King of Pop seeks solitude from fans on Gulf island

King of Pop seeks solitude from fans on Gulf island
MANAMA, Bahrain -- Michael Jackson remained out of sight Friday during his post-trial vacation in this tiny Gulf kingdom, to the dismay of fans desperate for the King of Pop to greet the Bahraini public. "What could be better than seeing Michael Jackson in real life? He's a living legend," Mohammed Ebrahim, 17, said while shopping. The teenager, who says he moonwalks everyday, learned of Jackson's arrival in the kingdom through a flurry of text messaging from friends. The news spread even though state-run television and radio have made no mention of Jackson's presence on the island state. His location was unknown -- part of a promise by Bahrain's royal family to give the eccentric star the seclusion he craves. "He would love his privacy, and we will do our best to maintain the privacy he has," Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, a son of Bahrain's king, told The Associated Press. Invited by Sheik Abdulla, a friend of Jackson's brother Jermaine's, Jackson arrived in the kingdom alone seeking refuge after his sensational trial and June 13 acquittal of child molestation charges.
Brando's 'Godfather' script sells for $300,000
NEW YORK -- Marlon Brando's annotated script from 1972's "The Godfather" brought more than $300,000 in an auction of the star's memorabilia that netted a total of $2.3 million. The script fetched more than 20 times its estimated auction price of $10,000 to $15,000. It was the largest amount paid for any single item at last week's auction, and the highest amount ever paid for a film script, according to Christie's New York. "Godfather" mementos were the night's stars. Another top item related to the movie was a letter from the book's author, Mario Puzo, asking Brando to take the role of Don Vito Corleone. It brought $132,000.
Affleck, Garner marry, and a baby is on the way
NEW YORK -- After months of speculation, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have tied the knot -- and she's pregnant. Representatives for both actors confirmed the marriage to The Associated Press late last week. Their publicists, Ken Sunshine and Nicole King, also confirmed that Garner is pregnant with her first child. The confirmation came after Us Weekly reported that Affleck, 32, and Garner, 33, were wed Wednesday at the Parrot Cay resort in the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos. This is first marriage for Affleck and the second for Garner, who divorced actor Scott Foley in March 2004 after 3 1/2 years of marriage. Affleck and Lopez called off their September 2003 wedding and broke off their engagement in January 2004. Lopez married singer Marc Anthony later that year.
Pink proposes, he accepts
MAMMOTH, Calif. -- Pink's headed to the altar. The singer, Alecia Moore, proposed to Motocross champ and on-again-off-again beau Carey Hart while he was racing in the Pro 250 class finals in Mammoth, Calif., last week, MTV.com says. In midrace, Pink wrote on a pit board, "Will You Marry Me?" and held it up in front of the grandstands. A lap later, Pink wrote on the board: "I'm serious!" Hart pulled off the track, dropped out of the race, and scooped up the singer. He accepted. She's 25. He'll be 30 on July 17.
Notable death
DETROIT -- Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the legendary Motown singing group the Four Tops, died Friday. He was 69. Benson died at a Detroit hospital, said the group's road manager, Fred Bridges. The Four Tops sold more than 50 million records and recorded hit songs such as "Baby I Need Your Loving" and "Reach Out [I'll be There]."
Today's birthdays
Movie director Ken Russell is 78. Jazz musician Pete Fountain is 75. Playwright Tom Stoppard is 68. Writer-producer Jay Tarses is 66. Singer Fontella Bass is 65. Actor Kurtwood Smith is 62. Actor Michael Cole ("The Mod Squad") is 60. Country singer Johnny Lee is 59. Writer Dave Barry is 58. Actress Betty Buckley is 58. Rock singer-musician Paul Barrere (Little Feat) is 57. Actress Jan Smithers is 56. Former Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier is 54. Talk show host Montel Williams is 49. Country singer Aaron Tippin is 47. Rock musician Vince Clarke (Erasure) is 45. Actor Tom Cruise is 43. Actor Thomas Gibson is 43. Actress Hunter Tylo is 43. Singer Ishmael Butler is 36. Rock musician Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies) is 36. Actress-singer Audra McDonald is 35. Singer Shane Lynch (Boyzone) is 29. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tonia Tash (Divine) is 26. Actor Grant Rosenmeyer ("Oliver Beene") is 14. Actress Kelsey Batelaan is 10.