Afternoon Briefing:
Martha asks for more time: The judge in the Martha Stewart case postponed sentencing until July 8 to consider a request by the defense for a new trial. Stewart's team says the jury was tainted by the alleged perjury of government witness Larry Stewart (no relation). (Reuters)
Frankly, my dear: Ted Turner says he identifies with Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind" because "she liked the land, she liked her plantation -- that's where she was going when everything else fell apart." Turner keeps a painting of Vivien Leigh as Scarlett in his own plantation in Florida, recently profiled in Architectural Digest. (I Want Media)
Flaunt it: Mel Brooks is going to pad Nicole Kidman, whom he calls "psychotically tall," for her role as the buxom Swedish secretary in the movie version of his mega-hit "The Producers." (IMDb)
Olympic compilation: Moby and Chuck D have recorded an antiwar song called "MKLVFKWR" that will be part of an official Olympics album with the theme of harmony and peace. Other performers collaborating on the song include Alice Cooper, Destiny's Child and Macy Gray. The album will be released on July 12. (BBC)
-- Karen Croft
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Turn On:
On Monday night, Showtime presents the second half of its two-part documentary series on sexual reassignment and gender, "Opposite Sex: Jaime's Story" (9 p.m. ET; Showtime), in which a wife stands by as her transgendered husband goes through surgery. Also, the summertime reality show "For Love or Money" (9 p.m. ET; NBC) has its debut.
-- Scott Lamb
Morning Briefing:
A few responses to Jennifer Lopez's surprise marriage to Marc Anthony: Ben Affleck, to whom the bride was still engaged less than six months ago, flashed two thumbs up Sunday when asked about the marriage of his former intended, which took place on Saturday before 40 startled guests (including Ricky Martin) at Lopez's Los Angeles estate. Said the actor's spokesman: "The world's got a few other problems. Leave him alone." A source close to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, whose divorce from the groom was finalized on Tuesday, on the nuptials: "Her family is saying, 'Good riddance' to him. I think it's cruel for Marc to remarry so quickly like this. But maybe it brings Dayanara some peace." Lopez's second husband, Cris Judd, said, "I don't want to talk about her. I'm going back to sleep now," but her ex-boyfriend Sean "Puffy/P.Diddy" Combs was a bit more charitable, saying, "I never get into other people's business. I'm just an easygoing guy." (N.Y. Daily News)
Speaking of Puffy/P.Diddy ... He attended the Tony Awards last night, though he wasn't nominated for his performance in "A Raisin in the Sun." Those of you who tuned in to those other Tonys, Blundetto and Soprano, instead might be interested to learn that last night's winners included "A Raisin in the Sun" star Phylicia Rashad, who was the first African-American to be honored as best actress in a play, and Tony emcee Hugh Jackman, who snagged the award for best actor in a musical for his work in "The Boy From Oz." You can find a complete list of winners here. (TonyAwards.com)
Les is more, but it's too much for his wife: CBS chief Les Moonves' estranged wife, Nancy, may be celebrating his promotion last week to co-president (with MTV Network honcho Tom Freston) of Viacom -- "I have stock in the company," she said -- but she's also taken the opportunity to share that her family has boycotted her husband's network. "Neither I nor our children have watched it in years. I don't want to see [Moonves' girlfriend, "Early Show" host Julie Chen]. It's not healthy for me or my kids." (Rush and Molloy)
The American people, hustled? Larry Flynt's boasts that he's "nailed" the story that President Bush once arranged for a girlfriend to have an abortion -- allegations he promised to prove in his new forthcoming book "Sex, Lies & Politics" -- are proving to be empty. Flynt's investigators apparently tracked down the woman and the doctor to whom she reportedly turned and both denied that the procedure ever happened. "I'm not saying George W. Bush bought her off," Flynt commented, "but I'm sure one of his cronies did." (Rush and Molloy)
Brace yourself for endless "box-office magic" headlines: "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is estimated to have earned $92.7 million this weekend, the third-highest opening weekend ever. What's more, the $38.2 million it pulled in on Friday was second only to "Spider-Man" in one-day takes. (Reuters
O.J. ugliness: The NBC suits are apparently pissed at Fox for airing clips of its sit-down with O.J. Simpson -- on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the murder of his wife, Nicole -- before they had a chance to air their own interview with him. NBC had claimed an "exclusive" with Simpson, which aired on Friday, but on Thursday Fox's Greta Van Susteren was everywhere with clips of her interview, which was to air today. Meanwhile, another rival is claiming that NBC paid Simpson's lawyer, Yale Galanter, for the interview, which NBC denies. (N.Y. Times and Page Six)
Page turners: Former New York Times executive editor Howell Raines is peddling a book that picks up where his 1994 memoir, "Fly Fishing Through the Midlife Crisis," left off. The new book, which captures his life from age 50 to 60, will be called "Catch and Release." Raines is hoping for an advance in the "healthy six figures." In other book news, "The Apprentice" winner Bill Rancic is already making appearances to promote his forthcoming self-helper, "You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life From the Winner of the Apprentice." Says Rancic, "It's a business book for people who don't read business books to help empower people." (N.Y. Post)
-- Amy Reiter
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