UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News

'Moon' rakes in $140M for the No. 1 spot.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" shone this weekend, taking in an amazing $140.7 million in its first weekend for the No. 1 spot at the U.S. box office.

It was the third-highest gross weekend box office take in U.S. history, behind "The Dark Knight" and "Spider-Man 3."

"The Blind Side" was second with $34.51 million, usually good enough for first place.

In a distant but still healthy third was "2012," with $26.5 million.

All box office estimates are from Box Office Mojo.

"Planet 51" was fourth with $12.6 million; "A Christmas Carol (2009)" fifth with $12.23 million; "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" sixth with more than $11 million; "The Men Who Stare at Goats" seventh with more than $2.77 million; "Couples Retreat" eighth with more than $1.95 million; "The Fourth Kind" was ninth with $1.73 million.

"Law Abiding Citizen" was 10th with more than $1.61 million.

-0-

Lawyer says Gosselin divorce nearly done

READING, Pa., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- The attorney for Jon Gosselin said divorce proceedings between the U.S. reality TV star and his wife, Kate, could be completed by the end of the year.

Attorney Mark Heller, who is representing Jon Gosselin, told People magazine a divorce arbitration hearing between the two stars of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" was productive Saturday, paving the way for a possible 2009 end for the marital split.

"It was a positive move in the right direction for us to bring them together to the mediation table," Heller said. "Obviously before two warring parties can smoke the peace pipe, they have to sit down at a table and address the issues that brought them to the skirmish."

The couple, who starred in the TLC series along with fraternal twins and sextuplets, were scheduled to continue arbitration on Monday, but Heller said that meeting is no longer necessary.

"There were a couple of very emotional moments," Heller told People magazine of Saturday's meeting, "but in the end it all came together and concluded on a happy note."

-0-

Palin book tour travels to Pa., N.Y.

HENRIETTA, N.Y., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin appeared in South Strabane, Pa., and Henrietta, N.Y., in promotion for her book "Going Rogue," event organizers said.

Event organizer Bill Nojay said Palin arrived in Rochester, N.Y., with her parents Saturday and they immediately traveled to a bookstore in Henrietta, N.Y., for a book signing that drew more than 1,000 people, the Rochester (N.Y.) News and Democrat reported Sunday.

Also on hand for the promotional event for Palin's book, whose full title is "Going Rogue: An American Life," were two of her children, Piper and Trig.

"This was an immensely successful event," Nojay said of the Henrietta event. "Everybody that wanted, got their books signed."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Palin also made a book signing appearance in South Strabane, Pa., on Saturday.

More than 1,500 gathered at a local store to meet the former Republican vice presidential candidate and have their book signed.

The Post-Gazette said the book signing was part of Palin's three-week 14-city book tour.

-0-

Moyers to conclude 'Journal' in 2010

NEW YORK, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. journalist Bill Moyers said he will end his PBS public affairs series "Bill Moyers Journal" on April 30, 2010.

The Boston Globe said Sunday that Moyers, 75, cited his age as a factor in his decision to end his TV news program, but he would not confirm whether he would be leaving the TV industry altogether.

Moyers did confirm he currently has no projects planned for the future.

"Journal" originally ran in the 1970s and early 1980s before getting returning to television in 2007.

The Globe said in addition to losing the weekly news program, PBS will lose its series "Now on PBS" on April 30, 2010.

PBS said it would announce plans regarding its news and public affairs lineup in January.