Church, Murdoch settle hacking case
Charlotte Church, who told a media inquiry of being hounded by Rupert Murdoch’s journalists when she was a teen singing sensation, received $951,000 Monday in a settlement from News International and said she had been sickened by what she learned about intrusion into her private life.
Church was present at London’s High Court for the reading of a statement resolving her claim that 33 articles in the now defunct News of the World tabloid were the product of journalists illegally hacking into her family’s voice mails.
The settlement to Church includes $476,000 in legal costs and a public apology, but Church said she did not believe News International’s apology was sincere.
“I have also discovered that despite the apology which the newspaper has just given in court, these people were prepared to go to any lengths to prevent me exposing their behavior,” she said.
She added: “They are not truly sorry. They are just sorry they got caught.”
Quaid to headline zoo fundraiser
Actor and musician Dennis Quaid is the headliner of an upcoming concert in Montana to raise money for a zoo.
The Billings Gazette reports that ZooMontana’s WinterFest is scheduled for March 24.
Quaid sings and plays rhythm guitar, and combined acting and music when he played Jerry Lee Lewis in the 1989 movie “Great Balls of Fire.” He’s appeared in more than 70 films and television shows, including “The Rookie,” “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Soul Surfer.”
A zoo statement quotes Quaid as saying he typically makes “a complete and utter fool” of himself in his musical performances in his effort to make the act fun for the audience and the band.
General admission tickets are $58 and VIP tickets, which include a dinner, reserved seats and an after show party, are $138.
The birthday bunch
Actor Charles Durning is 89. Actor Gavin MacLeod (“The Love Boat,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”) is 81. Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 73. Singer Joe South is 72. Actor Frank Bonner (“WKRP in Cincinnati”) is 70. Actress Kelly Bishop (“Gilmore Girls”) is 68. Actress Stephanie Beacham (“Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The Colbys”) is 65. Actress Bernadette Peters is 64. Actress Mercedes Ruehl is 64. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is 57. Actor John Turturro is 55. Singer Cindy Wilson of The B-52’s is 55. Actress Rae Dawn Chong is 51. Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 43. Singer Pat Monahan (Train) is 43. Actor Rory Conchrane (“24,” “CSI: Miami”) is 40. Actress Ali Larter (“Heroes”) is 36. Singer Jason Aldean is 35. Actor Bobb’e J. Thompson (“The Tracy Morgan Show”) is 16.