newsmakers

newsmakers

Redesigned Rock Hall opens Beatles exhibit

CLEVELAND

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland has opened the world’s most comprehensive collection of items from The Beatles as part of the first redesign in the facility’s 15-year history.

The exhibit announced Wednesday features nearly 70 items, including several that are being displayed for the first time, such as Paul McCartney’s handwritten arrangement for the song “Birthday.” Visitors also can see guitars played by John Lennon and George Harrison, the logo drum head from the kit that Ringo Starr used on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February 1964, and notable clothing worn by each group member on tour or on film.

“For many years now, we have been fortunate to have a great relationship with Yoko Ono, which enabled us to have many John Lennon artifacts,” said Jim Henke, vice president of exhibitions. “This time around, we were able to work with Ringo Starr and with George Harrison’s estate, so they are well-represented in the exhibit. We also worked with some collectors who had other key Beatles pieces, and before we knew it, we had an absolutely incredible collection.”

The items have gone on display as part of a museum redesign that is funded by part of the Rock Hall’s $35 million capital campaign and is expected to be complete by next year. It includes technology upgrades and changes aimed at presenting the history of rock ’n’ roll more chronologically.

Rapper Ja Rule headed to prison

NEW YORK

Ja Rule is headed to a New York prison for up to two years in a gun case. The platinum-selling rapper and actor was sentenced Wednesday. He pleaded guilty in December to attempted criminal weapon possession.

Authorities said he had a loaded gun in his luxury sports car when it was stopped as he left a Manhattan concert in July 2007.

Ja Rule was nominated for a 2002 best rap album Grammy Award for “Pain Is Love.” His movie credits include 2001’s “The Fast and the Furious” and 2003’s “Scary Movie 3.” He has been wrapping up a forthcoming album, “Pain Is Love 2.”

Michelle Obama to appear on ‘iCarly’

LOS ANGELES

Michelle Obama is going to be on one of Nickelodeon’s most-popular shows.

The first lady is set to appear on an upcoming episode of the comedy “iCarly” to promote Joining Forces, an initiative aimed at increasing awareness and support for military families, network president Cyma Zarghami said Wednesday.

The show’s main character, Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove), is the daughter of a colonel serving overseas in the military. When Carly’s two best friends break some rules to set up a web chat so Carly can speak to her dad on his birthday, “the first lady discovers it and comes to have a chat with them in the most positive way possible,” Zarghami said.

The Obama “iCarly” episode is likely to air in January.

‘Oprah’ finale seen by 16 million viewers

NEW YORK

When Oprah Winfrey told her daytime viewers farewell last month, more than 16 million were watching.

The Nielsen Co. reported Wednesday that the May 25 finale of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” drew 16.4 million viewers. This made the finale the show’s most-watched episode in more than 18 years, since the February 1993 airing of its “Why I Love Older Women” episode, which was seen by 17.3 million viewers.

Associated Press