People talk 2/13/02

Spacey opts to take 'healthy break'

Kevin Spacey says he's taking a break from acting "for a while" to give full attention to his movie company, Trigger St. Productions.

"It can be more difficult to raise $2 million than $20 million," which an established filmmaker can command, Spacey said Monday at the Berlin International Film Festival. "It's my honor and responsibility to send the elevator back down."

He was at the festival to promote "The Shipping News," directed by Lasse Hallstrom and co-starring Judi Dench. The film is among the contenders for the festival's Golden Bear, which will be awarded on Feb. 17.

"I've been acting nonstop for four or five years, and taking a break is a healthy thing," the 42-year-old actor said.

No 'sissy pretzel' for President Bush

First lady Laura Bush told "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks changed the way the country views her husband.

Mrs. Bush greeted Leno with a pretzel the size of a small fist, telling him that her husband intends to practice "safe snacks" from now on.

Bush choked on a piece of pretzel in January and briefly lost consciousness, hitting his head on the floor when he fell from a couch in the White House.

"I know you've been doing a lot of jokes about a pretzel," Mrs. Bush said. "So I thought I would show everyone in the United States what the pretzel looked like."

Pointing to the pretzel, the first lady told Leno that it was easy to see how the incident could have happened.

"It isn't really a sissy pretzel," she said.