People talk 6/24/04

'60 Minutes' Rooney makes sexiest ballot

NEW YORK -- Many words come to mind when describing Andy Rooney. Opinionated. Cranky. Curmudgeonly. Sexy? Perhaps. The 85-year-old "60 Minutes" commentator is among the candidates on Playgirl magazine's online ballot for sexiest TV newscaster. Among the 18 men on the list: CNN's Bill Hemmer, MSNBC's Lester Holt and Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith. The "big three" network anchors -- Peter Jennings from ABC, Dan Rather from CBS and Tom Brokaw from NBC -- also are on the ballot.

Eric Clapton to auction guitars in fund raiser

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua -- Eric Clapton will auction off 56 of his guitars in New York today to raise money for a new drug treatment center in Antigua and Barbuda, a manager of his center said. Proceeds from the auction at Christie's will go toward the recently completed 16-bed Bevon House, a center for recovering patients that is an expansion of Clapton's Crossroads Center. Clapton, who overcame his own heroin addiction years ago, underwrote the Crossroads Center, which opened in 1998 in the Caribbean country where the guitarist has a home.

Joan Rivers will return to Vegas after nine years

LAS VEGAS -- Comedian and celebrity fashion critic Joan Rivers will return to Sin City for the first time in nine years, appearing for four nights at the Stardust hotel-casino. Rivers will be performing her "Can We Talk?" routine, a candid discussion about everyday life. The four-night engagement begins Wednesday. Rivers also will be host for an awards ceremony for the Stardust's Red Carpet Celebrity Slot Tournament, which is scheduled for today.

-- From wire reports