Jackson doctor defense may say singer killed self (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Lawyers for the doctor charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson could claim the pop star killed himself when a hearing begins next week, a prosecutor said on Wednesday.

In a court session to discuss evidence in the case against Dr. Conrad Murray, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said he believes it is clear defense attorneys are looking into that theory, which has long been a consideration.

Outside the courtroom, Murray's attorney J. Michael Flanagan declined to comment on Walgren's statement.

"I'm not going to respond to that characterization. But apparently it is a consideration of Mr. Walgren," Flanagan told reporters.

Walgren spoke at a hearing in which a judge cleared the way for Murray's defense to test residue from syringes and an IV tube used to administer drugs to Jackson.

The "Thriller" singer died at age 50 on June 25, 2009, of an overdose of prescription drugs, primarily the powerful anesthetic propofol which can be used in surgery. Other drugs in Jackson's system included lorazepam, known under the brand names Ativan and Temesta, and diazepam, the generic version of Valium.

Murray, hired as Jackson's physician while the singer prepared for a series of concerts that would have begun in July 2009, has admitted giving Jackson propofol to help him sleep. But Murray has pleaded not guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The court session on the syringe testing came only days before a January 4 start date for a preliminary hearing in which a judge will decide if there is enough evidence against Murray to proceed to a full trial.

Representatives for the prosecution and defense told Reuters they expect the preliminary hearing to begin as planned and take roughly two weeks to complete.

(Editing by Xavier Briand)

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"Social Network" spells Hammer time for actor Armie (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – They look so much alike in Oscar-hopeful film "The Social Network," they could be one man, and in fact, they are. But what the Winklevoss twins share with the actor who plays them has less to do with looks and more with their privileged background.

The actor, 24 year-old Armie Hammer, is the great grandson of oil tycoon and philanthropist Armand Hammer. He was blessed with good looks and a prominent family tree, like the Winklevoss'. But the similarities seem to stop there.

While the Winkelvoss twins, as portrayed in the movie, stuck to family traditions, attended Harvard University and became Olympic rowers. Hammer quit school, said hello to Hollywood and angered his family -- if only temporarily.

"I dropped out of high school and I dropped out of college because the movie industry was the only thing I wanted to be in," Hammer told Reuters.

"I definitely got a speech that said, 'You will be the first Hammer man to not graduate college, to not get a degree,'" he said. "But I didn't have any interest in that."

Hammer's passion for acting has clearly come through in "Social Network," because amid all the awards and box office buzz for the movie that traces the origins of Facebook, one consistent message circulating among Hollywood insiders is that Hammer is enjoying a breakthrough performance.

Industry players, the media, and audiences have been scratching their heads at just how one man played the two roles of Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, who claimed Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea when he founded the website and, in the process, became a billionaire.

Hammer said a typical day would involve him shooting a scene playing Cameron Winklevoss with a body double, Josh Pence, standing-in as Tyler.

After director David Fincher was satisfied with the main scene, Hammer would change costume, hairstyles and makeup and be transformed into Tyler to perform the scene again, alone. This time, the camera focused only on his face and in editing, his head would be digitally superimposed on Pence's body.

OVERCOMING TRADITION

In the movie, Cameron is portrayed as initially not wanting to press a legal claim against Zuckerberg out of deference to Harvard tradition, while Tyler is less enamored of that notion. They argue, but eventually Tyler sides with Cameron. Of the twins, Hammer's favorite to play was Cameron.

"I appreciated Cameron's sense of chivalry and that he wanted to be a gentleman," Hammer said. "I think that's becoming more obsolete in the 21st century. But it was fun to play Tyler and fly off the handle."

Hammer said he was so involved in his dual roles that he truly believed Zuckerberg "stole from us," but now that he has distanced himself, he believes all the key players in real life probably did wrong things and no one person is to blame.

Time, distance and success also have given Hammer and his parents a different perspective on his decision to become an actor. While he spent his first year in Hollywood without landing any work, his next few years brought guest roles on shows like "Veronica Mars" and "Desperate Housewives."

In 2007, he earned a big break when he was cast as crime fighting superhero Batman in the DC Comic book adaptation, "Justice League," but before the movie began filming, it was halted due to Hollywood's screenwriter strike.

But Hammer believes "everything happens for a reason," and he may be right. Soon after that job ended, he won the role of evangelist Billy Graham in the 2008 independent film "Billy: The Early Years," and only four weeks before shooting began on "Social Network" he got a call from Fincher.

The director, it seemed, could not find a pair of tall, identical twins for the Winklevoss roles. So, he began looking for a technology fix and opened auditions to individuals.

Now, Hammer is better known in Hollywood for "Social Network" than his family's name. He married TV journalist Elizabeth Chambers this year, and is planning their future.

"I'm very proud of my heritage but I would like to establish my own family, my own kids and my own legacy," he said. "I hope it has nothing to do with a last name but everything to do with the person."

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Nicole Richie completes probation months early (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Nicole Richie is no longer on probation for a 2006 drunken-driving case.

A spokeswoman for the reality star-turned-fashion designer says a judge ended Richie's probation Wednesday after receiving proof that the 29-year-old had satisfied its terms.

Publicist Nicole Perna says Richie was to remain on probation until February, but the judge agreed to end probation early because Richie completed its requirements, including attending an 18-month alcohol-education program.

Richie wed her her longtime boyfriend, rocker Joel Madden, this month. They have two children together.

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Tensions, hopes run high in residential drug rehab (AP)

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen, Ap Entertainment Writer – Fri Dec 31, 11:39 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Lindsay Lohan has been five times. Charlie Sheen is also a regular. Someone tried to make Amy Winehouse go, but she said, "No, no, no."

Rehab is practically a rite of passage in Hollywood, and Lohan is its latest poster child. Her trips to treatment and travails once there — including an alleged altercation with a worker at Betty Ford Center a few weeks ago — have been well documented for the past three years. The 24-year-old actress, who is set to leave Betty Ford on Monday, follows a pattern: Get in trouble, go to rehab, get released, repeat.

It's all normal, say addiction specialists: Emotional flare-ups and repeated relapses are part of the process of recovery from addiction, whether the addict is famous or not.

National studies show that the average person may need three or more stints in rehab to achieve recovery, says Geoff Henderson, senior director of Phoenix House, a drug-treatment center in Santa Ana, Calif.

So what really happens in rehab? And what's the difference between the pricey, private places favored by celebrities and the more affordable options frequented by less famous folks?

At Promises Treatment Center in Malibu, where Sheen spent 93 days this year, "we look at addiction as a physical and psychiatric disorder, not just a series of bad choices," says chief executive Dr. David Sack, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction treatment.

Scientists define addiction as a chronic illness characterized by relapses during recovery, like diabetes or hypertension. As with those health conditions, managing addiction requires a sustained lifestyle change, and most rehab centers — regardless of cost and amenities — aim to bring about that change through counseling, education and community service.

A month of residential treatment at Promises costs $50,000. Betty Ford Center charges $26,000. Phoenix House costs $3,000 to $5,000 a month. All three programs develop personalized treatment plans for each patient that include individual and family counseling, group therapy, 12-step meetings, physical exercise and community involvement.

Promises could almost be mistaken for a luxury spa, comprising five ocean-view homes in the Malibu hills. There are three swimming pools, several whirlpools and a private tennis court (with a professional instructor on call). Patients live six to a house, each typically with their own bedroom and sometimes their own bathroom. An onsite chef works with the staff nutritionist to prepare three gourmet meals a day.

"This is the kind of place where, even if you weren't in treatment, you wouldn't mind spending a few weeks," Sack says.

The facility offers massage and acupuncture to ease the pain of detox, plus yoga and neurofeedback training help patients deal with stress and anxiety. It recently added equine therapy to its menu of services.

Betty Ford Center, which sits on 20 acres in the desert east of Los Angeles, also offers acupuncture and biofeedback. Residential patients share double rooms with views of the local mountains, enjoying meals shaped by the staff dietitian and personalized exercise plans designed by the onsite fitness trainer.

Phoenix House, which has locations across the country, is more modest. The mission-style Santa Ana facility houses residents in gender-specific dorms lined with bunk beds, and each is allowed a limited amount of clothing and personal items in their shared closet spaces. There are community rooms with big-screen TVs, an outdoor workout area with weights and an exercise bike, a baseball diamond and a garden with lemon, lime and guava trees.

All three facilities limit phone and computer use. All employ counselors who are in recovery themselves. All host a daily spectrum of emotions, from anger and fear to happiness and hope. All offer treatment for the psychiatric conditions that often accompany or predate addiction, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and learning disabilities. And all have alumni programs to encourage ongoing sobriety.

But there are some differences.

Phoenix House, where the typical stay is three to six months, may serve the most diverse population. Some patients come on government referrals straight from jail or homeless shelters. Others are private customers, paying for treatment out of their own pocket or through their medical insurance. Even celebrities have stayed at Phoenix House, though Henderson, the program's director, keeps their names private.

All residents are assigned jobs at the facility, from groundskeeping duties to administrative work. Residents do the cooking and cleaning, too. Betty Ford Center also assigns its patients daily chores, such as rounding up chairs and making announcements. At Promises, cooking, cleaning and household tasks are handled by a paid staff, but patients volunteer regularly at a local soup kitchen.

"Everyone contributes," Henderson says. "It creates a social dynamic of accountability to oneself and one's peers, and aids in developing a positive self-identity and positive peer relationships."

Many Phoenix House patients abused methamphetamines, he says, so treatment programs are tailored to the specific needs of those addicts, who often have issues with learning retention.

Promises, on the other hand, serves an elite, specialized crowd: Very successful professionals. Their drugs of choice tend to be alcohol and prescription opiates, Sack says, and their problems are unique.

They're accustomed to a certain lifestyle (hence the luxury amenities) and to getting their way. They may also be public figures, facing the additional challenges fame can bring. And they may not really want to be there.

"Most who show up here have not made the conscious decision that they want treatment... They want to get someone off their back," Sack says, adding that work and legal problems are the most common precipitants. "The people who show up are, at best, ambivalent."

Therapists at both Promises and Phoenix House use a technique called motivational interviewing to help patients find their own reasons to stop using drugs. Though on opposite ends of the cost spectrum, both facilities use evidence-based methods to help their patients learn to enjoy healthy, drug-free lives.

Because all addicts, regardless of background or income, share some key things in common: Their condition has destroyed their self-worth, and perhaps their family and career, and they need care, understanding and hope as they work toward recovery — whether it's in a fancy facility or a simple one.

"People who share a problem want to socialize. They want to share their story and want to learn how others are solving it," Sack says. "People of means just don't want to share a bedroom."

___

Online:

Phoenix House: http://www.phoenixhouse.org

Promises: http://www.promises.com

Betty Ford Center: http://www.bettyfordcenter.org

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A Minute With: Bette Midler on New Year TV special (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – She has received four Grammys, four Golden Globes, three Emmys, and a Tony Award, and even after selling more than 30 million records, singer Bette Midler is still going strong.

For over 40 years, Midler has delighted audiences with her bawdy live performances, and on December 31, Midler will be ringing in the New Year on cable TV channel HBO with her special, "The Showgirl Must Go On," which is the live stage show she has been performing in recent years at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The special was taped in front of a packed house at Caesars. Midler, known as "The Divine Miss M," dons elaborate costumes and sings some of her best-known hits including "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" with her back-up singers, The Harlettes, and a 13-piece band.

Reuters spoke to Midler about the TV special, why being environmentally green is common sense and her love of books.

Q: How did you get in such great shape for the show?

A: "A year before we even started rehearsals, I started doing my warm-ups, getting on the treadmill again and lifting weights. It's fascinating to get on stage and run for an hour and a half, wringing wet at the end. And I loved every minute of it."

Q: You've had such a long and successful career. What do you think is the key to your success?

A: "I don't do everything that comes my way and I tend to do things in spurts. I'll be really busy and then just collapse, take a break for a year or two and then come roaring back. I'm not sure if that's how you achieve longevity, but I tend to sift through things and make sure they are things I really want to do."

Q: You did over 200 performances of your Las Vegas show. How do you keep a song fresh that's done night after night?

A: It's not so easy, but the crowds are different every night and every crowd becomes a beast of its own -- this huge monster that has to be wrangled and corralled. And you have to stay in tune with them. There's an ebb and flow between the crowd and the entertainer that really keeps you on your toes, and this changes with every performance. I think that's what keeps a song fresh.

Q: Are you working on any new projects?

A: No, this is one of the down times. Just looking around to see what's out there. It's a different world now, with the Internet, iTunes, YouTube, Twitter -- all this stuff which is so different from what I do and I really don't know where I fit in it. I feel if you can entertain a group of people live, you're really going to be okay, and I've always been able to do that. But I'm curious to see where I fit in in this new world, so I'm exploring my options.

Q: What's on your iPod?

A: I just love Teddy Pendergrass. I've always been a big fan. Also, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, "The Sound of Philadelphia" and Harry Nielson, "A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night," which is one of the most beautiful records ever made. And I listen to The Stones.

Q: You've been a pioneer in the now popular green movement, founding the nonprofit New York Restoration Project (www.nyrp.org). Why are you so passionate about it?

A: I feel our city has the right to be a beautiful, clean and green city. When I came back to New York City from California in 1995, I felt the city wasn't living up to its potential. So I started the New York Restoration Project with my own funds, surrounded myself with very good people and staff and we've been going strong for 15 years. We've been very lucky. We've had a tremendous outpouring of support from New Yorkers of all stripes, all colors and all ages.

Of all the things I've done, I have to say I'm proudest of the fact that we've raised awareness of people that live in the city. Mostly what I am doing is common sense. All green thought is based on common sense. If you want to survive then you have to make sure that the planet in which you live is healthy.

Q: If you weren't an actor, singer you'd be...

A: I think would probably own a bookstore. I really love books. They've been my friends my whole life. To be surrounded by wonderful books is a real treat every day.

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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SC gov-elect won't let Winfrey to interview Smith (AP)

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina's new governor won't grant Oprah Winfrey a prison interview she's been trying to get for a decade with a woman who drowned her two young sons.

Susan Smith is serving a life sentence for killing 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex in 1994 by strapping them into their car seats and driving the car into a pond. She has not been interviewed since being charged. On Wednesday's show, a Winfrey staffer said she has been trying to arrange an interview.

Winfrey suggested on the show that Gov.-elect Nikki Haley could change prison rules that prohibit media interviews.

Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey said Thursday that Winfrey won't get her wish. He says Smith got enough attention when she originally claimed she was carjacked before the truth came out.

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Discovery cancels Michael Jackson autopsy TV show (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Discovery television network on Friday said it canceled plans to air a reenactment of the autopsy on Michael Jackson's body, citing an upcoming court hearing and concern by the late pop star's estate.

The show, "Michael Jackson's Autopsy: What Really Killed Michael Jackson," had been set to air in several countries of western Europe and in the United Kingdom on January 13.

"Given the commencement of legal proceedings beginning next week, and at the request of Michael Jackson's estate, the scheduled broadcast of the medical documentary related to Michael Jackson's official autopsy has been postponed indefinitely," Discovery Networks International said in a statement.

A Discovery spokesman declined comment beyond the statement. Co-executors of the estate responded in their own statement saying they were "pleased" with the decision.

The "Thriller" singer died suddenly of a prescription drug overdose on June 25, 2009, age 50, only weeks before beginning a series of comeback concerts. An autopsy by Los Angeles officials showed Jackson died chiefly of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol that he used as a sleep aid.

Discovery's show, which was not scheduled to air in the United States, was an unofficial, fictional account of what the autopsy must have been like and its results.

But Jackson fans worldwide protested in an online petition launched earlier this month, and the co-executors of his estate sent a letter this week to Discovery Networks calling the program "insensitive" and "in shockingly bad taste."

A print advertisement for the program shows a body covered by a sheet, with one hand poking out wearing the singer's well-known sequined glove.

Following Discovery's decision, McClain and Branca released a statement saying, "we are hopeful that this show will never run in any market in the future."

"While Discovery cited legal proceedings and our request as the reasons for its decision, none of this would have happened had it not been for the incredible passion displayed by countless Michael Jackson fans worldwide who knew they stood as one and that their voices could not be ignored," the statement said.

Jackson's physician at the time of his death, Dr. Conrad Murray, has admitted giving the singer propofol, which is often used in surgery, and Murray has been charged by authorities with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.

Murray has pleaded not guilty, and a preliminary hearing to determine if enough evidence exists to make him stand trial begins in Los Angeles on January 4.

(Editing by Christine Kearney)

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