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Actor Roth prefers having good time

Tim Roth says he doesn't take his film roles as seriously as he did in the past.

"There is a tradition of ... where I have to beat myself up to play this character, whatever," Roth says. "I used to do all that."

Now he prefers to "have a really good fun time making up a character and then go home," or go out for a nice glass of wine, like he did while working on "The Musketeer" in the south of France.

"The Musketeer," now in theaters, also stars Justin Chambers and Mena Suvari.

Roth, 40, is General Thade in Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes," which is also in theaters. His other films include "Vatel" and "Pulp Fiction."

Carrey donating money to victims' familiesJim Carrey is donating $1 million to the families of victims of last week's terrorist attacks, his publicist said.

Carrey hopes the donation will encourage others to contribute as generously as they can, spokeswoman Marleah Leslie said Wednesday.

He hasn't yet decided which organization to make his donation through, she said.

Hootie and band return to alma matterHootie and the Blowfish will return to celebrate their alma mater's homecoming when the University of South Carolina plays Vanderbilt on Oct. 20.

They will perform at the Grandstand stadium on the State Fairgrounds.

The band's album "Cracked Rear View" launched Hootie and the Blowfish into pop stardom in 1994 and became the largest-selling debut record ever, selling more than 15 million copies. Alanis Morissette has since sold more records with her 1995 debut album "Jagged Little Pill."

Chubby Checker making beef jerkyThe man who introduced the nation to The Twist now has meatier goals.

Chubby Checker brought his new brand of beef jerky to several grocery stores Wednesday.

Fans had other things on the their minds, however. Checker spent most of his visit signing autographs, posing for pictures and chatting with fans.

"I went through the Twist, rock 'n' roll, the whole thing with him -- all the way," said retired truck driver Joe Deloa. "I'm ecstatic."

Checker debuted "The Twist" -- his cover of the song by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters -- in August 1960. The following month, the song had topped the charts, eventually selling more than a million copies.

His 1962 re-release of "The Twist" became the only single to hit No. 1 on U.S. charts on two separate occasions. He hit the Top 40 again with a rap version of "The Twist" in 1988.

Nicholas likes seeing girls with guitarsWhen Thomas Ian Nicholas isn't busy working on a film, he's recording songs for a solo album.

"I had done an album with a band like a few years ago," says Nicholas, who's appeared in the "American Pie" films.

"And now I'm working by myself and working with musicians from another band called Black on Blonde, that's like an up-and-coming rock band."

Nicholas says he'd loved to be backed up by a female guitarist.

"Nothing is sexier than girls playing musical instruments, especially guitar," the 21-year-old says. "I would definitely be into having a female musician in a band. That would be cool."

His upcoming films include "The Rules of Attraction" and "Halloween: The Homecoming."

-- From wire services