Wilson out of movie

August 30, 2007

Owen Wilson, hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt, has dropped out of the upcoming ensemble comedy "Tropic Thunder," film industry trade papers reported yesterday. Wilson will not appear in the DreamWorks movie, already six weeks into production in Hawaii, Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter said, citing sources they didn't identify. The decision was characterized as a mutual agreement between director Ben Stiller and the 38-year-old actor, who was taken to the hospital Sunday after police responded to the report of a suicide attempt at his Santa Monica home. The Hollywood Reporter said Wilson had a minor part in the movie, which stars Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. and revolves around a group of actors who are caught in the middle of a war. (AP)

A woman said Hulk Hogan's son was racing another car moments before he lost control of his vehicle in Clearwater, Fla., and crashed into a tree, critically injuring his passenger. Frances Vitalis said she saw 17-year-old Nick Bollea's Toyota Supra smash into a median and spin into a palm tree Sunday night. She said the Supra and a Dodge Viper were revving their engines and racing between traffic signals before the crash. Police so far have said only that excessive speed contributed to the crash. (AP)

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has demanded an apology from Swedish newspapers for their scathing reviews of the group's performance in the country this month. Tabloids Expressen and Aftonbladet gave thumbs down to the Aug. 3 concert in Goteborg, with Expressen suggesting Richards was "superdrunk" onstage. "This is a first!" the 63-year-old rock star wrote in a letter published by Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter. "Never before have I risen to the bait of a bad review. But this time . . . I have to stand up . . . for our fans all over Sweden . . . to say that you owe them, and us, an apology." (AP)

Tropical singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra led the list of artists yesterday with five Latin Grammy nominations. Ricky Martin and Calle 13 received four each, and Beyoncé and Shakira were nominated for their duet "Beautiful Liar." Guerra's nominations included album of the year, best merengue album for "La Llave De Mi Corazon (The Key to My Heart)," record of the year, song of the year, and best tropical song. "It's a great honor. It's a great privilege" said Guerra, who attended the announcements at the Miami Beach club Mansion, towering over the other nominees in a black suit and his trademark backward black beret. The eighth annual Latin Grammy Awards will be broadcast live Nov. 8 from Las Vegas. (AP)

'This is gonna be one fun channel.' Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, announcing the Sept. 7 debut of an all-Dead channel on SIRIUS Satellite Radio.