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Entertainment Today: Showbiz news

By United Press International
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'FELICITY'

The popular WB sitcom "Felicity" is about to end its multi-season run. Producers confirm that the show, after four years, has simply run its course. In May, when the lead character graduates from college, the series will end. A spokesman for WB, Paul McGuire, tells Zap2It.com that the show will go out "on a note of creativity."

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Ratings for the series have not been that great during the current season. The show, which was a smash hit when it first hit the tube, is now seen by a meager 3.3 million viewers a week. That's not enough to be considered a continuing hit.


BRAD RENFRO

A judge in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has put actor Brad Renfro into a three-month drug treatment program and warned the 19-year-old that he could face a nine-month sentence if he does not follow through.

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Published reports indicate that Renfro -- who starred in the 1994 film "The Client," among others -- had been in jail for more than a week. He was arrested for violating an earlier probation and trying to steal a yacht. In mid-January, he was arrested in his native Tennessee, near Knoxville, for driving without a license and public intoxication.

A family member, present at this most recent legal action, told reporters that he has been "running with the wrong crowd."

(The above two items thanks to UPI's Dennis Daily)


GLENN CLOSE

Actress Glenn Close will sing "God Bless America" at the 126th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Monday during a tribute to the search and rescue dogs who worked at "Ground Zero" in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City. The tribute will donate more than $275,000 to the National Association of Search and Rescue dogs on behalf of USA Network, the Westminster Kennel Club and Pedigree pet foods.

For the 19th year, USA Network will air live coverage of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show from Madison Square Garden on Monday (8-11 p.m. ET) and Tuesday (8-11 p.m. ET).


'ZOOLANDER'

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Singapore's Board of Film Censors has banned the release of the American film "Zoolander" for what officials described as "controversial elements."

The comedy stars Ben Stiller as a self-absorbed male model who is brainwashed into assassinating the leader of Malaysia for threatening the fashion industry with a plan to raise the minimum wage of labor in his country. It premiered in the United States last September.

A spokeswoman for the Films and Publications Department refused to comment or explain the controversial elements, simply saying they prompted the board to revoke the release certificate it had previously issued.

The movie was due to open in Singapore next week. Malaysia has also banned the release of the film.

(Thanks to UPI Business Correspondent Sonia Kolesnikov in Singapore)


BOX OFFICE

Arnold Schwarzenegger's action-drama "Collateral Damage" easily led the nation's box office with an estimated $15.2 million at 2,824 theaters, studio sources said Sunday.

The Warner Bros. release, with Schwarzenegger as a firefighter seeking revenge on Colombian terrorists, was originally set to open Oct. 5 but was delayed indefinitely following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The studio settled on the Feb. 8 opening after its police drama "Training Day" performed above expectations in late September and early October.

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Universal's opening of youth comedy "Big Fat Liar" -- with Frankie Muniz of "Malcolm in the Middle" battling a Hollywood producer -- finished a solid second with $11.7 million at 2,521 theaters. "Liar" came into the market as first film aimed at younger moviegoers since "Snow Dogs" opened three weeks ago.

MGM's debut of its "Rollerball" remake came in third with a lukewarm $9 million at 2,762 theaters. The film, based on the 1975 fantasy, had been originally planned for a release last summer with an R rating but was revamped to achieve a PG-13 rating and aimed at fans of so-called extreme sports.

Three-time box office champion "Black Hawk Down" came in fourth, followed by Disney's fourth weekend of family comedy "Snow Dogs."

Rounding out the top-10 were "The Count of Monte Cristo," "A Beautiful Mind," "A Walk to Remember," "The Mothman Prophecies," and "I Am Sam."

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