Chinese Theater on Wednesday night, June 11, as Mike Myers premiered his latest comedy to the delight of a gaggle of fans. Was it Myers that drew the hordes of fans to Hollywood's famed movie palace, or was Justin Timberlake, Myers' co-star in the silly spiritual comedy, the big draw? As Justin mugged with his adoring fans, Mike greeted the other stars of his film (he wrote and produced the movie, which marks his first new character creation since Austin Powers), including Verne Troyer, Meagan Good, Telma Hopkins, Romany Malco, director Marco Schnabel, and fans Mariska Hargitay, Tila Tequila, and Joanne Garcia. Jessica Alba also stars, but she stayed home with her brand-new baby girl, born June 7.

"The Love Guru" tells the tale of Guru Pitka, an American raised by Indian gurus who returns to the U. S. to begin a self-help business. His first challenge is to help a pro hockey player get back on track; that plot line explains why Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood made the red-carpet trek with the Stanley Cup in tow at the premiere. Leave it to Myers, a lifelong hockey fanatic, to incorporate his passion for the game into his flick.

The actor, who spoke to reporters earlier in the week about the new film, revealed that "The Love Guru" actually came from the same source as his "Austin Powers" movies.

"My father passed away in 1991," Myers recalled. "Two things emerged from that creatively. One of those was 'Austin Powers'. That was a tribute to my father and all the British comedy that he'd introduced to me during his lifetime and my lifetime and the other thing that emerged was the Guru Pitka. In 1994 I did a stage show where I did five characters. I did Austin Powers for the first time. I did the Guru Pitka for the first time too. The Guru Pitka was me kind of dealing with his death."

But don't get him wrong; "The Love Guru" is definitely a comedy, not a drama.

"My father always used to say that nothing is so painful that it can't be laughed at," Myers grinned. "I do very silly movies and in the Venn diagram of life I don't know where creativity and philosophy and science, spirituality, I don't know where they quite merge. But I hope that this movie is a nice fun delivery system of some ideas that actually mean a lot to me."

Hulk, Shyamalan seek second chance at the movies

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - This weekend's lineup at the U.S. box office might well be called a showdown between two Hollywood second-chances -- a remake of a superhero flop and a new film from an acclaimed director whose last movie bombed.

But if early reviews are any indication, the hands-down favorite to dominate megaplexes heading into the seventh week of the lucrative summer movie season is "The Incredible Hulk," a revival of the oversized green brute Marvel Studios first brought to theaters in 2003.

Critics say the new version, emphasizing action over introspection, is markedly superior to the brooding "Hulk" forerunner that got off to a strong commercial start but quickly fizzled as comic book fans found it lacking.

Reviews are less than kind to the only other wide release this coming weekend, "The Happening," the first offering from filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan since his "Lady in the Water" drew critical sneers and sputtered at box offices in 2006.

Still, industry watchers say Shyamalan, whose 1999 sleeper hit "The Sixth Sense" made him a filmmaking sensation, will likely give the Hulk a run for his money with his latest thriller about the outbreak of a mysterious plague.

"There's a lot of interest in this weekend because these two films have a lot to prove for very different reasons," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office tracking service Media By Numbers.

Much is at stake for Marvel, which is seeking to build on the recent blockbuster success of "Iron Man" with what it calls a "re-boot" of another one of its most popular superhero characters, the Hulk.

BIG BUCKS AT STAKE

The movie is believed to have cost upward of $150 million to make with a marketing budget approaching $100 million. And the focus has been "differentiating this film from the first," said Adam Fogelson, Universal's head of marketing.

"It was about knowing ... that there would be many eyebrows raised and many questions asked about why you would make a sequel to a movie that many people didn't like," he said.

Like the original directed by Ang Lee, the new incarnation from French filmmaker Louis Leterrier mixes a computer-animated Hulk with real actors playing other characters.

Edward Norton stars as the former scientist Bruce Banner who turns into the green man-beast whenever he loses his temper. Critics say the new film stays truer to the comic book character and to the 1970s hit TV series it spawned, favoring adventure over psychological conflict.

"Hulk" marks only the second fully self-financed production from Marvel Studios, which paid General Electric Co's Universal Pictures a fee to market and distribute the film. Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc, released "Iron Man" for Marvel.

The first "Hulk," a Marvel co-production with Universal, grossed a hefty $62 million domestically its first weekend but dropped off quickly after that.

Dergarabedian said the remake should top the original, making it likely to beat "The Happening," from News Corp's 20th Century Fox, as the No. 1 film this weekend.

Shyamalan's five previous wide-release films grossed opening weekend tallies ranging from $18 million for "Lady in the Water" two years ago to $60 million for "Signs" in 2002.

But "Happening" is his first to receive an R-rating in the United States, which limits admissions to moviegoers 17 and older unless accompanied by an adult.

Still, Dergarabedian said no one should count Shyamalan out, given the curiosity that usually accompanies his work.

Albert Brooks is high on his `Weeds' role

LOS ANGELES - Albert Brooks' mordant on-screen neuroticism has lifted his films and characters to comedic heights, with "Defending Your Life," "Lost in America" and his Oscar-nominated turn in "Broadcast News" among the prime examples.

But it's difficult to find evidence of personal torment during an interview prompted by Brooks' guest role on Showtime's "Weeds." He's relaxed, congenial and wears no furrowed brow, looking younger than any true worrywart has a right to.

"I'll be honest with you," offers Brooks, 60, in that familiar, rhythmically whiny cadence that can presage a riff, or a meltdown. "I've always felt that the word `neurotic' was really `Jew.' ... It's a legal way of saying, `That Jew over there,'" he said, with a mild chuckle.

He's on a roll: "I thought of it years ago, when someone said, `You dirty neurotic. Get the hell out of here.' Then there was the sign at the Los Angeles Country Club: `No neurotics allowed.' I knew what that meant."

Brooks, who is Jewish, is busting up now and it's impossible not to do the same. He's an ex-comic who still revels in leaving 'em laughing, even when he's got an audience of one.

Brooks' reputation, as recently and lovingly detailed in "Comedy at the Edge," Richard Zoglin's book on groundbreaking 1970s comedians, is of a brilliant standup whose departure from the field left a void.

It's a talent Brooks acknowledges but when he pursued to get what he really wanted. Watch "Weeds," which features him in a four-episode arc starting with Monday's season premiere (10 p.m. EDT), and you see where his heart lies.

An actor, he says, "is all I wanted to be."

"Weeds" marks Brooks' first return to series TV since he made short films for the inaugural 1975-76 season of "Saturday Night Live," excepting a handful of voice-over turns on "The Simpsons." (He also had voice roles in "The Simpsons" movie and in "Finding Nemo.")

As Lenny Botwin, father-in-law of single mom and pot merchant Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker), Brooks is a key part of the drama's relocation from suburbia to the fictional Southern California border town of Ren Mar.

His work on "Weeds" was as satisfying as being in a fine independent film, Brooks said. He's a fan of the show's writing and the cast, especially Parker ("at the top of her game; everything she does is interesting") and Justin Kirk, who plays brother-in-law Andy Botwin.

And, he said, the role of the grizzled Lenny was a welcome change.

"He's not the part I normally play," he says. "He's a gambler, a guy who never made anything of his life and hates his son. He's a fusty curmudgeon. If you isolated the part and said, `Is this going to be a movie, or on Showtime?' it doesn't matter because the part is great."

He'd like to find such roles on the big screen as well, but current fare doesn't lend itself to that possibility. Studios are too busy cultivating projects that pass what Brooks calls the "14-year-old/Korea test."

"This is a generalization, because there are always good movies that pop up, but for the most part movies need to appeal to very young people and to foreign people, and that's not a dynamite combination for smart, intellectual comedy," he said.

Which is exactly what writer-director Brooks traffics in; not blockbusters but films with distinctly singular themes that have the added bonus of showcasing familiar actors in new, sometimes startling ways (think Debbie Reynolds as the overbearing parent in 1996's "Mother").

Besides 1991's "Defending Your Life," in which he and Meryl Streep explore a Brooksian vision of the afterlife, and 1985's "Lost in America," a skewering of yuppiedom, there's his latest, "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World" (2005).

His big-screen directorial debut was 1979's "Real Life," a prescient take on then-nascent reality TV — PBS, of all things, was the groundbreaker in 1973 with its "An American Family" documentary series. In "Real Life," a filmmaker (played by Brooks, who wrote the script with Harry Shearer and Monica Johnson) persuades a family to let him record their daily life and ends up a home-wrecker, literally; he burns their house down for a big finish.

His movies often tap into the zeitgeist or even foreshadow it, and his comedy was the same. One Brooks routine recounted in Zoglin's book is "Rewriting the National Anthem," in which open auditions are held for average Americans to warble their proposed replacement.

"American Idol" come to mind?

"I was friends with (singer-songwriter) Harry Nilsson, who said the job of the artist is to get way ahead and sort of scout," Brooks said. "It's like Davy Crockett."

"Not all entertainment does that," he continued. "And, by the way, the entertainment that makes the most money is entertainment that doesn't do that. Somebody said to me, `You're always ahead of your time.' I said, `Go to the bank. There's no window there for that.'"

His next film project?

"I'm going to think of something done 10 years ago," he jokes.

Brooks said he enjoys the luxury of working in a movie without being responsible for it as a director. But the pull of a story idea, once born, often won't let go. He turned down "Big" after his "Broadcast News" role because "Defending Your Life" had begun gestating.

He admits to routinely letting obsession take hold.

"So much so that when my wife and I bought a new mattress a number of years ago — and I'm not proud of this — but I think I knew more about mattresses than the guys at Sit 'n Sleep," Brooks said. "I went to a mattress store and in four minutes the salesman was afraid of me."

The comic patter flows so easily in conversation it provokes the idea that he might someday want to give standup another try. He abruptly exited the game in the mid-'70s, with his many appearances on Johnny Carson's "Tonight" show and two comedy albums, "Comedy Minus One" from 1973 and "A Star Is Bought" from 1975, serving as evidence of his artistry.

Turns out that his buddy, Richard Lewis, has suggested that Brooks stroll in sometime and share one of Lewis' gigs.

But Lewis "is another guy more worried about life than I am," Brooks said, then imagines how their pairing would be billed: "Spend an extra-neurotic evening. Or, as we call them, Orthodox neurotics!"

Sean Connery to unveil autobiography at festival

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Sean Connery is set to shake and stir this year's Edinburgh Book Festival by unveiling an autobiography on his 78th birthday.

The Scottish actor who defined the role of British secret agent James Bond and his literary collaborator, film maker Murray Grigor, discuss the book at the festival on August 25, organizers said on Thursday.

Connery, a passionate Scottish nationalist who has sworn not to live in his home country until it is independent, has titled his memoirs "Being a Scot."

As the book festival celebrates its 25th anniversary, director Catherine Lockerbie told Reuters she had been keeping an eye on Connery's autobiography through its various incarnations.

Edinburgh-born, Connery once delivered milk in the city and posed as a model at the College of Art before hitting the big time.

"His book obviously had to be launched with us," Lockerbie said.

BIGGEST IN THE WORLD

The literary feast, with a record 800 authors participating in 750 events from August 9-25, runs alongside the international arts festival, the anarchic fringe and a series of exhibitions in the biggest annual celebration of its kind in the world.

Connery's appearance also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ian Fleming, creator of British superspy James Bond, otherwise known as agent 007.

Author and comedian Charlie Higson will launch the fifth and final episode of his successful Young Bond series, while the authorized biography of Fleming, "For Your Eyes Only," will feature at the festival.

Lockerbie has sought to attract authors from around the world.

Focus on China brings writers from the world's most populous nation, while themes on the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel and fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq are covered in the festival's "East and West" and "War and Terror" series.

Lockerbie said the international aspect was key to the festival.

"I have been steadily working to increase the number of nations and cultures represented ... I think there's a strange disjunction between a globalize, homogenized, shrinking world, in one respect, and the fact that we still don't understand other cultures, points of view.

"And it seems to me that with the arts in general, and literature in particular, is a key vehicle for understanding, and that's been a mission of mine."

Tickets can be booked online at www.edbookfest.co.uk.

Heigl says no thanks, Emmy, it's undeserved

LOS ANGELES - Katherine Heigl won't be chewing her manicure at this year's Emmy ceremony: She says she didn't seek a nomination because "Grey's Anatomy" failed to deliver the goods for an award-worthy performance.

Heigl, who was honored as best supporting actress in a drama last year for the ABC series, declined to put her name in consideration for a bid, a spokeswoman for the actress said Wednesday.

"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization" decided against competing, Heigl said in a written statement provided by her publicist, Melissa Kates, who was contacted by the AP.

"In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials," added Heigl. She plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on "Grey's Anatomy," which slipped in the ratings this past season but remained a top 10 show.

An after-hours message left with a publicist for "Grey's Anatomy" creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes was not immediately returned Wednesday night.

Heigl, who shot to box-office success last summer with the comedy "Knocked Up," has established herself as one of Hollywood's rare voices of candor.

In a Vanity Fair magazine interview published in January, she called the hit film "a little sexist" and said that it painted women as "shrews, as humorless and uptight," while the male characters were lovable and goofy.

Heigl also was outspoken when "Grey's" castmates Isaiah Washington and T.R. Knight clashed last year over Washington's alleged use of a homophobic slur.

"I'm going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period," Heigl said at one point of Washington, who ended up being booted from the medical drama.

Nominations for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced July 17. The ceremony is Sept. 21.

AP Exclusive: Newman friend says actor has cancer

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Paul Newman, the legendary actor and philanthropist, is battling cancer, his longtime neighbor and business partner said Wednesday. Newman, 83, has recently appeared gaunt in photos, and dropped plans to direct a play in his Connecticut hometown.

Writer A.E. Hotchner, who partnered with Newman to start Newman's Own salad dressing company in the 1980s, said the actor told him about the disease about 18 months ago. He did not specify what kind of cancer, but said Newman is in active treatment.

"I know that it's a form of cancer," Hotchner told The Associated Press. "It's a form of cancer and he's dealing with it."

Newman issued a statement late Tuesday that he's "doing nicely" but didn't specifically address questions about cancer. A call was placed to his spokesman Wednesday seeking comment.

The Oscar winner appeared to have lost weight when he was photographed during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race last month. Martha Stewart, in an entry dated June 6, posted a photo on her blog of herself with the actor, who looked thin, at a luncheon to benefit the Hole in the Wall Gang camps for critically ill children. (The Hole in the Wall Gang was led by Newman's affable outlaw character, Butch, in the 1969 film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.")

Newman won an Oscar for his leading role in 1986's "The Color of Money." His screen credits also include "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke," "The Verdict" and "Road to Perdition."

Hotchner said Newman had an operation a few years ago. "It was certainly somewhere in the area of the lung," he said.

"He's battling," Hotchner said. "He's doing all the right stuff. Paul is a fighter. He seems to be going through a good period right now."

Asked about his prognosis, Hotchner said, "Everybody is hopeful. That's all we know."

In 1982, Hotchner and Newman started a company to market Newman's original oil-and-vinegar dressing. Newman's Own, which began as a joke, grew into a multimillion-dollar business selling popcorn, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce and other foods. All the company's profits are donated to charities. By 2007, the company had donated more than $200 million, according to its Web site.

Last month, officials at Connecticut's Westport Country Playhouse cited unspecified health issues when they announced that Newman would not direct "Of Mice and Men" this fall.

Newman lives in Westport with his wife, Joanne Woodward.

Two friends said Tuesday that Newman appeared to be doing well.

"I think he's feeling quite well," said actor James Naughton, who spoke to Newman on Monday night. "As far as I can tell he's doing very well."

Newman had an infection over the winter, but seems to have that under control, Naughton said. He was lively at this month's Hole in the Wall Gang camp fundraiser, he said.

Michael Brockman, Newman's racing team partner, said Newman told him recently that he wants to get back into his race car for a test run and possibly another competition. His last race was last fall, he said.

"I think he's doing better than he was," Brockman said, noting that Newman had regained most of the weight he had lost.

"I think he looks great," said Brockman, who saw Newman last weekend. "I wish I looked that good."

Brockman called Newman "one of the best guys I ever met."

"He's just a regular guy," Brockman said. "He's humble."

Myers starstruck meeting Leafs

TORONTO - Rabid hockey fan Mike Myers says he was "star-struck" and "tongue twisty" when it came to shooting a scene for "The Love Guru" at the Air Canada Centre with his beloved Maple Leafs

"This is a Canadian boy's dream come true," Myers said during a recent conference call to promote the film, in which he plays a self-help guru trying to lift the Leafs' spirits so they can win their first Stanley Cup since 1967.

Myers's character, Guru Pitka, is a fame-hungry spiritual leader recruited by a fictional Leafs owner (played by Jessica Alba) to help her star player repair his relationship with his wife so the team can improve morale.

Pop star Justin Timberlake plays the L.A. Kings goalie who has stolen the heart of said wife.

Myers says he first thought of his guru character after embarking on his own spiritual quest following his father's death in 1991.

Giving the film a hockey slant was the actor's way of imagining something he may never see again in his lifetime, he said jokingly.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and I thought the only way I'll probably see a Stanley Cup in my lifetime is if I write it," said Myers, who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, where he played street hockey, took power skating lessons and worshipped "hockey gods."

So what does he think it will take for the team to achieve the ultimate victory once again?

"We need two good centres, we need somebody who can captain the power play from the point and we need two goalies that peak at the same time, that much I do know," said the "Shrek" star.

"We need to instil in the team a one-for-all and all-for-one, 16W (playoff wins) mentality."

The Emmy winner also wants Leafs captain Mats Sundin, who is weighing his options for next season, to stick around.

"They should do everything in their power to keep him," said Myers. "I am a massive Mats Sundin fan. He's a great player, a great Leaf and a great guy."

Rob Blake, the L.A. Kings captain and Simcoe, Ont., native, impressed Myers with his acting abilities while shooting "The Love Guru" at the Air Canada Centre during a pre-season Leafs game last September.

"He knocked it out of the park, he did such a great job," said Myers, who was nearly speechless during the experience.

"I revert, I become like an eight-year-old," he said of his reaction to being amongst the players. "When they were around I just got quiet."

"The Love Guru" opens in theatres on June 20.

Production Issues To Delay Coldplay Tour

Coldplay has been forced to postpone the start of its North American tour by two weeks due to unspecified "production delays which mean that the show simply won't be ready" for its planned June 29 kick-off in Philadelphia.

The itinerary will now begin July 14-15 in Los Angeles; it was to close Aug. 4 in Chicago but will instead wrap that day in Boston. Tickets for the scrapped dates will be valid for the new ones, but refunds are also available at points of purchase. For an updated itinerary, visit the band's Web site.

Coldplay's previously announced free shows in London (June 16), Barcelona (June 17) and New York (June 23) will go on as planned, as will a July 27 at the first Pemberton Festival in British Columbia.

Following the conclusion of the first North American leg, the group has international touring on tap through early October, after which it begins another round of North American dates. In 2009, Coldplay will play European stadiums and might even play such venues in North America next year "if we can do the business," manager Dave Holmes tells Billboard.

The band's fourth album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," will be released June 16 internationally via Parlophone/EMI and a day later in North America via Capitol. First single "Viva La Vida" last week became the biggest hit of Coldplay's career by jumping 10-3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Book from `Sex and the City' film doesn't exist

NEW YORK - A consumer alert for the millions who have seen the "Sex and the City" movie: There is no such book as "Love Letters of Great Men," which Carrie Bradshaw reads while in bed with Mr. Big.

The closest text in the real world apparently is "Love Letters of Great Men and Women: From the Eighteenth Century to the Present Day," first released in the 1920s and reissued last year by Kessinger Publishing, which specializes in bringing back old works.

Richard Davies, press manager for AbeBooks.com, an online seller that features used titles, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he has received hundreds of queries about the book's existence.

Enough readers have been directed to the Kessinger anthology, on AbeBooks and elsewhere on the Internet, that it ranked No. 134 on Amazon.com on Tuesday afternoon.

In "Sex and the City," an early scene shows Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) poring over the imaginary collection, although citing real letters by Beethoven and Napoleon among others. Big (Chris Noth) later takes passages from the book as he expresses his love, by e-mail, to Carrie.

Crowe to direct Stiller, Witherspoon

Cameron Crowe is set to direct Ben Stiller and Reese Witherspoon in an untitled romantic comedy.

And that's all that anybody knows.

According to Variety, Columbia Pictures beat four rival studios for the film, which will be produced by Scott Rudin.

The only other hint offered in the trade paper is that the project, which Crowe will write, direct and produced, is contemporary. That shouldn't be surprising for the director of "Say Anything" and "Jerry Maguire," though Crowe won an Oscar for mining his own past in "Almost Famous."

This will be Crowe's first feature since 2005's "Elizabethtown" failed to generate either box office or warm reviews.

Stiller is currently finishing work on "Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian." He can next be seen in the August comedy "Tropic Thunder."

For her part, Witherspoon was last seen by a few people in "Penelope" and "Rendition." The "Walk the Line" Oscar winner has "Four Christmases," co-starring Vince Vaughn, opening later this year.

Sony Captures 'Smurfs' For the Big Screen

With a combination of live-action and animation, the Smurfs are about to come to life on the big screen.

Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation have acquired film rights to the blue mushroom dwellers from Lafig Belgium. Jordan Kerner ("Charlotte's Web") is producing and "Shrek 2" and "Shrek the Third" screenwriters David Stem and David Weiss are in negotiations to write.

While most Americans became aware of the Smurfs when they starred in a Hanna-Barbera series that premiered in 1981, Belgian cartoonist Peyo actually introduced European audiences to the characters as far back as 1958.

In the animated series (and the comic), the peaceful and mostly industrious Smurfs were terrorized by the evil Gargamel, who wanted the three-apple-high critters for a variety of nefarious purposes.

"The Smurfs are one of the best-known franchises and among the most beloved collection of characters in the world," says Columbia President Doug Belgrad. "These classic characters have entertained millions of people and several generations all over the world for more than half a century. We're very excited to introduce a new generation to Papa Smurf, Smurfette and the other Smurfs in all of their 'three apple tall' glory."

The Hanna-Barbera cartoon ran for 256 episodes.

Sony's president of digital production Bob Osher adds, "Through Animation and Imageworks, our visual effects and character animation studio, we have an extraordinary capability to mix animation and live action having created a number of fully-realized CG characters in live action films from Stuart Little to Spider-Man 3. We couldn't be more delighted or excited about working together on The Smurfs motion picture."

Sony's official announcement of the project coincides with the company's licensing effort build around classic Smurf characters at this year's Licensing Show beginning today in New York.

CTV purchases The Hockey Theme

CTV Inc. has acquired the rights to The Hockey Theme in perpetuity, the network announced Monday.

The agreement was reached with Copyright Music & Visuals, which was unable to renew a deal with CBC Sports.

CBC Sports executive director Scott Moore said he was disappointed but not surprised the song was shopped elsewhere.

"The two sides were so far apart and there was so much bad blood that we knew a deal would be difficult," he said. "The reality is it takes two sides to do a deal and we tried everything we could to do a deal.

"We offered arbitration, mediation — we offered to meet their price. On Friday, when it came right down to it, we never got a response from them on our latest offer and find out, in the meantime, they appeared to be negotiating with CTV."

Moore said CBC had negotiated for 14 months but to no avail, and that the agency was asking for $2.5 million to $3 million for use in perpetuity.

"If they got that from CTV, we would never have been able to get there," Moore told CBC Newsworld. "It is not a responsible price for us.

"If that is the price CTV wants to pay, it won't be the first time nor will it be the last time, probably, that they outbid us for something. They have a lot more profits than we do."

The song had been used on Hockey Night in Canada since 1968.

"Hockey is a game, it's not a song," Moore said. "We have the No. 1 sports property in Canada.

"I don't expect one less viewer to tune in on Saturday to watch Hockey Night in Canada. They will continue to watch their favourite team."

According to a release, CTV said it agreed to a deal with Copyright Music & Visuals after Friday's deadline with CBC passed.

The agency represents the song's composer, Dolores Claman, who was born in Vancouver.

"The song has a long and storied history in Canadian sports, and has become ingrained in the hearts and minds of hockey fans across the country. It is an iconic tune, embraced by Canadians everywhere, and we felt it was imperative to save it," said Rick Brace of CTV Inc.

Moore said he was surprised a rival network would purchase something so inextricably linked to the Hockey Night brand.

"It's a constant commercial for our network," he said.

Lawsuit complicated negotiations

Earlier on Monday, CBC Sports had said it planned to bring in noted sports and entertainment lawyer Gord Kirke in a last-ditch effort to bring about a mediated resolution.

Complicating the bid for a settlement was an outstanding lawsuit filed against the CBC in late 2004 surrounding its use for ringtones and downloads.

Moore said CBC wanted to resolve that issue along with the song's future use, but that representatives for Claman wanted to keep them separate.

Claman, 80, has written about 2,000 jingles over her career, including the Ontario theme A Place to Stand, which she co-wrote with her husband, Richard Morris.

"I am very moved by how so many Canadians have taken the hockey theme to heart. We are so pleased the song has found a new home," said Claman, who now resides in Britain.

Before Kirke's involvement was announced, CBC Sports announced plans to launch a new national contest in conjunction with Nettwerk Music Group to find a new theme song.

Canadians will be invited to write and record an original song for Hockey Night in Canada, with fans and a jury of experts to choose the best new composition.

"I think it'll help us get a new demographic," Moore said. "The theme that we had was a great theme. [But] it was 39 years old. Maybe it's time for something else."

The son of Stompin' Tom Connors said Monday his father is open to licensing his famed hockey song to CBC as a replacement.

"If they want to use The Hockey Song, it's a good song, whether Tom sings it or not," Tom Connors Jr. said. "There's other versions out there.

"Even if they wanted to commission some other band, like a big [name] band if they wanted to do more of a Hockey Night theme, everything is open for negotiations, of course. That's the business we're in."

New CD Releases, June 10: Alanis Morissette, My Morning Jacket, and Lil Wayne

Alanis Morissette "Flavors of Entanglement"

You oughta know--at least if you're a big fan--that Alanis Morissette is ready to deliver her seventh studio record, which follows 2004's "So-Called Chaos."

Morissette has certainly kept busy in recent years. In addition to recording and touring--including a co-headlining stint with Matchbox Twenty--the vocalist has collaborated with the likes of Ringo Starr, the Dave Matthews Band and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Last year, her YouTube parody/cover of the Black Eyed Peas' hit "My Humps" was one of the top downloads of '07, according to a press release; the video has been viewed more than 12 million times.

* * *
My Morning Jacket "Evil Urges"

The psychedelic-tinged alt-rockers return with their fifth studio album. This time around, however, the band is reportedly adding some new twists to its already popular mix.

My Morning Jacket has dosed its regular lava lamp-friendly Southern rock sound with funky beats and synthesizers on "Evil Urges," a work that follows the 2005 studio effort "Z" and the 2006 live album "Okonokos."

As expected, these road warriors, acclaimed for delivering wild rides on the concert stage, will support "Evil Urges" on tour. After performing at Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival on June 13, the band will crisscross North America through mid-October.

* * *
Lil Wayne "Tha Carter III"

The troubled rap star, who tangled with the law earlier this year when drugs and a handgun were allegedly discovered on his tour bus, will now attempt to garner some positive headlines for his musical endeavors.

To help accomplish that feat, Lil Wayne is releasing "Tha Carter III," the third and final album in the so-called "Tha Carter" trilogy. The disc boasts an impressive lineup of guest contributors and producers, including Kanye West, The Alchemist, Cool & Dre and others.

The man born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. is currently in the midst of an 11-city swing in support of "Tha Carter III." The trek will wind up with a June 28 date in Sunrise, FL.

* * *
Emmylou Harris "All I Intended to Be"

The country/bluegrass vet is set to drop her second offering on the Nonesuch imprint. "All I Intended to Be" follows last year's five-disc career retrospective, "Songbird: Rare Tracks and Forgotten Gems," which features previously unreleased material, demos, studio tracks and collaborations, as well as 2006's "All the Roadrunning" with Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler.

Having already toured this year with Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller on the "3 Girls & Their Buddy" trek, Harris is now conducting her own headlining tour. The outing is currently scheduled to run through a July 31 date in San Diego, CA.

* * *
N.E.R.D. "Seeing Sounds"

The hip-hop troupe, which features Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, returns with a follow-up to 2004's "Fly Or Die." N.E.R.D. is currently supporting "Seeing Sounds" on the road as part of a Kanye West-led super-bill that also includes Rihanna and Lupe Fiasco.

* * *
More new releases:
Priscilla Ahn, "A Good Day" (Blue Note)
Walter Becker, "Circus Money" (Mailboat)
Gene Clark, "Silverado '75-Live & Unreleased" (Collector's Choice)
DJ Tiësto, "In Search of Sunrise, Vol. 7" (Black Hole)
Jakob Dylan, "Seeing Things" (Sony)
The Fratellis, "Here We Stand" (Interscope)
James Hunter, "The Hard Way" (Hear Music)
Jethro Tull, "This Was" (Capitol)
Montgomery Gentry, "Back When I Knew It All" (Sony)
Plies, "Definition of Real" (Atlantic)
Martha Wainwright, "I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too" (Zoe)
Cassandra Wilson, "Loverly" (Blue Note)
Dan Zanes, "Nueva York!" (Festival Five)

Soundtracks and scores:
"The Incredible Hulk" (Marvel)

It's presto, change-o as new iPhone is unveiled

LOS ANGELES — Wouldn't it be cool if you could use your cellphone to monitor activities in your home, say, to zoom in for an audio/video check of the baby's room while you were at work, or even adjust the heat?

Or how about going to a theme park and checking your phone to discover if other friends are there, and arrange a meeting place?

Consumers and reviewers alike gushed about its compact, futuristic design and sensitive touch-screen. But even its biggest fans have had one persistent chief complaint: The iPhone's Internet network from partner AT&T was too slow.

So get ready for iPhone 2.0: On Monday Apple (AAPL) is widely expected to introduce a zippier version that will operate on both a faster AT&T network, and speedier networks internationally. The price also will rock: $199, according to people with knowledge of the matter, down from the current $399 and $499.

Sources declined to be cited by name or affiliation because Apple and AT&T haven't authorized anybody to speak publicly about pricing until after Monday's announcement. The $199 price is being subsidized, though USA TODAY could not confirm details.

According to sources, the new Apple device will be available in Apple and AT&T stores beginning this summer.

For consumers, the shift to 3G will be akin to going "from dial-up to broadband," says Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray.

A new iPhone could go a long way toward fulfilling Apple CEO Steve Jobs' prediction that he'd sell 10 million iPhones in its first 18 months. So far, Apple has sold just over 5 million phones. Analysts who follow the company think a lower price and new international markets make it a sure bet that another 5 million will be snapped up this year.

Apple stopped taking orders for the iPhone in May, presumably to make way for the new model. Sales could substantially beef up Apple's bottom line, Munster says. Apple reported revenue of $24.0 billion in 2007. Munster sees sales growing to $34 billion this year, and $46.9 billion in 2009, thanks to the iPhone.

Beyond the new hardware, the biggest buzz around the iPhone this week will be the new uses being dreamed up for it. The software add-ons have the potential to turn the iPhone into the pocket computer of the future, as essential, Apple hopes, as the keys in your pocket or purse.

The iPhone economy

Apple's sold-out Worldwide Developer's Conference in San Francisco is the setting for Monday's iPhone lovefest, where software developers will convene to hear about the new iPhone. They're eager to hear CEO Jobs talk about how they can participate in what independent analyst Richard Doherty calls the "iPhone economy."

Earlier this year, instead of controlling everything that went on the iPhone, Apple released what's called an SDK — for "software developer's kit" — a road map that allows programmers to create applications for the iPhone. The first of those outside programs is expected to be released Monday, and made available on the iPhone and iPod Touch — the iPod that's just like the iPhone, except without a phone.

"Opening the pot of gold to developers is as important as the iPhone itself," Doherty says.

Once Apple approves a piece of software from an independent developer, it provides distribution — via a new "App" store on the iPhone and iPod Touch — and takes a 30% cut of revenue. "This means that anyone, whether you're 14 years old or 40, if you're a large company with 300 employees or a guy in a garage, has access to Apple's customers," Doherty says. "You don't have to make a presentation to a series of different handset manufacturers or wireless carriers. This is unheard of in software."

Access to the iPhone App store means that "we have a way to reach millions of consumers," says Darren Vengroff, the co-founder of Pelago, which developed Whrrl, a social network application.

Whrrl takes the online review phenomenon and marries it to the iPhone. The idea is that if you're searching for a restaurant, with a few clicks you can see which ones your friends — who are also Whrrl members — recommend. Whrrl is currently available for two BlackBerry phones and the Nokia N95.

The iPhone App store will "get so much traffic," adds Paul Dawes, CEO of iControl Networks, another iPhone developer. "It's not random traffic, but consumers who are actively looking for our types of applications."

The iControl application is the aforementioned home-monitoring system, or as Dawes calls it, "next-generation home security." With iControl, a device is plugged into your home network and connects to security panels, webcams and home-automation devices, allowing the homeowner control away from home. You can keep up with the action while at work on your desktop, or with the iPhone out in the field.

The iControl monitoring system is sold via home-security companies and a monthly subscription, but the iPhone application will be available for free.

Video game company Sega, best known for the old Sonic the Hedgehog video game, wowed attendees at a March meeting for developers when it showed off the Super Monkey Ball game for the iPhone.

There's no joystick controller for the iPhone to move the characters from left to right, so developer Ethan Einhorn came up with a novel idea: Just move the phone up or down, left or right, and the characters respond to the movement.

"What's great for a company like ours is that Apple has already defined the iPhone as a place to acquire and enjoy entertainment," Sega's Einhorn says. "Video games are the next natural step."

Earlier this year, legendary Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (which had a role in funding Google, Amazon and AOL) started what it calls the "iFund," a $100 million pot looking to invest in iPhone application start-ups.

Kleiner Perkins invested in both iControl and Pelago, and is actively looking at 50 other start-ups, partner Matt Murphy says.

"We received about 2,000 proposals so far, and that's more than a factor of 20 of what we would have received from the general mobile sector," Murphy says. "What Apple has done is brought a lot of entrepreneurs off the sidelines. They feel 'open mobile' is here."

Historically, if you had an idea you wanted to sell to the mobile industry, you had to pay a visit to Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. All have huge customer bases, but their phones work on different wireless systems. This requires a programmer to construct the program in different ways.

Apple isn't the only company pushing open mobile. To great fanfare earlier this year, Google introduced "Android," which it describes as a new wireless operating system that can be used with multiple carriers.

Google has been shy about releasing much Android information, but says we'll see phones in the second half of the year.

Unlike Apple, which produces its phone and has AT&T as the wireless network customers have to work with in the USA, Google is reaching out to many. Wireless manufacturers HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung are all participating in Google's "Open Handset Alliance," along with carriers Sprint, T-Mobile and Japan's NTT DoCoMo.

A home run?

When the iPhone was released last year, eager consumers waited on line for days to get a crack at buying one of the first ones. A year later, Apple says it's sold over 5 million iPhones.

That pales in comparison with competitors. Windows Mobile, which provides software for phones from HTC, Samsung, Palm and others, says it will sell 20 million phones this year.

About 1 billion cellphones are sold every year. No. 1 manufacturer Nokia, for instance, sells more cellphones in a week than Apple has shipped to date. According to researcher Gartner, Nokia sold 435 million cellphones in 2007. Munster says the "real verdict" on the iPhone's success hasn't been reached. "The numbers are too small to call a home run."

Charles Golvin, an analyst at market tracker Forrester Research, says iPhone's impact has been felt by the entire wireless industry, which has been trying in vain for several years to sell lucrative add-on data plans.

"They have done a very poor job marketing these services," he says. "What Apple and the iPhone did was really communicate in a very simple way what the data plan could do for you. It's the Internet, but on your phone."

With a data plan, consumers pay an additional monthly charge — usually $15 to $25 — for access to the Internet on their phones, adding greatly to the carrier's bottom line.

Golvin says handset competitors such as LG, Sony Ericsson and Nokia are "really blatant" about how their new phones are clones of the iPhone. "The iPhone has raised awareness of what's possible."

British beauty Billie Piper is Showtime's Belle de Jour

LICKFOLK, England - On an early summer evening, Billie Piper is sitting in the back garden of a pub near her country home.

She's talking about sex and a city girl — the London-based professional escort Belle, whom she portrays in the Showtime series "Secret Diary of a Call Girl," premiering 10:30 p.m. EDT June 16.

"I was thinking it was quite racy for America," says Piper as she ponders just how the series will come across in the U.S.

In the United Kingdom, it aired last September and was blasted in the media for glamorizing prostitution.

"I thought it was a side to prostitution that we are not normally exposed to, and I thought there was a story worth telling there," Piper says in defense. "I kind of knew it was going to cause a bit of an uproar, especially because I was playing the part. People are always so used to me doing children's shows or family drama."

As a teenager, Piper became a star in England in 1998 with the chart-topping pop song "Because We Want To." And she has been a popular subject for the British tabloid press.

She was previously married at 18 to popular DJ Chris Evans. Now 25, she's married to Laurence Fox, who plays Detective James Hathaway in "Inspector Lewis," airing on PBS' "Masterpiece Mystery" beginning June 22 (9 p.m. EDT).

Piper and Fox married on New Year's Eve, about a year after meeting while acting together in the play "Treats," and they recently moved from London to the country.

Piper has had recurring roles in the popular sci-fi series "Doctor Who," and has starred in several British made-for-TV movies. Yet never has the actress revealed more of herself than in the sexy "Call Girl."

The series is based on the Belle de Jour blog, which was written by a young woman who enjoys being a sex worker yet pretends to family and friends she's just Hannah, a legal secretary.

Doubts have been raised about whether Belle really exists or whether the blog was simply the fictitious concoction of some clever minds.

However, Piper says: "I met her and she was quite a character and she was the most useful part of my research."

"I started asking really simple, mundane questions — like `What's your favorite song?' `What kind of films do you watch?' Often those very simple details can be really useful. They tell you a lot about the human side of things," says Piper, explaining that because Belle's way of life was "so far removed from anything I know, I had to make her more human in my head."

She also consulted several other professional escorts and went to their apartments "where all these intimate moments take place" to see "step by step, how it's done."

How it's done, of course, meant strong language and nudity. But Piper counters criticism by saying that's just part of the acting challenge of honestly portraying the lifestyle.

Showtime is running the eight half-hour episodes uncut as part of an hourlong block with the fourth season of the hit series "Weeds."

Undaunted by the media criticism, Piper has begun filming a second series as Belle, and a third series has been ordered. But she may soon need a body double, she says, because she's pregnant.

Jessica Alba gives birth to baby girl

LOS ANGELES - Add "baby guru" to Jessica Alba's resume.

The "Love Guru" co-star and her new husband, Cash Warren, are new parents, her publicist Brad Cafarelli said Monday in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

The 27-year-old actress gave birth to a healthy baby girl — Honor Marie Warren — on Saturday, Cafarelli said. He didn't provide further details.

Alba and Warren became engaged in late December following her announcement that she's expecting a baby with Warren, 31. They met on the set of the 2005 film "The Fantastic Four," which costarred Alba as the Invisible Woman and employed Warren as a director's assistant.

Outside of motherhood, this summer Alba joins Mike Myers in "The Love Guru" and will play a lingerie saleswoman who helps turn a loser's life around in "Meet Bill." Earlier this year, FHM readers magazine readers rated Alba the No. 3 sexiest woman alive (with "Transformers" star Megan Fox claiming the top spot).

What kind of mother will Alba be?

"I don't want to be my child's best friend," she recently told Fit Pregnancy magazine. "I want to be a mom. But I do want my child to come to me when they have problems and need to talk, so it's going to be about treading that line."

Alba's recently appeared in "Awake," "Good Luck Chuck" and "The Ten." She first gained fame as an action star on TV's "Dark Angel."

Charity run by Hathaway's boyfriend investigated

ALBANY, N.Y. - The state is investigating the charitable foundation of Anne Hathaway's boyfriend, a spokesman for the attorney general said Monday.

Italian businessman Raffaello Follieri, 29, who dates the "Devil Wears Prada" star, heads the Follieri Foundation, a charity whose work includes vaccinating children in Third World countries.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is heading the probe, Cuomo spokesman Matt Glazer said. He said he could not comment further on the ongoing investigation.

The Foundation has not filed IRS tax disclosure forms required from charities, according to a review of records by the Associated Press.

The New York Post, which first reported the investigation, said Hathaway was previously on the foundation's board of directors, but it was unclear when or for how long.

"There is an investigation going on that does not involve Anne," said Stephen Huvane, Hathaway's publicist, in an e-mail. "She is no longer a board member of the Follieri Foundation. Other than that we will not be commenting."

The number for a Follieri at his Manhattan apartment was disconnected.

AC/DC to sell new album through Wal-Mart: paper

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rock band AC/DC will sell its new album only through Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Sunday, citing unnamed sources .

The AC/DC album is expected to come out in the fall, the paper reported. Wal-Mart did not have an immediate comment.

'Panda' beats Sandler with $60 million weekend

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jack Black's Po the panda outgunned Adam Sandler's Zo the hairdresser. Black's cartoon comedy "Kung Fu Panda" pulled in $60 million in ticket sales to debut as the weekend's No. 1 movie, while Sandler's salon romp "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" opened in second place with $40 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The movies combined to carry Hollywood to a big weekend. The top 12 films took in $172.4 million, up 32 percent from the same weekend last year when "Ocean's Thirteen" led with a $36.1 million opening.

DreamWorks Animation's "Panda" and Sony's "Zohan" bumped off the previous weekend's leader, the Warner Bros. chick flick "Sex and the City," which slipped to fourth place with $21.3 million.

That was a steep 63 percent decline from its $56.8 million debut, but with a total of $99.3 million "Sex and the City" was just shy of $100 million hit status after only 10 days.

Paramount's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was No. 3 with $22.8 million, raising its three-week domestic total to $253 million.

Two strong weekends in a row enabled Hollywood to chip away at its box office deficit compared to 2007, a record year for revenues.

"This month offers the marketplace the opportunity to catch up with last year," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "Last year's June was not as strong as expected and this year's may be stronger, so we're definitely narrowing the gap in terms of revenue and attendance."

Receipts are at $3.8 billion this year, off 1.5 percent from 2007, while attendance is down 4.3 percent, according to Media By Numbers.

"Kung Fu Panda," distributed by Paramount for DreamWorks Animation, has Black providing the voice of the tubby Po, a panda in ancient China who becomes an unlikely martial-arts hero. The voice cast includes Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan.

While the movie played well to families with young children, moviegoers 17 and older made up 71 percent of the audience, according to Paramount.

"There was strong appeal for this movie in the tweens, teens and general audience beyond the core families and kids," said Anne Globe, head of marketing for DreamWorks. "Certainly, families and kids also showed up in droves, but we really have the opportunity to play as a broad comedy, too."

"Kung Fu Panda" had the best opening ever for a non-sequel cartoon flick from DreamWorks, topping such hits as "Shark Tale" and "Madagascar." Among DreamWorks animated releases, only the second and third "Shrek" movies did better.

"You Don't Mess With the Zohan" features Sandler as an Israeli commando who fakes his death so he can live out his dream to become a hair stylist in New York City. The movie came in on par with other comedies from Sandler, whose top four past openings range from "The Longest Yard" at $47.6 million to "Click" at $40 million.

"He's just in his zone. He's incredibly consistent," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony. "He's the guy that always is going to make you laugh."

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Kung Fu Panda," $60 million.
2. "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," $40 million.
3. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $22.8 million.
4. "Sex and the City," $21.3 million.
5. "The Strangers," $9.3 million.
6. "Iron Man," $7.5 million.
7. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," $5.5 million.
8. "What Happens in Vegas," $3.4 million.
9. "Baby Mama," $780,000
10. "Made Of Honor," $775,000.

Veteran sportscaster Jim McKay dies at 87

NEW YORK - Jim McKay, the venerable and eloquent sportscaster thrust into the role of telling Americans about the tragedy at the 1972 Munich Olympics, has died. He was 87.

McKay died Saturday of natural causes at his farm in Monkton, Md. The broadcaster who considered horse racing his favorite sport died only hours before Big Brown attempted to win a Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes.

He was host of ABC's influential "Wide World of Sports" for more than 40 years, starting in 1961. The weekend series introduced viewers to all manner of strange, compelling and far-flung sports events. The show provided an international reach long before exotic backdrops became a staple of sports television.

McKay — understated, dignified and with a clear eye for detail — also covered 12 Olympics, but none more memorably than the Summer Games in Munich, Germany. He was the anchor when events turned grim with the news that Palestinian terrorists kidnapped 11 Israeli athletes. It was left to McKay to tell Americans when a commando raid to rescue the athletes ended in tragedy.

"They're all gone," McKay said.

The terse, haunting comment was replayed many times through the years when the events of Munich were chronicled.

He won both a news and sports Emmy Award for his coverage of the Munich Olympics in addition to the prestigious George Polk award.

"In the long run, that's the most memorable single moment of my career," said McKay, an Emmy Award winning broadcaster who was also in the studio for the United States' "Miracle on Ice" victory over Russia. "I don't know what else would match that."

A veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II, McKay was the first on-air television broadcaster seen in Baltimore. He worked at CBS Sports briefly, but did his most memorable work at ABC Sports when it dominated the business under leader Roone Arledge.

"He had a remarkable career and a remarkable life," said Sean McManus, McKay's son and the president of CBS News and Sports. "Hardly a day goes by when someone doesn't come up to me and say how much they admired my father."

McKay was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy Award. He won 12, the last in 1988. ABC calculated that McKay traveled some 4 1/2 million miles to work events. He covered more than 100 different sports in 40 countries.

"There are no superlatives that can adequately honor Jim McKay," said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports. "He meant so much to so many people. He was a founding father of sports television, one of the most respected commentators in the history of broadcasting and journalism."

McKay's first television broadcast assignment was a horse race at Pimlico in 1947. It was the start of a love affair — horse racing captivated him like nothing else.

"There are few things in sport as exciting or beautiful as two strong thoroughbreds, neck and neck, charging toward the finish," he once said.

Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, worked with McKay for six years at ABC Sports.

"He was truly the most respected and admired sportscaster of his generation and defined how the stories of sports can and should be covered," he said in a statement. "While we all know what an absolute titan he was in his chosen field, I will always remember him as an extraordinary human being guided by a strong moral compass."

U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Peter Ueberroth said McKay set a standard for sports journalism.

"Jim is synonymous with the Olympic Games." he said. "As host of ABC's Olympic coverage, he brought into our homes the triumphs and struggles of athletes from around the world."

McKay left his mark on countless colleagues. Bob Costas called McKay a "singular broadcaster."

"He brought a reporter's eye, a literate touch, and above all a personal humanity to every assignment," Costas said. "He had a combination of qualities seldom seen in the history of the medium, not just sports."

Al Michaels described McKay as the "personification of class and style."

"His enthusiasm permeated every event he covered and thus always made it far more interesting," he said. "I always thought of him as a favorite teacher."

Mike Tirico, covering the NBA finals in Boston for ABC and ESPN, worked four British Opens with McKay. He said McKay held a special place in his household while growing up in Queens in New York.

"Dinner wasn't served on Saturday night until 'Wide World of Sports' was over," Tirico said.

The Couch Potato Report - June 7th, 2008

This week The Couch Potato Report peels two documentaries, two sports related films and The FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD returns!!!

When I first received this week's first release, or HOT POTATO, I wasn't sure what to make of it.

Was it a drama, a documentry? Did it play in theatres, or on TV? Who made it, was it Canadian?

THE WILD HORSE REDEMPTION was it's title, but I had not heard of it, and the DVD packaging wasn't very clear.

But now that I have seen it, I know - and can tell you - that it is a documentary that was a National Film Board/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation co-production.

I also know that it is a film that I can recommend to you!

THE WILD HORSE REDEMPTION takes place at a prison in an area of the desert near the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

At this prison hard-core criminals are given 90 days to tame and train mustang horses that have been corraled from the wild due to their over population..

Most of the inmates who volunteer for the program have never trained a horse before, ridden one, or even been near one before.

But maybe, just maybe, man and horse can work together to help each other find a better life.

The scenery in THE WILD HORSE REDEMPTION is beautiful to look at, the wild mustangs are an incredible sight to see, and the prisoners and guards we meet along the way are all unique people.

The ending isn't as strong as what preceeds it, but I still recommend the picture...especially if scenery or wild mustangs are things you enjoy watching.

THE WILD HORSE REDEMPTION is a very engaging and interesting documentary.

Our next film is also a documentary, and it it succeds at that.

Yes, VINCE VAUGHN'S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW succeeds at being a documentary about Vaughn and four comedians who go on a 30-city, 30-day, 30-show bus tour from Hollwood to Chicago.

What it doesn't succeed at is being funny.

The film features footage from the tour's performances, as well as behind-the-scenes and a host of surprise guests, and while the curiosity about what would happen if you put all of these people together on a bus for a month is assuaged....but you funny bone will barely be tickled.

The film is an hour and forty minutes long, and this is the only joke that made me laugh.

That is it, that is the one time I laughed during VINCE VAUGHN'S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW.

Maybe you will laugh more than I did, and if you like Vince Vaughan, and are a HUGE fan of his work in OLD SCHOOL, SWINGERS or WEDDING CRASHERS, then maybe you need to see this one.

Otherwise, ignore this movie because you will feel the opposite of the guys on the bus towards the end of the film.

If you watch it, and I don't think that you should, you will want VINCE VAUGHN'S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW to come to an end.

However, if you are a fan of baseball and you start watching the television mini-series THE BRONX IS BURNING, even at 360 minutes, or six hours, you will still want more!

I sure did!!

John Turturro and Oliver Platt star in THE BRONX IS BURNING, which was adapted from Jonathan Mahler's best-selling book, "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning."

Both focus on baseball's triumph over the turmoil and hysteria of 1977 New York City as the NYPD pursue the Son of Sam serial killer and the blackout and resultant widespread looting in July, all while the city suffered through financial bankruptcy and massive municipal layoffs.

But in the end, the New York Yankees came to embody all of the hopes and fears of that unforgettable summer in baseball with Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson constantly fight, all while under George Steinbrenner's leadership.

THE BRONX IS BURNING uses actual footage from 1977 and recreates others, putting the actors in the scenes, some with mixed success as it is very obvious the actor isn't actually in the scenes they are imposed into.

But the real life drama of whether Billy Martin would be fired, whether bringing Reggie Jackson to New York was a mistake, and whether George Steinbrenner would leave all of them alone long enough to focus on playing baseball does allow the show to succeed as a whole.

And if you are like me, and you love the game of baseball, I think you will completely enjoy THE BRONX IS BURNING.

Even though I am a Toronto Blue Jays fan, which means I must hold nothing but complete disdain for the Yankees, I loved this series!

In fact, I loved it so much that I have already seen it twice...this is good stuff!

When Will Ferrell's new sports comedy SEMI-PRO opened in theatres back in February, I admit that I thought it would be good stuff as well.

That expectation came because Ferrell had succeeded in entertaining us, and making us laugh - many times out loud - with his other sports comedies TALLADEGA NIGHTS and BLADES OF GLORY.

Plus, SEMI-PRO is set in 1976, and Ferrell had also succeeded in mining that forever interesting decade for big laughs in the great film ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY.

Yes, SEMI-PRO had the chance to be great...but there are very few perfect seasons in the sporting world, and there are even fewer perfect careers in the cinematic one.

In the film Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon and he plays that same overconfident guy who shouldn't be confident at all role that he has mastered in his career. He is Jackie Moon here, the owner, promoter, coach, and star player of the Flint Michigan Tropics of the American Basketball Association.

In 1976 before the ABA collapses, the National Basketball Association agrees to merge with the best four teams at the end of the season.

The Tropics are the worst team in the league, but with a little extra work and dedication, maybe, just maybe they will survive to play another season.

Or maybe not.

Along with Ferrell, the film stars the can-be-funny Woody Harrelson, Andy Richter, and Toronto's Will Arnett, but the end result is a film that tries hard to succeed, but ultimately doesn't.

It has some entertaining moments, and so I think SEMI-PRO is a good film to rent on an evening when you need a few laughs, and the 2-DVD UNRATED edition features an extra 9 minutes that weren't in the theatrical release.

But, know this going in, whatever version you watch, Ferrell has done better,... and here's hoping he does better again.

Finally this week is the return of something I did last year at this time.

I usually don't like to repeat myself, but since the action filled, very loud, check-your-brain-at-the-door summer movie season is upon us....I'd like to offer up an alternative.

So, each week from now to the end of the summer movie season, I will once again tell you about at least one current release on DVD that you'll need your brain to enjoy....especially since most of them are subtitled.

Welcome to this year's FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD!

This week's film is the Dutch film WAITER, and this is one exceptionally interesting film!!

WAITER is about Edgar, a waiter who has an unfortunate streak of bad luck.

His wife is sick, his girlfriend is overly possessive, customers at work constantly bully him and his neighbours make his life impossible.

Fed up with the way his life is going, Edgar goes to the house of Herman, the scriptwriter who invented Edgar and is currently writing his story...as his story, and the film itself, plays on.

As interesting as WAITER is, I don't think that it is a great film, but it does have some great twists and turns, and I was fascinated by where it took me.

Search it out, the film is called WAITER, and it is the latest entry in The FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD!!

The interesting, but not great Dutch film WAITER, the not funny except for once VINCE VAUGHN'S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW, Will Ferrell's latest sports parody SEMI-PRO, the great baseball mini-series THE BRONX IS BURNING and the unique Canadian documentary THE WILD HORSE REDEMPTION are all available now on DVD.


Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

If you find yourself in need of a gift idea for Father's Day or a Graduate, you are in luck as I will tell you about 8 new DVD BOX SETS, including the 5 DVD Set for ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, the 9-Disc release of ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, plus CROSSING JORDAN, THE COSBY SHOW, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, and the 17 disc set that is THE BBC NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION.

Plus, our FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD continues with the film that won the Palm D'Or - the Top Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the Romanian film 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

Deal to keep Hockey Night theme song falls through

Negotiations to keep the Hockey Night in Canada theme song have collapsed, meaning the CBC program is now in search of another anthem.

Copyright Music & Visuals, the Toronto agency representing the song's composer, Dolores Claman, said on Friday that the deal had fallen through.

That news came as a surprise to the CBC, said Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports.

"We're disappointed, as many Canadians are," Moore said, adding he found out about the deal falling through from CBC News.

"We have no real idea why the deal fell apart," he said. "We're not sure why because the other side hasn't communicated with us.

"You have to ask the other side what happened."

Copyright Music & Visuals said it had offered the public broadcaster a chance to renew its licence to use Claman's song — a staple on HNIC since 1968 — on terms that were "virtually identical to those that have existed for the past decade."

Previously, each use of the song cost the CBC about $500, the agency said.

After the first two years of a new agreement, the rates would rise about 15 per cent, an increase Copyright Music & Visuals president John Ciccone called an industry standard.

"We offered to continue paying the richest licence fee in Canadian television, which was the price they asked for," said Moore. "We also offered to buy it outright for a high six-figure sum."

A call made to Ciccone by CBCSports.ca was not returned Friday.

Claman, who has written about 2,000 jingles over her career, is also credited with the Ontario theme A Place to Stand, which she co-wrote with her husband, Richard Morris, in 1967.

Contest for new theme in works

Moore said Friday the two sides had agreed upon a price, but added an "unfortunate set of circumstances," including an outstanding lawsuit, hovered over negotiations.

A lawsuit filed against the CBC in late 2004 by the composer alleges that the broadcaster was overusing the Hockey Night in Canada theme and has not been settled. Copyright Music & Visuals said the litigation hasn't interfered with the CBC's use of music, nor was settlement of the suit a condition for the proposed new licensing agreement.

"We really can't do business with a lawsuit hanging over our heads," Moore said. "We feel that we've done everything we possibly can."

CBC Sports will now move on and launch a new national contest in conjunction with Nettwerk Music Group to find a new theme song, he said. Canadians will be invited to write and record an original song for Hockey Night in Canada, with fans and a jury of experts choosing the best new composition.

The winner will receive $100,000 and proceeds from any royalties will go to minor hockey across the country. More details on the contest will be revealed in the next week.

"We expect a lot of terrific music, and we expect that the new theme for Hockey Night in Canada will be as iconic as the last two themes have been," Moore said.

Earlier on Friday, Liberal heritage critic Denis Coderre told reporters in Ottawa that Conservative Heritage Minister Josée Verner must defend one of Canada's most famous musical traditions and do everything possible to ensure the CBC continues to broadcast the theme.

"The Hockey Night in Canada theme is a part of Canada's culture that goes beyond sport," Coderre said. "If the minister wants to show that she cares about Canadian heritage, this is her chance."

Shania Twain opens up about split

Canadian country superstar Shania Twain has opened up about her split from her husband Robert (Mutt) Lange.

"As I am sure you have seen or heard; I am going through a rough time personally in my life," she wrote on her official website, thanking fans for their support in the wake of the breakup of her 14-year marriage to the famed music producer.

"I have so much to say but I know the best way for me to speak is through my music. ... I need some time to heal this broken heart but make no mistake; I will be back and hopefully stronger than ever."

Twain, 42, and Lange, 59, announced their split on May 15.

They have a son, Eja D'Angelo, 6.

People.com reported that Lange's relationship with Twain's close friend and secretary, Marie-Anne Thiebaud, was the reason for the split -- which Thiebaud vehemently denies.

The Police Pick Madison Square Garden For Final Gig

The Police's last-ever show will be held Aug. 7 at New York's Madison Square Garden, with proceeds to benefit New York public television stations Thirteen/WNET and WLIW21. Tickets will only be available via donations to the station, starting June 14.

That day, the stations will air a Police retrospective featuring new interviews with the band and vintage concert clips. Tickets will be sold to donors in pairs at four price levels: $150, $350, $500 and $750. Also available is a $5000 package featuring access to soundcheck, and a $2000 combo with prime seats and a private pre-show party.

Beginning Monday (June 9), members of the Police fan club will get first crack at tickets to the show, which will feature support from the B-52s. There is speculation that the concert will be broadcast at some point on public television, but details have yet to be announced.

When the basic details for the final show were announced last month during a New York press conference, the Police confirmed a $1 million contribution to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's MillionTreesNYC initiative to plant trees all over the city.

The Police's reunion tour began in May 2007 and was the top tour of the year at more than $212 million gross and nearly 2 million in attendance, according to Billboard Boxscore. Recent shows have seen the debuts of songs like "Hole in My Life," "Bring on the Night" and "Demolition Man," which were not on the set lists last year.

In related news, Sting will join Elvis Costello as performers in "Welcome to the Voice," an opera written by longtime Costello keyboardist Steve Nieve and Muriel Teodori. The Police frontman will be part of the ensemble from Nov. 20-25 in Paris.

Panettiere Launching Music Career With Candie's

As part of the latest deal linking its teen clothing line to a young female music act, fashion brand Candie's will help promote the song "Wake Up Call" from "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere's forthcoming album from Hollywood Records.

While financial terms were not released, Hollywood says Candie's will absorb the "majority of the cost" of the single, which will include a multimillion-dollar ad buy on cable and network TV, a print campaign and a music video.

The ad campaign will begin at the end of July, while the song will be released digitally Aug. 5. "Wake Up Call" will appear on Panettiere's still-untitled debut album, which is slated for 2009.

Candie's announced an advertising and marketing pact with Panettiere in February. The brand's incorporation of her music into the campaign follows in the footsteps of its deal last summer with Interscope and Fergie, whose songs "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Glamorous" were promoted in Candie's TV commercials.

While best-known to audiences as world-saving cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC's "Heroes," Panettiere's record deal with Hollywood precedes her prime-time success from the past two years, according to Hollywood Records senior VP of marketing Ken Bunt.

"We had to work within her crazy schedule to determine what direction she wants to go with her music," Bunt says. "Wake Up Call" is a reggae-flavored pop song that was written by Andreas "Quiz" Romdhane and Josef Larossi, who have previously written tracks for Geri Halliwell, Diana Ross, Il Divo and Westlife.

Simpson Turns Heads With Debut Country Single

Suffice to say there was healthy skepticism at country radio and on Nashville's Music Row when word began circulating last year that Jessica Simpson was recording a country album, due later this year via Columbia Nashville.

But at least by early indications, Simpson is on her way to swaying opinion in her favor. As reported yesterday, her first single, "Come on Over," makes a historic debut at No. 41 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart this week.

A flirtatious, uptempo song, it was co-written by Simpson with Rachel Proctor and Victoria Banks. "The fun thing about the song is that anxiety of wanting the guy to come over right then and there," Simpson tells Billboard. "Everybody's felt that before."

Columbia Nashville VP of promotion Jimmy Rector says radio is responding positively to the single. "More than anything, people are pleasantly surprised. A lot of people didn't want to like it, but when they heard it, regardless of pre-conceived notions, they realized this is a really good record."

One unnamed programmer went as far as to tell Rector, "'God help me, I really like this song.' That's the reality of what we were facing," Rector says.

Comments like that surprised Simpson, who remembers thinking, "Oh, my gosh, people want to hate me," when first told of radio's feedback. "That's kind of hard to grasp, but at least they're supporting it. At least they know good music and they play good music. I can't believe the single's doing what it's doing."

For her part, Simpson says the process of recording and releasing a country album is exciting. "I feel like a brand-new artist," she says. "It's a great feeling."

And early skepticism aside, Simpson feels like she's found a home. "I did a lot in the pop world and I had a great time doing it, but this just feels so much easier," she says. "There's a lot of soul in country and while I was making this album I discovered that. I can't imagine myself anywhere else, to be honest with you.

"I look in the mirror and I know I'm doing the right thing with my career and my life," she adds. "It's a great place of comfort."

RIAA honours Jewel for 18 million in US album sales

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jewel has been honored by the Recording Industry Association of America with a career milestone plaque commemorating sales of more than 18 million albums in the U.S.

Jenny Alves, RIAA's coordinator of artist industry relations, surprised the 34-year-old singer Thursday as she prepared to sign autographs at the Country Music Association festival.

"This is awesome. Thank you so much," said the singer, who also was scheduled to perform at the festival.

Jewel, whose full name is Jewel Kilcher, released a country album, "Perfectly Clear," on Tuesday. The lead single, "Stronger Woman," is No. 15 on the Billboard chart.

Perhaps best known for her pop and rock hits that include "Foolish Games" and "You Were Meant for Me," Jewel has sold 27 million albums worldwide since her 1995 debut.

She is touring with Brad Paisley this summer.

The Dude returns for his 10th Anniversary this fall

Universal Home Entertainment has just announced a 10th Anniversary Edition of the cult classic The Big Lebowski, arriving on DVD in September.

The Dude. One cool guy. Who one day comes home to find two thugs have broken in and ruined his favorite carpet-the one that made the room "hang together". Thing is, they did it because he's got the same name as one of the richest men in town. Lebowski. But, hey, no problem. He'll get even. At least he'll get someone to pay for the carpet.

No technical features or bonus materials have been announced yet but we will keep you posted of course as new information comes.

“The Big Lebowski” returns to DVD on September 9 for only $19.98.

Deal still possible for Hockey Night theme song

Contrary to published reports, CBC Sports hasn't yet pulled the plug on the Hockey Night in Canada theme song.

Scott Moore, the executive director of CBC Sports, told Newsworld on Thursday that negotiations for a new licence fee are ongoing with the representatives of Vancouver composer Dolores Claman.

"We've been reaching out to [Claman] and her representative, and haven't heard back," Moore said. "We're prepared to do a deal, we're prepared to talk, but we're not prepared to do a deal at all costs.

"And as much as I'm particularly passionate about the theme, and I know a lot of Canadians are, if we can't do a deal that's responsible, we won't do a deal."

Earlier Monday, Copyright Music & Visuals — the Toronto agency representing Claman — said the CBC had declined to enter into a new licensing agreement for next season.

A news release posted on the Copyright Music & Visuals website quotes company president John Ciccone as saying the CBC's licence agreement for the HNIC theme song ended with the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final.

The CBC "has advised the composer, owner and administrator of the musical composition that it is not prepared to enter into a new licence agreement with respect to the use of the theme," the release said.

Composer expresses disappointment

Copyright Music & Visuals said it had offered the CBC a chance to renew its licence to use Claman's song on terms that were "virtually identical to those that have existed for the past decade."

Previously, each use of the song cost the broadcaster about $500, the company said.

Claman expressed disappointment that her song may no longer be heard in homes across Canada during the hockey season.

"I am saddened by the decision of the CBC to drop the Hockey Night in Canada theme after our lengthy history together," she said in a release. "I nevertheless respect its right to move in a new direction."

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is also upset about the possibility of losing the song, telling reporters at the legislature on Thursday he was stunned by the initial reports.

Triumph to reunite at Swedish music fest

Triumph bassist Mike Levine recently went to the racetrack after a long absence from betting on the thoroughbreds and after a few races, he was back in form.

Levine hopes it will be a harbinger of what is ahead for the famed power trio, which is reuniting after almost 20 years for two dates, the first of which is Saturday at the Sweden Rock Festival in the southern city of Solvesborg.

Triumph, which also includes drummer/singer Gil Moore and lead singer/guitarist Rik Emmett, will also headline the second night of Rocklahoma, a four-day festival July 10-13 in Pryor, Okla.

Depending on how the gigs go, the Canadian legends may record a new CD next year and promote it with a major tour. Due to the onerous production costs of playing a show at a major arena, Triumph decided to focus its reunion on festivals in which all the bells and whistles and production costs would be paid for.

With hits that included "Hold On," "Lay It On The Line," "Rock & Roll Machine" and "Magic Power," Triumph sold more than 10 million albums during its 13-year run, beginning in the mid-1970s.

Discord among band members and record label problems ultimately led to the breakup. Now that they're reuniting, the band has had to get back into the old groove.

"A lot of rust, for Gil especially because drumming is a very physical thing and he's got to sing, too," Levine noted in a recent interview.

"It's not easy for him. It was pretty easy for me, to be honest with you. I had to work and I'm still not there yet, but I will be when the bell rings if I come out of the gate firing on all cylinders."

"Even Rik's a little rusty with some of the material because he's been playing all the time, but he hasn't played a lot of the songs that we're playing in the shows. It's a learning experience."

Levine, the jokester of the Toronto power trio, noted that following the reunions of Van Halen and the Police, Triumph had to come together to complete the triactor.

"We're the last band standing, really, of the big headliners of the '80s," he said.

The impetus to reunite came from Neil Dixon, president of Canadian Music Week, who had long wanted to put Triumph into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, but only on the condition the trio all make an appearance.

Levine said he and Moore agreed, but Emmett was hesitant. Dixon persisted and the threesome finally agreed to a meeting - at a doughnut shop.

"It was pretty strange for all of us," Levine recalled. "Gil and I have remained friends all the way through. Rik and I hadn't seen each other in so long. It was kind of weird. Neil was supposed to be there, but he never showed up - on purpose."

"So we sit down and look at each other and went, 'So, what's new?' We chatted and it was pretty awkward at first. We started a little communication and it kept going and we decided we're going to do Neil's hall of fame thing."

A couple days before the event last year, the trio joined up for media interviews and Levine said Emmett gave him a huge hug.

"I hadn't seen him really since the coffee shop," Levine said. "We laughed a lot doing interviews and everything went well."

After the award show, the trio convened on various occasions and chatted about possibility going on the road.

Emmett left the group in 1988 to move on with his own jazz and classical material.

Moore and Levine forged forward with a new member and recorded an album in 1992, but it didn't work in the long run and that led to the dissolution of Triumph the following year.

Moore delved into his own sound and music production studio in Mississauga called MetalWorks. Levine became involved in some private business projects and took to living part of the year in Jamaica.

"There wasn't space for Triumph and we were having issues with the record label in Los Angeles and none of us were really happy with what we were doing, so at some point somebody would have left," Levine said.

"Gil would have said, 'I want to hang up my spikes' or I would have said it. Rik just happened to say it first. It just didn't go down the way things should have gone down.

"We all regret what happened. It's kind of like we pushed all that water under the bridge and we don't even talk about it, which is great. We all agreed what's happened has happened, forget about it."

The rockers decided that under the right circumstances, they would tour. Their former agent scoped out a major string of gigs for this year, but a lack of time prevented Triumph from putting anything serious together.

"There were huge offers and a lot of dough on the table, but we said, 'No, we don't want to do that. We don't have time. Let's play a couple of festivals and see how we do before we make a really big commitment,"' Levine said.

The group wanted to do one festival in the U.S. and one in Europe. The Sweden Rock Festival fit the bill and will include the likes of Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Blue Oyster Cult and White Snake.

Earlier this year at the Junos, Triumph was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and it proved to be a special moment. Emmett spoke passionately about his brother, who was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2006 and died a year later.

Moore wore a stylish jacket and thanked his family, who were in attendance, and rocker Tom Cochrane, his longtime friend.

Levine looked the same as he did 20 years ago with his long hair and moustache. Known for wearing hockey sweaters on stage, Levine got a huge response by appearing onstage with a jacket and then removing it to show he was wearing a Calgary Flames hockey jersey and the number 12 of captain Jarome Iginla.

Levine said the trio, which is slated to play for 75 minutes this weekend, including encores for the first gig, will play 11 to 12 songs that are considered fan favourites.

"I think the arrangements are a little truer to the recordings for this little run," he said.

"We'll see how they work. Until you play in front of an audience, you don't even know how that arrangement's going to work out. It's about the music and that's what we're focusing in on, too. We're going out pretty naked. We used to go out with a huge production. With these shows it won't be the traditional big kaboom Triumph show. But it will be great. The music's got to carry the ball at the end of the day anyway."

Movies now available on iTunes Canada

Apple is opening its own online video store through iTunes in Canada, roughly two weeks after Bell Canada launched its own service.

Apple says it has more than 1,200 films for rent or purchase, with titles available the same day as their DVD release.

Films can be downloaded to either Mac or PC computers, unlike the Bell service which only works with PC computers using Microsoft Windows.

Both companies load the video files with copyright protections.

ITunes movies cost $9.99 to $19.99 to own and $3.99 to $4.99 to rent.

Bell movies cost $4.99 to $19.99 to own, while rentals cost $1.99 to $4.99.

ITunes customers have up to 30 days to start watching their film, and 48 hours to finish it once a movie has been started.

Bell customers also have 30 days to watch a film but only 24 hours to finish it once they hit play.

Apple’s iTunes began selling TV shows in Canada in December, two years after launching a similar service in the United States.

The Simpsons Gets 20th Season

Fox will return to Springfield again for the 20th season of primetime animated mainstay The Simpsons.

The order came as the series’ voice actors have resolved months-long salary negotiations with producer 20th Century Fox Television that had held up production.

The show’s principals -- Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe) and Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns) -- will reportedly receive in the neighborhood of $400,000 per episode, up from $300,000-plus previously, and will remain with the show for another four years (although Fox has not indicated that it will order additional seasons).

With its upcoming season, The Simpsons -- produced by Gracie Films in association with 20th -- will tie Gunsmoke as the longest-running primetime series.

James Cameron, Kids to join Walk of Fame

NBA star Steve Nash, comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, singer kd lang, model Daria Werbowy and filmmaker James Cameron are among the latest inductees to Canada's Walk of Fame.

But of all the stars set to be recognized for their impressive contributions to the worlds of sports, entertainment and the arts, the Walk of Fame's founding director said one star had far and away the most nominations for this year's honour – Frances Bay.

The 90-year-old actress is affectionately known as Hollywood's Grandma for her string of old lady characters.

"We received a signed petition of over 10,000 names for Frances Bay, including personal letters from Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld and David Lynch and Henry Winkler, Monty Hall among many others, all making a very compelling case for Frances and they were right," Peter Soumalias said.

The Winnipeg performer didn't start acting until age 60, but has racked up an impressive resume that includes film and TV roles in Happy Gilmore, Seinfeld, ER, Road to Avonlea and Hannah Montana.

Corner Gas star Brent Butt helped announced the lineup Tuesday and said he was particularly excited to see comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall among the inductees.

The funnyman said he used to be the warm-up act when the Kids taped their eponymous sketch comedy show for CBC in the mid-'90s.

"It was a sweet gig, it was easy money," Butt said.

"Because everybody was so jazzed about seeing the Kids in the Hall. There were rabid Kids in the Hall fans and one of the Kids would come out and introduce you as being a friend of theirs, so everybody liked you – they wanted you to like them.

"Normally, you know, when you're a young comic, 99 per cent of the shows you're just dodging ashtrays, people hate your guts. And this was the one gig where, `Oh, people are excited that I'm here!'"

Also set to attend this year's ceremonies are rocker Bryan Adams and actor Michael J. Fox, who were both previously named to the Walk, but couldn't attend the induction festivities.

Adams was an inaugural inductee in 1998, a year Soumalias notes hardly attracted anyone to the then-little-known gala. Fox was inducted in 2000, but didn't learn of the honour until after the gala because Walk of Fame organizers had such a hard time notifying him.

"In the early years we got a lot of `Who? What? Why?'" Soumalias said of the Walk, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

In 2003, organizers announced 13 inductees thinking "five or six would show up."

"But all 13 of them came," Soumalias said. "Which was wonderful in some respects but we didn't budget for 13. So it became a challenge for us."

He said the event's stature has grown considerably since then, with more than 40 per cent of this year's nominations coming from countries other than Canada.

To qualify, candidates must have been born in Canada or spent their formative or creative years here and must have a body of work recognized for its impact on Canada's cultural heritage.

Fans can lobby on behalf of their favourite athlete or artist, but the final decision is made by Walk of Fame organizers.

Previous inductees include Alanis Morissette, Paul Anka, Jim Carrey, Shania Twain, William Hutt and Wayne Gretzky.

To date, 107 Canadians have been honoured.

The new inductees will be celebrated during a gala on Sept. 6 in Toronto.

Weak dollar blamed for Wii Fit shortages in North America

The reason for Wii Fit shortages in the U.S. is that Nintendo can make more money selling the game abroad, according to oft-quoted analyst Micheal Pachter.

Wii owners in North America are getting plenty of exercise from Wii Fit -- primarily because just finding one requires a LOT of legwork.

The latest creation by Shigeru Miyamoto has reportedly sold out in North America in two weeks time, everywhere from Gamestop to Amazon, and there's little relief in sight.

According to the LA Times, Nintendo shipped a paltry 500,000 copies of the game to North America, but saved the bulk of their Wii Fit units (2 million) for higher-paying UK gamers and their fancy European money. That's right -- the UK got more units because the Euro is worth more than the U.S. Dollar.

"The shortage demonstrates one consequence of the weak dollar," said analyst Michael Pachter, speaking to the Times. "We're seeing companies ignore their largest market simply because they can make a greater profit elsewhere."

As Pachter cleverly added, Nintendo "knows that Americans will be just as fat a few months from now," meaning the demand will be just as high when more units become available.

Early U2 Reissues Packed With Rarities

A wealth of previously unreleased and rare material will be found on reissues of the early U2 albums "Boy," "War" and "October," due July 22 via Universal. Each album will be available as a remastered single CD, a deluxe set with a second disc of extras and on vinyl.

U2's 1980 debut album, "Boy," features the previously unreleased tracks "Speed of Life," "Saturday Night" and "Cartoon World" and a previously unreleased mix of "I Will Follow." "Boy-Girl" and "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" are captured in live versions taped at London's Marquee.

The new edition of 1981's "October" boasts a series of tracks taped live at London's Hammersmith Palais and Boston's Paradise Theatre, a BBC session with Richard Skinner and Common Ground's remix of "Tomorrow."

1983's "War" is bolstered here with the previously unreleased track "Angels Too Tied to the Ground," several remixes of "New Year's Day" and "Two Hearts Beat as One" plus the 7-inch single edit of "New Year's Day."

U2 is recording its next album with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. No release date has been set, but rumblings are that it may be out before the end of the year via Interscope.

Here are the tracklists for the U2 reissue bonus discs:

"Boy":
I Will Follow (Previously Unreleased Mix)
11 O'Clock Tick Tock
Touch
Speed of Life (Previously Unreleased Track)
Saturday Night (Previously Unreleased Track)
Things To Make and Do
Out of Control
Boy-Girl
Stories For Boys
Another Day
Twilight
Boy-Girl (Live at the Marquee, London)
11 O'Clock Tick Tock (Live at the Marquee, London -- Previously Unreleased Version)
Cartoon World (Live at the National Stadium, Dublin -- Previously Unreleased Track)

"October":
"Gloria" (Live at Hammersmith Palais, London)
"I Fall Down" (Live at Hammersmith Palais, London)
"I Threw a Brick Through a Window" (Live at Hammersmith Palais, London)
"Fire" (Live at Hammersmith Palais, London)
"October" (Live at Hammersmith Palais, London)
"With a Shout" (Richard Skinner BBC Session)
"Scarlet" (Richard Skinner BBC Session)
"I Threw a Brick Through a Window" (Richard Skinner BBC Session)
"A Celebration"
"J. Swallo"
"Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl"
"I Will Follow" (Live at Paradise Theatre, Boston)
"The Ocean" (Live at Paradise Theatre, Boston)
"The Cry/Electric Co." (Live at Paradise Theatre, Boston)
"11 O'Clock Tick Tock" (Live at Paradise Theatre, Boston)
"I Will Follow" (Live From Hattem, Netherlands)
"Tomorrow" (Bono & Adam Clayton, Common Ground Remix)

"War":
"Endless Deep"
"Angels Too Tied to the Ground" (Previously Unreleased Track)
"New Year's Day" (7" single edit)
"New Year's Day" (USA Remix)
"New Year's Day" (Ferry Corsten Extended Vocal Mix)
"New Year's Day" (Ferry Corsten Vocal Radio Mix)
"Two Hearts Beat As One" (Long Mix)
"Two Hearts Beat As One" (USA Remix)
"Two Hearts Beat As One" (Club Version)
"Treasure (Whatever Happened to Pete the Chop)"

Radiohead Catalog Finally Hits iTunes

Radiohead's back catalog became available for sale via Apple's iTunes Music Store this morning (June 3) in DRM-free files, removing the band from the ever-dwindling list of major holdouts from the digital download service.

The band previously had a handful of songs on iTunes that were included on various soundtracks or compilations, and earlier this year, Radiohead's new album, "In Rainbows," was made available there.

But only today have the band's first six studio albums, and a brand new "Best Of" release, gone live. Radiohead had been holding out because of its desire for fans to buy the albums in complete form, rather than as individual tracks.

Technically, iTunes always had the option of selling Radiohead's back catalog, but only as full albums. Apple has to date refused to conduct album-only sales.

Radiohead's decision to change its digital sales policy looks to have been a smart one from a financial standpoint. "In Rainbows" has sold 106,000 of its 526,000 U.S. copies digitally, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Individual tracks from the album have sold 178,000 copies.

Last September, U.K. retailer 7digital scored a coup when it added Radiohead album downloads to its service, but not individual tracks.

The Beatles, Garth Brooks and AC/DC are now the last superstar acts without a presence on iTunes.

New CD Releases, June 3: Weezer, Disturbed, Jewel

Weezer "Weezer (The Red Album)"

These alt-rock champs finally return with their sixth studio album, which follows 2005's "Make Believe." The new disc was originally set to hit stores June 24, but the release date was pushed up, reportedly due to popular demand and the intense reaction to the album's first single, "Pork and Beans."

The CD is Weezer's third self-titled disc; the other two are from 1994 and 2001. To help distinguish this album from the previous pair, this release is being referenced as "The Red Album" due to the color of the cover. This strategy has worked in the past; 1994's "Weezer" is known as "The Blue Album" and 2001's disc is called "The Green Album."

* * *
Disturbed "Indestructible"

The metal troupe returns with its fourth studio album. The self-produced "Indestructible" follows 2005's "Ten Thousand Fists."

Disturbed will support "Indestructible" by co-headlining the metal-oriented Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. Slipknot is the other headliner for the tour, which also features Dragonforce, Mastodon, Machine Head and several other acts on multiple stages. The trek is set to begin July 9 in Auburn, WA.

* * *
Jewel "Perfectly Clear"

The singer/songwriter/guitarist, who was one of the best-selling female pop artists of the late '90s and early 2000s, is now ready to try her luck in the country game. To start, Jewel will release the country-tinged "Perfectly Clear," a work that was co-produced by John Rich (of Big & Rich).

She'll follow that release by joining Brad Paisley's blockbuster summer tour. The trek, which also features country singers Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough, is set to kick off June 11 in Albuquerque, NM.

* * *
Aimee Mann "@#%&*! Smilers"

The singer/songwriter is set to drop her seventh studio album, which is said to be a return to form following 2005's concept album, "The Forgotten Arm," and her 2006 holiday collection, "One More Drifter in the Snow." All of the new set's 13 tracks were penned by Mann, with the exception of "True Believer," which was co-written with fellow singer/songwriter Grant Lee Phillips.

Mann is currently supporting "@#%&*! Smilers" on the road. The trek will include stops at Manchester, TN's Bonnaroo (June 15) and Highland Park, IL's Ravinia Festival (Aug. 31).

* * *
Bret Michaels "Rock My World"

Rock fans know Michaels primarily as the frontman for glam-metal act Poison, but millions of others now know him as the star of the popular VH1 TV series, "Rock of Love," during which women compete for his affection.

Capitalizing on his TV popularity, Michaels is now set to release his fourth solo album, "Rock My World," which follows 2005's "Freedom of Sound." Michael's most recent offering with Poison is last year's "Poison'd."

* * *
More new releases:
Ashanti, "The Declaration" (Universal)
Chris Brown, "Exclusive: The Forever Edition" (Jive)
The Byrds, "Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971" (Sundazed)
Brendan James, "The Day is Brave" (Decca)
Ladytron, "Velocifero" (Nettwerk)
Opeth, "Watershed" (Roadrunner)
Sam Phillips, "Don't Do Anything" (Nonesuch)
Radiohead, "The Best of Radiohead" (Capitol)
Gavin Rossdale, "Wanderlust" (Interscope)
Various Artists, "Now That's What I Call Music, Vol. 28" (Capitol)
Amy Winehouse, "Frank: Deluxe Edition" (Universal)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Adding Machine: A Musical" (P.S. Classics)
"Annie: The 30th Anniversary Cast Recordings" (Time Life)
"In the Heights" (Ghostlight)

Guitar Hero: Metallica confirmed for early 2009

And justice for all... Activision quietly announces Guitar Hero: Metallica.

According to a recent SEC filing obtained by GameSpot, Activision said it plans "to publish Guitar Hero: On Tour for the NDS; Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero: Metallica, and Guitar Hero IV across multiple platforms" in fiscal 2009, which ends March 31, 2009.

With Guitar Hero: On Tour (Jun 22), Guitar Hero: Areosmith (Jun 29), and Guitar Hero: World Tour (Oct. 27) already announced, the statement marks confirmation of an official Metallica version of the popular rhythm game, likely expected after the holidays in early 2009.

'Simpsons' Voices Earn More D'oh

The stars of FOX's endlessly running comedy "The Simpsons" have reached a new contract with 20th Century Fox TV.

While heated negotiations between the "Simpsons" voice cast and their home studio seem to be a near-annual event, this latest pact is a four-year agreement that will earn the actors nearly $400,000 per episode.

According to the industry trade papers, the voices will be back to work on Tuesday (June 3) doing a table read for the show's 20th season.

The 20th season is expected to only include 20 rather than the usual 22 episodes, but this latest set of negotiations could hardly be considered acrimonious. Talks in 2004 delayed the start of the following "Simpsons" season and it has been rumored that the 1998 impasse was so tense the studio contemplated hiring alternative vocal stars.

Key cast members Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe) and Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns) are all signed on. In addition, Castellaneta, whose job duties have also included writing in recent years, will add a consulting producer title come fall.

Fall Out Boy Focusing On 'Life Stuff' For Now

Fresh after attending bandmate Pete Wentz's wedding to Ashlee Simpson a few weekends ago, Fall Out Boy guitarist Patrick Stump tells Billboard.com a new album is on the horizon for the pop-punk/emo, act but he's unsure of its arrival date.

"It's one of those things music-wise where the band is really not talking about a record yet, but we're all itching to do one," Stump says. "Actually at the wedding we were like, 'We should do another record.' But I never want to mislead people."

He adds, "So it's weird, because there's been rumors of us doing our next record for a long time, but it kind of comes from a misunderstanding about how we work because we're always writing. We've had material since 'Infinity on High' dropped. So there is plenty just floating around, but it's basically like whenever you're ready to go in and do it again, that's when it happens."

Stump went on to say while the band has more material in the mix than ever before going into record an album, he doesn't know if that will help or hinder the act when it decides to finally enter a studio. What he does know in looking forward is that the project will be different from the band's first three albums, which were all interconnected musically and thematically.

"I don't want to be overly vague, but whenever we do another record, it'll be different from the last one, and it's going to be different from the last three," he says. "I think the new stuff will have a lot of freedom on it, and it's going to be our first just plain old record in a while."

Stump says he wouldn't be surprised if the band ends up playing a few gigs this year. "We always end up playing somewhere," Stump says. "I don't think we want to get rusty, and we're not going away for any length of time. It's weird because it seems like every band is going on indefinite hiatus, and I want to be one of the first bands to say there is nothing hiatus or indefinite about what's going on (with Fall Out Boy) right now."

For now, the members of Fall Out Boy are just doing "life stuff." While it was confirmed recently that Wentz and Simpson are expecting their first child, Stump has been using his time away from the band to produce (Gym Class Heroes, Tyga and the Cab) and dabble in filmmaking.

The 24-year-old Illinois native is currently three days into a five-day shoot for his short feature "The Moustachette," which as actor-writer-director-producer he hopes to have finished this summer. However, Stump isn't sure whether it'll just be a YouTube showing or something bigger.

"It's a satire about the arts," Stump says. "It pulls on a lot of my experiences as a musician, especially in this Perez Hilton blog culture, where there are so many more people who are more interested in the stuff you get out of arts -- the girls you can pick up at parties and the money you get, that type of stuff -- than they are about the actual arts."

Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's ashes stolen

Kurt Cobain's ashes have apparently been stolen.

According to the News Of The World, the Nirvana frontman's remains – the location of which has previously been kept secret – were taken from the Los Angeles home of his widow Courtney Love.

The ashes were said to have been kept in a "pink teddy bear-shaped bag along with a lock of his hair" and were taken with some jewellery and clothes.

Love is quoted by the paper as saying: "I can't believe anyone would take Kurt's ashes from me. I find it disgusting and right now I'm suicidal. If I don't get them back I don't know what I'll do."

Some of the Nirvana frontman's ashes were previously scattered near his home in Washington State and some at a New York Buddhist temple, with his widow retaining the rest.

She added: "They were all I had left of my husband. I used to take them everywhere with me just so I could feel Kurt was still with me. Now it feels like I have lost him all over again."

'The Second City' founder Paul Sills dies at 80

CHICAGO - Paul Sills, founder of Chicago's famed improvisational comedy group "The Second City," has died at age 80. His wife, Carol Sills, told the Chicago Tribune that Sills died early Monday at his home in Baileys Harbor, Wis., from complications from pneumonia.

The comedy troupe says in a statement on its Web site that Sills' influence on American theater "cannot be exaggerated" and "his work will certainly live on forever."

Sills helped start Second City in 1959. The humor mecca has turned out some of America's best-known comedians, including John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner.

Sills' play, "Story Theatre," was nominated for a Tony Award in 1971.

Spokesman: Kelsey Grammer had 'mild' heart attack

LOS ANGELES - A spokesman for Kelsey Grammer says the "Frasier" star is recovering in a Hawaii hospital after a mild heart attack this weekend. Stan Rosenfield says Grammer is "resting comfortably" in an undisclosed hospital after being stricken Saturday. Rosenfield says the 53-year-old actor will be released early this week.

Rosenfield says Grammer — the star of "Cheers," "Frasier" and the recently canceled Fox sitcom "Back to You" — was paddle-boarding with his wife, Camille, when he experienced symptoms.

The couple lives in Kona, on Hawaii's big island.

Rosenfield says Grammer was immediately taken to an area hospital where it was determined that he had suffered a "mild heart attack." The spokesman says he is unaware of any history of heart trouble for Grammer.

Rock pioneer Bo Diddley dies at age 79

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards. In recent years he also played for the elder President Bush and President Clinton.

Diddley appreciated the honors he received, "but it didn't put no figures in my checkbook."

"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," he quipped.

The name Bo Diddley came from other youngsters when he was growing up in Chicago, he said in a 1999 interview.

"I don't know where the kids got it, but the kids in grammar school gave me that name," he said, adding that he liked it so it became his stage name. Other times, he gave somewhat differing stories on where he got the name. Some experts believe a possible source for the name is a one-string instrument used in traditional blues music called a diddley bow.

His first single, "Bo Diddley," introduced record buyers in 1955 to his signature rhythm: bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp, often summarized as "shave and a haircut, two bits." The B side, "I'm a Man," with its slightly humorous take on macho pride, also became a rock standard.

The company that issued his early songs was Chess-Checkers records, the storied Chicago-based labels that also recorded Chuck Berry and other stars.

Howard Kramer, assistant curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, said in 2006 that Diddley's Chess recordings "stand among the best singular recordings of the 20th century."

Diddley's other major songs included, "Say Man," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover," "Shave and a Haircut," "Uncle John," "Who Do You Love?" and "The Mule."

Diddley's influence was felt on both sides of the Atlantic. Buddy Holly borrowed the bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp rhythm for his song "Not Fade Away."

The Rolling Stones' bluesy remake of that Holly song gave them their first chart single in the United States, in 1964. The following year, another British band, the Yardbirds, had a Top 20 hit in the U.S. with their version of "I'm a Man."

Diddley was also one of the pioneers of the electric guitar, adding reverb and tremelo effects. He even rigged some of his guitars himself.

"He treats it like it was a drum, very rhythmic," E. Michael Harrington, professor of music theory and composition at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., said in 2006.

Many other artists, including the Who, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello copied aspects of Diddley's style.

Growing up, Diddley said he had no musical idols, and he wasn't entirely pleased that others drew on his innovations.

"I don't like to copy anybody. Everybody tries to do what I do, update it," he said. "I don't have any idols I copied after."

"They copied everything I did, upgraded it, messed it up. It seems to me that nobody can come up with their own thing, they have to put a little bit of Bo Diddley there," he said.

Despite his success, Diddley claimed he only received a small portion of the money he made during his career. Partly as a result, he continued to tour and record music until his stroke. Between tours, he made his home near Gainesville in north Florida.

"Seventy ain't nothing but a damn number," he told The Associated Press in 1999. "I'm writing and creating new stuff and putting together new different things. Trying to stay out there and roll with the punches. I ain't quit yet."

Diddley, like other artists of his generations, was paid a flat fee for his recordings and said he received no royalty payments on record sales. He also said he was never paid for many of his performances.

"I am owed. I've never got paid," he said. "A dude with a pencil is worse than a cat with a machine gun."

In the early 1950s, Diddley said, disc jockeys called his type of music, "Jungle Music." It was Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed who is credited with inventing the term "rock 'n' roll."

Diddley said Freed was talking about him, when he introduced him, saying, "Here is a man with an original sound, who is going to rock and roll you right out of your seat."

Diddley won attention from a new generation in 1989 when he took part in the "Bo Knows" ad campaign for Nike, built around football and baseball star Bo Jackson. Commenting on Jackson's guitar skills, Diddley turned to the camera and said, "He don't know Diddley."

"I never could figure out what it had to do with shoes, but it worked," Diddley said. "I got into a lot of new front rooms on the tube."

Born as Ellas Bates on Dec. 30, 1928, in McComb, Miss., Diddley was later adopted by his mother's cousin and took on the name Ellis McDaniel, which his wife always called him.

When he was 5, his family moved to Chicago, where he learned the violin at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. He learned guitar at 10 and entertained passers-by on street corners.

By his early teens, Diddley was playing Chicago's Maxwell Street.

"I came out of school and made something out of myself. I am known all over the globe, all over the world. There are guys who have done a lot of things that don't have the same impact that I had," he said.

Newhart mulls 'Corner Gas' cameo

Theoretically speaking, Bob Newhart is intrigued by the possibility of making a cameo appearance in the Corner Gas series-finale.

"I'd have to see the script, but I've heard of it, yeah," the legendary comedian said of Corner Gas, the creator of which, Brent Butt, jokingly broached the subject of using Newhart in an interview with Sun Media in April.

In a more recent interview with Sun Media, Newhart laughed quite hard -- in a good way, not a sarcastic way -- when told about the door to Corner Gas possibly being open. The series-finale for Newhart's self-titled sitcom Newhart, of course, is the most famous exit in TV history.

"Right now there's an illness in the family that is kind of my focus, unfortunately, so I'm trying to stay at home as much as I can," said Newhart, who is making a very quick trip to Canada this week for two shows at Casino Rama, north of Toronto. "So I don't know. It would depend on when it was, whether it would fit into the time."

But if it merely were a cameo appearance, Newhart might even be able to tape it at home, right?

"Yeah, that's true," said Newhart, 78.

The final moments of the Newhart finale featured Newhart waking up in bed with actress Suzanne Pleshette, who died earlier this year. Pleshette had played Newhart's wife in his earlier series, The Bob Newhart Show, so the joke was that the entire eight-year run of Newhart had been a dream.

Back in April, a day after announcing his decision to shut down Corner Gas, Butt fondly recalled the Newhart finale.

"I don't have a previous series to tap into," said Butt, who also stars in Corner Gas. "But maybe I'll end it with Bob Newhart."

Well, all kidding aside, Bob isn't against the idea.

Over-the-top MTV Movie Awards have smoke, no fire

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - The "Transformers" have another chunk of metal to add to their collection.

The blockbuster about robots in disguise took home the golden popcorn trophy for best film at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night, and Johnny Depp won two buckets for best comedic performance and best villain.

Accepting the best film award with director Michael Bay, "Transformers" co-star Megan Fox trotted out some R-rated language to describe how good the film's sequel is going to be. Bay said the film would begin shooting the following day and take place two years after the first film.

And Rainn Wilson — who presented best kiss wearing nothing but a teddy bear — told The Associated Press on the gold carpet that he would play a college professor in "Transformers 2."

"I just love the idea of me being in a giant Michael Bay movie," Wilson said.

A couple of hundred yards downhill, the final remnants of a disastrous fire that ripped through Universal Studios was extinguished as the ceremony got under way.

While there was no mention of the fire, there was definitely smoke during the over-the-top ceremony: Presenters Seth Rogen and James Franco, stars of the upcoming stoner comedy "Pineapple Express," pretended to smoke marijuana before handing out the popcorn trophy for new category of best summer movie so far.

"Kids, don't really smoke fake weed like this," Rogen sarcastically told the crowd at the Gibson Amphitheatre.

As they pulled out the "contraband," the cameras pulled away to a wide angle, staying that way until Rogen and Franco left the stage. The awkward moment made some in the audience laugh, but left Robert Downey Jr. — who accepted the award on behalf of "Iron Man" — with a puzzled look.

"Thanks fellas," he said, "for that intoxicating introduction."

Franco later told the AP backstage that MTV put them up to the joke, but that someone from the network decided at the last minute that they couldn't go through with it. By then, it was too late to pull back.

"MTV wrote it! ... Then backstage there was this big commotion: 'You guys can't say that,'" Franco said. "It says right in the script: 'Lights fake joint.'"

The nearby studio fire broke out 4:30 a.m. on a soundstage featuring a New York brownstone facades at the 400-acre property. It was contained to the lot but burned for more than 12 hours before the final flames were extinguished.

"I actually came here early because I wanted to see it," Chris Brown said before the show. What did he see? "A whole lot of chaos."

Winners were threatened to keep their speeches short by a man resembling Javier Bardem's character from "No Country for Old Men" — complete with the bob hairdo and pneumatic cattle gun. Best female performance winner Ellen Page from "Juno" escaped unscathed, but best fight winners Sean Faris and Cam Gigandet were ushered off stage by the menacing lookalike.

Host Mike Myers and Dana Carvey resurrected their "Saturday Night Live" characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, the cable access hosts of "Wayne's World." They acknowledged it's been awhile since they've been together ("1994. That's a while," said Wayne) and presented a risque top ten list of adult film titles (No. 8: "I Am Legend ... In Bed"; and No. 1 "Iron Man").

The mood backstage was calm as stars schmoozed during the show. Tom Cruise posed for photos with his arm around Ben Stiller while wife Katie Holmes stood a few steps away. She wasn't by herself for long: Sarah Jessica Parker chatted Holmes up, and Sandler and Will Smith both had their children with them behind the scenes.

Depp showed up to accept his trophies for best comedic performance for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and best villain for "Sweeney Todd." While the crowd was visibly excited — including a nearly swooning Diablo Cody — "Superbad" actors Jonah Hill and Rogen shook their fists at Depp and gave him the thumbs down.

Depp kept his first acceptance speech short.

"You can ask anybody," he said quietly. "I'm not a very funny person. I'm not even remotely funny."

Cruise presented Adam Sandler with the Generation Award, the MTV Movie Awards' highest honor, for his various comedic and "stupid" performances over the years. Sandler sang a live version of "Nobody Does It Better" alongside a bevy of backup dancers clad in skintight gold outfits. Among them: Rob Schneider.

Sandler, who took a guitar solo on his gold Les Paul, changed the lyrics to "baby, I'm the best."

"That was probably the most arrogant thing I've ever done," Sandler said, moments after Cruise got on his knees to hand over the golden popcorn.

Coldplay performed "Viva la Vida" amid a flurry of confetti, which at one point found its way in lead singer Chris Martin's mouth. Later, the Pussycat Dolls danced in front of a giant lit-up sign broadcasting the group's name alongside "America's Best Dance Crew" winners JabbaWockeeZ to "When I Grow Up."

Other winners during the ceremony included Smith for best male performance for "I Am Legend"; Zac Efron for best breakthrough performance for "Hairspray"; and Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman for best kiss in "Step Up 2: The Streets."

CBC broadcaster Bob MacGregor dies

Longtime CBC reporter, host and announcer Bob MacGregor has died.

MacGregor, who started his career at the public broadcaster in 1956, was a reporter, writer, host and producer in Toronto and Montreal during his 50-plus years in broadcasting.

Among his major assignments at the CBC was reporting from the 1973 Quebec election in which a pro-federalist Robert Bourassa faced off against the separatist René Levesque.

MacGregor would report on the dirty tricks and no-holds-barred name calling that would mark that campaign, which resulted in Bourassa winning a shocking landslide victory.

He also reported from Montreal's Expo '67.

For the past 10 years he was one of the announcers for the overnight hourly news.

MacGregor died of cancer Saturday afternoon in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., at age 74.

Neil Young feels driven to work on electric car

WICHITA, Kan. - Neil Young, the rocker who provided some of the soundtrack to Vietnam-era protests, is trying to change the world again — with his car.

Young has teamed up with Johnathan Goodwin, a Wichita mechanic who has developed a national reputation for re-engineering the power units of big cars to get more horsepower but use less fuel.

The two are looking to convert Young's 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible to operate on an electric battery. Ultimately, they said, they want the Continental to provide a model for the world's first affordable mass-produced electric-powered automobile.

"Johnathan and this car are going to make history," Young told The Wichita Eagle. "We're going to change the world; we're going to create a car that will allow us to stop giving our wealth to other countries for petroleum."

Young has poured about $120,000 so far into the project, Goodwin said.

What's more, the prototype power system worked during a 12-mile test drive of the car last week — albeit with a few glitches.

"She was awesome," Young said of the battery-operated car. "Her acceleration was incredible, she moved with hardly a sound; it was so quiet we could hear the wind through the tags of other cars."

The drive almost ended in disaster when Goodwin, who controls acceleration with a knob in the back seat, twisted it the wrong way while approaching an entrance ramp and the vehicle lurched toward the rear of another car. Young, in the passenger seat, was able to hit the brakes in time.

"Still needs work," said Goodwin, 37.

Young, 62, said he came across taped interviews of Goodwin eight months ago on the Internet, including a segment for the MTV show "Pimp My Ride." Goodwin's clientele includes California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had Goodwin work on his Hummer.

Young said he set out wanting his car to be able to use biodiesel, but later asked Goodwin whether they could instead power it with batteries and use it as a template to make electric cars more mainstream.

"The technology to make a practical and affordable electric car has been around for a long time," Goodwin said. "There are all sorts of ways of doing it and all sorts of ways to work out how to make it work on a national scale."

For Young, the project may finally complete a mission he set for himself with his music.

"You know, I thought long ago you could change the world by writing songs," he said. "But you can't change the world by writing songs. Oh, you can inspire a few people, get some of them to change their thinking about something. But you can't change the world by writing songs.

"But we could change it with this car."

Legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71

PARIS - Legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent, who reworked the rules of fashion by putting women into elegant pantsuits that came to define how modern women dressed, died Sunday evening, a longtime friend and associate said. He was 71.

Pierre Berge said Saint Laurent died at his Paris home following a long illness.

A towering figure of 20th century fashion, Saint Laurent was widely considered the last of a generation that included Christian Dior and Coco Chanel and made Paris the fashion capital of the world, with the Rive Gauche, or Left Bank, as its elegant headquarters.

In the fast-changing world of haute couture, Saint Laurent was hailed as the most influential and enduring designer of his time. From the first YSL tuxedo and his trim pantsuits to see-through blouses, safari jackets and glamorous gowns, Saint Laurent created instant classics that remain stylish decades later.

When the designer announced his retirement in 2002 at age 65 and the closure of the Paris-based haute couture house he had founded 40 years earlier, it was mourned in the fashion world as the end of an era. His ready-to-wear label, Rive Gauche, which was sold to Gucci in 1999, still has boutiques around the world.

In October 2006, Saint Laurent slipped and fell outside a Paris restaurant during Fashion Week, suffering slight scratches but reminding fans of the perennially fragile designer's advancing age.

Saint Laurent was born Aug. 1, 1936, in Oran, Algeria, where his father worked as a shipping executive. He first emerged as a promising designer at the age of 17, winning first prize in a contest sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat for a cocktail dress design.

A year later in 1954, he enrolled at the Chambre Syndicale school of haute couture, but student life lasted only three months. He was introduced to Christian Dior, then regarded as the greatest creator of his day, and Dior was so impressed with Saint Laurent's talent that he hired him on the spot.

When Dior died suddenly in 1957, Saint Laurent was named head of the House of Dior at the age of 21. The next year, his first solo collection for Dior — the "trapeze" line — launched Saint Laurent's stardom. The trapeze dress — with its narrow shoulders and wide, swinging skirt — was a hit, and a breath of fresh air after years of constructed clothing, tight waists and girdles.

In 1960, Saint Laurent was drafted into military service — an experience that shattered the delicate designer, who by the end of the year was given a medical discharge for nervous depression.

Bouts of depression marked his career. Pierre Berge, the designer's longtime business partner and former romantic partner, was quoted as saying that Saint Laurent was born with a nervous breakdown.

Saint Laurent returned to the spotlight in 1962, opening his own haute couture fashion house with Berge. The pair later started a chain of Rive Gauche ready-to-wear boutiques.

Life Magazine hailed his first line under his own label as "the best collection of suits since Chanel."

Berge has said that Saint Laurent's gift to fashion was that he empowered women after Chanel had freed them.

Nowhere was Saint Laurent's gift more evident than the valedictory fashion show that marked his retirement in January 2002.

Forty years of fashion were paraded in a 300-piece retrospective that blurred the boundaries of time, mixing his creations of yesterday and today in one stunning tribute to the endurance of Saint Laurent's style. He also designed costumes for theater and film.

There was the simple navy blue pea coat over white pants, which the designer first showed in 1962 when he opened his couture house and kept as one of his hallmarks.

His "smoking," or tuxedo jacket, of 1966 remade the tux as a high fashion statement for both sexes. It remained the designer's trademark item and was updated yearly until he retired.

Also from the 60s came Beatnik chic — a black leather jacket and knit turtleneck with high boots — and sleek pantsuits that underlined Saint Laurent's statement on equality of the sexes. He showed that women could wear "men's clothes," which when tailored to the female form became an emblem of elegant femininity.

"More than any other designer since Chanel, YSL represented Paris as the style leader," The Independent of London wrote in an editorial after Saint Laurent's retirement. "By putting a woman in a man's tuxedo, he changed fashion forever, in a style that never dated."

In his own words, Saint Laurent said he felt "fashion was not only supposed to make women beautiful, but to reassure them, to give them confidence, to allow them to come to terms with themselves."

Some of his revolutionary style was met with resistance. There are famous stories of women wearing Saint Laurent pantsuits who were turned away from hotels and restaurants in London and New York.

One scandal centered on the designer himself, when he posed nude and floppy-haired for a photographer in 1971, wearing only his trademark thick black glasses, to promote his perfume.

Saint Laurent's rising star was eternalized in 1983, when the Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted a show to his work, the first ever to a living designer.

Subsequent shows at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and in Beijing made him a French national treasure, and he was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1985.

When France basked in the glory of its 1998 World Cup soccer final, it was Saint Laurent who took center field pre-kick off with an on-field retrospective at the Stade de France.

In 1999, Saint Laurent sold the rights of his label to Gucci Group NV, ceding control of his Rive Gauche collection, fragrances, cosmetics and accessories for US$70 million cash and royalties.

Industry insiders cited friction between Saint Laurent and Gucci's creative director, Tom Ford, as a likely factor in the fashion guru's decision to retire three years later. Ford stepped down in 2003.

When he bowed out of fashion in 2002, Saint Laurent spoke of his battles with depression, drugs and loneliness, though he gave no indication that those problems were directly tied to his decision to stop working.

"I've known fear and terrible solitude," he said. "Tranquilizers and drugs, those phony friends. The prison of depression and hospitals. I've emerged from all this, dazzled but sober."

'Sex' sells: Women give Carrie & Co. $55.7M debut

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sarah Jessica Parker and her gal pals have not lost their sex appeal. The big-screen " Sex and the City " — reuniting Parker and TV co-stars Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon — strutted to a $55.7 million opening weekend, far exceeding Hollywood's box office expectations.

That was nearly twice the forecast by distributor Warner Bros., whose head of distribution, Dan Fellman, said he had hoped the movie might deliver a $30 million debut.

"Women power," Fellman said. "It was outstanding this weekend."

Analysts had figured Paramount's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" might stay atop the box office heap, but it slipped to second place with $46 million in its second weekend. "Indiana Jones" raised its 11-day domestic total to $216.9 million.

"Sex and the City" put up numbers never before seen for a movie aimed mainly at women, who do not tend to rush out in huge numbers for opening weekends the way males do.

"Sex and the City," released under Warner's New Line Cinema banner, had the best debut ever for an R-rated comedy, topping the $45.1 million opening of "American Pie 2."

The movie landed at No. 5 on the all-time list among R-rated films, behind "The Matrix Reloaded" ($91.8 million), "The Passion of the Christ" ($83.8 million), "300" ($70.9 million) and "Hannibal" ($58 million).

"This is a blockbuster for women. This was to women what `Indiana Jones' and `Star Wars,' let's say, are to men," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers.

The movie picks up four years after the series finale, in which Parker's Carrie Bradshaw and her Manhattan buddies left behind their randy ways to settle into monogamous relationships. In the film, they deal with family and commitment issues while still flaunting their bawdy humor and trendy sense of style.

Hollywood skeptics had doubted the commercial prospects for a movie adaptation of "Sex and the City," which ended its six-year run in 2004. Originally airing on premium cable channel HBO, the show had a loyal but limited fan base and held little appeal for young males, the backbone of the box office.

However, "Sex and the City" mania grew as the movie's release approached, with many women organizing girls-night-out parties to see it with friends on opening day Friday.

"That's why Friday was quite a frenzy," Fellman said. "There were women that came in and bought out entire theaters in advance and invited all their friends."

Women made up 85 percent of the audience on Friday, Fellman said.

The movie pulled in $26.9 million on Friday. On Saturday, however, it took a steep drop with ticket sales dwindling to $17.7 million. Most big films take in more money on Saturday than Friday, so the decline was a sign that the audience for "Sex and the City" could dry up quickly.

Still, the film was on its way to becoming a $100 million hit that could spawn more sequels.

The weekend's other new wide release, Universal's fright flick "The Strangers," debuted solidly at No. 3 with $20.7 million. It stars Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as a couple terrorized by masked invaders at their vacation home.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Sex and the City," $55.7 million.
2. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $46 million.
3. "The Strangers," $20.7 million.
4. "Iron Man," $14 million.
5. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," $13 million.
6. "What Happens in Vegas," $6.9 million.
7. "Baby Mama," $2.2 million.
8. "Speed Racer," $2.1 million.
9. "Made of Honor," $2 million.
10. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," $1 million.

The Show Will go On!

Los Angeles (E! Online) - UPDATE: Today's MTV Movie Awards are still on.

"The show will go on as planned," an MTV rep says!

And if Mike Myers appears tonight in Love Guru garb, what will the audience's reaction be?

Myers will host the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, which, logically enough, can be seen across Canada on MTV.

But as well as appearing as the master of ceremonies, Myers will be attempting to "get his face out there" in advance of the release of his new movie The Love Guru, which will be in theatres June 20.

Certainly, The Love Guru already has attracted a certain degree of controversy, given that some Hindu groups are worried that the flick will poke fun at their faith. Hey, maybe it will, but generally we believe that everybody and everything in the world is fair game for good comedy, and placing an "off limits" sign on anything is a step backward.

Sometimes a little controversy can be good for box-office receipts, so we'll see what happens. And speaking of seeing what happens, keep in mind that hardly anyone has seen The Love Guru yet, so any kind of pre-release "bad buzz" should be evaluated accordingly, if you catch our drift.

Myers, who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, stars as a Hindu self-help coach who tries to aid a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player. The cast of The Love Guru also includes Jessica Alba, Ben Kingsley and Justin Timberlake.

It'll be intriguing to see if Myers references The Love Guru at all tonight, be it through words or attire. Either way, we're sure Myers is savvy enough to realize that when you're hosting an event like the MTV Movie Awards, it's impossible -- and undesirable -- to make it all about yourself when there's eye candy such as Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox strutting around.

The star power at the MTV Movie Awards always is first-rate, and this year is no exception.

Scheduled presenters at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., include Johnny Depp, Sarah Jessica Parker (gee, we haven't heard a lot about her lately), Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Liv Tyler, Edward Norton, Dwayne Johnson, Katharine McPhee, Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Wahlberg, Seth Rogen, Jennifer Hudson, Anne Hathaway, James Franco, Rumer Willis, Brendan Fraser, Danny McBride and the aforementioned Lohan and Fox.

Also, Coldplay and the Pussycat Dolls will take the stage for live performances -- not together, mind you.

Throw in the usual bizarre awards categories -- such as "best kiss," in which Juno's Ellen Page and Michael Cera are nominated this year, "best villain" and "best fight" -- and it should be another fun night at the MTV Movie Awards.

Hey, you know what would be cool? If the "best fight" nominees were required to perform their fight scenes live. What a show: Kicking and punching and sweating, with the affluent, bloodthirsty youth of today cheering them on ... oh wait, we have that already. It's called the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Can't we all just get along? Good thing the Love Guru himself will be in the house.

Large fire devours movie sets at Universal Studios

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - A large fire raged on a back lot at Universal Studios on Sunday, devouring several movie sets and the theme park's King Kong attraction, officials said.

The King Kong exhibit is a stop on the studio's tram tour where the giant ape bellows at passengers and artificial banana scent fills the area, studio spokesman Eliot Sekuler said.

Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Daryl Jacobs said at least one building had burned and as many as three blocks of movie facades were destroyed.

Two mock New York and New England streets used for movie making and tourist displays were "a total loss," he said.

Though the fire was contained, it was still raging, Jacobs said.

The blaze broke out just before dawn on a sound stage at the 400-acre property, fire Capt. Frank Reynoso said. There was at least one explosion.

A thick column of smoke rose thousands of feet into the air and for a time helicopters swept in to drop water.

More than 100 firefighters were trying to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby brush, Reynoso said. One firefighter was hospitalized for unspecified injuries.

Sekuler said the theme park would open Sunday, though the studio tour would not go to the King Kong part of the attraction. He said a commercial shoot was going on when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Universal Studios is located nine miles north of downtown Los Angeles that has thrill rides and a back lot where movies and television shows are filmed.

Some of the more familiar attractions on the back lot are the clock tower from the "Back To The Future" movies and the house featured in "Psycho."

Scenes from several blockbuster films and television shows have been filmed at the studios, including "War of the Worlds," "When Harry met Sally" and "Scrubs."