Writers' strike causes California recession

The recent Hollywood writers' strike tipped California into a recession, resulting in a loss of $2.1 billion to the state economy and costing 37,700 jobs, according to a research report. The report, issued by the economic think tank the Milken Institute, takes on increasing importance as the Screen Actors Guild and Hollywood's major movie studios are embroiled in their own contract talks that threaten to throw the industry into another work stoppage as soon as the SAG contract expires on June 30. "The biggest thing that [a potential SAG strike] really does is it slows down the recovery, even a short strike is going to lead to a further disruption of filming schedules," said Kevin Klowden, managing economist at the Milken Institute and one of the report's authors. Klowden said the three-month writers' strike that ended in February cost the entertainment industry alone $500 million. But because Hollywood overlaps with other state industries, the report found the strike had a wider impact overall. (REUTERS)

Actor Vin Diesel is a dad. Diesel and his girlfriend, model Paloma Jimenez, welcomed a baby girl in Los Angeles on April 2, his representative, Meredith O'Sullivan, said in an e-mail yesterday. O'Sullivan said the 40-year-old action star wasn't releasing the baby's name. (AP)

Jewel has been honored by the Recording Industry Association of America with a career milestone plaque commemorating sales of more than 18 million albums in the United States. Jenny Alves, RIAA's coordinator of artist industry relations, surprised the 34-year-old singer as she prepared to sign autographs at the Country Music Association festival. "This is awesome. Thank you so much," said Jewel, who also was scheduled to perform at the festival. Jewel, whose full name is Jewel Kilcher, released a country album, "Perfectly Clear," this week. (AP)

"If you spend more money than you make, you know what happens."-- Ed McMahon, talking about the possible foreclosure of his Beverly Hills house on CNN's "Larry King Live"