People: Prince Will dons a soldier suit
Britain’s Prince William has been commissioned as an army officer, and the world is safe once again for the Windsor family. Not to mention the odd Brit-royal or three.
William, son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, second in line to the crown behind his father, shared the spotlight at his swearing-in ceremony with his girlfriend, Kate Middleton.
While grandmother Queen Elizabeth II addressed the new second lieutenants and his father accepted the salute, William stood one face in a crowd of cadets participating in “passing out” ceremonies at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, following a 44-week commissioning course.
William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, was commissioned at a similar ceremony earlier this year
Middleton, wearing a bright scarlet coat and dark hat, attracted lingering gazes from the television cameras covering the ceremony.
They have lawsuits, too
Jon Peters, the hairdresser/Hollywood producer once married to Barbra Streisand, has been tagged with a sexual harassment suit. Shelly Morita claims that during production of “Superman Returns” Peters frequently grabbed her breasts, buttocks or legs, hugged and kissed her and made “rude, sexual and disparaging comments.” The suit also claims that Peters exposed himself to Morita and her 3-year-old daughter, commenting, “Look what boys have!” and later joked about it to other employees.
O’Donnell is certainly sorry
Rosie O’Donnell is sorry for mocking spoken Chinese. In a Dec. 5 segment of “The View,” O’Donnell joked that Danny DeVito‘s recent – and seemingly drunken – stint on the ABC talk show had become world news. “You know, you can imagine in China it’s like ‘ching chong, ching chong chong, Danny DeVito, ching chong chong chong, drunk, “The View,” ching chong,’ ” “I’m sorry for those people who felt hurt or were teased on the playground,” she said. Karen Lincoln Michel, president-elect of Unity: Journalists of Color Inc., said O’Donnell’s remarks were “patently offensive.”
That was a gun in his pocket
Comedy actor Katt Williams has been sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm, district attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison said Wednesday. The 35-year-old comedian was arrested Nov. 6 at Los Angeles International Airport after a gun was found in his briefcase.
What book won’t be on ‘Oprah’?
Kitty Kelley, author of bios about Nancy Reagan, Jackie Kennedy, Frank Sinatra and the Brit-royals, will tackle Oprah Winfrey. “I see her as probably the most powerful woman in our society,” Kelley told the Washington Post. “I think Oprah has influenced every medium that she’s touched.” Winfrey’s representative says her boss “has no plans to contribute.”
The birthday bunch
Writer Arthur C. Clarke is 88. Actress Liv Ullman is 66. News broadcaster Lesley Stahl is 64. Television writer Steven Bochco is 62. ABBA co-founder Benny Andersson is 59. Guitarist Billy Gibbons is 56. William “The Refrigerator” Perry is 43. Actor Benjamin Bratt is 42. Singer Michael McCary is 34. Actress Hallee Hirsh is 18.