Innovation on display at Games Conference
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Motion controls and social gaming were the hot topics at this week's Game Developers Conference, the annual convention of game designers, programmers and executives. Sony shook up the conference with a splashy introduction of the PlayStation Move, a new wand-shaped PlayStation 3 motion controller system that will rival Nintendo's popular Wii.
Authorities: Haim's name on illegal prescription
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The name of the late actor Corey Haim was found on a fraudulent prescription for a powerful painkiller that authorities said Friday was obtained through a major drug ring. California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office said records of the prescription in the name of the former teen heartthrob were found during an investigation of the ring that illegally obtained prescription pads and used the stolen identities of doctors to fill them out.
Disney to shut Zemeckis-run motion-capture studio
LOS ANGELES (AP) — To further cut costs at its movie studio, The Walt Disney Co. said Friday that it will shut a San Francisco-area facility used to capture the performance of Jim Carrey for his digitally animated character, Scrooge, in "A Christmas Carol." The closure of the facility in Marin County, north of San Francisco, will be completed by January and result in the loss of 450 jobs.
No contest plea in case over star's stolen Rolex
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors say a man has pleaded no contest to receiving a Rolex watch stolen from Orlando Bloom's house during a spate of celebrity burglaries. Los Angeles County District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison says Jonathan Ajar entered the no contest plea Friday and will be sentenced on April 15.
Strong ratings for Leno's return to late-night
NEW YORK (AP) — After a smashing return, Jay Leno appears headed to a battle with David Letterman for late-night television supremacy. The Nielsen Co. says Leno averaged 5.6 million viewers last week, his first back at NBC's "The Tonight Show" following the ill-fated prime time experiment. Letterman had 3.7 million at CBS. Leno took advantage of curiosity over his return and a strong lineup of guests, including Olympic stars and Sarah Palin. It was a half-million more than he averaged his last season at "Tonight."
`South Park' begins 14th season by taking on Tiger
NEW YORK (AP) — Golf clubs in hands or not, the kids of "South Park" are ready to take on Tiger Woods. Creators of the Comedy Central cartoon have long since proven that no subject is sacred to them. So for the opening of its 14th season on Wednesday, the troubled golfer encounters Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman in their animated Colorado town.
ABC's Kate Snow makes jump to NBC News
NEW YORK (AP) — ABC News reporter and "Good Morning America" weekend host Kate Snow is jumping to NBC News. NBC announced Friday that Snow will begin work as a "Dateline NBC" correspondent later this spring. Snow has been with ABC since 2003 and one of its weekend morning anchors since the show launched in 2004. She covered Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, and was one of ABC's reporters in Haiti after the earthquake.
Michael Jackson's custom-made furniture for sale
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 22 pieces of custom-made furniture Michael Jackson commissioned for his London home are going on the auction block. Darren Julien of Julien's Auctions says a gilded red velvet sofa that seats nine, a leopard-print chair trimmed with ostrich feathers and a pair of velvet armchairs embroidered with gold eagles are among the offerings.
`American Idol' pares down to 12 finalists
LOS ANGELES (AP) — And then there were 12 on "American Idol." After the audience voted, the singing contest said goodbye Thursday to Alex Lambert of North Richland Hills, Texas; Todrick Hall of Arlington, Texas; Lilly Scott of Littleton, Colo. and Katelyn Epperly of West Des Moines, Iowa.
Madonna offers relationship tips on 'Marriage Ref'
NEW YORK (AP) — Madonna doesn't think a wife should withhold sex from a sloppy husband. But she believes a wife should dispose of her late husband's prosthetic leg to spare the feelings of the wife's current mate.
