Top Story
More than 100 celebrities, including Tony Shalhoub, Martin Sheen, Kim Basinger, Helen Hunt and Susan Sarandon, have signed a letter asking President Bush to avoid military action against Iraq, the Associated Press reports. The missive states that a war would “increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks, damage the economy and undermine our moral standing in the world.” Martin Sheen, who plays the president on the hit NBC show The West Wing, believes Bush wants settle a personal score with Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. “I think he’d like to hand his father Saddam Hussein’s head and win his approval for what happened after the Gulf War,” Sheen told AP. “That’s my own personal opinion–I don’t know if that’s true. I hope it’s not, but I suspect it is.”
Celebs
Pamela Anderson and ex-husband Tommy Lee won their long-standing court battle against a porn company that sold a tape of the couple having sex over the Internet. The lawsuit for copyright infringement and invasion of privacy was initially thrown out of court because the couple had apparently signed away the rights to the so-called “honeymoon” tape, Reuters reports. An appeals court, however, overturned the decision. Anderson and Lee will receive $740,000 each.
Actor Lorenzo Lamas and estranged wife Shauna Sand have agreed to go through their divorce proceedings amicably and share custody of their three children. According to Reuters, Lamas had originally filed a restraining order against Sand, claiming she began “acting out violently” when he asked for a divorce, but has since revoked the order.
Movies
Variety reports My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardalos will appear before the camera again in April in a new buddy comedy, Connie and Carla, for Universal. Vardalos also wrote the script but plot details were not available.
Tube
Comedian/actor Orlando Jones (Evolution, The Replacements) is going to head up his own late-night talk/variety show for F/X. The show will feature celebrity guests, variety sketches and “a lot of comedy,” Jones‘ manager told The Hollywood Reporter.
The 75-minute fourth-season finale to HBO’s The Sopranos brought in a whopping 12.5 million viewers Sunday night, making it the second-most-watched show in HBO history, Variety reports. The network’s most-watched show was The Sopranos‘ fourth season opener in September, which drew in 13.4 million viewers.
Music
According to the official coroner’s report released Wednesday, The Who bassist John Entwistle died from a cocaine overdose that stopped his heart, AP reports. Entwistle, 57, was found dead in his Las Vegas hotel room June 27.
U2 lead singer Bono is continuing his altruistic endeavors for third world countries. Along with Sen. Bill Frist and Rev. Franklin Graham, he will assist in getting Christmas gifts to HIV positive children in Africa. According to the AP, the project is part of Operation Christmas Child, a relief effort headed by Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham.
