Nation/World News
Email
Print
Newsmakers
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: September 5, 2008
■ Kathy Griffin, who shook up an Emmy ceremony last year with her rowdy acceptance speech, is bringing her act to this year's prime-time awards show. Griffin and Don Rickles, a comedian who is legendary for his combative style, will team up as presenters at the Sept. 21 ceremony airing on ABC, the TV academy said. Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris, who helped announce the Emmy nominations in July, will join again to present an award, the academy said. Conan O'Brien of NBC's Late Night, Christian Slater (NBC's My Own Worst Enemy) and Kate Walsh (ABC's Private Practice) are included in the third set of presenters selected for the ceremony.
■ A high-end clothing store in Brookfield, Wis., is suing Oprah Winfrey's mother for failing to pay her bill. The civil complaint says that Vernita Lee of Milwaukee owed Valentina nearly $156,000 for purchases and interest as of July 1 and has failed to make the monthly minimum payment of $2,000. Store attorney Joseph Niebler Sr. says that his client tried to resolve the matter with Lee before filing the lawsuit. The lawsuit says that Lee told store officials she does not think she owes the money. Reached by telephone, Lee declined to comment.
■ A Los Angeles man says in a lawsuit that Kiss bassist Gene Simmons took him for a ride on a marketing deal with the Indy Racing League. Allan Brown sued Simmons and two business partners Wednesday, saying that the group cut him out of a 2006 deal between Simmons and the racing league. Brown is asking for unspecified damages and is claiming fraud and slander. His suit says he helped broker the deal between Simmons and the IRL, but was cut out of the contract while on vacation. Simmons promoted IndyCar racing in 2006, and even co-wrote a song, "I Am INDY."
■ Pop star Cliff Richard has written about his relationship with a former Roman Catholic priest in an autobiography excerpted in a British newspaper yesterday. Richard, who has had more No. 1 songs in Britain than the Beatles, shares his home with John McElynn, identified in media reports as a native of New York. That was not news; the relationship has not been secret. Richard, 67, comments on the relationship in his new autobiography titled My Life, My Way, but also says that his sexuality is no one's business. "As for my sexuality I am sick to death of the media's speculation about it. What business is it of anyone else's what any of us are as individuals? I don't think my fans would care either way."
Deaths
■ Bill Melendez, 91, of natural causes, at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. He was the animator who gave life to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and other "Peanuts" characters in movies and TV specials.
Email
Print
