'Solaris' author Stanislaw Lem dead at 84
KRAKOW, Poland, March 27 (UPI) -- "Solaris" author Stanislaw Lem in Krakow, Poland at age 84, it was reported Monday.
Lem died at a cardio-surgery clinic, his assistant told RIA-Novosti.
Among the prolific science fiction writer's books were "Solaris," made into a Hollywood film by Steven Soderbergh, and "Man from Mars" and "The Trial."
His books have sold more than 27 million copies in 41 languages worldwide.
Rocker Nikki Sudden dead at 49
NEW YORK, March 27 (UPI) -- Influential rocker Nikki Sudden of Swell Maps died after a weekend show at New York's Knitting Factory at age 49.
The cause of Sudden's Saturday night death has not been released, Chris Swanson of the record label, Secretly Canadian, told Billboard.com Monday.
Sudden had just finished a solo album "The Truth Doesn't Matter," and had been scheduled to play in London Wednesday with hand band, the Jacobites. The group said it would play as a memorial to Sudden.
Secretly Canadian had recently reissued 10 of Sudden's albums.
Sudden and his brother, Epic Soundtracks, created Swell Maps in the late 1970s. Soundtracks died in 1997 of unknown causes, Billboard.com said.
Swanson said Sudden was almost finished with his autobiography, "The Last Bandit," when he died.
Star Jones Reynolds debunks rumors
NEW YORK, March 27 (UPI) -- Star Jones Reynolds called into ABC's "The View" Monday and denied reports she nearly died while undergoing a breast lift in Los Angeles.
"I had a boob lift," People magazine quoted her as saying. "I thought it would be nice to call you guys this morning and keep you abreast of the situation."
Jones Reynolds, 44, said the elective surgery was made necessary after she lost 150 pounds.
"And do you know how hard it is to explain to your 87-year-old grandmother what a breast lift is?" she asked her "View" co-hosts, Meredith Vieira, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
"I did not almost die," she said, adding there was a complication that required a blood transfusion but "literally, I was fine right afterward."
"You guys know I'm anemic," she said. "We've talked about it on the show. I did need blood, (and) I was prepared."
Jones is out of the hospital and plans on returning to the show next week.
Lawmakers reach out to Colbert for votes
BOSTON, March 27 (UPI) -- U.S. House members are lining up to be publicly humiliated by Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert in the name of attracting young voters.
The representatives even admit their interviews on "The Colbert Report" are diced and spliced to make them look even more absurd, but they're willing to take the plunge in the name of comedy and votes in an election that could mean control of the chamber, the Boston Globe reported.
Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., says he is encouraging his fellow Republicans to sit opposite Colbert for his snarky segment, "Better Know a District."
"When people who are 25 who have never voted for you think you are funny because you did the show, that's instant validity," he said.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., was not so amused by his experience with Colbert.
The comic asked Frank what it was like to live as an "openly left-handed" American and asked the gay lawmaker whether his wife cared that he was "a little overweight."
Frank told the Globe he had not seen the show when he agreed to be a guest, has kept up that policy and did not even watch his own segment.
