newsmakers

newsmakers

‘Housewives’ to be re-edited after suicide

LOS ANGELES

Bravo has opted to re-edit footage from the second season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” in light of the recent suicide of Russell Armstrong, husband of one of the show’s stars, Taylor Armstrong. The network has yet to decide if the premiere date, originally set for Sept. 5, will be moved.

A spokesperson from Bravo declined to specify if Armstrong’s appearance will be eliminated completely or if his involvement will be restructured and marginalized.

Armstrong was found dead at a Mulholland Drive home Monday night; the cause of death was suicide by hanging, autopsy reports confirmed.

8 nominees up for International Emmys

NEW YORK

Television productions that took viewers inside a Somali pirate stronghold and a Taliban unit fighting in Afghanistan were among the nominees for International Emmy awards in the current- affairs and news categories.

The eight nominees from six countries and the United Nations include “Unter Piraten” on Germany’s Infonetwork GmbH in the current-affairs category and Britain’s “Sky News Live at Five: Inside the Taliban” in the news category.

Brazil had two nominations: Discovery Networks Latin America’s “The Assassination of Jean Charles Meneses” (current affairs), about the fatal shooting of a Brazilian immigrant mistaken for a suicide bomber in London, and TV Globo’s “Jornal Nacional: War on Drugs” (news), about a November 2010 raid by security forces on a drug dealer’s stronghold in Rio de Janeiro.

There also were first-time nominations for the United Nations in current affairs for UNTV’s “21st Century: Cambodia — A Quest for Justice” on the international tribunal trying perpetrators of the Khmer Rouge reign of terror, and for Iceland in news for “RUV News: Volcano Eruption at Eyjafjallajokull” about the impact caused by the massive 2010 volcanic eruption.

The other nominees announced Thursday by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences were Japan’s NHK for “Back from the Brink: Inside the Chilean Mine Disaster” (current affairs) and “TV Patrol: Manila Hostage Crisis” by the Philippines” ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. covering an August 2010 hostage drama in which eight Hong Kong tourists were killed after their tour bus was hijacked by a disgruntled former police officer.

The winners will be announced at a Sept. 28 ceremony at the Frederick P. Rose Hall of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York.

Jackson doctor asks to sequester jury

LOS ANGELES

The doctor charged in Michael Jackson’s death has asked a judge to sequester jurors in the physician’s upcoming involuntary-manslaughter trial, citing coverage of the Casey Anthony case and the threat of information leaks posed by Twitter and Facebook use.

Attorneys for Dr. Conrad Murray, in a motion filed Thursday, cited widespread media coverage of the Anthony case, which ended with a Florida jury that was sequestered acquitting the mother of killing her daughter. The motion cites comments by CNN Headline News commentator Nancy Grace, who featured the case on her show on a nightly basis and believed Anthony was guilty.

Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor has said he is reluctant to sequester the jury in Murray’s case, saying it is an extreme measure last used in Los Angeles during O.J. Simpson’s murder trial.

Murray, a Houston-based cardiologist, is accused of giving Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in the bedroom of his rented mansion in June 2009.

Jury selection in Murray’s case is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, with opening statements slated to begin later in the month.

Oasis’ Liam Gallagher suing his brother

LONDON

One of music’s most famous family feuds is headed for the courts.

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher said Friday he is suing his estranged brother and former bandmate, Noel, for saying his hangover forced the rumbustious Brit rockers to cancel a concert.

Bad blood between the brothers has made headlines ever since Oasis burst to fame in 1994 with debut album “Definitely Maybe.”

When Noel left the band in 2009, he said it was because he couldn’t work “a day longer” with his brother.

Liam is disputing comments Noel made last month alleging that Liam pulled out of the 2009 V Festival due to a hangover.

Liam said in a statement he wants an apology and for Oasis fans “to know the truth” about what happened — laryngitis prevented him from performing the gig.

Vindicator wire services