Top Story
The Disney Channel began an on-air campaign Thursday to help children cope with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, with the first lady, Laura Bush, talking about her feelings on the situation, The Associated Press reports. The network designed the campaign to target children aged from 6 to 14 and plans to bring in Hollywood celebrities to join.
The attacks on New York have not changed PBS’ plans to air the final episodes of New York: A Documentary Film on Sunday and Monday at 9 p.m. The film, compiled by filmmaker Ric Burns eight years ago, details another period in the city’s history when it faced challenges that seemed insurmountable, like the post-World War II and its fiscal crisis of the 1970s. “The message, of course is that the city is simply too strong, too resilient, too important,” Burns told Reuters. He also plans an eighth installment looking at the impact and meaning of the World Trade Center tragedy.
Rolling Stone magazine has compiled a roundup of rock star reactions to the tragedies, relating stories of how some interrupted their daily lives to help out on Ground Zero. Ozzy Osbourne sought solace in a Manhattan with wife Sharon after witnessing the attacks from the roof of their midtown hotel. Alanis Morissette clung to her boyfriend all day in Los Angeles. Beastie Boy Adam Yauch delivered food and socks to volunteers at the scene.
In Court
Los Angeles detectives served a search warrant at boxer Mike Tyson‘s mansion after a woman accused him of rape last week. “We obviously don’t consider Mr. Tyson a threat to the community, otherwise we would have done something immediately,” Las Vegas Police Capt. Dennis Cobb told Reuters. Tyson was said to be “cooperative” during the search. Details of the allegation were not available.
In General
Jonathan Glazer’s gangster film Sexy Beast, the London comedy South West Nine and the indie film Jump Tomorrow lead the pack with five nominations at the fourth British Independent Film Awards, to be held Oct. 24 at London’s Park Lane Hotel. Sixteen prizes will be handed out at the ceremony, Reuters reports, including the Daily Variety Personality of the Year Award, which goes to scribe Richard Curtis, of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bean.
India’s popular film star, Amitabh Bachchan, will play the lead role in the Indian version of Hollywood’s legendary The Godfather, Reuters reports. The film, starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, was based on Mario Puzo‘s bestseller and traced the rivalry between Italian Mafia families in the United States, Amitabh, who was voted actor of the millennium in a BBC poll will play Vito Corleone, producer A.G. Nadiadwala told Reuters on Friday.
In the spring, ABC will mark the 50th anniversary of American Bandstand with a two-hour primetime special. Host Dick Clark, 71, will show classic moments from the shows and introduce performances by music superstars spanning five decades, AP reports. WFIL-TV in Philadelphia began broadcasting the show in 1952, which eventually moved to Los Angeles before ending its long run in 1989.
Michael Jordan‘s leap into NBA basketball has failed to fire up advertisers, as many wait on the sidelines to see whether the basketball player’s comeback will be successful, analysts told Reuters on Wednesday. Media buyers and sports consultants believe Jordan‘s decision to come back and play for the Washington Wizards, a team he partly owns, should help jump-start the team and draw fans into the sport.
