Queen Elizabeth II Visits ITV Studios
Green Chroma-Key
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is pictured before a green-screen background, demonstrated by newsreader
Dermot Murnaghan (seated) as she visits the news studios of Independent Television News in London November
28, 2001. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh spent the day visiting broadcast facilities throughout London.
Photo by Ian Waldie
QE2 Visits ITV
BC Entertainment Favorite Link
'The Sideshow' by Avedon Carol
'Sideshow' By Avedon Carol
A smart site from the 'other side of the pond'. Carol has great insight, writes well, and
makes a lot of sense.
Lazy Reporting, Pack Journalism, GOP Spin And Al Gore
from Rolling Stone
Excerpt:
'' How lazy reporting, pack journalism and GOP spin cost him the election
One month after formally kicking off his presidential campaign, Vice President Al Gore paddled down
the Connecticut River in New Hampshire on July 22nd, 1999, spreading his green theme of protecting
the environment and pausing for a photo op. His message was quickly drowned out, though, when the
Washington Times' Bill Sammon reported that local authorities had granted Gore a special favor when
they released nearly 4 billion gallons of water from a nearby dam into the drought-stricken river in
order to keep the vice president's boat afloat.
The price tag on the spilled water was quickly calculated at $7 million. The implication was clear:
In a clumsy abuse of power, Al Gore, a supposed friend of the environment, gladly wasted precious
natural resources to stage-manage a political event.
Following the lead of the Washington Times, an unabashedly conservative outlet often hostile to
Democrats, the rest of the mainstream press pounced, not only upbraiding Gore for his supposed
hypocrisy but also suggesting that the campaign miscue was just the latest example of a foundering
presidential run. The New York Times detailed the "mishap," the Washington Post ridiculed Gore's
FOUR BILLION GALLONS FOR A PHOTO OP, Newsweek dubbed it the "photo op from hell," and CNN covered
the "wave of criticism after floodgates are opened on a New Hampshire river to keep Al Gore afloat."
In retrospect, the most notable thing about the whole story was just how murky the facts were.
Nobody from the Gore campaign asked for the water to be released. (Concerned about security,
the Secret Service did.) As for the amount of water released, it was 500 million gallons, not
4 billion - a fact that Sammon reported a week later, long after other media ran with the original
story. And the local utility company that operates the dam was already dumping millions of gallons
of water into the parched Connecticut River every day. The routine release had simply been moved
up a couple of hours to accommodate Gore's trip. The $7 million figure turned out to be completely
inaccurate, since the water was not wasted. Instead, it passed through hydroelectric turbines and
generated power that the utility company sold to other utilities. ''
Eric Boehlert Article In Rolling Stone About Al Gore
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Started the evening with 'Enterprise' (and on a less prurient note, here's a link for
the 'y-chromosome' crowd regarding the Vulcan wench with the rack).
'20/20' had an interesting story on home-grown whack-jobs.
Tonight (Thursday), sweeps week has officially ended, so Let The Reruns Begin!.
On CBS, 'Survivor' and 'The Agency' are fresh. 'CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation' is a repeat.
NBC has reruns of 'Friends', 'Inside Schwartz', 'Will & Grace', and
'ER'. 'Three Sisters' is fresh.
ABC starts the evening with 2 repeats of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', followed by
fresh episodes of 'Regis' and 'PrimeTime Thursday'.
The WB has a fresh 'Popstars' and a repeat of 'Charmed'.
Faux has a half-hour informercial on 'Lord Of The Rings' followed by fresh episodes of 'Family
Guy' and 'Fornication Island'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Early TV God
Sid Caesar
Sid Caesar, whose ``Your Show of Shows'' was a household name during its run from 1950 to 1954, recalls
being amazed and profoundly moved when he received a 15-minute standing ovation during his recent
appearance on Drew Carey's improvisational series ``Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' on ABC.
But the bearded, slow-moving Caesar need not have worried about his ``Whose Line'' appearance any more
than his place in television history.
His ``Show of Shows'' and later ``Caesar's Hour'' dominated television in the 1950s, pioneering the sketch
comedy format later imitated by such shows as ``Laugh In,'' ``The Carol Burnett Show,'' and the modern king
of late-night comedy, ``Saturday Night Live'' and its many imitators.
Besides becoming institutions in their own right, Caesar's shows also produced a who's-who of comedy writers
and performers, including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbert, Mel Tolken and Woody Allen.
Caesar lists Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy and Buster Keaton as among the greatest
influences on his own brand of distinct humor.
Caesar said ``Show of Shows'' sketches were longer and had intricate story lines, typically running
eight to 10 minutes each, than contemporary sketch comedy whose skits last only a few minutes.
He blames the proliferation of commercials for what he sees as the dumbing down of the genre, as today's
comedians resort to quick gimmicks such as bad language and dirty references whenever possible in order to get a laugh.
Whereas his shows had about nine minutes of commercials for each hour, the more contemporary show comes
closer to 20 minutes, leaving less time per skit before each break.
``Hello, goodbye -- that's the sketch,'' Caesar says. ``Or hello, hello -- different versions of that.
If they can end with a dirty word or situation, even better. It's a shame. It really is.''
Sid Caesar
Updated!
BartCop TV!
Visit the site at BC TV
The 'Vidiot' never seems to rest - and doesn't let little things like laundry or
housekeeping get in the way!
Damn near every show on TV must is listed - days & days worth of great reading.
If you have any questions about nearly any tv program, check out
BC TV!
Daily Disney News
Regis As Sacrificial Lamb
In a measure of how far ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' has fallen, ABC executives on Wednesday
refused to guarantee that the game show that made the network a fortune two years ago will be back next fall.
``We cannot say with certainty that `Millionaire' will be on our fall schedule,'' Braun said. ``We
hope it will be, but we cannot say it with certainty.''
Since it was owned by ABC and was relatively cheap to produce, ``Millionaire'' was considered - at
its peak - to be the most profitable program in TV history.
ABC executives scheduled ``Millionaire'' four times a week last season, and the sensation began to
fade from overuse. ABC cut back to two nights this fall, but the slide continued.
It's probably the single greatest factor behind ABC's slide this year to a distant third behind NBC and
CBS. Fox has also been doing better lately among young audiences, and all of ABC's competitors are
considered to have a stronger group of scripted shows.
A syndicated version of the game show is expected to begin within the next year, so fans of the game
show will still be able to see it even if ABC cancels it in prime time. No host has been named for the syndicated version.
Regis As Sacrificial Lamb
Released From The Hospital
Rodney Dangerfield
Comedian Rodney Dangerfield has been released from hospital without undergoing surgery following a
mild heart attack last week, his publicist said on Wednesday.
Dangerfield spent six days in Cedars Sinai Medical Center after suffering a heart attack last
Thursday -- his 80th birthday -- just a day after appearing on ``The Tonight Show with Jay Leno''.
The heart attack was caused by the collapse of a small artery that had been repaired during double
bypass heart surgery in March 2000.
Publicist Kevin Sasaki said there had been no need for any new surgery, angioplasty or invasive
procedures and that doctors said Dangerfield's health was good and his heart was performing well.
Rodney Dangerfield Released From Hospital
Busy, Busy Woman
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is poised to star alongside Pierce Brosnan as the femme fatale in the next James Bond film,
which is fast mobilizing for a Jan. 14 start at Pinewood Studios in England. MGM will release the Lee
Tamahori-directed film for the 2002 holiday season.
Berry has been rumored for the role for several weeks and by all accounts very much wants to play
the villainess. The Bond film will be the 20th in the series and the 40th anniversary of the 007 franchise.
Potential scheduling conflicts are the reason a deal hasn't yet been closed. She is locked in to
reprise her role as Storm in the ``X-Men'' sequel, which Bryan Singer will direct early next year
for Fox. Because the sequel's shooting schedule is still being worked out, Berry's reps haven't
been able to work out a scenario in which she could do both roles.
Berry, whose last film was ``Swordfish,'' is generating buzz for her latest effort, ``Monster's
Ball,'' which opens Dec. 26.
Halle Berry
6 More Episodes Ordered (That Makes 19, So Far)
'3 Sisters'
NBC has ordered six additional episodes of struggling sophomore sitcom ``Three Sisters,'' bringing
to 19 the total for this season.
The family comedy debuted strongly in January and performed reasonably well when it aired Tuesdays
at 9:30 p.m. following ``Frasier.''
Since moving to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays this fall, ``Three Sisters'' has had a more difficult time drawing
audiences, hurt in part by its poor ``Emeril'' lead-in. NBC executives, however, saw enough potential
to order additional episodes.
Still awaiting pickups from NBC: rookie comedy ``Inside Schwartz'' and cop drama ``UC: Undercover.''
'3 Sisters' On NBC
New!
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Lawsuit Against 'American Media'
Aretha Franklin
Singer Aretha Franklin claims a tabloid newspaper story alleging that she abused alcohol damaged
her R-E-S-P-E-C-T to the tune of $50 million.
The singer's lawyers filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday against the Star tabloid, published by
American Media Inc., claiming she was defamed by a December 2000 article and asking $50 million in damages.
In a statement, Franklin's lawyers said the article, headlined ``Aretha Franklin Drinking Herself
Into Grave,'' incorrectly alleged that alcohol abuse had caused Franklin to cancel many concert
performances and was threatening her career and health.
Franklin's lawyers said the Star fabricated the story and the report had ``impaired her ability
to pursue her chosen profession.''
American Media, the largest U.S. publisher of celebrity tabloids, was forced to close its
headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, in October after a photo editor contracted inhalation
anthrax and died. The case was the first in an outbreak that law enforcement authorities
have blamed on anthrax-tainted mail.
The company also publishes the National Enquirer, Globe and Weekly World News tabloids, as well
as other publications sold in supermarkets across the country.
Aretha Franklin & Americam Media
Good-Bye '3Com Park'
Hello 'Candlestick'
Good-bye, 3Com Park. Welcome back, Candlestick.
The San Francisco 49ers say they've been advised by 3Com Corporation that it does not plan to renew naming
rights to the stadium when its current contract expires at the end of the season.
While the return of Candlestick would mean joy among diehard 49ers fans who never took to the corporate
name, it would also mean trouble for the city. Those naming rights put about $900,000 a year into San Francisco's bank account.
Woo Hoo, It's 'Candlestick', Again (Well, At Least For A While...)
Latest TV Sitcom To Big Screen
'Hogan's Heroes'
Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe is the latest A-lister wanting to take Stalag 13 to the big screen by developing
and starring in a movie version of Hogan's Heroes.
Following in the footsteps of Mel Gibson, who had previously attempted to mount a movie version of the TV
Land staple, Crowe has joined forces with Imagine Entertainment and Sony-based Revolution Studios, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The burly actor, who has already teamed with Imagine for director Ron Howard's upcoming A Beautiful Mind,
would take over the role of Colonel Robert Hogan, played in the original series by Bob Crane.
The TV Hogan's, which ran from 1965 to 1971, centered on a ragtag group of imprisoned Allied inmates in
a Nazi POW camp and was actually loosely based on Billy Wilder's Stalag 17, which earned William Holden
a Best Actor Oscar as a cynical soldier. Like that movie, the series dared to play Nazi thugs for laughs,
following the shenanigans of Hogan and his pals as they ran an elaborate espionage and sabotage operation
right under the nose of bumbling camp director Colonel Klink (Werner Klemperer) and his henchman Sergeant Schultz (John Banner).
Studio execs say the feature will try to balance the basic storyline of the TV show while updating it
to appeal to a more contemporary audience. The movie will also be more dramatic and less comedic than the tube version.
But, Bob Crane Will Always Be Col. Hogan
Audio Files From BC
Bonus Page Link
Looking for some 'Garbage'?
Here are some MP3 files from BC
Aw, come on....isn't anyone curious?
''Arnold's Run''
Tschuss
Sun Valley Resort is renaming a ski run ``Arnold's Run'' after muscleman and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who
owns a home nearby. Previously, the short mogul field carried the less-than-manly moniker, Flying Maid.
Until now, the only runs named for people have gone to three of Sun Valley's Olympic medalists; Gretchen Fraser,
Christin Cooper and Picabo Street; and former resort owner Bill Janss.
Schwarzenegger, the 54-year-old star of such films as 1987's ``The Running Man'' has led the Christmas Eve
torchlight parade down the mountain for several years. But besides that, it's a mystery how the name change came about.
The central Idaho ski resort will begin opening its ski lifts on Friday.
Better 'Arnold's Run' Than 'The Terminator'
Makes One Shake Their Head, Horizontally
Innocent To Appear Guilty?
The upgrade of security measures at Los Angeles International Airport continues with the addition of
new X-ray machine technology.
Newly acquired software randomly flashes false images of weapons in carry-on luggage. The images
are intended to keep security screeners alert.
Let's Make Innocents Pay The Price Of The Guilty?
Divorce News
Pia Zadora
Actress Pia Zadora filed for divorce Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences between herself and
her second husband, writer-director Jonathan Kaufer.
Zadora, 46, and Kaufer, 45, were married in 1995.
The actress' lawyer, Robert Kaufman, said Zadora is seeking full custody of the couple's 4-year-old son.
She has custody of her 16-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son from a previous marriage to 77-year-old
millionaire Meshulam Riklis.
Zadora's films include 1995's "National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins" and 1994's "Naked Gun 33 1-3:
The Final Insult." She won a Golden Globe for 1981's "Butterfly," produced by Riklis.
Kaufer directed the 1997 film "Bad Manners."
Pia Zadora Was In 'Santa Claus Conquers The Martians'
Accusations Of Ageism
In Hollywood?
For years, ``Lou Grant'' television star Ed Asner has worked hard to stay in the business. And it keeps getting harder.
``With my gray and balding head, I don't work so much,'' the 72-year-old actor said. ``If I didn't fight vigorously
to produce or stick my nose into areas I have never worked in before, I would probably have to go. But I ain't going.''
During a recent joint legislative hearing that focused largely on the entertainment industry, Asner,
Richman and other prominent older actors told lawmakers that the entertainment industry plays a large
role in shaping the public's opinion about senior citizens. And if viewers judge by what they see on
the screen, most seniors are decrepit, senile beings who can't take care of themselves, they said.
While Americans 50 and older comprise 25 percent of the population, those between the ages of 25
and 45 dominate prime-time television, with 64.6 percent of the roles, according to statistics
compiled by the Screen Actors Guild. Characters 60 and older make up only 5.6 percent of the TV population.
Men under the age of 40 are 1.5 times more likely to appear in TV and film than men over 40.
Women under 40 are almost three times as likely to be represented than women 40 and over, the guild reported.
Ironically, according to statistics, people over 55 watch more television than other adults and
they prefer programs that feature lead characters in their own age group.
According to a survey by the Writer's Guild of America, 60 percent of all writers on all primetime
episodic television shows are under 40.
Ageism In Hollywood? I'm Shocked!
13 Hour Epic On The BBC
'Lord Of The Rings'
The BBC plans to capitalize on one of this Christmas's cinema blockbusters, ``The Lord of the Rings'' by
broadcasting a 13-hour radio version of the epic.
``It's a completely memorable experience,'' said Helen Boaden, the controller of Radio 4, which plans to
broadcast the adventures of ``Middle Earth'' in the new year.
The epic tale takes to the silver screen on December 19, with the release of ``The Fellowship of the Ring,''
the first in a trilogy of films bringing Tolkien's masterpiece to life.
Both versions star English actor Ian Holm, who played the young hobbit Frodo in the radio version
and Frodo's older cousin Bilbo Baggins in the movie.
Film cast members who had never read Tolkien's epic were given the BBC tapes to listen to, the Independent reported.
The radio recording became the biggest seller of all titles in the BBC's spoken word collection,
with 100,000 copies sold worldwide, the newspaper said.
It was one of the first recordings released on tape and CD by the BBC's commercial arm and
will be re-released in three parts to coincide with the broadcast.
LOTR On The Beeb
New! Updated!
(20 Nov, 2001)
The official BartCop Astrologer, Geneva, has provided another eye-opening set of charts!
A brief excerpt: " In January 2002, New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani will intimately know an experience and feeling that more and more of us are reluctantly facing: He'll join the ranks of the unemployed. Due to term limits Giuliani has not been able to seek re-election, after 8 years as one of New York's more popular mayors.
The question on most New Yorker's minds and lips is "What is Rudy going to do NOW?" Well, maybe The Stars can give us some clues.
"
Very interesting reading!
More Disney News
'Mary Tyler Moore' Meets 'Northern Exposure'?
The creator of ``Just Shoot Me'' is teaming with two writer-producers from ``King of the
Hill'' to create an ensemble comedy set in the world of small-town TV news.
ABC has ordered a half-hour pilot for the untitled project, which is being produced by 20th Century
Fox TV, home to Steve Levitan (''Just Shoot Me'') and the ``Hill'' duo of Alan Cohen and Alan Freedland.
The show focuses on a recent college grad from Chicago who ends up working as a TV reporter for a
station in the new-age town of Spirit, N.M.
It will be based loosely on Levitan's work as a reporter-anchor for a station in Madison, Wis.
``I always thought (local news) would be a great venue for a show because of all the interesting
people I met and the odd situations I found myself in,'' Levitan said.
Levitan was a fan of Freedland and Cohen's work on ``King of the Hill'' and asked if they'd be
interested in teaming with him to expand his one-line concept into a series.
'Mary Tyler Moore' Meets 'Northern Exposure'?
Wednesday, At The Hollywood Post Office
Karl, Nancy & Chuck
The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service turned to a cinematic Moses today for help in getting jittery
Southern Californians in particular and Americans in general to send holiday cards and letters.
Actor Charlton Heston opened his wallet and took out cash to send a Christmas card to a family friend in Los Angeles.
Postal executives, trying to deal with the aftermath of an anthrax scare that made an already
bad financial situation far worse, are "encouraging American citizens to open up their hearts,
rise above their fears and get back to normal, which means mailing Christmas cards, letters and
packages to loved ones during this holiday mailing season."
Heston was joined by Nancy ("These Boots Are Made for Walkin"') Sinatra and veteran actor Karl
("Streets of San Francisco") Malden.
Sinatra sent a package to her daughter and a card to her girlfriend, a breast cancer survivor
who lives in New York. Malden sent cards to friends in Europe and family members in Gary, Ind.
Malden said his favorites are the "Love" stamps.
"And that's my wish for people everywhere. Love. I'm not worried about anthrax. I've put it
out of my mind. We have the right people working on the problem and they will solve it. They
always do. So I'm going about my business."
Nancy, Karl & Chuck
Monday Night's Numbers
Carol Burnett Kicked Major Ass!
Nearly 30 million viewers were glad they had some time together with the ``Carol Burnett Show'' gang
Monday night, as a reunion special delivered monster ratings for CBS.
The one-hour 10 p.m. special also brought additional viewers to the network earlier in the
evening -- including a surprising number of viewers too young to remember the original Burnett
show. All four of CBS' comedies drew their largest audiences ever, making it the biggest non-sports
turnout for a CBS Monday since May 1995 and putting an exclamation point on the network's
November sweeps victory in total viewers.
The special drew a bigger audience than anything CBS has aired Monday at 10 since a one-hour ``Designing
Women'' in September 1991, and saw the biggest turnout for a CBS program on any night since the finale
of ``Survivor: The Australian Outback'' in May.
CBS also scored big numbers with its comedy block: ``King of Queens'' (16.23 million) and ``Yes, Dear''
(16.55 million) drew their largest audiences ever in the 8 and 8:30 time slots, respectively, while
``Everybody Loves Raymond'' (24.26 million, 8.8/20 in 18-49) and ``Becker'' (19.92 million, 6.8/15)
drew their best scores ever in both total viewers and key demos.
Monday Night Numbers
It's A Popular Show Here
'Cristina'
Cristina Saralegui is ending her daily talk show ``El Show de Cristina'' after a 12-year run on U.S.
Spanish-language network Univision.
It will air for the last time in December. Saralegui will keep her Monday one-hour 10 p.m. time slot
for ``Cristina: Edicion Especial,'' which will be renamed ``Cristina.''
Saralegui will also have time to pursue other projects, in addition to running Cristina
Saralegui Enterprises, which includes monthly magazine Cristina, a Web site and studios in Miami.
CSE has also inked a deal with Whoopi Goldberg's production company to develop a film about the
life of Cuban salsa superstar Celia Cruz.
''Cristina''
BC Entertainment Favorite Link
Moose & Squirrel Information One-Stop
http://geocities.com/mooseandsquirrel1
What a great site! Information and reference materials of the first order!
Between 'Moose & Squirrel' and 'Google', who needs 'refdesk'!
Urban Renewal In Highland Park?
Eminem
Residents and officials are fired up about Eminem's plans to burn down a house during the
filming of his untitled movie.
The rapper's request comes with a pledge to demolish three vacant homes, a $2,000 donation
to a Highland Park charity and a lecture to high school students about the movie business.
But these gestures failed to appease about 50 residents who protested the blaze Tuesday.
Highland Park's emergency financial manager, Ramona Henderson Pearson, said she supports
the fire. She has the final say on whether the house will burn, The Detroit News and
the Detroit Free Press said.
Council members in Highland Park are mostly opposed to the fire. They held an emergency
meeting Tuesday to discuss the issue and approved, 4-0, a nonbinding resolution opposing the filming.
Urban Renewal & Eminem
The Ever-Fabulous Cindy Adams
One More About 'That' Wedding
'' So this George Stephanopoulos person got married. Congratulations, best wishes, mazel tov,
may he have many children.
Today, class, we discuss how large this political talker thinks he is. Let me put it this way:
His ego is bigger than his body.
As I said, he was married last week and the bride's beautiful and we're all happy and congratulations,
best wishes, mazel tov and a blessing on their heads.
But the secrecy, security, sworn silence, the omerta that he demanded surround this! I mean,
who's the guy think he is - Madonna?
Like just for his cake alone, he made famous wedding-cake maker Sylvia Weinstock sign a
six-page confidentiality agreement. I shall repeat this. Just for the wedding cake alone,
this famous baker lady had to sign a six-page confidentiality agreement that she wouldn't
reveal whether it's four tiers or three, wouldn't breathe to a soul how many eggs she
used. Like who the hell cares, right?
But, as I say, congratulations, best wishes, long life, good health, more TV face time. ''
The Ever-Fabulous Cindy Adams On 'That' Wedding
Still More Disney News
Network Off Track
The Alphabet network is in trouble -- and getting it back on track won't be as easy as ABC.
And with the November sweeps set to wrap Wednesday night, ABC finds itself in fourth place in viewers and
the coveted adults 18-49 demographic for the key ratings frame -- its second consecutive last-place finish in a sweeps.
Executives at the Disney-owned network finally seem willing to admit what those on the outside have been
saying for years: ABC has lost its way and needs to find its roots to return to the top.
They've reached that conclusion after another disappointing fall marked by continued declines by some of the
network's key anchor shows (''Dharma & Greg,'' ``Drew Carey'') and the high-profile failure of one of its
brightest new prospects (the Jason Alexander starrer ``Bob Patterson'').
Worse still, the collapse of ``Millionaire'' has taken away four hours that a year ago were in the top
10 -- not to mention the halo effect the show provided for the rest of the schedule. It's as if NBC's ``Friends,''
``ER,'' ``Law & Order'' and ``Will & Grace'' all nose-dived at once.
Some of ABC's rookies are doing OK: family comedy ''According to Jim'' and spy drama ``Alias'' look
to be keepers, if not yet breakout smashes. That track record of freshman success is on a par with ABC's competition.
ABC did cut its development budget at the height of Regis-mania -- in part because of the quizzer,
in part because of the consolidation of the network with sister studio Touchstone Television.
``There's no magic to it,'' Braun said of the process, though he cautions the network won't
``put something on the air that's not ready.''
Among the comedies in the works are projects from director-producer Danny DeVito, ``NewsRadio''
executive producer Paul Simms, ``In Living Color'' creator Yvette Lee Bowser, Terri Minsky and
a spin-off of MGM's summer hit ``Legally Blonde.''
ABC Facing Ratings Reality
'ABC News' Is Reporting - (Hope They're Talking Out Their Ass)
George Harrison
George Harrison's battle against cancer reportedly has reached the point where his loved ones are
preparing for the inevitable, a British newspaper reports.
London's Sunday People tabloid reported this weekend that the former Beatle may have only a week to live.
Citing a family friend, the paper said Harrison's wife Olivia and their son Dhani have been
told he could slip away "at any time." Harrison has even lost interest in eating, the paper said.
Harrison, 58, left New York's Staten Island University Hospital last week after undergoing
an experimental type of radiosurgery. That process reportedly did not stop Harrison's brain
tumor from spreading. He flew from New York to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles to treat
the inoperable malignancy with the more conventional chemotherapy.
Harrison is said to be weak and near the end of his life. But Sunday People said the
rock star is not giving up.
"George is fighting to the end," the paper quoted the friend as saying.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr both reportedly visited Harrison at Staten Island University
Hospital last week.
'ABC News' Is Reporting - George Harrison
Murder Mystery Deepens
Elvin Bishop's Daughter
A trio accused of killing five people in August 2000, including the daughter of guitarist Elvin
Bishop, wanted to bring truth to the world through a self-awareness program, a prosecutor
said Monday as the case neared a preliminary hearing.
The remains of an elderly Concord couple and Selina Bishop were found in nine duffel bags in
the Mokelumne River. Two brothers and a friend are also charged in the shooting deaths of
Selina Bishop's mother and the mother's boyfriend.
Selina Bishop
Sentencing Time
rebecca gayheart
Rebecca Gayheart has managed to avoid jail time for the June accident in which she hit and killed a young boy.
The visibly shaken actress, who was facing up to a year in county jail, pleaded no contest in
a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge.
In exchange for her plea, she was sentenced to three years' probation, a one-year suspension
of her license, a $2,800 fine and a whopping 750 hours of community service. She was also
ordered to make a public-service announcement.
The 29-year-old former Noxzema Girl, accompanied to the courthouse by her attorney, Harland
Braun, and her fiancé, Rush Hour director Brett Ratner, nodded her head somberly as the judge
spoke to her. Several times during the hearing she wiped tears from her eyes.
The ex-Beverly Hills, 90201 actress was cruising through Hollywood on June 13 in a friend's
'96 Jeep Grand Cherokee when she struck 9-year-old Jorge Cruz Jr. as he jaywalked across the street.
While several cars stopped to let him go, Gayheart allegedly swerved around the traffic and
into a two-way left-turn lane, striking the boy . The child was taken to L.A.'s Children's
Hospital where he died the next day.
Police interviewed Gayheart at the scene of the accident, but did not arrest her because she
was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. After investigating the case, the Los Angeles
City Attorney decided to file the manslaughter charge against Gayheart in October.
rebecca gayheart
New DEA Drug Trials
UC San Diego
The Drug Enforcement Administration granted final approval Wednesday for the first university
study on medical marijuana in recent memory. The agency said it hoped to introduce some science
into what has been an emotionally-charged debate.
Two professors of neurology at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center will
study the effects of marijuana on patients with multiple sclerosis and those who suffer
neuropathy, or nerve pain, associated with AIDS.
The studies are the first to emerge out of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at UCSD,
a program created by the state Legislature in 1999 to study the medical uses of marijuana.
The studies will involve about 60 people who will be studied over a period of several weeks.
All subjects will smoke marijuana cigarettes provided by the National Institute of Drug Abuse
in Washington. Half the cigarettes will look and smell like marijuana but will lack THC,
the active chemical compound in marijuana.
"The smoking route is being explored not because people want to legalize pot - that's not our
agenda - but because smoking is an effective way to deliver THC into the blood," said Dr. Igor
Grant, director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, the first program of its kind
in the nation. The DEA's approval reflected the pressure from mounting public opinion that
marijuana can ease pain for those who suffer from AIDS, cancer and other illnesses. Since
California became the first state to approve medical marijuana in 1996, six other states have followed suit.
"The question of whether marijuana has any legitimate medical purpose should be determined by
sound science and medicine," said DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson.
The agency maintains that past studies have shown no medical benefit to smoking marijuana and
that other substances available that can replace the drug. Federal authorities have refused
to recognize the initiatives, reasoning that state laws do not apply to federal offenses.
The group that promoted California's medical marijuana initiative in 1996 praised the DEA's
decision to approve the studies.
"We support any and all continued research into the uses of marijuana for medicinal purposes,"
said Gina Palencar, a spokeswoman for Santa Monica-based Americans for Medical Rights.
The final approval comes after an exhaustive review process by officials in California and
several agencies in Washington: the Department of Health and Human Services, the Food and
Drug Administration, NIDA and the DEA.
The 'New' DEA & The Center For Medicinal Cannabis Research
In Memory
Marlene Rasnick
Marlene Rasnick, a theater performer who became a spokeswoman for medicinal use of marijuana after she
was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, has died. She was 57.
Rasnick died Nov. 18 at her home after a four-year battle with cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
She was one of the people who benefited from the 1996 passage of Proposition 215, an initiative that
allowed small amounts of marijuana to be grown and distributed for medicinal purposes.
Rasnick supported the recently shuttered Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center, where she obtained
marijuana. Federal agents raided the West Hollywood club last month and seized the marijuana plants there.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Rasnick studied theater arts at University of California, Los Angeles
and co-founded the Public Works Improvisational Theatre in 1973.
During the 1970s, she directed and acted in many free-form improvisational performances based on
ideas suggested by her audiences. She also taught workshops funded by the California Arts Council
and a six-week stint at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal in 1994.
She is survived by her husband, Lee Boek.
Marlene Rasnick
"Boondocks" (9 Oct 01)
Still MISSING
Marc Chagall's "Study for 'Over Vitebsk'"
