Chuck Reed, Brother of Atlanta Mayor and www.griotsfireproductions.com debuts theatrical presentation of Eugene O'Neill's classic, "A Long Day's Journey Into Night at Atlanta" 14th Street Playhouse, Stage 2 on March 24.

 

NFL owners lock out players

There is no more overtime in labor negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Talks for a new collective bargaining agreement fell apart Friday, leading the players' union to move to decertify. Soon after, once the CBA expired at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, the NFL owners as expected locked out the players, officially triggering the league's first work stoppage in 24 years. "The union's abandonment of bargaining has forced the clubs to take action they very much wanted to avoid," the NFL announced in a statement Saturday. "At the recommendation of the Management Council Executive Committee ... the league has informed the union that it is taking the difficult but necessary step of exercising its right under federal labor law to impose a lockout of the union." By decertifying, the NFLPA has renounced bargaining rights with the league and is now categorized as a "trade association" of current and former players.

'Merry Little Christmas' songwriter Martin dies

Hugh Martin, the composer-songwriter whose works included "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song,"  he was 96. Martin and songwriting partner Ralph Blane co-wrote such catchy tunes as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Trolley Song" and "The Boy Next Door" from the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis."  He wrote about his exploits in show business in his 2010 autobiography, "Hugh Martin: The Boy Next Door." Martin is survived by his brother Gordon Martin; nephews Gordon Martin Jr. and Hugh Martin III; and nieces Hanners and Lua Martin Wells.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Split

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are no longer a couple. Biel is keeping her house in L.A. and she and Timberlake, who started dating in 2007, will remain friends. Reps for the couple released a statement Thursday, confirming the split: "Addressing the media speculation regarding Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake's relationship, we are confirming that they mutually have decided to part ways. The two remain friends and continue to hold the highest level of love and respect for each other."



Jewel 'fine' after accident

A spokeswoman for Jewel says the pregnant country singer was involved in an auto accident but appears to be fine after being checked out at a hospital. Nicole Perez-Krueger said in an e-mail that hospital tests indicate that Jewel and the fetus are healthy. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the singer and Erath County Commissioner Jim Pack were involved in the two-vehicle collision Friday at a rural intersection in Stephenville. The agency says Pack was driving a fire department truck with his lights and siren on while on his way to a grass fire. Perez-Kreuger says the fire truck struck Jewel's vehicle. The accident is being investigated. Jewel and her rodeo champion husband, Ty Murray, live in Texas.

D'Angelo Settles Case From New York Arrest

R&B star D'Angelo has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct stemming from an arrest in New York last year. The Brown Sugar singer, real name Michael Archer, was taken into custody after allegedly soliciting an undercover police officer he mistook for a prostitute. He initially pleaded not guilty to the crime and vowed to fight the charge, and he can now put the case behind him for good after reaching an agreement with authorities. D'Angelo, 37, appeared in a Manhattan court on Friday and entered his plea for the lesser charge of disorderly conduct. Prosecutors claim the offense is a violation, not a crime, and state that the star has satisfied their conditions, although they have refused to go into detail about the settlement,

David & Victoria Beckham Expecting a Girl

The soccer star, 35, announced the news at an L.A. Galaxy fan luncheon, ESPN reports. "Obviously, we're very lucky to be expecting again, and this is the first time I'm going to say it: It's a little girl," Beckham shared.  "We're still in shock. Obviously, having three boys, you kind of expect another one, so finding out a little girl is in there is surprising, but, obviously, we are over the moon," he added. "Our three boys are happy and excited, and Victoria is doing well." "We know what to do with boys," said the mother of sons Cruz, 6, Romeo, 8½, and Brooklyn, 12. "But, if it's a girl, we'd be over the moon as well."


Tony Danza Files For Divorce
"Who's The Boss?" star, Tony Danza has filed for divorce from his wife of 24 years, Tracy Robinson.  The couple has been separated since 2006. "Irreconcilable differences" were cited for the split. The couple have two daughters together: Katherine, 24, and Emily, 18. Danza also has one son, Marc, 40, from a previous marriage


'Wire' actress arrested in Baltimore raid
Actress Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, who once dealt drugs in Baltimore before a chance encounter got her a role on HBO's "The Wire," was arrested overnight during a series of raids in her hometown. A five-month drug trafficking investigation, dubbed "Public Enemies," focused on heroin and marijuana distribution. It targeted 79 people; 63 were arrested in the raids. The U.S. Attorney's Office said 24 people face drug charges at the federal level, and 40 more face similar charges at the state level, including Pearson. A federal indictment alleges that the conspirators mainly obtained heroin and marijuana from suppliers in New York and California.



Richard Hatch Goes Back to Jail

Hatch was convicted in 2006 of failing to pay taxes on the $1 million prize he won on the debut season of “Survivor,” the CBS reality TV show. He was released from prison in 2009 and began serving a three-year term of supervised release.  He was ordered to file amended tax returns for 2000 and 2001 as a condition of his release, which Hatch has failed to do. A judge this month found Hatch in violation of his supervised release but postponed a punishment until he could hear more arguments from both sides.  Hatch, who owes about $1.7 million in back taxes, has said he didn’t refile his taxes because he has an appeal pending with the U.S. Tax Court. His lawyer also is scheduled to submit her sentencing recommendation sometime Monday, and U.S. District Judge William Smith has said he’ll schedule a sentencing after he receives the arguments.

Sarah Palin reacts to Moore, Griffin roles

HBO recently announced that Julianne Moore will be portraying the former Vice-Presidential candidate in their upcoming film, "Game Change." It will be based on Mark Halperin and John Heileman's book regarding the 2008 presidential elections, which paints the politician in a less than flattering light. "I think I'll just grit my teeth and bear whatever comes what may with that movie," Palin tells Fox News regarding the film.  As for Moore's role, Palin thinks the actress may owe her a favor. "Well, I am all about job creation," she says. "I guess I could provide some of these gals who pretend like they're me some job security." Adding, "I would ask, though, that -- if they're of the mind of spreading the wealth around -- that perhaps they want to spring for one of my kid's braces or something as they capitalize on pretending to be me."

TV NEWS

Troubled star Tom Sizemore has landed his first starring role in nearly a decade, opposite Ethan Hawke in Fox’s CIA drama Exit Strategy.

Steve Carell's exit from "The Office" is expected to air on Thursday, April 28th. That's the first night of May sweeps, when the networks load up on events and special episodes. Guest star, Will Ferrell will appear on the April 14th, 21st and 28th episodes. He will continue to appear for one more episode after Dunder Mifflin loses Michael Scott. The season finale airs May 19th. 

 

While Rob Lowe's name has been kicked around as a replacement for Charlie Sheen in "Two and a Half Men", you can forget it.  Lowe has a multi-year agreement to star on NBC's "Parks and Recreation".

The lead in the NBC drama pilot Playboy has been recast: CSI: Miami alum Eddie Cibrian is in and Jeff Hephner, who landed the part last week after a marathon of auditions, is out. The decision was made after the pilot’s table read. Sources close to the show say that Hephner, who had never played a lead on a series before, was great in the tests but ultimately the part just wasn’t a good fit. Cibrian is expected start immediately as Playboy is slated to begin filming in Chicago on Tuesday. The potential series is set at the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963. It centers on Nick Dalton (Cibrian), described as “the ultimate playboy.” He is an attorney in Chicago and a Keyholder at the glamorous, exclusive Playboy Club. A fixer who knows how to make problems disappear, he has mysterious ties to the mob.

Kate Gosselin and all the kids are coming back to TLC starting April 4th. That episode takes the family traveling 21 hours to Australia. Kate will swim with the sharks

Paget Brewster has firmed up her post-Criminal Minds career plans: The fan fave has signed to play the female lead in NBC’s comedy pilot My Life as an Experiment. Produced by Jack Black, Experiment chronicles the adventures of gonzo magazine journalist A.J. Wilder (comedian Jon Dore) and how his unique profession impacts his home life. Brewster will play Stacie, A.J.’s feisty lawyer wife.

Fox has pushed back its big-budget prehistoric adventure-drama Terra Nova until fall. Originally slated to debut via a special two-night sneak peek in May, the Steven Spielberg-produced series will now premiere in the fall. The show’s ambitious visual effects are being blamed for the delay.

This is going to put a serious crimp in Teddy and Henry’s “marriage” on Grey’s Anatomy: Scott Foley is set to play Christine Lahti’s son in the CBS drama pilot The Doctor. Foley — who is currently recurring as Kim Raver’s spouse of convenience on the ABC hit — will costar on Doctor as David, a cocky cardiologist and the son of Lahti’s lead character.

Nickelodeon has greenlit a fourth season of the hit series Yo Gabba Gabba. Production on the kiddie fave’s 13 new episodes begins this summer.

Charlie Sheen's Home Raided

Law enforcement executed a pre-arranged raid on the home of Charlie Sheen after they received a call Thursday that Charlie threatened to harm himself with a firearm. Under the restraining order obtained by Brooke Mueller, Charlie is prohibited from possessing weapons.  Officers were looking for firearms and ammunition. It was reported that Charlie, his lawyers, and several friends were at the dining room table eating hamburgers when the police arrived. He was not placed on a 5150/Involuntary Psychiatric Hold as previously reported.  Brooke is not the only ex-wife trying to keep her kids from Charlie Sheen. Denise Richards is upset because Charlie wants 7-year-old Sam to come over to his house this weekend to celebrate her birthday. Denise is scoffing at the invitation and says Sam isn't going, nor are any of her friends.

Megan Fox goes straight to DVD

It looks like Megan Fox's big-screen career has suffered another blow. Her movie "Passion Play" is bypassing theaters and heading directly to DVD. The flick, which also stars Mickey Rourke and Bill Murray, is due out on May 31. In "Passion Play," the pouty-lipped starlet sports copious amounts of cleavage and a pair of wings while playing a carnival sideshow attraction who comes between Rourke's grizzled jazz trumpeter and Murray's mob boss. The Mitch Glazer-helmed neo-crime noir fantasy, described in the press materials as a "gritty and unpredictable tale of redemption," debuted last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival to mostly negative word of mouth and more than a few walkouts.