President Clinton attended what would be his final holiday party as the nation’s chief Sunday, Reuters reports.
The president attended the 19th annual “Christmas in Washington” concert at the National Building Museum with first lady and senator-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton and their daughter Chelsea Clinton.
“This is our last one here,” Clinton said. “Also, it’s the first Christmas of the new millennium,” he added. ”Tonight I am grateful that we can celebrate an America blessed with unprecedented peace and prosperity.”
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar hosted the event, which featured performances by Brian McKnight, Marc Anthony, Chuck Berry and Jessica Simpson. The event will air Sunday on cable’s TNT.
PRESIDENT GERVASE: For someone still milking his sudden fame stemming from CBS’ “Survivor,” the cow hasn’t run dry just yet for Gervase Peterson. The Associated Press reports that Peterson will take on the role of president of the United States on “There Goes the Nation,” a new cybershow on UrbanEntertainment.com.
Peterson will spoof himself with a “Survivor”-type character whose fame takes him all the way to the White House. The show will run Dec. 18 on the Internet. Peterson has already had guest roles on “The Hughleys,” “Nash Bridges” and MTV’s “Say What? Karaoke.”
HANNA-BARBERA COMPOSER DIES: Composer Hoyt Curtin, the man behind the music for hit cartoons such as “The Jetsons,” “The Flintstones” and “Scooby-Doo,” has died. He was 78.
AP reports that the composer died Dec. 3 after a lengthy, undisclosed illness. He started his career in 1957 writing advertising jingles before moving on to music director for Hanna-Barbera, where he wrote the theme songs for “Huckleberry Hound,” “Yogi Bear” and “Johnny Quest.”
Curtin is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and three grandchildren.
SAN FRANCISCO GOES HOLLYWOOD: For a city that loves to hate Hollywood, San Franciscans quickly snatched up tickets to Sam Shepard‘s new play featuring a cast of A-list Tinseltown actors. Sean Penn
“The Late Henry Moss,” featuring Sean Penn, Nick Nolte and Woody Harrelson, opens at San Francisco’s Magic Theatre this week with every ticket for its six-week run sold, Reuters reports.
The play covers familiar Shepard territory: brawling brothers, drunken rage and all-American angst.
Shepard is probably best-known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning work “Buried Child.” Although the buzz at the premiere was energetic as people filled the theater, critics weren’t catching the vibe, describing the play as “uneven,” moving from a “static first act to a final wrenching one.” Ouch!
