People talk 05/13/03

MTV renews Carson Daly's contract

NEW YORK -- Last call hasn't sounded yet for Carson Daly at MTV, which renewed the host's contract for two more years.

Daly has been the face of MTV since he started hosting the afternoon video countdown show "Total Request Live" in 1998. But he's appeared less frequently in the past couple of years as he's developed his late-night talk show, "Last Call with Carson Daly," on NBC.

The new contract, announced Monday, calls for the 29-year-old to continue hosting and serving as an executive producer on "TRL." He'll also host and sometimes produce special events, such as "Spring Break" and "Spankin' New Music Week." The cable channel declined to disclose financial details.

"Music will always be the epicenter of my business, so I'm thrilled and honored to be continuing my long-standing relationship with MTV," Daly said in a statement. "I look forward to the next two years and future with them, as they are family."

Before MTV, Daly worked on-air at several radio stations in his native California, including KROQ-FM in Los Angeles.

McCartney performs for fans outside Colosseum

ROME -- After performing an exclusive benefit concert inside the Colosseum, Paul McCartney played for hundreds of thousands of fans outside the ancient arena the next day.

Some people started staking out places in the hot sun early Sunday morning, 12 hours before the free concert started in an area flanking Rome's ancient forums. By performance time, Via dei Fori Imperiali -- a broad boulevard that cuts through the remains of Rome's ancient forums -- was jammed.

Against the backdrop of the Colosseum, which was bathed in colored light, the singer charmed the crowd, ranging from youngsters to those in their 60s who were among the Beatles' first fans.

The previous night, the 60-year-old McCartney played his acoustic guitar and sang Beatles classics, including "Yesterday" and "Hey Jude." A few hundred people paid up to $1,490 each for a ticket to the concert inside the Colosseum, which is rarely open for performances.

Profits for Saturday's show were going to Rome's archaeological offices and to Adopt-a-Minefield, the anti-landmines charity backed by the singer and his wife, Heather Mills. The event brought in just over $287,000.

Sizemore arrested on charges of intimidationLOS ANGELES -- Actor Tom Sizemore, who was charged in March with hitting and threatening a woman, was arrested for investigation of intimidating a witness.

Sizemore, who pleaded innocent to the March charges, was arrested after allegedly threatening the witness last week, police officer Adriana Sanchez said.

The 41-year-old actor was released Thursday after posting a $100,000 bond.

An emergency protection order also was issued Thursday, barring Sizemore from coming within 100 yards of the witness or contacting her, Frank Mateljan of the city attorney's office said Friday.

Police and city prosecutors wouldn't reveal the witness' name, but the television program Celebrity Justice reported that she's former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss, Sizemore's ex-fiancee.

Sizemore allegedly left messages on Fleiss' answering machine threatening to knock out her teeth, kill her and harm members of her family, Celebrity Justice reported.

His attorney, Robert Barta, didn't return a telephone call seeking comment.

At the time of his Thursday arrest, Sizemore was free on $2,500 bail, after pleading innocent to five misdemeanor charges -- domestic violence, battery, violating a restraining order, making criminal threats and dissuading a witness.

A woman told police on Dec. 7, 2002, that the actor had punched her in the face and threatened her. Officers went to an address the woman provided and took Sizemore into custody.

Actress Channing weds junior-high sweetheartATHERTON, Calif. -- Actress Carol Channing tied the knot with her junior-high school sweetheart over the weekend, decades after the two drifted apart.

Channing, 82, and Harry Kullijian, 83, were married Saturday. One of his friends noticed earlier this year that she had mentioned her one-time beau in her autobiography "Just Lucky, I Guess."

Kullijian's pal urged him to contact Channing, best known for her role in Broadway's "Hello, Dolly."

"You've got to call Carol tomorrow, Jan. 31," Kullijian's friend, Mervin Morris, told him. "It's her birthday."

"Call Carol?" Kullijian said, recalling his response. "I thought she was dead."

Channing certainly wasn't dead, and neither were her feelings for Kullijian. The two picked up where they'd left off decades earlier in San Francisco and soon were engaged.

It was the second marriage for Kullijian, whose wife died last year, and the fourth for Channing.

The ceremony took place at Morris' home in Atherton.

Fox: Doctors should 'care deeply' about research

MIAMI -- Michael J. Fox urged the next generation of doctors to "care deeply" about medical research that will advance the treatment of incurable diseases.

Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, addressed more than 130 graduates Saturday at the University of Miami Medical School's commencement ceremony.

"In the last few years, I've gone from talking to my agent on my cell phone to discussing cell biology with leading physicians," said Fox, 41. "I urge you as physicians to care deeply about these issues and add your voice and your vote into the public debate."

University of Miami President Donna Shalala, who sits on the board of Fox's foundation, presented him with the president's medal.

Fox, 41, announced in 1998 that he had Parkinson's, a disease marked by tremors, stiffness and imbalance. Since 2000, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has provided more than $20 million for Parkinson's research.

-- From wire reports