Swift sales silence album doomsayers

Taylor Swift’s “1989” album racked up sales of 1.287 million copies during its first week of release, upending widespread music industry speculation that the million-plus retail sales week had become a relic of glory days long past.

“Industry experts predicted 1989 would sell 650k first week,” the 24-year-old pop star tweeted Tuesday while on a promotional visit to Tokyo, referencing some of the earliest projections for her album’s first week out. “You went and bought 1.287 million albums.”

Just how big is that? “1989” sold more copies than last week’s 70 biggest-selling albums combined.

Aiken’s failed political run gets series

Clay Aiken didn’t reach Capitol Hill – or “American Idol” victory – but he will make it to his own TV series.

Esquire Network, part of NBCUniversal’s cable stable, announced Wednesday that it has picked up a four-episode series about Aiken’s failed run for Congress in North Carolina. The series will premiere in early 2015.

In Tuesday’s election, Aiken, an openly gay Democrat, got trounced by 17 points by Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers, who won with more than 58 percent of the vote.

Aiken, now 35, shot to fame in 2003, when he was runner-up to Ruben Studdard on “American Idol.” His first album for RCA went double platinum, but sales of his subsequent records have dwindled.

Graham’s happy returns will be private

Forget about another big birthday blowout for the Rev. Billy Graham.

Graham plans to celebrate his 96th birthday Friday with family and friends. Last year, 900 people attended a two-hour party for the North Carolina-born evangelist at an Asheville hotel.

His son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, said Wednesday that his father is in good spirits, he’s eating well, and his mind is still sharp. Two weeks after last year’s party, Graham was hospitalized for two days for observation and lung tests. Graham uses a wheelchair and has been hospitalized for several health-related issues over the past few years.

Cast of ‘Peter Pan’ will include Driver

Minnie Driver is joining the cast of NBC’s “Peter Pan Live!” She will play the character Wendy Darling as an adult and narrate the musical, the network said Wednesday. Driver co-stars in the NBC comedy “About a Boy.”

Allison Williams is starring in the title role in “Peter Pan Live!,” which also includes Christopher Walken, Christian Borle and Kelli O’Hara in the cast. The musical is scheduled to air Dec. 4 on NBC.

The birthday bunch

Director Mike Nichols is 83. Country singer Guy Clark is 73. Actress Sally Field is 68. Pop singer-musician Glenn Frey (The Eagles) is 66. Singer Rory Block is 65. Jazz musician Arturo Sandoval is 65. Actress Lori Singer is 57. Actor Ethan Hawke is 44. Actress Emma Stone is 26.