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The small-screen adventures of Michael Knight and K.I.T.T., his artificially intelligent car, are inching towards the big screen now that a scripter has been attached, reveals the Los Angeles Times.

The Weinstein Company, which bought up the film rights back in 2006, has just kicked off the project by tapping Brad Copeland to pen a rough draft.

Writer/producer Copeland has already got his hand in scripting for the series Arrested Development and My Name Is Earl as well as for the comedy outlaw biker picture Wild Hogs. Given this background, the movie version of Knight Rider looks likely to be on the comic side.

Cult series

Knight Rider was a very popular TV series in the 1980s. It followed the day-to-day adventures of Michael Knight, a police detective who was shot in the face and believed dead, and then became the primary field agent in a billionaire's "public justice" Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG).

This modern-day knight roamed the highways and byways of America, crusading for justice in -- and with the indispensable help of -- his autonomous partner, an artificially intelligent, talking and teasing car named K.I.T.T. (short for Knight Industries Two Thousand).

The series, which was discontinued in 1986, sparked a TV film in the early 1990s, as well as an NBC TV remake series in 2008, likewise called Knight Rider, which only ran for one season before being cancelled for low ratings.

(Relaxnews)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's eldest son testified on Wednesday in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by his family against AEG Live that the late pop star was unhappy with the concert promoter in the run-up to his This Is It concert series in 2009.

Prince Jackson, 16, said he saw his father often get upset on the phone with AEG Live Chief Executive Officer Randy Phillips, but was unable to stand up for himself in disagreements.

"He would get off the phone, he would cry sometimes," Prince told jurors in a Los Angeles courtroom about his father. "He would say, 'They're going to kill me. They're going to kill me.' ... He was like my grandma. He was too kind to fight anybody."

Small parts of a video recording of Prince and younger sister Paris' deposition recorded months earlier had been played in court last week, but Prince was the first Jackson family member to testify in person at the trial.

Prince, who took the stand four years and one day after his father's death, was 12 when Jackson died at age 50 in Los Angeles from an overdose of surgical anesthetic propofol ahead of a series of comeback concerts in London in 2009.

The Thriller singer's mother, Katherine, is suing privately held AEG Live, which was promoting Jackson's This Is It concerts, for negligence in hiring Dr. Conrad Murray as his personal physician.

Murray was caring for the singer as he prepared for the shows and was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for administering the propofol that killed Jackson.

Prince, wearing a dark suit and tie, showed little emotion while testifying until he described his father's death, which was the first time any of Jackson's children have spoken publicly about it.

The teenager said he and his two younger siblings - sister Paris and brother Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket - were at their rented Los Angeles home when they heard a scream from the home's second level.

"I ran upstairs and I saw Dr. Conrad doing CPR on my dad on the bed," he said. "My dad was hanging halfway off the bed, and his eyes were rolled back in his head."

He added: "My sister was screaming the whole time, saying she wants her daddy. I was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, crying, waiting for the ambulance."

"IT HURT A LOT"

Prince, his voice cracking with emotion, said Murray told them in a hospital waiting room that Jackson had a heart attack.

"Sorry kids, your dad's dead," Prince remembered Murray telling him.

AEG Live has said it did not hire or supervise Murray and argues that Jackson had prescription drug and addiction problems for years before entering into any agreement with the company.

AEG Live also has said they could not have foreseen that Murray posed a danger to Jackson.

Katherine Jackson, 83, along with the singer's three children are listed as plaintiffs in the case. The trial began in late April and is expected to last for another month.

Earlier witnesses for the plaintiff have testified that Jackson had grown so weak he had difficulty executing dance moves and recalling song lyrics, and that Murray's monthly salary from AEG Live would be a conflict of interest in his care of the singer.

Prince also testified that Jackson's death has taken an emotional toll on the children.

"I have a hard time sleeping," the teen said. "I became emotionally distant from a lot of people."

Paris, 15, who has been hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt earlier this month, has taken the loss of her father the hardest, Prince said.

"I think out of all of our siblings, she was probably hit the hardest because she was my dad's princess," he said. "It hurt a lot and she definitely is dealing with it in her own way."

Following Prince's testimony, the Jackson family's attorney, Brian Panish, said at a news conference outside the courthouse that Prince had answered questions consistently and credibly.

"He is a nice, bright young man who has a great future and I think that's because of the father who raised him," Panish said.

The attorney added that Jackson's youngest son, Blanket, will not be summoned in this case, and a decision is still being made on whether Paris will be called up to testify.

It’s not the most original concept: blending rappers with the Beatles to create a new work. It’s how Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton first made his name in 2004 with his Grey Album, which mixed a cappella recordings of Jay-Z rapping from his Black Album with reworked songs from the Beatles’ self-titled record known as the White Album.

But done properly, as DJ BC (also known as Bob Cronin) has with Ill Submarine, the results can be a lot of fun. The third volume of his so-called Beastles project once again proves how well-suited the Beatles’ music is for co-opting and transforming. When coupled with the Beastie Boys’ rhymes, the 20 mash-ups confirm John, Paul, MCA, George, King Ad Rock, Mike D and Ringo to be an utterly convincing supergroup.

The best? Drive My Car, Thief! for one, which harnesses George Harrison’s great guitar lead with the Beastie Boys’ Car Thief. (Yes, the titles are all pretty silly.) And Do You Want to Know An Intergalactic Secret? is self-explanatory if you’re a fan of the acts – the bouncy rhythms of Do You Want to Know A Secret, especially Ringo’s tight snare snaps, woven into the robotic rhymes of the Beasties’ Intergalactic.

Get It All Together Now soars through not only the funky remix of All Together Now but also the arrival of Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, whose flow bounces atop the Beatles’ hand claps and harmonies like they were in the studio together.

Like the earlier Beastles projects Let It Beast and The Beastles, DJ BC doesn’t merely match key and pitch, but massively reworks both the original Beatles tracks and the Beastie Boys’ verbal delivery. This one is dedicated to the memory of the late Adam “MCA” Yauch, and his amazing craft is highlighted throughout. Don’t Let MCA Down is the best of them.

Until a couple of days ago, Ill Submarine was available as a free download on the Beastles’ Soundcloud page. But it since has been pulled down, reportedly after threats from the Recording Industry Association of America. – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - A Time To Kill will be adapted for Broadway, marking the first time one of John Grisham's legal thrillers has made it to the stage.

The new version will be written by Rupert Holmes, who is probably best known for penning the hit song Escape (The Piña Colada Song) that was featured prominently in Shrek. Holmes' oeuvre extends beyond catchy pop numbers, however. He won a Tony Award for his comic musical The Mystery Of Edwin Drood and a Drama Desk honor for the musical mystery Curtains.

That said, the tale of a racially charged murder trial does seem like a dramatic departure from Holmes' previous frothy fare.

A Time To Kill will begin previews at the John Golden Theater on September 28 and open on October 20.

Ethan McSweeny, who oversaw the recent revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man, will direct the show.

In addition to being a best-selling novel, A Time To Kill was made into a film in 1996. It was a box office hit and helped launch the film career of Matthew McConaughey.

The courtroom drama follows a young defense lawyer who gets involved in the trial of a black man who exacted bloody revenge on a group of men who raped his young daughter.

"For almost a quarter of a century, A Time To Kill has captivated readers with its raw exploration of race, retribution and justice," Grisham said in a statement.

"It was my first book and the first that I have allowed to be adapted for the theater. Rupert Holmes did an excellent job of translating it from the page to the stage, and I am happy that not only my loyal readers, but a whole new audience will be able to experience this story in live theater."

NEW YORK (Reuters) - After two years as a runner-up, Oprah Winfrey was named the most powerful celebrity on Wednesday by Forbes, heading the six women and four men who make up the top 10.

It was the fifth time the former talk show host who runs her own TV network has headed the annual ranking of 100 celebrities.

Singer Lady Gaga came in second, followed by director/producer Steven Spielberg and singers Beyonce and Madonna.

"There is nobody else with that kind of consistency and power," said Dorothy Pomerantz of Forbes.com. "There are only three people who have been on every single one of our lists since 1999. It is Oprah, Howard Stern and Steven Spielberg."

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, who was No. 1 last year, dropped to 12th place.

With earnings of US$77 million from June 2012 to 2013, Winfrey was not the highest earning celebrity, an honor that went to Madonna who made US$125 million, but Forbes said Winfrey's position in Hollywood and her presence in the press, on television and in social media propelled her to the No. 1 spot.

"She still wields an enormous amount of power, which is really what we look for in our fame matrix. She is taking this cable network and turning it around just through the sheer force of her will, her connections and her ability."

Despite hip surgery, which forced her to cut short a tour, Lady Gaga earned US$80 million in the past 12 months which, along with her army of fans and powerful social media presence, assured her second place.

"She is still a huge force in pop music. Even when she is not playing, people are talking abut her and speculating about her," Pomerantz said.

Spielberg, with earnings of US$100 million in the last year, was the top man on the list, ahead of rock star Bon Jovi at No. 7, tennis champion Roger Federer and Justin Bieber, the youngest member of the list, squeezed into the top ten at No.9.

Although only 23, sixth place singer Taylor Swift, made the list for the first time and rounded out the top 10 along with Emmy-award winning TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

MONEY, FAME, SOCIAL MEDIA

Forbes based a celebrity's earnings on income from tours, books, contracts, endorsements, movies and residuals. Each celebrity was given a marketability score, developed by California market research firm E-Poll.

It gauged fame and influence by how often celebrities appear in the media. It used Starcount, a Singapore-based company that looks at 11 social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to determine their presence in social media.

"In today's world celebrities have this enormous ability to reach out to their fans, who really are their customers, and to sell their product, which is really themselves. If they don't take advantage of that it hurts them," said Pomerantz.

Pop stars, most notably Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Barbados-born singer Rihanna, are particularly good with handling social media, according to Forbes.

Top celebrity couples include Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z (32), American football quarterback Tom Brady (65) and his model wife Gisele Bundchen (81), and actor Ashton Kutcher (53) and his girlfriend Mila Kunis (89).

Best actress Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence, who was No. 49, is a newcomer to the list this year, as is Hugh Jackman, who was No. 11, and new father Channing Tatum (23).

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Prince Jackson, the eldest son of late pop star Michael Jackson, is expected to testify on Wednesday in the wrongful death suit filed by his family against concert promoter AEG Live, a Jackson family attorney said.

Lawyers for the Jackson family will call Prince Jackson, 16, to the stand four years and one day after the King of Pop died from a drug overdose, attorney Perry Sanders said on Tuesday.

Prince was 12 when Jackson died from an overdose of surgical anesthetic propofol while the singer rehearsed in Los Angeles for a series of comeback concerts in London in 2009.

AEG Live executives, Jackson's personal chef and the choreographer for his aborted This Is It concert series, are among those who have testified at the trial, which began in April.

Witnesses have painted a picture of the singer's final months. They testified Jackson, 50, had grown so weak he had difficulty executing dance moves and remembering song lyrics.

The Thriller singer's mother, Katherine, is suing privately held AEG Live, which was promoting Jackson's This Is It concerts, for negligence in hiring Dr. Conrad Murray as his personal physician.

Murray was caring for the singer as he prepared for the shows. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

Prince will follow expert witness Gordon Matheson, a physician, who testified that Murray had a conflict of interest while caring for Jackson because Murray's heavy debts and monthly salary from AEG Live would bias his care of the singer.

AEG Live has said it did not hire or supervise Murray and argues that Jackson had prescription drug and addiction problems for years before entering into any agreement with the company.

AEG Live also has said they could not have foreseen that Murray posed a danger to Jackson.

Katherine Jackson, 83, along with the singer's three children - Prince, Paris and Blanket - are listed as plaintiffs in the case.

Earlier this month, Jackson's 15-year-old daughter Paris was rushed to the hospital after a suicide attempt, forcing Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff to order a court investigation into the teenager's "health, education and welfare."

Perry Sanders, Katherine Jackson's attorney, said on Tuesday that Beckloff had reviewed the report on the investigation into Paris' welfare, and would not be making any changes in Jackson's children's living situation.

"In light of all current circumstances and the special investigator's report, we agreed with the judge that appropriate decisions are being made regarding care of all three children, and no further action is required," Sanders said in a statement.

Youn Seok describes his style as smart chic.

Nevermind that he goes by a different name now, this K-Pop artiste is still hot property.

Being well-groomed is important as it gives a man the confidence to achieve whatever he sets out to do, says South Korean celebrity Youn Seok.

As a trendy K-Pop artiste, Youn says his style is GQ-inspired, but admits that he prefers to lounge around in the comfort of T-shirts, jeans, sneakers and beanies when he is not working.

Newly-appointed as the brand ambassador for Ubermen, the dashing singer was in town to launch the brand’s new hairstyling range.

“Sometimes, I have to attend several shows a day. And, depending on the event, I may be required to change my hair style or my outfit. So, I Iike that the product is light and looks natural. And, also that it does not feel sticky and cleans off easily, leaving no residue,” said the singer.

Previously known in South-East Asia by his stage name Lee An, Youn recently reverted to using his birth name. Reason? “I’ve always been using my birth name in Korea, but my previous management said Youn Seok was too difficult for non-Koreans to pronounce. So, I had no choice but to take their advice and adopt the stage name of Lee An,” the 33-year-old star explained.

“But now, I’ve got a new management and they questioned the need for a stage name and instead encouraged me to use my birth name. Of course, I’m more than happy to be known by my real name,” explained the soft-spoken singer, composer and producer who released his first album in 1994.

Starting off as a composer, Youn’s forte lies in rock ballads, but he is keen to try new things. He says he is most inspired to write music when he is travelling as he enjoys observing people from different countries and cultures. “I usually compose on the guitar and record the songs on my phone,” shared the singer.

Apart from his native South Korea and neighbouring Japan, Youn has been plying his trade in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. The affable crooner says the warm and balmy weather, as well as the hot and spicy cuisine, keep him coming back to our shores.

“I love Malaysia. For me, it is so beautiful. The weather is nice and there is so much good food. If I have the time, I would love to visit Malaysia, not for work, but just to tour. For me, top on the food list is nasi lemak because we Koreans just love spicy food. I also like roti canai, but my company doesn’t allow it when I’m scheduled to do a show,” said Youn who lists water sports as a hobby and looks forward to go scuba-diving in Malaysia.

Next up for Youn is a project that combines two of his interests – music and acting. “I will be joining the cast of a musical in Korea. I love music and I like acting. And, in a musical, I get to do both,” he said.

He has just released his seventh solo album titled Here I Am and will be toruing Asia later this year to support the album. Looks like it will be a busy second half of the year for Youn Seok.

Most famous people write books about their lives but not comedian Chris Tucker. He could choose to put some soft music on, sit in front of a fireplace, behind a computer and sip claret, and wait for inspiration to strike but nooooo ...

He’d rather go around the world jumping up and down like a maniac, putting on multiple facial expressions, do Michael Jackson dance moves and deliver rapid-fire comedy, just like the motor-mouthed detective he played in the Rush Hour films.

The 41-year-old goldfish-eyed comedian sped eagerly through his life like it was rush hour, in front of a sold-out, 2,000-odd crowd at the KL Convention Centre, on Monday.

It was a laugh-a-minute marathon. Tucker was a high-energy, walking-talking-singing-dancing autobiography at The Return Show (Tucker first made his name in the 90s doing stand-up before getting into movies like The Fifth Element and Money Talks).

He spoke about growing up under a no-nonsense, non-doting mother who “wouldn’t even bother to look for me when I got lost in the mall” to becoming so rich, his entire family quit their jobs (to whom he quipped, “Hey! You’re not rich, I am!”), to owing US$12bil (RM36bil) in taxes.

But it was Tucker’s reversal of fortune that was the main topic at his stand-up gig. Despite earning US$45mil (RM135mil) for Rush Hour 2 and 3 alone, Tucker still managed to get into debt with the IRS in 2011. He reportedly sold his LA mansion to start getting back to black.

He poked fun at himself. He said he was extravagant enough to buy two houses next to each other.

“I was my own neighbour,” he said, before vowing never to take tax advice from actor Wesley Snipes again. (Snipes spent three years in the slammer for failing to file tax returns.)

Tucker’s self-deprecating humour was one of the many highlights of the show.

“If you go and see Silver Linings Playbook, don’t blink because you could miss me,” he said on his cameo role in last year’s Oscar nominated movie, which is his sole movie appearance in the past five years.

He added in typical African-American fashion: “That was one all-white movie,” he said.

He also imitated his A-list friends during the show. He was spot on with his Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson impersonations. He spoke of his visits to the late singer’s home in the sprawling Neverland, where he remembers sitting down in the living room and saying, “Michael! Was that a giraffe that just walked by?”

He spoke of Jackson’s generous streak. The singer sent Tucker a wide screen TV just because Tucker casually remarked he liked it, upon seeing it in Jackson’s house.

Tucker then cast his eyes on a Rolls Royce in Jackson’s estate, hoping history would repeat itself.

“You like it, Chris? You like the Rolls Royce?” asked Jackson.

“Yes,” said Tucker, eagerly.

“Then, why don’t you go and buy one?” said Jackson.

Famous buddies aside, the audience also appreciated Tucker touching on the haze.

“You all look ready to kick Indonesia’s a**. They do the same s**t every year!”

Tucker’s show stands up (pun intended) to such classics like Eddie Murphy’s Delirious and Richard Pryor’s Live At Sunset Strip.

The difference is that Tucker was all-clean humour. Dressed in a white jacket and a bow-tie, he hardly used any expletives or offended anyone.

It’s rare (and refreshing) when an African-American comedian doesn’t get raw on stage and rip into politicians or public figures. It’s so rare, it’s up there with solar eclipses, pots of gold at the end of the rainbow and finding a rapper that hasn’t done serious jail time.

With Tucker’s good, old-fashioned humour, it looks like Tucker’s is set for Act 2 of his career. And whatever curveballs that life throws him, like all great comedians, you can bet he’s going to see the funny side of it.

There’s nothing revolutionary about Revolution’s premise but its stunning visuals and a compelling cast make all the difference.

SOMETIMES, I wish the world would just come to an end already so we don’t have to endure more end-of-the-world themed flicks. TV land has been invaded with zombies and extraterrestrials with shows like The Walking Dead and Falling Skies respectively, and let’s not forget Discovery Channel’s reality series, The Colony, where 10 contestants brave through a simulated post-apocalyptic environment.

To be fair, in Revolution, the world didn’t come to an end or get destroyed or get infested with zombies and aliens. It simply has no electricity (Okay, the world might as well come to an end). Conveniently called the “Blackout”, the power goes out one night in every corner of the world, like a global short circuit.

Only the power never came back on.

The sci-fi drama takes place 15 years after the Blackout. Families have fled the city and were driven into the wild. Governments fell and militias rose. In the pilot, the show zeroes in on Ben Matheson (Tim Guinee) and his family who live in a rural farming village. He gets an unwelcomed visit from Major Tom Neville (Giancarlo Esposito), commander of the Monroe Militia, who suspects that Ben knows something about the Blackout.

The meeting ends in a skirmish where Ben is killed, but not before handing his neighbour, Aaron Pittman (Zak Orth), a mysterious pendant and telling his daughter Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) to find her uncle Miles (Billy Burke). In the scuffle, Ben’s son Danny (Graham Rogers) is also taken captive. From here on, Charlie, Aaron and Ben’s girlfriend, Maggie (Anna Lise Phillips) embark on a journey to save their loved ones, uncover the truth about the Blackout and in doing so, attempt to turn the lights back on.

As mentioned earlier, given our post-apocalypse-saturated media landscape, I approached the series hesitantly. Will Revolution bring anything new to the table? As it turns out, my main criticism of the show’s premise isn’t so much the post-apocalypse setting but its potential for longevity. Every episode chronicles the Mathesons’ adventures, and with 20 episodes to cover, it feels like creator Eric Kripke is deliberately stretching out the storyline.

I feel agitated with the introduction of numerous characters that neither help nor serve as interesting obstacles in the main characters’ journey to achieve their goal. For example, the kind-hearted Charlie and Aaron feel the need to save everyone who comes their way! At times, the storyline feels like it is headed nowhere and writers are just making things up as they go along. But having said that, if viewers can hang on long enough, the show gets it together in the last five episodes and delivers a mind-blowing finale.

Flashbacks make up a big part of Revolution’s format, as it is with the trend in TV shows these days (think Psych, Once Upon A Time). What I enjoy most about flashback scenes is seeing the juxtaposition of the characters pre- and post-Blackout. For instance, in next week’s episode, viewers will learn more about the tough Major Neville, who was anything but tough before the Blackout. Then there’s Miles who is helping Charlie with her cause to make up for his violent ways in the past (in episode two, it was revealed he co-founded the tyrannic Monroe Republic, which is policing certain parts of the US after the Blackout). These flashbacks are an examination of the human heart and what it is capable of in times of trouble.

But the best thing about Revolution has got to be its cast. Esposito (Breaking Bad) and David Lyons (Safe Haven) give hair-raising performances as villains Major Neville and president of Monroe Republic, Bass Monroe respectively. Esposito, in particular, stands out in this week’s episode. After the roof collapses on his character, Major Neville, he convincingly manipulates Danny (who is trying to run away from him!) to save him. Another great performance is by Burke (Twilight) who plays the cool, suave Miles who can take down the bad guys in his sleep. I just wished he showered more often, though.

Disaster flicks always make for stunning visuals, and Revolution holds nothing back. From dilapidated iconic buildings to tattered memorabilias from the yesteryears, the set looked real and effortless. But my heart always skips a beat when I see scenes on the night of the Blackout. A sweeping view of cars piling up for miles and miles on the highway and skylines all around the world turning dark strike me as strangely beautiful. Perhaps, it’s the appeal of seeing what the modern world would look like without power.

Ultimately, Revolution works because it is a sci-fi series that everyone can relate to. The concept isn’t far-fetched, it’s simple: imagine living in a world without electricity. It would flip a switch in all of us.

> Catch Revolution every Wednesday at 9.50pm on Fox (Astro Ch 710 / HD 726).

Carson better stock up on the Pinot Noir: Sideways star Paul Giamatti (pic) will be a guest star on Downton Abbey in its upcoming fourth season, it was announced Monday.

According to a news release from Carnival Films, Masterpiece and PBS, the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor, perhaps best known for his role as a schlumpy wine snob in Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning film, will star as Harold, Cora’s “maverick, playboy brother” in the season finale.

It’s the latest surprising casting news for the costume drama, which will look quite different when it returns to TV in the United States on Jan 14 next year.

Following the departure of series regulars Dan Stevens, Jessica Brown Findlay and Siobhan Finneran, Downton Abbey will welcome a crop of new cast members that includes Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna David and Gary Carr.

Giamatti will appear alongside Shirley MacLaine, also slated to return in Season Four following a brief guest role in Season Three.

“We’re excited that Paul Giamatti will be joining us on Downton to play Cora’s brother Harold, the rather free-spirited uncle to Mary and Edith,” said Carnival Films’ managing director Gareth Neame.

“We can’t wait to see him work alongside Shirley MacLaine, who are both sure to upset the Granthams’ apple cart in this year’s finale.”

Giamatti is no stranger to period drama, having won an Emmy for playing the title role in the acclaimed HBO miniseries John Adams. He also starred as comic book artist Harvey Pekar in American Splendor and, more recently, in David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis. – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The creator of the Kick-Ass action film franchise said on Monday that he was "baffled" over why its star Jim Carrey has publicly objected to violence in the movie since Carrey's character takes an anti-gun stance and refuses to fire a weapon.

Comedic actor Carrey, 51, said on Twitter that the December shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, had changed his mind about the violent superhero film that is due to open in theaters in August.

"I did Kickass a month b4 (before) Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence," Carrey posted on Twitter on Sunday.

The shooting killed 26 people, including 20 children and intensified a push for gun control in the United States.

Mark Millar, who wrote the comic books on which Kick-Ass and its sequel Kick-Ass 2 are based and serves as a producer on the films, rebutted Carrey's comments in a post on his website, saying the film deals with the "consequences of violence."

"I'm baffled by this sudden announcement as nothing seen in this picture wasn't in the screenplay eighteen months ago," Millar said. "Yes, the body-count is very high, but a movie called Kick-Ass 2 really has to do what it says on the tin."

Carrey, who in the past has spoken out in support of gun-control, said on Twitter he was not ashamed of the film but that the Sandy Hook shooting "caused a change in my heart."

The Ace Ventura star plays Colonel Stars and Stripes in Kick-Ass 2, the follow-up to 2010's Kick-Ass, starring Chloe Moretz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, in which a young girl teams up with a nerdy teenage boy to fight evil bullies.

"Ironically, Jim's character in Kick-Ass 2 is a born-again Christian and the big deal we made of the fact that he refuses to fire a gun is something he told us attracted him to the role in the first place," Millar said.

"Ultimately, this is his decision, but I've never quite bought the notion that violence in fiction leads to violence in real-life any more than Harry Potter casting a spell creates more Boy Wizards in real-life," Millar added.

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Fast And Furious star Jordana Brewster and rapper Akon will join Hayden Christensen in the action-thriller American Heist.

American Heist is the first feature from Christensen's newly-formed production company Glacier Films, which has financing in place and plans to produce 11 movies over the next three years.

Sarik Andreasyan will direct American Heist, which is a remake of the 1959 Steve McQueen movie St. Louis Bank Robbery.

Story follows two brothers with checkered pasts who get involved in an ill-fated bank robbery spearheaded by a gang of dangerous criminals. The heist tests the strength of their sibling bond and how far they will go for family.

Tove Christensen, Gevond Andreasyan, Georgy Malkov and Vladimir Poliakov are producing, while Christensen and Brody will executive produce with Joseph Nasser and Jack Nasser of Nasser Entertainment Group and Jojo Ryder.

Glacier Films is financing with Warren T. Goz. Production starts today. Paradigm is repping domestic distribution rights, while Voltage is handling international sales.

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise hailed veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer on Monday, as the man behind Top Gun and Pirates Of The Caribbean got a star on Hollywood's storied Walk of Fame.

The A-listers joined Bruckheimer at a ceremony adding his name on the famous stretch of Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk, which is lined with stars in tribute to generations of entertainment celebrities. Depp, who starred as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates Of The Caribbean films and as Tonto in Bruckheimer's latest film, The Lone Ranger, hailed the 67-year-old as a legend.

"Without Jerry, there would be no Pirates, there would be no Captain Jack," Depp said. "Without Jerry, there would be no Lone Ranger, there would be no reinvigorated Tonto. "So I have a lot to thank him for. The man is a legend to me, a legend to us all, hence this congregation to celebrate him for his long-deserved star on the Walk of Fame. I, for one, could not be more honored to be here."

Bruckheimer, whose films have made more than US$16 billion at the box office, got the 2,501st star on the Walk of Fame, in a prime location outside the El Capitan Theatre opposite the famed Chinese and Dolby theatres.

"My lifelong dream began when I was a young boy in Michigan, and it always remained the same -- to be a filmmaker," he said. "It's been a long exciting journey from the streets of Detroit to the sidewalks of Hollywood, to be given a star to mark my contribution to an industry I love so much," he added.

Other celebrities at the ceremony, which came a week or so before the release of The Lone Ranger, included director Gore Verbinski, actor Jon Voight and actress Marg Helgenberger.

Bruckheimer called the star an "unbelievable honor," noting that fellow honorees on the tourist-crowded Walk of Fame, which stretches for a mile or two along Hollywood Boulevard, include Charlie Chaplin and Alfred Hitchcock.

"I won't get too big-headed, though, because the list also includes Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and the Three Stooges," he added.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Gary David Goldberg, whose hit 1980s television sitcom Family Ties gave a warm portrayal of generational conflict and launched the acting career of Michael J. Fox, has died at age 68, his son-in-law said on Monday.

Goldberg died of a brain tumor on Saturday at his home in Montecito, California, said his son-in-law Rob Dubbin.

Family Ties aired between 1982 and 1989 on network NBC and ranked second only to The Cosby Show in viewership between 1985 and 1987.

"With a full heart I say goodbye to my mentor, benefactor, partner, second father and beloved friend, Gary David Goldberg," Fox said in a statement. "He touched so many with his enormous talent and generous spirit. He changed my life profoundly."

In 1987, Goldberg won an Emmy for his writing work on Family Ties, a show that also earned Fox three Emmy Awards for lead actor in a comedy series.

Born and raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Goldberg worked as a waiter, traveled the world with his future wife, Diana Meehan, and ran a daycare center in Northern California before, in his early 30s, he landed a job writing for TV's The Bob Newhart Show according to Goldberg's website.

Goldberg went on to create his own company, UBU Productions, naming it after his Labrador Retriever, and it was through that company that he launched Family Ties in 1982 on NBC.

The show starred Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter as Steven and Elyse Keaton, a couple who were left-wing activists in the 1960s but went on to adopt a middle-class life as they raised four children in suburban Columbus, Ohio.

Much of the show's humor centered on the clashing values between the former hippies and their teenage Republican son, Alex, played by Michael J. Fox. Alex admired then President Ronald Reagan and read the Wall Street Journal, to the chagrin of his parents.

The Keatons' oldest daughter, Mallory, played by Justine Bateman, was less political than Alex, but differed from her mother by showing little interest in feminism.

In 2008, Goldberg told USA Today that Family Ties was "totally autobiographical in concept" for him.

"Diana and I were the parents, and our daughter Shana was as smart as Alex but could shop with Mallory," he told the paper.

After Family Ties, Goldberg went on to co-create the television comedy Spin City, which debuted in 1996 and starred Fox as the deputy mayor of New York. The show ran until 2002.

Goldberg also produced the 2005 romantic comedy Must Love Dogs starring Diane Lane and John Cusack.

He is survived by his wife, a brother, two children and three grandchildren.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The sixth season finale of the Emmy-winning drama Mad Men was watched by 2.7 million viewers, matching last season's record high, as the AMC period-advertising series wrapped up a season of change for lead ad man Don Draper.

U.S. cable channel AMC said on Monday that the finale to the 13-episode season was the network's highest rated, citing a 5 percent growth in its share of television viewers this year.

While the overall viewership was stable, there was a drop in viewers within the 25-54 age demographic coveted by advertisers, with 1.3 million viewers, down from 2012's 1.4 million viewers.

Enigmatic advertising executive Draper, played by Jon Hamm (pic_, faced his biggest challenges this season as he grappled with late 1960s cultural changes, as well as drifting apart from his wife as he engaged in a steamy affair with a married neighbour.

In the finale, Draper finds himself unraveling at the seams as he tries to counter his excessive drinking, a suspension from his firm by his partners and efforts to come to terms with his own identity.

The episode ends with Draper taking his three children to the brothel where he grew up.

Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner said in recent interviews that season seven, scheduled to air in 2014, will be the final one of the series.

The drama is a strong player during Hollywood's awards season, often taking top television honors for its cast and creators at both the Emmys and Golden Globes.

Working in unity: Staging the Bunraku requires the teamwork of three puppeteers.

Witness the grace and grandeur of a 400-year old Japanese tradition in a two-day puppet theatre performance.

TRADITIONAL puppet theatres are part of the Asian cultural heritage. While Malaysia has the wayang kulit, Japan is famous for its Noh, Kyogen and Kabuki.

However, one that is relatively unheard of is the Japanese Bunraku, which is a showcase of teamwork as three puppeteers work in perfect unity with live traditional music and vocals. Bunraku is still relatively unknown outside Japan due to differences in management and publicity, as well as size of production.

This weekend, for the first time in South-East Asia, Kanjuro Kiritake III and the Minosuke-kai company will treat Malaysians to a two-night Bunraku performance at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, starting June 28. It will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles, in celebration of the 40th year of Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

“Although Bunraku has been designated as an Important Intangible National Asset in Japan, the number of Bunraku narrators (tayu), shamisen players (three-string Japanese guitar), and puppeteers is only 86 persons in total, and all of them are involved in the major performances. Since we can’t simultaneously put on performances in more than one venue, it is also another factor why Bunraku isn’t popular,” said puppeteer Kiritake in a recent e-mail interview.

This theatrical form emerged during the early Edo period (ca. 1600) when puppetry was coupled with Johruri, a popular 15th century narrative genre. The plots related in this new form of puppet theatre were derived from two principal sources: historical plays set in feudal times (Jidaimono) and contemporary dramas exploring the conflict between affairs of the heart and social obligation (Sewamono).

Kiritake and his troupe are trying to revive this art. For the Malaysian show, the group will be presenting Ninin Sanbaso (harvest celebratory dance) and Fox In The Inner Garden, which is an excerpt from Honcho Nijushikou. In the Sanbaso, two characters dance away to pray for an abundant harvest and for peace on land. In Nijushikou, Princess Yaegaki’s prayers to save her love (Katsuyori) are answered and the Princess’ emotions are beautifully enacted together with the quick change of puppets.

Three puppeteers, visible to the audience, manipulate large articulated puppets on the stage behind a waist-high screen. From a projecting elevated platform (yuka), the narrator (tayu) recounts the action while a musician provides accompaniment on the three-stringed spike lute (shamisen). The tayu plays all the characters, both male and female, and uses different voices and intonations to suit each role and situation.

Since Bunraku does not follow a hereditary system, anyone can become a performer, depending on one’s effort to reach the top ranks of the Sangyo (the tayu, shamisen player or puppeteer).

Kiritake was 13 when he first helped out on stage. Although his father, Kanjuro Kiritake II was designated a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, the young boy did not train under his dad.

“I did my junior apprenticeship under Master Minosuke Yoshida, who studied under the same master as my father. However, I learnt much about Tachiyaku (male roles) from my father.

“Apprenticeship always starts by learning to be an Ashizukai or foot puppeteer. This is the basics of puppeteering and so one spends 10 to 15 years learning to manipulate the legs whilst also learning the steps for the various characters, the storyline, and narration. I was a foot puppeteer for 15 years,” he said.

“Then one learns to be the Hidarizukai, or left-hand puppeteer, and continues to learn in order to prepare for the Omozukai, head puppeteer’s role.”

Historically, there have been female puppeteers in the past, but it has been limited only to men since the craft adopted its current format. However, there are women narrators and shamisen players.

According to Kiritake, 60, there is no need to create new puppet heads (kashira) these days as more than 300 have been created by past masters. Young puppeteers are also gradually learning this skill.

“There is also the hair stylist (tokoyama), who styles the puppet’s hair according to the character being played, the costume staff who make new pieces and the person in charge of props; it is thanks to all of them that we are able to raise the curtains each time.”

The puppeteer assembles the Bunraku puppets, one at a time, according to the play being performed. After the puppeteer puts the costume onto the torso, the props, arms and legs are attached. Finally the head is put on before the puppet goes out on stage.

For the uninitiated, Kiritake welcomed them to come and enjoy a musical theatre experience.

“It is essentially the same as musicals and opera. My hope is you would be able to sense something through your eyes, ears and body rather than try to delve into it too deeply.”

The Bunraku puppet theatre performance will take place on June 28 (8.30pm) and June 29 (3pm and 8.30pm) at Pentas 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac), Jalan Strachan, Kuala Lumpur. Tickets are priced at RM60 (adults) and RM30 (students, disabled, senior citizens, JCKL/JFKL/TAS Card Members). Tickets can be purchased at www.ilassotickets.com or by calling the KLPac Box Office at 03-4047 9000.

This was just way too much food for Papi Zak (left) and Grumpy.

They came, they saw, they ate ... and they failed to conquer the yard-long sausage. Now, they have to play Cinderella in the award-winning kitchens of Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur.

Papi Zak and Grumpy from Red FM’s Really Really Late Breakfast Show (Monday-Friday, 2pm-5pm) attempted to tackle the One Yard Long Nacho Cheesy Smoky Hot Dog each in 45 minutes at the Red FM studio on June 19.

The One Yard Long Nacho Cheesy Smoky Hot Dog, which is served at Gastro Sentral, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur, features a log of meat at a yard long (91.4cm) topped with nacho cheese, tomato salsa, guacamole, pickled jalapenos, deep fried onions and 0.5kg of fries.

Grumpy started off with trying to complete the onion rings and fries, but 20 minutes into the challenge hesurrendered, stating the jalapenos were just too spicy.

Papi Zak who almost finished the meal said: “The mountain was higher than expected.

” When asked about the penalty of being kitchenhands for a day at the bustling kitchens of Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur, Papi Zak said he is looking forward to it.

“My first part-time job when I was a student was in a restaurant making burger patties and washing dishes. This time around it will be in a prestigious location, so I can’t wait for this experience again.”

Nine diners have attempted to take on this challenge but failed. Head on down to Gastro Sentral, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur to see if you can best this yard long sausage.

K-pop star G-Dragon wowing fans at his 2013 World Tour: One Of A Kind Concert In Malaysia at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur last weekend.

As a solo act, K-pop star G-Dragon proved he could create a bang of his own on stage.

IT takes a lot to step out of the shadows of K-pop boy band Big Bang, regarded as a phenomenal pop act in the Asian music circles. Well, if the slick K-pop genre’s formula is about glitz and glamour, then Big Bang easily matches its showbiz credentials and ambitions. Talk about a true K-pop product.

But trust the popular group’s main man G-Dragon (real name Kwon Ji Yong) to make his presence felt as a solo artiste.

At 24, G-Dragon is more than ready to take on mainstream challenges on his own. For the hip hop inspired star, the spin-off solo career has always been on the cards.

The young man proved he was a big deal with a full on performance at his 2013 World Tour: One Of A Kind Concert In Malaysia, which was held at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night.

The One Of A Kind world tour kicked off in South Korea in March this year and G-Dragon has since played in Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia before coming to wow Malaysia with his concert that boasted 110 South Koreans crew members that were flown in to join their 200 Malaysian counterparts.

At the stadium, the audience was filled by screaming fans who bounced up and down waving bright yellow lightsticks and those who perched on stools trying to get good shots on their smartphones and compacts. There were just as many males in the crowd as there were females. The Malaysian leg of the show was the only outdoor concert of G-Dragon’s current tour, and he had to battle the haze to get his groove on.

Like a real trooper, G-Dragon soldiered on. He was in the mood to party as he started off with the bizarre new song MichiGo.

As this writer was grooving shoulder-to-shoulder with the sweaty bodies around me, I saw that G-Dragon was sweating buckets, too, Yet, despite the sweltering heat, G-Dragon continued to thrill fans with one costume change after another. There was always a crisp white towel in his hand, which he dabbed on his face every few seconds. But, amazingly, there was never a hair out of place. Obviously, as one of the most prominent fashionistas of K-pop, there was no way G-Dragon would be looking any less than perfect.

And, the screams continued when G-Dragon worked his magic on the turntables as he played deejay. With the bright lights glaring, the fans kept turning to the large LED screens on the stage that showed different angles of G-Dragon, who indulged them with smouldering glances every time he turned to face the camera.

Born in the year of the dragon, G-Dragon employed the dragon motif throughout his entire show with the firebreather act soaring across the LED screens. Halfway through the show, G-Dragon introduced Taeyang, his fellow Big Bang bandmate who performed Where You At and Break It Down. Between the two of them, they delivered some 22 songs during the two-hour-long show.

After delivering his last song which was a combination of Crayon and Fantastic Baby, G-Dragon ended his show with a big bang (pun intended) of pyrotechnics and confetti. But, fans stayed put and wouldn’t leave, not even when he dispatched his crazy MichiGo persona to tell them to go. Instead, they whipped out handbanners and started chanting G-D saranghae (meaning G-Dragon I love you in Korean)!

Returning to the stage for an encore, G-Dragon got fans singing along to Breathe, Bad Boy and ended with the upbeat MichiGo!

When it was finally time for him to go, GD revealed that he would be releasing his solo album in August and expressed his gratitude for fans’ continued support, adding, “I’m so happy. I had so much fun tonight. I’ll never forget tonight. I hope you guys won’t forget me. I promise that I’ll come back with my brothers Big Bang. Please wait for us!”

Helping hand: Sabah native girls getting ready for the festival.

A new project by Petronas offers a look into the Harvest Festival in Sabah and Sarawak.

WHERE else can you find blowpipe competitions, beauty pageants, homemade rice wine, arm wrestling and traditional warrior dances all in one place? Once a year in Sabah and Sarawak, the local folks get together for several days of traditional rituals and merry-making to give thanks to the spirits and gods for a good rice harvest, and to ask for a bountiful one the following year.

The annual Pesta Kaamatan in Sabah (or Gawai Dayak, as it is known in Sarawak) is a religious, cultural and social festival, which has its roots in ancient beliefs and culture.

From the ngajat – a traditional warrior dance where the men adopt energetic, aggressive movements, complemented by the precise and graceful motions of the female dancers, elaborate headgear and a hypnotic percussion beat – to the communal preparation of traditional dishes, this multi-faceted celebration is truly unique.

Another popular event during the festival is the highly anticipated beauty pageant Unduk Ngadau, that will see the selection of the fairest in the land. Like many other aspects of this annual celebration, the pageant is steeped in history: Legend has it that the Creator, after creating animals and humans, had to sacrifice his only daughter so that his people would have seeds to grow the food they need.

This year, Petronas embarks on a project to capture bits of this fascinating festival in East Malaysia. The Petronas Kaamatan and Gawai Webisodes will be presented as a series of 12 webisodes (short online videos) which will be uploaded sequentially on Petronas’ official YouTube channel from June 25 onwards.

The series will also offer an insight into Petronas’ signature corporate social responsibility programme Sentuhan Kasih, where the company’s employees join in the celebrations and embody the spirit of camaraderie by reaching out to those who are less fortunate in the community.

“Petronas has always sought to bring Malaysians closer together by setting an example through our interaction with the communities we work with and our stakeholders. This includes taking the lead in sharing the concept of togetherness and cross-cultural understanding with our stakeholders by being a part of each celebration with them,” says Petronas senior general manager of group corporate affairs division Datuk Mohammad Medan Abdullah, in a press statement.

Hosted by television personality Pamela Chong, this is the first time Petronas is producing a webisode series revolving around the Kaamatan and Gawai celebrations. Each webisode is three to four-and-a-half minutes long.

“The webisodes will educate and remind all Malaysians about how diverse we are as a nation, yet similar in so many ways through the values that we share and the traditions which we continue to hold dear,” says Mohammad.

“This is why it is so important to understand each other better and celebrate our rich cultural heritage.”

He adds that Petronas endeavours to portray positive values in each of their festive campaigns in a way that is relatable to everyone in our multicultural nation.

It is no different for The Petronas Kaamatan and Gawai Webisodes.

There will be special episodes aired in honour of 2013 being the 50th anniversary of Malaysia Day, which commemorates the formation of the Federation of Malaysia.

A new webisode will be available exclusively on the Petronas official YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/PETRONASOfficial) every Tuesday and Friday, from today onwards.

Kicking into cinemas: Jet Li shows off his fighting skills and comic side in Badges Of Fury.

Filmmaker is impressed with action star’s comedic chops.

Making a movie with Jet Li was an unforgettable and exciting experience for Badges Of Fury director Wong Tsz Ming and co-star Michelle Chen.

During a phone interview recently, Wong and Chen couldn’t stop talking about Li’s antics on the set of the movie.

The action comedy revolves around a pair of bumbling police officers tasked to investigate three mysterious homicide cases.

In the movie, Li, 50, plays veteran law enforcer Huang Fei Hong, who may appear to be a scatter-brain but is in fact a martial arts expert. The other cop is muddle-headed young detective Wang Bu Er, played by Chinese actor Wen Zhang, 28, who was last seen in Stephen Chow’s 2013 lunar new year flick Journey To The West.

Taiwan’s sweetheart Chen, 30, plays Huang’s tough-talking superior Angela. Chen admitted that she faced many challenges making the movie because she had never done an action comedy before.

“I was new at comedy, so pacing and timing were of great concern to me. In addition to that, I had to do wire work for the first time. I discovered that it was really tough to act while being suspended in mid-air,” revealed the pretty actress who shot to fame in the Taiwanese smash hit You Are The Apple Of My Eye.

With Li’s reputation as an action hero, Chen expected him to be a serious person. However, Li surprised everyone on the set with his effervescence. “Jet Li was so much fun to work with. I was really surprised at how lively and playful he could actually be. He would tell lots of jokes and make us laugh everyday. He really made an effort to ensure a light-hearted mood on the set as we were making a comedy after all,” said Chen.

Even director Wong was taken by surprise at how Li tackled the comic parts with ease. “I was really amazed that Jet Li does comedy so well. He was a riot in the movie. I do hope to work with him again as I’m sure there are other sides of him I’ve never seen before,” said the filmmaker, who got his break shooting television series on Chinese kung fu heroes like Wong Fei Hung and Fong Sai Yuk.

For Chen, her most memorable moment on the set of Badges Of Fury was when Li came to her rescue when she couldn’t recite some lines during a scene.

“The script was quite a mouthful and there were some lines that really bothered me. I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. I felt that they didn’t do justice to the character I was playing,” she recalled.

Luckily for her, Li was quick to notice her anxiety and dealt with it immediately. “He asked me about it and I voiced my concerns. To my surprise, he told me not to worry about it as he would say those lines himself. Now, I know why he is such a respected mentor in the industry,” said the actress, who recently released her first album titled Me, Myself, And I.

Now that he has made an action comedy, Wong hopes to tackle another genre for his next project. “I’m thinking of black comedy or a suspense thriller. And, I look forward to inviting Li for another project together,” he mused.

Badges Of Fury also boasts action choreography by Corey Yuen and showcases fighting scenes with action stars like Jacky Wu Jing and Collin Chou.

The movie features a bevy of heartthrobs from Hong Kong and China making cameo appearances namely Kevin Cheng, Raymond Lam, Stephen Fung, Michael Tse, and Alex Fong, Huang Xiao Ming, Tian Liang and Tong Da Wei.

Badges Of Fury opens in cinemas nationwide on June 27.