'Small-town' BSB star performs at high school

'Small-town' BSB starperforms at high school
WILMOT, Wis. -- Backstreet Boy Nick Carter performed a 40-minute concert for students of Wilmot High School, which won a contest by donating more than 10 tons of food for the needy.
"I'm a small-town kind of guy," said Carter, who was born in Jamestown, N.Y., and grew up in upstate New York and in a small Florida town.
The Backstreet Boys ignited the recent teen pop craze when they stormed the U.S. charts in 1998 with their self-titled debut, a smash album that was followed by other multiplatinum discs.
Carter, 22, recently released his debut solo album, "Now or Never."
He sang eight songs during the concert last week for some 1,000 students and staff.
The contest was sponsored by WXSS 103.7 FM in Milwaukee. The station co-sponsors the annual food drive of America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin.
Wilmot High School beat out 10 other area schools.
Sophomore Clair Caldwell returned home with a souvenir -- a strip of a sweat-stained towel that Carter had tossed into the crowd.
"We ripped it so more people could have a piece," Caldwell said.
Dominican officials honor Pedro Martinez
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Boston Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez received a plaque from the Dominican Republic consulate in Puerto Rico for being an "idol" in Latin America.
"It's a recognition for Pedro's effort, sacrifice and perseverance that has taken him to the top of the sport," said Dominican Consul Rolando Acosta Trinidad. "He's not only an idol in his home country of the Dominican Republic, but in all of Latin America."
The right-handed pitcher was visiting Puerto Rico to participate in "Dominican Night," a promotional event Friday sponsored by the Bayamon Cowboys, a team in Puerto Rico's winter league.
Martinez, 30, is a three-time Cy Young Award winner.
Will 'Springer' operahead to N.Y. stage?
A British spoof opera based on "The Jerry Springer Show" could be heading to the Big Apple, reports The New York Daily News.
"Jerry Springer: The Opera" opens at the prestigious National Theater in London in April, and the host of the tabloid talk show couldn't be happier.
"Today British culture, tomorrow the world," Springer said.
Springer saw the show during its brief run at the Edinburgh Festival in August, where it received rave reviews. He congratulated its creators -- comedian Stewart Lee and composer Richard Thomas -- and said they expressed their hope of bringing the show to the United States.
His favorite part?
"The end of the first act," he said, laughing. "I get killed."
"Jerry Springer: The Opera's" creators admit to being huge fans of the talkmeister.
"One night I was watching the TV show, and I realized there were eight people screaming at each other, a chorus baying for blood, and I thought -- that's opera," Thomas said.
Broken arm postponesDoors' revival tour
The Doors have been forced to postpone their revival tour after stand-in drummer Stewart Copeland broke his arm falling off a bicycle, reports Ananova.com.
Copeland, formerly of The Police, was injured in an accident near his Los Angeles home. He's expected to be fit to join The Doors' original keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger for the rescheduled opening date in Las Vegas on Jan. 19.
Ian Astbury, ex-singer for The Cult, takes the place of Jim Morrison on the tour that had been due to start Sunday. It's the first time The Doors have gone on the road since Morrison's death in 1971.
Today's birthdays
Actor David Carradine is 66. Actor James MacArthur is 65. Flutist James Galway is 63. Actor John Rubinstein is 56. Rock singer-musician Gregg Allman is 55. Actress Kim Basinger is 49. Rock musician Warren Cuccurullo is 46. Rock musician Phil Collen (Def Leppard) is 45. Country singer Marty Raybon is 43. Actress Teri Hatcher is 38. Rapper Bushwick Bill (The Geto Boys) is 36. Singer Sinead O'Connor is 36. Actor Matthew Laborteaux is 36. Rock musician Ryan Newell (Sister Hazel) is 30. Actor Dominic Monaghan is 26.