Top Story: Jack Osbourne in Rehab
Jack Osbourne of MTV’s hit reality show The Osbournes is receiving treatment in a California rehab clinic, reports Entertainment Tonight. According to the show, Osbourne is being treated at the Las Encinas Hospital in Los Angeles, although it is not clear what the 17-year-old is being treated for. Photos of parents Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne visiting Jack at the private clinic, which specializes in drug addiction and psychiatric care, were published in the UK paper The Sun. Despite being four years too young to drink publicly in LA, he has admitted he loves “going out with friends and getting wasted,” and viewers of the show have witnessed Jack being read out by his parents for smoking pot.
Vandross Undergoes Tracheotomy
Grammy-winning singer Luther Vandross has undergone a tracheotomy to fight off pneumonia, Reuters reports. His business manager Carmen Romano said in a statement Monday that the procedure was done in a way that would not affect his vocal chords. The 52-year-old singer, who remains in intensive care at Weill Cornell Medical Center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, was described as barely conscious 13 days after suffering a stroke.
Chewie Back for Star Wars Prequel
Star Wars creator George Lucas plans to bring back Chewbacca the Wookie, C-3PO and R2-D2 for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode III. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lucas has already signed actors Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniel and Kenny Baker to reprise their respective roles for the prequel, which is currently in preproduction. This is the third installment of the films set in a time period prior to that of the original three Star Wars films. Production on the sci-fi actioner begins in late June in Sydney, Australia with a release date set for May 25, 2005.
Luke Perry and Wife Separate
Former Beverly hills, 90210 star Luke Perry and his wife, Minnie, have decided to separate after nearly 10 years of marriage, the AP reports. Their publicist said Monday the couple plans to share custody of their two children, Jack, 5, and Sophie, 2. Perry, who played teen rebel Dylan McKay on the popular Fox series, is set to appear in Beverly Hills, 90210: 10-Year High School Reunion, which is scheduled to air May 11 on Fox.
Mr. 3000 Lured to Louisiana
Disney will begin shooting the baseball pic Mr. 3000 starring Bernie Mac in Louisiana next month to take advantage of the state’s new film incentive program, the AP reports. The film is set in Milwaukee but will be shot primarily in the New Orleans area. The incentive program offers state income tax credits to investors in movies made in Louisiana, a credit on payroll expenses and a sales tax exemption for productions costing more than $250,000.
Apple Unveils Online Music Service
Apple Computers unveiled Monday its new iTunes Music Store, which offers more than 200,000 songs available for downloading at 99 cents apiece, the AP reports. The service lets customers keep songs indefinitely, share them on as many as three Macintosh computers, transfer them to any number of iPod portable music players and burn unlimited copies of the songs onto CDs–without a subscription. The venture draws from all five major labels and includes artists who previously shunned online distribution.
Role Call: Brill Helms Paddle Comedy, Liu Is New Charlie Chan
Mr. Deeds director Steven Brill is in negotiations to helm the comedy Without a Paddle for Paramount Pictures. The picture is about three lifelong friends who find themselves on a canoe trip in search of a $200,000 treasure unaware of the obstacles in front of them, including a perilous river and hostile mountain men … X2: X-Men United scribes Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris will pen a remake of the 20th Century Fox classic Charlie Chan, about a Chinese detective who works for the Honolulu Police Department. Charlie’s Angels star Lucy Liu will produce the project and star as Chan’s granddaughter, who takes on her own investigations.
