'Kill Bill Vol. 2' tops U.S. box office
HOLLYWOOD, April 18 (UPI) -- Miramax's "Kill Bill Vol. 2" topped the U.S. box office, grossing an estimated $25 million in its premier week, reported the Web site boxofficemojo.com.
"The Punisher" distributed by Lion's Gate, grossed $14 million in its debut week.
Fox's "Johnson Family Vacation" added $6 million to its box office of $21 million.
"Hellboy," distributed by Sony/Revolution, added $5.7 million to its box office of $50 million.
Buena Vista's "Home on the Range" added $5.4 million to its box office of $37 million.
"Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed," distributed by Warner Bros., added $5 million to its box office of $72 million.
MGM's "Walking Tall" added $4.6 million to its box office of $37 million.
Miramax's "Ella Enchanted," added $4.4 million to its box office of $14 million.
"The Passion of The Christ," distributed by Newmarket, added $4 million to its box office of $361 million.
Buena Vista's "The Alamo" added $4 million to its box office of $16 million.
Middle-age demographic buying music
LOS ANGELES, April 18 (UPI) -- The U.S. music business has long ignored anyone middle aged, but with the success of Norah Jones, Clay Aiken and Rod Stewart, they are no longer ignored.
While recorded music sales have slumped by 25 percent, a bright spot has been the success of artists with a demographic beyond the age of 30.
The album "Feels Like Home," by-25-year-old Norah Jones topped 4 million -- the biggest-selling new album of the year, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
And singing veterans Rod Stewart, Michael McDonald and Barbra Streisand have also enjoyed a resurgence in sales from the middle-age demographic.
During 1992, people over age 30 bought 42 percent, or $3.8 million, of the recorded music sold in the United States, but by 2002, that age group accounted for more than 56 percent of sales -- or $7 billion.
Omarosa seeking Hollywood
HOLLYWOOD, April 18 (UPI) -- Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, may not have made many fans on NBC's "The Apprentice," but she may skip business altogether and go to Hollywood.
"Business wise, Omarosa is a bust," said Sherri Spillane, a Los Angeles talent agent who has represented Tonya Harding, Joey Buttafuoco and Kato Kaelin. "No one will hire her for a regular job, because they can't trust her. She's the perfect villain. She could play the nasty government official, or Cruella De Vil."
Following the "The Apprentice" finale, Manigault-Stallworth flew to Los Angeles to film a screen test for Clairol Herbal Essence hair color commercials, the New York Post reported.
However, Clairol may be distancing itself from controversy swirling around Manigault-Stallworth.
"I want to emphasize that the reports that Omarosa is our new spokesperson are wrong," company spokeswoman Francine Gingras told the Post.
"All we're doing is taking some film of Omarosa to see if we can leverage that love-to-hate-her personality into something useful. We may never even use it."
Hollywood backs Kentucky candidate Clooney
CINCINNATI, April 18 (UPI) -- Nick Clooney, father of actor George Clooney, has attracted a lot of Hollywood money in his run to represent Northern Kentucky in Congress.
About 120 celebrity contributors have given $170,000 for Clooney's campaign as a Democratic candidate in the Fourth Congressional District, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported Sunday.
Donors included Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Costner, Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas, Salma Hayek, Lucy Liu, Paul Newman and Renee Zellweger.
Hollywood executives also pitched in some funds, such as HBO Chairman Christopher Albrecht, Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks, Universal Studios President Ronald Meyer and Miramax Films Co-Chairman Robert Weinstein.
Directors Steven Spielberg and Steven Soderbergh have also contributed.
However, his opposition for the congressional seat has been critical of the Hollywood contributions.
"This district wants substance, not celebrity," said Justin Brasell, spokesman for Republican candidate, Geoff Davis.
A spokesman for Nick Clooney's campaign, Bob Doyle, said, "At the end of the day, the people in Northern Kentucky who have known Nick Clooney for years know he is his own man, an independent guy whose views are consistent with the people of his district."
