http://www.channel3000.com/-/1656/7679260/-/uiu4c3/-/index.html en-US © 2011 Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Home Home en-US © 2011 Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. http://www.channel3000.com/news/Did-Avengers-really-own-box-office-records/-/1648/13499416/-/hsp889z/-/index.html Editor's Note: Matthew Lane is a Ph.D. candidate in mathematics at UCLA, and is the founder of Math Goes Pop!, a blog focused on the surprisingly rich intersection between mathematics and popular culture. He is also a contributor to the Center for Election Science. You can follow him on Twitter at @mmmaaatttttt. When the Avengers assemble, the world opens its collective wallet. In just under three weeks since its international opening, "Marvel's The Avengers" has earned more than $1 billion worldwide. In America, it blew through the $200 million mark over opening weekend alone, and now holds the title of best three-day opening in film history. Or does it? While dollar signs fuel the engine of Hollywood movie production, they are not necessarily the most objective measure of a film's success. Most importantly, the dollar is not a static unit of measurement like the meter; as a result of inflation, a dollar in 2008 has more purchasing power than a dollar in 2012. If we search for a better way to measure film's opening weekend success, is it possible to dethrone the mighty Avengers? Let's try to find out. If we look only at unadjusted gross opening weekend revenue, the top 10 most successful films of all time are as follows, with the amount of money earned in parentheses: "Marvel's The Avengers" ($207,438,708) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" ($169,189,427) "The Dark Knight" ($158,411,483) "The Hunger Games" ($152,535,747) "Spider-Man 3" ($151,116,516) "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" ($142,839,137) "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" ($138,122,261) "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ($135,634,554) "Iron Man 2" ($128,122,480) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" ($125,017,372) This data, and all data that follows, has been pulled from Box Office Mojo. Notice that Hollywood's love affair with the sequel can be explained in large part by this list: of these films, only one, "The Hunger Games," is not a sequel, and even this one is not a new property, but is based on the hugely successful book by the same name. By this measure, "The Avengers" is the clear front-runner. However, it is one of only two films on this list to have been released in 2012. If we adjust these opening-weekend figures to account for inflation, how much does the picture change? Thankfully, Box Office Mojo has already performed the necessary calculations. They do this by adjusting a film's revenue to take into account the average ticket price in the year it was released. For example, "The Dark Knight" made roughly $158 million in 2008, when average ticket prices were $7.18. In 2012, the average has increased to $7.92 (see here for a complete list of yearly averages). This means that if we want a more accurate comparison of this film to The Avengers, we should multiply its opening weekend gross by the ratio of the 2012 average price to the 2008 average price. This ratio is $7.92/$7.18 or approximately 1.10, meaning that The Dark Knight's opening gross in 2012 dollars would be closer to $175 million. By this measure, the top 10 films are as follows (now the amounts are adjusted to 2012 dollars): "Marvel's The Avengers" ($207,438,708) "The Dark Knight" ($174,738,000) "Spider-Man 3" ($173,959,700) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" ($168,763,300) "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ($164,003,900) "Spider-Man" ($156,551,700) "The Hunger Games" ($152,535,747) "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" ($148,657,800) "Shrek the Third" ($140,015,100) "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" ($139,709,900) Remember, these numbers are estimates, and while they are useful for making more objective comparisons, they should still be taken with a grain of salt. Even so, a quick look at this list shows it varies slightly from the unadjusted one. In both cases, however, "The Avengers" is on top. These adjusted revenues, however, allow us to create one more measure of a film's opening-weekend success. Since we know the opening-weekend revenue and the average ticket price, we can compute the estimated number of tickets sold during the weekend. The top 10 list for tickets sold will be the same as adjusted revenue list shown above, since an estimate for the number of tickets sold can be found by dividing the adjusted revenue by $7.92, the average 2012 ticket price. Let's combine this with one other piece of information: the number of theaters screening the film opening weekend. If we know how many tickets were sold and how many theaters were playing the film, we can estimate the number of tickets sold per theater to get a sense for how packed the theater was during opening weekend. By this metric, the top 10 list for largest opening weekend in a wide release has quite a few surprises (the number in parentheses are now estimates for number of tickets sold per theater): "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" (6,346) "Marvel's The Avengers" (6,022) "Spider-Man" (5,468) "The Blair Witch Project" (5,222) "Spider-Man 3" (5,166) "The Dark Knight" (5,053) "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (5,010) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (4,871) "Borat" (4,826) "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" (4,790) We have discovered the secret to defeating "The Avengers": Miley Cyrus. While some may be critical of this metric on the grounds that it inflates the averages for films with a relatively small release (the Hannah Montana film opened on only 683 screens, compared to 4,349 for The Avengers), this data still tells us something about the level of anticipation for each of these films. In particular, the Hannah Montana film probably should have opened on a larger number of screens. Note that this top 10 list only considers films that earned at least an unadjusted $25 million in their opening weekend. So there may be more surprises among a larger family of films. One could also think of more ways to slice the data. For example, "The Avengers" didn't have the largest opening day ever, but held its ground very well over the weekend, allowing it to eclipse competitors like "Harry Potter." By digging through the data, one could compare day-by-day performance over opening weekend,and use this metric to rank films. One could also try to account for changes in population size over time. No matter how you slice it, though, "Marvel's The Avengers" is doing exceptionally well. But as Miley Cyrus has taught us, there is still room for this superhero team to grow. Mon, 21 May 2012 13:26:57 GMT 13499416 2012-05-21T13:26:57Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Lady-Gaga-s-Manila-concerts-face-protests/-/1628/13497930/-/33qpl8/-/index.html Christian groups in the Philippines planned to protest Lady Gaga's performances there Monday and Tuesday, just after Muslim protests have cast doubt whether she will be allowed to perform in Indonesia. "This protest is not against Lady Gaga as a person but on her music and on how she declares distorted views about the Lord Jesus Christ," said Reuben Abante, bishop of Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church and secretary-general of Biblemode Youth, which is leading the protests. Reached by phone, Abante said he expected a couple thousand protesters outside the Manila venue, Mall of Asia Arena, Monday night for a grand prayer rally before the concert. "We are Christian Filipinos. She comes to our land. For us, this is something that should not be shown to the youth we have." His brother, the group's president, is former Congressman Benny Abante, himself a pastor. Of particular offense to the group is the pop star's song, "Judas," with lyrics like, "Whoa whoa I'm in love with Juda-as, Jud-as," "Judas is my virtue and Judas is the demon I cling to I cling to." Lady Gaga's Filipino promoter, Ovation Productions, is run by Renen de Guia, who is described on the company's website as a born-again Christian. Attempts to reach him were not successful. When asked if Lady Gaga's concerts could contravene Philippine laws, Loretta Ann P. Rosales, chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights, replied in an email, "The Philippines is proud of the fact that we do indeed have one of the best Bill of Rights in our Constitution that has the widest latitude as all other Constitutional democracies in protecting freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of religion." "I have heard raves over her concert by Filipinos who have watched her," she added. "Maybe I shall have a chance to enjoy her concert too one day." It is not the first time Rosales and Abante have faced off; in 2006, while both were in Congress, Abante had blocked passage of an anti-discrimination bill co-authored by Rosales aimed at protecting lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. For Lady Gaga, the protests in the Philippines are the latest in her problematic Asian tour. Her provocative lyrics and risqué costumes have prompted conservative Muslims in Indonesia to call for the cancellation of her upcoming concert in Jakarta. As of Monday, her Indonesian promoter, Big Daddy Entertainment, was still trying to secure a permit, and the June 3 event was still on, according to its website. When she opened her tour in Seoul, South Korea, last month, it was to concertgoers aged 18 and above after the Korea Media Rating Board banned the show for minors, even with an accompanying parent or guardian. At the heart of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" tour is her message to gay youth to embrace and accept their sexual identities. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:43:02 GMT 13497930 2012-05-21T11:43:02Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Robin-Gibb-dies-after-battle-with-cancer/-/1628/13496050/-/13ba1gk/-/index.html Robin Gibb, one of three brothers who made up the group the Bee Gees behind "Saturday Night Fever" and other now-iconic sounds from the 1970s, died on Sunday, according to a statement on his website. He was 62. Gibb "passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," said the statement, which was attributed to his family. He died in England at 10:47 a.m. (5:47 a.m. ET), according to a post on his official Twitter feed. News of his death set off a torrent of reaction in social media. Musician Bryan Adams, for instance, lamented "another great singer dying too young" on Twitter, while fellow British band Duran Duran and current pop sensation Bruno Mars were among many who posted their condolences. "The Bee Gees were/are the gold standard when it comes to pop/r&b melody, harmony and vocal arrangement. Massive loss," wrote prolific pop songwriter Claude Kelly on his Twitter feed. Queen's Brian May lauded Gibb and his "amazing voice, so distinctive and expressive" in a statement on his website. "For me, the music of the Bee Gees really has peaks as high as any mountain ever climbed by a Pop/Rock group," May said. "The Bee Gees will never be forgotten." Diagnosed with colon and liver cancer, Gibb had been in a coma as he battled pneumonia earlier this spring, representative Doug Wright said. Doctors believe that Gibb had a secondary tumor, Wright said April 14, confirming a news account in the UK newspaper The Sun. Gibb had emergency surgery in 2010 for a blocked bowel and then had more surgery for a twisted bowel, Wright confirmed. The only surviving member of the three Bee Gees is brother Barry, 65. Robin's twin brother, Maurice, died in 2003 from a twisted bowel. And younger brother Andy Gibb -- who was not part of the group -- died at 30 from a heart infection. Robin Gibb's death followed by just three days the loss of another major star of the 1970s disco era -- Donna Summer, who died Thursday of lung cancer at 63. "First Donna Summer passes and now another 70s icon, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees passes," actress Marlee Matlin tweeted Sunday. Robin Gibb was born in 1949 on Isle of Man off the British coast, and the Gibb boys grew up in Manchester. The family later moved to Redcliffe, Australia, where their group performed on television as the B.G.'s -- a moniker they later altered to the Bee Gees. Their father, Hughie, was a drummer and big-band leader. The family returned to England in the 1960s, and they began to emerge on an international scale. Through the end of that decade and into the next, they crafted melodies that utilized their unique voices to gain acclaim thanks to songs like "To Love Somebody," "Lonely Days" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." By the mid-1970s, they transitioned to develop more dance-oriented hits such as "Jive Talkin' " and "Nights on Broadway." Yet for all these earlier successes, the Bee Gees skyrocketed to new heights with the 1977 release of "Saturday Night Fever," a movie starring John Travolta that was built around the group's falsetto voices and disco-friendly songs. In the latter part of the 1970s, the Bee Gees "dominated dance floors and airwaves. With their matching white suits, soaring high harmonies and polished, radio-friendly records, they remain one of the essential touchstones to that ultra-commercial era," the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says on its website. "Saturday Night Fever" and the group's 1979 album "Spirits Having Flown" yielded six No. 1 hits, "making the Bee Gees the only group in pop history to write, produce and record that many consecutive chart-topping singles," according to the Hall of Fame. While often more in the background, Robin Gibb was the lead singer on several of the Bee Gees' top tunes including "I Started a Joke" and "I've Gotta Get a Message to You." He also recorded several solo albums during his career. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the Bee Gees sold more than 200 million albums, and their soundtrack album to "Saturday Night Fever" was the top-selling album until Michael Jackson's "Thriller" claimed that distinction in the 1980s. In a 2008 interview with Music Week, Robin Gibb shared one of his all-important rules for songwriting: "always keep a tape running," in order to capture a moment of brilliance and inspiration. "You never know in a three-hour writing session when you are going to come up with something and then if you'll remember it completely," he said. "All the ideas, everything, will be on tape and then you can always refer back at any time. "Melodies will be born for the first time during writing and unless you have it on tape you haven't got any way of remembering them. That is a cardinal rule." He also spoke of how he found it "good to have deadlines and pressure." "We certainly had a deadline with 'Fever' to write all those songs. I think, in one week, we wrote 'How Deep Is Your Love,' 'Night Fever,' 'Stayin' Alive,' 'If I Can't Have You' and the rest. Having a deadline sharpens you up, it gets you out of bed and it stops you going to bed, too," Gibb said. Gibb is survived by his wife, Dwina; his daughter, Melissa, and sons Spencer and Robin-John. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:40:26 GMT 13496050 2012-05-21T11:40:26Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/Celebrations-mark-Queen-s-Diamond-Jubilee/-/1648/13489590/-/5ocmxj/-/index.html Thousands of members of the British Armed Forces took part in a parade and flypast at Windsor Castle Saturday as part of celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne. World War II era Spitfires and Lancaster bombers, helicopters and Tornado fighters were among the 78 aircraft to soar overhead as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee tribute. The flypast also featured Hawks flying in a formation to represent the Queen's initials and Tucanos flying in a "60" formation for the length of her reign. On the ground, some 2,500 military personnel from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force paraded past the Queen, who was colorfully dressed in blue, in a specially built arena in the castle grounds. Speaking at the event, Gen. Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, said the three branches of the Armed Forces took great pride in marking the jubilee. "The Queen's deep interest and commitment to the Armed Forces has touched many Servicemen and women and their families over the past 60 years," he said. "I know I speak for all those who have the privilege to wear her uniform, when I offer my heartfelt thanks to Her Majesty for her dedication to the Armed Forces, and to our country." The Queen was joined in the audience by Prince Philip and other members of the British royal family, as well as more than 3,000 military personnel, veterans and their families. Monarchs from Denmark, Brunei, Lesotho, Norway, Sweden, Swaziland and Tonga were among a number of foreign royals to attend. The military parade and flypast are the first major national event to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, the Ministry of Defence said. The central weekend of celebrations comes in early June, when the Queen will take part in concerts and a pageant involving more than 1,000 boats on the River Thames. The Queen hosted a lunch on Friday at Windsor Castle to which every monarch in the world was invited, also as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also hosted a dinner at Buckingham Palace on Friday evening for some of the royals. Human rights campaigners criticized the decision to include monarchs of countries with a poor record on human rights in Friday's events. Among those they highlighted were the king of Bahrain, whose government has come under fire for its handling of continuing unrest, and Swaziland's King Mswati III, accused by critics of enjoying a lavish lifestyle at public expense while his people suffer great poverty. Mon, 21 May 2012 08:50:22 GMT 13489590 2012-05-21T08:50:22Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Baron-Cohen-takes-no-prisoners-as-The-Dictator/-/1628/13476546/-/7hy9uv/-/index.html That which does not kill us only makes us laugh. That seems to be the governing principle in this outrageously offensive, but ridiculously funny, effort from agent provocateur Sacha Baron Cohen. The "Borat" star has now exhausted the characters he introduced in "Da Ali G Show" and presumably worn out his welcome as a celebrity interviewer. In "The Dictator," his third and most outwardly conventional Hollywood vehicle, he introduces us to one "General Admiral Aladeen," a North African despot who resembles Libya's Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, but with an Osama bin Laden beard, and something of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's knack for international diplomacy. (The film is dedicated to the memory of the late Kim Jong Il.) Summoned to the United Nations to explain his country's mushrooming nuclear weapons program, Aladeen plans to throw down the gauntlet, but instead he's abducted from his hotel room and only escapes assassination by the skin of his teeth. This close shave leaves him unrecognizably clean shaven, alone and anonymous on the streets of New York, supplanted by an idiot double under the control of his conniving uncle (played by Ben Kingsley). Mistaken for a political refugee by the well-meaning manager of a vegan cooperative grocery store (played by Anna Faris), Aladeen embarks on a new career in the service industry until he can get his country back. There's nothing very original in this scenario, except perhaps for the unthinking brutality of the hero. Baron Cohen and his regular collaborator director Larry Charles scarcely concern themselves putting the mechanics of the plot in place. As a piece of storytelling "The Dictator" is perfunctory to the point of disdain. In their previous efforts these merry pranksters have operated on the margins of documentary, improvising recklessly with the unpredictable dynamics of volatile situations and unsuspecting dupes. Such mockery took cunning and courage, as well as brilliantly quick comic reflexes. At its best it exposed the venal hypocrisy, ignorance and prejudice lurking just beneath the surface of polite society. Perhaps sensing that they're inherently on safer but also more sterile ground here, working with actors and from a script, they compensate with a barrage of bad taste and near-the-knuckle gags. There is something to offend just about everyone: 9/11 jokes, rape jokes, race jokes, child abuse jokes, you name it. A barking chauvinist bigot, Aladeen makes Borat look like a puppy dog. But he's certainly bracing company, the scourge of political correctness and a walking litmus test of our commitment to free speech. We've seen plenty of taboo-busting comedies over the last few years, but this one really goes for the jugular. Lesbians, the disabled, the Chinese, several Hollywood stars, Muslims and Jews all have reasons to cringe. Baron Cohen is an equal opportunities agitator; he takes on everybody at once and dares you not to laugh. How can you not, when Aladeen attempts to impersonate a Chinese-American tourist by pressing his fingers to his eyes and pronouncing his "r"s and "l"s, apparently convinced of his acting prowess after starring in several vanity projects back home in Wadiya. The joke is more sophisticated than it first appears when you consider that it's performed by an English Jew, caricaturing a North African Muslim. For all its crudity and occasional flatness, "The Dictator" is a satire that takes no prisoners and valuable for that reason. In his big climactic speech, even the irredeemable Aladeen rises to the occasion with a brilliant piece of political oratory that turns the tables on everything we think we know about today's cultural jihad. It's a superbly cheeky cinematic coup worthy of another great English comedian, Charlie Chaplin. Mon, 21 May 2012 04:28:35 GMT 13476546 2012-05-21T04:28:35Z http://www.channel3000.com/technology/Facebook-founder-Mark-Zuckerberg-updates-relationship-status-to-married/-/1632/13493044/-/od86wq/-/index.html A day after his social media company went public, Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg married his longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan on Saturday. The news was announced where else but on Facebook. "Mark added a life event to May 19, 2012 on his timeline: Married Priscilla Chan," the page's activity feed said. Zuckerberg, 28, posted a simple wedding photograph, showing the couple against a backdrop of plants and small lights on a string. Both he and Chan also updated their relationship status to "married." Zuckerberg ditched his trademark hoodie, appearing in a dark suit and tie, while Chan wore a sleeveless white wedding dress with lace. The pair met during Zuckerberg's sophomore year at Harvard University, where he first nursed Facebook as a dorm-room project. Chan graduated this year from medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, according to her Facebook page. The marriage comes just one day after the company, based in California, made its market debut. Its initial public offering was the biggest opening ever for a tech company and the third-largest IPO in U.S. history, behind only Visa and General Motors. Sun, 20 May 2012 23:29:59 GMT 13493044 2012-05-20T23:29:59Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Transgender-Miss-Universe-Canada-contestant-falls-short-of-title/-/1628/13490714/-/q5sibc/-/index.html Jenna Talackova, the 23-year-old woman who forced Donald Trump and his Miss Universe Canada pageant to end its ban on transgender contestants, fell short of the national title Saturday night at the pageant in Toronto. The crown went to Sahar Biniaz, an Indian-born, Iranian-raised actress from Vancouver. Biniaz, 26, will represent Canada at the Miss Universe pageant in December, according to the Miss Universe Canada website. Talackova refused to speak to the media after the competition, but Biniaz said Talackova had congratulated her on her win backstage. Biniaz added that she admired Talackova for having the courage to compete in the pageant. In a CNN interview hours before showtime, the 6-foot-1 Talackova seemed a bit weary, as the spotlight was still squarely on her gender transformation. "Like I always say, my family didn't understand, so why would I expect anybody else to understand? And then they got to know me and they loved me," Talackova said. But on Sunday, she told CNN the pageant was "an amazing experience." Asked if she thought her transgender status affected the judges' decision, she said, "Who's to say? I think I worked very hard. All of us ladies worked so hard and we gave it our best shot. The judges see something in those top five, and that's fine. I wouldn't have changed anything." She didn't walk away from the pageant empty-handed. In addition to finishing among the top 12 semi-finalists, Talackova tied with three other contestants for the title of Miss Congeniality. "I'm a little tired, but I'm not down," she said Sunday. "For a couple of seconds, I was a little bummed out, but after, like, a couple of minutes I was just extremely happy. I was so proud of myself. I made sure I did my best performance." Talackova was born a boy with the name Walter, but she said she felt more like a girl by age 4. By 14, Talackova convinced her family that she should start taking steps to physically become a woman, she said. She began hormone therapy as a teenager and had gender reassignment surgery four years ago, when she was 19. It was then she pursued her dream of competing in a pageant. But her gender history meant she was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada competition for not being a "natural born woman." Talackova then hired women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred, and the pageant's co-owner, Donald Trump, was left with no choice but to change the rules and let Talackova compete. "I'm not interested in having arguments with Donald Trump. I'm here to focus on Jenna and what she has won," Allred told CNN after Thursday's preliminary competition. "And it's been extremely important, and it really is a civil rights victory. And she has earned the right to claim that victory." Talackova said Sunday she's never told her story fully on her own terms, "but I let (people) know a lot about myself thus far. I did come out with my statement, and that's that people should embrace their individuality and follow their dreams, like I did." Talackova said earlier her entry in the competition is about equality, even if some believe pageants are demeaning. "The power that you get for having the crown -- you can inspire so many people," she said. "So if I have to walk in a bikini for that, I will." Sun, 20 May 2012 20:28:22 GMT 13490714 2012-05-20T20:28:22Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/Bail-set-for-Whale-Wars-star-in-extradition-fight/-/1648/13483096/-/t5u7rpz/-/index.html The German justice system will entertain a Costa Rican request to extradite controversial Sea Shepherd conservationist and "Whale Wars" star Paul Watson, but he can post bail while the matter is considered, a Frankfurt court ruled Friday. Bail for Watson -- who faces what his organization and attorney allege are politically motivated charges over a 2002 confrontation at sea with Costa Rican fishermen -- was set at 250,000 euro ($318,000), Frankfurt high regional court spokesman Ingo Nohre said. Watson, 61, intends to post it Monday, his group said. Watson, whose attempts to disrupt Japanese whalers at sea gained fame through Animal Planet's "Whale Wars" TV show, was detained last weekend at the Frankfurt airport after Costa Rica issued an international request for this arrest. Costa Rican authorities allege that Watson's crew aboard Sea Shepherd's Ocean Warrior ship endangered a Costa Rican fishing vessel during a confrontation off Guatemala's coast, according to the Frankfurt court. The court ruled Friday that Germany will consider the request, and that Costa Rica will have 90 days to make its case. The German Ministry of Justice then will decide whether to extradite Watson. The U.S.-based Sea Shepherd, which denies the allegations, has urged supporters through its website and social media to write to German officials, arguing that the charges have less to do with law than with Watson's anti-conservationist enemies, and that it doubts he would get a fair trial. "As Sea Shepherd becomes increasingly more effective at protecting marine wildlife globally, the enemies of the oceans are using all of their resources to stop us," the group said in a statement. "... (The extradition request) we believe stems from Sea Shepherd victories in curbing shark finning on the high seas." Thousands appear to have written to German officials so far, Sea Shepherd ship operations officer Peter Hammarstedt said, citing anecdotal evidence, including supportive e-mails the group received. Hammarstedt said the Ocean Warrior found the Costa Rican crew killing sharks for their fins in Guatemalan waters in 2002, and it initially had permission from Guatemalan authorities to stop it and tow the vessel into port. The Ocean Warrior used water cannons on the fishing vessel in an effort to stop it, but "there were no injuries and no physical damage to any ship," Hammarstedt said. The Ocean Warrior succeeded in stopping the ship, but Guatemalan authorities eventually asked Watson to release it, Hammarstedt said. The confrontation is detailed in part of a 2006 documentary, "Sharkwater," Hammarstedt said. Fri, 18 May 2012 23:50:56 GMT 13483096 2012-05-18T23:50:56Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Bono-could-become-world-s-richest-musician/-/1628/13481668/-/4p7nmlz/-/index.html According to a new report, Bono could wind up with the title of "world's richest musician" when the stock markets close today. NME indicates that the Irish rocker is poised to surpass even Sir Paul McCartney in terms of wealth - and all because of Facebook. Bono reportedly owns 2.3 percent of Facebook's shares through his private equity firm, netting him a possible $1.5 billion now that the company has gone public. He supposedly bought the shares for $90 million back in 2009, and the company has grown mightily since then to be currently valued at over $100 billion. The $1.5 billion share Bono's equity firm owns could make him more wealthy than the current - or shall we say former? - richest rock star in the world, Paul McCartney, who's said to have an estimated fortune of just over $1 billion, reports Gossip Cop. And it appears that famously charitable musician Bono will only be adding to his wealth this year: his band U2 is said to be planning a comeback album and working on new material with Swedish songwriter Carl Falk, among others. A source told NME that the group's "back in the studio getting a feel for new material after the last album, 'No Line On The Horizon'. Will.i.am had a credit on that and they are looking to explore that direction further. They have been working with Danger Mouse and RedOne. They are excited about getting to work with Carl Falk." Now'd be the time to ask Bono for that loan. Fri, 18 May 2012 20:07:31 GMT 13481668 2012-05-18T20:07:31Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Van-Halen-postpones-31-concert-dates/-/1628/13474954/-/pmfbhu/-/index.html Classic rockers Van Halen on Thursday abruptly postponed more than 30 tour dates, following their June 26 concert in New Orleans. Contacted Friday for comment, a representative for the tour said that no other information was available. No explanation was given, and there was no word on when the appearances might be made up. Thirteen shows, including Saturday's concert in St. Paul, Minnesota, will go on as scheduled. The band is on tour in support of its new album, "A Different Kind of Truth" -- the first complete album with original lead singer David Lee Roth since the platinum-selling "1984," which was released on the last day of 1983. Van Halen, which formed in 1974, has a turbulent history. Roth left the band in 1985 after a falling-out with guitarist/founder Eddie Van Halen and was replaced by vocalist Sammy Hagar, who was with the band until 1996. Former Extreme vocalist Gary Cherone joined the band for 1998's "Van Halen III" -- the worst-selling album of the band's career. At different times, Eddie Van Halen has undergone treatment for alcoholism and cancer. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and later that year announced a reunion tour with Roth again fronting the band. The band also has replaced original bassist Michael Anthony with Van Halen's son, Wolfgang. Several shows during the 2007-08 tour were also postponed, but ultimately rescheduled. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen has sold more than 56 million albums. Van Halen forums on the Web lit up with the news, with some fretting the shows would never happen. "This isn't good," said a fan who goes by the handle bsbll4 on vhlinks.com, which bills itself as "Your Van Halen Internet resource guide." ED-A-HOLIC posted, "there is a BIG difference between CANCELLED and POSTPONED, I just hope it's not Eddie having to battle against cancer again." Fri, 18 May 2012 19:11:34 GMT 13474954 2012-05-18T19:11:34Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Russell-Brand-still-has-love-for-Katy-Perry/-/1628/13482036/-/fj8vy9/-/index.html The marriage didn't work out - and following her on Twitter didn't either, apparently - but Russell Brand says he nonetheless still loves his ex, Katy Perry. During an appearance on "Ellen" Thursday, the British comedian/actor said he doesn't regret the year and some change during which he was wed to the 27-year-old pop star, and he emphasized that he doesn't have any ill will toward her. "I still love her as a human being," Brand told host Ellen DeGeneres. "But, sometimes when you're in a relationship, I suppose it doesn't work out, does it?" he continued. "But that doesn't mean I regret it or anything. I was very happy to be married with her. She's such a beautiful human being and I just have only love and positivity for her." Still, Brand says he's looking forward, not back - despite rumors he sent Perry an emotional email recently in the hopes they would re-kindle their romance. "You can't absolutely make everything the way you want it to be in life," the "Rock of Ages" actor said. "Sometimes things are just different and then you try to just move with that and try and remain in contact with what is beautiful about yourself and each other with any situation. That is still a person I still consider to be beautiful, and I have nothing but positivity for her." For her part, it seems Perry may have already moved on: It's been rumored that the singer is now romantically linked to Florence and the Machine guitarist Robert Ackroyd. Fri, 18 May 2012 18:28:03 GMT 13482036 2012-05-18T18:28:03Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/-Top-Model-finds-new-consultant-judge/-/1628/13480456/-/assthiz/-/index.html Miss J., Mr. Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker are out on "America's Next Top Model," and Johnny Wujek and Rob Evans are now in. Tyra Banks has announced that the fashion savvy duo will replace her longtime comrades on the next season of the televised modeling competition. Wujek, who is Katy Perry's stylist, and Evans, who is a model in his own right, will serve as the show's creative consultant and judge, respectively. Evans will join Kelly Cutrone at the judges' table as the show's third judge. Banks welcomed the men aboard her reality show via Twitter Thursday. "Welcome the fab Johnny Wujek & fine Rob Evans to the CW's ANTM!" wrote the 38-year-old. "Excited for some cuh-ray-zee challenges. Start practicin' ur booty tooch!" The former supermodel also indicated that The CW would be making changes to her long-running show's format, causing it to be more interactive. "Twice a week, starting Thursday, May 24, you'll be able to use our Voting App to rank and sound off on all 13 models' best photos," she said to viewers. "Your input will shape the competition and you'll be able to see it play out in the Fall. It's time for your voice to be heard; today on social media and soon on the show itself!" "I know u get mad when we send girls home on ANTM," she tweeted. "So get ur judging smize on bc for Cycle19, you help make the choices!" The new season - which will reportedly have a collegiate theme - will begin airing this fall. Fri, 18 May 2012 17:41:50 GMT 13480456 2012-05-18T17:41:50Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/atthemovies/Review-Don-t-expect-much-from-Expecting/-/10206688/13478956/-/83yit6z/-/index.html Pity any man who gets dragged to see the Hollywood candy-coated treatment of the non-fiction book "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Men in the movie cling to their last shred of masculinity by idol worshipping a hunky stud who can do one-arm pull ups. The actors show their sensitive sides by flashing more puppy dog eyes than a Labrador. For all you women out there who believe this is a great film for a date night, be prepared for payback during basketball playoffs if you make your man suffer through this insufferable film. What's been called the definitive how-to for expectant parents since it was first published in 1985, the movie version of "What To Expect When You're Expecting" takes the concept of the book and turns it into mush. The ensemble romantic comedy tells the story of five couples, who run the gamut of experiences from unexpected pregnancy to the ups and downs of adoption. Here's the rundown. Jules and Evan are played by Cameron Diaz and Matthew ("Glee") Morrison. She's a celebrity personal trainer who hosts a "Biggest Loser" type show and he's a dancer on "Celebrity Dance Factor," a takeoff of, you guessed it, "Dancing With the Stars." Their professional lives get turned upside down when they discover she's having a baby. Wendy, played by Elizabeth Banks, and husband, Gary (Ben Falcone), are struggling with fertility issues. The humor in this story is supposed to come from the irony of Wendy's small Atlanta store, The Breast Choice. She's a lactation expert. Did I not find the nursing jokes amusing because I was biased by my reaction over the recent controversial Time magazine cover of the breastfeeding mom? Yet, Wendy and Gary's story is one of the most entertaining of all since the storyline also introduces Dennis Quaid as Gary's NASCAR superstar dad, Ramsey, and his much younger wife, Skyler (model Brooklyn Decker) who are expecting twins. Quaid's portrayal of Ramsey as Gary's fiercely competitive father is one of the few saving graces of the movie. Bring on "What to Expecting When You're Expecting II" and just feature the bickering father and son team, who own most of the laughs here. To add some diversity to the group, filmmakers toss in Jennifer Lopez and Rodrigo Santoro as Holly and Alex, a Hispanic couple who have had no success in having children of their own, so they've turned to adoption. They also don't have much money, either. Their quest has landed them a baby from Ethiopia. One of the few very real and touching moments in the movie comes when the pair travels to Africa to meet their new baby. The most non believable couple to round out the group are twentysomethings Rosie and Marco, played by Anna Kendricks and Chace Crawford, singletons who own competing food trucks. They find themselves in a partnered predicament after a few beers and a one-night stand. Their pairing seems as unlikely as their constant stream of customers at their food trucks each day. To throw even more characters into this hodgepodge lodge, the filmmakers introduce The Dudes Group, a quasi support group (again here's where they can also add diversity since their main cast seems severely lacking in that department) who take their kids to the park each week to swap horror stories about minivans and diaper changing tables. They are mixed-bag foursome featuring Chris Rock as Vic, Amir Talai as Patel, Rob Huebel as Gabe and Thomas Lennon as the most wife-whipped of the group, Craig. No gay couples struggling with pre-parenthood issues? Bring on "What To Expect When You're Expecting II." While the real "What To Expect When You're Expecting" is a veritable wealth of knowledge in the pregnancy department, the movie version finds a way to include every cliché that you'd expect about expecting including doctors prescribing bedrest, jokes ad nauseam about bodily functions, and, yes, those constant camera zoom ins of men making puppy dog eyes. Don't expect much from "What To Expect." In fact, the book version is more entertaining. Fri, 18 May 2012 15:58:51 GMT 13478956 2012-05-18T15:58:51Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Summer-of-superheroes-off-to-super-start/-/1628/13478446/-/14j5188/-/index.html It's essentially become a movie ritual, where Marvel and DC comic book fans every summer see their favorite characters leap from the pages of their classic source material to the big screen. As for this summer's offerings, while we've already met nearly every major character in "The Avengers," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Dark Knight Rises" in different capacities over the years in other movies, the stakes of the genre have been raised to a whole new level. With "The Avengers" (in theaters), fans are seeing not one or two, but six Marvel legends -- Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo)/ Hulk (voice of Lou Ferrigno) -- all together first the first time. In an interview during the film's production, Hemsworth told me that the assembly of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" by writer-director Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") was no doubt "an iconic moment." "I was impressed how Joss managed to bring all these characters together and give them and equal sort of story and time," Hemsworth said. Without question, fans have been giving "The Avengers" more than their fair share of time since the film debuted two weeks ago. With a $200 million-plus opening weekend at the North America box office May 4-6, the superhero extravaganza has since gone on to make more than $1 billion in ticket sales worldwide. For those who haven't see the film yet, the main villain in "The Avengers" is the God of Thunder's jealousy-enraged half-brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who only began to show his evil tendencies at the end of "Thor." In "The Avengers," he comes into possession of the sentient cube known as the Tesseract -- a source of unlimited power -- and he threatens to use it to rule over Earth's inhabitants. "He's seeing a lot more action and there's a lot more menace," Hiddleston told me of Loki in an interview during the film's production. "In order for the film to work, Loki needs to be much more menacing in order to justify the might of several superheroes coming up against him." Make no mistake about it, Hiddleston said, Loki has a clear sense of direction in "The Avengers" as opposed to "Thor." "There's a degree of self-possession to his villainy," Hiddleston added. "In 'Thor,' he was almost a reluctant bad guy. In this, he's knows he's the bad guy." Marvel's legendary web-slinger is swinging back into action with a whole new cast and director on July 3 with "The Amazing Spider-Man"-- a reboot of franchise after director Sam Raimi took the character to new heights with a trilogy of films starring Tobey Maguire in 2002, 2004 and 2007. The film stars Andrew Garfield ("The Social Network") as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and "The Help" sensation Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Peter's first high school crush. Sally Field plays Peter's aunt, May Parker, while Martin Sheen stars as his uncle, Ben Parker. In a post-production interview, Sheen told me he was very impressed with Garfield's skills. "This young lad is quite sensational. He's a wonderful actor and a lovely guy, too, so I was quite happy to work with him," Sheen said. "He was very generous and very accommodating in all of our scenes." "The Amazing Spider-Man" follows Peter as her discovers a mysterious briefcase belonging to his father, which prompts him to find out the circumstances behind his parents' disappearance. The film also stars Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Conners -- the former partner of Peter's father -- the character destined to morph into the villain the Lizard. In the director's chair is "(500) Days of Summer" filmmaker Marc Webb. "He took a ribbing for having that name," Sheen said with a laugh. While "The Amazing Spider-Man" will inevitably lead fans to draw comparisons of Webb's work to Raimi's films, the filmmaker undoubtedly under the biggest pressure to deliver this summer is Christopher Nolan, who is concluding his Batman trilogy with the release of "The Dark Night Rises" July 20. Directed by and co-written by Nolan, the film is the hotly anticipated follow-up to his critically-acclaimed box office behemoth "The Dark Knight," which earned $1 billion worldwide in 2008 and earned Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar for his haunting portrayal of the Joker. "The Dark Knight Rises" picks up eight years after the events of "The Dark Knight," where Batman (Christian Bale) took responsibility for the crimes of Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart). But as terror befalls Gotham once again, the Caped Crusader is forced to the battle the venom-fueled strongman, Bane (Tom Hardy), the villain responsible for it. Hardy, who worked with Nolan on the blockbuster mind-bender "Inception," admitted that while the expectations of Batman fans are weighing heavily on his mind, he's certain that the director will deliver. "I just want it to be successful, and I have every faith in Chris Nolan that it will be a success because he is the Batman franchise," Hardy told me in a post-production interview. "He didn't let anyone down with the last two, so (to be a part of the new film) is really exciting and I just don't want to disappoint anybody. I'm really excited." "The Dark Knight Rises" also introduces new cast members Anne Hathaway (Selina Kyle/Catwoman), Marion Cotillard (Miranda Tate) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (John Blake); and signals the return of Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth), Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) and Gary Oldman (Jim Gordon). Like Hardy, Oldman has unwavering confidence in his director. "I think Nolan is too talented and too smart, really, to make a third Batman film just for the sake of making it, even though he probably had pressure from the studio to do so," Oldman told me in a post-production interview. "I think it was important for him to get the story right. He's a storyteller, and with this, I think he's concluded the trilogy in a very impressive way." In a word, Oldman said, the story for "The Dark Knight Rises" is "great." "I think that's what will really impress people," Oldman added. "It's epic." Fri, 18 May 2012 15:35:55 GMT 13478446 2012-05-18T15:35:55Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/Rights-groups-criticize-British-queen-s-guest-list-for-Jubilee-monarchs-lunch/-/1648/13475038/-/6l0yq6z/-/index.html Rights groups have slammed a lunch hosted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Friday for including monarchs criticized for their countries' human rights records. Among those who attended the event at Windsor Castle is the king of Bahrain, whose government has come under fire for its crackdown on anti-government protests last year and its handling of continuing unrest. Swaziland's King Mswati III, accused by critics of enjoying a lavish lifestyle at public expense while his people suffer great poverty, was also there. The monarchs' lunch, with a menu that included English asparagus, lamb from Windsor and strawberries from Kent, is part of celebrations of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, marking her 60 years on the throne. It will be followed by an evening banquet at Buckingham Palace hosted by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said it was "outrageous that the queen has invited royal tyrants to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee." He called for the invitations to monarchs heading nations with poor records on rights to be withdrawn immediately and said protesters would stage a rally outside Buckingham Palace as royals arrive for the dinner. "The invitations are a shocking misjudgment," he said. "They show the queen is out of touch with the humanitarian values of most British people. She's putting royalty before human rights." No significant protests marked the monarchs' arrival at Windsor, where they were each greeted by the queen and the duke of Edinburgh before sitting down to eat. But rights group Amnesty International said the event risked giving the impression that Britain did not care about the victims of human rights abuses. "We can imagine why victims of recent human rights abuses in countries like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and Thailand might feel their plight has been ignored when they see the guest list for the queen's diamond jubilee celebrations," said Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa director for Amnesty International. He said that Bahrain's King Hamad al-Khalifa had tried to address the abuses committed last year by setting up an independent inquiry but that failures to ensure reforms are fully implemented "make his promises seem hollow." Luther added: "He should use this occasion to commit to releasing the prisoners of conscience still held in Bahrain and ensure true accountability for the violations of the last year." The UK Foreign Office said all the world's sovereigns have been invited to the lunch, which was organized by the Royal Household with its support, although all will not necessarily attend. A Foreign Office spokesman defended the inclusion of al-Khalifa at the lunch, saying Britain and Bahrain "work together closely on a range of important issues." "The UK is a longstanding friend and ally of Bahrain, and ministers regularly meet with Bahraini counterparts in the UK and abroad," he said. "This strong relationship also allows us to have a full and frank discussion on a range of issues including those where we have concerns. On human rights, we support the reforms already under way in Bahrain, and we want to help promote that reform." The reforms include "bringing to account those individuals responsible for human rights abuses," he said. Grand Prix organizers were urged to cancel the F1 race in Bahrain last month because of concerns about human rights. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet and is viewed as an important bulwark against Iran's influence in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain's king is not on the guest list for the smaller evening event, but Swaziland's monarch is among those invited to both lunch and dinner. The menus for the two meals have not been made public. Royals from Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Monaco, Brunei, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Thailand are among those invited to both events, as are the emperor and empress of Japan. The Spanish queen did not attend, however, amid tensions over a planned visit by Prince Edward and his wife next month to Gibraltar, a UK territory that Spain also claims. "Queen Sofia has canceled her visit to the UK for the Jubilee celebrations following the advice from the Spanish government that the visit would be inappropriate in the current circumstances regarding Gibraltar," a spokesman for the Spanish Royal Household said. Fri, 18 May 2012 14:56:03 GMT 13475038 2012-05-18T14:56:03Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/The-legacy-of-Donna-Summer-America-s-disco-queen-is-lasting/-/1628/13447778/-/dric6nz/-/index.html Much like the expressive era that her music defined, Donna Summer danced her way through 1970s with extraordinary success, posting successive hits that electrified dance floors and prompted her coronation as America's queen of disco. But her own life was marked by the highs and lows of the ballads that she energetically sang, and even at the height of her popularity, she once took steps toward suicide -- only to be stopped by the interruption of hotel maids. She overcame the negative dimensions of relentless public attention, and her legacy as a genre-leading vocalist endures decades later among music enthusiasts, even resulting in an appearance a few years ago on "American Idol." Summer died Thursday morning from cancer, her publicist, Brian Edwards, said. She was surrounded by her family in Florida, he said. Said her family in a statement: "Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy." Summer, who was born in Boston and whose father was a butcher and mother a schoolteacher, sang from the moment she learned to talk, and her debut performance came in church at age 10 when the scheduled singer didn't show and the priest asked Donna to step in. Summer later recalled that the church performance left worshippers in tears. In her singing career, she won five Grammys, and while she is iconic in the disco genre, her Grammy wins were also in the R&B, rock, inspirational and dance categories. "Her talent was a true gift to the music industry," said Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy. At the height of her career, she and Casablanca Records created a sex symbol persona for her, and in an October 1977 cover story for Ebony, she remarked about her other nicknames: Queen of Love and Symbol of Eros. "Well, you have to get people's attention some kind of way," Summer told the magazine, "but I'm not just sex, sex, sex. I would never want to be a one-dimensional person like that. "I can sing songs like 'Love to Love You,' 'Baby,' but I can also sing ballads, light opera, things from musical comedies, church hymns -- all kinds of things. Plus I can write, act and think." Summer added that she didn't "want to be known for just one thing." In a 2003 interview with CNN, she said the initial absence of a manager led her to do provocative photo shoots. Her public image as a sex symbol and diva conflicted with her religious upbringing, she said. Her grandfather was a minister and her father a church deacon. "Yes, it was a big complex and the image was sort of created around me," Summer said. "I was sort of there, but not consciously there. And I didn't have anybody sort of on my side at that point, fighting for me, except for me, being in the middle. And then people would say, you know, 'Lay down here and do this.' And you know, whatever," Summer said. Her big break came when she was a teenager and auditioned in New York for a European version of "Hair." She landed a role and went to Europe. When she achieved success by her mid-20s, she wasn't able to handle it well. "It was tough," Summer said. "I think success is always a surprise, you know." She eventually suffered depression and found herself in an abusive relationship. "If people are in abusive relationships, I think they need to get out of them or at least get help," Summer said. She lived in fear during that relationship, she said. "Thank God this person was from Europe, so they were deported. And then I was able to sort of be free, but I was afraid for years," she said. Her hits included "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," and "She Works Hard for the Money." Summer first rose to fame the mid-1970s, thanks to "Love to Love You Baby." The song, with Summer's whispered vocals and orgasmic groans supported by heavily synthesized backing tracks, fueled the decade's disco mania and hit No. 2 in 1976. Summer followed the song with such hits as "I Feel Love," "Last Dance" and a disco version of the Richard Harris hit "MacArthur Park," which outdid Harris' version by hitting No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. It was Summer's first of four chart-toppers. But with her 1979 album "Bad Girls," Summer broke out of the disco mold as the genre, stimulated by the success of the Bee Gees' "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, was feeling a backlash. "Bad Girls" demonstrated Summer's vocal and stylistic range and produced two No. 1 hits, "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls," as well as a Top 10 ballad, "Dim All the Lights." However, Summer had some trouble adjusting to the changing times. Her next album, "The Wanderer," went for more of a rock feel. It produced a Top 10 hit in the title track but fared relatively poorly on the charts -- especially disappointing after the success of "Bad Girls," a double album that spent five weeks at No. 1. It wasn't until 1983's "She Works Hard for the Money," which became a ubiquitous video as well as a big radio hit, that Summer's fame approached its late '70s zenith. In 2003, she wrote of the demands of being superstar in a memoir, "Ordinary Girl: The Journey." She disclosed the pressures associated with being a superstar and revealed that at the peak of her popularity, the disco queen even contemplated suicide. In an interview with CNN that year, she was asked about sticking her foot out of a hotel window to get a feel of whether to jump. "No, I wasn't getting a feel. I was jumping over. I was attempting to go. I didn't plan it. I just decided, I'm out of here," Summer told CNN. Then the maids walked in. She stopped herself. "Then I sought help. I got help. I realized that I had a serious problem with depression, and I went to a doctor and he gave me some medication," Summer said. More recently, she appeared on the finale of the popular show "American Idol" in 2008 and performed some of her greatest hits with the show's leading female singers. That year, she released her album "Crayons," and in an interview with CNN, she spoke of her musical "mission." "I don't like to be categorized because I think that I am an instrument, and if you play me, I'll make whatever particular sound is supposed to come out for that color," Summer said. "And so, in the overall spectrum of things, I'm just trying to be true to my, what I feel my mission is." Thu, 17 May 2012 20:22:40 GMT 13447778 2012-05-17T20:22:40Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Travolta-sexual-battery-lawsuit-withdrawn-but-case-may-go-on/-/1628/13435594/-/11xgi5qz/-/index.html The remaining plaintiff in the sexual battery lawsuit against John Travolta fired his lawyer, but the case could continue with another lawyer and another court, two lawyers told CNN on Thursday. Gloria Allred confirmed Thursday that the plaintiff known as John Doe #2 has hired her to represent him and possibly file a new legal action against the actor. "We believe that the lawsuit should be filed in another court and, therefore, the lawsuit that was on file was dismissed without prejudice," she told CNN. "We will be conferring with our client regarding what will happen next in this case." Okorie Okorocha, the lawyer who initially filed the lawsuit in federal court last week, said his second client called him Thursday morning and said he was fired. He later learned Allred had been hired. The suit, which accused the actor of groping two male massage therapists at hotels in Los Angeles and Atlanta in January, is being dismissed Thursday by Okorocha. Travolta's lawyer, Martin Singer, has called the allegations by both men "ridiculous." John Doe #1, who said that Travolta sexually harassed him at the Beverly Hills Hotel, hired Allred on Tuesday, just hours after he withdrew from Okorocha's lawsuit. Allred said Tuesday that she and John Doe #1 would discuss if a new lawsuit would be filed against Travolta. "We are in the process of conferring with him regarding the next steps, which he may wish to take," Allred said. That dismissal was "without prejudice, which means that he is still legally entitled to file a lawsuit against John Travolta if he chooses," Allred said. There was no immediate reaction from Travolta's lawyer to the latest developments. John Doe #1 withdrew from the lawsuit after it was learned Travolta was in New York, not Los Angeles, on January 16, the day he had alleged the massage incident took place. Okorocha told CNN the date should have been January 15, but the mistake would have hampered the chances of John Doe #2 in court. He also said "personality conflicts" with John Doe #1 contributed to the decision. The lawyer insisted in a CNN interview Tuesday that he would "mop up" in the courtroom with the allegations made by John Doe #2. Despite losing both clients, Okorocha told CNN Thursday that he still believes they "absolutely have cases" against the actor. He accused Allred of stealing his clients, which she told CNN was "completely false." "I get the case to national prominence and then someone who only does press conferences and sideshows, and doesn't actually go to court or do trials, just steps in and says 'I'll take the clients,'" Okorocha said. Okarocha predicted that Allred would quick reach a settlement with Travolta that would include an agreement not to disclose its existence. "I will find out what's in that settlement and I will get my equitable share of that settlement, because I did the majority of the work to get to where we are," he said. Okarocha said there are two more people he represents who may become plaintiffs. "If Travolta doesn't take responsibility, I'm going to file those cases," he said. Thu, 17 May 2012 19:48:07 GMT 13435594 2012-05-17T19:48:07Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Remembering-the-Queen-of-Disco-Donna-Summer/-/1628/13449130/-/63ud1rz/-/index.html Donna Summer may be gone, but the music she created is timeless, having not only defined an era but also serving as an influence for musicians who followed. Hailed as the Queen of Disco, Summer's phenomenal success provided us with a seemingly endless supply of anthems: "She Works Hard for the Money"; "Hot Stuff"; "Love to Love You Baby"; and "Last Dance" all could easily find themselves in rotation today. Without a doubt, that enduring latter single will be heard around the world today in honor of her memory. Her family told CNN in a statement that they lost the icon early Thursday morning. Summer was "(a) woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time." The singer's passing at 63 hit the industry hard, and we'd guess Questlove of the Roots isn't the only one surprised to find that the woman he'd just been listening to is now gone. He tweeted Thursday, "Donna Summer. Man I can't believe this- like "My Baby Understands" was on my workout playlist this morning! This MORNING! God...I just..." Singer Michelle Williams posted that she was "shocked and saddened" by the news, while actor William Shatner tweeted that his thoughts are with Summer's family. Actress and media personality Niecy Nash commented on the incredible loss the music industry has seen of late, writing, "Whitney. Tina Marie. Vesta. Now Donna Summer. The choir in heaven has a new member. They will be singing up a beautiful storm." Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton posted, "Disco will never die! #DonnaForever!!! R.I.P. Ms. Summer!" Many other famous fans from across the entertainment spectrum also chimed in Thursday to remember Summer's impact, share their condolences and reflect on the legacy she'll leave behind: "Few singers have impacted music & the world like Donna Summer! It's the end of an era. Peace & prayers 2 all who loved her. I will miss her!" - Gloria Estefan "Donna Summer- You have inspired me in so many ways....." - Solange Knowles "I remember sitting in the front seat of my mom's toyota while she sang Donna Summer's 'she works hard for the money' songs were just classic." - Ryan Seacrest "One of my favorite singers of all time, Donna Summer, is dead. She defined dance music in the 70's and had a wonderful voice and personality." - Nigel Lythgoe "The last whooping I got as a kid was over Donna Summer. I threw a tantrum when my mom wouldn't let me stay up to watch her on 20/20. ... Don't be sorry. I earned that whooping. And if I had to do it over again, I'd throw the same tantrum. Donna's worth it!" - Yvette Nicole Brown "Damn... Donna Summer dies at 63. An unforgettable voice from my childhood, beloved by my Mom & brother. Let's dance the last dance for her." - Kevin Smith "(A) moment please for the wonderful #donnasummer a beautiful person a great disco diva and revolutionary performer. it's just not right." - Sandra Bernhard "R.I.P Donna Summer...I remember roller skating to hits like "Last Dance" "Hot Stuff" & "Bad Girls." Synonymous with the 70's.. #QueenOfDisco" - Mario Lopez Thu, 17 May 2012 18:42:03 GMT 13449130 2012-05-17T18:42:03Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/What-Charlize-Theron-wants-for-her-son/-/1628/13448646/-/i3fdqxz/-/index.html Charlize Theron's recent adoption of son Jackson may have seemed out of the blue, but becoming a mom was always on the 36-year-old star's agenda. "Motherhood was something I always knew I wanted to experience," Theron told InStyle in its June issue, adding that adoption has been a "great opportunity for someone like me who wants to have a family. ... I can only hope to be 10 percent of the mom mine was to me." Theron added that her mom encouraged her "to be confident and enjoy life," and that's what she wants to share with Jackson. "So far, I'm not surprised by anything about being a mom," she said. "It's all pretty great--but that's what I expected." And it looks like Theron's content to raise little Jackson solo, at least for now. While she told InStyle she is "open to a relationship," she added, "I'm not putting those feelers out there now." It's not that she's down on relationships - "I am a relationship girl ... That's kind of just how I'm made," Theron clarified - it's just that the actress doesn't see a partner as an absolute necessity. "Maybe I'm just really lucky that I was raised by parents who just - I've never gone through my life feeling like I was only half a person until I met someone else," Theron told Celebuzz. "I feel that my relationships have been such blessings because I've been allowed into someone's life," she went on. "They of course make you better and all that stuff, but I never thought of myself [as] less of a person once I left a relationship." Thu, 17 May 2012 18:23:08 GMT 13448646 2012-05-17T18:23:08Z http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/Mark-Ronson-Adele-s-success-freaked-out-Winehouse/-/1628/13447306/-/t78vdez/-/index.html Adele viewed Amy Winehouse as an inspiration, and it appears that Winehouse had also been paying close attention to Adele's unstoppable success. Mark Ronson, who collaborated extensively with Winehouse during her career, told the Village Voice recently that he'd spoken to Winehouse prior to her passing about working together again, but that Adele's rise might've set her on edge. "What little time we had, well, it was tense," Ronson said. "She was in a bad state, God knows why. I think that the Adele thing had Amy freaked out. She liked her, but Adele's success was making Amy feel upset, competitive, restless." Unfortunately, Ronson never did get the opportunity to work with Winehouse again. "We lost touch briefly," he recalled. "And before she and I could really start the process of beginning a new album, it was too late." Winehouse was found dead in her London home last July at the age of 27. Thu, 17 May 2012 18:04:56 GMT 13447306 2012-05-17T18:04:56Z