Today's Buzz stories
From staff and wire reports |
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Kingston corrects 'ER' record
LONDON, England (AP) -- "ER" star Alex Kingston said Friday she's leaving the hit show because her character's story lines have come to a natural end, not because the producers think she's too old.
Radio Times magazine quoted the British actress earlier this month as saying the long-running medical drama was increasingly focused on young characters, "and apparently I, according to the producers and the writers, am part of the old fogeys who are no longer interesting."
But she told British Broadcasting Corp. television that her comments were taken out of context, and that she was leaving "ER" by mutual agreement.
"There is absolutely no bitterness to my leaving, seriously. And unfortunately I think the press have been misinformed and misinformed the public," she said. "I'm leaving because my contract has come to its natural end."
Accusations that the makers of "ER" discriminated against her because of her age were "absolutely not true at all," said the 41-year-old actress.
"I'm horrified and embarrassed for 'ER' because they have no right to be tarnished with the ageism brush because they are absolutely not that at all. We mutually felt that my character's story lines had run their course, all of the characters that Corday had been involved with have left the show and we agreed that maybe it was time to move on."
Kingston said she didn't yet know how "ER" writers would plot her out of the show.
"I don't think I'll be killed by a helicopter because that's happened already" to another character, Dr. Robert Romano, she said. "I think they will hopefully let her live."
Woman sues Robin Givens
MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- An 89-year-old woman whom Robin Givens struck with her sport utility vehicle has filed a civil lawsuit against the actress.
The auto negligence lawsuit filed on behalf of Maria Antonia Alcover does not seek a specific money amount.
Alcover, a Cuban immigrant who came to the United States in 1963, is in a nursing home recovering from the accident that occurred five months ago in the crosswalk of a busy city street at rush hour.
Her lawyer, Steve Jugo, said it's unclear whether she'll walk again.
"She is doing better and she didn't lose her leg, but she says her life has been ruined," Alcover's nephew, Tony Garcia, told the Miami Herald.
Witnesses said Alcover had been inching across the road, and wasn't quite on the sidewalk when the traffic light turned green.
Givens, the ex-wife of former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, turned the corner and swiped Alcover, forcing her to fall backward into the SUV, which crushed her right leg, witnesses said.
Givens, who stayed with Alcover while officials arrived, was issued a traffic summons for failing to use due care when a pedestrian was in the crosswalk, which carries a fine of less than $70, police said.
She pleaded not guilty and appeared in traffic court Wednesday. Her trial was postponed to Sept. 13.
Christopher Nicholas, a Tallahassee attorney defending Givens in the civil case, declined to comment. Givens' traffic court attorney could not be reached.
Alcover's civil lawsuit also names Givens' sister, who owns the 2000 Mercedes SUV Givens was driving.
Bronze 'em, Danno
HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- Six years after his death, "Hawaii Five-O" star Jack Lord is being honored with a bronze bust at one of his favorite walking spots.
The 40-pound sculpture, which begins about mid-chest and is supported by a rocklike pedestal, is scheduled to go on display Saturday during a ceremony at Kahala Mall in East Oahu.
"We decided on Kahala Mall because it was the place where you could always see Jack," said Doug Mossman, who had recurring roles as Lt. George Kealoha and Frank Kamana on the show. "He'd stroll through the mall in shorts, aloha shirt and straw hat, smiling."
Mossman and Esperanza Isaac, a "Hawaii Five-O" fan in England, co-chaired the nonprofit Jack Lord Memorial Fund, which raised the $10,000 for the bust sculpted by Hawaii artist Lynn Weiler Liverton.
Lord, whose real name was John Joseph Patrick Ryan, died at 77 in 1998 at his Kahala home from congestive heart failure. He was a dominating and often intimidating figure on the "Hawaii Five-O" set as he portrayed no-nonsense detective Steve McGarrett on the series that ran from 1968-80.
Lord is revered in Hawaii and credited with being the first star to require that local actors be given roles because he thought they were needed to capture the flavor of Hawaii. His wife, Marie, still lives in the couple's Kahala residence.
Jitters for Etheridge
NEW YORK (AP) -- No bride is immune to pre-wedding jitters, and singer Melissa Etheridge says she was no exception.
Last fall, she married actress Tammy Lynn Michaels and worried about the details of the event, until she finally accepted that she couldn't control everything.
"If you both know that things will go wrong and that it will all be just be an experience and you're not expecting perfection or something on that day," she told AP Radio, "that day will be just be a coming together and a celebration of your love and your partnership. Then it will be perfect in its imperfection."
Etheridge said that, ironically, one of her problems was finding the right wedding music.
"I asked so many of my friends to sing at my wedding and they were like, 'Uh, do I have to?' " she said.
For a while she thought she would sing at the ceremony until it occurred to her that this was her wedding -- not a performance -- and someone else should take care of it. Even with the music finally settled, she still had her lingering doubts about the day.
"I remember being nervous," the 43-year-old said. "I remember thinking for a moment a few days before with Tammy, 'Oh my gosh, I hope this is everything you wanted.' And she said, 'Oh no, don't you understand? As long as you show up, then the rest is just extra."'
The great album covers
(CNN) -- "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." "Who's Next." "Blonde on Blonde." "Transformer." "Aftermath." "London Calling."
They're not just music -- they're art. Album cover art.
The San Francisco Art Exchange, a gallery in the City by the Bay that specializes in entertainment-oriented art and photography, is hosting an exhibition of photographs and paintings that became some of the world's most famous album covers.
The gallery has assembled 100 works for the display. Among the musicians represented are the Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, Elton John and the Mothers of Invention. Photographers and artists include Ethan Russell and Roger Dean.
The showing got underway June 15 and runs through August 28. An opening reception is scheduled for July 10.
Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
