Burnett will produce ‘People’s Choice Awards’

Burnett will produce ‘People’s Choice Awards’

NEW YORK — “The People’s Choice Awards” has announced that it has chosen Mark Burnett to produce next year’s broadcast.

Burnett, whose TV hits include “Survivor,” “The Apprentice” and Martha Stewart’s weekday show, says he will reinvigorate the awards program, now in its 36th year.

The goal is entertaining the audience, not self-congratulation by the winners.

“In the past, they’ve tried to jam in too many awards,” said Burnett, “which ended up with the show just being a series of reading nominees and acceptance speeches.

“We want it to be fast-paced, with lots of laughter, fun performances, and letting viewers see the stars they voted for,” he said.

But amid the changes he has in mind, Burnett plans to bring back Queen Latifah as host for her fourth consecutive year.

The program, airing live in January, honors fan favorites in movies, music and TV as voted on by members of the public.

Next president of SAG to be revealed after count

LOS ANGELES — The Screen Actors Guild’s next president is expected to be revealed Thursday, after ballots are counted from union members. The choice could indicate whether actors are ready for another fight over Internet compensation or would rather merge with a smaller union for better bargaining leverage.

SAG’s election pits union-merger proponent Ken Howard against Anne-Marie Johnson, who promises to seek strike authorization before the next round of negotiations with studios. Those are set to begin in October 2010.

SAG’s 120,000 members are coming off a tough round of negotiations in which they failed to gain concessions from Hollywood. Now SAG still faces thorny issues in the next bargaining round, including how actors get paid for content streamed online.

Exiled Castro sister to release 1st-person memoir

MIAMI — Juanita Castro, the exiled sister of Cuban leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, is set to release a first-person memoir in which she talks at length about her brothers.

The more than 400-page book, titled “My Brothers Fidel and Raul. The Secret Story,” is set for release Oct. 26. It is co-written by Spanish-language journalist Maria Antoineta Collins and will be published by Santillana USA.

Juanita Castro left the island in 1964. A longtime Miami resident, she has kept a low profile and for years could be found behind the counter of the small pharmacy she owned. She retired in 2007.

According to a Santillana news release, Castro dictated the story to Collins a decade ago but refused to publish until now.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Wilford Brimley is 75. Producer Don Cornelius (“Soul Train”) is 73. Singer-guitarist Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 66. Singer-actor Meat Loaf is 62. Actor Patrick Muldoon (“Melrose Place”) is 41. Singer Mark Calderon of Color Me Badd is 39. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is 37. Singer Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down is 31. Rapper Lil’ Wayne is 27. Singer Avril Lavigne is 25.