People talk 5/16/03

Late musician's guitar collection auctioned off

LONDON -- Guitars and other memorabilia once owned by John Entwistle, the late bass guitarist of The Who, sold for more than $1.6 million at auction.

The total paid for the 350 lots offered was more than twice what had been expected, Sotheby's auction house said Tuesday. The collection included 150 guitars, drawings, clothing, rare posters, paintings, guitar cases and jewelry.

Entwistle, who died last June at 57, was one of the founding members of The Who, along with singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend and drummer Keith Moon.

The highest-selling item from the collection was a rare Gibson Explorer guitar, which sold for $152,000.

The Who became one of the biggest bands of the 1960s and 1970s, with hits including "Pinball Wizard" and the albums "Tommy," "Who's Next" and "Quadrophenia."

Singer's concert set for Saturday broadcast

NEW YORK -- Norah Jones fans who couldn't quite make it down to lower Manhattan to see the Grammy-winner perform during the Tribeca Film Festival can catch her in concert on MTV and VH1.

"100 Percent NYC: A Concert Celebrating the Tribeca Film Festival" is scheduled to air simultaneously on both cable music channels at 8 p.m. EDT Saturday.

The show took place in Battery Park during the annual festival, which ran May 3-11. The Roots, Sean Paul, Robbie Williams and Jewel also performed, along with comedians Wanda Sykes, Denis Leary and Jimmy Fallon.

Russian police prevent t.A.t.U. from filming video

MOSCOW -- Police barred the Russian girl pop duo t.A.t.U. from filming their new video Thursday in Red Square, where several hundred fans showed up to act as extras.

Many dressed in the schoolgirl uniforms favored by their heroes to appear in the band's video for the Eurovision song contest.

"It looks like Russia does not care for t.A.t.U. representing its country," said Ivan Shapovalov, the duo's producer, after failing to persuade police to let the filming go ahead.

t.A.t.U., whose sexy outfits and flirtation with lesbianism made headlines around the world, had an international hit with "All the Things She Said." They became the first Russian band to break through the tough British singles chart.

Shapovalov created t.A.t.U. in 1999 to be deliberately provocative and to fill what he saw as a gap in the teenage band market.

Madonna and husband involved in lawsuit

LOS ANGELES -- A judge heard arguments about whether a breach of contract lawsuit against Madonna and her husband should be thrown out of court because an opposing lawyer missed a hearing.

The lawsuit alleges that Madonna and her director husband, Guy Ritchie, broke a contract involving their film flop "Swept Away" when they didn't compensate the person who claims he brought them the idea.

Superior Court Judge Soussan G. Bruguera didn't indicate Wednesday when she would rule on the possible dismissal. The judge also considered a request that attorney Morris Getzels pay more than $1,000 to compensate opposing lawyers for the cost of appearing at an April 1 hearing that he failed to attend.

Getzels represents Vincent D'Onofrio -- not the actor -- who filed the lawsuit in October.

The lawsuit alleges that D'Onofrio brought Madonna and Ritchie the idea of remaking Lina Wertmuller's 1974 film about a rich woman and a sailor who are stranded together on an island. The lawsuit claims he was denied credit and compensation.

Crime novelist donates money to 'body farm'

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Best-selling crime novelist Patricia Cornwell has paid about $23,000 for a new fence around the University of Tennessee's forensic research center, known as "the body farm."

Cornwell often seeks technical advice from Dr. William Bass, founder of the research center. The fence was damaged last fall during a helicopter flight while Cornwell was in Knoxville to do research for a new book.

Dr. Richard Jantz, director of the center, said the school is grateful for the gift.

"Security at the facility is an important consideration," he said. "As in any research laboratory, there are experiments in progress that must be protected and carefully monitored."