ZZ Top, Brooks & Dunn concert is rescheduled at Post Gazette Pavilion

September 13, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

PITTSBURGH — The ZZ Top-Brooks & Dunn concert at Post-Gazette Pavilion in Burgettstown has been rescheduled for Oct. 15.

Those with previously purchased tickets to the postponed Sept. 12 concert can use their tickets for the Oct. 15 performance, according to the promoter, Live Nation. Tickets are on sale and can be bought at livenation.com, select Giant Eagle locations or by phone at (412) 323-1919.

Critic of Islam makes a rare appearance

CLEVELAND — Best-selling author Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a prominent critic of Islam, said it’s difficult living in isolation because of death threats from Muslims offended by her work.

The Somali-born Hirsi Ali made a surprise appearance at the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards ceremony Thursday to accept an award for her book, “Infidel: My Life.” Security was tight, and she left with armed guards.

Hirsi Ali, 38, a former Dutch lawmaker, lives under protection in Washington.

“Yes, it is a lonely journey,” she said later in an interview with The Plain Dealer. “But you overcome it. If you get to the plateau where you no longer have to survive and can start living again — meet people, exchange stories — a bit of that loneliness is relieved. And you appreciate life even more.”

Ronn Richard, executive director of the Cleveland Foundation, which administers the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, said Hirsi Ali’s prize was kept secret to protect both her and members of the audience.

Some of the 600 audience members gasped at Hirsi Ali’s appearance, then rose to encircle her with applause.

In “Infidel,” Hirsi Ali writes how she was subjected to genital mutilation in Somalia and later forced into an unwanted marriage that led her to flee to the Netherlands. She also argues that some tenets of Islam are inherently violent and must be rejected.

Paparazzi get duped by Spears look-alike

LOS ANGELES — Cameras flashing and films rolling, a crowd of paparazzi surrounded a police escort, trying to get the perfect shot of Britney Spears’ little sister as she left the Los Angeles International Airport. Just one snag: The woman wasn’t Jamie Lynn Spears.

In what appears to be a case of the old switcharoo, airport police on Wednesday duped paparazzi at the crowded terminal by leading an unidentified woman — wearing sunglasses and looking away from cameras — down an escalator and through a hallway while the real Jamie Lynn and her baby girl safely left the airport from another area.

Police denied any trickery and said they were not escorting the woman. “All [the officers] did was follow the crowd down to the baggage area,” said Sgt. Jim Holcomb of the Los Angeles airport police. “The people they were following assumed that this was Spears because she was blonde.”

Despite the denial, a video posted by TMZ showed several officers tucked in tight around the woman, some giving paparazzi repeated warnings to “keep backing up” and “keep moving.”

Today’s birthdays

Singer David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat and Tears is 67. Singer Peter Cetera (Chicago) is 64. Actress Jacqueline Bisset is 64. Singer Randy Jones of the Village People is 56. Record producer-musician Don Was is 56. Singer-guitarist Dave Mustaine of Megadeth is 47. Radio and TV personality Tavis Smiley is 44. Actor Louis Mandylor (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) is 42. Actor-director Tyler Perry (“Madea’s Family Reunion”) is 39. Actress Louise Lombard (“CSI”) is 38. Country guitarist Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts is 33. Singer Fiona Apple is 31.