newsmakers

newsmakers

50 Cent pleads not guilty to charge

LOS ANGELES

Rapper and actor 50 Cent has pleaded not guilty to domestic violence and vandalism charges involving an ex-girlfriend who is the mother of his child.

His attorney entered the plea Monday in Los Angeles. The performer, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was silent during the hearing.

He was charged after Daphne Narvarez reported that he had trashed her Toluca Lake condo and kicked her during an argument. Police said property worth $7,100 was destroyed.

Jackson was ordered to return to court Sept. 4 and told to stay away from Narvarez, not make calls to her, and to get rid of his weapons.

Seacrest to host new game show

NEW YORK

NBC says Ryan Seacrest will host “The Million Second Quiz,” a new, live game show the network hopes will become event programming for two weeks in September.

The network said Monday it is constructing a giant, hourglass-shaped structure in Manhattan for the game, which will involve contestants testing their trivia skills over a million seconds, or 11 days, 13 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds. A contestant leading the game earns $10 per second for sitting in the “money chair,” with a potential payoff of millions of dollars.

The show will air for six-straight nights starting Sept. 9, then return for four nights starting Sept. 16.

Seacrest is host of “American Idol” on Fox and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC.

Plea deal reached in Paula Deen case

SAVANNAH, Ga.

A New York man charged with trying to extort money from embattled celebrity cook Paula Deen has agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors.

Records filed in U.S. District Court in Savannah say 62-year-old Thomas George Paculis signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors last week, but details were not released. He is scheduled to appear before a judge Friday for a change-of-plea hearing.

Paculis of Newfield, N.Y., pleaded not guilty last month. Authorities say he contacted Deen’s attorney threatening to reveal damaging statements made by the former Food Network star unless she paid him $200,000. That happened after Deen’s admission that she had used the N-word in the past became public.

Breakdown strands 10 riders at park

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.

Authorities say the Transformers thrill ride at Universal Studios Hollywood stopped unexpectedly, temporarily stranding 10 passengers.

Los Angeles County fire officials say the 3-D ride halted shortly after 9 a.m. Monday.

No injuries have been reported, but firefighters were called to help 10 passengers off the ride.

There’s no immediate word on what caused the problem or when the ride will resume.

Messages to a Universal Studios representative weren’t immediately returned.

The ride is based on the “Transformers” movie series. Visitors in special vehicles move along a dark track lined with giant screens that project 3-D images.

Vindicator wire services