LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The latest 3-D animated movie involves the possible extinction of the human race and features a mad scientist with the head of a cockroach, a prehistoric half-ape/half-fish, a 50-foot-tall woman (OK, 49-foot-11), and a blue brainless blob named B.O.B.

The Missing Link, Ginormica, the blue blob B.O.B. and Insectosaurus dominate "Monsters vs. Aliens."

And they're the good guys.

Reese Witherspoon leads the cast of "Monsters vs. Aliens," providing the voice of Susan, who is hit by a glowing meteorite on her wedding day. Before long she's grown into the biggest thing around. The short-statured Oscar winner relished the chance to play not only a giant, but also a role model.

"I was walking with my son and my daughter the other day, and I was like 'Who's your favorite superhero?' " Witherspoon said. "And my son was like ... 'Batman, Superman, Spiderman,' and he could name 20 guy superheroes.

"And so I said to my daughter, 'Who's your favorite superhero?' And she goes 'I don't know, the girl in the back of the Justice League? I can't remember her name.' " So the idea of showcasing a female superhero, Witherspoon said, has the actress "really excited."

Kiefer Sutherland, who plays General W.R. Monger, sees the film as helping kids embrace their diversity.

"I love the idea that they were gonna make a film that was going to tell young people that it's all right to be different," Sutherland said. His military veteran character captures Susan, renames her "Ginormica," and locks her up with the other "monsters" he's collected over half a century. "And not only is it all right to be different, that one thing that may make you feel awkward about being different might be your greatest asset."

Those assets become apparent when an alien invader (voiced by Rainn Wilson of "The Office") decides he wants Earth, and the monsters -- Ginormica, Dr. Cockroach ("House" star Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Will Arnett), and the gelatinous B.O.B. (Seth Rogen) -- are called upon to save the planet.

The film, which also features the voices of Stephen Colbert and Paul Rudd, opens Friday.

Most of the cast had previous experience in animation voiceover -- last year, Rogen was featured in "Kung Fu Panda," and he and Arnett were heard in "Horton Hears A Who!" -- but it was the first time for Wilson.

"They called me and they said 'They're interested in you for this, playing an evil alien warlord,' and I was like 'Where do I sign?' " he said with a chuckle.

It was a welcome change of pace for Sutherland, who recorded his voice tracks for "Monsters" while he was filming the uber-intense "24."

"So, for five days a week I'm very serious in the '24' world, and then for five hours on the weekend I got to be 5 years old and just play a cartoon character" -- a character he says he saw as a combination of R. Lee Ermey's intense gunnery sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket" and that 'toon terror, Yosemite Sam.

"We combined these voices and the producers laughed, which is generally a pretty good sign," Sutherland said.

Sutherland may have been inspired by the classics, but the 3-D aspect of "Monsters" is as modern as movie technology gets. Under the command of DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg (whom Witherspoon and Sutherland respectfully called "Mr. Katzenberg"), the film was conceived from the beginning as a 3-D project. One early scene uses the process to bounce a paddleball out at the audience, but for the most part, the effect is used immersively, to bring viewers into the "Monsters" world.

"You really feel like you

What is the movie about?
What is voiced by Witherspoon?
What are the names of the other actors?
What is Monsters vs. Aliens about?
What is the name of the lead actress?

Answer: the possible extinction of the

Answer: Susan,

Answer: (Seth Rogen)

Answer: human race

Answer: Reese Witherspoon

Summary:
"Monsters vs. Aliens" is about motley group of misfits who team up to defeat alien .
Monsters are led by almost 50-foot woman, voiced by Reese Witherspoon .
Witherspoon says she hopes character can be role model for girls .
Other actors lending talents: Seth Rogen, Kiefer Sutherland, Will Arnett .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The legal battle between Miss California USA pageant officials and former beauty queen Carrie Prejean ended Tuesday with an agreement to drop their claims, according to a pageant spokesman. The pageant has dropped its lawsuit filed last month demanding Prejean repay $5,200 given her for breast implants, publicist Kenn Henman said. Prejean, in exchange, withdrew her suit accusing the pageant of violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were fake, he said. Details of the agreement were not immediately available, he said Tuesday afternoon. "We are moving forward from the past and looking towards the crowning of two winners and the new look of the upcoming Miss California USA pageant," pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis said in a written statement. The public fight began last April when Prejean, 22, stepped into controversy by declaring her opposition to same-sex marriage while answering a judge's question at the Miss USA pageant. Prejean finished as first runner-up. While state and national pageant officials publicly supported her initially, their opinions eventually changed after she continued to make public statements about same-sex marriage. She held onto her crown through May -- despite a series of questionable photos that emerged on gossip Web sites. She was dethroned in June by Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump amid growing complaints by state officials that she was uncooperative and not meeting her contractual obligations. Prejean filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August, claiming that her firing was religious discrimination because of her stand against same-sex marriage. The pageant's countercomplaint said Prejean's belligerent behavior, lack of cooperation and contract breaches caused her firing, not her opposition to same-sex marriage. Prejean also claimed pageant officials violated her privacy by acknowledging to reporters that her breasts were fake. The truth about Prejean's breasts "ceased being private during the swimsuit competition of the nationally televised Miss USA pageant, in which Ms. Prejean walked the stage in a bikini," pageant lawyers said in their countersuit filed in October. State pageant officials say they loaned the money for the breast surgery under an oral agreement with Prejean and she never repaid them. The group also asked a judge to give them any profits from Prejean's tell-all book due out this month, which they claim was written in violation of her pageant contract. One thing they all agreed on was that Prejean needed bigger breasts if she was to be competitive in the national pageant in April, the pageant's filing said. "Ms. Prejean disclosed that she had been thinking about and wanting to have breast augmentation surgery for some time, but did not have the money to pay for it," the filing said. "She felt that if she had the surgery, in her opinion, she would be more competitive for the Miss USA pageant." After pageant officials agreed to loan her the money, Prejean underwent breast augmentation in January, the pageant filing said. The court documents gave an inside look at the hostile relationship between Prejean, California pageant officials and Trump. After the Miss USA pageant, "With her new-found notoriety, an inflated sense of self, and the lure of financial gain available to her, Ms. Prejean turned even further against the Miss California USA organization, abandoned her obligations as the Miss California USA titleholder, and violated multiple provisions of the contract which governed her reign," the pageant filing said.

What did the pageant confirm to reporters?

Prejean, withdrew suit accusing pageant of what?

What did Prejean's suit accuse the pageant of?

How much money was the pageant demanding be repaid

How much was Carrie Prejean asked to repay?

What did the pageant allegedly confirm to reporters

What operation did  Carrie Prejean have?

Answer: fake,

Answer: her breasts were fake,

Answer: Carrie Prejean

Answer: violating her privacy

Answer: violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were fake,

Answer: $5,200

Answer: $5,200

Answer: her breasts were fake,

Answer: breast implants,

Summary:
Pageant dropped lawsuit demanding Carrie Prejean repay $5,200 for her breast implants .
Prejean, in exchange, withdrew suit accusing pageant of violating her privacy .
Suit had said Pageant confirmed to reporters that Prejean's breasts were fake .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The man who police say dressed as Santa Claus and killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party may have also had plans to kill his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney, police said Monday night. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a shooting rampage in a Los Angeles suburb on Wednesday, police say. Prime suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who police said committed suicide hours after he went on a shooting rampage and started a raging house fire in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina, left a rental car with a gasoline canister outside the home of attorney Scott Nord, said Pat Buchanan of the Covina Police Department. Police previously said that Pardo targeted his rampage at his former wife, Sylvia Ortega Pardo, and her family at the family's Christmas Eve party. A divorce between the two was finalized in court on December 18 in a "somewhat contentious proceeding," Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said last week. Police believe Pardo planned to carry out a similar attack at Nord's house as he did at the shooting and house fire that claimed nine lives. Another rented car that Pardo used to flee the scene was found booby-trapped after the shooting, police said. That car burned as the Covina bomb squad was trying to disconnect an explosive device in it, police said. On Saturday, Covina police released the names of the nine people unaccounted for since the shooting and fire. Nine bodies were recovered from the rubble of the house, but authorities said that they are having to work with dental records to establish identities. "The bodies were so badly burned they cannot be identified any other way," said Covina police Lt. Pat Buchanan. The nine unaccounted for include Sylvia Pardo, her parents, her sister, her two brothers, both brothers' wives, and a nephew. Ages of the nine range from 17 to 80, police said. On Monday night, police said Pardo's mother had also planned to attend the Christmas party, but didn't go because she was sick. Pardo had a contentious relationship with his mother, according to Buchanan, because she attended the couple's divorce hearing and had sided with Pardo's ex-wife. The shooting and fire left 10 children orphaned and three others lost one parent. An "Ortega Family Fund" has been set up at Nord's law offices.

How many children were left orphaned because of what happened?

Who was the original target on this hit list?

Who was the person that Bruce Jeffrey Pardo wanted to kill the most?

Answer: The man who

Answer: 10

Answer: 10

Answer: Los Angeles suburb of Covina,

Answer: his former wife, Sylvia Ortega Pardo, and her family

Answer: 10 children

Answer: Sylvia Ortega

Answer: 10

Answer: Bruce Jeffrey Pardo

Answer: his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney,

Summary:
Police say Bruce Jeffrey Pardo had hit list after divorce proceedings were final .
Original target was Pardo's ex-wife, police say, but attorney, mom also targets .
Shooting and fire left 10 children orphaned and three others lost one parent .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The memorial service for singer Michael Jackson cost the city of Los Angeles $1.4 million, the mayor's office said Wednesday. A donation page on the City of Los Angeles' Web site has crashed several times since its launch yesterday. Costs included putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more for the Tuesday event, spokeswoman Sarah Hamilton said. Three thousand police officers -- almost one-third of the Los Angeles police force -- were on hand to ensure the Jackson events proceeded smoothly, Los Angeles Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell, said Tuesday. The city, which is $530 million in debt, set up a Web page asking Jackson fans to donate money to help with the expenses. On Tuesday morning, hundreds of donors contributed more than $17,000 through the Web site. But then, the high volume of traffic caused it to crash frequently and for long periods of time, the mayor's office said. The city, therefore, was unable to collect contributions for several hours on Tuesday. The site also crashed for 12 hours, beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday -- and again, periodically throughout Wednesday morning, the office said. Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich does not want taxpayers to pay a penny for the service, his spokesman said Wednesday. "The city attorney does not want something like this happening again, the city paying [the initial costs] for a private event," spokesman John Franklin said. "That's especially in a cash-strapped city, where people have been furloughed or even lost jobs." During the Los Angeles Lakers championship parade this year, nearly 2,000 police were called in, at a cost of $2 million. The Lakers and private donors reimbursed the city for most of the expenses. Michael Roth, spokesman for AEG, which owns Staples Center and put on the event, could not be reached for comment.

where Site raised $17,000 before crashing on Tuesday due to high volume?

Site raised how much money before crashing?

what City set up Web page asking Jackson fans to donate money?

Answer: City of Los Angeles' Web

Answer: Three thousand

Answer: putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more for the Tuesday event,

Answer: Three thousand

Answer: putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more

Answer: $17,000

Answer: Los Angeles'

Answer: $17,000

Summary:
Costs included extra police, sanitation, traffic control for Tuesday's memorial service .
3,000 police officers -- about one-third of the force -- were on hand for the event .
City set up Web page asking Jackson fans to donate money to help with expenses .
Site raised $17,000 before crashing on Tuesday due to high volume .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The newly named lawyer for Michael Jackson's children makes her first court appearance Monday as a judge decides if he'll approve a contract between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live. Michael Jackson's estate will be the subject of a court hearing today. Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, who has custody of the three children, objected to provisions of the deal that would give AEG Live a share of rights to video of her son's final rehearsals. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff appointed estate law expert Margaret Lodise last week to represent the children after he decided their interests might sometimes conflict with their grandmother's. Despite warnings by estate lawyers that a delay could cost millions of dollars, Beckloff delayed his decision on the AEG Live contract one week to give the children's new lawyer time to weigh in on the deal. The contract would provide for an exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that would travel to at least three cities, according to Kathy Jorrie, a lawyer for concert promoter AEG Live. "The longer we wait, the more time passes, frankly, the less interest there will be on the part of the public to come see it," Jorrie said. The judge has already approved a contract to allow Columbia Pictures to use video that AEG Live shot of Jackson's last rehearsals for a documentary due out this fall. Columbia is a division of Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures said it would deliver the movie -- "This Is It" -- to theaters starting October 30 "with the full support of the estate of Michael Jackson." Court papers filed last week revealed that Columbia Pictures would pay a minimum of $60 million for the rights to make the Jackson movie. Katherine Jackson's lawyers, while endorsing the movie deal, have objected to terms given to AEG, saying they are too generous to the company. Jackson's lawyers objected to the estate's agreement to let AEG recover all its expenses from that money, then take 10 percent of the remainder. It also gives the company a perpetual share of the profits from the video rights. AEG Live's lawyer said the company had made many concessions to the estate and could not make more. The judge previously has said he might approve the contracts even over Katherine Jackson's objection. Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's older brother, told CNN's Larry King recently that he likes the deals, which he said could bring in nearly $100 million into the estate. Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson's three children are the main beneficiaries of the estate, which is controlled by Jackson's former lawyer, John Branca, and longtime Jackson friend and music executive John McClain. Branca and McClain were named in Jackson's will as executors. Katherine Jackson is considering a challenge of their control of the estate.

What are Katherine Jackson's objections?

What do the children of Michael Jackson need an attorney for?

What does Katherine Jackson have objections about?

Answer: objected to provisions of the deal that would give AEG Live a share of rights to video of her son's final rehearsals.

Answer: estate law expert Margaret Lodise

Answer: their interests might sometimes conflict with their grandmother's.

Answer: Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson,

Answer: decides if he'll approve a contract between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live.

Answer: concert promoter

Answer: to terms given to AEG,

Answer: Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson,

Summary:
Judge appointed attorney for interests of Michael Jackson's children .
Discussion between estate, AEG Live is ongoing .
Executors have deal in mind, Katherine Jackson has expressed objections .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The nude body of a former swimsuit model found last weekend in Orange County was identified through her breast implants' serial number, two law enforcement sources said Friday. An arrest warrant has been issued for Ryan Alexander Jenkins, wanted in the death of Jasmine Fiore. An arrest warrant alleging murder was issued Thursday for Ryan Alexander Jenkins, a reality TV contestant whom Jasmine Fiore, 28, married in March. CNN has not confirmed reports that the marriage was annulled. Fiore's body was found Saturday in a Dumpster behind an apartment complex in Buena Park, just outside Anaheim, California. Her teeth had been extracted and fingers removed in what police said was an apparent attempt to conceal her identity. Fiore lived in Los Angeles and was last seen alive Friday in San Diego at a poker game with Jenkins, a reality TV contestant. "We believe he has crossed into Canada," U.S. Marshals Chief Inspector Thomas Hession told reporters. Prosecutors requested bail be set at $10 million.  Reality contestant charged » Jenkins is believed to be armed, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Thursday. "There's a handgun missing from his apartment, which is the last place he was before he fled," he said. Jenkins matched the description of a man seen driving a boat Wednesday in Blaine Marina off northwest Washington, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said. Blaine, Washington, borders Canada. Authorities searched the area and found Jenkins' black SUV with an empty boat trailer at the Blaine Marina, police said. Jenkins reported Fiore missing Saturday night to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, authorities said. The body was identified Monday as Fiore. While the cause of death had not been confirmed, a preliminary coroner's report indicated she was strangled. According to court records in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jenkins was charged in June with battery for allegedly striking Fiore in the arm with his fist. In 2007, Jenkins pleaded guilty in Calgary, Alberta, to assault in a separate case. He was sentenced to 15 months probation, ordered to undergo counseling for domestic violence and sex addiction and to stay away from the person involved, according to court records. Jenkins, who appeared on the VH1 show "Megan Wants a Millionaire," is from Calgary. 51Minds, which produced "Megan Wants a Millionaire," said Thursday in a written statement that it "was not aware of Ryan Jenkins' record when it cast him." "The company did have in place what it thought was a thorough vetting process that involved complete background checks by an outside company for all contestants on its shows," it said. "Clearly, the process did not work properly in this case. 51 Minds is investigating what went wrong and taking steps to ensure that this sort of lapse never occurs again." CNN's Paul Vercammen contributed to this story.

Who's body was found stuffed into a suitcase inside a dumpster?

What do breast implants' serial number help to identify?

What was the reason that Jasmine Fiore's body hard to identify?

What was extracted and removed to make it harder to identify her body?

Who was found stuffed inside a suitcase?

Answer: former swimsuit model

Answer: nude body of a former swimsuit model

Answer: Jasmine Fiore.

Answer: teeth had been extracted and fingers removed

Answer: breast implants' serial number,

Answer: fingers

Answer: Jasmine Fiore.

Answer: Ryan Alexander Jenkins,

Summary:
Breast implants' serial number helps identify model's body, police say .
Body of Jasmine Fiore, 28, found stuffed into a suitcase inside a Dumpster .
Her teeth were extracted, fingers removed, making it harder to identify body .
Arrest warrant issued Thursday for Ryan Alexander Jenkins .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The number of movies nominated for the best picture Oscar will double next year, a move apparently aimed at bolstering sagging ratings for the Academy Awards broadcast. Danny Boyle exults in an Oscar win for "Slumdog Millionaire" earlier this year. "Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," Sid Ganis, president of the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said. Doubling the nominations would make it more likely a viewer's favorite movie is in the running for the top honor, which may make them want to watch the show, said Steve Pond, author of "The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards." "This clearly is a reaction to declining ratings," Pond said. "Even though this last show the ratings were up ... over the last 10 years or so the ratings have been down." Oscar producers realized they "can juice the show up all you want, but people watch the Oscars when there are movies competing that they have an interest in," Pond said. The best picture nominations often consist of movies that "the vast majority of people have not seen," he said. The problem "came to a head with 'The Dark Knight,' " which sold more than $1 billion in tickets worldwide, but was snubbed by the academy in the best picture category last year, he said. The Batman sequel won best movie at the MTV Movie Awards and was chosen favorite movie by the People's Choice Awards. It also made many critics' top 10 lists. If the nomination field had been expanded last year, the film might have made the best picture list, "which clearly would have been some kind of bump in the ratings," Pond said. This would also counter the impression among TV viewers that the awards show is "for movie snobs who don't like the movies I like," he said. The decision to double the number of features films nominated is a return to the way the Oscars were awarded in its early decades, when as many as 12 movies were considered in the field of finalists, Ganis said. "After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," Ganis said. "The final outcome, of course, will be the same -- one best picture winner -- but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009." Nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards will be announced on February 2, 2010. The awards show is set for March 7 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. A best picture nomination often serves as a marketing boost for films, driving DVD sales for those films no longer in theaters.

How many best picture possibilities will there be next year?

According to the expert, nominating more films is a reaction to what?

How many best picture nominees will there be next year?

What did the president of the academy say?

Answer: 10

Answer: Sid Ganis,

Answer: sagging ratings for the Academy Awards broadcast.

Answer: 10

Answer: "Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow

Answer: "Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow

Answer: 10 Best Picture nominees

Summary:
NEW: Nominating more films "a reaction to declining ratings," says expert .
Academy Awards to nominate 10 best picture possibilities next year .
Academy has been nominating just five films for more than six decades .
"The Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots," says its president .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The original judge has been dead for 15 years, and no one has been able to find the criminal case file since 2004. Yet a 1977 sex scandal involving famed director Roman Polanski and a 13-year-old girl continues to stalk the courts of Los Angeles. Academy Award-winning director Roman Polanski hasn't left France in 30 years because of a U.S. fugitive warrant. Attorneys for the 75-year-old Academy Award-winning director asked a judge Tuesday to put the matter to rest once and for all. But a judge denied the request, saying the director must show up in court to obtain a ruling. That poses problems for Polanksi because prosecutors have vowed to seek his arrest on a bench warrant the minute he sets foot in the United States. The bench warrant was issued when Polanski failed to appear for sentencing more than 30 years ago. Lawyers Douglas Dalton and Chad Hummel last month filed a 239-page dismissal "request," citing allegations brought to light in the documentary, "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired." The documentary was first broadcast in June on HBO, which shares a corporate parent with CNN. The court filing alleges that a meddling prosecutor who believed Polanski should be behind bars improperly influenced a judge to ignore the terms of a plea bargain, as well as the wishes of the district attorney's office, the probation officer and the victim. None of them wanted Polanski to serve jail time. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza left the door open to reconsider his ruling if Polanski, who has lived in exile in France since 1977, shows up in court. "It's hard to contest some of the behavior in the documentary was misconduct," Espinoza said in court. But he declined to dismiss the case entirely, a decision that didn't surprise legal experts who said such rulings are extremely rare. "You have to give [Polanski attorney] Chad Hummel the creative lawyering of the year award," said legal analyst Laurie Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Espinoza in effect said he was tossing out the request without considering whether it has merit because Polanski hasn't shown up for court. But he suspended his ruling, writing that "if the defendant submits to the jurisdiction of this Court within 30 days, the Court shall consider the merits of the motion." Polanski's victim is among those calling for the case to be tossed out. Larry Silver, the victim's lawyer, said he was disappointed in the ruling and that Espinoza "did not get to the merits and consider the clear proof of both judicial and prosecutorial corruption." He argued in court that had "Mr. Polanski been treated fairly" his client would not still be suffering because of publicity almost 32 years after the incident. Levinson said the victim's support may offer a sliver of hope for Polanski. "The best thing he has going is the victim," she said. "In this age of victims' rights, if I were the lawyer I would be playing that card too." But prosecutors have consistently argued that dismissing the Polanski case would be a miscarriage of justice, allowing a man who "drugged and raped a 13-year-old child" to go free. Polanski's attorneys back up the allegation with a DVD of the documentary, a script, a copy of Polanski's 1977 pre-sentencing report and various court transcripts, interviews and declarations. They paint a picture of backroom conversations between a prosecutor itching for a piece of the case and a judge so image conscious that he kept a scrapbook of media clippings, asked lawyers to "stage" Polanski's sentencing hearing and feared criticism if he didn't send the director to prison. Allegations of prosecutorial and judicial misconduct are commonly raised on appeal, but only a small percentage of these appeals succeed. Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The director, his lawyer and the prosecutor handling the case believed they'd hammered out a deal that would spare the young

Who denied the motion to throw out the charges?

Answer: 1977

Answer: 1977

Answer: Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

Answer: "drugged and raped a 13-year-old child"

Answer: Academy Award-winning director

Answer: Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza left the door open

Answer: Roman Polanski

Summary:
NEW: Judge denies motion to throw out charges, at least until director appears .
Roman Polanski fled U.S. before his sentencing in '70s .
Director acknowledged having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor .
Previous attempts to resolve the 1977 sex case have failed .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The prosecution cannot argue that sex was a motivation for doctors to give Anna Nicole Smith the drugs that may have led to her death, a judge ruled Thursday. Howard K. Stern, right, companion of Anna Nicole Smith, is one of three people charged in the case. "I'm just not buying that," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Perry said. The ruling came on the third day of a preliminary hearing for Howard K. Stern -- Smith's lawyer and companion -- and co-defendants Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, on charges stemming from the Playboy model and reality TV star's death. Larry Birkhead, the father of Smith's now 3-year-old daughter, is set to testify Friday. Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose told Judge Perry she wanted to present evidence that Eroshevich, a woman, had a sexual relationship with Smith, which was the doctor's "motivation to continue providing excess medications" to her. The prosecution planned to present an expert witness who would say such a sexual relationship between a doctor and an addicted patient could compromise the care, Assistant District Attorney Sean Carney said. Court documents released last month said investigators found photos of Eroshevich and Smith "naked in the bathtub in intimate embraces," according to one sworn statement. One affidavit referenced a video clip of Kapoor "kissing and snuggling" with Smith "in a reclined position in a nightclub setting." The three defendants are charged with an illegal conspiracy to prescribe, administer and dispense controlled substances to an addict. Stern faces 11 felony counts, while the doctors were charged with six each. Smith's death in a Hollywood, Florida, hotel on February 8, 2007, was ruled to be from "acute combined drug intoxication," the Broward County, Florida, medical examiner said. Her death came five months after the birth of her daughter, Dannielynn, on September 7, 2006, and the sudden death of her 20-year-old son, Daniel, three days later. Smith's part-time body guard, Maurice Brighthaupt, was testifying Thursday morning when Rose brought up the possibility of a sexual relationship. Brighthaupt, a full-time south Florida paramedic, said he was rarely paid for his bodyguard services "because they told me they didn't have much money at the time." He helped Smith because she was like a sister, he said. Brighthaupt testified that he had seen Stern giving Smith illegal drugs, which contradicted public statements he made in the months after Smith's death. He said he changed his story after having time to think about the events, but defense lawyer Steve Sadow suggested it was for money and revenge on Stern for an accusation he made against Brighthaupt. Brighthaupt acknowledged that he was paid at least $150,000 for interviews by the "Entertainment Tonight" and "Access Hollywood" TV shows. Sadow pointed to an October 10, 2007, interview by CNN's Larry King in which Stern accused Brighthaupt of stealing photos of Smith and selling them to tabloids. Brighthaupt began cooperating with the lead investigator, who he said he had been "ducking," only days after Stern's CNN appearance. But he denied revenge was his motivation. Before her son's death, Smith was a happy, normal person, Brighthaupt said. "She knew she was the 'it'," Brighthaupt said. But in the five months after her son's death and until her own death, Smith was "very weak" and "zombie-like," he said. "She just didn't want to deal with life after the death of her son," Brighthaupt said. Anytime she was able to sleep, she would dream of her son and wake up crying, he said. Nannies stayed with her infant around the clock at her home in the Bahamas, while Smith slept through most of the days. She would sometimes get up late at night and stumble around her house cursing, he said. "Someone had to always keep an eye on

What does the prosecuter want to present?

What argument did the judge refuse to alloe

Answer: illegal conspiracy to prescribe, administer and dispense controlled substances to an addict.

Answer: of Eroshevich and Smith "naked in the bathtub in intimate embraces,"

Answer: photos of Eroshevich and Smith "naked in the bathtub in intimate embraces,"

Answer: evidence that Eroshevich, a woman, had a sexual relationship with Smith,

Answer: February 8, 2007,

Answer: evidence that Eroshevich, a woman, had a sexual relationship with Smith,

Answer: sex was a motivation for doctors

Summary:
Judge refuses to allow argument that sex motivated Anna Nicole Smith's doctor .
Ruling comes amid hearing concerning death of the Playboy model/reality TV star .
Prosecutor wanted to present evidence Smith had relationship with female doctor .
Court documents: Investigators found photos of pair naked "in intimate embraces"


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The rehearsals ended on a high note that night. Jackson, here at a June 23 rehearsal, "was full of jokes, full of life," band vocal coach Dorian Holley said. Michael Jackson was energetic and excited. He popped his signature moonwalk and dance spins that gave chills to some of those watching. As he walked to his car, he put his arm around concert promoter Randy Phillips and -- as Phillips later recounted -- in his soft voice, whispered: "Thank you, I know we're going to get it there together. I know I can do this." That was late Wednesday night, June 24. A few hours later, Jackson was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead. "All I know is that the Michael Jackson that hugged me and said 'goodnight' was a healthy, vibrant human being about to undertake the greatest undertaking of his life," Phillips said Thursday. "And something happened between 12:30 when he left us and the morning when I had to rush to the hospital when I got the first call."  Watch Jackson rehearse for London shows » The death of the pop icon shocked the music world, not only because many fans were looking forward to his 50 sold-out shows in London, England, beginning in mid-July, but also because the 50-year-old singer -- while a step slower than in his prime -- was apparently healthy and up to the task of what has been described as a grueling show. "He was just like a kid in the candy store because he was seeing his vision come alive," said Dorian Holley, the vocal coach for Jackson's band, about the last rehearsal. "He was just full of jokes, full of life," Holley said. He added that Jackson was due to be back at rehearsals again at 4:30 p.m. on the day of his death. On Thursday, Phillips' promotion company, AEG Live, released a 1½-minute rehearsal clip that was shot two nights before Jackson's death. In that clip, Jackson barreled through the song "They Don't Care About Us." As a guitarist played a riff, he danced next to her and then led eight backup dancers in a choreographed march, reminiscent of his breakthrough music video "Thriller." The clip -- shot at the Staples Center arena in Los Angeles, California, on June 23 -- ends with a voice off stage saying, "Hold for applause, hold for applause ... fade out." Two days later, Jackson was dead. Phillips said a doctor, hired by the tour's insurance carrier, examined Jackson before AEG proceeded with the rehearsals -- and gave the singer the green light to continue. "He examined Michael for about five hours at his house and I think they went somewhere for some other tests," Phillips said. "We are obviously not privy to the patient-doctor relationship with that information, but the insurance broker told us that he passed with flying colors." The production pace in those final weeks was ferocious, some of the attendees said. Jackson's manager, Frank DiLeo, told a radio interviewer that he discussed tweaking the strenuous two-hour format of the shows. "We were going to do one of two things," DiLeo told KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, last week. "We were either going to do so much in the beginning, take a half-hour break, then come back and do the second half of the shows. Or we were going to cut it down to 90 minutes." The exacting rehearsals may have been taking a toll on Jackson, his doctor's lawyer has said. "Michael Jackson didn't eat very much," said Edward Chernoff, the lawyer for Jackson's cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray. "He really didn't drink very much. He didn't hydrate very well. When he rehearsed, it was very strenuous exercise." As authorities await toxicology reports to determine how Jackson died, fans around the world lamented

Where was Jackson rehearsing before he died?

How many sold-out shows were happening in London?

Answer: Jackson barreled through the song "They Don't Care About Us."

Answer: Staples Center arena in Los Angeles,

Answer: 50

Summary:
Jackson rehearsed at Staples Center on night before he died .
He was preparing for 50 sold-out shows in London, England .
"He was just full of jokes, full of life," vocal coach says .
Video clip shows Jackson singing, dancing 2 days before he died .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The romantic comedy "New In Town" puts co-stars Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr. at odds through most of the film. But behind the camera, the story was completely different, the pair told CNN.

Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger enjoyed working with one another on the set of "New In Town."

"I had a great time. [Connick is] such a nice guy. He shows up on set and makes everyone laugh, and it's just a nice day at work," Zellweger said.

Connick agreed, saying the off-camera friendship with his co-star made the on-camera experience an enjoyable one.

"Renee is the type of person that I got to know quickly. Well, I became friends with her quickly. She's a very mysterious, wonderful young lady," Connick said.

Directed by Jonas Elmer, the film follows Zellweger as Lucy Hill, a Miami, Florida-based corporate shark who travels to a small Minnesota town to oversee the closing of a small factory. Upon arrival, Lucy clashes with the factory's union representative, Ted Mitchell, played by Connick. As the two begin to understand one another, their icy relationship soon melts into romance.

But the romance between Lucy and Ted is only one side of the story. Zellweger said she was instantly drawn to the role for its humor.

"I loved the physical comedy part of Lucy Hill's experience. I laughed out loud when I imagined the scenarios, and I could not wait to go and play around with that," she said, "I wanted to go to work every day and laugh, and I did."

Famous for her roles in such comedies as "Nurse Betty" and "Bridget Jones's Diary," Zellweger is no stranger to the comedic scene. With "New In Town," the actress was eager to once again play a part that would make audiences laugh.

"I think the laughter, that's therapeutic," she said.

At a time when the country is struggling through a financial recession, Connick said, "New In Town" provides that necessary therapy. While the film centers on the troubles of one rural American town, it showcases a dilemma familiar to the entire country.

"I think there's a good balance of what people are really feeling right now, and you walk away from this movie with a real feeling of hope and like, 'We're going to be all right,'" he said.

"New In Town" opens in theaters everywhere this Friday.

CNN's Jack Hannah contributed to this story.

Where did Zellweger and Connick become friends?

Answer: go

Answer: Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger

Answer: just a nice day at work,"

Answer: "Renee is the type of person that I got to know quickly. Well, I became friends with her quickly. She's a very mysterious, wonderful young lady,"

Answer: on the set of "New In Town."

Answer: "New In Town"

Answer: necessary therapy.

Answer: this Friday.

Summary:
Zellweger and Connick became friends quickly on the "New In Town" set .
"I wanted to go to work every day and laugh, and I did," Zellweger says .
The film offers hope during the country's hard times, Connick says .
"New In Town" opens in theaters everywhere this Friday .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The sponsor of a proposal to rein in aggressive celebrity photographers is meeting resistance from Los Angeles' top cop, who says the law is not needed when celebrities just behave. Photographers swarm a car carrying Britney Spears after a Los Angeles court appearance in October 2007. City Councilman Dennis Zine wants to require photographers to stay a safe distance from celebrities. His proposed ordinance is nicknamed the "Britney Law" for the hordes of paparazzi that swarm around pop star Britney Spears, sometimes costing the city thousands of dollars for escorts and other enforcement. "They act like a pack of wolves stalking their prey, creating havoc in the streets, and are nuisances to innocent bystanders," Zine said at a task force hearing he convened Thursday.  Watch how paparazzi spy on Hollywood stars » The proposal gained exposure last month when officials from around Southern California asked former independent counsel Kenneth Starr -- whose investigation of former President Clinton spawned its own share of tabloid headlines -- to help craft a law that would protect celebrities without infringing on freedom of the press.  iReport.com: Share your celeb stories and photos Critics of the plan include Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, who argues that it would be difficult to enforce. He also says existing laws can keep unruly packs of photographers in check. The chief said the city's tabloid darlings could help by providing photographers less to work with. "If celebrities behave themselves, that solves about 90 percent of the problem," Bratton said. "Britney, the last couple of days, has started wearing clothes again. The paparazzi are leaving town because she's not as interesting when she's not running around without her underwear on." He said actress Lindsay Lohan "evidently found a new love life, so she's probably in New York hanging out" and that "God knows" where billionaire heiress Paris Hilton had been. "She's thankfully disappeared from the scene," Bratton said. At the hearing, members of the paparazzi also said the law would be impossible to enforce. "Unless every celebrity has a chaperone of a police officer with a 6-foot tape measure, how are you going to enforce it?" said photographer Nick Stern. Those attending included musician John Mayer, actor Eric Roberts, sheriff's officials, representatives of the Screen Actors Guild and officials from West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Malibu. CNN's Kareen Wynter contributed to this report.

Who says the law is not necesssary?
What would be difficult to enforce?
What does the councilman want?
What would the law be called?
What would make the law unnecessary?
What does the Law entail?
What would be the name of the law?

Answer: Police Chief William Bratton,

Answer: the "Britney Law"

Answer: require photographers to stay a safe distance from celebrities.

Answer: "Britney Law"

Answer: impossible to enforce.

Answer: would protect celebrities without infringing on freedom of the press.

Answer: the "Britney Law"

Summary:
Councilman wants to require photographers to keep distance from celebrities .
Critics say 'Britney Law' would be difficult to enforce .
Police chief says law would be unnecessary if celebs behaved themselves .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The two youngest stars in "Slumdog Millionaire" will get "a substantial sum of money" that would "change their lives for the better" when they turn 18, but only if they stay in school, director Danny Boyle told CNN. Director Danny Boyle says the youngest actors in his film will get "substantial" money if they stay in school. Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, both 8, have been temporarily forced to stay away from school by the crush of journalists who have converged on the campus in Mumbai, Boyle said. "The press attention that's been focused on them is really sad at the moment and they've had to leave school temporarily because the press outside the school is disrupting the school," Boyle said. "So, we've withdrawn them from the school for a short while." Boyle, in a CNN interview Thursday, said the boys were paid "way over and above what you could pay," despite media reports to the contrary. The success of the moderately budgeted film, about an orphan seeking fame and love through the "Millionaire" game show, drew a spotlight to the slums of Mumbai, India, where it was filmed. A controversy erupted this week when the children's parents told reporters they felt they were exploited and underpaid for their work. The Telegraph newspaper of London reported the children and their families still live in the same "tangle of makeshift shacks" in Mumbai where they lived when the casting director found them. Azharuddin's situation has gotten worse, the paper said, because "his family's illegal hut was demolished by the local authorities and he now sleeps under a sheet of plastic tarpaulin with his father, who suffers from tuberculosis." This public relations challenge began just as Oscar ballots were mailed to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "Slumdog Millionaire" is nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and best director for Boyle. Boyle defended how his production company has treated the boys. "We thought long and hard about how best can we benefit them and we decided to put in place an education plan for them," Boyle said. "We put them in school, a very good school, which they're paid for to stay in until they're 18." "If they stay in school until they're 18, a substantial sum of money is released to them then, which will effectively change their lives for the better," Boyle said. The Telegraph quoted their parents saying Azharuddin was paid less than $2,500, and that Rubina got about $700. "The children were paid well," Boyle said. "The families were paid well for their work, over and above what you could pay, way over and above what you could pay." "Some of the figures that have been quoted have been very inaccurate," Boyle said. He said he would not quote the real numbers "because to do so makes them vulnerable within their own community. There are people who would take advantage of them immediately." Even the trust fund is a target of "gangsters," he said. "The money that would be released to them when they are older, that is the kind of thing that can be mortgaged off by gangsters," he said. Boyle said the film's financial backers have agreed that charitable groups that help children of the slums will also see "a slice of the profits." "We've all agreed that we will sit down and dedicate a slice of the profits of the film to be distributed amongst people like those who run the school and other organizations who make a big difference to children's lives there," he said. "We gained from the city, both from these two children and from the city, in general, and we'll make sure the film gives back some of the enormous success it's had," he said. -- CNN's Kareen Wynter contributed to this report.

what The kids reportedly still live in the same?

Answer: underpaid

Answer: parents

Answer: "tangle of makeshift shacks"

Answer: Boyle,

Answer: "substantial"

Summary:
The children's parents say they felt they were exploited and underpaid for their work .
The kids reportedly still live in the same "tangle of makeshift shacks" in Mumbai .
Director says the boys were paid "way over and above what you could pay"


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The woman allegedly assaulted by singer Chris Brown in Hollywood early Sunday was his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, according to sources close to the couple.

Chris Brown attends a party saluting music producer Clive Davis in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday.

While Los Angeles Police have a policy against identifying alleged domestic violence victims, two people who know both Brown and Rihanna confirmed she was the woman police said had "suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker."

Brown, 19, turned himself in to police Sunday night after police said they were looking for him. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.

Brown was later released on a $50,000 bond and given a March 5 court date.

"Detectives investigating the alleged domestic violence felony battery booked him for criminal threats," a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department said. "At the time the case is presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, additional charges may be filed."

Brown, nominated for two Grammy Awards, was scheduled to perform at the show.  His girlfriend, singer Rihanna, abruptly canceled her planned Grammys performance, but neither her spokesman nor the show organizers gave a reason.

"Rihanna is well," her spokesman said in a written statement. "Thank you for concern and support."

Watch the latest developments in the case »

Brown, 19, and Rihanna, 20, were seen together Saturday night at a pre-Grammys dinner at the Beverly Hills Hilton, about five miles from where police said the alleged incident happened at 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

The police statement said Brown and a woman were in a vehicle near Hollywood's Hancock Park when "they became involved in an argument."

"After stopping his car, Brown and the woman got out and the argument escalated," police said.

After receiving a 911 call at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, officers found the woman at the scene of the alleged fight, but Brown had left, the department said.

Investigators were treating the incident as a possible felony battery case, police said.

Executives with Brown's record label at the Grammy Awards told CNN they knew nothing about the incident and declined further comment.

Brown was nominated for two Grammys this year, including in the best male R&B vocal performance category for his song "Take You Down."

He also shares a best pop collaboration with vocals nomination with Jordin Sparks for "No Air."

The introduction to the CBS broadcast of the Grammys, apparently pretaped, listed both Brown and Rihanna as performers.

For what connection Brown had been arrested?

Answer: Rihanna,

Answer: Grammy Awards,

Answer: suspicion of making criminal threats.

Summary:
Brown has been arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident .
Police: Brown turned himself in after woman accused him of attacking her .
Brown a no-show at Grammy Awards, where he was to perform Sunday .
Police haven't named woman; Brown's girlfriend, Rihanna, cancels performance .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- There's no question "Tropic Thunder" takes chances. Ben Stiller, left, and Robert Downey Jr. are among the stars of "Tropic Thunder," a Hollywood satire. Tom Cruise almost unrecognizable as a foulmouthed, foul-mannered movie executive? Check. Mockery of action heroes, Method actors and gross-out comedians? Check. Challenging stereotypes at every opportunity? Absolutely. But casting Robert Downey Jr. as a black man? Well, that might be a bit much. Or maybe not. In "Tropic Thunder," a comedy about self-absorbed Hollywood types making a "Platoon"-style war movie, Downey plays Australian actor Kirk Lazarus, a multiple Oscar-winning performer who gets so involved in his roles that he forgets to come out of them. He's a man constantly looking for ways to transform himself for his art. So, cast as a black man in the war movie, Lazarus decides to dye his skin surgically. Downey -- no slouch as an actor himself -- has often been seen as one who immerses himself fully in his roles. That kind of dedication prevented the character from coming off as offensive, said Ben Stiller, who directed, co-wrote and stars in "Tropic Thunder." "I give all the credit to Robert," Stiller told CNN. "I felt he really was so committed to that character, the guy that was playing that guy, that as an audience you bought his sincerity. Very few people, I think, could pull that off." Brandon Jackson, who plays hip-hop star turned actor Alpa Chino (say it fast), agreed. "Robert was black the whole time. My mom came on the set and she thought it was Don Cheadle," he told CNN. "I'm serious. That's how black he was."  Watch Jackson talk about working with Downey » The movie, which also stars Stiller as struggling action star Tugg Speedman and Jack Black as gross-out king Jeff Portnoy, features some testy altercations between Downey's Lazarus and Jackson's Chino. Lazarus gets so involved in his role that even when it's clear filming has wrapped for the day, he sticks with it -- which irritates Chino to no end. "To me the most important thing was Alpa Chino has to give him a beat down and tell him that what he's doing is crazy the whole time," Downey said. "Otherwise it's just demeaning to Brandon's character. And if it's demeaning to an actual black man in the movie ... I would have run for the hills." Jackson said he would have challenged the movie if the material was offensive. But, he said, "Tropic Thunder" is a long way from the days when white performers would don blackface as a way of exploiting black stereotypes. Since then, he said, the playing field has leveled: The Wayans brothers played "White Chicks" in the film of the same name, and Eddie Murphy has played several ethnicities in his films, including Jewish and Chinese characters. "If we're all gonna play ball, let's all play ball," Jackson said. "I believe in fairness. If we can punch you, punch back. And funny is funny." iReport.com: Will you see 'Tropic Thunder'? Stiller, of course, is no stranger to testing comedy limits. The actor, writer and director, known for films such as "Meet the Parents" and "Zoolander," has performed or created roles that strike a delicate balance between sympathetic and distasteful -- and sometimes fall too hard on one side of the line. He co-wrote "Tropic Thunder" based on an idea he had in 1987, when many of his friends were making war movies, he recalls in the film's production notes. While Stiller was making "Empire of the Sun," his colleagues were in boot camps training for their military roles -- and would emerge talking about the boot camp as if they'd become part of a

what pushes boundaries at every opportunity?

Answer: "Tropic Thunder"

Summary:
"Tropic Thunder" pushes boundaries at every opportunity .
Film has taken knocks from groups for the developmentally disabled .
"Thunder" casts Robert Downey Jr. as Method actor playing black man .
Downey, other cast members don't believe character is offensive .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Thirty-eight years ago, Joseph McGinty Nichol was a boy in Kalamazoo, Michigan, playing with toy robots. Many of the robots in "Terminator Salvation" are real machines, which increased realism, the cast says. Today "McG," as he is better known, builds and blows up real robots. The prominent filmmaker is the driving force behind one of the season's summer blockbusters, "Terminator Salvation," which is filled with very expensive and very explosive robots. The choice to use real robots when possible, instead of CGI (computer generated images), was deliberate, McG said. According to the director and the film's stars, the decision to use real machines was a testament to the growing sophistication of the moviegoing public, whom they believe can "feel" the difference between actors standing in front of a green screen versus actors interacting with the real thing. It was also done in honor of the legendary special effects supervisor, four-time Oscar winner Stan Winston ("Jurassic Park," the other "Terminator" films), who passed away during filming last year.  Watch the robots in action » The director and three of his cast members -- Christian Bale, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anton Yelchin -- took a time out with CNN to explain why gravity and singed eyebrows both played a role in "Terminator Salvation." Bryce Dallas Howard: That was something that was really important to McG ...  when an audience member sees this film, that they can actually feel what's occurring. I think that audiences are very savvy now. We can feel when something is CGI and that's no disrespect to CGI -- we couldn't do this movie without it -- but, whenever possible, in the tradition of Sam Winston, he wanted to build the robots. So a lot of what you see is real. McG: And if you drop something, we've spent our whole lives watching physics in play, and if you say, just have the CGI do that, people can tell something's off, and it releases you from being involved in the picture. So, we built all the robots, we built all the sets, we blew them up for real, a great many of us lost our eyebrows! Christian Bale: It was kind of comical at times because something that's meant to be so intimidating was actually surrounded by five guys with these kind of puppet rods I had to blank out or I would start laughing. But, the end result is something really formidable and you know, really iconic in movie history. Anton Yelchin: Now I'm obsessed with the robots! I'm so [annoyed] that this guy or whoever it is that's in charge of it wouldn't let me have one!

What prompted the decision not to use CGI?

What was the reason behind the idea to avoid CGI?

What kind of robots did the filmmakers use/

Who's the director of Terminator Salvation?

What did "Terminator Salvation" filmmakers decide to use?

Answer: "Terminator Salvation"

Answer: the growing sophistication of the moviegoing public, whom they believe can "feel" the difference between actors standing in front of a green screen versus actors interacting with the real thing.

Answer: Stan Winston

Answer: in honor of the legendary special effects supervisor, four-time Oscar

Answer: Joseph McGinty Nichol

Answer: "Terminator Salvation,"

Answer: are real machines,

Answer: Joseph McGinty Nichol

Answer: legendary special effects supervisor,

Answer: Stan Winston

Answer: real robots when possible, instead of CGI (computer generated images),

Answer: very expensive and very explosive

Answer: Stan Winston

Summary:
"Terminator Salvation" filmmakers decide to use many real robots .
Idea to avoid CGI was partly in tribute to special effects master Stan Winston .
Film is the fourth in the "Terminator" series .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Two days after the death of Michael Jackson, the family of the pop superstar thanked his fans for their condolences and support in "one of the darkest moments of our lives." A girl holds up signs in memory of Michael Jackson outside New York's Apollo Theater on Saturday. "Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you," family patriarch Joseph Jackson said in a statement to People magazine obtained by CNN. "Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever," the statement told fans. "Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon," the statement said. "It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times."  Watch how one fan mourns pop star » Family members including Jackson's mother, Katherine, were at the estate Jackson had rented in Holmby Hills. Around midday, two moving vans pulled up. One left empty, and the other apparently contained objects from the house. Other vehicles came and went, including a silver Range Rover driven by a plain clothes police officer. Meanwhile, the doctor who may have been the last person to see Michael Jackson alive was expected to meet with police Saturday along with his lawyer, an associate of attorney Ed Chernoff said. Matthew Alford, an associate of Stradley, Chernoff and Alford law firm in Houston, Texas, said Dr. Conrad Murray, who is represented by Chernoff, was upset but willing to cooperate.  Watch what Alford said about doctor's involvement » The ongoing meeting could spill into Sunday, according to the firm. "It's a human tragedy, and he's upset obviously over the loss of Mr. Jackson. But he is not a suspect in the death of Mr. Jackson," Alford said. "We intend to cooperate fully." Los Angeles police, who met briefly with Murray after Michael Jackson's death, had been trying to set up an interview, Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck said. "Is important to interview everybody that was in contact with Mr. Jackson immediately prior to his demise particularly anyone involved in his medical care," Beck said. "So it's extremely important to talk to his doctor." Police said the doctor has been cooperating. Jackson's family suspects that Murray can answer some questions about the singer's death, but they have been unable to contact him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson told CNN on Saturday. The parents need to know what happened in the last hours of Michael Jackson's life, Jesse Jackson said. "The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They (Jacksons) didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son." Alford said Murray has "not been hiding out. He's just being prudent." Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death, possibly prescription medications. Police have released no information on what they may have found. Alford said he did not have any details. "I have no information as to what if any treatment, or course of treatment he was doing for Mr. Jackson at all," he said. Michael Jackson died Thursday, and an autopsy was performed the following day. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office told reporters Friday that more tests must be conducted before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks. The coroner said there was no indication of external trauma or foul play.  Watch the coroner's spokesman discuss the autopsy » The 50-year-old pop star was discovered unconscious Thursday by paramedics at his home, where

What did Rev. Jesse Jackson say about Jackson's doctor?

Who said this is "One of the darkest moments of our lives" ?

Answer: family suspects that Murray can answer some questions

Answer: the family

Answer: life,

Answer: "Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you,"

Answer: "The routine inquiry is now an investigation,"

Summary:
"One of the darkest moments of our lives," Jackson family says .
Dr. Conrad Murray upset but willing to cooperate, law firm says .
Rev. Jesse Jackson says behavior of Jackson's doctor raises questions .
Family should seek independent autopsy, Rev. Jesse Jackson says .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Two hundred years after his birth in a log cabin in Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln continues to fascinate. Abraham Lincoln is invoked by politicians of both parties, observes historian Ronald C. White Jr. His moral clarity, his extraordinary gifts with language, his decisive role in preserving the Union and what some consider his ultimate martyrdom combine to make of Lincoln a mythic figure with a firm hold on our collective imagination. In conjunction with the bicentennial of his birth, a slew of new books on the 16th U.S. president have appeared. Among the best-reviewed is the biography "A. Lincoln" (Random House) by historian Ronald C. White Jr., who drew on new research for his portrait. CNN talked with White about Lincoln's impact on the country, President Obama's affinity for him and what lessons Lincoln has to offer Americans of today. The following is an edited version of White's comments: CNN: Thousands of books have been published about Lincoln. Why did you decide to write a new biography? Ronald C. White Jr.: Probably surprising to many is how many new discoveries have been made about Lincoln just in the last 15 to 20 years. For example, about 20 years ago, a professor in Illinois wondered if there were still Lincoln legal papers laying around in the almost 100 courthouses in Illinois. So he got together a group of students, and they began searching those courthouses, and they found [thousands] of Lincoln legal documents. ... I wanted to treat more of that part of Lincoln's life -- he spent nearly 24 years as a lawyer. This is just an example of what we have discovered only in recent years. See iReporters don stovepipe hats like Lincoln CNN: More than 100 years after his death, why does Lincoln still fascinate us? White: I think for many he embodies the best of America. The fact that a man of such humble origins, with less than one year of formal education, could, in his term, have the "right to rise." He felt that America was a land where we should not put any shackles or weights upon people. One reason he hated slavery so much was that it puts weights upon people. ... I'm going to be speaking in Italy and Germany in April, and people there are fascinated with Lincoln for the same reason. Now, to be sure, Obama has shone a large spotlight on Abraham Lincoln. I think this is somewhat responsible for rediscovering this man at the beginning of the Lincoln bicentennial in the year 2009. CNN: Why do you think Barack Obama has made such a point of aligning himself with Lincoln? White: It's become commonplace for politicians of both parties to invoke Lincoln -- literally wrap themselves in the mantle of Lincoln -- especially at political conventions. But when I read "The Audacity of Hope" it came through to me that this is something quite genuine. As Obama is seeking to define his own vocation as a politician, he found in Lincoln -- Lincoln's inclusive spirit, Lincoln's humble demeanor, Lincoln's great gift with words -- he found here some of the very values that he wished to inculcate into his own life. ... I think he picked up on the symbolism of Lincoln, using the very same ceremonial Bible [for his swearing-in], picking as his theme a "new birth of freedom," re-enacting the final 137 miles of the train ride [Lincoln took to Washington for his first inaugural]. It's fascinating that here this African-American politician is finding a model and a mentor, and I think it is the values that Lincoln represents that Obama is finding. CNN: Some people have noted temperamental similarities between Lincoln and Obama. Is there any justification for that comparison? White: I think there is. Obama comes across as a person of kind of calm, reassuring demeanor. He is a person who likes to circle around questions and problems. He was as interested, as I've come to understand, when he taught law in Chicago, in asking questions as in coming

What do historians see some comparisons with?

What does White say about the character?

Who is the author of the new Lincoln biography?

What is the new Lincoln biography called?

Answer: Ronald C. White Jr.

Answer: he embodies the best of America.

Answer: lessons Lincoln has to offer Americans of today.

Answer: he embodies the best of America.

Answer: Ronald C. White Jr.

Answer: "A. Lincoln"

Summary:
Ronald C. White Jr. is author of new Lincoln biography, "A. Lincoln"
Lincoln "embodies the best of America," White says .
Historian sees some comparisons with President Obama: demeanor, writing ability .
Lincoln's character, moral vision still pertinent, White says .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Tyrese Gibson is far from the first singer to make the transition from music to movies. However, the "Transformers" star is blazing a whole new trail with his latest crossover venture. Tyrese Gibson voices "Mayhem," a hero described as the "embodiment of raw justice and vengeance." The actor/singer/model has partnered with Apple to develop his own comic book series called "Mayhem," and he's doing it in a very nontraditional way -- digitally. "There was an experience that I felt was pretty limiting as far as the comic book experience itself on paper," says Gibson, who stresses that he did not grow up reading comic books and is not a comic book veteran. "[So] I set up this technology with my team and this is the first-ever digital comic book [on iTunes] in the history of comic books." The third issue of "Mayhem," which is downloadable from iTunes, is the first to go digital. It features an interactive version of a comic book with sound effects, page turns and even voiceover. Gibson himself voices the title character, a masked, dagger-hurling hero described as the "embodiment of raw justice and vengeance." Gibson's new hobby is another example of Hollywood's love affair with comic books. Just last month, Walt Disney Studios acquired Marvel Entertainment -- and all 5,000 of the comic book company's characters -- for $4 billion in cash and stock. With the success of action films based on comic book notables, including "Batman," "Iron Man" and "Wolverine," it's not a stretch to think that Gibson might be strapping on the "Mayhem" costume for a summer blockbuster in the future. But for now, Gibson is focused on the early stages of his new venture. Although he would not provide details on sales figures, he did say that worldwide sales of "Mayhem" would "knock your socks off." The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: What turned you on to comic books? Tyrese Gibson: I went out to Comic-Con about a year or so ago to promote the film "Death Race." When I was out there, I really got to know some of the fans and I was just asking questions like, "Look at you, you've got a full on Superman costume on or Batman costume," and they were just like, "I just love comic books." It was the first time I was ever exposed to that much selfless passion, to the point to where you don't care how silly you may look -- you don't even consider it silly. ... That really did something for me, because I'm motivated by passion. I thought ... I want to figure a way to be a part of this world, and that's when "Mayhem" was born." CNN: Where did the story of "Mayhem" come from? Gibson: Me and my partner Mike Lee and Will Wilson all got together, we started brainstorming about different concepts and different directions we could send this character in and we came up with something pretty unique. It's an ongoing series and so as soon as you think you've got it figured out, there's a cliffhanger that makes you want to read the second issue and the third issue. CNN: You're a newcomer to this genre. What's been the feedback from the comic book community? Gibson: In everything you do, there's gonna be cynics and those folks questioning what your motivation is behind getting into anything. I dealt with it when I went from one career move to the next: "Man, stick to singing; stick to acting." I dealt with a lot of that from certain folks in the comic book world. ... They wrote these long e-mails and [started] on a smear campaign. I came into this whole thing very innocent. I discovered my love for comic books

what is available digitally on Itunes as an LP?

Answer: iTunes,

Answer: "Transformers"

Answer: comic book series called "Mayhem,"

Answer: "Mayhem,"

Answer: "Mayhem,"

Answer: "Mayhem,"

Answer: digitally.

Answer: his own comic book series called "Mayhem,"

Summary:
Tyrese Gibson, who starred in "Transformers," has created comic book superhero .
Gibson's character is called Mayhem, "embodiment of raw justice and vengeance"
Gibson has no comic book background; he was impressed by passion of devotees .
Comic book is available digitally on iTunes as an LP .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Veteran actor Karl Malden, who won an Academy Award for his role in "A Streetcar Named Desire," has died at age 97, his manager said Wednesday. Karl Malden in "The Streets of San Francisco" in 1974. Malden was nominated for four Emmys for the series. Malden died in his sleep about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, said his manager, Bud Ross. Malden appeared alongside Marlon Brando in two of director Elia Kazan's classic films of the 1950s -- "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront." He won the best supporting actor Oscar for "Streetcar," which was released in 1951, in 1952 and was nominated for his role as a priest crusading against crooked union bosses in "On the Waterfront." Ross said he did not know the cause of death. "It could be a combination of things," Ross said. "He was 97 years old." Born Mladen George Sekulovich in Gary, Indiana, the bulb-nosed actor made his New York stage debut in 1938 and first appeared in films in the 1940 melodrama "They Knew What They Wanted." After serving in the Army Air Corps in World War II, he made his mark in the New York production of "Streetcar," by Tennessee Williams.  Watch Malden talk about why he got into acting » Malden also did extensive work in television, starring with Michael Douglas in the police drama "The Streets of San Francisco" from 1972-77. He was nominated four times for Emmys for the show, and won a supporting-actor Emmy for his part in the miniseries adaptation of the true-crime bestseller "Fatal Vision" in 1985. His other well-known screen roles include his performances in "Patton," in which he played World War II Gen. Omar Bradley alongside George C. Scott's title character; the steamy "Baby Doll," another Elia Kazan-Tennessee Williams collaboration; and "Gypsy." Malden was also famous for a series of television ads for the American Express card, in which he advised viewers, "Don't leave home without it." Watch Malden talk why he took such diverse roles » A memorial service is expected to be held within the next three to four weeks, Ross said. Malden was the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1992. The Academy is best known for its annual awards, the Oscars. Malden's "Streetcar" Oscar had its own mini-drama. In 1985, he sent it to the manufacturer in Chicago for replating. But he discovered the award sent back to him was a fake in 2006, when the original appeared for sale on eBay. The Academy sued the sellers, Randy and Matt Mariani, who eventually returned the award. In 2004, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. Malden was born on March 22, 1912, and grew up in Gary. He broke his nose twice playing football in high school, where his athleticism won him a scholarship to Arkansas State Teacher's College in Conway. After being forbidden by his basketball coach to appear in a school play, Malden left college and began playing semi-pro basketball. He later worked in the steel mills of Gary to save money for drama school. When his acting career began, Malden took his grandfather's first name and rearranged the spelling of his own first name to make his professional last name. He said he changed his name, "to fit theater marquees." One of Malden's last acting roles was in 2000, according to IMDB.com. He played a priest in an episode of "The West Wing."

who won Oscar for "A streetcar named desire"?

Who did Malden co-star with in "The Streets of San Francisco"?

Who did Malden star with in "On the Waterfront"?

Who won Oscar for role in "A Streetcar Named Desire"?

Answer: "A Streetcar Named Desire,"

Answer: best supporting actor

Answer: Veteran actor Karl Malden,

Answer: Marlon Brando

Answer: Marlon Brando

Answer: Karl Malden,

Answer: Michael Douglas

Summary:
Malden won Oscar for role in "A Streetcar Named Desire"
He also starred with Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront"
On TV, he co-starred with Michael Douglas in "The Streets of San Francisco"


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Volunteering with local law enforcement, Shaquille O'Neal has learned from his peers that domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous for police officers. NBA star Shaquille O'Neal praises Karen Earl for her efforts on behalf of domestic abuse victims. "[It's] a very disturbing thing," said the NBA star, who has dealt mainly with children's cases. "I don't really think a lot of women know what to do." That's where Karen Earl comes in. As executive director of the Jenesse Center, the oldest domestic violence intervention program in south central Los Angeles, California, Earl is a "tireless and fearless" champion of women and children living in abusive situations, O'Neal said. The Phoenix Suns center called Earl "the pillow of women's society." For more than two decades, Earl has helped give victims a way out through the Jenesse Center, which provides shelter, education, outreach and legal services to more than 8,500 victims of domestic violence every year. "Thank God for Miss Earl," O'Neal said. "She takes women that have been involved in domestic abuse situations and gives them a place to come rest their head." According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year, and one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Earl has heard countless stories of domestic abuse and has seen a range of tipping points before victims seek help. She is working to lower these statistics. She recalled one woman whose husband beat her with an iron; for another, "the beatings were standard, but when he sold their refrigerator and she couldn't keep her baby's milk cold anymore, she knew it was time to go." These women were able to find shelter and support -- and ultimately safety and success -- through the Jenesse Center. "It is not normal to go to bed afraid," Earl said. "And the thing that I know for sure is that there is help." When Earl began volunteering at the center in 1986, she said, she often thought of what her own mother went through. "I remember us having to run out of the house at midnight with sheets wrapped around us. I know the impact it had on my mom, and of course the impact on me and my siblings," she said. "I wish there were a place back then, but nobody talked about it. It was just family business; it was personal."  Watch Earl discuss the center's mission to heal through art » Today, Earl serves as Jenesse Center's executive director and calls her work with staff, fundraising and volunteer recruitment "a 24-hour thing." The process of healing for victims generally starts with a phone call to the center's hot line, she said. The center provides counseling and literature and has a 30-day emergency shelter for women and their families. Earl said this emergency period "is a time of regrouping" and lets the women know that they're not alone and that they didn't do anything wrong. The center also provides long-term support. "Women and their children can stay for two years," Earl said. "Every able body, every day, gets up and takes classes. And when they're not taking classes, they're looking for employment, going through counseling sessions or [getting] legal assistance." For Earl, comprehensive care through a team approach is the key to the center's success. She said she has seen women at the center earn graduate degrees and become "full-fledge" professionals -- and that changing lives is what keeps her going. O'Neal said the center helps point women in the right direction and gives them the chance to overcome adversity. "They'll help you get an apartment. They'll help you get a job. They help you get back on your feet and become the beautiful woman that you are."

how many cases of domestic violence recorded

How many victims are helped by the centre each year?

Answer: NBA

Answer: 1.3 million

Answer: more than 8,500

Answer: domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous for police officers.

Answer: Karen Earl

Answer: provides shelter, education, outreach and legal services to more than 8,500 victims of

Summary:
O'Neal's work in law enforcement taught him the serious nature of domestic violence .
His hero, Karen Earl, runs the Jenesse Center, which aids abuse victims .
The Los Angeles center helps more than 8,500 victims every year .
The center gives women a chance to overcome adversity, O'Neal said .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Watching the Dave Matthews Band moments before they take the stage is like watching a football team bursting out of the locker room before a big game. Dave Matthews says he bellieves strongly in the power of community. They slap hands. Bump fists. Jump up and down, exclaiming "Feel the love, feel the love!" The energy in the air is electric. And when they walk out on stage, the energy explodes into thousands of shining faces. People dance in the aisles. Others sing every word to every song. A few share funny cigarettes. For more than three hours, the jubilant atmosphere creates a sense of community between an amphitheater filled with strangers and the ethnically diverse musicians leading the charge on stage. But then DMB is all about community -- creating its own and giving back. BAMA Works Fund -- the group's charitable foundation -- has handed out $5 million in grants to worthy causes, including schools and victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Watch Matthews sound off on the album -- and racism » And despite the unexpected passing of saxophonist LeRoi Moore due to complications from an ATV accident last summer, the band members seem to be recharged. In June, DMB notched its fifth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard chart with "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King." We caught up with Matthews just as news hit the Web that former President Jimmy Carter believed racism was the root of some of the negativity directed toward President Obama in recent weeks. The 42-year-old singer-songwriter offered a unique perspective, as a man who split his childhood between the United States and South Africa during apartheid. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: President Carter said he thinks that a lot of the animosity directed toward President Obama is race related. Dave Matthews: Of course it is! I found there's a fairly blatant racism in America that's already there, and I don't think I noticed it when I lived here as a kid. But when I went back to South Africa, and then it's sort of thrust in your face, and then came back here -- I just see it everywhere. There's a good population of people in this country that are terrified of the president only because he's black, even if they don't say it. And I think a lot of them, behind closed doors, do say it. Maybe I'm paranoid about it, but I don't think someone who disagreed as strongly as they do with Obama -- if it was Clinton -- would have stood up and screamed at him during his speech. (Shakes his head) I don't think so. CNN: Everything has gone to such a frenzied pitch. Matthews: I think a lot of it has to be on the press. We give the podium to a lot of people who shouldn't have the podium. The message that's delivered the loudest and in the most entertaining way is the one that we're going to put on because that's what we want. We want ratings more than we want to deliver information. That's just where the culture's gotten. There's no way that Walter Cronkite, as a young journalist, no way Ed Murrow would be hired to do news today. Not a chance. CNN: Because they're too low-key? Because they're not bombastic? Matthews: Because they're thoughtful, and they're patient, and they're tying to tell you a truly balanced story. They're trying to impart information. I don't think that's the goal [now] because it's not a good business plan. ... Everyone's outraged all the time. Why are you outraged? There's war -- there's always been war, as long as most of us have been alive. There have always been people being abused, there's always been horrible things in the world. Why are we outraged? We should just be quiet and figure it out, and work it out together. ... There's no solution

Dave is not surprised at anger towards whom?

Wat is "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King""?

Who made the record Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King?

What Dave Matthews said about raising of racism?

Answer: President Obama

Answer: Dave Matthews

Answer: want ratings more than we want to deliver information.

Answer: fifth consecutive No. 1 album

Answer: creating its own and giving back.

Answer: Dave Matthews Band

Answer: in America that's already there, and I don't think I noticed it when I lived here as a kid. But when I went back to South Africa, and then it's sort of thrust in your face, and then came back here

Summary:
Dave Matthews: "I just see [racism] everywhere"; not surprised at anger at Obama .
News media adds to anger, he says, in that it focuses on "loudest" messages .
Dave Matthews Band aims for community, active with charitable efforts .
Matthews calls "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" their greatest record .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- We were scheduled to speak with Steve Martin just after his sound check for a concert in Los Angeles to benefit the city's public libraries. We pulled into the parking structure 45 minutes early when my cell phone rang. It was Martin's publicist. Steve Martin has been playing the banjo for decades. His new album is a collection of bluegrass tunes. "Hey, where are you?" she asked urgently. "We're in the garage," I replied. "Can you get up here quickly? He's ready." A musician ready early? There goes his street cred. Interviewing Martin can be like an awkward first date. Like many comedians, he's polite, but he sometimes struggles to make eye contact, gives monosyllabic answers and leaves the impression that he wants to be anywhere but talking to you. But when the subject is his new album, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo," he's chatty, enthusiastic and engaged. On the CD, the comic/actor/novelist/playwright/musician shows off his picking skills as well as his ability to craft witty bluegrass songs with titles such as "Hoedown at Alice's," "Wally on the Run" and "Late for School." It's been his passion for 45 of his 63 years. This past weekend, the ultimate Hollywood hyphenate made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry. "The Crow" has received more than respectable reviews, but that's not surprising, given Martin's uncanny ability to excel in whatever he does -- except maybe idle chitchat. The following is an edited version of the interview: CNN: People know you as a versatile artist, but now it's about the banjo and your bluegrass album, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo." Steve Martin: I did a lot of things when I first started out. In order to be in show business, I juggled, I did magic tricks, cards tricks and I played the banjo. CNN: You've been playing it for 45 years, right? Martin: Yes, I have. It's a long time, and I remember when I was going through a particularly difficult time of learning, I'd go, "Well, if I just stick with it, one day I'll be saying, 'I've been playing for 40 years.' " CNN: Picking up the banjo might seem likely if you grew up in the Appalachians -- maybe Kentucky or somewhere down South. But you grew up in Garden Grove, California. This is the O.C. Martin: There was a lot of musical activity in Orange County in the 1960s. There were the Dillards, and Doc Watson would come by, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, all these different players. I also had this friend, John McEuen, in high school, and he played, and he actually produced this album now -- 45 years later. [McEuen is a founding member of country-bluegrass group, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.] CNN: Isn't John the one who taught you how to do an "Open D" tuning on the banjo? Martin: Yes, he did. CNN: See, I read your CD liner notes. [Both laugh] There's a cute little story in there about taking a photo of the three things you love most -- your wife, your dog and the banjo. Martin: Well, we all love more things that that. I just happened to take a photo, and there was my wife, my dog and my banjo, all in the same shot -- and I thought, "Oh, that's like a family portrait right there." CNN: Sounds like your next Christmas card to me. ... You're playing a benefit for the Los Angeles Public Library. Martin: As you can see, it's sold out [gestures to an empty room]. ... You know, it's also a little bit sneaky,

What instrument is Martin accomplished at?

Answer: banjo

Answer: Songs for the Five-String Banjo,"

Answer: the Grand Ole Opry.

Answer: collection of bluegrass tunes.

Answer: at the Grand Ole Opry.

Summary:
Steve Martin's new album is not comedy but features bluegrass music .
Martin is an accomplished banjo player, often used instrument as prop .
Martin just made debut at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Michael Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion last month, the singer's arms were riddled with marks and their veins had collapsed -- both characteristics found in intravenous drug users, sources told CNN on Tuesday. A source says Michael Jackson had "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt." The revelations add to the speculation that prescription drugs played a part in Jackson's death on June 25. The exact cause is pending toxicology results that aren't due for at least another week. A source involved with the investigation into Jackson's death told CNN that Jackson had "numerous track marks" on his arms -- and that those marks "could certainly be consistent with the regular IV use of a drug, like Diprivan." The sources did not want to be identified because the investigation is ongoing. The source said investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in the singer's $100,000-a-month rented mansion in Holmby Hills, but he would not confirm whether Diprivan was among them.  Watch what sources say on condition of Jackson's body » He also cautioned that it was too soon to say whether an intravenous drip of Diprivan caused the track marks. Some appeared fresh; others older, he said. The new ones could have resulted from the IVs that paramedics used when they tried to revive Jackson after he was found unconscious. Another source with knowledge of the case said Jackson's veins were collapsed in both arms, suggesting frequent intravenous drug use. The first source said Jackson's body was "lily white from head to toe," perhaps the result of vitiligo -- a condition that causes the skin to lose melanin and produce slowly enlarging white patches. The second source said Jackson had "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt." The singer also did not have any hair -- a lingering effect, possibly, of an accident in 1984 when Jackson suffered burns to his scalp while shooting a commercial for Pepsi. Also, said the second source, Jackson was emaciated -- despite the vigor he's seen displaying in a taped rehearsal clip shot two nights before his death. The drug Diprivan, known by its generic name Propofol, is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a general anesthetic. Last week, a nutritionist -- Cherilyn Lee -- said Jackson pleaded for the drug despite being told of its harmful effects, because he had difficulty falling asleep. Sources close to Jackson told CNN that the insomniac singer traveled with an anesthesiologist who would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" during a world tour in the mid-'90s. The California state attorney general's office is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in Jackson's death investigation. The office confirmed it is investigating some doctors who treated Jackson over the years. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is also looking into the role of drugs. Los Angeles police have interviewed Jackson's cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray. They impounded Murray's car, saying it might contain evidence, possibly prescription medications. Police did not say whether they found anything. Through his lawyers, Murray has released several statements, saying he would not be commenting until the toxicology results from Jackson's autopsy are released. Dr. Neil Ratner, the anesthesiologist who accompanied Jackson during the HIStory tour in the mid-'90s, also refused to comment, although he acknowledged Jackson suffered from a sleep disorder. CNN's Susan Chun contributed to this report.

How many marks were on his arms exactly?

Who is the second source being referred to?

Answer: "numerous track marks"

Answer: exact cause is pending toxicology results

Answer: "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt."

Answer: The California state attorney general's office is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in Jackson's death investigation.

Summary:
Source cites "numerous track marks" on Jackson's arms when medics came .
2nd source says Jackson's veins were collapsed in both arms .
Sources also say Jackson was emaciated, didn't have any hair .
Toxicology reports are at least a week away .


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When emergency crews scramble to a celebrity's home and it turns out to be a false alarm, journalists don't usually write about it. Cher made the most of a false alarm, offering admiration for emergency personnel who came to her house. When the celebrity is Cher and her publicist issues an entertaining response to a reporter's call, some entertainment writers can't resist. The electronic call for help sounded at Cher's Malibu, California, home at 11:16 a.m. Thursday, spurring a flurry of activity. Ambulances and fire trucks rushed to the singer's residence, sending journalists to their address books for Cher's contact information. Her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, quickly responded to CNN's questions with this e-mailed explanation: "Just spoke to Cher who confirmed it was a false alarm but said she never saw so many cute firemen and paramedics in her life," said Rosenberg's response. "She added there was an especially gorgeous black-haired ambulance driver that she is really sorry she didn't get to meet. Maybe there'll be another false alarm ..." We will keep you updated.

What was the cheeky comment from Cher's publicist?

Answer: Cher

Answer: false alarm,

Answer: she never saw so many cute firemen and paramedics in her life,"

Answer: she never saw so many cute firemen and paramedics in her life,"

Summary:
Security crews at Cher's house set off false alarm .
Emergency vehicles zoomed over, though for naught .
Cheeky comment from Cher's publicist: "Many cute firemen and paramedics"