People talk 2/15/02

Singer ordered to pay for plagiarizing lyrics

LONDON -- Chart-topping singer Robbie Williams and his publisher must pay $71,000 in royalties to the owners of a song whose lyrics he plagiarized, a judge ruled Thursday.

Judge Nicholas Pumfrey rejected a request for more damages from Ludlow Music Inc., which holds the copyright to the Woody Guthrie song "I Am the Way."

The High Court ruled in October 2000 that Williams had copied substantial portions of the song for "Jesus in a Camper Van," a track from his 1998 album "I've Been Expecting You."

The original song, which Guthrie wrote in 1961 and Loudon Wainwright III adapted in 1973, included the lines: "Every Son of God gets a little hard luck sometimes, especially when he goes round saying he is the way."

The Williams song contained the line: "I suppose even the Son of God gets it hard sometimes, especially when he goes round saying I am the way."

Williams and his collaborators admitted using elements of the Wainwright version, and credited him on the album. But he and publisher EMI had not agreed to Ludlow's request for 50 percent of the song royalties. EMI had offered 25 percent instead. Ludlow fought the offer in court.

Kidman gets Australian accolade for 'Rouge'

LONDON -- London film critics have named Australian star Nicole Kidman actress of the year for her performance in the glitter-drenched musical "Moulin Rouge."

"Moulin Rouge" also was declared film of the year at the London Film Critics Circle Awards, held Wednesday.

Kidman has been nominated for an Oscar for her performance as a dying cabaret singer in Baz Luhrmann's lavish Parisian musical. "Moulin Rouge" also won Ewan McGregor the best British actor award. Judi Dench, an Oscar nominee for her performance as novelist Iris Murdoch in "Iris," was named best British actress, while her co-star, Jim Broadbent, was named best British supporting actor.

Helen Mirren took the award for best British actress in a supporting role for her performances as an efficient housekeeper in "Gosford Park" and a Cockney widow in "Last Orders."

X-rated star to give advice at synagogue

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- After appearing in hundreds of X-rated films, Nina Hartley now plans to share her sexual insight during a talk to an adult education class held by a religious group.

The star of "Debbie Duz Dishes" has agreed to speak at Temple Beth-Ami in Newhall about how couples can spice up their marriages and feel more comfortable with their sexuality.

"Sexual knowledge is sexual knowledge, and one way you learn it is when you do it," Hartley told the Daily News of Los Angeles. "And most people haven't done it as much as I have."

Rabbi Mark Blazer asked Hartley, who is Jewish, to speak as part of his congregation's adult education series after he met her through a mutual friend -- and later learned about her career as a porn star and sex educator.

Blazer said he invited Hartley because she is "very intelligent, articulate and passionate about people feeling comfortable with who they are sexually."

The rabbi said although he and Hartley disagree on sexual issues such as the importance of monogamy, they agree that healthy sexuality is an essential part of human life.

Latin jazz group stopped by Utah police for check

PAYSON, Utah -- Police stopped and searched a bus carrying a band from California after a convenience store clerk told officials the musicians had asked about security checkpoints near the Olympic Games.

Alma Melodioso from Angels Camp, Calif., a group scheduled to perform at the Olympic Plaza in Park City during the games, had stopped in Payson, 50 miles south of Salt Lake City, around noon Wednesday.

Utah Highway Patrol spokesman Doug McCleve said a store clerk called police after the group asked if there were security checkpoints between Payson and Salt Lake City.

--From wire reports