Obama heads list of most admired

They once were rivals and soon will be members of the same presidential cabinet. As it turns out, strangely enough, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are this year’s most admired man and woman.

Funny, isn’t it, how political fortunes rise and fall?

The USA Today/Gallup Poll of 1,008 adults found that 32 percent of Americans admire the president-elect, who was the only man to rack up double digits.

President George W. Bush finished second with 5 percent, while GOP presidential candidate John McCain placed third (3 percent). Pope Benedict XVI, Billy Graham and ex-President Bill Clinton tied (2 percent).

Hillary Clinton leads the women with 20 percent, followed by Sarah Palin (11 percent) and Oprah Winfrey (8 percent).

Coming in fourth and fifth, respectively, were Condoleezza Rice (7 percent) and Michelle Obama (3 percent).

Let it snow: Go see movies

Hollywood had a huge Christmas weekend, as Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson’s dog tale “Marley & Me” debuted at No. 1 with $37 million in weekend ticket sales and a total of $51.7 million since opening Christmas Day. The Adam Sandler comedy “Bedtime Stories” came in second with $28.1 million ($38.6 million since Christmas).

“Benjamin Button,” with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, ranked third with $27 ($39 million since Christmas). “Valkyrie,” with Tom Cruise, finished No. 4 with $21.5 million ($30 million since Christmas).

Fox wants a piece of ‘Watchmen’

Federal judge Gary Feess has ruled that 20th Century Fox owns a copyright interest in “Watchmen,” potentially jeopardizing the Zack Snyder-directed movie’s March release.

“Watchmen,” based on the Alan Moore-Dave Gibbons graphic novel of the same name, was shot by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Fox sued to prevent its release, claiming it never fully relinquished its rights to the story from a deal made in the late 1980s.

Movie version not ‘Arrested’

Fans of “Arrested Development” may get to enjoy the cancelled show on the big screen sometime in the coming year. That, at least, is what cast member Will Arnett told Entertainment Weekly.

“It’s been so long now, we almost have to do it,” Arnett said of the movie version of the show, which was cancelled in 2006. “It’s like we have to finish the joke.”

Then they cheered for Soon-Yi

He may receive mixed reactions in the U.S. But filmmaker/musician Woody Allen received applause and cheers from an audience of almost 3,000 as he and his jazz band gave their first ever concert in Poland on Sunday.

“We will do our best to entertain you,” the 73-year-old Allen told the Warsaw audience.

The birthday bunch

Actor Russ Tamblyn is 74. Folk singer Paul Stookey is 71. Actor Fred Ward is 66. Singer-musician Michael Nesmith is 66. Singer Davy Jones is 63. Singer Patti Smith is 62. “Today” co-host Meredith Vieira is 55. “Today” host Matt Lauer is 51. Actress Tracey Ullman is 49. Golfer Tiger Woods is 33. TV personality-boxer Laila Ali is 31. Singer Tyrese is 30. Actress Eliza Dushku is 28.