NewsMakers

July 8, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

‘American Idol’ tour drops Cleveland date

LOS ANGELES

The summer tour starring “American Idol” finalists is being cut short, and the Sept. 11 Cleveland date has been canceled.

The July 21 show at First Niagara Pavilion near Pittsburgh is still on the schedule.

Eight shows on the American Idol Live! Tour have been canceled and others have been changed, according to a revised schedule released Tuesday by tour organizer LiveNation. The tour, which features the top 10 singers, was originally scheduled to end Sept. 16 in Portland, Maine, but is now slated to end Aug. 31 in Indianapolis.

Other canceled shows: Omaha, Kansas City, Toronto, Buffalo, Winnipeg, and Portland, Ore.

Lindsay Lohan’s nails draw attention

LOS ANGELES

Never has so much attention been paid to a manicure. Less than 24 hours after Lindsay Lohan was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 90 days in rehab for violating probation on two DUIs, the talk isn’t about her troubles, but about her fingernails.

The 24-year-old actress sported a colorful manicure in court Tuesday that included obscene messages on each of her middle fingers. Close-up photos taken by a courtroom photographer revealed the tiny letters, which made worldwide news Wednesday on entertainment websites.

But, for whom were the messages intended — Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel who levied the harsh sentence, the ever- present paparazzi or her estranged father? Lohan let her middle-finger messages speak for themselves until late Wednesday when she took to her Twitter account to clarify the purpose of the defiant digits:

“It had nothing to do w/court,” Lohan wrote. “It’s an airbrush design from a stencil.”

The actress’ future is on hold. Her punishment will prevent her from promoting “Machete,” the Robert Rodriguez action film due in theaters Sept. 20, and delay production on “Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story,” It may also prevent her from further promoting her 280-piece fashion line, 6126. On Wednesday, a judge also delayed trail a lawsuit filed against her.

Lohan is to surrender and begin her jail sentence July 20. Rehab will follow. But, she may serve less than 90 days, thanks to jail overcrowding and a state program that credits inmates for good behavior, said Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore, adding that nonviolent female misdemeanor offenders typically serve about 25 percent of their sentences.

‘Warcraft’ forums to require real names

NEW YORK

Activision Blizzard’s move to require people to use their real names if they want to post messages in online forums for games is the latest sign that online anonymity is falling out of favor with many companies. The change upset many gamers who prize anonymity and don’t necessarily want their gamer personas associated with their real identities.

Activision Blizzard Inc., the company behind “World of Warcraft,” said Tuesday that the new rule will go into effect later this month. It will apply first to forums about the highly anticipated “StarCraft II,” out July 27; other games are to follow.

Blizzard says making people use their real names will cut down on nasty behavior and trolling in the forums and create a more positive environment.

Associated Press