Prince Charles says no thanks to Doctor Who appearance

Prince Charles has turned down an offer to star in the hit BBC series Doctor Who, triggering an angry response from the show's executive producer.

Russell T. Davies, speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Sunday night, called the Prince of Wales "a miserable swine" for declining the invitation.

However, the Prince's Clarence House office said the Prince never had a chance to view the invite himself.

"We did receive a request from Doctor Who 's producers," said a spokeswoman. "It was not turned down by Prince Charles but by a Clarence House official. We receive hundreds of requests and he doesn't see them all."

The official did provide another opening for Davies: "It's not uncommon for people to resubmit requests with different criteria and if it was resubmitted we would look at it again."

The Prince is a self-confessed fan of the show and has appeared on other TV series. In 2000, he made a guest appearance in a live episode of Coronation Street to mark the program's 40th anniversary.

He also read his own story, The Old Man of Lochnagar, on the children's show Jackanory.

Davies, who was head writer on the show for four years, announced he was stepping down as Doctor Who's executive producer earlier this year.

"There's nothing I regret," he told an audience of 2,000 fans at the festival. "The show has stayed successful and popular and good, so I'm really proud of it."

Davies was at the event to promote his book about his time on the show.

A fifth season of Doctor Who is not due until 2010 but there are three one-off specials featuring the time-travelling adventurer due out in 2009.

New CD Releases, October 14: Kenny Chesney, Lucinda Williams, Ray LaMontagne

Kenny Chesney "Lucky Old Sun" (BNA)

The country superstar is set to issue a follow-up to last year's platinum-plus-selling "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates." The first single from "Lucky Old Sun" is "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven," which was released in August and became Chesney's 38th Top 40 country hit.

Also of note, "Lucky Old Sun" includes the track "I'm Alive," which is collaboration with rock-star Dave Matthews.

Thanks to such smash hits as "How Forever Feels" and "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," Chesney has become one of the most highly decorated performers in country music history. He has been named "Entertainer of the Year" by both the ACM and CMA on multiple occasions.

* * *
Lucinda Williams "Little Honey" (Lost Highway)

Having released the Grammy-nominated "West" just last year, the acclaimed alt-country singer/songwriter quickly returns with a follow-up, "Little Honey."
The 13-track set features numerous guest stars, including Elvis Costello, Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs, Jim Lauderdale and Charlie Louvin. "Little Honey" also includes Williams' version of AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)," which she has already added to her concert repertoire.

Williams is currently supporting "Little Honey" on the road. The tour is scheduled to last through mid-November, ending with a two-night stand, Nov. 16-17, at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore.

* * *
Ray LaMontagne "Gossip in the Grain" (RCA)

The pop vocalist gets back to business with his third studio release, "Gossip in the Grain." LaMontagne recorded "Gossip in the Grain" in England with producer Ethan Johns.

After recording his previous two albums--2004's "Trouble" and 2006's "Till the Sun Turns Black"--as mostly solo endeavors (with Johns serving as a contributing instrumentalist), Lamontagne enlisted the help of a couple of his touring-band members while recording the new record: bassist Jennifer Condos and guitarist Eric Heywood.

LaMontagne is showcasing "Gossip in the Grains" during his current North American tour, which is scheduled to stretch through a Nov. 9 show in Seattle.

* * *
Keane "Perfect Symmetry" (Interscope)

Already mega-stars in their native UK, Keane hopes to create a similar sensation in the US with the release of its third studio album, "Perfect Symmetry." The record follows 2004's "Hopes and Fears" and 2006's "Under the Iron Sea," both of which hit the No. 1 spot on the charts in the UK.

* * *
Elvis Presley "Christmas Duets" (Sony)

The King of Rock and Roll has some posthumous company on this holiday offering. The album features some of today's most-popular female stars, including Gretchen Wilson, Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride, adding their voices to Presley's treasured Christmas classics. Some might dub the package as morbid, but it's easy to see "Christmas Duets" becoming a popular gift idea come the holiday season.

* * *
More new releases:
Kristin Chenoweth, "A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas" (Sony)
Copeland, "You Are My Sunshine" (Tooth and Nail)
Billy Currington, "Little Bit of Everything" (Jazz Alliance)
Al Jarreau, "Christmas" (Rhino)
Gojira, "The Way of All Flesh" (Prosthetic)
Yo-Yo Ma, "Songs of Joy & Peace Deluxe Version" (Sony)
Yngwie Malmsteen, "Perpetual Flame" (Rising Force)
Mary Mary, "The Sound" (Sony)
Dave Mason, "26 Letters 12 Notes" (MRI)
Ingrid Michaelson, "Be OK" (Cabin 24)
New Kids on the Block, "Merry, Merry Christmas" (Sony)
Todd Snider, "Peace Queer" (MRI)
J.D. Souther, "If the World Was You" (MRI)
Various Artists, "Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins" (Wildflower)

Fall Out Boy Album Moved Back Six Weeks

Fall Out Boy's new Island album, "Folie a Deux," has shifted from its original Nov. 4 release date to Dec. 16. A post on the band's Web site cited concerns over the planned election day tie-in as one of the reasons for the shift.

"Six months ago we thought it would be a fun idea to release our album on election day but this is not the election to be cute," the band says. "We felt as though rather than making a commentary we were only riding the wave of the election. This seemed less and less like what we intended to do and more of a gimmick."

Later today, Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz said Dec. 16 "is not the date we had originally planned nor the optimal date according some demographic marketing analysis, [but] we put our eight feet down told our label it must come out this year. We're already bummed enough that 'Chinese Democracy' is gonna beat us to release."

An Island spokesperson was unavailable for comment at deadline.

To offset the delay, Fall Out Boy promises "a surprise or two" (one of which has been identified as an Elvis Costello guest appearance) as well as "an extensive preorder campaign that will take into account the current state of our economy" and both new songs and a podcast series via iTunes.

The first single from the album, "I Don't Care," has sold 167,000 downloads in four weeks of U.S. release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

As another olive branch to expectant fans, Fall Out Boy will play "extremely small club shows" in the U.S. in November, with tickets only being available on the day of. Details have yet to be announced.

"Folie a Deux" is the follow-up to 2007's "Infinity on High," which has sold 1.3 million copies.

Ford Denies LaBeouf Will Take On Indiana Role

Actor Harrison Ford has denied reports his Indiana Jones sidekick Shia LaBeouf will replace his role as the action hero in a new installment of the franchise film.

LaBeouf starred alongside the 66-year-old actor as the whip-cracker's young friend Mutt Williams.

And the Star Wars actor insists there are no plans for the young star to take on the role he made famous, despite the open ending in summer blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Ford brushed off the rumours, sparked after he passed the archaeologist's trademark hat to LaBeouf's character, alluding to the switch.

He tells Moviefone: "No, that's never been (the idea)... I think it just doesn't work that way. And there's definitely a distinction between passing the fedora and someone picking it up."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

South Park's Spielberg Parody Sparks Controversy At TV Network

An episode of controversial cartoon series South Park has sparked outrage after depicting Hollywood director Steven Spielberg in a rape scene with Harrison Ford.

The show made its season 12 debut on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur on Thursday.

In the opening episode, entitled The China Problem, the show's characters have flashbacks of Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford getting raped by Jewish director Spielberg and his fellow filmmaker George Lucas.

Anti-Defamation League spokesperson Myrna Shinbaum tells the New York Daily News, "South Park has been offensive and has had very anti-Jewish pieces in the past. We understand that the show is trying to satirise, but it may get lost on those who are haters."

According to reports, bosses at Paramount Pictures have scheduled a meeting with executives at its parent company, which produces the Comedy Central series.

Comedy Central's Senior Vice President Steve Albani says, "We don't comment episode by episode on South Park or whether they cross the line, but South Park has a history, and people know what they are getting into when they watch it."

Paramount have declined to comment on the episode.

Neil Young preps "new" live set, delays "Archives"

NEW YORK (Billboard) - There's good news and bad news for long-suffering Neil Young fans.

The good: highlights from a sought-after November 9-10, 1968, run from the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Mich., will be released as "Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968" November 25 via Reprise Records.

The bad: Young's endlessly delayed "Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972)" is officially pushed back to some point in 2009. Young has waffled about whether the project will only be available on Blu-ray and DVD or whether there will be CDs sold; the latest word from Reprise is that "Archives" will be DVD only.

"Sugar Mountain," which will not be included in "Archives Vol. 1," was taped a few days shy of Young's 23rd birthday. Young had split from Buffalo Springfield six months earlier, and was testing out his solo material in front of audiences more accustomed to seeing him perform with a band.

The album features future young staples such as "Mr. Soul," "Expecting To Fly," the title track and "Broken Arrow," along with several snippets of between-song banter where Young discusses the menial jobs he held in Toronto.

Ringo Starr says he has no time for fan mail

LONDON (AFP) - Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr has told his fans in a bizarre online video message to stop sending him fan mail as he is too busy to sign or read it, and it will only be "tossed".

"This is a serious message to everybody watching my update right now. Peace and love, peace and love," the musician said.

"I want to tell you please -- after the 20th of October do not send fan mail to any address that you have. Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that has the date on the envelope it's going to be tossed.

"I'm warning you with peace and love I have too much to do. So no more fan mail, thank you, thank you, and no objects to be signed. Nothing."

Fans of the former Fab Four can, however, still get their Ringo fix with a Ringo Starr bag, "perfect for groceries, the beach or any other daily activities", sold on the website alongside a Ringo hoodie or t-shirt.

Spielberg rejoins Universal in DreamWorks deal

LOS ANGELES - Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks studio has signed on with Universal Pictures to distribute its films as his company parts ways with Paramount.

Under the seven-year deal, Universal will distribute up to six DreamWorks movies a year domestically and overseas, except for India, executives for both companies said Monday.

Spielberg made his early films, including "Jaws," for Universal, and his Amblin Entertainment production company remained based on the Universal lot even after Paramount acquired DreamWorks in 2006.

"Universal has always been my home base so this agreement starts a new chapter in what has been a long and successful association," Spielberg said in a news release. "While it feels great to come home again, it feels like I never left."

Universal will handle distribution in exchange for an 8 percent fee on revenues.

The deal had been anticipated as DreamWorks broke off from Paramount, where there had been ongoing friction over the costs of keeping Spielberg and his outfit there.

In a partnership with Reliance Big Entertainment of India, DreamWorks has lined up $1.5 billion to finance its future film slate. Reliance is handling distribution of DreamWorks films in India.

Remaining in charge at DreamWorks is Stacey Snider, who became chief executive officer in 2006. Snider previously was chairwoman of Universal Pictures.

"I really feel like it is a homecoming for Steven and Stacey," said Marc Shmuger, Universal Pictures chairman.

DreamWorks films already finished or nearing completion at Paramount, such as the dramas "The Soloist" and "The Lovely Bones" and next summer's "Transformers" sequel, still will be distributed by Paramount.

About 30 other films in development while DreamWorks was at Paramount are being split between them. They will retain the option to co-finance and co-distribute those films.

David Geffen, who co-founded DreamWorks SKG with Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1994, negotiated the deal but is not joining the new incarnation of DreamWorks.

The deal does not affect films from Katzenberg's DreamWorks Animation, which was spun off as a public company in 2004. DreamWorks Animation's distribution deal with Paramount runs through 2012.

James Bond mystery: 'Golden gun' goes missing

The $162,000 gun used in the James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun has been stolen from a studio in Britain.

Staff at Elstree Studios, located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire north of London, noticed it was missing on Friday, according to BBC News.

The prop was used in the 1974 film starring Roger Moore and Christopher Lee as Bond's nemesis Scaramanga, who kills people using a gun that also functions as a cigarette case, a lighter and a pen.

It's not known how long the prop, valued at $162,000, has been missing.

Hertfordshire police would only say that "inquires are ongoing."

In the film, Bond receives a golden bullet inscribed with 007 while on a mission.

He decides to track down Francisco Scaramanga, an assassin known as "the man with the golden gun."

The latest high jinx comes as the newest Bond film, Quantum of Solace starring Daniel Craig, is due to be released at the end of October.

McCain set for makeup appearance on Letterman show

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - He may be trailing his Democratic rival in the polls, but it looks like Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain is headed for a rapprochement with late-night TV comedian David Letterman.

The CBS network announced on Sunday that Letterman would welcome the Arizona senator back to his program on Thursday, three weeks after McCain irked the CBS "Late Show" host by abruptly backing out of a scheduled guest appearance.

At the time, McCain declared he was suspending his presidential campaign and immediately hurrying back to Washington to take part in congressional efforts to fashion an emergency bailout package for the financial industry.

But McCain's last-minute cancellation drew relentless ribbing from Letterman, who suggested the senator's move was a political stunt that ran contrary to the Vietnam War veteran's status as an "American hero."

"I'm more than a little disappointed by this behavior," Letterman said, questioning McCain's motives for suspending his campaign. "Are we suspending it because there's an economic crisis or because the poll numbers are sliding?"

Later in the program, Letterman learned McCain was still in New York, several blocks away, preparing for an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, while a live internal network video feed showed the politician having makeup applied.

"He doesn't seem to be racing to the airport, does he?" Letterman said, shouting at the TV monitor, "Hey John, I got a question! You need a ride to the airport?"

Letterman has since taken numerous on-air shots at McCain for standing him up last month.

McCain's newly scheduled visit to the show on Thursday, a day after his third and final nationally televised debate with Democrat Barack Obama, will mark the Republican's 13th guest appearance on Letterman and the first since he formally accepted his party's nomination.

Obama appeared on the "Late Show" on September 10, during which he sought to clarify a controversial "lipstick on a pig" remark that drew fire from Republicans.

There was no word yet on whether McCain will be bringing Letterman any sort of peace offering.