 Meet the new 'The Amazing Race' teams
 Associated Press
An ex-NFL player and his estranged wife, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and her actor brother, recent divorcees, a pair of Southern belles and fraternity brothers are among the 11 two-person teams hurrying for the finish line – and the $1 million grand prize – on the upcoming 13th edition of CBS' "The Amazing Race."
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Mariah, Miley, Beyonce join voices to fight cancer
LOS ANGELES, 5:36 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
What would it sound like if 15 of the hottest female singers joined voices? The answer will be revealed Sept. 2.
That's when “Just Stand Up” hits airwaves and iTunes. The song features Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood. All sales of the star-studded single will benefit cancer research.
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MILWAUKEE, 10:25 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Bronze Fonz now an 'Ayyyy'-list celeb in Milwaukee: They're giving two thumbs up to the bronze Fonz in Milwaukee. Dozens of people lining the Milwaukee River downtown cheered as a bronze statue of the “Happy Days” character was unveiled Tuesday.
8:35 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Theory linking music, human evolution is lacking: “The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature” (Dutton. 336 pages. $25.95), by Daniel J. Levitin: Why do humans act the way we do? Evolutionary biologists often give the simplified answer: Because we're driven by the instincts that helped our ancestors survive.
BOSTON, 7:27 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Mass. man guilty of possessing 6 stolen paintings: A retired Massachusetts lawyer has been found guilty of possessing six valuable paintings that had been stolen from a home in 1978.
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, 7:13 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Vietnam releases Gary Glitter from prison: Authorities freed British glam rocker Gary Glitter from prison in southern Vietnam on Tuesday, sending the convicted child molester into an uncertain future after nearly three years of confinement.
NEW YORK, 6:18 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Applegate calls double mastectomy a 'tough' choice: Christina Applegate is taking the long view of her battle with breast cancer – the really long view.
LOS ANGELES, 5:36 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
Mariah, Miley, Beyonce join voices to fight cancer: What would it sound like if 15 of the hottest female singers joined voices? The answer will be revealed Sept. 2.
12:31 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
'The Amazing Race 13' teams: A look at the 11 teams competing in the 13th season of CBS' “The Amazing Race.”
12:13 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)
New gems from Xbox Live Arcade: I'm a sucker for big, juicy games with flashy graphics, block-rockin' audio and tons of things to do. This summer has been unusually rich in such ambitious productions, with high-profile releases like “Metal Gear Solid 4,” “Ninja Gaiden II” and “Grid.”
NEW YORK, 8:45 a.m. Aug. 19 (AP)Books For the Fall: Obama, Woodward and Moore: In case you're wondering which books to read this fall, Michael Moore has a suggestion: Don't read any.
NEW YORK, 10:35 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Obama book falls victim to booksellers' rivalry: A new book about Sen. Barack Obama has intensified a rivalry between two powerful competitors: Barnes & Noble, Inc. and Amazon.com.
LOS ANGELES, 10:27 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
No critical sneak peeks for '90210,' network says: The drama has already begun with “90210,” which is giving TV critics the brushoff.
LOS ANGELES, 9:59 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
'CSI' gets its man: Laurence Fishburne joins cast: “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” has solved the mystery of who will replace departing CBS series star William Petersen: It's Laurence Fishburne.
LOS ANGELES, 3:02 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Vader love triangle? New chemistry in 'Clone Wars': Darth Vader: Sith lord, murderous imperialist, deadbeat dad ... dirty old man? The latest entry into the “Star Wars” canon features a new, female character whose charms are not lost on Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi general on the brink of becoming the baddest bad guy the galaxy has ever known.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., 2:47 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)Friends, family pay tribute to soul singer Hayes: The weight of soul singer Isaac Hayes' legacy in Memphis could be measured in a single remark at his memorial service Monday.
LOS ANGELES, 2:48 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
'Tropic Thunder' breezes to No. 1 with $25.8M: The action comedy “Tropic Thunder” grabbed the top spot at the box office with $25.8 million, knocking the Batman tale “The Dark Knight” into second-place after four weekends on top.
Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
SummerFest takes flight on Messiaen's timeless notes: In the final passages of Olivier Messiaen's “Quartet for the End of Time,” the music crept higher and higher until it sounded as if violinist Cho-Liang Lin and pianist Christopher Taylor had reached the uppermost limits of their instruments and run out of notes.
SAN DIEGO, 8:12 p.m. Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Neil Young sets Oct. 29 concert at Cox Arena: Rock legend Neil Young and his one-woman, four-man band are headed to town for an Oct. 29 concert at San Diego State University's Cox Arena, Live Nation announced Monday. SAN DIEGO, 5:08 p.m. Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Timken Museum names new director: After a formal search that lasted a little more than a year, the Timken Museum of Art has appointed a new director, John Wilson. He succeeds John Petersen, who died in December 2006.
9:39 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Notable books coming out this fall: Some notable books coming out this fall: Fiction “Divine Justice,” David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing), the latest thriller from the author of “Absolute Power.”
NEW YORK, 8:20 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)Title, print run on Woodward book announced: The suspense didn't quite compare to the identity of “Deep Throat,” but we now know the name of Bob Woodward's fourth investigative work on the Bush administration, just three weeks before the book's release.
LOS ANGELES, 6:50 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
What are TV's most memorable moments? You decide.: The most memorable moments in television history will be revealed during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards next month, and it's up to voters to decide which bits should take top honors.
LOS ANGELES, 5:34 a.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Harry Potter film pulls vanishing act on EW cover: Maybe Harry Potter should have brought a note from his parents saying he would be missing school.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Nature + Culture = Art: A project of artists responding to the dramatically changing Earth may seem timely, perhaps fashionably so. The existence of global warming is hardly debated any longer. The discussion has shifted to how far-reaching its effects will be and how fast we can counter them.
Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes:From Bill Foster, Vista: If you thought “Fox 5 News at 10” was horrifying (“Disaster 'News,' ” Outtakes, Aug. 11), watch “Fox 5 Morning News.” For traffic updates, it's Chrissy Russo in the parking lot standing on a highway map that looks like a third-grade art project.
Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The stars shine at SummerFest:
Three major performers, Aug. 18 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Voices & choices : Leila Josefowicz, Vladimir Feltsman and Leon Fleisher – will join a few friends and play some of their favorite pieces during La Jolla Music Society SummerFest's “An Evening With ” series.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)From ledgers to love letters, they've held life's stories: There's no ink in Carol Mitchell's inkwells. They rest in a cabinet in the living room of her Oceanside home, reminders of earlier, less-hurried times.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Rioult leads troupe to SummerFest :Reality television hasn't yet spawned "So You Think You Can Choreograph," but if there were a competition for dance makers, contestants might face the type of challenges Pascal Rioult sets for himself.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Ken Gillich, master of his universe:Ken Gillich is in charge at Reading Cinemas' Gaslamp Stadium 15, downtown. And what a charge it is. He's proud of this unique, architecturally fine environment. He loves the movies and the daily adventures that come with being in the urban maelstrom.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For new season, a 'totally unique venue' has a unique lineup:Where could you find Tibetan monks, astounding child-prodigy mandolinists and bellydancing stars all in the same place? Look no further than downtown's Balboa Theatre.
Aug. 17 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
UNESCO sites were foundations for new art show:The eight artists in “Human/Nature: Artists Respond to a Changing Planet” traveled to UNESCO World Heritage Sites that became the basis of their works on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The healing power of forgiveness: Paul Livingston doesn't look like a victim. At 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds, he is taller than Michael Jordan and big enough to play offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers. But 36 years ago, when he was only 6 years old, he became prey for a pedophile custodian at a Catholic school in Orange County.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record:
Aug. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Space-worthy flies give 'Moon' 'toon some buzz: I'm one who reaches for the fly swatter as soon as I see one of those little black pests, so the first point won by “Fly Me to the Moon” is getting me to even watch a movie where flies are the stars, let alone when they're coming right at you, thanks to 3-D animation.
Aug. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Multinational MusiCamp recital was in perfect harmony at the Mingei: The musicale offered performances by seven young artists: one from Germany, one from Bulgaria, one from the Netherlands, and four from Venezuela.
Aug. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes: 'POOLE' BOY “Henry Poole Is Here” (½) is an act of faith, a story about religion that neither pontificates nor proselytizes.
Aug. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hard to knock Heigl for just speaking candidly: I was going to ignore this overblown, blog-driven “Katherine Heigl has a big fat mouth” controversy, but now no less than Entertainment Weekly columnist Mark Harris and latimes.com have chimed in. So this “story” has to be important, right?
NEW YORK, 9:39 a.m. Aug. 15 (AP)
Jerry Wexler, famed record producer, dies at 91: Legendary record producer Jerry Wexler, who helped shape R&B music with influential recordings of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and other greats, and later made key recordings with the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, has died, says his co-author, David Ritz. He was 91.
NEW YORK, 9:09 a.m. Aug. 15 (AP)
Saget discusses TV daughters, picks Stamos for VP: Cloris Leachman spares Bob Saget little dignity in her feisty appearance at his Comedy Central roast.
8:27 a.m. Aug. 15 (AP)
Wife, lovers tend dying man in 'Sweethearts': “My Husband's Sweethearts” (Bantam Dell Publishing Group, 271 pages, $22), by Bridget Asher: Lucy Shoreman is still coming to terms with her husband's cheating when she finds out he's dying. Unwilling to go through a second crisis alone, she gets drunk, takes his little black book and calls his sweethearts to invite them to take their turn at his deathbed.
NEW YORK, 3:13 a.m. Aug. 15 (AP)
Spears, Brown, Jonas Brothers get MTV Awards nods: After delivering one of the worst performances in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards, Britney Spears has a chance to be crowned this year as the absolute best.
ROME, 12:35 a.m. Aug. 15 (AP)
Leonardo: Artist, inventor, matchmaker?: Born 500 years too early to put her photo on an online dating site, this young woman tried a different matchmaking approach – a portrait by Leonardo Da Vinci.
LOS ANGELES, 3:04 p.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
Poof! Next 'Harry Potter' flick moves to summer: It's summer school for Harry Potter. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the sixth installment in the blockbuster film franchise about boy wizard Harry, is moving from its planned Nov. 21 release to July 17, 2009, distributor Warner Bros. said Thursday.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Talkin' 'bout their generation: It's about sex; it's about death; it's about, as one song so delicately puts it, the bitch of living.
NEW YORK, 4:00 p.m. Aug. 13 (AP)
NBC sees new media habits form with Olympic games: About half of the people who are using mobile phones to pull down video or information about the Olympics have been trying out that technology for the first time, NBC said on Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 14 (REUTERS)
White House reporter Helen Thomas profiled on HBO: As a tireless questioner of authority and a consummate Washington insider, pioneering White House correspondent Helen Thomas has covered nine U.S. presidents over a span of nearly a half century.
NEW YORK, 12:36 p.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
Dance floods TV: Turn on the TV: There's Comfort, lunging backward like it's the forward thing to do, and Gev twirling on his head, b-boy style. Kourthi pirouettes bare foot as smooth as a turntable.
NEW YORK, 7:26 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
'Mad Men' stars have fun as anxious Pete and Peggy: On the “Mad Men” premiere last summer, a boozy Pete Campbell hauled himself from his bachelor party to the door of Peggy Olson's modest Brooklyn apartment.
DALLAS, 2:37 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
Cast members returning for 30th 'Dallas' reunion: J.R., Bobby, Sue Ellen and other members of the Ewing clan are getting back together for a “Dallas” reunion party.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Female-centric 'Lilies' a strong debut effort: French filmmaker Celine Sciamma's debut feature, “Water Lilies,” is notable for one chief reason: boys. They're almost nonexistent in this soft-spoken drama of adolescent sexual awakening.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Globe-trotting journey: The story of ska is a journey spanning continents, beginning with a percussive extension of American rhythm and blues that developed into a uniquely Jamaican style of music under the Caribbean sun.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Who made you God?: Just wait'll you hear his song about Ben Bernanke! Alex Woodard is not the first former child actor to pursue a career in music, as Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett, longtime Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks and blues singer Josh White Jr., can all attest.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull took on time and won: Hell has not frozen over – an increasingly unlikely prospect in these days of global warming – but something nearly as unlikely has happened.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The call of the canvas: Swashbuckling pirates, intrepid explorers, a broad expanse of canvas taut with wind a tall ship under full sail stirs the imagination.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Amorous amalgam: He calls himself the “grandfather of crossover music,” and tomorrow, veteran French jazz pianist/composer Jacques Loussier presents his latest example, “Divertimento,” at La Jolla Music Society SummerFest.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Sheryl Crow's new recipe: In the Southern comfort of her Tennessee home, in the quiet hours after baby Wyatt's 3 a.m. feedings, Sheryl Crow found her voice. It rose up from the shadows of early morning, more powerful than the breezy pop/rock hits of her past, singing stories that demanded to be told.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A mild shock: Alan Rickman is not a snob: Although we told the actor Alan Rickman that we liked his new film, “Bottle Shock,” we also had to admit to him that we knew less than nothing about its subject matter, the making of wine.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Jeremy Pelt: "November": Manjazz
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Eddie Floyd: “Eddie Loves You So”: Stax
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Donna Summer doesn't need a disco ball to wow music fans: Although Donna Summer is best known as a disco icon, her sound spans far beyond beats and bass lines. The title of her new album, “Crayons,” is evocative of all the different hues in her music, whether they be reggae rhythms, rock guitar riffs or Bollywood detours.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Ah, I remember it well ...: Thirty years later, I no longer remember what we ordered. But I remember how our meal at the Hyatt Islandia's restaurant ended.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Must. Help. George. Lucas.: For those who like pretty glowing sabers and spaceships, the entirely computer-generated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” works well enough. For those who prefer to experience “Star Wars” as a real drama, with interconnecting themes and undercurrents, “Clone Wars” can seem as empty as the orange haze surrounding Cloud City.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Carla Bruni: "Comme Si de Rien N'Etait": Downtown/Naive
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Ann Kim to leave Channel 10: Lee Ann Kim, a high-profile anchor at KGTV/Channel 10 for 13 years, is leaving the station this month. Her last night anchoring the weekend news is Aug. 31.
NEW YORK, 9:02 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
The Source relaunches, seeks to restore past glory: The Source, which was in bankruptcy last year, is relaunching with a 20th-anniversary issue and a new focus – a direction that its co-publisher says will restore the magazine, once known as hip-hop's bible, to prominence.
7:14 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
Top 5 lists in entertainment: TELEVISION 1. “Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony,” NBC.
WAUKESHA, Wis., 4:14 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
Rare collection of Lennon art on display: John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and his admirers are so protective of his legacy they don't want any of his original drawings photographed in full.
HANOI, Vietnam, 2:34 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
Vietnam to deport glam rocker Glitter to Britain: Former glam rocker and convicted child molester Gary Glitter will be deported back to Britain on Tuesday after being released from prison in Vietnam, his lawyer said.
Aug. 14 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Yung Berg: "Look What You Made Me": Epic
MEMPHIS, Tenn., 3:40 a.m. Aug. 13 (AP)
Sheriff's department: Hayes likely died of stroke: Isaac Hayes apparently died of a stroke, officials with the sheriff's department said Tuesday.
SAN JOSE, 9:14 p.m. Aug. 13 (AP)
Top dishonors in writing go to Washington man: A grotesque comparison of a steamy love affair to a New York City street has won a Washington man this year's grand prize in an annual contest of bad writing.
NEW YORK, 7:59 a.m. Aug. 13 (AP)Appeals court reverses Steinbeck copyrights ruling: A federal appeals court has reversed a ruling that awarded John Steinbeck's son and granddaughter publishing rights to 10 of the author's early works, including “The Grapes of Wrath.” MIAMI, 5:02 a.m. Aug. 13 (AP)
Paris Hilton sued over lack of publicity for film: Paris Hilton didn't do enough pledging for a 2006 sorority comedy, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Aug. 11 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
SummerFest plays with the instruments of change: Beer bottles used as panpipes. A piano played inside and out. The soothing harmonies of a harmonica and percussive clanking of metal plates.
Aug. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Small steps to big savings:Women, it seems, love a challenge. With food prices continuing to rise, we asked readers to submit their best strategies for beating the grocery-store blues. The responses were gratifying.
They were also all from women.
Working mothers, stay-at-home moms, retirees, singles. Over the past two months, e-mails poured in from women in different circumstances but all with one thing in common: the desire and the need to make ends meet.
Aug. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Profiles of noteworthy products: Starbucks has introduced two new frosty fruit drinks, Orange Mango Banana Blend and Banana Chocolate Blend, but don't dare call them smoothies. The java giant is branding these drinks – the first poured out in a new line of healthier offerings – as Vivanno Nourishing Blends.
Aug. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Slow Food: Culinary Gathering : Slow Food Nation, billed as the largest celebration of American food in history, will take place in San Francisco over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, at venues throughout the city. Thousands of people – farmers, food artisans, political leaders, environmental advocates, health-care experts and citizens – are expected to participate in a range of activities showcasing the connection between plate and planet.
Aug. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
High potato prices : Potato prices are at some of the highest levels in years. It all began almost a year ago. August is the final month of growth for spuds. During that month, a potato can gain as much as 50 percent of its weight. That makes August a make-or-break month for potatoes.
Aug. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Shrimp Fra Diavolo will leave you hot and bothered: Would it be possible for you to please obtain a recipe for me from the chain restaurant Romano's Macaroni Grill? Shrimp Diavolo. It is a tomato-based sauce, quite spicy, with shrimp. With high hopes, I thank you in advance.
Aug. 13 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Pint of the week: Full Sail LTD Series 02, Hood River, Ore. : Full Sail is a marvelous brewery, but this effort falls flat. Perhaps the fault lies in the light-bodied, uncomplicated style? A Helles is a Munich-rooted lager with a soft, lightly sweet maltiness and relatively low levels of hoppiness.
LONDON, 8:17 a.m. Aug. 12 (AP)
Copy of Beatles contract for sale in London: Brian Epstein's copy of his management contract with The Beatles, a pact that proved to be worth millions, is being offered for sale in London next month.
PARIS, 7:46 a.m. Aug. 12 (AP)
Givenchy to help dress Madonna for her world tour: The upscale French fashion house Givenchy will help dress Madonna for her upcoming “Sticky & Sweet” world tour, a spokeswoman for the label said Tuesday.
NEW YORK, 6:06 a.m. Aug. 12 (AP)
You can skip Olympics coverage on TV – yeah, right: For weeks it had been building, the pressure that comes over you every two years – alternately in the winter, then the summer – to drop what you're doing and watch the Olympics.
LOS ANGELES, 4:31 a.m. Aug. 12 (AP)
Mental disability groups protest 'Tropic Thunder': “Tropic Thunder” is pushing the envelope too far for groups representing the mentally disabled.
NEW YORK, 6:59 p.m. Aug. 11 (AP)
Allman Brothers Band sues record company for $13M: The Allman Brothers Band has sued a record company to demand a bigger cut of recordings sold through third parties such as Apple's iTunes music service.
NEW YORK, 5:56 p.m. Aug. 11 (AP)
Left or right, Obama books are hot: Whether they like him or oppose him, readers want to hear more about Barack Obama. “The Obama Nation,” an anti-Obama book written by Jerome V. Corsi, will debut at No. 1 come Sunday on The New York Times' hardcover nonfiction best-seller list.
ELKHORN, Wis., 4:46 a.m. Aug. 12 (AP)
8-year-old guitar wiz has reason to play the blues: When Tallan “T-Man” Latz was 5, he saw Joe Satriani playing guitar on TV. “I turned around to my dad and said, 'That's exactly what I want to do.'”
Aug. 12 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
What's Up, Docs? : Dave Duval might have died had he waited for either his HMO or a famous medical center to accurately diagnose his symptoms. Fran Vigil would have had to endure significantly more discomfort and pain if she'd agreed to her first oncologist's treatment recommendations. However, today both of them are active, healthy and happy that they took the time, trouble, and sometimes added expense, to get more than one medical opinion.
JERUSALEM, 7:49 a.m. Aug. 11 (AP)Easy-listening West Bank station goes off air: A West Bank radio station that sought to bring Israelis and Palestinians together to the tune of pop music has gone of the air because of a lack of funding. LONDON, 5:46 a.m. Aug. 11 (AP)
Poet's turbulent marriage remembered in diary: It was a legendarily turbulent union, fueled by adoration, adultery and alcohol. In the final hours of Dylan Thomas' life, his wife, Caitlin, according to lore, allegedly stormed in and demanded to know if the celebrated Welsh poet – who she described as the “bloody man” – was dead yet. TORRANCE, 5:45 a.m. Aug. 11 (AP)
CW retools fabled teen show 'Beverly Hills, 90210': “Gutter balls only, please!” someone yells during a rehearsal at the Lucky Strike bowling alley for the CW's new series “90210.” So co-stars Jessica Stroup and Shenae Grimes downplay their bowling skills.
Aug. 11 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes:Reports to Outtakes began arriving early last week about the shocking on-air confusion and dysfunction of the new “Fox 5 News at 10.” So, after observing one midweek broadcast, things were so bad you actually felt sorry for seemingly mortified anchor Kathleen Bade when told by a reporter in the field dealing with technical difficulties, “Let's send it back to the studio.”
Aug. 10 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Audience with the Queen: The air is like soup, thick and steamy, as some 40 dancers, from 10-year-old sprites to women who qualify for senior discounts, line the barres at City Ballet of San Diego. Two fans going full-blast barely stir the muggy atmosphere; the temperature in this master class has got to be 90 degrees and the humidity not far behind.
Aug. 10 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
His SummerFest mission is to stay radio active:On a recent afternoon, recording engineer Paul Cox peered through the window of a control booth, watching the stage far below as three classical music stars – violinist Gil Shaham, cellist Carter Brey and pianist Garrick Ohlsson – rehearsed Brahms for the opening of La Jolla Music Society SummerFest.
Aug. 10 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Right now, his art is an open book:He's made 12 books thus far and continues to embrace the form. “Coverage” is a different type of work. It's a cross between poetry and conceptual art, and it's made to be mailed – in installments. He just had hhis first solo exhibition in a gallery, at Harrington Fine Arts in San Francisco, which included paintings and assorted other works.
Aug. 10 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Mainly Mozart 'family' is set to grow :
Clarinetist David Shifrin, violinist Jennifer Frautschi and cellist Julie Albers are among the accomplished musicians who will make their Mainly Mozart debuts during the 13th annual Spotlight Series, slated between January and April of next year in La Jolla, Carlsbad and Rancho Santa Fe.
Aug. 10 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
When in doubt, let the audience figure it out : By the time you read about Perry Vasquez's exhibition, it might have a title. And whenever it gets a title, someone other than the artist will have named it.
CHICAGO, 9:54 a.m. Aug. 9 (AP)
Actor and comedian Bernie Mac dies at age 50: Bernie Mac, the actor and comedian who teamed up in the casino heist caper “Ocean's Eleven” and gained a prestigious Peabody Award for his sitcom “The Bernie Mac Show,” died Saturday at age 50.
Aug. 9 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Museum's theater-in-the-round passes its first test as a stand-in:Long home to concerts, film screenings and lecture series, the San Diego Museum of Art's James S. Copley Auditorium is now welcoming another art form: theater. Transformed into a theater-in-the-round, the revamped space debuted this week with the opening of the Globe's “Sight Unseen.”
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Coming attraction: 3-D:This summer's slate of movies has offered its fair share of superheroes, some “Sex and the City” and, possibly, a peek into the future of 3-D cinema. You need look no further than the animated children's movie “Fly Me to the Moon,” which opens next Friday.
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Film shows wire walker's resolve to conquer towers:Despite all the dizzying images in James Marsh's documentary of tightrope walker Philippe Petit, the most dramatic image is one on the ground: that of hundreds of New Yorkers, staring up at the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, looks of childlike amazement, awe, even joy on their faces.
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes:There's no fat in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” Even the previously zaftig America Ferrera is a mere shadow of her former self. And Alexis Bledel, who teamed so well with Lauren Graham on TV's “Gilmore Girls,” looks unhealthily frail.
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
They don't give out Oscars for the most popular movie:Why do we pay so much attention to box-office grosses? I understand why movie studios, producers and theater chains do. Money is their business. But the rest of us?
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A towering achievement:Don't call Philippe Petit a stuntman. “I'm the exact opposite,” said the now-58-year-old Frenchman whose high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974 is the subject of the new documentary, “Man on Wire.”
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Globe Guilders send couture to bat for culture: “Give 'em the old razzle dazzle / Razzle dazzle 'em.” That Kander and Ebb song from “Chicago” sort of sums up the Globe Guilders' luncheon and fashion show Tuesday at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. It was a razzle-dazzler. The song goes on to ask: “How can they see with sequins in their eyes?”
Aug. 8 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record:
ATLANTA, 5:35 a.m. Aug. 8 (AP)
Sugarland founder files $1.5M lawsuit against band: A founder of the country band Sugarland is suing the two current members of the popular group for $1.5 million.
WHO MADE YOU GOD?, Aug. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)What's in a name? Funny you should ask ... : How important is an album's title? That depends, of course, on the artist and the album. Aug. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Blues travelers: Some days, Mr. Fabulous Thunderbird must look around the bandstand and wonder who the guys are surrounding him. Aug. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A heavenly choir of one: Rodgers and Hammerstein. Lerner and Lowe. Newman and Newman? The fact that Randy Newman works alone hasn't prevented him from achieving American popular music songwriting heights. Aug. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The show on the road: The road exerted a seductive pull on photographers for much of the 20th century. Knowing how much the car has contributed to global warming seems to have taken much of the romance out of the road trip for artists, writers and many others. Aug. 7 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Hell' is for ...: Contenders for “worst movie of the summer,” move the hell over – the competition just got a whole lot more despicable.
NEW YORK, 11:11 a.m. Aug. 7 (AP)
Simple steps to protect yourself from ID theft: It is the largest case of identity theft in the country. More than 41 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen by an international ring that hacked into the computer networks of nine national retail chains, including Barnes & Noble, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax and TJX Cos.
Aug. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Special course: Amid growing anxiety about the sagging economy, local chefs are doing their part to lure diners to their culinary lairs with another form of entertainment.
Aug. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A 'Sisterhood' foursome that's real: And here everyone's saying how “Sex and the City” is the greatest chick flick ever.
Aug. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Idol' loses its executive producer: Nigel Lythgoe is off “American Idol.” TMZ is reporting that Lythgoe, who has executive produced the show for seven seasons, has taken himself off the program and will not return. No replacement has been named.
LONDON, 8:56 a.m. Aug. 6 (AP)Shakespearean theater likely discovered: The theater where “The Merchant of Venice” and “Romeo and Juliet” likely debuted and where William Shakespeare himself may have trodden the boards has likely been discovered in east London, archaeologists at the Museum of London said Wednesday. SAN DIEGO, 8:04 a.m. Aug. 6 (AP)
Wahlberg to make cameo appearance on 'Entourage': Fall is full for Mark Wahlberg. The 37-year-old actor-producer has upcoming productions in film, television – and his own family. WASHINGTON, 4:58 a.m. Aug. 6 (AP)
Presidential debate commission chooses moderators: The Commission on Presidential Debates has named Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifill of PBS, Tom Brokaw of NBC News and Bob Schieffer of CBS News as moderators of the three presidential debates and one vice presidential face-off.
Aug. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record:
Aug. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Fruits of Apatow-Rogen labor refreshing: “Pineapple Express” is the opposite of a chick flick. It's a movie for dudes. Call it “Seth and the City.” LOS ANGELES, 9:52 p.m. Aug. 5 (AP)
Study: Network TV likes sex, but not in marriage: Marriage gets little respect on network TV shows that instead revel in the pleasures of extramarital and even kinky sex, according to a study released Tuesday. LOS ANGELES, 8:01 p.m. Aug. 5 (AP)
SAG faction unveils candidates slate: The group of Hollywood actors that controls the Screen Actors Guild unveiled a slate of 33 board candidates Tuesday, two weeks after an opposition group claimed union leaders caused the current stalemate in contract talks with the major studios. JACKSON, Miss., 8:02 a.m. Aug. 5 (AP)
Freeman still in serious condition after car crash: Morgan Freeman remained in serious condition Tuesday with a broken arm and elbow after rescuers used a jaws-of-life machine to free him and a passenger from their car after it crashed on a stretch of rural Mississippi Delta highway this weekend.
CHERTSEY, England, 7:00 a.m. Aug. 5 (AP)
Dinosaurs interact with humans on 'Primeval': Dinosaurs can be challenging co-stars. Especially when you can't see them. “Basically it's a man in a very colorful jumpsuit with something attached to a long pole going, 'It's swooping, it's swooping, it's coming around, it's coming down.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., 2:58 a.m. Aug. 5 (AP)Melissa Lawson wins NBC's 'Nashville Star': A Texas mother of five is the new “Nashville Star.” Melissa Lawson beat fellow finalist Gabe Garcia on Monday night for the title on the country music reality series. Shawn Mayer came in third.
NEW YORK, 1:16 a.m. Aug. 5 (AP)
Starbucks offers afternoon drink deal nationwide: Looking to bring more value-seeking consumers through its doors for a late afternoon caffeine fix, Starbucks Corp. said it will now offer its morning customers any iced grande beverage for $2 after 2 p.m.
Aug. 5 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record :
NEW YORK, 7:44 a.m. Aug. 4 (AP)
People publishes first photos of Brangelina twins: People magazine has published the $14 million photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's weeks-old twins, Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon.
NEW YORK, 6:12 a.m. Aug. 4 (AP)
Million-selling opening for vampire series finale: Harry Potter is still king, but the final book of Stephenie Meyer's “Twilight” series did manage a million-selling debut.
Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Music industry 101: If anyone out there has rock star ambitions, there's something you should know: There are two vastly different sides to the music industry.
Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
SummerFest opens with fire and passion: La Jolla Music Society SummerFest launched its 23rd season with a scintillating, sold-out concert that showed just how eclectic, and interesting, the festival has become.
Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes:HBO's “Generation Kill” (9 p.m. Sundays, repeats during the week) slithers under the skin, irritating emotions, eliciting a combination of pride and outrage. You care about these men of First Recon Battalion, at the apex of the American invasion of Iraq, trained at Camp Pendleton (“Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, is rolling with impunity,” one guy shouts).
Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'The Receptionist' has a real feel:The success of the workplace comedy is sometimes inexplicable (consider the mawkish Melanie Griffith vehicle “Working Girl,” which earned a Golden Globe). But the best of the genre are usually hilarious accounts of the trivial, on-the-job anxieties co-workers subject each other to, a la “The Office.”
Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Annual Jewel Ball visits the Roaring '20s:
Las Patronas returned to the 1920s Saturday with their 62nd Jewel Ball. They called it “Speakeasy.” They did it with a galaxy of vintage automobiles, vintage movies, vintage decor and vintage dance tunes played by the band named NRG. Will this year's ball make a million? Probably. (Last year's did.)
Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
This week at La Jolla Music Society Summerfest:
8:53 p.m. Aug. 3 (AP)
Teen Choice Awards winners: Winners from the 10th annual Teen Choice Awards: Choice Movie Action Adventure: “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.”
LOS ANGELES, 8:52 p.m. Aug. 3 (AP)
Jonas Brothers, 'Gossip Girl' score teen awards: “Gossip Girl” has six more reasons to say OMG. And so do the Jonas Brothers. Both the sudsy CW show about a group of tawdry prep-school students and the squeaky clean boy band swam away with multiple surfboard trophies at Sunday's 10th annual Teen Choice Awards.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A SummerFest sighting: Saariaho shooting star:Early in her career, Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho asked a cellist she admired if he would record one of her pieces for Finnish radio. Greatly amused by the thought of a woman composer, the cellist laughed so hard that he nearly choked. But nobody's laughing now.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Jose Sinatra opens door to his clothes quarters: Today in “Walk-In Closet,” we are swinging by Jose Sinatra's place in North Park to check out his wild and wacky wardrobe. He is a musical satirist who has performed in virtually every venue in San Diego since 1993. He also hosts the “OB-oake” at Winston's in Ocean Beach every Sunday night. Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fred Pfeifer is keyed up about collecting: Fred Pfeifer, a retired legal consultant from Rancho Santa Fe, unlocked his passion for collecting 46 years ago.
Three major performers, Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Voices & choices : Leila Josefowicz, Vladimir Feltsman and Leon Fleisher – will join a few friends and play some of their favorite pieces during La Jolla Music Society SummerFest's “An Evening With ...” series. We asked them why they chose the music and what it means to them.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Making history: In our culture, which seems to live for the future most of all, history is mostly seen as a subject for the classroom. But, that's a false concept. History may be a field of study, but it's much more than that.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Guys and Dolls' is Broadway bound:Sky Masterson, Nathan Detroit, Sarah Brown, Miss Adelaide – and Des McAnuff – are returning to Broadway.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
And the real winners are ...:In last week's Arts section, the winners of the Star Wars Fan Film Challenge were misidentified as the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award recipients.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'It was really sweet and in the perfect range':Four days before her 15th birthday, cellist Andrea Yu will make her debut at La Jolla Music Society SummerFest. Rather than appear in a concert, she'll be the starring student in an Aug. 15 Coaching Workshop to be taught by cellist and Fellowship Artist Ani Kalayjian at La Jolla Riford Library.
Aug. 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For Ann Patchett, the best part of the process is not the writing:When author Ann Patchett starts a new novel, she's as likely to be putting on rubber gloves as sitting down at her keyboard.
Aug. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Thrust worthy: Muffled sounds came from behind the masks as the two figures, swords in hand, alternately attacked – lunging at each other – or parried – blocking an attempt to make contact.
Aug. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Some basics about fencing:
Aug. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Awash with swash:
Aug. 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Friends call on friends in troubled times: A call wakes me up in the middle of the night. I'm still groggy, so I don't recognize the voice, just the message it delivers: “The gang urgently requires your presence, next Sunday at 1 p.m., at the usual place.” It's been several years since I got together with “the gang” and many more since my presence was requested “urgently.” No doubt, it was a crisis.
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
SummerFest heading to national audience: The La Jolla Music Society's slogan is “we bring the world to San Diego.” Now the society is bringing San Diego to more of the world.
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Courage of conviction: While a broad comedy starring two-time Oscar winner Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper and Nathan Lane, among others, may seem like an easy sell, it is largely thanks to Costner that “Swing Vote” is hitting the big screen at all.
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
You'll long for chads after watching 'Swing Vote': While “Swing Vote” plays like a sitcom with a better-than-average cast, the movie is an enjoyable fairy tale until its painfully earnest, leaden final act. On the outskirts of mythical Texico, N.M., Bud shares a trailer with his 10-year-old daughter, Mollie (Madeline Carroll). On Election Day, Bud loses his dead-end job at an egg-packing plant, gets drunk in a pool hall and stands up Mollie, who spends the afternoon and evening waiting for a ride home after school.
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes: JULY NIGHTS Star, future: Amanda Seyfried, mean girl in “Mean Girls,” a kid in TV's “Big Love” polygamous family, sings, dances, holds her own with imposing Meryl Streep, “Mamma Mia!”
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Trading places: Fox, CW switch network channels: The networks have changed places. Now it's your turn to change channels. As of today, fans of the Fox and CW networks will find their favorite prime-time shows airing on different channels. The Fox network – home of “American Idol,” the NFL and Major League Baseball – has moved from XETV/Channel 6 to KSWB/Channel 69 (Cable 5).
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
In the old Las Vegas, a place to go Hollywood: I caught “Ocean's 13” on HBO the other night, a film I didn't rush out to see when it was in the theaters but which makes for diverting boob-tube time. Anyway, at one point, Danny and Rusty (you know them as George and Brad) are musing about the Las Vegas of old, the Vegas of “big” Strip hotels like the Dunes (around 1,300 rooms).
Aug. 1 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Happily playing musical chairs with symphony, ensemble: If violist Che-Yen (“Brian”) Chen weren't so wild about Taiwanese food, he might never have founded the prize-winning Formosa Quartet.
LONDON, 9:03 a.m. Aug. 1 (AP)
Andrew Garfield: From 'Boy A' to household name?: “Boy A” is a movie about a young man desperate to exchange notoriety for anonymity.
LONDON, 8:58 a.m. Aug. 1 (AP)
Spiritualized back: Part way through making Spiritualized's latest album, the band's frontman, Jason Pierce, came down with a bout of pneumonia that almost killed him.
DALLAS, 8:19 a.m. Aug. 1 (AP)
Lawyer: Tags on Snoop Dog pot-bust bus were good: A lawyer says a bus carrying hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg did not have expired tags in a stop that led to two people on board charged with marijuana possession.
NEW YORK, 7:29 a.m. Aug. 1 (AP)
People mag snags U.S. rights to Jolie-Pitt twin pix: People magazine has scored the U.S. rights to exclusive photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's newborn twins, a representative for the magazine told The Associated Press on Friday.
ATLANTA, 5:52 a.m. Aug. 1 (AP)
Ludacris' Obama song unlikely to alienate voters: Ludacris' new song, “Politics as Usual,” may have cost him one of his biggest fans, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.
LOS ANGELES, 11:32 a.m. July 31 (AP)
Memories of 'Spider-Man,' 'Star Wars' for sale: Everybody is a collector, the way Joe Maddalena sees it, just not everybody wants to collect paintings by Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein. Some would prefer to own a Spider-Man costume.
LOS ANGELES, 11:27 a.m. July 31 (AP)
Court extends Britney Spears' conservatorship: Britney Spears' father will retain control of the pop singer's finances and personal affairs through the end of the year.
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Livin' large: At the age of 50, Lyle Lovett is still too young to spend much time thinking about his legacy, or his mortality. That's precisely why this Texas singer-songwriter with the large Stetson and the even larger band declined to offer any specifics when asked how he'd like to be remembered.
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
California on their mind: “Fool for Love,” Oct. 4-26: Dana Case directs Sam Shepard's sharp, no-holds-barred tale of feuding lovers. “Off the Ground,” Dec. 6-21: A reprise of the original holiday comedy by Amy Chini and ensemble member Tom Zohar. Joshua Everett Johnson directs.
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
It's déjà vu all over again: For the second time in barely a year, New Village Arts Theatre is staging John Patrick Shanley's “Sailor's Song.” The cast has changed a little. The theater has changed a lot.
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Banded together: For musical (not economical) reasons, the group's namesake decided to leave his four-man horn section at home – the better to explore and expand songs that don't lend themselves to brassy arrangements. That still leaves him with 10 musicians and three backing singers, although longtime vocal foil Francine Reed is taking the summer off. With or without his full ensemble, Lovett speaks with enthusiasm about his band, some of whose members have been with him for more than 20 years. Here's a look at some of the musicians who make the Large Band thrive:
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Memories on the bay: The first was his 1987 debut at the venue, when he and cellist John Hagen, now a member of his Large Band, opened for Bonnie Raitt. The second was in 1993, when San Diego's A.J. Croce opened for Lovett. Here are his recollections: “Getting to play at the show with Bonnie is something I'll always remember. It was the first time for me at Humphrey's, which is such a fun, relaxed place, with all the sailboats.
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
OK Emmylou, if I say 'Bonnie,' you say ...: Emmylou Harris has contributed her luminous singing to hundreds of albums by other artists over the years, including some by the most respected names in rock, pop and country music. We recently asked her to say the first thing that came to her mind about four of her illustrious collaborators. Here are her responses:
July 31 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
If they say no one will see you, don't believe 'em: “I've sung the anthem many times at games,” Harris affirmed last week. “It is a very difficult song and it's not my favorite to do.” But one of her anthem performances was memorable for reasons that had nothing to do with music.
LONDON, 8:28 a.m. July 31 (AP)
Newly discovered Beatles tape up for sale: A tape recording of The Beatles chatting and breaking into giggles during an early recording session is to be sold next week in England.
July 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Hops spots: Welcome to San Diego, beer pilgrims! Now, fork over some gas money.
July 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
First Bite: Tasting what's new in town :
The latest Wolfgang Puck venture, Jai, sports a relaxed theatricality that suits its location – adjacent the Mandell Weiss Forum at La Jolla Playhouse – and its Asian-inspired seafood. Tuna tartare comes to the table in what looks like brown sugar cones from 31 Flavors, but prove to be fried miso-and-sesame-seed confections.
3:53 p.m. July 30 (AP)TV's loss is Web's gain as Roger Ebert blogs: Roger Ebert is gone from “At the Movies,” but he's an increasingly influential figure in the new dominant realm of film criticism: the Web. PROVIDENCE, R.I., 3:45 p.m. July 30 (AP)
NPR to offer webcast of Newport music festivals: Music fans unable to attend the Newport folk and jazz festivals will be able to listen to some concerts online. LOS ANGELES, 2:12 p.m. July 30 (AP)
L.A. officials set sights on limiting paparazzi: The paparazzi keep taking their shots, but not always the kind they're after. Lately it's a jab from a star's bodyguard – or his surfer pals – or the metallic pinch of handcuffs slapped on for lingering too long.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., 12:19 p.m. July 30 (AP)
McCain, Obama get the comic book treatment: Trading sound bites for word balloons, the presidential race is coming to the world of comic books this fall.
12:08 p.m. July 30 (AP)
'Mummy' heads East for Olympian senselessness: The third “Mummy” installment dutifully sends its characters to China where they participate in international competitions of zombie fencing, yeti vaulting and synchronized senselessness.
LAS VEGAS, 6:44 a.m. July 30 (AP)
Fergie 'thrilled' to play a prostitute in 'Nine': Fergie is excited about adding the role of a prostitute to her acting portfolio. The Grammy-winning singer has been cast as Saraghina in “Nine,” a big-screen adaptation of the Tony-winning musical. She will perform the saucy song “Be Italian” with Guido, played by Daniel Day-Lewis.
LONDON, 5:39 a.m. July 30 (AP)
Alicia Keys, Jack White to sing 007 theme tune: It's a double-O duet. Alicia Keys and Jack White have recorded the theme song for the new James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace,” producers said Wednesday.
July 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
NBC to air clips from Comic-Con: Fans of NBC series should be happy that the network had their back at Comic-Con. NBC is making clips available from the panel discussions and interviews with the stars of such shows as “Chuck,” “Heroes,” “Knight Rider,” “The Office” and others at nbc.com/Comic-Con/video.
ROME, 9:14 a.m. July 29 (AP)21 films to compete for Golden Lion: Italian films will dominate the official program of the 65th Venice Film Festival this year – and fewer Hollywood movies will be shown due to the impact of the writers' strike. NEW YORK, 7:10 a.m. July 29 (AP)
Whitaker named NBC News' Washington bureau chief: Mark Whitaker has been named to replace Tim Russert as head of NBC News' Washington Bureau. The former Newsweek editor, who joined NBC last year as senior vice president of news, will assume many of the off-camera duties held by Russert, who died of a heart attack in June. LONDON, 5:21 a.m. July 29 (AP)
Amy Winehouse released from London hospital: Amy Winehouse was released from a London hospital Tuesday after an overnight stay to treat what her spokesman said was an adverse reaction to medication. TOKYO, 5:18 a.m. July 29 (AP)
Batman star skirts assault questions in Japan: Christian Bale skirted questions about the assault allegations against him Tuesday at the Japanese premiere of “The Dark Knight.” PALATINE, Ill., 5:05 a.m. July 29 (AP)
In final book, Clarke's last vision of the future: Arthur C. Clarke's health was failing fast, but he still had a story to tell. So he turned to fellow science fiction writer Frederik Pohl, and together the longtime friends wrote what turned out to be Clarke's last novel. 4:30 a.m. July 29 (AP)
Music Review: Nothing of value in new Dylan DVD: Bob Dylan, “Down the Tracks: The Music that Influenced Bob Dylan” (Eagle Media)
July 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Panels served up a taste of the good stuff: A channel-surfing guide to the highlights of Saturday and Sunday's television panel sessions at Comic-Con:
BOSTON, 12:58 p.m. July 28 (AP)
Columnist Robert Novak diagnosed with brain tumor: Conservative political commentator Robert Novak announced Monday he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, less than a week after he struck a pedestrian with his Corvette and drove away.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, 3:36 a.m. July 28 (AP)Surf film innovator Bud Browne dead at 96: Bud Browne, an innovator in surf filmmaking, has died in San Luis Obispo after a brief illness. He was 96.
July 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Pink Five' alert: Trey Stokes' film resume is long – “The Abyss,” “Starship Troopers,” “The Polar Express” – but his name usually rolls past during the credits, unnoticed by audiences.
July 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The panel from hell? It was 'Supernatural':There are a lot of things you can do at Comic-Con that you can't really do anywhere else. You can wear your “Battlestar Galactica” Cylon mask and not have any explaining to do. You can eat nachos for breakfast while watching the season premiere of “Heroes” almost two months before it airs. And you can find out how it feels to be dragged off to hell from someone who ought to know.
July 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
No velvet rope for these party animals:The entourage promoting the new J.J. Abrams show for Fox, “Fringe,” certainly acted like Hollywood A-listers. They rode downtown in a long, supersized vehicle. At Fifth and J, they disembarked and entered their own fenced-off enclosure. No mingling. No autographs. No chit-chat.
July 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Terminator' presentation goes kablooie:He goes by the name McG, the full-throttle director of two lame “Charlie's Angels” movies, doing over the weekend what he could at Comic-Con to salvage a panel presentation that included fiery footage from “Terminator Salvation.”
July 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Photo: Show me the green:
July 28 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes:“I want to ask the audience, 'Why is “The Mummy” so popular?'” “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (opening Friday) star Brendan Fraser, who got the crowd response he was looking for: “Because you're in it!”
July 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Harry Potter panel examines wizarding world: SAN DIEGO – Ten years after the Harry Potter book series debuted in the U.S., J.K. Rowling's wizarding world phenomenon debuted at Comic-Con in the form of an hour panel discussion yesterday attended by 500 fans.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Comics feeling a bit put out: Chuck Rozanski, who has been coming to Comic-Con for 36 years, says his relationship to San Diego's annual pop culture blowout is like a marriage.
July 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The comic chronicles, a la Ariel Schrag – it's the story of her life in high school:The comic chronicles, a la Ariel Schrag – it's the story of her life
Imagine writing and drawing an account of your high school years, while still in high school. Most people would think twice about what to include. Not so Ariel Shrag. No subject was off-limits.
July 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'Sex'! Now that we and SDSU have your attention ...:Is sex compatible with avant-garde classical music? The answer may come Oct. 3-4 when SDSU hosts the seventh annual International Festival of Electro-Acoustic Music (NWEAMO), which will feature performers and compositions based on the provocative theme “Can Art Be About Sex?”
July 27 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
[wow!] he's as good as the 'skuzzes':Dear James Hebert: Read your [review] first thing this morning and haven't been able to get any further into the paper. (“[headline here] on story about '[title of show],' ” July 20, Arts.
LOS ANGELES, 9:17 a.m. July 27 (AP)'Indiana Jones' star LaBeouf injured, arrested for DUI: “Indiana Jones” star Shia LaBeouf was injured then arrested for drunk driving in an early Sunday morning car accident in Hollywood. July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes: EMBEDDED AT COMIC-CON – It was early yesterday at the Hard Rock Hotel downtown, across the tracks from the San Diego Convention Center, when Kiefer Sutherland strolled into a banquet room filled with full-bellied reporters who'd indulged in a breakfast spread.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
TV clips, quips cut especially for the Con: What: Panel discussion for CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory” Goodie bag: A greatest-hits clip reel created for Comic-Con.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Bond citing: The Aston Martin DBS will make its ninth appearance in a James Bond film when “Quantum of Solace” hits theaters Nov. 7.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Halo thinks it's board games' a blast: There are no rocket launchers in Monopoly, and Scrabble would simply be a different game if firebombs were involved.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
'The best part of camping out is meeting people': When he was a kid, Geoffrey McDonald lived along a train track. And each night at 11:04, the train would blow past his window for 15 minutes.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hang out with stormtroopers, then take an Adult Swim: It's a midsummer Saturday in sunny Southern Cal – get out, get some fresh air and still get your minimum daily requirement of Vitamin Con.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
No toy-industry giant, but Gargamel is big on tradition: Item: Tokoji Seijin Cost: $75
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Assorted booty, snacks and ... tons of bags: Allison Truong's black “Watchmen” bag is almost as big as she is. But it's the Friday accessory to have, so inside of it is – of course – more “Watchmen” bags.
July 26 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A checklist for interviewing caregivers: Finding someone you trust to care for your parents is a big responsibility. So it's important that you ask the right questions before choosing a candidate.
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
G.I. Joe, Hulk bring '80s back: It's not easy to move around Comic-Con's crowded exhibition hall when you're carrying six bags and a cardboard box full of stuff.
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)At the top of their game: There's no mortgage meltdown in Metropolis. Building is booming in Gotham. Everywhere you look, development is proceeding at flat-out Batmobile speeds.
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lee Grant's Outtakes: 'EARTH' MOVERS EMBEDDED AT COMIC-CON – For a moment, the earth inside the San Diego Convention Center's mammoth Hall H stood still, and then an eruption:
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Uninspired excuse to explore old debates: For San Diego moviegoers, it's a good thing “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” has been released during Comic-Con. The supernatural show's biggest fans probably are too busy dressing up as Iron-Man or He-Man or Ticket-Scalper Man to register disappointment at the film's poor quality.
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Sleep? Con faithful can do that when they get home: It's dark out. Do you know where your Comic-Con attendees are? If they're hip, connected and footloose, they're out partying.
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Pro gets tripped up aiming to bluff: A conventional piece of poker advice is to play opposite the way your table is playing. If the table is loose and a lot of players are taking a flop, for instance, the idea is to play tight and wait for big hands to take down big pots. Aggressive pro Kirk Morrison faced the opposite situation at the $10,000-buy-in World Series of Poker main event at the Las Vegas' Rio Hotel in 2007.
July 25 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
First-timer connects with 'Dr. Who,' 'Heroes': Sally Grosenbach didn't plan on being the first in li