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

Bouncing baby boy for Fergie, Duhamel

From Wire Reports

Fergie is a proud mother. A representative for the singer said she gave birth to 7-pound, 10-ounce Axl Jack Duhamel on Thursday.

Axl Jack is Fergie and actor Josh Duhamel’s first child. The 38-year-old singer married the 40-year-old actor in 2009. She officially changed her name from Stacy Ann Ferguson to Fergie Duhamel this month.

Fergie is one-fourth of the Black Eyed Peas. She released her solo debut, “The Dutchess,” in 2006. The album launched five big hits, including “Fergalicious” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”

Duhamel has appeared on television shows including ABC’s “All My Children” and in movies such as “Transformers.”

Harper’s cancer close to remission

Valerie Harper’s brain cancer is getting close to remission, her doctor said.

The 74-year-old former sitcom star had announced in March that she had an incurable form of cancer and was given as little as three months to live. She’s still here – and working, hired for a TV movie that filmed this month.

Dr. Jeremy Rudnick said Thursday on NBC’s “Today” show that Harper has defied the odds. But he cautioned that Harper’s prognosis can change at any time.

Voight paid minimum for ‘Cowboy’

It was Jon Voight’s portrayal of male prostitute Joe Buck in the 1969 film “Midnight Cowboy” that put him on the path to becoming an acting legend. Now he reveals he was paid a pittance for the part.

Voight said he wanted the role so badly that he told his agent, “I said, ‘Tell them I’ll do this part for nothing.’ ” The actor said that to his surprise, “they took me at my word and they gave me minimum for ‘Midnight Cowboy.’ ”

Voight spoke Wednesday as he was promoting his film “Getaway” co-starring Ethan Hawke and Selena Gomez that opens today, and “Ray Donovan,” the Showtime series he appears in opposite Liev Schreiber.

The Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor said the United Artists studio “even sent me a $14.73 coffee shop charge,” for meals his last day of shooting for the film in Texas.

Looking back, Voight said “It was the worst.” But he said he had no regrets. “I knew what it meant. It was going to give me a career and I was right.”

The birthday bunch

Actor Bill Daily is 86. Actress Elizabeth Ashley is 74. Actor Ben Jones is 72. Cartoonist R. Crumb is 70. Actress Peggy Lipton is 66. Comedian Lewis Black is 65. Actor Timothy Bottoms is 62. Actor David Paymer is 59. Actor Michael Chiklis is 50. Actress Cameron Diaz is 41. TV personality Lisa Ling is 40. Rock musician Ryan Ross is 27.