Neil Diamond reveals who ‘Sweet Caroline’ is

Neil Diamond reveals
who ‘Sweet Caroline’ is

LOS ANGELES — Neil Diamond held onto the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President Kennedy’s daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit “Sweet Caroline.” “I’ve never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally,” the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told The Associated Press on Monday during a break from recording. “I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday.” He got his chance last week when he performed the song via satellite at Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg’s 50th birthday party. Diamond was a “young, broke songwriter” when a photo of the president’s daughter in a news magazine caught his eye. “It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony,” Diamond recalled. “It was such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there.” Years later, holed up in a hotel in Memphis, he would write the words and music in less an hour.

Snipes says he can’t get
fair trial in Florida city

ORLANDO, Fla. — Federal prosecutors said there is “no basis in reality” for Wesley Snipes’ claims that he cannot get a fair trial on tax evasion charges because of racial prejudice in Ocala. In recent court filings, Snipes’ attorney called Ocala, where the January trial is set, “a hotbed of (Ku Klux Klan) activity,” and alleged prosecutors chose it to get the best chance at an all-white jury. “Defendant Snipes’ motion hurls scurrilous and baseless accusations at the prosecution and citizenry of Ocala in an overwrought attempt to have this case dismissed or transferred to another venue,” U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill wrote in a filing Monday. An October 2006 federal indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling almost $12 million in 1996 and 1997 for income taxes already paid. The 45-year-old star of the “Blade” trilogy and other films also was charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004. Snipes’ motion sought to have the case dismissed or the trial moved to New York.

Denied visas, rock band
cancels Japan concerts

TOKYO — The rock band Velvet Revolver has canceled a tour of Japan after authorities refused to give its members visas, possibly because of previous run-ins with the law. The band, which features former members of Guns N’ Roses and the Stone Temple Pilots, had been looking to “reconnect” with their Japanese fans during performances in Tokyo and three other Japanese cities from Nov. 26-30. But officials just said no. “Velvet Revolver’s request for visas has just been denied,” the band said on its Web site.

Today’s birthdays

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Stan Musial is 87. Actress Marlo Thomas is 70. Actor Rick Lenz is 68. Singer Dr. John is 67. Comedian-director Harold Ramis is 63. Actress Goldie Hawn is 62. Singer Livingston Taylor is 57. Actress-singer Lorna Luft is 55. Gospel singer Steven Curtis Chapman is 45. Actress Nicollette Sheridan is 44. Singer-actress Bjork is 42. Football player Troy Aikman is 41. Baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. is 38. Country singer Kelsi Osborn (SHeDAISY) is 33. Actress Jena Malone is 23.