Entertainment Today: Showbiz News

'ANGER MANAGEMENT' STILL NO. 1

Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson's mental health comedy managed to keep the No. 1 spot at the box office for the second week in a row.

Studio estimates released Sunday show "Anger Management" earned $25.6 million in ticket sales its second weekend in theaters, giving it a 10-day total of $80.3 million.

Coming in second was the family film "Holes," which stars Patricia Arquette, Jon Voight and Sigourney Weaver, and is based on Louis Sachar's popular children's book. "Holes" earned $17.1 million when it debuted this weekend.

"Malibu's Most Wanted," a rap comedy starring Jamie Kennedy, Anthony Anderson and Taye Diggs debuted at No. 3 with $13.1 million, while the Chow Yun-Fat martial arts comedy, "Bulletproof Monk," opened at $8.6 million.

Rounding out the weekend's top five was "Phone Booth," a thriller starring Colin Farrell as an unscrupulous publicist trapped by a sniper in a Manhattan phone booth. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the nail-biter earned another $5.7 million at the box office this weekend.

ANDERSON, DIGGS ON RACE AND FILM

Halle Berry and Denzel Washington both won Oscars last year but other black actors say the industry hasn't changed much because of it.

"Hollywood is very narrow-minded, myopic if you will," Taye Diggs, star of "Malibu's Most Wanted," told reporters in New York.

Asked whether Berry and Washington's achievements helped knock down any race barriers, Diggs' co-star, Anthony Anderson, replied, "What change, brother?"

"When was this change supposed to happen?" Anderson wondered. "Why didn't I get that memo? I didn't get that memo... Why? Because Halle and Denzel won an award in one night at the same time. Is that suppose to start change? No, they had a good night. That was it."

Diggs admitted movie studios slowly are changing their opinions of films starring and about black people but Anderson noted the only way to get better roles for black actors is to have black people behind the camera as well.

"That's why I'm sitting in the producer's chair now," Anderson said. "That's why I'm sitting in the creator's chair now. By creating my own television show, by starring in it, by producing and things like that. You have to take hold of your own destiny. You create that and control that yourself. You don't want to sit across the table in a room and wait for somebody to make that happen for you. No. And as long as people like me, before me, and after me continue to do that we will make strides in Hollywood as long as we continue to put people of color in positions as writers, directors, producers, heads of studios and things like that."

REPORT: STARS STAYING AWAY FROM CANNES

The New York Post is predicting fewer Hollywood stars will attend the famed Cannes Film Festival next month.

The tabloid cited fears of terrorism and anti-French sentiment as reasons some bold-faced names will avoid the event, which has, in previous years, offered glimpses into the following year's Academy Award choices.

"The Pianist," which was nominated for Best Picture and which won Oscars for actor Adrien Brody and director Roman Polanski last month, won the prestigious Palme D'Or last spring.

Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Films, who has been going to Cannes since 1971, is quoted in The Post as saying, "There will be fewer of those self-important Hollywood types who fear that someone is going to put ricin in their cereal."

Kaufman claimed he had been told French police have confirmed the Cannes festival is a target of terrorists who "already have at least some ricin in France."

Still expected to attend the event, however, are freshly minted Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman, showing her new film, "Dogville;" action king Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will promote his eagerly awaited flick, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines;" and Meg Ryan ("Sleepless in Seattle") and Steve Soderbergh ("Traffic,") who will serve on the festival's panel of judges.

MIRAMAX CHIEF TO 'TEACH' AT LEARNING ANNEX

Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of Miramax Films, is scheduled to "teach" a seminar at New York's Learning Annex later this month.

Planned for April 30, the evening will be moderated by former New York Times film critic Janet Maslin.

During the class, Weinstein, who has shepherded the award-winning and critically acclaimed films: "The Crying Game," "The Cider House Rules," "Shakespeare in Love," "Pulp Fiction," "Gangs of New York" and "Chicago," will answer questions submitted in advance by the seminar's students.

After registering for the class at learningannex.com, one may submit a question to [email protected].

All proceeds from the evening will go to The Robin Hood Foundation -- targeting poverty in New York City -- and The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp -- founded by Paul Newman to provide a summer camp experience for seriously ill children.