newsmakers

November 10, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

newsmakers

MSNBC’s Olbermann is back on the air

NEW YORK

Keith Olbermann is back on the air at MSNBC after a two-show suspension for violating network rules on political donations.

He opened his first show back on Tuesday mischievously. The camera showed an empty desk, then he slowly edged his way into the picture, saying, “Oh, hi. What’s new?”

He thanked viewers for showing him the kind of gratitude reserved for Chilean miners. A liberal group had launched a petition drive to get him back on the air over the weekend after his suspension Friday. Olbermann acknowledged donating to the campaigns of three Democrats; NBC News rules prohibit such political activism among employees unless they have special permission.

Olbermann said he read over the weekend that the suspension was a publicity stunt.

He said: “This was not a publicity stunt. ’Course, if I had known all this was going to happen, I would have done this years ago.”

TV crew gets OK to shoot in coal mine

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.

Ten videographers with Spike TV are now certified apprentice coal miners, ready to head underground and start filming a West Virginia reality show. They completed the same 80-hour training required of all new miners in West Virginia, and they passed their certification tests Monday.

State safety inspector Bill Tucker says they won’t be doing any mining work, but legally, they could. Spike spokeswoman Debra Fazio says filming at Cobalt Coal’s McDowell County mine could begin in a week or so.

‘Twilight’ gets most People’s Choice nods

LOS ANGELES

“The Twilight Saga” has a chance to eclipse the competition at the 2011 People’s Choice Awards.

Nominations were announced Tuesday, and the vampire love story and its stars racked up a leading eight bids.

The film is up for favorite movie and favorite drama, and stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner are nominated for favorite on-screen team. Pattinson and Lautner also are nominated individually for favorite movie actor, Stewart is up for favorite movie actress, and she and Pattinson also are nominated for favorite movie star under 25.

Other multiple nominees in the movie category include Robert Downey Jr., who’s up for favorite actor, favorite action star and favorite on-screen team with Don Cheadle; “Iron Man 2,” nominated for favorite movie and action movie; and “Inception,” in the running for favorite movie, favorite drama and favorite on-screen team for stars Leonardo diCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy and Dileep Rao.

Fans can vote for the winners online until Dec. 7. The People’s Choice Awards will be presented Jan. 5, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre and broadcast on CBS.

First Canadian poker champion

LAS VEGAS

Quebec poker professional Jonathan Duhamel won the World Series of Poker title and $8.94 million Monday night, becoming the first Canadian to take down the no-limit Texas Hold ’em main event in Las Vegas. “It is surreal. I could never dream of that. It’s so huge — so big — it’s a dream come true for me,” Duhamel said after winning the gold bracelet.

De Niro earns honor at Globes

LOS ANGELES

Robert De Niro will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at next year’s Golden Globe Awards. The honor was announced Tuesday by Kevin Spacey. The award will be presented to him at the 68th annual Golden Globes on Jan. 16.