'Hop' hares its way to No. 1 at box office
LOS ANGELES, April 3 (UPI) -- The animated "Hop," featuring the voice of Russell Brand, jumped to the top of the U.S. box office during the weekend with more than $38.11 million.
"Source Code," a suspense flic featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, was a distant second with more than $15.05 million.
"Insidious," with Patrick Wilson, was a close third with more than $13.49 million.
All studio estimates of gross box office receipts are via Box Office Mojo.
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" was fourth with $10.2 million; "Limitless" fifth with more than $9.4 million; "The Lincoln Lawyer" sixth with $7.05 million; "Sucker Punch" seventh with more than $6.08 million; "Rango" eighth with $4.56 million; and "Paul" ninth with $4.3 million.
"Battle: Los Angeles" rounded out the top 10 with $3.5 million.
Sheen's 'Torpedo of Truth' show torpedoes
DETROIT, April 3 (UPI) -- By most accounts, actor Charlie Sheen's "Torpedo of Truth" touring show that opened Detroit actually torpedoed.
The fired former star of "Two and a Half Men" and his two "goddesses" did little to enamor themselves Saturday before about 4,700 audience members at Detroit's Fox Theater, the Detroit News reported Sunday.
The show is scheduled to appear in 20 cities. Hundreds of people walked out of Saturday's premiere, some angrily calling for refunds.
The show got off to a reportedly unfunny start and Sheen had to come onstage and ask people to stop booing so his opening act, a comedian, could finish.
Things briefly got better when Sheen and his two "goddesses," came onstage. They burned a "Two and a Half Men" shirt while Sheen put on a Detroit Tigers baseball jersey with "Warlock 99" imprinted on the back.
The 70-minute show was peppered with heckling and boos and Sheen's joke about Detroit's sagging population flopped.
"Detroit, population 5,000...and it looks like all of you are here tonight!" Sheen said as many in the crowd booed.
The Detroit Free Press said the show's worst parts were when Sheen spoke.
"It was bad," said WRIF-FM Radio host Drew Lane. "People were upset, but I don't think they knew what to expect. He's a movie star, not a stand up comic."
Lane said Sheen's career would be in danger if the rest of his tour comes off as badly as his opening night.
'Real World' hopefuls line up in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 3 (UPI) -- A casting director said he had expected to look over a parade of about 600 people during a weekend audition for MTV's "The Real World" in Columbus, Ohio.
An exact head count was not immediately available, but The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch said Sunday there were hundreds of hopefuls lined up outside a University City bar Saturday waiting for their shot.
"I think it would be a good chance to further my career in modeling and acting," Chris Bailey, 24, told the newspaper as he stood at the front of the line.
Casting director Jonathan Woodbeck said he was looking for something difficult to describe among the Ohio throng. "People always ask me what you're looking for, and I always say there's no exact science," said Woodbeck, whose resume includes stints on other reality series, including "Project Runway" and "America's Top Model."
The producers will select 10 contestants 18-24 years old to move in for next year's adventures of young party animals living in a nice big house. Similar casting calls were being held in Philadelphia, Buffalo, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
Kids Choice Awards held in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, April 3 (UPI) -- Justin Bieber and Katy Perry were among the winners in Nickelodeon's 2011 Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, organizers said.
More than 200 million votes were cast to honor the best in children's entertainment and actor and comedian Jack Black hosted Saturday's show, which was broadcast from the Galen Center at the University of Southern California.
The show featured a smorgasbord of entertainers who indulged in are variety of skits culminating when a monster truck was driven into a 7,600 gallon vat of green slime.
Among those honored was Justin Timberlake. He accepted Nickelodeon's "The Big Help Award" for his charitable work and philanthropy.
Orange blimps went to Johnny Depp for Favorite Movie Actor and Miley Cyrus for Favorite Movie Actress. The Favorite Movie award went to "The Karate Kid," and "Despicable Me" won in the Favorite Animated Movie category.
Other winners: Jackie Chan, Favorite Buttkicker; Eddie Murphy for Favorite Voice as the donkey in "Shrek Forever After."
Winners in the television category went to "iCarly," Favorite TV show, "American Idol" for Favorite Reality Show; and "SpongeBob SquarePants," Favorite Cartoon.
The Favorite TV Actor award went to Dylan Sprouse; Favorite TV Actress to Selena Gomez and Funniest TV Sidekick to Jennette McCurdy.
In music, awards went to Katy Perry for Favorite Female Singer; Justin Bieber, Favorite Male Singer, and to The Black Eyed Peas for Favorite Musical Group.
In sports, basketball player Shaquille O'Neal and skier Lindsey Vonn won for Favorite Male Athlete and Favorite Female Athlete, respectively.
The Favorite Book award went to "The Diary of Wimpy Kid" series and Just Dance 2 was named Favorite Videogame.
