Celebs, Film, Music, Tv, Upcoming Events, Books, Art, Theater

Questions to Genetta Adams at (212) 621-7049 at gmadams(at)ap.org or Josh Dickey (213) 346-3193 or at jdickey(at)ap.org. In photos, Carolyn Lessard at (212) 621-1923. In Video, Alicia Quarles at (212) 621-7425. Expanded AP content, beyond what appears on this wire, can be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact customersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477.

(…) Indicates new entry or updated information since last digest.

NEW & DEVELOPING:

…OBIT-UPDIKE

NEW YORK — John Updike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, prolific man of letters and erudite chronicler of sex, divorce and other adventures in the postwar prime of the American empire, died Tuesday at age 76.

AP Text: National Writer Hillel Italie.

AP Photos: File images of Updike, from as recent as 2006.

AP Video: Stills and video of Updike with voiceover.

…DIGITAL TRANSITION-NETWORKS

NEW YORK — The big broadcast networks, already suffering through a terrible television season, might not have to worry about losing more viewers because of the digital transition — at least until the season is over.

AP Text: Television Writer David Bauder.

AP Photos: No coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

…APOLLO ANNIVERSARY

NEW YORK — Harlem's Apollo Theater is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its "Amateur Night" — a starting stage for some of the biggest stars in entertainment, including Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and the late James Brown.

AP Text: Ula Ilnytzky.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

TOP STORIES

TUESDAY, JAN. 27

MELTDOWN-ARTS

PASADENA, Calif. — Performers throughout the country are scrambling for jobs, as symphonies, operas, theaters and ballet troupes struggle under the weight of shriveling donations, plummeting ticket sales and sagging endowments decimated by Wall Street.

AP Text: Gillian Flaccus.

AP Photos: Members of the Pasadena Theater and Pasadena Symphony.

AP Video: Video separate focusing on the Pasadena Symphony.

UPCOMING ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS AND STORIES:

MONDAY, JAN. 26

TV-AMAZING RACE

LOS ANGELES — Meet the 11 new teams competing for $1 million on the 14th season of "The Amazing Race."

AP Text: Derrik J. Lang.

AP Photos: Portraits of the new cast.

AP Video: CBS file footage of new show.

TV-OLIVIA CARTOON

NEW YORK — Olivia, the little girl pig with the big imagination, is stepping out of her picture book world into a bold, new and much more colorful life on Nickelodeon.

AP Text: Leanne Italie.

AP Photos: Images from the show.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

PEOPLE-MICHAEL JACKSON

NEW YORK — "Thriller" a Broadway musical? Producer James L. Nederlander has acquired rights for a stage version of Michael Jackson's spoof of horror films.

AP Text: coverage planned.

AP Photos: File of Jackson from 2006.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

BC-PEOPLE-JOHN RICH

WASHINGTON — The country star talks about his upcoming solo CD.

AP Text: Caitlin King.

AP Photos: File of John Rich performing at a 2008 concert in Nashville, Tenn.

AP Videos. No coverage planned.

MUSIC-FRANZ FERDINAND

LONDON — The band plays a free lunchtime show and meets fans at HMV's flagship Oxford Street store.

AP Text: No coverage planned

AP Photos: No coverage planned

AP Video: Band plays show.

OSCARS GOVERNORS BALL

LOS ANGELES —

AP Text: No Planned Coverage

AP Video: Coverage planned.

AP Photos: No Planned Coverage

MUSIC REVIEW-BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.

MUSIC REVIEW-FRANZ FERDINAND.

MUSIC REVIEW-THE BIRD & THE BEE.

MUSIC REVIEW-LEFT EYE.

BROADWAY TIX: NEW YORK — Broadway ticket availability and capsule reviews of shows. Moved Monday.

AP Text: coverage planned.

AP Photo: Coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

OFF-BROADWAY TIX: NEW YORK — Off-Broadway ticket availability and capsule reviews of shows. Moved Monday.

AP Text: coverage planned.

AP Photo: Coverage planned.

AP Video: no coverage planned.

BOOKS-CHILDREN'S PRIZES

NEW YORK — Oh, the horror: Neil Gaiman has received the top prize for children's literature — The John Newbery Medal — for his spooky "The Graveyard Book."

AP Text: National Writer Hillel Italie.

AP Photos: File of Gaiman and book cover.

AP Video: No coverage.

ONLINE VIDEO:

Box Office — Look a what films brought in top dollar over the weekend

SAG Red Carpet — Best of red carpet interviews

SAG Fashion — Best of fashion at SAG Awards

SAG Show Highlights

SAG One-on-one interviews — Backstage reactions from winners

CELEB-BIRTHDAYS. Moved Monday.

CELEB-FLASHBACKS. Moved Monday.

CELEB-HIGHFIVE LISTS. Moved Monday; will be updated Friday.

UPCOMING ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS AND STORIES:

TUESDAY, JAN. 27

AP ON TV-Q&A-BRET MICHAELS

NEW YORK — One woman gave Bret Michaels a blow up doll. Another wore fish nets, Lucite heels and a hot pink veil. Welcome to the implants, tattoos and thongs of "Rock of Love."

AP Text: Alicia Rancilio

AP Photos: AP portraits.

AP Video: Video will run as a sit-down interview with highlights from the show.

TV-FETCH ME A BEER

NEW YORK — Zak George is a big dog in the world of dog trainers. And he could get even bigger, thanks to a TV series that cable's Animal Planet has in the works.

AP Text: Television Writer Frazier Moore.

AP Photos: Portraits of George and his dogs from Jan. 20.

AP Video: Coverage planned.

MUSIC-CHRISSIE HYNDE

LOS ANGELES — The singer talks about her upcoming Pretenders tour.

AP Text: By Solvej Schou.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

MUSIC-BUDDY HOLLY

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa — Fifty years after the crash that killed Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens, the town where the plane accident happens remembers.

AP Text: Marco Santana.

AP Photos: Images from the area around Clear Lake, Iowa, where the plane carrying Holly went down.

AP Video. No coverage planned.

MUSIC-PET SHOP BOYS

LONDON — Pioneering British dance duo Pet Shop Boys are to be honored with the Outstanding Contribution To Music Award at the Brit Awards 2009. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe give an interview at Abbey Road to talk about the upcoming honor.

AP Text: No coverage planned.

AP Photos: No coverage planned.

AP Video: Coverage planned.

PEOPLE-PETER FALK

LOS ANGELES — A conservatorship hearing scheduled for Peter Falk was postponed until late February. No story will move.

FILM REVIEW-NEW IN TOWN.

AP Text. Movie Critic Christy Lemire

AP Photos: Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger in a scene from the movie.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

MUSIC-PUSSYCAT DOLLS CONCERT

LONDON — Pussycat Dolls perform at the 02 Arena.

AP Text: No coverage planned.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: Coverage planned.

FILM CAPSULES.

TV-"HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" TRIBUTE AT TV ACADEMY

LOS ANGELES — The cast and creators of the popular TV show convene at the TV Academy.

AP Text: No coverage planned.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

FRANCE-FASHION

PARIS — Spring-Summer 2009 Haute Couture is rolled out until Jan. 29.

AP Text: Daily stories on merit through Thursday.

AP Video: Daily video stories on merit through Thursday.

AP Photo: Daily photos on merit through Thursday.

ONLINE VIDEOS

MUSIC WEEK— A look at the week's top releases

DIOR FASHION SHOW— Highlights from the runway of the Paris show

GEORGE CLOONEY— The actor speaks about the importance of journalism during a speech in Washington, D.C.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28

… BC-SUPER BOWL-PARTIES

TAMPA, Fla. — A roundup of celebrity parties during Super Bowl week.

AP Text: Mitch Stacy

AP Photos: coverage planned.

AP Videos: no coverage planned.

MUSIC-Q&A-LOUDON WAINWRIGHT.

NEW YORK — The Wainwrights are like any other family except they write songs about their tangled relationships and expose their frustrations and emotions to their audiences. Patriarch Loudon Wainwright III started the tradition.

AP Text: Charles J. Gans.

AP Photos: coverage planned.

AP Video. No coverage planned.

TV-LOOKOUT

UNDATED — Highlights (and lowlights) for the week ahead.

AP Text: Frazier Moore.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Videos: no coverage planned.

FILM REVIEW-TAKEN.

AP Text: Christy Lemire

AP photos: Coverage planned.

AP Videos: no coverage planned.

OSCAR FINAL BALLOT MAILING

LOS ANGELES — From the Academy Grand Lobby, Beverly Hills.

AP Text: No coverage planned.

AP Photos: No coverage planned.

AP Video: Coverage planned.

FILM-"THE VIRTUOSOS"

SANTA BARBARA — At the Santa Barbara Film Festival, honoring 2009's five breakout stars: Viola Davis, Rosemarie DeWitt, Richard Jenkins, Melissa Leo and Michael Shannon.

AP Text: Coverage planned.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: Coverage planned.

CELEB-NOW HEAR THIS-WRAPUP — Quotes from AP Entertainment. Moves Wednesday

THURSDAY, JAN. 29

FILM-HARRY CONNICK

NEW YORK — Interview with Harry Connick Jr., who stars with Renee Zellwegger in "New In Town".

AP Text: Erin Carlson

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Videos: Coverage planned.

AP ON TV-FRINGE-ANNA TOR

NEW YORK — As the FBI agent-femme fatale on Fox's eerie hit drama "Fringe," Australian actress Anna Torv has taken up happy residence on a new show in New York, far from home.

AP Text: Frazier Moore

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

FRIDAY, JAN. 30

TV-GENERAL HOSPITAL

LOS ANGELES — A long-standing staple on the 45-year-old soap "General Hospital" is set to be destroyed.

AP Text: Derrik J. Lang.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: No coverage planned.

BC-PEOPLE-MEL GIBSON

LOS ANGELES — Attorneys for Mel Gibson seek to end a lawsuit filed by a screenwriter who claims he was underpaid for his work on "Passion of the Christ." Developing from a morning court hearing.

AP Text: Anthony McCartney

AP Photos: File photo.

AP Videos: No coverage planned.

FILM-DAVID FINCHER HONORED

SANTA BARBARA — Director David Fincher ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") honored at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

AP Text: No coverage planned.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: Coverage planned.

SATURDAY, JAN. 31

FILM-DGA AWARDS

LOS ANGELES — The 62nd Annual Directors Guild of America Awards, celebrating directors' choices of the year's best.

AP Text: Coverage planned.

AP Photos: Coverage planned.

AP Video: Coverage planned.