Look Who Got A Hollywood Boulevard Star
Whoopi Goldberg
Actress Whoopi Goldberg touches her star during a ceremony for the unveiling of her star on
the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001 in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
With Goldberg, who also celebrated her birthday, are honorary mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant,
left, and her publicist Lynn Weiss.
Photo By Lee Celano
Whoopi Goldberg Get Her Star
Weekly Review
from Harper's Magazine
WEEKLY REVIEW
Attorney General John Ashcroft approved a new emergency policy that will allow the government
to monitor conversations between federal prisoners and their lawyers and to read such mail.
The president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers denounced the policy as
"an abomination" that violates the Sixth Amendment right to an attorney. The government said it
would no longer issue a running tally of the number of people arrested in its investigation of the
September 11 attacks.
At last count, 1,182 people had been detained; the Justice Department has refused to say who is being
held, under what charges, or how many have been released.
House and Senate negotiators agreed to ban any United States cooperation with the International Criminal
Court because of fears that Americans could be charged with war crimes.
Pundits both liberal and conservative were warming to the idea of torturing prisoners in the antiterrorism
investigation, which has so far disappointed them. There were reports that an autopsy of the Pakistani who
was arrested following September 11 and died in federal custody had multiple fractures and deep bruises
on his body.
Employees of Argenbright Security, the airport security firm, were fired after they let a man carrying seven
knives, a stun gun, and pepper spray through a security checkpoint in Chicago.
Another passenger jet crashed in New York City; Congress was still haggling over whether to nationalize airport
security. Bush Administration officials were worried that foreign public opinion had turned against them.
Osama bin Laden told a Pakistani newspaper that he didn't know anything about the anthrax attacks in the United States.
Federal agents, who now believe the anthrax to be the work of a lone domestic terrorist, still have not gotten
around to locating all the labs in the United States where the bacteria can be legally handled, though they were
busy cracking down on medical marijuana in California and assisted suicide in Oregon.
The first clinical trial of marijuana released preliminary findings suggesting that pot is a "wonder drug" for
people suffering from osteoporosis, cancer, AIDS, arthritis, spinal injuries, and some forms of mental illness.
( continued at Weekly Review )
--Roger D. Hodge
On The Saturday Night TV Horizon
George Carlin!
HBO, at 10 pm (est), 'George Carlin: Complaint'
To hear a little Carlin, online, www.laugh.com.
Ain't the 'net grand!
In The Chaos Household
Last Night's TV
Since NBC was running an hour of 'Frasier', ended up at ABC, and 'Dharma &
Greg', which has not only 'jumped the shark', it's vaulted over the aquarium. Weirdly,
stuck around for 'Spin City', but, didn't stay long.
If you missed the 200th episode of 'Frasier', here's a picture of Bill Gates' appearance -
it was a bit too long to be called a cameo, but too short to be a 'guest star' billing.
Adam Arkin was the real guest star & he was great, as usual.
Stuck around for the promised genuine exorcism on Dateline...was sorely disappointed...LOL, and
of course.
It was followed by the local NBC affiliate (KNBC) showing a mini-doc (for sweeps) with
Hal Lindsey, end times & 'prophecy'.....If I could, I'd like to channel the late Ted Cassidy
here (the original Lurch on the original Addams Family), shaking his head & moaning.
Tonight (Wednesday), pretty much it's 'The West Wing' on NBC, and 'Enterprise' on
UPN.
Oh, on ABC, the 'Drew Carey' is LIVE, at least across 3 time zones...I love live TV!
On Faux, there is a fresh episode of 'Malcolm In The Middle', and the debut of 'The Bernie Mac
Show'...there are 2 episodes of Bernie Mac. 'Titus' follows.
Tonight's oddity on AMC is 'Start The Revolution Without Me'. (Rather upset I missed
pointing out that 'The Manchurian Candidate' was on last night. Fabulous movie! Look for
the book in 2nd hand shops - it's more than worth the effort!) 'Start The Revolution' stars
Gene Wilder & Donald Sutherland as twins. It's not a perfect movie, but, Koresh, it's over
30 years old!
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Fun Link
Morphing Michael
Morphing Michael
Not 'The Wall Of Sound'
Phil Spector
An appeals court has ordered record producer Phil Spector to pay about $3 million to the Ronettes, a 1960s ``girl group'' trio he discovered, managed and allegedly cheated.
The trio - which included his wife - was paid next to nothing while Spector earned millions at their expense, the State Supreme Court's Appellate Division ruled Tuesday.
The decision upheld a lower court ruling that Spector had violated his 1963 contract with the trio.
Justice Paula Omansky ruled after a trial in 1998 that the contract concerned only royalties on record sales, but Spector sold the recordings for use as background music in movies, videocassette recordings and advertising.
For example, the Ronettes' biggest hit, ``Be My Baby,'' was played with the opening credits of the movie ``Dirty Dancing.''
For such sales, industry custom required Spector, who kept the rights to all Ronettes recordings, to pay a 50 percent royalty to the recording artists. The judge said he paid the women nothing.
The appeals court ordered Spector, 57, to pay Veronica ``Ronnie'' Bennett Spector Greenfield, 57, her sister Estelle Bennett, 55, and their cousin Nedra Talley Ross, 55, $2.97 million plus interest.
Spector's lawyer, Andrew H. Bart, argued that if the contract did not give a specific right to the recording artists, that right was retained by the producer. He was out of his office Tuesday and unavailable for comment.
Spector and Greenfield divorced in 1974 after being married six years.
Phil Spector To Pay
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.
For an amazing variety of information on an awesome array of tv programs check out
BC TV!
American Music Awards
The Quick Capsule Version
Alicia Keys, the 20-year-old hip-hop star who made a big splash this year with her debut album, scored five American Music Award nominations on Tuesday, easily outdistancing her nearest rivals.
Ten acts, including late R&B singer Aaliyah, country star Tim McGraw and boy band 'N Sync (news - web sites), picked up two nominations each, organizers said.
The awards, now in their 29th year, will be handed out on Wednesday, Jan. 9, during a ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles. ABC will broadcast the event that night.
Winners are determined by a national survey of about 20,000 Americans, who choose from a list of top acts compiled from retail sales and radio airplay data. The more prestigious Grammy Awards, which take place in February, are voted on by music industry insiders.
With her soulful blend of blues, soul and modern R&B stylings, Keys has been hailed as one of the most promising new arrivals on the music scene this year. Her debut album, ``Songs In A Minor,'' spent three weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. pop album charts, selling 3 million copies since its June release. It also has been a big seller internationally.
Keys was nominated for favorite new artist and favorite female artist in both the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories. ''Songs In A Minor,'' will compete for favorite soul/R&B album.
The other musicians with two nominations each are: country acts Brooks & Dunn and Lonestar; R&B artists Destiny's Child, Janet Jackson and R. Kelly; reggae star Shaggy; and mellow rock group the Dave Matthews Band.
Thirty-five acts, including Irish rockers U2 and Latin heartthrob Enrique Iglesias, landed one nomination each.
American Music Awards - The Short Version
American Music Awards
The Big List
2001 AMA Awards Nominees
Nominees for the 29th annual American Music Awards:
Male Artist: Lenny Kravitz, R. Kelly, Shaggy.
Female Artist: Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez.
Band, Duo or Group: Dave Matthews Band, 'N Sync, U2.
Album: ``Everyday,'' Dave Matthews Band; ``Survivor,'' Destiny's Child; ``Celebrity,'' 'N Sync.
New Artist: Nelly Furtado, Alicia Keys, Lifehouse.
Male Artist: Ginuwine, R. Kelly, Luther Vandross.
Female Artist: Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys.
Band, Duo or Group: Destiny's Child, The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley aka Mr. Biggs, Jagged Edge.
Album: ``Aaliyah,'' Aaliyah; ``All for You,'' Janet Jackson; ``Songs in A Minor,'' Alicia Keys.
New Artist: Blu Cantrell, Alicia Keys, Musiq Soulchild.
Male Artist: Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Travis Tritt.
Female Artist: Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina.
Band, Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, SHeDaisy.
Album: ``Steers & Stripes,'' Brooks & Dunn; ``I'm Already There,'' Lonestar; ``Set This Circus Down,'' Tim McGraw.
New Artist: Jamie O'Neal, Blake Shelton, Trick Pony.
Artist: Enya, LeAnn Rimes, Sade.
Artist: Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Jaci Velasquez.
Artist: Nelly, Ja Rule, Shaggy.
Artist: Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Staind.
Artist: Yolanda Adams, Steven Curtis Chapman, Donnie McClurkin.
``American Pie 2,'' ``Moulin Rouge,'' ``Save the Last Dance.''
American Music Awards Complete List Of Nominees
100th Birthday
Etta Moten Barnett
Pioneering black actress and singer Etta Moten Barnett celebrated her 100th birthday with
a 3-foot-high cheesecake.
Harry Belafonte led guests in singing ``Happy Birthday'' before Barnett blew out the single,
oversized candle on her cake.
Some 400 friends and fans attended Sunday's celebration at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Barnett appeared in ``Gold Diggers of 1933'' and in ``Flying Down to Rio'' with Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers. She starred in ``Porgy and Bess'' on Broadway in the 1930s and sang with
Duke Ellington. Her clear singing voice caught the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt,
who invited her to sing at his White House birthday party.
She was also the host of her own radio show, ``I Remember When,'' and was active in the National
Council of Negro Women, Chicago's DuSable Museum and other civic causes.
Studs Terkel, who was among those who attended the party, called her life ``the story of a people
and the story of a nation.'' She grew up in Texas during the Jim Crow era, went to college as a
single mother of three and refused to take roles that demeaned blacks.
``She gave black people an opportunity to look at themselves on a big screen as something beautiful
when all that was there before spoke to our degradation,'' Belafonte said. ``In her we found another
dimension to being black in our time. She was a true shining star.''
Happy 100th Birthday, Etta Moten Barnett
Here is a link to a very good biography of Etta Moten Barnett.
Here is a link to Etta Moten Barnett's Interview Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
New!
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
To check out 'Train Station Chicken', and more (like 'Cranberry Autumn Tea'),
In The Kitchen With BartCop
3 Generations In One Film
The Douglas Family
Michael Douglas will team with his father Kirk in what will mark their first onscreen pairing.
The duo will next star in ``Smack in the Puss,'' a comedy that Fred Schepisi is negotiating
to direct. The younger Douglas' Furthur Films is producing and financing, with shooting to
begin in February. The cast could extend to three generations, as Michael's 23-year-old son
Cameron is also likely to participate.
``It's a black comedy about three generations of a dysfunctional family living in New
York, and their attempt to reconcile,'' Michael Douglas said.
The film will mark a teaming that had long been contemplated but lacked the right venue,
until Douglas read Jesse Wigutow's script. The writer had submitted the script to Furthur
Films in an attempt to land a job adapting the Arthur Miller play ``The Ride Down Mount
Morgan,'' which Douglas will star in. Wigutow not only got that job, he got Douglas to set
back his plan to next star with Billy Crystal in ``Till Death Do Us Part'' at Warner Bros.
``A lot of this came out of Sept. 11, which has made everyone question their life
priorities,'' Douglas said. ``If you have a rare opportunity to work with people
you know in an appropriate project, you take it. I realized this offered the perfect
chance to finally do a picture with my father... Dad and I could never decide on one
to do together before, though we came close a couple of times. He is pretty picky and
so am I. We've found a lovely script that's not simply us venting our demons. There
are great parts here.''
Douglas' Furthur banner will bankroll ``Smack in the Puss'' until production begins,
when he'll align with financing for distribution. ``I've been receiving script notes
from my dad, and he's always given good notes, and Jesse is doing a polish,'' said Douglas,
currently in theaters with ``Don't Say A Word.''
3 Generations of the Douglas Family
Cutting 50 Jobs
Discovery Communications
Facing a soft ad market, Discovery Communications has cut about 50 positions and will restructure
parts of the company.
The Bethesda, Md.-based cable programming company, which employs 4,300 staffers worldwide, plans
to scale back on trade shows as well as its consumer products division and corporate operations.
In addition to the flagship Discovery Channel, closely held Discovery Communications owns Animal
Planet, the Travel Channel and TLC.
Discovery spokesman David Leavy said that the layoffs are unrelated to the economic downturn. ``We're
just trying to be more efficient and effective,'' said Leavy. ``Despite the challenging economic period,
we're still projecting year-to-year growth in revenue. The business remains very sound and we're bullish about the future.''
Consumer products will be streamlined, reducing the number of products Discovery Stores sell, but
boosting the number of Discovery-branded products.
Discovery Cuts Back
The Reviews Are In
'Diana - The Musical'
The first stage musical about the life and death of Diana, Princess of Wales, has failed to enrapture its
German audience but the show's producer is confident it will one day tour the world.
``Lady Diana -- A Smile Enchants the World,'' opened to a half-empty theater in the southwestern town
of Saarbruecken and won what one critic described as ``polite'' applause.
The German-language musical is a no-holds-barred tale that begins and ends with the 1997 car crash
in Paris that killed Diana. One provocative scene portrays her struggle with the eating disorder bulimia.
Sandra Brettar, a Saarbruecken resident who saw Saturday night's opening show, said she had expected
a celebration of Diana's life.
``I was disappointed,'' she said. ``I thought it would be a tribute to Diana but it definitely wasn't.
She comes off badly in it.''
The musical also delves into Diana's gradual estrangement from her husband Prince Charles. Lawyers advised
the producers to avoid portraying living members of Britain's royal family.
But an actor portrays heir-to-the-throne Charles, albeit with his back turned to the audience.
Karl-Heinz Stracke, the show's producer, told Reuters he was pleased with the audience response.
``By the end they were all humming the theme tune, 'Only Love Counts', it's really catchy,'' Stracke said.
Stracke said he had received offers for the show to be staged in Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and Australia.
Diana - The Musical (auf Deutsch)
Paula Poundstone
Relapse
Paula Poundstone was briefly tossed in jail Tuesday after admitting using drugs.
A Santa Monica judge on Tuesday ordered the comedian locked up in Los Angeles County
Jail after she suffered a relapse while in rehab--a serious violation of her probation
on child-abuse charges. He later had her released and sent back to Promises, the
Malibu-based clinic that has been treating her.
But officials at Promises informed Judge Bernard J. Kamins that the comic suffered a
relapse and was caught using unspecified drugs.
"If someone has a dirty test or missed test I would remand them to custody," Kamins told
Poundstone during a brief court hearing. "I would intend to do that in your case."
A somber Poundstone quietly answered "yes" when Kamins asked if she violated the terms of
her probation. He then had the bailiff put Poundstone in handcuffs and whisked her out of the courtroom.
A few hours later, the judge ordered her released from custody and taken back to Promises.
She still has to serve about one more month in the clinic.
Her attorney, Steven Cron, did not immediately comment on today's turn of events.
Poundstone was arrested June 27 on three counts of lewd conduct involving a girl under 14,
and another count of child endangerment on two boys and two girls. The arrest came after
witnesses reported the 41-year-old entertainer was drunk as she drove four of her kids to
get ice cream, Cron said.
At the time of her arrest, Poundstone, a single mom, had three adopted children and two
foster kids in her charge, ranging in age from 12 to two months. She has since been barred
from adopting any more children or taking in any more foster kids.
Cron later revealed Poundstone was battling alcoholism and in fact was in Promises being
treated when she was arrested.
Prosecutors eventually dropped the lewd-conduct charges against Poundstone in exchange for a
no-contest plea to the other charges.
She is due back in court December 5 for another progress hearing.
Paula Poundstone
New 'Battlestar Galactica'
Not To Be
The relaunch of ``Battlestar Galactica'' has been grounded, at least temporarily.
The sci-fi series, being worked up for a comeback by ``X-Men'' director Bryan Singer for the
Fox Network, had its countdown canceled because Singer couldn't direct the pilot.
Singer has been the driving force behind a recent deal to resurrect ``Battlestar Galactica,''
which originally premiered on ABC in 1978 with Lorne Greene playing the commander of the title vessel.
Singer loved the series as a kid, and after gaining clout in sci-fi circles by turning the Marvel
Comics franchise ``X-Men'' into a profitable feature he was able to persuade producer Studios USA
to revive the concept. USA brought in the Fox Network to air the series, with a plan to put
subsequent airings on the Sci Fi Channel.
The pilot is costly, and speculation is that the network might have grown conservative after
its pricey and heavily hyped series ``24'' didn't get smash numbers in its initial episode
last Tuesday, even though it rallied when the episode was rebroadcast the following Friday.
Regardless of the reason, the network confirmed it beamed off ``Battlestar Galactica'' when it
became clear Singer wouldn't be its director. Whether Singer or USA will try to revive the pilot
after Singer completes ``X-Men 2'' is is being hashed out behind the scenes this week.
Studios USA declined comment and Singer's reps didn't return calls.
Adama & Family Back Burnered
Audio Files From BC
Bonus Page Link
Here are some MP3 files from BC
Playboy's Most Popular Playmate
Petra Verkiak
Playboy's most popular Playmate ever is in court battling an ex-lover who allegedly took all her
money, beat her and had her thrown in jail.
Petra Verkiak (Miss November 1990), who's been featured in Playboy more times than any other model,
met 6-foot-4 Scott James Strohmeyer in 1998, and was soon engaged to him.
On Feb. 1, 2000, Verkiak said, Strohmeyer picked a fight with her and "slammed me against the
wall." She said her lover was first to call the police - who arrested her for domestic abuse.
"We were having some problems, but I didn't know the relationship was coming to an end," Verkiak
said. "I was strip-searched at Hollywood and Van Nuys police stations and thrown in jail with
lesbian gangbangers who were running around naked. It was like a bad B-movie.
"My mom bailed me out, but [Strohmeyer] had gone to my bank and took all my money while I was
in jail. He wiped out my checking account and locked me out of home and office. I couldn't
get to my pictures and clothes.
"I kept asking for my things back, but he wouldn't give them to me," Verkiak claimed. "When
he ran out of money, he filed a lawsuit against me claiming there was an oral agreement between
us that we were partners in my Web site. He owns half my images, money in the Web sites for as
long as this lawsuit exists. He put in no money."
"This is the clincher - I have to hire an attorney to defend myself. This is legal extortion.
It is cheaper to settle than go to trial. They were asking for $200,000 to begin. Then he went
down to $50,000. It's now costing me everything.
"I can't believe that the system allows these parasites to be rewarded for unproductivity. Even
if I win, he has no money. He filed for bankruptcy, and all the money goes to my attorneys."
In some good news for Verkiak, the case went to trial this week, and according to her rep Roger
Neal, "The judge said, 'this is a waste of time.' The centerfold got all her possessions back
while the case continues in the court.
Petra & Her Problems
Have it on better than good authority that Petra isn't pumped up with silicone...yep...
In other words, they're real!
Write Your Own Caption
'Double-Dutch'?
Well-Dressed Philanthropists
The Seinfelds
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and wife Jessica took a breather from life with baby Sascha yesterday to
stroll along Madison Avenue on a cool autumn afternoon.
Jerry was all zipped up in casual, sporting attire, while the more fashion-savvy Jessica looked
fabulous in a white overcoat and knee-length skirt.
The loving couple had a quiet lunch at Fred's Restaurant and then did some shopping at Barneys.
All in all, it was a perfect way for the couple to take a break from their heavy-duty philanthropic efforts.
Jerry raised close to $2 million for Mayor Giuliani's Twin Towers Fund at a comedy benefit at
Carnegie Hall last month.
Jessica recently started Baby Buggy, a charity aimed at collecting used baby clothes, strollers
and other items for parents who can't afford them. The charity has helped families affected by
the World Trade Center attack, and has even baked cookies for the firefighters at ground zero.
The Seinfelds
New! Updated!
(6 Nov, 2001)
The official BartCop Astrologer, Geneva, has provided another eye-opening set of charts!
A brief excerpt: " "The influence of the opposition across the 3rd/9th axis may indicate
we have more to fear from domestic terrorism than a foreign entity. Sagittarius on the cusp
of the foreign 9th house, with ruler Jupiter in Cancer, the sign most closely associated with
home and country, in the home 4th, shows the source of anthrax and other bio-chemical threats
are more likely from within our own borders; by a home grown group of domestic terrorists. The
recent wave of breast beating, chest thumping, and flag waving can be attributed to the most
excessive planet (Jupiter) transiting the most exorbitantly patriotic and jingoistic sign (Cancer).
Jupiter also has jurisdiction over religion, so the source of these dreadful bio-terrorist attacks
could very well be a group with a strongly opinionated religious axe to grind. "
Very interesting reading!
Book News
'I Am Iman'
Iman's picture has been taken thousands of times by the fashion industry's top photographers.
But, she says, the best are those taken by her husband, British rocker David Bowie.
``He captures the real me,'' Iman told The Associated Press. Among her favorites: a nude
photo when she was pregnant with their daughter, Alexandria, who is now 15 months old.
Somalian-born Iman, an African diplomat's daughter, was one of the fashion world's top
models in the 1970s and '80s.
Iman, 46, and Bowie, 54, have been married since 1992.
``I believe he is my soul mate,'' she said. ``I always knew it, which has made us protective
of our relationship.''
In the forward of her new book, ``I Am Iman'' (Universe Publishing), Bowie shares one of those
connections. He writes about his much older half-sister, Annette, who left England for Egypt
and never contacted the family again.
Once Bowie was a star, a newspaper reported the story - and located the sister.
Her new Islamic name? Iman.
'I Am Iman'
2 Episodes & Buh-bye
'America.01'
After only two weeks on the air, ``America.01,'' the low-rated ABC News magazine devoted
to covering the changes in the country after Sept. 11, has been put on hiatus.
The newsmagazine, which premiered on Nov. 2, was created in order to fill the gap left by
reality series ``The Mole,'' which was also benched because of low ratings.
With only a couple of weeks to get up to speed and promote itself, ``America.01'' failed
to attract viewers. Last Friday, the newsmagazine averaged 6.4 million viewers, slipping
from its anemic debut scores of a week earlier.
A spokesman confirmed the move, saying, ``The network has decided to take 'America.01' off
Friday nights at 8 p.m., which turned out to be a very difficult time period in which to
launch a news program. We will continue to work on the program during this hiatus as we
look for a time period that will be better for this program.''
ABC Cancels 'America.01' After 2 Airings
Look Who Spoke At A Red Cross Fund Raiser
bill o'reilly
Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, who's been critical of how the American Red Cross handled donations
after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, spoke at a benefit for the local chapter of the emergency relief group.
O'Reilly drew a distinction Monday between the Kansas City chapter and the national Red Cross, which has
drawn the bulk of his comments on his show, ``The O'Reilly Factor.''
O'Reilly also praised the Red Cross for the good things it does.
About 600 people paid between $100 and $1,000 to hear him speak at one of the biggest fund-raisers for
the local chapter. The money will pay for disaster relief in Kansas City.
bill o' reilly & the Red Cross
Screen Actors Guild Elections Contested
Valerie, Elliott & Kent
The Screen Actors Guild's election controversy took a new twist on Monday as three activists,
including unsuccessful presidential candidate Valerie Harper, pledged to challenge the results
in the light of improper balloting procedures.
The former ``Rhoda'' star will be joined by Elliott Gould and Kent McCord even though they won their races.
Harper lost a bitterly contested race for president to Melissa Gilbert (''Little House on the Prairie'')
by 1,588 votes (45.3 percent vs. 39.4 percent) earlier this month. But Gould won the recording secretary
post by a convincing 5,174 votes and McCord eked out a 34-vote victory in the treasurer's contest.
``This is obviously not about winning or losing,'' McCord said. ``It's about preserving the rules
that exist. It's the right of the members to have confidence that an election will have the correct results.''
Two other candidates have already filed challenges, and several others have promised to do so by
Friday's deadline. The union's new officers and board members are scheduled to take office next
Monday while the elections committee is set to meet two days later.
Harper said she would challenge the election on three points:
- The 24,800 New York ballots that lacked a signature line or instructions to sign on the outer
envelope, despite SAG requirements, while the remaining 73,800 ballots contained the signature
line and instructions to sign. A Sequoia executive has admitted he withdrew the signature line
in violation of SAG's election rules and SAG's contract with Sequoia.
- An unannounced two-day extension to Nov. 2 for the receipt of New York ballots. Many candidates
did not learn of the extension until that week.
- Allegations of SAG staff involvement in campaigning despite a warning by SAG CEO Bob Pisano to remain neutral.
Sequoia counted votes without signatures after SAG staff insisted two weeks ago that the
election was being conducted within U.S. Dept. of Labor rules. But SAG staff has never
offered any elaboration as to how it can violate its own election rules, and critics
have pointed out that the Labor Dept. guidelines also hold that a union must obey
its own election regulations.
Gilbert and Pisano were in New York on Monday for the local membership meeting and not
available for comment. Gilbert said shortly after results were announced that she was
unconcerned about formal challenges.
SAG Elections Contested
Wedding News
Andie MacDowell
Andie MacDowell tied the knot for the second time last weekend.
The actress-model married a high school classmate named Rhett Hartzog Saturday in Asheville, North
Carolina, the town MacDowell calls home.
The evening ceremony took place in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains at the Central United Methodist
Church and a reception followed at at the Biltmore Forest Country Club. More than 200 guests attended.
MacDowell wore a strapless, satiny off-white Vera Wang gown with antique hair clips holding back
her famous curly brown locks. Her 15-year-old son, Justin, walked her down the aisle on crutches
because he had torn a ligament the night before while playing basketball. Daughters Rainey, 12,
and Sarah Margaret, 6, also participated in the ceremony. MacDowell's father, Marion, was supposed
to do a reading during the wedding, but was reportedly too nervous, so a cousin filled in instead.
(MacDowell's mother died 20 years ago.)
The newlyweds, both 43, attended high school together in the small town of Gaffney, South Carolina,
in 1976. They became reacquainted last year after MacDowell asked Hartzog to lunch in Atlanta, where
he worked selling jewelry. The couple became engaged in July.
In 1999, MacDowell's 13-year marriage to model, rancher and homebuilder Paul Qualley ended when
the couple separated and MacDowell moved from their Montana ranch to North Carolina. They divorced
soon after. (Qualley is the father of MacDowell's three children.)
After leaving small-town life behind, MacDowell hit the Manhattan modeling scene, spending the
early '80s shooting magazine covers and a series of TV ads for Calvin Klein jeans and L'Oréal
cosmetics (for which she still appears). Her breakthrough performance came in 1989's 'sex,
lies and videotape'--a film written and directed by the then unknown Steven Soderbergh. Other
big-screen successes include Groundhog Day, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Player.
The twosome plan to reside in nearby Biltmore Forest, North Carolina.
Andi MacDowell Marries
In Memory
Percy Ross
Percy Ross, the millionaire-turned-philanthropist who doled out cash to readers of his syndicated column
for more than 16 years, has died at age 84.
Ross, who died Saturday at his home, was best known for his newspaper column ``Thanks a Million,'' through
which he gave out millions of dollars worldwide.
Ross closed his wallet when he ended the column in September 1999. He estimated he had handed out as much
as $30 million.
``I've achieved my goal. I've given it all away,'' Ross told readers in his farewell column. ``You've given
me so much over the years. In many respects, I'm far richer today than when I started.''
The column ran in about 800 newspapers, from major dailies to tiny weeklies. Through it and other philanthropy,
Ross helped pay for organ transplants and recreational centers and handed out silver dollars along with his homespun wisdom.
The son of poor immigrants from Latvia and Russia, Ross made his fortune producing plastic film and trash bags.
After selling his company for $8 million in 1969, he split the money four ways between his wife and two sons.
Ross used the $2 million he kept for himself, and with subsequent investments, established himself as a
philanthropist. He launched the column in March 1983.
In a 1999 interview, Ross said he came up with the column idea after giving away more than 1,000 bicycles
at a holiday party for children in Minneapolis in the late 1970s.
``I fully expected that my health would go long before my wealth,'' he told readers in his final column.
``In my wildest dreams I never expected to have survived nearly 17 years in print.''
Percy 'Thanks A Million' Ross
Still Really Like This One....
"Boondocks" (9 Oct 01)
Gonna let it ride for awhile.
Still MISSING
Marc Chagall's "Study for 'Over Vitebsk'"
