UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News

Published: Jan. 6, 2009 at 1:59 PM
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Travolta, Preston bring Jett's ashes home

OCALA, Fla., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- John Travolta and Kelly Preston have brought their only son Jett's ashes home to Ocala, Fla., from the Bahamas, a source told "Entertainment Tonight."

Jett Travolta died of a seizure disorder at the age of 16 last week while on vacation with his parents and 8-year-old sister, Ella.

An autopsy was performed in the Bahamas Monday and Jett's body cremated afterward.

An insider told "Entertainment Tonight" Travolta and Preston were given an urn containing their son's ashes, which they took home to Florida.

Funeral plans for the teen haven't been publicly disclosed, the entertainment news program said on its Web site.


Swayze admits he's 'going through hell'

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze admits he sometimes feels scared and angry in his battle against pancreatic cancer.

The 56-year-old star of "The Outsiders," "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost" was diagnosed with the inoperable disease a year ago and has been undergoing treatment to fight it.

Swayze spoke to Barbara Walters about his health and his role on the new TV series "The Beast" in an exclusive interview, set to air on ABC Wednesday. Excerpts of the interview have been posted on ABC News's Web site.

"I've never been one to run from a challenge," Swayze told Walters in his first television interview since his cancer diagnosis.

"You can bet that I'm going through hell. And I've only seen the beginning of it," he said. "There's a lot of fear here. There's a lot of stuff going on. Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm (asking,) 'Why me?' Yeah, I'm all this stuff."

The actor added, however, that he plans to keep fighting.

"What winning is to me is not giving up, is no matter what's thrown at me, I can take it," Swayze said. "And I can keep going."


Polanski wants sex case moved from L.A.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Roman Polanski's attorneys have asked that a decades-old sex offense case against the French filmmaker be handled by a judge outside of Los Angeles.

The director fled the United States after pleading guilty in 1978 to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. He has never returned, not even to collect his Oscar for "The Pianist" a few years ago, and a warrant for his arrest remains in effect.

Polanski's lawyers last month filed a motion to have the case dismissed, due largely to statements made in the 2008 HBO documentary "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired."

The motion for dismissal is based on what Polanski's attorneys have described as "extraordinary new evidence" of "repeated, unlawful and unethical misconduct" by the Los Angeles district attorney's office and the judge involved in Polanski's case.

CNN said Polanski's lawyers contend the original judge in Polanski's case was "illegally influenced" by a prosecutor and that he violated the terms of Polanski's plea agreement by ignoring the recommendations for leniency made by the chief prosecutor, a probation officer and the victim's family and sentencing the filmmaker to prison.

Polanski's attorneys filed additional paperwork Monday asking that a non-Los Angeles judge decide their motion because, they say, the 75-year-old filmmaker won't be treated fairly by the Los Angeles County Superior Court system, CNN said.


Craig Ferguson marries art dealer

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Scottish-born comedian Craig Ferguson announced on his U.S. talk show Monday night he has married his longtime girlfriend Megan Wallace Cunningham.

Ferguson is the host of CBS' "Late Late Show."

People.com said Ferguson married Cunningham, an art dealer, some time during the holidays.

"The wedding took place in Vermont, where they have legalized gay civil unions -- and I married a woman," Ferguson said, showing off his wedding ring and joking, "It's not just bling."

Ferguson was married twice before and has a 7-year-old son.


© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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