NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Judge sends Sheen’s lawsuit to arbitration

LOS ANGELES

Charlie Sheen may not get quite the audience he wanted for his $100 million lawsuit over his firing from “Two and a Half Men” — a judge on Wednesday ruled that an arbitrator should determine whether the case is handled privately or in a public courtroom.

Sheen’s contract with Warner Bros. Television has a valid clause requiring the private arbitrator to decide how the case proceeds, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Allan Goodman wrote in a 21-page ruling. The decision will likely dampen publicity about the case in the short-term, although Sheen’s attorney said he will still argue the case should be heard publicly.

Sheen sued Warner Bros. and “Men” executive producer Chuck Lorre on March 10, days after Sheen was fired from his starring role on television’s top-rated comedy.

Goodman ruled that Lorre also has a valid clause in his contract with Warner Bros. to have disputes handled through arbitration.

Warner Bros. and Lorre both want the case to be handled privately. Sheen opposed those efforts in court filings and an all-day hearing on the issue in April.

Attorney Marty Singer, who is representing Sheen, said the ruling does not decide whether the case will be heard privately and he will argue that it should be handled in the public court system. He said Sheen had valid claims in his lawsuit and the studio was holding back at least $10 million in royalties on reruns and sales of the show.

Warner Bros. and Lorre’s attorney welcomed the ruling Wednesday and said it was the correct one given Sheen’s contract.

Bristol Palin puts Ariz. house up for rent

PHOENIX

Bristol Palin didn’t stay too long in her house 35 miles south of Phoenix in Maricopa. A real estate agent has confirmed the daughter of possible presidential candidate Sarah Palin is renting out the 4,000 square foot house.

Nate Martinez with RE/MAX Professionals says the five-bedroom home went on the market this week. She’s asking $1,400 a month for the home she bought last year for $172,000.

Bristol Palin will be back on TV by the end of the year, starring in a reality series for the Bio Channel. The as-yet-untitled series will follow her move from Alaska to Los Angeles with her son, Tripp, to work at a small charity. She will live with actor brothers Kyle and Christopher Massey.

Sophia Loren dubs ‘Cars 2’ mamma

ROME

Sophia Loren says she has used her “thick Neapolitan accent” voice to dub a character in “Cars 2” for the sake of her grandchildren and the late Walt Disney.

Loren has lent her voice to Mama Topolino’s (Mamma Mickey Mouse) lines in the Disney sequel that opens next week in Italy.

The actress said Wednesday that she did her first-ever dubbing for an animated film for her grandchildren, as well as for Disney. Loren said she hopes her three grandkids will now say that Mama Topolino is grandma.

“Who knows? Maybe watching ‘Cars 2’ they’ll recognize the voice of their grandmother,” Loren said in a brief interview on Italian state TV.

Associated Press