newsmakers

newsmakers

Cosby’s appearance on ‘Letterman’ canceled

NEW YORK

Bill Cosby’s upcoming appearance on CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” has been canceled amid a growing uproar over allegations that he sexually assaulted several women in past decades.

Cosby spokesman David Brokaw confirmed Friday night that Cosby would not appear Wednesday as previously scheduled. He did not say why.

“Late Show” representative Kimberly Izzo-Emmet said, “We can’t comment on the guest-booking process.”

She said Regis Philbin would be the replacement guest.

Another canceled engagement, on “The Queen Latifah Show” on Oct. 30, was characterized by that show as a postponement granted at Cosby’s request.

Barbara Bowman, one of Cosby’s accusers, recently has leveled allegations of sexual assault by the comic in interviews and in a Washington Post online column, writing that “Cosby won my trust as a 17-year-old aspiring actress in 1985, brainwashed me into viewing him as a father figure, and then assaulted me multiple times.”

Stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress last month brought heat on Cosby at a performance in Philadelphia. His routine, during which he assailed Cosby as “a rapist,” was captured on video and posted online, gaining wide exposure.

The 77-year-old Cosby, who was never criminally charged in any of the cases, settled a civil suit in 2006 with another woman over an alleged incident two years before.

Cosby has declined to comment on the recent resurgence of allegations.

Glen Larson, TV producer, dead at 77

LOS ANGELES

Glen A. Larson, the writer and producer behind well-loved TV series such as the original “Battlestar Galactica,” “Knight Rider,” “Magnum, P.I.” and “Quincy, M.E.,” has died. He was 77.

Larson died at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center on Friday night of complications from esophageal cancer, his son, James Larson, said in a phone interview Saturday.

Glen Larson, also an accomplished singer and composer, was a powerhouse in the television landscape in the 1970s and 1980s, when he churned out hits that became staples in millions of living rooms every night.

He also co-composed the theme songs for some of his hits, including the frequently sampled tune from “Knight Rider” and the orchestral music behind “Battlestar Galactica,” his son said.

“He was sort of an icon,” James Larson said. “There are a lot of interesting things like that.”

Glen Larson was nominated three times for an Emmy, once for a Grammy for the original score of “Battlestar Galactica,” and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985.

Charity song to raise funds for Ebola crisis

LONDON

Pop singers and musicians including One Direction, Bono and Ellie Goulding have joined forces to record a charity song to raise funds to ease Africa’s Ebola crisis.

The recording is a new version of the Band Aid charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” which was first recorded 30 years ago to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Organizer Bob Geldof said One Direction sang the opening line of the new record, and other stars taking part in the London recording Saturday included Rita Ora and Ed Sheeran.

The full lineup also features Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Sinead O’Connor and Emeli Sande.

Associated Press