Braff taking a shot at Broadway musical
Zach Braff will make his Broadway debut next year in a musical adaptation of Woody Allen’s crime caper “Bullets Over Broadway.”
Written by Allen and Douglas McGrath, the story follows a struggling young playwright who is forced to cast a mobster’s talentless girlfriend in his latest drama. Braff will play the hero, portrayed by John Cusack in the 1994 film.
Though he’s never done musical theater professionally, Braff often sang as the daydreaming Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian on “Scrubs,” and he won a Grammy Award for best compilation soundtrack for the 2004 film “Garden State.” He said he’s already started working with a vocal coach.
Queen Elizabeth II gets income boost
Buckingham Palace accounts showed Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II had a good year financially – the monarch will receive a 5 percent income boost following record portfolio profits.
The Crown Estate, a vast property portfolio that includes much of London’s Regent Street and also Windsor Great Park, made 253 million pounds ($380 million) in the last financial year, a 5.2 percent annual increase.
The queen receives 15 percent of Crown Estate profits through a grant supplied by the British government that funds the monarch’s spending as head of state. The annual grant is currently 36.1 million pounds ($55 million) but will rise to 37.9 million pounds in 2014.
Keeper of the Privy Purse Alan Reid said in a statement that a significant part of the grant increase would be used on a backlog of essential property maintenance at the royal palaces.
More companies cut ties with Deen
Paula Deen’s multimillion-dollar merchandise and media empire continues to unravel following revelations that she used racial slurs in the past. Target Corp., Home Depot Inc. and diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk on Thursday became the latest companies to distance themselves from the Southern celebrity chef.
Home Depot, which sold Paula Deen-branded cookware and kitchen products only online, said it pulled the merchandise off its website on Wednesday. Target said it will phase out its Paula Deen-branded cookware and other items in stores and on its website. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk said it and Deen have “mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now.”
These are the latest blows dealt to Deen since comments she made in a court deposition became public. Last week, the Food Network said it would not renew her contract. Then, on Wednesday, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s biggest retailer, said it too was cutting ties with Deen.
The birthday bunch
Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 87. Comedian-impressionist John Byner is 76. Actor Bruce Davison is 67. Actress Kathy Bates is 65. Football hall of famer John Elway is 53. Actress Mary Stuart Masterson is 47. Actor John Cusack is 47. Actress-singer Danielle Brisebois is 44. Country singer Kellie Pickler is 27.