People talk 12/21/03

Lawsuit settled between Studdard, Flava Inc.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard has settled his lawsuit against the makers of a hip-hop clothing maker. Studdard's attorney, Byron Perkins, wouldn't release details of the settlement with 205 Flava Inc. Studdard filed the lawsuit in August. Studdard wore jerseys emblazoned with 205 -- the area code of his hometown, Birmingham -- while he competed on Fox network's "American Idol" last spring. But 205 Flava's owners said they secretly paid Studdard to wear the jerseys on "American Idol," despite the program's ban on such deals.

Synagogue's program features kosher king

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- This year's Hanukkah program at Beth Sholom Synagogue featured a uniquely Memphis touch -- telling the story of the holiday of lights through retooled versions of Elvis Presley's hits. The synagogue featured an Elvis impersonator and students from Solomon Schechter Day School singing "Blue Suede Jews" and "Heartbreak Kotel," a reference to Jerusalem's Western Wall that's also known as the Kotel Ha Maarvai.

French actress to be honored at film festival

MONTREAL -- French film star Isabelle Adjani has already marked her calendar for next year, when she will be honored with a tribute at the Montreal World Film Festival.

The festival will be Aug. 26-Sept. 6. Adjani's films include "The Story of Adele H.," "Possession," "Camille Claudel" and "La Reine Margot."-- From wire reports

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NEW YORK-- Tim McGraw said he started to look at his career a little differently after he became a father.

"You look back at the high points in your career, after having children, you start judging those high points according to what your children get to see and experience," the 36-year-old country singer says.

One such high point was performing at the recent Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway. McGraw, his wife, Faith Hill, and their three young daughters went along for the show -- and took a vacation in Norway.

"To be able to travel like this and the kids to see things like this, it's pretty amazing," McGraw said.

The Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2003 will air today at 5 p.m. on the A&E cable channel, hosted by Michael Douglas and his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones. The concert was held in honor of 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi of Iran.

"Coming from a small town in Louisiana, where I grew up, after all the things that I've done in my career to be asked to do something like this is pretty spectacular," McGraw said recently, according to AP Radio.

"The caliber of the artists, and just the event itself, is one of the most amazing things I think there is in the world."

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NEW YORK -- Who will be the world's favorite pop superstar?

On "World Idol," a two-part special airing the evenings of Christmas and New Year's Day, "American Idol" Kelly Clarkson will compete in London with winners from 10 other countries including Germany, South Africa, England, Canada and Poland.

The program will air at 7 p.m. on Christmas Day and 8 p.m. on New Year's Day. Elton John will perform on the final-results show, the Fox network Web site said Friday. Fox is the home of "American Idol."

Viewers worldwide will have the chance to vote.

The competitors are all winners of the first season of the "Idol" series in their respective countries -- making second-season U.S. winner Ruben Studdard ineligible, the network has said.

The third season of "American Idol" will premiere Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. Special episodes also will air on Jan. 20 and 21, according to Fox.

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NEW YORK -- Retired New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens and Yankees coach Willie Randolph will play themselves in an upcoming episode of the ABC sitcom "Hope & Faith."

The episode, titled "Charley's Baseball," is scheduled to air early next year. The plot: Charley (Ted McGinley) has a baseball autographed by Clemens. When it's destroyed by Justin (Paulie Litt), Hope (Faith Ford) and Faith (Kelly Ripa) pose as reporters who sneak into the locker room trying to find Clemens. When discovered by security, the women must hide out in the players' whirlpool tubs.

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Janet Jackson will be the featured performer during the halftime show at the 2004 Super Bowl, set for Feb. 1 in Houston.

"There is no bigger spectacle than the Super Bowl," the singer said in a statement Thursday. "It's a unique and exciting experience that I have looked forward to for many years."

The Super Bowl will air on CBS. The halftime show, sponsored by America Online, will be produced by MTV. CBS and MTV are owned by Viacom Inc.

MTV produced the halftime show for the 2001 Super Bowl, which also aired on CBS and featured Aerosmith, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Nelly and Mary J. Blige.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Former track star Carl Lewis was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $500 after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor speeding charge.

Lewis also was ordered to attend 20 meetings of either Alcoholics Anonymous or Mothers Against Drunk Driving, perform 200 hours of community service and attend 32 hours of a state-approved alcohol education program.

He initially faced drunken driving charges, but those were dismissed, Frank Mateljan of the city attorney's office said Friday.

The charge stemmed from an early morning crash on April 21. Authorities said the nine-time Olympic gold medalist lost control of his 2004 Maserati and struck a wall on the side of the Harbor Freeway.

Authorities said a breath test administered at a police station showed a blood-alcohol reading of 0.08 percent, the minimum level at which a driver is considered intoxicated under California law.

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