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July 19, 2007

Dignitaries Help Mandela Celebrate His 89th Birthday

Nelson Mandela celebrated his 89th birthday Wednesday by joining with other Nobel peace laureates, politicians and development experts to form a "council of elders" dedicated to fostering peace and resolving global crises.

The event kicked off with about 250 people, including former President Carter, singing "Happy Birthday" as a beaming Mandela took the stage, accompanied by an aide and leaning heavily on his cane.

"How God must love South Africa to have given us such a priceless gift!" former Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the chairman of the elders group, told Mandela.

Mandela was imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against apartheid. Released in 1990, he led negotiations to end white rule. In South Africa's first fully democratic elections in 1994, he was elected president.

McKellen Nervous To Be King

Ian McKellen says playing the title character in William Shakespeare's "King Lear" is more nerve-racking than his recent Hollywood film roles.

Singapore is the first stop on the Royal Shakespeare Company's international tour of "King Lear" and "The Seagull" by Anton Chekhov.

"'King Lear,' I've been seeing all my life. I mean, the great actors of my lifetime ... to join their company, as it were, by playing a part that's challenged them, is one of the great joys of being an actor who does the classics," the 68-year-old actor said Wednesday at a briefing. "Without doubt, Lear is the one I got most nervous about."

The two productions will be staged today till Sunday in Singapore before going to Australia, New Zealand, the United States and London for performances that will run until the end of the year.

Panettiere Takes Role Of Singer

"Heroes" cheerleader Hayden Panettiere, who is also a budding singer, will make a guest appearance with fellow cast member Greg Grunberg's all-star Band From TV this weekend, she confirms to People magazine.

"I sang with them at the wrap party for our show," Panettiere, 17, told People on Tuesday at a party in L.A. celebrating NBC's fall season. "I saw them and said, 'Anytime you guys want me to perform with you I'm totally up for it.'"

Panettiere will take the stage with Grunberg and his fellow actor/musicians Saturday in Orange County, Calif. at Cal State Fullerton.

The Band From TV is a rock 'n' roll cover band featuring Grunberg on drums, "Desperate Housewives'" James Denton on guitar, "House's" Hugh Laurie on piano and both "Bachelor "star Bob Guiney and "Kitchen Confidential" actress Bonnie Somerville on vocals.

Oprah Still Grieves For Dog

Oprah Winfrey is mourning the death of her 2-year-old golden retriever, Gracie.

"Weeks have passed," Winfrey says in August's issue of O, the Oprah Magazine. "And the pain has not subsided. Every time I think about it, my heart starts racing and I feel like I just got stabbed in the chest."

On May 26, Gracie choked to death on a plastic ball that belonged to Sophie, Winfrey's 12-year-old cocker spaniel, while out with her dog walker and two other golden retrievers, Winfrey says.

Today's Birthdays

Former Sen. George McGovern is 85. Actor Pat Hingle is 83. Rock singer-musician Alan Gorrie (Average White Band) is 61. Actor Anthony Edwards is 45. Actress Rachel Miner is 27.

Source: The Associated Press