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Showbuzz
Web posted on:
Wednesday, February 03, 1999 12:43:57 PM EST
Today's buzz stories:
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Vega performs during legislative day activities of the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
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ALBANY, New York (CNN) -- Suzanne Vega is once again using her music to highlight a serious problem. The singer, who brought the issue of child abuse to the forefront with the 1988 song "Luka," went to New York's state Capitol Tuesday to push for anti-stalking legislation.
"The way to change things is not only by writing songs, it's really by passing the laws, because that's where you get the protection from," she said at a news conference, where she also performed songs. The Grammy-nominated singer said she had been stalked several times, both before and after becoming famous. Once a death threat forced her to wear a bulletproof vest during a performance in England.
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Winkler is still acting: He's shown here in his latest role, in the Adam Sandler movie "The Waterboy."
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LONDON (CNN) -- The original Fonz is giving a thumbs-up to his musical version. Henry Winkler, who played "the Fonz" on the 1970s sitcom "Happy Days," said South African actor Craig Urbani is "sensational" in his role as Arthur Fonzarelli in a musical based on the old show. Winkler is a creative consultant to the musical, which opens Wednesday.
He wasn't interested in recreating the role himself. "I can dance, but I can't sing," he said. "That would be killing, to hear me sing." Songs like "Rock Around the Clock" and "See You Later Alligator" are woven into the "Happy Days" plot, along with the show's theme song.
ATLANTA (CNN) -- The Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has officially launched its own Web site for its Grammy Awards. The site, at www.grammy.com, was created by the IBM Web development team, which has also designed sites for sporting events like the Masters and Wimbledon.
Recording Academy president Michael Greene and Grammy nominee Monica attended the official launch of the site, held at IBM's headquarters in Atlanta. The site includes hourly updates, information on previous winners and this year's nominees, polls and chats. The Grammys will be held on February 24.
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Pfeiffer
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Michelle Pfeiffer says she relates to her role as Beth Cappadora in "The Deep End of the Ocean," though she didn't when she first took it. The movie, based on a novel by Jacquelyn Mitchard, tells the story of a mother who loses her 3-year-old son in a crowded hotel lobby; the child reappears nine years later adopted into a new family, and with no memories of his real parents.
"At first I thought, 'Why is she such a ditz?'" the actress said. Then her own words shocked Pfeiffer one day as she dropped off her kids, 5-year-old Claudia and 4-year-old John Henry, at school. "I had to get something and turned and said to Claudia, 'Now watch your brother,' and it struck me," she said. "Those were Beth's words to her son. You think, 'I'll never let them out of my sight.'" "The Deep End of the Ocean" opens March 12.
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Stewart
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LONDON (CNN) -- Rod Stewart and Rachel Hunter might be working through their marital problems, but Stewart says he expects "frivolous activities" when he tours the United States beginning next week. Stewart, the gravel-voiced singer who has enjoyed a long run of pop success beginning in the 1970s, posted a message on his Web site (www.rodstewartlive.com) that said, in part, "The new U.S. tour starts in Nashville on February 12 ... and I look forward to a hearty response and frivolous activities wherever I go."
He and Hunter, a model, have been married since 1990, but have undergone a highly publicized split in recent weeks. Stewart, 54, earned a reputation as a carousing hellraiser before meeting Hunter, who he says changed his life. Just last month, Stewart said, "We are talking about our problems ourselves and we believe we can sort them out." Hunter is 30 years old, and the couple has two children together.
Reuters Limited contributed to this report.
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