Sean Penn named ambassador for Haiti in ceremony (AP)
AP - Actor Sean Penn has been named ambassador at large for Haiti in recognition of his humanitarian work since the 2010 earthquake.
China’s state TV expanding, but fetters remain (AP)
AP - The killing of a South Korean coast guard officer by a Chinese fisherman should have been tailor-made for China's CCTV News as it embarks on an ambitious plan to become a global network with assertive international coverage.
Actor who was Mr. Pitt on ‘Seinfeld’ dies at 77 (AP)
AP - Ian Abercrombie, a veteran British stage and screen actor whose TV roles included Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on "Seinfeld" and the voice of Chancellor Palpatine in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," has died. He was 77.
‘Smash’: a TV drama mashed up with original songs (AP)
AP - As TV series go, "Smash" does a smashing job of abstaining from the usual: no courtrooms, no operating rooms, no interrogation rooms.
`The Help,’ Dujardin win at lively SAG Awards (AP)
AP - Finally, an awards show with some surprises and spontaneity.
Another ‘American Idol’ alum heading to Broadway (AP)
AP - A former "American Idol" contestant is heading to Broadway with a character who, it's safe to say, is truly two-faced.
Hazanavicius wins at Directors Guild for ‘Artist’ (AP)
AP - The Directors Guild of America Awards are the latest Hollywood film honors to go silent.
Etta James remembered as triumphant trailblazer (AP)
AP - Etta James was remembered at a service Saturday attended by hundreds of friends, family and fans as a woman who triumphed against all odds to break down cultural and musical barriers in a style that was unfailingly honest.
Family, friends gather for Etta James’ funeral (AP)
AP - Hundreds of Etta James' friends, fans and family gathered Saturday at a Los Angeles-area church to remember the legendary rhythm and blues singer who died this month.
Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana celebrate at Sundance (AP)
AP - Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana came to the Sundance Film Festival to promote their closing-night film, "The Words."
Doctor convicted in Jackson death seeks release (AP)
AP - The doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death asked a judge Friday to release him from jail pending his appeal.
HBO places its bets on horse racing drama `Luck’ (AP)
AP - David Milch had the script for a horse racing drama kicking around in his head for 30 years. The screenwriter and producer was just too busy living it to put words to paper.
Cynthia Nixon wrestles with life in a moving ‘Wit’ (AP)
AP - Another "Sex and the City" star has made her way to Broadway but she's brought along a different kind of cocktail.
Sajak: Vanna and I drank between ‘Wheel’ tapings (AP)
AP - The "Wheel of Fortune" wasn't the only thing spinning for Pat Sajak and Vanna White back in the day.
Courtroom battle splits star’s Oklahoma hometown (AP)
AP - A water tower proudly proclaims that this is the hometown of country music star Garth Brooks. The main road through town? Garth Brooks Boulevard. So when the singer was awarded $1 million this week after suing the local hospital — whose logo is on a slightly larger water tower across town — residents felt torn.
‘30 Rock’ star back at work after hospitalization (AP)
AP - Comedian and "30 Rock" cast member Tracy Morgan is back at work in New York after a brief hospitalization in Utah, his publicist said Wednesday.
Sundance doc traces Simon’s ‘Graceland’ hit album (AP)
AP - Paul Simon recalls his return to South Africa like a family reunion — musical brothers getting back together after decades apart.
Sundance documentary examines rape in US military (AP)
AP - The Department of Defense estimates that more than 19,000 military men and women were sexually assaulted by fellow troops in 2010 while serving in the United States armed forces.
Trial over Globes broadcast rights opens in LA (AP)
AP - The executive who negotiated a deal that brought the Golden Globe Awards to NBC in the mid-1990s testified Tuesday that he didn't think it was necessary to tell its organizers they were signing away rights that could keep the show on the network indefinitely.
Scorsese’s ‘Hugo’ leads Oscars with 11 nominations (AP)
AP - Martin Scorsese's Paris adventure "Hugo" leads the Academy Awards with 11 nominations, among them best picture and the latest director honor for the Oscar-winning filmmaker.
Oscar prospects span the century as noms near (AP)
AP - Prospective Academy Awards nominees have pretty much every decade of the last century covered, from the World War I epic "War Horse" through modern times with the family drama "The Descendants."
Film executive Bingham Ray dies at Sundance fest (AP)
AP - Filmmaking executive Bingham Ray has died while attending the Sundance Film Festival. He was 57.
Seal, Heidi Klum announce separation (AP)
AP - Seal and Heidi Klum have announced that their storybook marriage is coming to the end of the runway.
Sean Penn shares film’s dream of ducking stardom (AP)
AP - Sean Penn's new movie casts him as a former rock star who turns his back on stardom and goes into exile overseas.
`Underworld’ sinks teeth into box office with $25M (AP)
AP - Kate Beckinsale is back with a vengeance, with her latest "Underworld" movie opening at No. 1 this weekend.
‘The Artist’ silent but golden at producer awards (AP)
AP - "The Artist" followed its Golden Globe win by taking top honors at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, as the silent film continues its unlikely run toward Oscar night.
Richard Gere attends his first Sundance Festival (AP)
AP - Richard Gere once saw Utah from horseback while moving cattle, but his trip to the Sundance Film Festival to premiere "Arbitrage" is his first actual visit to the state.
Mary J. Blige to pen song for Sundance documentary (AP)
AP - Mary J. Blige is lending her support — and her voice — to a documentary showing at the Sundance Film Festival about sexual assault in the U.S. military.
Vanilla Ice Project returns for new TV season (AP)
AP - An unlikely home improvement show hosted by 1990s rapper Vanilla Ice is set to premiere its second season with the remodeling of another South Florida home.
The curious case of Grammy nominee Linda Chorney (AP)
AP - Linda Chorney is the feel-good, do-it-yourself success story of this year's Grammy Awards. Or she's an unworthy impostor who broke the unwritten rules regarding self-promotion for music's top showcase.
‘30 Rock’ episode mocks its own star’s gay dilemma (AP)
AP - NBC comedy "30 Rock" has mocked one of its own cast members.
‘Red Tails’ airmen have new target: box office (AP)
AP - Tuskegee Airman Herbert Carter flew 77 missions during World War II and crashed landed only once, impressive numbers that challenged those skeptical of the abilities of black aviators. Decades later, he and the other legendary African-American airmen he flew with must once again prove themselves — at the box office.
YouTube plots ‘Your Film Festival’ for users (AP)
AP - YouTube is launching a film festival that will play out online and ultimately send 10 finalists to the Venice Film Festival.
Marg Helgenberger leaving CSI but open to a return (AP)
AP - It's not easy to walk away from a secure gig in Hollywood, especially one that's popular, but Marg Helgenberger is doing just that.
Sundance time: Indie film world gathers in Utah (AP)
AP - Independent films that may have been years in the making get their first audiences at this week's Sundance Film Festival. That could also mean careers in the making for unknown directors and actors whose movies connect with the right crowds.
Original Yellow Wiggle rejoins Australian band (AP)
AP - The Yellow Wiggle is back. The original lead singer of the world-famous preschool entertainment band The Wiggles has made a surprise return, five years after he left the group because of illness.
LA council votes to require condoms in porn films (AP)
AP - The Los Angeles City Council has given final approval to an ordinance requiring adult film actors to use condoms.
Gay marriage play ‘8′ goes national during 2012 (AP)
AP - For anyone who missed the star-studded, one-night-only Broadway debut of the gay marriage play "8" or can't get to Los Angeles this spring to see George Clooney lead a West Coast version, there's hope: The play is coming to a theater near you.
Golden Globes seen by almost 17 million viewers (AP)
AP - The Nielsen Co. says Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony was seen by 16.8 million TV viewers. It beat all network competition in its time period but dipped slightly from last year's audience for the film and TV awards show.
A tamer Gervais leads predictable Golden Globes (AP)
AP - The Hollywood Foreign Press Association dared to let Ricky Gervais come back and host the Golden Globe Awards, a year after he insulted the organization and nearly everyone in the star-studded room with his lacerating wit.
Dressed-up stars arrive for Golden Globes (AP)
AP - Ricky Gervais, who is prone to ruffle feathers with sharp wisecracks aimed at celebrities, made an early arrival Sunday on the Golden Globes red carpet, along with such stars as George Clooney, Sarah Michelle Gellar and the dog from "The Artist."
Globes: Comedy vies with drama this awards season (AP)
AP - The Golden Globes have equally good comedy and drama masks this year.
Miss Wisconsin wins Miss America pageant in Vegas (AP)
AP - A 23-year-old beauty queen from Wisconsin won the Miss America pageant Saturday in Las Vegas after singing opera and strutting in a white bikini and black beaded evening gown.
Golden Globe nominees warm up with rooftop party (AP)
AP - The glittery, Champagne-soaked vibe of the Golden Globes spreads through Hollywood days before the ceremony, and the Dom Perignon was definitely flowing at W magazine's pre-Globes party.
Heather Locklear released from LA-area hospital (AP)
AP - Actress Heather Locklear was released Friday from a hospital after she was treated in the intensive care unit for an unknown ailment.
‘CBS This Morning’: A worthy wakeup TV alternative (AP)
AP - Hooray for "CBS This Morning"! It's not silly!
‘Artist’ wins 4 trophies at Critics’ Choice Awards (AP)
AP - "The Artist" waltzed away with its first wins of Hollywood's awards season.
Ringtone halts NY Philharmonic performance (AP)
AP - It's the dreaded sound at any live performance — a ringing cellphone.
A welcome return to weekly TV by Bill Moyers (AP)
AP - Wearing what is meant to be a sheepish smile, Bill Moyers greets a reporter by acknowledging that, yes, twice before just in the past decade, he has launched a much-acclaimed public affairs TV series, then called it quits, professing to be done with television — only to launch yet another such show a couple of years later.
Perry, ‘Potter’ win big at People’s Choice Awards (AP)
AP - Katy Perry is in the popular clique now.
Visual-effects pioneer Trumbull to receive Oscar (AP)
AP - Hollywood filmmaker and visual-effects master Douglas Trumbull is receiving an honorary Academy Award.
Gifts galore for William and Kate on overseas trip (AP)
AP - The new Duchess of Cambridge was showered with gifts — from head to toe — on her first overseas visit as a member of the royal family.
Shelton returns to co-host ACM Awards with Reba (AP)
AP - Get ready for another dose of Blake Shelton as country's hottest leading man joins Reba McEntire again this year as co-host of The Academy of Country Music Awards.
‘Dark Knight,’ ‘Spidey,’ ‘Hobbit’ lead 2012 films (AP)
AP - Hollywood is respecting the environment and recycling — again.
French actress Denise Darcel dies at 87 (AP)
AP - Denise Darcel, the French-born actress known for vampy roles in such films as "Vera Cruz" and "Thunder in the Pines," has died. She was 87.
‘Devil Inside’ takes off with $33.7M weekend (AP)
AP - The exorcism fright film "The Devil Inside" beat industry expectations by a longshot with a $33.7 million debut, more than twice the amount the most optimistic forecasts predicted it would take in.
Elton John to write book about the AIDS crisis (AP)
AP - Elton John is writing his first book, a personal account of the AIDS crisis.
Imagine this: ‘American Idol’ without Seacrest? (AP)
AP - Both Fox and Ryan Seacrest say they want Seacrest to stay as host of "American Idol" after this year. Whether that will happen was unclear Sunday even as both sides promoted this month's launch of the 11th season of the country's most popular television show.
‘24′ movie to begin shooting this spring (AP)
AP - Fans of Jack Bauer have something to look forward to. A movie based on the old Fox series "24" is scheduled to begin shooting this spring.
Critics pick ‘Melancholia’ as best film of 2011 (AP)
AP - The National Society of Film Critics selected Lars von Trier's drama "Melancholia" as the best picture of 2011 during its annual meeting Saturday.
Comic Kathy Griffin gets Bravo network talk show (AP)
AP - Comic Kathy Griffin is never shy about offering her opinions. Soon she'll have a weekly outlet for them.
NBC says they weren’t afraid of Chelsea’s vodka (AP)
AP - NBC's entertainment chief insists that it wasn't squeamishness over booze that got "vodka" dropped from the television version of Chelsea Handler's memoir.
New NBC chief says ‘Community’ coming back (AP)
AP - After acknowledging that NBC had a "really bad fall," the network's entertainment chief moved swiftly Friday to assure viewers that "Community" and "Law & Order: SVU" aren't leaving.
Reformed Van Halen performs intimate NYC gig (AP)
AP - They'll be playing arenas when they tour next month, but on Wednesday night, a regrouped Van Halen provided thrills in a tiny club where a VIP crowd stood elbow to elbow as the storied band played some of their greatest hits including "Jump" and "Panama."
‘Descendants,’ ‘Bridesmaids’ earn writers noms (AP)
AP - George Clooney's "The Descendants," Brad Pitt's "Moneyball," Kristen Wiig's "Bridesmaids" and Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" are among nominees for the Writers Guild of America Awards.
Actress Zooey Deschanel files for divorce in LA (AP)
AP - Zooey Deschanel (ZOH'-ee deh-shuh-NEHL') has filed for divorce from her rocker husband of two years.
Mariah Carey says Nick Cannon has kidney failure (AP)
AP - Nick Cannon is spending the first week of the new year in the hospital, with wife Mariah Carey by his side.
Television networks bring something new to Iowa (AP)
AP - Cable news networks brought new toys and new people to the 2012 presidential campaign's opening night in Iowa on Tuesday, yet the tight race made it a struggle for viewers to make sense of it all.
St Trinian’s cartoonist Ronald Searle dies at 91 (AP)
AP - Ronald Searle, the creator of Britain's beloved St Trinian's boarding school cartoons, has died after a short illness. He was 91.
`American Idol’ finalist James Durbin marries (AP)
AP - "American Idol" finalist James Durbin has married longtime girlfriend Heidi Lowe in a New Year's Eve ceremony at the edge of a California redwood forest.
Aretha Franklin is engaged to longtime friend (AP)
AP - Aretha Franklin is engaged to longtime friend William "Willie" Wilkerson.
India airs edgier TV shows but cuts out the edge (AP)
AP - Would the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll fueled TV show "Californication" be worth watching without the sex, drugs and rock-n- roll? What about serial killer series "Dexter" without the gore?
Hugh Jackman on Broadway translates into cold cash (AP)
AP - Hugh Jackman has left Broadway with a lot of broken hearts — and records.
Review: "Enchanted Island" a clever Met concoction (AP)
AP - Call it a pastiche. Or a Baroque fantasy in two acts. Or the best opera Handel and Vivaldi never wrote.