Carole King natural for Gershwin Prize
Carole King has a friend in the Library of Congress. She’s the first woman to win the library’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
In her five decades of songwriting, King’s hits have included “You’ve Got a Friend,” “So Far Away” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” The library said Thursday that King will be the fifth person to receive the prize. Prior recipients include Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.
Librarian of Congress James Billington says King’s work has been recorded by many artists to communicate universal human emotions like love, joy and pain. King will receive the prize in the spring.
Chan protests Hong Kong protests
Jackie Chan suggests in a recent interview that protests should be restricted in the freewheeling Chinese city of Hong Kong. The action star lamented that Hong Kong has become a city of protest, where people “scold China, scold the leaders, scold anything, protest against anything.”
“There should be regulations on what can and cannot be protested,” Chan told the Southern People Weekly, which published his comments Wednesday.
The star of movies such as “Rush Hour” and “Rumble in the Bronx” triggered a backlash three years ago with similar comments on the need to restrict freedom in his hometown.
Wendt lands role in ‘Tiffany’s’
George Wendt will play Holly Golightly’s husband when “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” hits the Broadway stage next year.
The play, a return to the story by Truman Capote, will star Emilia Clarke of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” in the role Audrey Hepburn made famous in 1961 movie. Performances at the Cort Theatre begin March 4.
Wendt, former “Cheers” dude-at-the-bar Norm Peterson, is no stranger to the stage. He was last on Broadway as Santa in a musical made from the Will Ferrell film “Elf.”
The birthday bunch
Jazz musician Clark Terry is 92. Singer-actress Abbe Lane is 81. Actress Patty Duke is 66. Actress Dee Wallace is 64. Actor-comedian T.K. Carter is 56. Singer-musician Peter “Spider” Stacy (The Pogues) is 54. Actress Natascha McElhone is 43. Actress-comedian Michaela Watkins is 41. Actress KaDee Strickland is 37.