Fox addresses Emmys censorship
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Fox has said it only bleeped remarks that could have been considered offensive during the telecast of the Emmy Awards show in Los Angeles Sunday.
"Some language during the live broadcast may have been considered inappropriate by some viewers," the network said in a statement. "As a result, Fox's broadcast standards executives determined it appropriate to drop sound (and picture) during those portions of the show."
The Los Angeles Times said Sally Field was cut off as she concluded an anti-war statement and tribute to mothers by saying, "If the mothers ruled the world, there would be no goddamn wars in the first place!"
Field had just won the Emmy for best lead actress in a dramatic series for her work in "Brothers & Sisters."
The network also cut away when comedian Ray Romano made a sexually suggestive remark and when "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl uttered a profanity in response to her win as supporting actress on a drama series.
'Les Miserables' heading to China
BEIJING, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- British musical theater great Cameron Mackintosh has won a decade-long battle to take his blockbuster shows, including "Les Miserables" and "Cats," to China.
Mackintosh's works will be the first western musicals to be staged in Mandarin in China, the Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.
"I have been wanting to bring my musicals to China for a long time," Mackintosh said, as he signed up with a joint venture theatrical company with a firm run by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.
"Five or 10 years ago, I don't think the conditions were there for this," said Zhang Yu, the Chinese producer who runs China Arts and Entertainment Group, Mackintosh's new partners. "Now it's time."
As with many joint ventures in China, Mackintosh has taken a 49 percent stake in the operation, with the majority share held by CAEG.
Mackintosh, however, has been given veto power regarding company plans.
Auditions for the first Chinese "Les Miserables" begin in November.
National media swarm to Vegas to cover O.J.
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The state archivist says the latest O.J. Simpson criminal case could be the biggest story to hit Nevada since a 1980 fire at the MGM Grand killed 80 people.
"If O.J. Simpson gets convicted and goes to prison, this story's going to be big," Guy Rocha told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Big, big, big. People don't forget O.J. Simpson."
The media started to descend on Vegas as soon as Simpson was accused of teaming up with several gun-toting pals to allegedly steal back sports memorabilia from a dealer.
Since then, the local court has been inundated with e-mails and calls, while news vans line the streets surrounding the Clark County Detention Center, where Simpson is being held.
"This is the biggest case I've ever worked," said court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer.
"Oh, my God, in my 17 1/2 years (as a judge) I've never seen anything like this," said Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle.
Despite the attention, Rocha said the incident hasn't yet created the same frenzy as the MGM fire, the 1910 "fight of the century" between boxers Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries or the 1942 plane crash and death of actress Carole Lombard.
Britney Spears' manager, lawyer quit
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Britney Spears' manager reportedly quit just hours after Spears' lawyer announced she had stopped representing the troubled U.S. singer.
"It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears," her management company, The Firm, said in the statement published by People magazine. "We believe Britney is enormously talented, and has made a terrific record. But current circumstances have prevented us from properly doing our job. We wish Britney the best."
The statement didn't offer any other details but it did confirm a story first reported by CelebTV.com.
Spears, 25, is embroiled in a custody battle with her ex-husband Kevin Federline over their two young sons. She also is living down scathing reviews of her performance on the MTV Video Music Awards telecast earlier this month.
Hours before her management team announced the parting of the ways, Laura Wasser stepped down as Spears' attorney in the custody fight with Federline.
Wasser said Spears would be in "excellent hands" with her replacement and added, "I don't want anyone to perceive that we're dumping Britney."
