newsmakers

newsmakers

Winehouse album is century’s best-seller

LONDON

Amy Winehouse is still hitting music milestones after her untimely death last month.

Britain’s Official Charts Company says Winehouse’s Grammy-award winning “Back to Black” has become the best-selling album in the U.K. in the 21st century.

The company, which tracks music sales in the U.K., said Wednesday that “Back to Black” overtook James Blunt’s 2005 debut album to claim the title this week.

Winehouse’s second album had jumped to the No. 1 spot on the charts shortly after the soul singer was found dead in her London townhouse July 23. An initial post-mortem failed to determine cause of death, and Winehouse’s family said Tuesday that toxicology tests showed she had no illegal drugs in her system when she died.

An inquest into Winehouse’s death begins in October.

Paris Hilton’s ex takes DUI plea deal in Vegas

LAS VEGAS

Paris Hilton’s ex-boyfriend was fined $585 and ordered Wednesday to stay out of trouble as he settled drug charges stemming from a Las Vegas Strip traffic stop with the celebrity socialite last year.

Cy Waits, 35, was sentenced after pleading no contest to misdemeanor driving under the influence of drugs. Felony and misdemeanor drug charges were dropped.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Bill Kephart ordered Waits to attend DUI and “victim impact” classes, gave him a 30-day suspended jail sentence and warned him not to make the same mistake twice.

“If you are arrested for another DUI during the pendency of this case, I don’t care if it’s alcohol or drugs, you will do six months in the Clark County jail,” the judge said. He set a Nov. 23 date to review Waits’ case.

City officials ask ABC show to leave

GREENWICH, Conn.

Officials in one well-to-do Connecticut town are asking an ABC hidden-camera show to hit the road.

Greenwich officials tell the Greenwich Time that the filming of the show “What Would You Do?” is disruptive. They say they asked the film crew to choose another location for filming.

The show sets up morally difficult situations and secretly films people’s reactions.

Town officials say having the show set up in front of stores has a negative impact on business. Greenwich police say one of the show’s scenes caused an alarmed resident to ask a store employee to call police.

End is near for run of ‘Addams Family’

NEW YORK

Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Lurch and Fester will be gone from Broadway by the time the New Year rolls around.

Producers for the musical “The Addams Family” said Wednesday it will end its run at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Dec. 31.

When it closes, it will have had 725 performances and 34 previews. A national tour launches Sept. 15 in New Orleans and is booked in more than 30 cities through 2012.

The musical, based on characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, currently stars Roger Rees and Brooke Shields. When it opened in 2010, it starred Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth.

Vindicator wire services