Today's Buzz stories
From staff and wire reports |
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Andre says 'Ya!' to cartoon
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) -- Andre 3000, one-half of the chart-topping hip-hop group OutKast, is developing a potential series project with Cartoon Network.
The musician is hashing out ideas for a half-hour special pegged for the cable channel's "Adult Swim" block. If Andre 3000 and Cartoon -- both based in Atlanta -- are happy with the results, the channel will greenlight the special for series treatment.
Mike Lazzo, senior vp of Cartoon's "Adult Swim" program block, quickly got over his reservations about collaborating with celebrities upon meeting with Andre 3000, who has worked as an illustrator. "I'm extremely wary of it, but in Andre's case, I think he is a creative genius," he said. "He has definite opinions of what he likes visually."
While still in the early stages, the project is expected to be inspired by the rapper's life or possibly his alter ego, Johnny Vulture, the guitar-playing wildman seen in OutKast's video for the Grammy-winning hit single "Hey Ya!"
The rapper is expected to contribute music to the project.
The Cure unveils tour
NEW YORK (Billboard) -- The Cure will headline the Curiosa summer festival tour with support from Interpol and the Rapture, two acts clearly influenced by the veteran U.K. rock act's sound.
So far, 16 dates are confirmed through August 27. The Cure's official Web site (http://www.thecure.com) says a full list of dates will be announced imminently.
The Robert Smith-led band will be touring in support of its upcoming self-titled album, due June 29 via I Am/Geffen. The Cure unveiled several new songs, including first single "The End of the World" and album opener "Lost," last weekend at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California.
The group's only pre-Curiosa U.S. show is scheduled for May 22 at the WHFStival in Washington, D.C. Seven European appearances are on tap afterward, wrapping July 10 at the Oxegen Festival in Naas, Ireland.
Fans love to hate '24' villain
LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- "They are lunatics, aren't they? Absolute lunatics."
That's what English actor Paul Blackthorne has to say about the fans of "24." But it's clear from his voice that he means it in the nicest possible way.
The feeling's are probably not mutual considering he plays the dashing, yet despicable Stephen Saunders -- the terrorist brain behind this season's virus attack. "It's been happening a lot that people have been noticing me and looking at me in a slightly unnerved way," he says.
It's not the first time. It happened a few years back, the actor says, when he was making the promotional rounds for the Oscar-nominated Bollywood blockbuster "Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India," in which he played an arrogant colonial official. "A lot of India loves to hate me and now it seems to be half of America."
'Providence' on Lifetime
LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Women's cable network Lifetime Television has acquired the cable rerun rights to "Providence," the family drama that ran on NBC from 1999-2002.
"Providence," which starred Melina Kanakaredes as a plastic surgeon who leaves a successful Hollywood practice to return to her Rhode Island hometown, will bow on Lifetime on Tuesday in the 8 p.m. slot.
Lifetime acquired the rights from ABC Family.
Reuters contributed to this report.
