Movie-industry lobbyist plans to leave his job

Movie-industry lobbyist plans to leave his job

WASHINGTON — The top lobbyist for Hollywood’s movie industry will leave his job next year.

Angela Belden Martinez, spokeswoman for the Motion Picture Association of America, says chairman Dan Glickman will step down in September when his contract expires. She says Glickman will probably look for a public service job, perhaps pursuing his interests in hunger and nutrition issues.

The job representing movie studios is one of Washington’s most coveted lobbying posts. Glickman earned more than $1.2 million in 2007, but has not been as visible as his predecessor, the late Jack Valenti.

Wyclef Jean collaborates to work on his memoir

NEW YORK — Wyclef Jean is working on a memoir.

The solo star and former frontman for The Fugees is collaborating with Rolling Stone writer Anthony Bozza on a book — currently untitled — to be published by It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. Financial terms weren’t disclosed and a release date hasn’t been set.

The publisher announced in a statement Monday that the book will cover Jean’s life, from his childhood in rural Haiti to his musical career and philanthropic work.

Jean, who just turned 37, is known for such hit singles as “We Trying to Stay Alive” and “Gone Till November.” With the Fugees, he recorded the Grammy-winning, multiplatinum-selling album “The Score.”

Complaints pour in over column on singer’s death

LONDON — Britain’s press watchdog says it has received a record 21,000 complaints about a newspaper column on the death of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately after critics used Twitter to brand the article homophobic and insensitive.

Gately died Oct. 10, aged 33, while vacationing on the Spanish island of Mallorca. An autopsy found he had died of natural causes from fluid in the lungs.

Daily Mail columnist Jan Moir wrote that Gately’s death was “not, by any yardstick, a natural one” and said he died in “sleazy” circumstances.

Anger at the column swept social networking site Twitter, with actor Stephen Fry urging his 860,000 followers to contact the Press Complaints Commission.

Today’s birthdays

Actor William Christopher (“M*A*S*H*”) is 77. Rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson is 72. Musician Tom Petty is 59. Actor Viggo Mortensen is 51. Drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld of Hootie and the Blowfish is 45. Bassist Doug Eldridge of Oleander is 42. Rapper Snoop Dogg is 38. Actor John Krasinski is 30. Actress Jennifer Nicole Freeman (“My Wife and Kids”) is 24.