CELEBRITY WATCH
Listen to "Celebrity Watch" from CNN Radio's Ken Pauli Windows Media: 28k Real Audio: 28k

May 10, 2000
Web posted at: 3:02 p.m. EST (1902 GMT)

From staff and wire reports

Today's buzz stories:

• Bolton loses appeal
• Puffy protege sued for assault
• Hanks, Diaz top Blockbuster honors
• HBO syncs up with 'N Sync, Dylan
• Stoppard receives queen's award

Bolton loses appeal

Bolton

LOS ANGELES -- Michael Bolton sang "Love Is a Wonderful Thing," but what he failed to mention is that it also can be costly.

A federal appeals court has upheld a $5.4 million verdict against the singer for using parts of the 1964 Isley Brothers song of the same name.

Ronald Isley had sued Bolton in 1994, accusing him of violating the song's copyright by incorporating elements of the tune and words into his 1991 ditty.

The three-judge appeals panel Tuesday awarded Ronald and Marvin Isley 66 percent of all past and future royalties from the single and 28 percent of past and future royalties from Bolton's album, "Time, Love and Tenderness."

Puffy protege sued for assault

NEW YORK -- Jamal "Shyne" Barrow, the protege of Sean "Puffy" Combs charged in a shooting at a Manhattan nightclub in December, is being sued for $6 million for an alleged assault during a pickup basketball game.

Robert Steinmetz, 32, says Barrow, 21, "intentionally and maliciously" threw a basketball in his face during a game on July 11. Barrow, who was apparently losing, "continued to assail (him) with a barrage of blows to the face and body," according to court papers.

Barrow, who has been charged with four misdemeanors, denies the allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 18. If convicted, he could get a one-year prison sentence.

Barrow also has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted murder stemming from the December 27 incident in which he allegedly shot and wounded three people at a club near Times Square.

Hanks, Diaz top Blockbuster honors

Cameron Diaz and Tom Hanks were honored with Blockbuster awards

LOS ANGELES -- Tom Hanks and Cameron Diaz have earned a special place in the hearts and VCRs of Blockbuster customers across the world. The video retailer honored them and other Hollywood notables at its sixth annual awards ceremony Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Hanks was named favorite actor in a drama for his role as a death-row prison guard in "The Green Mile." Diaz took home the trophy for best actress in "Any Given Sunday," Oliver Stone's football film.

Former "Saturday Night Live" comedian Adam Sandler was voted best actor in a comedy for last summer's hit "Big Daddy." Heather Graham won best actress in a comedy for "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me."

Pierce Brosnan claimed two prizes: favorite actor in a drama romance for "The Thomas Crown Affair" and favorite actor in an action picture, for the James Bond thriller "The World is Not Enough."

Catherine Zeta-Jones earned the award for top action movie actress in "Entrapment," while Nicole Kidman was named favorite actress in the romantic drama "Eyes Wide Shut."

The video award winners are chosen by customers of Blockbuster's nearly 7,100 stores worldwide. The ceremony is scheduled to be shown on Fox on June 20.

HBO syncs up with 'N Sync, Dylan

'N Sync

NEW YORK -- HBO has a couple of music shows in store for teens and their parents. One, a live concert, features boy band 'N Sync. The other, a one-hour special, will star '60s rocker Bob Dylan.

'N Sync, whose "No Strings Attached" album has sold more than 7 million copies, is to give a concert from Madison Square Garden on July 27.

Dylan will be in a special, HBO confirmed, but offered few details. The Hollywood Reporter says it will be produced by Larry Charles, who has worked on "Mad About You" and "Seinfeld."

The special is believed to include Dylan music, both new and classic material, plus comedy sketches.

Stoppard receives queen's award

LONDON -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth inducted playwright Sir Tom Stoppard as one of four new members of the Order of Merit, the highest personal award she bestows on individuals.

According to the Times, the screenwriter of "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) and "Billy Bathgate" (1991) joined Nobel laureate chemist Sir James Black, mathematician Sir Roger Penrose and sculptor Sir Anthony Caro as the newest members of the organization.

Some other Stoppard titles include "The Fifteen Minute Hamlet" (1995), "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" (1990) and "The Dog It Was That Died" (1988).

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.