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Pop star Phil Collins named honorary Texan for donation of Alamo artifacts

Musician Phil Collins is applauded Wednesday by Texas land commissioner George P. Bush, left, and Speaker Joe Straus in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. (Associated Press)
Musician Phil Collins is applauded Wednesday by Texas land commissioner George P. Bush, left, and Speaker Joe Straus in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. (Associated Press)
From Wire Reports

State lawmakers have named pop star Phil Collins an honorary Texan, saluting his donation of hundreds of Alamo artifacts back to the historic outpost – while offering numerous quips referencing his song lyrics.

The former Genesis singer-drummer appeared Wednesday in the Texas Senate and House. He didn’t give a speech, but greeted lawmakers who crowded to shake hands.

The 63-year-old Briton is an Alamo buff and spent decades collecting artifacts related to the 1836 battle, where 1,500 Mexican troops laid siege to 200 Texans. Last year, he gave 200-plus pieces of his collection to the Alamo.

Mexican actress picked as Bond girl

The name is Sigman, Stephanie Sigman. Although she may not have the name recognition of a certain secret agent, the 28-year-old Mexican actress certainly saw her profile raised this week, when the filmmakers behind the upcoming James Bond adventure “Spectre” announced her addition to the cast.

Sigman is best known for starring in “Miss Bala,” Gerardo Naranjo’s 2011 thriller about an aspiring beauty queen in Tijuana who gets caught up with a drug lord after a nightclub shootout. Other credits include the FX series “The Bridge,” the Norwegian thriller “Pioneer” and the upcoming Netflix series “Narcos.”

Details have yet to be revealed about Sigman’s “Spectre” character, other than her name, Estrella (“star” in Spanish). Indeed, much about the film’s plot and characters are veiled in secrecy. We do know that the movie will find Bond ( Daniel Craig) working to uncover a sinister organization (SPECTRE, presumably), and it’s a good bet that Oberhauser ( Christoph Waltz) will be the one making things difficult for him along the way.

Sigman is the first Mexican actress to portray a Bond girl – or “Bond lady,” as director Sam Mendes prefers to call them.

In “Spectre,” Sigman joins Italian actress Monica Bellucci as Lucia Sciarra and French actress Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann.

The birthday bunch

Actress Barbara Feldon is 82. Singer Al Jarreau is 75. Actress-singer Liza Minnelli is 69. Singer-songwriter James Taylor is 67. Actor Jon Provost (TV: “Lassie”) is 65. Singer Marlon Jackson (The Jackson Five) is 58. Actor Courtney B. Vance is 55. Actor Aaron Eckhart is 47. Country singer Holly Williams is 34.