Entertainment Today: Showbiz News

MICHAEL JETER DEAD AT 50

Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor Michael Jeter died at his Hollywood Hills home this week. He was 50.

Best-known for his roles as Herman Stiles on the Burt Reynolds sit-com, Evening Shade;" as the "other" Mr. Noodle on the classic PBS children's television show, "Sesame Street;" and as a Death Row killer in "The Green Mile," Jeter had recently completed work on the upcoming Tom Hanks adventure, "Polar Express." Production of that film halted Monday so cast and crew could mourn the passing of one of its own.

Although the cause of Jeter's death was not immediately known, he announced in 1997 he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

At a 1997 symposium on AIDS sponsored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Jeter talked openly about his HIV status and showed off the pillbox that contained his medicine.

"We have lost innumerable and valuable human resources to this disease," Jeter said, according to POZ magazine. "It is my honor to be part of the television community because as the medium which has the resources and scope to reach the entire planet, we have the greatest opportunity to affect change."

Survivors include Jeter's partner, Sean Blue.

MADONNA YANKS ANTI-WAR VIDEO

Madonna has had a change of heart and won't release her controversial, anti-war music video, "American Life," after all.

In a statement posted on her Web site Monday, the singer said the video for her new single was filmed before the war with Iraq started and was not appropriate to air as scheduled this Friday out of respect for American troops who are now fighting and dying in Iraq.

"Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video," Madonna said.

The video for the title track of Madonna's new album shows the diva wearing military garb next to dancers in camouflage on a fashion runway and a grenade being thrown in the direction of a President Bush lookalike intercut with images of war.

'MIRACLE WORKER' POSTPONED INDEFINITELY

Hilary Swank will have to wait a little longer to make her Broadway debut -- her revival of "The Miracle Worker" has been postponed.

Swank was set to play Annie Sullivan, the teacher who helped the deaf and blind Helen Keller communicate with the outside world. The play is on indefinite hiatus, however, after finishing its out-of-town tryout in Charlotte, N.C., over the weekend, reported E! Online.

"The truth of the matter is that the production needs some reworking and is not ready in our opinion to open on Broadway so soon," producer Barry Weissler said in a statement.

The Miracle Worker was to begin previews at New York's Music Box Theater on April 8, with opening night scheduled for April 24.

Weissler said the Oscar-winning Swank and and newcomer Ske McCole Bartusiak will star in the play whenever it go on.

"It is the plan that Swank and Bartusiak will continue with the project and we can announce a new schedule shortly," Weissler said.

The new schedule is not expected to begin before May 7, the day a show must officially open on Broadway to be considered eligible for the 57th Annual Tony Awards, which will be presented in June.