Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Trimmer Studdard wantsAlabamans to lose weight
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The scales of "American Idol" may have tipped in Ruben Studdard's favor in 2003, but there are other scales he would like to tip a bit less.
After shedding almost 100 pounds, the Birmingham native and "American Idol" winner says he wants to help other residents of Alabama to lose weight.
He's asking the 25 percent of the state's residents who are obese to lose 10 pounds in eight weeks -- a total of 10 million pounds.
Since committing to a weight-loss program this summer, Studdard has lost nearly 100 pounds, started eating healthier and begun exercising, according to a news release announcing the program.
Kitaen enters rehab
LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. -- Tawny Kitaen, who starred in the 1984 Tom Hanks comedy, "Bachelor Party," has entered a drug rehabilitation program after pleading guilty to possessing 15 grams of cocaine.
The 45-year-old actress will be allowed to change her plea to not guilty after completing the program, under terms of a plea agreement, officials said. The plea change will remove the conviction from her record.
Kitaen was charged with felony possession after sheriff's deputies said they found cocaine in her apartment in May.
She was arrested in 2002 on charges she abused then-husband, former Angels pitcher Chuck Finley. She agreed to anger management and conflict resolution counseling in exchange for the dismissal of two misdemeanor counts of spousal abuse.
LaBelle cancels tour
PHILADELPHIA -- Patti LaBelle's current tour, "The Gospel According to Patti," is being canceled, the singer announced Monday.
LaBelle, who cited differences with the tour's promoter, said she had a good relationship with sponsors and hoped to restart the tour.
The tour, which began in October, had been scheduled to continue in Philadelphia, Cleveland and St. Louis, among other cities.
An Oscar for effects guru
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Visual-effects pioneer Ray Feeney will receive an Oscar for his contributions to film.
The Gordon E. Sawyer Award, which honors technological advances that benefit the movie industry, was established by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1981.
"Ray has helped develop and implement many of the groundbreaking technologies that have become industry-standard techniques used in the creation of visual effects for motion pictures," Academy President Sid Ganis said in a statement Monday.
Today's birthdays
Comedian Charlie Callas is 79. Actor John Hillerman is 74. Rock musician Peter Criss is 61. Psychic/illusionist Uri Geller is 60. Singer Alan Parsons is 57. Actress Rock singer Billy Bragg is 49. Country singer Kris Tyler is 42. Actress Nicole deBoer is 36. Actor Jonah Hill is 23.