Entertainment News

Last updated by The Canadian Press (CP)
at 22:07 on July 3, 2009, EDT.

Powerful sedative found in Jackson's home as memorial details announced

Fan of the late pop star Michael Jackson, Brian Henderson, of Seattle, Wash., waits across the street from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, July 3, 2009 for tickets to Tuesday's memorial service . THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Chris Carlson

LOS ANGELES - The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service. Diprivan is an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. Also known as Propofol, it's given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.

Law enforcement official says sedative Diprivan was found in Jackson's home

Local fans sets candles for Michael Jackson to mourn his death in front of a bar Friday July 3, 2009 in Shanghai, China. A week after the death of Michael Jackson crowds still gather in China to mourn. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES - The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday. Diprivan is an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. Also known as Propofol, it's administered intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.

Neverland draws the curious, but gates to remain closed until after Michael Jackson memorial

The train station at Neverland Ranch is shown in Los Olivos, Calif., Wednesday, July 1, 2009, as preparations are made for a possible memorial service for the late pop star Michael Jackson at his former residence. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Chris Carlson)

LOS OLIVOS, Calif. - Like an old Western boomtown, the makeshift village that sprang up around the gates of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch was vanishing Friday, with visitors and vendors packing up tents, tarps, posters and CDs. The dwindling fans were replaced by curious tourists spending the holiday weekend in nearby scenic towns.

ABBA's Andersson shoots down London reunion talk

A member of ABBA, Benny Andersson, on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 in New York. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Agostini)

LONDON - Forget those reports that Swedish supergroup ABBA will be reuniting to cover Michael Jackson's sold-out concert dates. "No one has even asked us, and if they asked us they would have 'no' as an answer, because (Jackson's concerts were) going to happen in a week," said Benny Andersson, who co-wrote ABBA hits like "Dancing Queen" and "Take a Chance on Me" with Bjorn Ulvaeus.

Madonna to pay tribute to Michael Jackson in concert at London arena

Madonna arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, in West Hollywood, Calif. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Agostini)

LOS ANGELES - Madonna is paying tribute to Michael Jackson in the same arena where he was to stage his great comeback. The superstar is preparing a special part of her concert Saturday at O2 arena. Madonna publicist Liz Rosenberg says she is going to unveil a special song, along with a choreographed dance in honour of Jackson.

Serious family medical issue forces Tragically Hip to skip Halifax festival

Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip performs as one of the opning acts to the Rolling Stones concert in Moncton, N.B. on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)

HALIFAX, N.S. - The Tragically Hip, citing "a serious family medical issue," have pulled out of a headlining spot at the first Virgin Festival in Halifax on Saturday. Organizers of the outdoor festival didn't offer details on the nature of the problem. "Our thoughts are with the Tragically Hip right now," Andrew Bridge, director of Virgin Festivals, said in a release Friday.

Queen Latifah promotes beauty, empowerment at Essence Music Festival

Actress Queen Latifah attends the 37th annual FiFi awards, honoring those in the fragrance industry, on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 in New York. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Peter Kramer)

NEW ORLEANS - Queen Latifah dropped by the Essence Music Festival on Friday to help celebrate its 15th year of uplifting and empowering the African-American community through issues-filled seminars by day and high-powered musical performances by night. Queen Latifah, a spokeswoman for Cover Girl's Queen Collection, said she was happy to support an event that tackles concepts close to her heart but also weaves in fun.

James Frey of 'A Million Little Pieces' writing four-book series of teen sci-fi

In this May 14, 2008 file photo, Author James Frey listens during an interview before a book signing in New York. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Bebeto Matthews)

NEW YORK - James Frey is writing for young people and Hollywood has signed on. Frey, a former screenwriter best known for his discredited memoir "A Million Little Pieces," is collaborating on a four-book series of teen science fiction novels that HarperCollins will publish.

Product pitchman Billy Mays remembered in home town as natural salesman

Pallbearers wearing blue shirts with rolled up sleeves, carry the coffin of the television pitchman, Billy Mays, from the church where the funeral mass was held in Mays' hometown, in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKees Rocks, Pa., Friday, July 3, 2009. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Keith Srakocic)

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. - Television pitchman Billy Mays, whose high-energy hawking turned products like OxiClean from infomercial curiosities into mainstream successes, was remembered as a pop culture icon at his funeral Friday near Pittsburgh. "He sold more OxiClean than Andy Warhol sold Campbell's Soup," said Mays' cousin Dean Panizzi, comparing Mays to the Pittsburgh-born pop artist who turned the soup can into a work of art.

L.A. officials scramble to accommodate horde of Michael Jackson fans

Fans of the late pop star Michael Jackson wait across the street from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, July 3, 2009 for tickets to Tuesday's memorial service . (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Chris Carlson)

LOS ANGELES - City officials are scrambling over the holiday weekend to try to figure out how to accommodate a public memorial service for Michael Jackson at a venue that can hold no more than 20,000 people. The event has been set for 10 a.m. PDT Tuesday at the downtown Staples Center, according to a statement from the Jackson family's publicist. Eleven thousand tickets will be distributed, the statement said. The service is expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators wanting to pay their respects to the King of Pop, who died June 25. How city officials will handle the massive crowd remains to be settled.

It's a crime: 'Public Enemies' dazzles the eye but the pacing drags

Johnny Depp, portaying notorious bank robber John Dillinger, is seen driving a car in downtown Columbus, Wis., during the filming of the movie "Public Enemies." (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Morry Gash, File)

LOS ANGELES - With "Public Enemies," all the pieces would seem to be in place for an epic gangster drama: director Michael Mann, who has an affinity for complicated criminals; stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, who are famous for immersing themselves in their roles; and a thrilling true story of brazen bank robbers on the run. Trouble is, "Public Enemies" feels rather stagnant. It looks terrific with its period details and costumes, rich production values and striking high-definition cinematography from frequent Mann collaborator Dante Spinotti.

Sacha Baron Cohen's celebrity spoof 'Bruno' quickly goes out of style

British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, center, poses in character upon arriving for the premiere of his movie, "Bruno," in Sydney, Australia, Monday, June 29, 2009. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Rick Rycroft

LOS ANGELES - The problem with "Bruno" is Bruno himself. Compared to Borat - and it's impossible to avoid the comparison - there simply isn't enough to the character to build an entire feature-length film around him. Both spring from the brash and creative mind of British comic Sacha Baron Cohen, who unleashed them upon the world through his sketch comedy program "Da Ali G Show." Borat, the bumbling journalist at the centre of the 2006 smash "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," provided a prism through which to explore people's prejudices, hypocrisies and foibles.

Top 10 television programs in Canada for the week of June 22-28
TORONTO - Here are the top 10 television programs in Canada, with viewer numbers, for the week of June 22-28:

Producer Quincy Jones says Michael Jackson's death surreal

Quincy Jones gestures on the red carpet prior to the closing ceremony of the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival at Shanghai Grand Theater Sunday June 21, 2009 in Shanghai China. Jones says Michael Jackson's sudden death is too surreal to process.
(THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Eugene Hoshiko)

LONDON - Legendary music producer Quincy Jones says Michael Jackson's sudden death is too surreal to process. Jones is renowned for producing Jackson's most successful albums, including the bestselling "Thriller." He told BBC Wales television that he never imagined Jackson would die before him.

TV One, Martin launching public affairs show aimed at black audience
NEW YORK - Roland Martin will anchor a new Sunday public affairs show aimed at a black audience that will debut in September on the TV One network. The "Washington Watch" program aims to tap into a new interest in politics and government due to the election of President Barack Obama, said Johnathan Rodgers, TV One's president and CEO. It debuts Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. ET, and the show will be repeated each week at 5 p.m.

Michael Jackson moonwalk tribute draws hundreds of fans in South Africa

South African fans of late pop star Michael Jackson participate in a tribute to their idol on Mandela Square in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday July 3rd, 2009. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jerome Delay

JOHANNESBURG - Several hundred South Africans gathered on Friday for a moonwalking tribute to the King of Pop that reflected the diversity of the rainbow nation. They were in Johannesburg's Nelson Mandela Square for one reason: an abiding love for Michael Jackson's music.

Recording studios get more cautious after muggings, murders outside facility
ATLANTA - DJ Montay rarely leaves the recording studio without having someone give the all-clear from outside, counting his blessings each time he's able to leave without any trouble. "I don't feel completely safe," said DJ Montay, who has produced songs for Ludacris and Flo Rida. "I won't be by myself. It'll be a few other people there. So it'll be a bunch of us."

Rare bust of George Washington to be auctioned in London after Independence Day

A bust of George Washington, is seen during a photo-op ahead of an auction in Sotheby's auction house in central London. Officials expect it to be sold for more than 300,000 pounds (490,000 US dollars). (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Lefteris Pitarakis)

LONDON - Art lovers looking for a way to mark U.S. Independence Day may want to consider a rare bust of George Washington being auctioned by Sotheby's in London. But this is not a July 4 knick-knack. Experts believe it will fetch more than 300,000 pounds (C$568,000) when it is auctioned July 9. Until then it will be on display at Sotheby's.

Arraignment postponed for actor Gerard Butler, charged in scuffle with paparazzo

Actor Gerard Butler. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Dan Steinberg/ file)

LOS ANGELES - Arraignment has been postponed for "300" actor Gerard Butler, who's been charged in Los Angeles with misdemeanour battery for a scuffle with a paparazzo. A Los Angeles Superior Court clerk says the actor's lawyer requested the delay on Wednesday, and a judge agreed to postpone the arraignment to Aug. 18.

International film festival opens in Czech Republic, honours Isabelle Huppert
PRAGUE, Czech Republic - The 44th International Film Festival opened Friday in the Czech Republic with a week of events planned, including an award for French actress Isabelle Huppert and a world premiere by Milos Forman. The festival in the spa resort of Karlovy Vary features 220 movies this year, including Czech-born Forman's "A Walk Worthwhile," which the Oscar-winning director adapted from a 2007 staging of a 1960s Czech musical. The film will show Saturday.