NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

R. Kelly has surgery

CHICAGO

R&B star R. Kelly was hospitalized after emergency throat surgery in Chicago, forcing him to give up performing while he recuperates, the singer’s spokesman said Wednesday.

Kelly, 44, had complained of throat pain and was rushed Tuesday to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where surgeons the same day drained an abscess on one of his tonsils, spokesman Allan Mayer said. The Chicago native will be “laid up indefinitely” as he heals, he said.

Jackson doc’s defense: Sequester jury

LOS ANGELES

In a sign of legal fallout from the Casey Anthony murder trial, a lawyer for Michael Jackson’s doctor said Wednesday his jury should be sequestered to avoid contamination by TV pundits — specifically Nancy Grace.

Attorney J. Michael Flanagan said the televised, involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray could be prejudiced by “final arguments” being delivered daily on TV by Grace and other commentators.

Lawyer: ‘Happy Days’ suit prompted checks

LOS ANGELES

“Happy Days” cast members who filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against CBS over merchandise profits have received checks for a small fraction of the amount they say they are owed, their lawyer said Wednesday.

Attorney Jon Pfeiffer said the checks received after the case started were between $6,000 and $6,500 for each cast member and the wife of the late actor Tom Bosley.

The actors, who include Bosley’s on-screen wife Marion Ross, Anson Williams, Don Most and Erin Moran, sued CBS Studios in April seeking more than $10 million in profits for “Happy Days”-themed merchandise.

Zombies, superheroes converge on Comic-Con

LOS ANGELES

Calling all superheroes, zombies, space aliens, comic-book lovers and kids of all ages: Comic-Con is here.

The pop-culture convention, which annually draws thousands of costumed fans to San Diego, begins today, but the die-hards (and those with weekend-long passes) got a peek at the colorful convention floor Wednesday night.

Hundreds of exhibitors and more than 130,000 guests packed the San Diego Convention Center for the sold-out, four-day event.

Vindicator wire reports