Invitation-only funeral for Brittany Murphy

Invitation-only funeral for Brittany Murphy

LOS ANGELES — A spokesman for Brittany Murphy’s husband and family said the actress was to be laid to rest at a small, private funeral on Christmas Eve. Alex Ben Block said the funeral Thursday was by invitation only at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills cemetery.

He said a larger memorial service may be held for the “Clueless” and “Girl, Interrupted” actress early next year. The 32-year-old actress died after collapsing at her Hollywood Hills home on Sunday. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of death.

Jose Feliciano protests use of Christmas song

NEW YORK — Grammy-winner Jose Feliciano is outraged that the theme from his holiday song “Feliz Navidad” was used for a musical spoof about undocumented immigrants.

Feliciano released a statement Wednesday saying that he was “revolted beyond words” and that the song was created to be a bridge between cultures and “never as a vehicle for a political platform of racism and hate.”

The parody, titled “The Illegal Alien Christmas Song,” was produced for radio by Matt Fox and A.J. Rice of the show “The Fox and Rice Experience” and posted on the conservative Web site HumanEvents.com.

Human Events Editor Jed Babbin apologized for posting the song and said it would be removed from the site.

The Puerto Rican-born Feliciano composed “Feliz Navidad” in both English and Spanish.

Moore’s new festival

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Filmmaker Michael Moore started a summer film festival five years ago in his adopted hometown of Traverse City, Mich. Now he’s teaming with Emmy winner Jeff Garlin to organize a mid-winter comedic counterpart.

The inaugural Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival will be held Feb. 19-21. It will feature star performers, along with talented up-and-comers. The lineup will be revealed next month.

Moore is a Flint native who now lives in Traverse City. The Lake Michigan resort community is about 250 miles northwest of Detroit. He and Garlin say they want to boost a state where the economy was sinking long before the nationwide downturn.

Today’s birthdays

Rhythm-and-blues singer John Edwards (The Spinners) is 65. Singer Jimmy Buffett is 63. Country singer Barbara Mandrell is 61. Actress Sissy Spacek is 60. Singer Annie Lennox is 55. Singer Shane MacGowan (The Pogues, The Popes) is 52. Actress Klea Scott is 41. Rock musician Noel Hogan (The Cranberries) is 38. Pop singers Jess and Lisa Origliasso (The Veronicas) are 25.