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Woman sues Harpo after alleged stampede

CHICAGO, March 21 (UPI) -- A woman reportedly is suing Harpo Studios in Chicago for more than $50,000, claiming she was injured during a stampede for seats at "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

In a lawsuit filed this week in Cook County Circuit Court, Orit Greenberg said she "suffered severe and permanent injuries" after she was allegedly knocked down a flight of stairs in a rush to get seats for the talk show taping on Dec. 5, 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.

The lawsuit claims Harpo management failed to maintain order in the studio and was careless in allowing audience members to choose their own seats, the newspaper said.

Harpo said it doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Cowell plays guardian angel to U.S. family

MINNEAPOLIS, March 21 (UPI) -- Sharp-tongued "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell reportedly has paid off a mortgage for the family of a little Minnesota girl suffering from cancer.

Randy and Amy Stoen were invited to appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to discuss their 3-year-old daughter Madelaine's diagnosis of and treatment for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare, aggressive cancer that has attacked the left side of her face, the Star Tribune, a Minneapolis newspaper, reported.

The show found out about the Stoens' situation when a family friend sent an e-mail.

"They really expected nothing other than that they might be instrumental in helping some other family," Elaine Schmeling, one of Madelaine's grandmothers, told the newspaper.

But Cowell surprised the Stoens by telling them he paid off their mortgage.

"I didn't know what to do in this situation other than to do something which I hope will help," Cowell said during a segment on the "Oprah" episode that aired Monday.

"I know that you're having problems with your mortgage. And as of this afternoon, your mortgage has been paid off," he said. "If there's any problems, you know, I'm a guardian angel now."

Amy Stoen called Cowell's gift an "overwhelming relief," adding, "I don't know if it really has hit me yet."

Nolan: Ledger was proud of Joker portrayal

LOS ANGELES, March 21 (UPI) -- Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan said editing "The Dark Knight" after star Heath Ledger's unexpected death was an emotional experience.

Ledger, who plays the Joker in the upcoming live-action Batman film, died of an accidental lethal combination of prescription drugs in January. He was 28.

"It was tremendously emotional, right when he passed, having to go back in and look at him every day," Nolan told MTV.com. "But the truth is, I feel very lucky to have something productive to do, to have a performance that he was very, very proud of, and that he had entrusted to me to finish."

Nolan said Ledger had many unique, specific ideas for his portrayal of the iconic villain.

"We talked about Alex in 'A Clockwork Orange,' we talked about Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious, having a younger approach to the Joker, really tapping into what can be threatening about a guy like this," Nolan told MTV.com. "It seemed that the youthful-anarchy idea (worked best.) It is that fear of a teenager, the fear of the rebel in society that some of these people embody and that gave us the idea of having a little bit of a punk aesthetic to it."

Tori Spelling wants new '90210' role

LOS ANGELES, March 21 (UPI) -- U.S. television actress and former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Tori Spelling said she would love to be a part of the CW network's planned "90210" spinoff.

Spelling, who is the daughter of the original show's late producer Aaron Spelling, told People.com the new series' producers haven't been in touch but said that if they do ask her, she would be willing to take a role.

"My dad always wanted to do a new version of '90210,' so I'm sure he will be beaming from above!" Spelling told People.com. "And I'd love to somehow be a part of it. That as well would make my dad proud!"

Spelling, who spent a decade on the teen soap opera playing nice girl Donna Martin, said that at 34 she is too young to play the mother of one of the new show's main characters.

"Maybe I could be one of the main character's young stepmom," Spelling suggested. "Playing the funny sex ed teacher at the high school would be funny, too, considering Donna Martin was America's most infamous virgin. ... The show was a huge part of my life. Ten years! I miss it dearly."