Sir Paul to be closer at Olympic opener
Paul McCartney has confirmed an Olympic-sized rumor, saying he’ll be the closing act at the London 2012 opening ceremony.
Earlier this year the former Beatle disclosed that he was in talks to play a role in the celebrations.
On Monday, he confirmed: “I’ve been booked.”
He told BBC radio station 5 Live that he would be “closing the opening” of the games.
The lineup for the ceremony, overseen by “Slumdog Millionaire” director Danny Boyle and themed “Isles of Wonder,” is a closely guarded secret, but many had suspected McCartney would be involved.
The Olympic Games take place July 27 to Aug. 12.
Lawsuit against Costner opens
Kevin Costner’s attorney claims his client’s fame is the only reason why a fellow actor, Stephen Baldwin, sued him over their investments in a device used to try to clean up BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
A trial opened Monday for Baldwin’s claims that Costner and business partner Patrick Smith duped him and a friend out of their shares of an $18 million deal for BP to buy oil-separating centrifuges after the April 2010 spill.
During opening statements, Costner’s attorney said his client played no role in Baldwin’s decision to sell his shares in a company that marketed the centrifuges to BP for $1.4 million.
Baldwin’s lawyer told jurors that Costner and Smith spun a web of lies that cheated his client out of millions of dollars.
Jackson to produce documentary
Janet Jackson has signed on as an executive producer of a documentary on the lives of transgender people living around the world.
New York-based Brainchild Films announced Monday that Jackson was working on “Truth” and would do some of the on-camera interviews. The documentary begins production this summer and will focus on the lives and struggles of transgender persons.
Jackson said in a statement that she is working on the project to try to stop discrimination of the transgender community.
The birthday bunch
Country singer Don Reid (The Statler Brothers) is 67. Drummer Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is 60. Saxophonist Kenny G is 56. Actor Ron Livingston (“The Practice,” “Band of Brothers”) is 45. Actor-singer Mark Wahlberg is 41. Actress Navi Rawat (“Numb3rs”) is 35. Actress Liza Weil (“Gilmore Girls”) is 35.