PEOPLE

PEOPLE
Budd wins divisionin vocal contest
COLUMBUS -- Baritone Jason Budd of Hubbard finished first recently in the senior division of Opera Columbus Vocal Competition. He received $2,500 cash and a partial scholarship to American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Budd also received the Irma Cooper Award for Diction, which came with $100 cash. Budd studied at Youngstown and Bowling Green state universities. He is a resident artist with Orlando Opera in Florida.
Michael Jackson sayshe wanted a dad
OXFORD, England -- The King of Pop broke down in tears as he talked of his own childhood in a speech to one of England's oldest and most prestigious universities Tuesday, reports Agence France-Press.
Michael Jackson arrived nearly three hours late at the Oxford Union, the students' body of Oxford University, to pass on his views on child welfare and to officially launch his Heal The Kids children's charity.
Jackson told the audience of more than 500 students and invited guests that he was "the product of a lack of childhood."
He said he longed for "a father who showed me love. And my father never did that."
Downeys settle suit
LOS ANGELES -- Actor Robert Downey Jr. and his director father have settled a $1 million lawsuit that accused them of breaking a film contract, according to the plaintiffs' attorney.
Richard Finney and Terence Michael sued the Downeys last June, claiming they paid Robert Downey Sr. and his son $250,000 in 1996 to write and develop an original screenplay for Lloyd Silverman Productions.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleged that the work was never completed.
Terms of the settlement were not released.
An edgeless Devil?
NEW YORK -- Jennifer Love Hewitt as the Devil?
That was her reaction when Alec Baldwin asked her to play the role in his new film, "The Devil and Daniel Webster," a modern retelling of Stephen Vincent Benet's classic story.
"I was like, 'Are you serious?'" Love tells Mademoiselle magazine in the March issue. "That's so not me. But Alec said he thought about the obvious choices -- that the devil would be somebody edgy, somebody with attitude, somebody sexy.
"But Satan's biggest joke would be to take over somebody who has no edge at all."
Hewitt, 22, will star opposite Anthony Hopkins and Baldwin.
Rigby gets role
NEW YORK -- First Rosie O'Donnell. Now Cathy Rigby.
The Olympic gold-medal gymnast is Broadway's new Cat in the Hat, joining the cast of "Seussical" March 15 at Richard Rodgers Theatre. Rigby replaces the original Cat, David Shiner, who returned to the show last month after a four-week vacation.
During Shiner's absence, his role was played by O'Donnell, who is a big fan of "Seussical." The television talk-show diva has repeatedly plugged the show, a musical celebration of the work of Dr. Seuss.
Rigby, 48, is best known on stage for starring in "Peter Pan." She has toured extensively with the musical, last playing the show on Broadway in 1999.
ETC.
Women's history
HOWLAND -- Members of the Women In History group of Lakewood will present living vignettes of Sally Hemmings, President Thomas Jefferson's mistress, and Georgia O'Keeffe, the famed American artist, at a dinner March 20 at The Avalon Inn and Resort.
The dinner, celebrating Women's History Month, is sponsored by the Trumbull County Women's History Committee. For tickets, which are $15, contact E. Carol Maxwell at (330) 393-5870 by Saturday. Social time begins at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m.
Search is on
YOUNGSTOWN -- If you're a fair-haired, Nordic-looking girl between ages 13 and 20, with light-colored eyes, you might be the right person to portray Michelle Pfeiffer's daughter in the upcoming Warner Bros. film "White Oleander." Linda Weaver, owner of Lemodeln Model and Talent Agency, will have audition information at her display at Southern Park mall Saturday. Or call the agency at (330) 758-4417.