Jackson moonwalk glove sells for $350K in NYC

NEW YORK – The shimmering, white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 — plus tax — on Saturday.

Winning bidder Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong will pay $420,000, including taxes and fees, for the rhinestone-studded, modified golf glove Jackson wore on his left hand for his moonwalk on Motown's 25th anniversary TV special.

The glove was the top item in a collection of Jackson memorabilia on the block at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Its pre-auction estimate was $40,000 to $60,000.

"It was a fairly good discount," said Ma, a 36-year-old Jackson fan who bought the pop-music treasure on behalf of the Ponte 16 Resort Hotel in Macau.

As the price of the glove soared, fans roared and squealed — echoing the kind of frenzy that accompanied the late pop star when he toured the world.

"That's what death brings upon celebrity," said Brendan Doyle, a college student munching chicken fingers from a plate in his lap. "Jackson's death was such a tragedy at such a young age that it pushed up prices."

The pop icon, who died June 25 at 50, had given the glove to Walter "Clyde" Orange, of the singing group the Commodores.

A jacket that Jackson wore on his 1989 "Bad" tour fetched $225,000 — 20 times its low estimate of $8,000.

The sale, held by Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions, also included a fedora Jackson wore for the moonwalk. It sold for $22,000, against a $2,000 high estimate.

New Yorker Linda Derogene said she was willing to spend up to $5,000 for a material link to the performer she's idolized all her life, but never got a chance to see in concert.

"I can't even tell you what it would mean for me. It would be like a dream come true," she said as she waited to bid on something she could afford.

There was no doubt that Jackson dominated the auction dubbed "Music Icons" — of more than 300 items belonging to stars from Elvis Presley and the Beatles to Mariah Carey. The musicians' clothing and instruments filled the small Rock Cafe stage, with two giant photos of Jackson on either side and a huge picture of his famed glove at the center.

Buyers paid the gavel price, plus a 20 percent auction house premium for items over $50,000, and 25 percent for those costing less.

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On the Net:

Julien's Auctions: http://www.juliensauctions.com

NYC TV newsman guilty of attempted assault on wife

SUFFERN, N.Y. – Cable television newsman Dominic Carter, an influential reporter on New York politics, was convicted Friday of an attempted assault on his wife.

The Rockland County district attorney's office issued a one-sentence statement Friday saying Carter, 46, was found guilty of third-degree attempted assault.

The maximum sentence is three months in jail.

Carter, who was political anchor on NY1 until the station learned of the accusation, had been accused of the more serious charge of third-degree assault. His wife, Marilyn Carter, called 911 last year from their home in Pomona and claimed he hit her. Photos presented at trial showed a swollen lip, a cut ear and a bruised arm and leg.

However, she recanted her allegation on the witness stand during Carter's Oct. 29 trial.

Friday's decision by Ramapo Town Justice Arnold Etelson was not immediately made public. But defense attorney Martin Gotkin said the judge found that Marilyn Carter did not sustain "impairment of physical condition or substantial pain" as required for a conviction on the assault charge.

Gotkin said Dominic Carter "still maintains his innocence, claims he never did this and he's going to continue fighting this case to vindicate himself. His intention right now is to appeal."

A call to Steve Paulus, general manager of NY1, was not immediately returned Friday. The station said on the day of the trial that Carter had taken an indefinite leave of absence.

Gotkin said sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 14.

Bullock in New Orleans for 'Blind Side' showing

NEW ORLEANS – Wearing a floor-length pastel striped evening gown, Sandra Bullock walked the red carpet in New Orleans Thursday for a special premiere of her latest film, "The Blind Side."

Besides promoting the sports drama, which opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, the event also served as a fundraiser for a New Orleans high school flooded by Hurricane Katrina.

Since the 2005 storm, Bullock has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Warren Easton High School, one of the city's oldest public schools, which took on 10 feet of water when the levee protection system broke during Katrina.

The donations have been used for renovations, scholarships, new band uniforms and a new health clinic.

"We're investing in a lot of things that we think need preserving," said Bullock, who recently bought a mansion in New Orleans' historic Garden District. "I'm a great supporter of New Orleans and its architecture."

Bullock signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans before taking her walk down the red carpet outside the Prytania Theater, one of Louisiana's only single-screen movie theaters and one of New Orleans' oldest. It opened in 1915.

Bullock hosted the invitation-only event with Warner Bros., the studio distributing the film. She said New Orleans was the perfect place to premiere "The Blind Side," which is based on a book written by city native Michael Lewis.

The book and film chronicle the real-life story of Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher, who, as a homeless and rudderless teen in Memphis, Tenn., was taken in by the wealthy Tuohy family and enrolled in private school. He went on to become an All-American at Ole Miss and a first-round selection of the Ravens in the 2009 draft.

"It's about people giving because they know it's the right thing to do," said Bullock, who plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, a mother who "took in someone who was cold, a child who was cold ... gave him shelter and food and showed him love."

The real Leigh Anne Tuohy and other members of her family attended the premiere, along with Lewis, the film's writer-director John Lee Hancock, producer Gil Netter and actor Quinton Aaron, who debuts in the film as Oher.

Aaron said he felt a strong connection to the character.

"We were both the biggest kids in school but we were gentle souls. We just had big feet," said Aaron. "I wanted this project so bad. I still have butterflies."

Several members of the New Orleans Saints also showed up.

"It's a film about football and perseverance. I'm excited to be here," said quarterback Drew Brees, who was with his wife, Brittany.

Brees said he appreciates what Bullock has done to bring attention to the city and its ongoing recovery. "She has really adopted this town," he said.

"The Blind Side" also stars country star Tim McGraw, Kathy Bates, Lily Collins and Jae Head.

2 sites selling Beatles songs to remain shut down

LOS ANGELES – Two Web sites that sold songs by The Beatles for 25 cents apiece should remain shut down indefinitely, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge John F. Walter issued a preliminary injunction against BlueBeat.com and Basebeat.com at the request of music company EMI Group. The injunction prohibits the sites and their owner, Hank Risan, from streaming or selling songs by the Fab Four and other popular artists, including Lily Allen and Coldplay.

A hearing in the case had been scheduled for Friday, but Walter decided the issue based on pleadings by attorneys for Risan and the music label.

A phone message left Wednesday evening for Risan's attorney was not immediately returned.

EMI Group sued Risan and the sites earlier this month to stop the sites from streaming or selling its music. It claimed the sites were selling high-quality versions of copyrighted songs, including Beatles music, which has never been legally released digitally.

Risan argued in court filings that he had re-recorded the music and inserted artistic touches based on a technique he pioneered called "psycho-acoustic simulation."

The process involved re-recording store-bought CDs and improving the quality and trying to simulate how a live listener would hear the music, Risan explained in filings.

Attorneys for the music label dismissed the explanation in a filing as "technobabble and doublespeak."

Dugard spokeswoman blasts plans for film on case

SAN FRANCISCO – A spokeswoman for Jaycee Dugard says only Dugard and her family should decide when and if a film is made based on the 18 years she spent with the man charged with kidnapping her.

In a statement Tuesday, family spokeswoman Nancy Seltzer called a plan to make a movie about Dugard's life "exploitive, hurtful and breathtakingly unkind."

The statement came after Shane Ryan — the director of low-budget horror movies such as "Amateur Porn Star Killer" and "Romance Road Killers" — announced that he expected to start production next month on "Abducted Girl, An American Sex Slave."

Ryan told Sacramento television station KCRA that he wants to focus on the relationship between Dugard and Phillip Garido, the man charged with abducting, raping and holding her captive in his backyard.

Fan frenzy at LA premiere of 'New Moon'

LOS ANGELES – "Twilight" fans have taken over the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Thousands of fans filled the streets near UCLA on Monday, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite undead stars attending the evening premiere of "New Moon" — the second film in the "Twilight" vampire saga.

Some "Twi-hards" — as they call themselves — arrived as early as Thursday afternoon to secure a place in line for tickets allowing them to watch the stars' arrivals on the red carpet. The 800 available tickets were all distributed by Monday morning, but the line still stretched for blocks well after lunchtime.

Nicole Zamora, 36, was sixth in line after getting to Westwood on Thursday afternoon. She and her three sisters wore "New Moon" T-shirts they'd made for the occasion and said they spent the weekend "reading, listening to the iPod and trying to sleep — anything to pass the time."

Christina Fuentes and four of her friends traveled from New Jersey for the "New Moon" premiere. The 24-year-old wore vampire teeth ("They just clip on," she said) and carried a homemade sign that read, "We flew in from NJ! We've been camping out for three days just to see you!" She pasted her airline boarding pass to the poster as proof.

They were number 313 in line, she said.

The weekend warriors were rewarded with appearances by some "Twilight" stars.

"Less than an hour ago we saw Peter Facinelli drive by on his Harley, looking hot," said 19-year-old Kelley Metoyer, referring to the actor who plays the vampire patriarch in the series. Metoyer had camped out with six friends since Friday.

Scores of other fans — mostly young women — crowded onto street corners near the Mann Village and Bruin theaters, where the premiere will be held. They sat on beach chairs, displayed homemade signs and wore T-shirts proclaiming their allegiance to Team Edward or Team Jacob — the handsome vampire (Robert Pattinson) and his werewolf rival (Taylor Lautner).

Michelle Cueva carried a sign identifying her group as the "Twi-hard Grannies."

"We're representing a different generation," said the 38-year-old, who recently became a grandmother. She and her two friends said they "planned for a whole year" and took a vacation day from work to be part of the excitement, arriving in Westwood at 5 a.m. Monday.

"You see it on TV, but to see it in real life, it's crazy," she said. "It's worth it to have taken the day off."

Elizabeth Rios, 20, came to the "Twilight" premiere last year and won a spot on the red carpet. This year, she was on the sidewalk across the street from the theaters.

"This is like three times as crazy as last year," she said.

But not everyone was excited about the "New Moon" premiere.

"I've never seen so many Gothic 12-year-olds in all my life," grumbled one man as he tried to make his way through the crowded street.

"New Moon" opens Friday.

George Segal going on '35 for TV Land

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – "Just Shoot Me" veteran George Segal will star in cable channel TV Land's comedy pilot "Retired at 35."

The project follows a successful young businessman who decides to leave the New York rat race behind and move into his father's Florida retirement home. Segal will play the father, a former insurance executive who loves his new lifestyle of fun and partying.

"Retired" and another sitcom pilot, "Hot in Cleveland," mark TV Land's first foray into original scripted series and are targeted for the network's primetime block TV Land Prime.

Segal, who played a magazine publisher in the NBC ensemble comedy "Just Shoot Me" for seven seasons, recently had a recurring role on HBO's "Entourage" and is on screen in "2012." He received an Oscar nomination in 1967 for his supporting role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

'Hello, Ohio!' (Psst! Boss, we're in Michigan)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The curse of Friday the 13th struck Bruce Springsteen in a most unusual way: it made the 60-year-old rock legend forget where he was.

The Boss bellowed "Hello, Ohio!" to his fans at the Auburn Hills Palace in Michigan.

Springsteen referred to the neighboring state several times in the following 30 minutes until E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt whispered in his ear.

A visibly embarrassed Springsteen grinned and said such a mistake was "every front man's nightmare."

The Detroit Free Press says Springsteen rocked the forgiving audience for nearly three hours Friday night with new and old hits including a complete performance of his album "Born to Run."

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Information from: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com

Opry, MySpace team up for Underwood performance

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Grand Ole Opry and MySpace are uniting to live stream an Opry performance with video for the first time this Saturday.

Opry performances between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST will be shown, including appearances by Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Rodney Atkins, Jake Owen and others.

Underwood will perform music from her just-released CD "Play On," including the fastest-rising single of her career to date, "Cowboy Casanova."

The Opry, on the air since 1925, bills itself as the world's longest-running radio show. It can be heard on 650 WSM-AM, SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio and opry.com.

Portions also are broadcast on cable TV.

Scorsese earns DeMille lifetime honor at Globes

LOS ANGELES – Director Martin Scorsese is receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the Golden Globes.

The award will be presented to Scorsese at the 67th annual Globes on Jan. 17.

Scorsese turns 67 next week and is an Academy Award winner for directing "The Departed" and a two-time Golden Globe winner for that film and "Gangs of New York." He also was nominated for Oscars and Globes for such films as "Raging Bull," "Goodfellas" and "The Aviator."

Actress Vera Farmiga, who appeared in "The Departed," made the announcement Thursday at a press conference in Beverly Hills. For Scorsese, filmmaking is "a holy experience," she said.

"He has the power to rouse a crowd and bring them along on his holy mission," Farmiga said. "He considers it holy work, and cinema is his shrine. And he instills in the actors, in the crew, and everybody around him just what a powerful tool it is."

Past winners of the DeMille award include last year's recipient, Steven Spielberg, along with Warren Beatty, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Douglas.

Philip Berk, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which puts on the Globes, said that, for the first time, the Golden Globes will be broadcast live across the country, instead of tape-delayed on the West Coast.

"The entire country will find out our winners at the exact moment," he said.

The Golden Globes will also have a host for the first time since 1995. Comic actor Ricky Gervais, whom Berk called "a fabulous godsend," will host the show at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Nominations come out Dec. 15 for the Globes, Hollywood's second-biggest film honors after the Oscars.

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On the Net:

http://www.goldenglobes.org/