NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Jay Leno’s joke angers Sikh community

NEW DELHI

India’s Sikh community isn’t finding Jay Leno so funny.

Members of the religious group said they were outraged when the “Tonight Show” host showed a photo of a glittering gold building and claimed it was Republican Mitt Romney’s summer home.

It was meant to be a joke about the Republican presidential candidate’s wealth.

But the building in the photograph is the Golden Temple, the holiest site in the Sikh religion.

Dalbeg Singh, a top Sikh leader, said Tuesday that community leaders would seek an apology from Leno.

India’s foreign minister says the government would take the issue up with U.S. authorities.

NBC, G4 to crown ‘Ninja Warrior’

NEW YORK

NBC and its G4 cable sister will crown an “American Ninja Warrior” this summer — and it’s a good bet that person will be tired.

The network said Tuesday that it will air a summer competition series putting contestants through an arduous obstacle course, sort of a serious version of ABC’s “Wipeout” series.

Regional rounds will winnow a field of 100 contestants before a winner is chosen at a Las Vegas course.

Weekly episodes will air on NBC and G4, both networks owned by the Comcast Corp.

Spokesman Dave Welch says it hasn’t yet been determined how many episodes will air or when the show will premiere.

The competition began three years ago. NBC aired the finale last season and was pleased by the ratings, leading to the expansion.

Liz Taylor-owned painting for sale

NEW YORK

A New York City auction will feature a 17th-century portrait that hung in Elizabeth Taylor’s Bel Air home. It was only recently reattributed to the Dutch master Frans Hals.

“Portrait of a Man” will be offered today at Christie’s. The presale estimate is up to $1 million.

In 1974, a scholar attributed it to one of Hals’ followers, based on a photo of the work.

Christie’s says it was reattributed to Hals last year by a former curator at Holland’s Frans Hals Museum. Taylor received the painting from her art dealer father.

Christie’s London will sell other paintings from Taylor’s collection Feb. 7-8. The Hals work was the only Old Master in her collection. Taylor died in March at age 79.

Vindicator wire reports