Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

And for Valery, how about ‘Back in the U.S.S.R.’?


Paul McCartney
 (The Spokesman-Review)
The Spokesman-Review

BESIDES BEING A KNIGHT, not to mention a former Beatle, Paul McCartney now has a new role: human alarm clock.

The 63-year-old singer today will provide the first-ever live wake-up call to the crew of the International Space Station.

McCartney will sing two songs to the Expedition 12 crew from his concert in Anaheim, Calif.

In August, NASA jolted awake the crew of the space shuttle Discovery with the Beatles classic “Good Day Sunshine.”

Since then, McCartney has projected footage of the crew during his current U.S. tour.

Around 9:55 p.m. PST tonight, he will sing “Good Day Sunshine” to Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev, broadcast live on NASA TV.

He’ll also be serenading the spacemen with “English Tea” from his new album, “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.”

“I have a cup of tea in the morning, so it’s something good to wake up to,” McCartney said.

She’ll keep running on her record

Motown star Martha Reeves, known for belting out such hits as “Dancing in the Street” and “Heat Wave,” said she’ll continue her singing career while performing new duties as a member of the Detroit City Council.

The former lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, who once sang she had “Nowhere to Run,” ran for election at age 64 and came in eighth Tuesday in the race for nine council seats.

Reeves’ spokesman said she was preparing “for her civic responsibilities, her live concerts and promoting her newest album, ‘Home to You.’ “

It’s OK if he never lands here again

Michael Jackson will return to the United States to visit, but it’s unlikely the King of Pop would ever make it his home again, says his father.

Jackson, who was acquitted in June of child molestation, now lives in Bahrain and his lawyers have said that he no longer considers his Neverland Ranch in California as his home.

“They didn’t treat him right here,” father Joe Jackson says, adding that his son received numerous threats. “I know if I was him, I wouldn’t come back.”

More late nights for Conan

Conan O’Brien and his wife, Liza Powel O’Brien, have had their second child.

The “Late Night” host welcomed son Beckett into the world Wednesday at a weight of 8 pounds and 4 ounces.

O’Brien, 42, and Powel have been married since 2002. Their first child, daughter Neve, was born in 2003.

The snake shall lie down with the lemur

Most people know him as the Minister for Silly Walks on “Monty Python,” but John Cleese also will go down in history for another reason: lemurs.

Researchers from the University of Zurich have named a newly discovered species of lemur – the avahi cleesei – after the British comedian in honor of his work with the endangered animal.

Cleese promoted the plight of lemurs in the movie “Fierce Creatures” and documentary “Operation Lemur with John Cleese.”

“Woolly lemurs can’t really walk – but they do enjoy silly jumps,” said researcher Urs Thalmann.

The birthday bunch

Organist Booker T. Jones (Booker T. and the MG’s) is 61. Singer Neil Young is 60. Guitarist Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult) is 58. Actress Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”) is 47. Actress Tamala Jones (“The Brothers”) is 31. Singer Tevin Campbell is 29. Actress Ashley Williams (“Good Morning, Miami”) is 27. Actress Anne Hathaway (“The Princess Diaries”) is 23. Singer Omarion of B2K is 20. Actress Macey Cruthird (“Hope & Faith”) is 13.