Britney Spears tour will come to Pittsburgh

Britney Spears tour will come to Pittsburgh

NEW YORK — Britney Spears is taking her “Circus” act on the road.

In an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the pop star announced that her North American arena tour will open March 3 in New Orleans. Her new album, “Circus,” arrived Tuesday, on her 27th birthday.

It is Spears’ first tour in five years as she gains career momentum and stability in her personal life. Spears, who sang her hit “Womanizer” on “GMA,” begins rehearsals next month.

Spears’ 27-city itinerary includes a March 27 show at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. No Cleveland date was listed in the initial announcement. She’ll close the tour April 28 in Chicago.

She will jump to London for performances on June 3 and June 4.

Tickets go on sale beginning Saturday.

Brad Pitt in interview: I hate the paparazzi

NEW YORK — Brad Pitt has some strong words for the paparazzi.

In an interview on NBC’s “Today” show, Pitt said: “Let me be very blunt: I hate them. I hate these people. I don’t understand ... that they do that for a living.”

Pitt said there should be laws against celebrity photographers who “climb over your walls wearing camouflage and calling out your kids’ names as you’re trying to take them to school.”

The actor appeared Tuesday to talk about his humanitarian work in New Orleans, but the conversation turned to his famous family. Pitt said he doesn’t like talking about Angelina Jolie and their six children.

Said Pitt: “It seems to get cheapened somehow as it goes through the filters and the airwaves — and some things you just want to keep close to the chest.”

Plaque honors opera legend Maria Callas

NEW YORK — And a star was born.

On Tuesday — which would have been her 85th birthday — a plaque honoring opera legend Maria Callas was being unveiled at the Manhattan hospital where she came into the world.

Callas was born to Greek parents in 1923 at what was then Flower Hospital. The hospital merged with other institutions over the years and is now the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center.

Callas’ mother took her back to Greece. There, she trained and performed before her professional life took her all over the world, including Italy and the U.S. She died in Paris in 1977.

An organizer for the event says the hospital plaque comes from Italy, and is made from the same marble that Michelangelo used for sculpture.

Juror for ‘Sopranos’ actor turns up in jail

NEW YORK — A juror was AWOL for the murder trial of a former “Sopranos” actor but he has turned up — behind bars.

The juror was absent Monday when court opened for the trial of actor Lillo Brancato and testimony had to be delayed until the man was replaced with an alternate.

Court officials said the juror was arrested during the weekend after being accused of punching his 15-year-old stepson in the face.

Word of his arrest didn’t reach the court until Monday.

Prosecutors allege that Brancato — who got his start in the film “A Bronx Tale” and later appeared in “The Sopranos” — was involved in the killing of an off-duty police officer while trying to get drugs.

The defense says the true culprit was Brancato’s co-defendant, who was convicted Oct. 30.

Today’s birthdays

Country singer Ferlin Husky is 83. Singer Andy Williams is 81. Director Jean-Luc Godard is 78. Singer Jaye P. Morgan (“The Gong Show”) is 77. Actress Mary Alice is 67. Singer Ozzy Osbourne is 60. Singer Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship is 59. Bassist Paul Gregg of Restless Heart is 54. Actor Steven Culp (“Desperate Housewives”) is 53. Actress Daryl Hannah is 48. Actress Julianne Moore is 48. Actor Brendan Fraser is 40. Singer Montell Jordan is 40. Actor-comedian Royale Watkins is 39. Actress Holly Marie Combs (“Charmed”) is 35. Musician Daniel Bedingfield is 29. Actress Anna Chlumsky is 28. Actor Brian Bonsall (“Family Ties”) is 27.