S. African filmmaker killed in air crash
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 7 (UPI) -- A South African filmmaker specializing in wildlife photography died with his pilot in a plane crash in Namibia, his production company said.
Table Mountain Films said Tuesday in an announcement on Facebook that Richard Matthews' death had been confirmed.
"Richard was doing what he loved and was very excited about his new improved aerial system when he set off for Namibia," the company said.
Katharina Pechel, Matthews' business partner, told Independent On Line that the plane lost contact Sunday. Matthews and the pilot, Mark Berry, did not return to the lodge where they were staying.
After two planes failed to locate the missing one Monday, police launched a helicopter search Tuesday and discovered the wreckage.
"It seemed there was a bad fire," Pechel said. "There were no survivors. It is a huge shock. We were all thrown by this."
Al Gore sued over Current TV sale
SAN FRANCISCO, March 7 (UPI) -- Television producer John Terenzio is suing former U.S. Vice President Al Gore in San Francisco for cutting him out the sale of Current TV, court papers say.
Gore sold Current TV to al-Jazeera for $500 million in January. But Terenzio claims it was his idea to link the two companies, as he had been seeking ways to create an English-speaking version of al-Jazeera, a news broadcaster with headquarters in Qatar.
Terenzio claims he was responsible for reprogramming China Central Television for U.S. audiences and that he understood how to sway political and public opinion to accept the concept.
In late 2011, court papers say, he created a presentation called "Path to U.S. Distribution," for al-Jazeera to a principal at Colony Capital named Richard Nanula.
Nanula presented the concept to Richard Blum, the husband of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Blum is on the board of directors at Current TV.
Blum showed the concept to Gore, who at first hated the idea, court papers claim.
At some point, however, Gore had a "change of heart," court papers say. But Terenzio wasn't a participant in the deal after that, even though there was a "mutual understanding that Terenzio would be compensated if Current TV utilized his idea to consummate a sale to al-Jazeera," court papers say.
The Hollywood Reporter said Thursday that Terenzio is suing Gore for breach of implied agreement, unjust enrichment and "quantum meruit," which means "what one has earned."
Terenzio is seeking $15 million in damages, the Reporter said.
Murphy, Reinhold to appear in 'Beverly Hills Cop' pilot
LOS ANGELES, March 7 (UPI) -- Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold are to reunite for cameos in the television pilot based on their hit 1984 movie, "Beverly Hills Cop," The Wrap reported.
Murphy and Reinhold will reprise their respective roles of straight-laced Beverly Hills Police Detective Billy Rosewood and wisecracking, risk-taking Detroit Detective Axel Foley in the first episode of the probable series, which will star Brandon T. Jackson as Foley's police officer son.
The Wrap said CBS has not responded to its request for comment on the casting news.
Singer-actress Demi Lovato says she has a half-sister
NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) -- Actress, singer and TV personality Demi Lovato revealed in a New York radio interview she recently discovered she has an older half-sister.
People.com said Lovato, who turned 20 last August, broke the news when asked during a phone interview with Long Island radio station WBLI if there is anything personal she would like to share with her fans.
"I have an older sister I've never known my whole life, who's in her 30's," Lovato said. "She's my half-sister but I talked to her for the very first time in my life around when I turned 20."
People.com said Lovato didn't offer details about which parent she shares with her new-found sibling, where she lives or what her name is.
"I asked her, I said, 'Why haven't you ever contacted me?' She said: 'Well, I never wanted you to think I wanted anything from you. So I've just been kind of waiting to see if you wanted a relationship.' I thought that was so incredible. So, I actually have three sisters," Lovato said.
Lovato is a judge on TV's "The X Factor."
