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To misquote the Fugees: too many politicians, not enough mics. The inaugural Tribeca Film Festival opened Wednesday night with a political bang, as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg started the festivities by reading a note from President George W. Bush while being flanked by ex-President Bill Clinton, New York Governor George Pataki and ex-South Africa President Nelson Mandela. Hollywood stars were also at the kickoff, with Hugh Grant, Whoopi Goldberg, Barry Levinson, Francis Ford Coppola and festival co-creator Robert De Niro in attendance. The festival opened with Grant's About a Boy and will close with George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones.
Celebs
R. Kelly has denied allegations of having sex with an underage girl, despite a videotape that has been making the rounds, allegedly proving otherwise. The beleaguered R&B superstar previously settled two other lawsuits from women claiming he had sex with them while they were minors, and he married the late pop star Aaliyah when she was just 15--a marriage that was annulled soon after.
Casting Call
Color us impressed. A movie based on Steve Martin's play Picasso at the Lapin Agile will star Ryan Phillippe, Kevin Kline, Juliette Binoche and, of course, Martin. It was adapted by Fred Schepisi (The Last Orders), who will also direct, Variety reports. While hubby Ryan Phillippe gets into cubism, Reese Witherspoon has entered talks to star in Universal's Freedom Writers, the story of a teacher who pushed her at-risk students to write about the misunderstanding and intolerance they faced. Funny, the only place we were ever pushed to by our teachers was the principal's office. In somewhat ironic fashion, at the last hour, Anna Paquin has joined the cast of The 25th Hour. Just a week before shooting is scheduled to begin, Paquin has joined Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rosario Dawson in Spike Lee's latest joint.In the Biz
From the Even More Ironic Department, the lawsuit brought by the producer of An Everlasting Piece against distributor DreamWorks has been dismissed by a U.S. District Court Judge. The $10 million lawsuit alleged that the studio purposely didn't show the political satire in many theaters because Steven Spielberg (founding partner of DreamWorks) didn't want to upset the British government at the time, as he was about to be knighted. Inside sources, though, allege the studio didn't want to show the movie because it wasn't any good. Break out the pastel colors: Iconic '80s television show Miami Vice will be coming to the big screen. Original series executive producer Michael Mann (Ali) will write the script and may direct the film. Original series creator Anthony Yerkovich will executive produce.Tube News
Enjoying a resurgence of sort, Saturday Night Live received a blow when Will Ferrell, a veteran of seven years, told The New York Post on Wednesday that he is leaving the show at the end of the current season. Ferrell is best known for his impressions of Alex Trebek, Janet Reno and President Bush. Kirsten Dunst may be Mary Jane Watson on the big screen, but singer Lisa Loeb has grabbed that role for herself on MTV's animated Spider-Man series to debut next winter, The Associated Press reports. Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser) will voice Peter Parker/Spider-Man.Music News
Eddie Van Halen, of the eponymous rock group Van Halen, has announced he's licked tongue cancer and is in good health, the AP reports. Rock on! In a convoluted hearing, one Michigan judge has refused prosecutors' request to remove another Michigan judge in a case involving Marilyn Manson because the judge suggested he would simply fine the shock rocker $2,000 for two misdemeanors for Manson's involvement in a July 2001 disorderly conduct case. Manson's lawyer gushed, "It's the correct ruling." We're happy for everyone involved. An autopsy of Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley has proven that a mixture of cocaine and heroin (a speedball) ingested by the rocker was the cause of death. Staley apparently died on April 5, although he wasn't found for another two weeks.