Now that’s losing big in Vegas
A federal judge has ordered Rod Stewart to pay a Las Vegas casino more than $3 million for a canceled show in December 2000.
The British rocker’s lawyers also must pay an additional $153,483 in contempt-of-court sanctions and legal costs for failing to turn over information to lawyers for Harrah’s Entertainment.
Stewart’s lawyer said he plans to appeal the ruling.
The judicial order puts Stewart on the hook for $3.06 million, including the $2 million advance he was paid by the Rio hotel-casino and more than $1 million in interest, penalties and attorney fees.
The judgment resulted from a Sept. 7 federal jury finding that Stewart should not have kept an advance he received for the 2000 New Year’s weekend show. He said he was unable to perform because of throat surgery several months earlier.
Lack of class?
“Brokeback Mountain” star Michelle Williams, who was nominated for best supporting actress at Sunday’s Academy Awards, has been disowned by her former school because of the film’s gay themes.
“Michelle doesn’t represent the values of this institution,” says Jim Hopson, headmaster of Santa Fe Christian in Solana Beach, Calif., told the San Diego Union Tribune.
” ‘Brokeback Mountain’ basically promotes a lifestyle we don’t promote,” he said. “It’s not the word of God.”
Little Weisz guy?
Rachel Weisz is eating for two these days, and both of them were celebrating her best supporting actress Oscar win.
“The baby was going crazy,” said Weisz (“The Constant Gardener”), who is seven months pregnant. “Poor baby. I think it was from the adrenaline.”
If her acceptance speech wasn’t coherent, she added, blame the baby: “I couldn’t hardly have told you my name.”
Ring of truth
Jon Voight says the ring he kept from his role playing the late Pope John Paul II helps him be a better person.
“I feel him. I think, ‘Wait a minute, Jon, if you are wearing this ring you’d better think a little better,’ ” Voight said at a news conference to promote the opening of “Pope John Paul II” in the late pontiff’s native Poland.
Voight added that he’d wear the flat, gold-colored ring with a figure of St. Peter on it for the rest of his life.
Lone stranger
Macaulay Culkin is wondering where he fits into Hollywood these days.
“I don’t know what people want from me,” says the now grown-up child star of the “Home Alone” movies.
“I’m the most out-of-work actor I know. In the last two years, I’ve basically taken meetings for a living.”
The birthday bunch
TV personality Willard Scott is 72. Actor Daniel J. Travanti is 66. Actor John Heard is 60. Singer Peter Wolf (J. Geils Band) is 60. Actor Bryan Cranston (“Malcolm in the Middle”) is 50. Actor Bill Brochtrup (“NYPD Blue”) is 43. Comedian Wanda Sykes is 42. Singer Taylor Dayne is 41. Actress Rachel Weisz is 35. Actress Laura Prepon (“That ‘70s Show”) is 26.