'Hobbit' leads weekend with $84.8M
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- "The Hobbit" raked in $84.8 million in gross U.S. box office receipts during the weekend, a record for December.
The Los Angeles Times reported the figure for the first installment of a three-part prequel to "The Lord of the Rings" was significantly lower than pre-release audience polling suggested, which was between $120 million and $140 million.
All U.S. studio box office estimates are via Box Office Mojo.
The animated "Rise of the Guardians" was second with $7.42; "Lincoln" third with $7.244 million; "Skyfall" fourth with $7 million; "Life of Pi" fifth with $5.4 million; "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2" sixth with $5.175 million; "Wreck-It Ralph" seventh with $3.273 million; "Playing for Keeps" eighth with $3.247 million; "Red Dawn (2012)" ninth with $2.394 million.
"Silver Linings Playbook" was 10th with $2.084 million.
Luminaries expected at Rivera funeral
LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Jenni Rivera's publicist says Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan and Edward James Olmos are expected at the singer's Long Beach, Calif., funeral next week.
Rivera, 43, died in a small plane crash, alongside six others, in Mexico last Sunday. She is expected to be buried in an invitation-only service Wednesday.
The recording artist's representatives told TMZ she left specific plans for her funeral, including that she wanted butterflies released at the end of the service.
A public memorial is to take place Tuesday.
Rivera was also a TV personality and the mother of five children. She sold 20 million albums worldwide.
Faison and Cobb wed in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Actor Donald Faison and Cacee Cobb got married in Los Angeles after dating for six years, People.com said.
The couple got engaged in 2011. Their wedding ceremony took place Saturday night at the home of Faison's former "Scrubs" co-star Zach Braff.
Cobb's friend, Jessica Simpson, was a bridesmaid, and Simpson's sister, Ashlee, was a guest, People.com said.
Cobb previously worked as Jessica Simpson's assistant and appeared with her on the reality series "The Price of Beauty."
Clarkson and Blackstock get engaged
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. pop star Kelly Clarkson announced via Twitter she has gotten engaged to her longtime beau, talent manager Brandon Blackstock.
"I'M ENGAGED!!!!!" she tweeted Saturday. "I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night! I am so lucky and am with the greatest man ever."
People.com said the 30-year-old singer began dating Blackstock, the son of Clarkson's manager, Narvel Blackstock, a year ago.
The elder Blackstock is married to country music icon Reba McEntire.
