Entertainment briefs

Deen makes 1st public appearance in months

HOUSTON -- Celebrity cook Paula Deen fought back tears as she was greeted by a supportive crowd during an appearance at a Houston cooking show. Saturday's event was Deen's first public appearance since June when it was revealed that in an earlier legal deposition she acknowledged using racial slurs in the past. Within a few days the Food Network yanked her show off the air, Smithfield Foods dropped her as a celebrity endorser, and retailers such as Wal-Mart removed her products from shelves. The Houston Chronicle reported about 1,500 people gave Deen a standing ovation Saturday when she appeared at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show. She told them their hearts were "as big as your state." Deen held two cooking demonstrations, including tips on how to make peanut butter pie.

Rapper Gucci Mane arrested in Atlanta

ATLANTA -- Atlanta police have arrested rapper Gucci Mane on weapons and drug charges. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV said an Atlanta police report shows officers responded to a call shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday in southwest Atlanta from a friend of the rapper who was concerned about his behavior. The police report said Gucci Mane, whose real name is Radric Davis, became "increasingly agitated with officers and began cursing and threatening them."

The report said the 33-year-old rapper was checked out at an Atlanta hospital and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, disorderly conduct and marijuana possession.