London -- British comedian Frank Skinner, known for his routine use of swear words, will host a TV special on profanity, the BBC says.

The British broadcaster has tabbed the "Fantasy Football League" star to host an upcoming episode of the documentary series "Panorama" that will focus on the use of profanity in the TV industry, The Daily Mail said Wednesday.

"Panorama" investigative journalist John Sweeney said it's Skinner's frequent use of profanity that makes him an ideal host for the special.

"Taste and decency is a big issue for us," Sweeney said. "(It's about) the stories we can tell before the watershed and after it."

"Who better than a comedian to talk about what works and what doesn't?"
The Mail said the special, which will air in late January 2009 or early February, comes after 42,000 complaints were lodged with the BBC for a lewd on-air prank performed by comedians Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.

Brooklyn, United States, December 26: John Costelloe, better known as Johnny Cakes to the viewers of ‘The Sopranos’ was found dead on Dec. 18 in his Brooklyn home. The actor apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound; the tragedy has left friends and family in deep shock.

Fallston, Md. -- A Maryland car wholesaler said he played secret Santa for a man whose kidneys are failing with a free 1998 Plymouth Voyager.

Ed Lott, 38, said he has given cars to people in need for the past five Christmases, and his own kidney problems were not enough to keep him from obtaining a vehicle for Sheldon Deller, 48, the Baltimore Sun reported Thursday.

Lott drove the tow truck carrying the van to Deller's house and a friend, Venessa Bond, rang the man's doorbell and informed him of the gift, which Lott and his helpers said would have been almost completely anonymous had the wholesaler's mother, Carmen Lott, not informed newspapers of her son's deeds before the car was presented Wednesday afternoon.

"The reason I do it is for the reactions I see," said Lott, who watched from the tow truck as a shocked and grateful Deller received his gift. "It makes my Christmas every year."

Baton Rouge, La. -- Two Baton Rouge, La., sisters, ages 23 and 18, say their mother insists they have their picture taken with Santa Claus every year until they are married.

Ashley Swan, 23, and her sister Katie, 18, said mother Merry Swan's tradition of having her children pose with Santa for a Christmas photo began the year Ashley was born and has continued uninterrupted for every Christmas since, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported Thursday.

"This is how I feel -- you have to do this until you get married," Merry Swan told her daughters. "This is my gift."

The mother said her daughters have to take the photos in order to receive their Christmas gifts.

"Now, it's like bribery," she said.

The Swan sisters said that while taking pictures with Santa can be embarrassing for grown women, they go through the motions each year to make their mother happy.

Los Angeles -- Warner Bros. has announced it won't release its Batman blockbuster, "The Dark Knight," in China.

The studio issued a statement Tuesday, saying the decision was based on "the number of pre-release conditions" demanded by Chinese censors as well as "cultural sensitivities to some elements of the film," Variety reports.

A studio spokesman refused further comment or explanation, Variety said, noting some scenes were filmed in Hong Kong.

"The Dark Knight" has grossed more than $465 million in foreign markets, Variety said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.

Los Angeles -- A suit filed in Los Angeles by DJ AM, aka Adam Goldstein, claims the pilots, among others, were responsible for the plane crash that left him severely burned.

Goldstein's suit filed Tuesday in Superior Court seeks compensation from the dead pilots' estates as well as Learjet and Goodyear tires for the Sept. 19 plane wreck in South Carolina, People.com reported.

The lawsuit alleges the pilots "were either poorly trained and/or failed to follow their training" and the plane was "defective ... and unreasonably dangerous," People said.

Compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and loss of earnings is being sought by Goldstein, 35, the last victim of the crash to file suit, People said.

His friend, drummer Travis Barker, was also seriously injured and Barker's bodyguard, Charles Sill, 25, died in the wreck along with the two pilots.

New York -- Hollywood actor Tom Cruise admits the eye patch he wore in his new movie "Valkyrie" caused him some unexpected balance problems on the film set.

In the movie, Cruise plays a German military officer who takes part in an unsuccessful plot to kill dictator Adolf Hitler. Cruise's character loses his eye in World War II and wears an eye patch for much of the film.

"I was surprised, for a few hours and a few days, when we started working on it, yeah, it did (cause me some balance problems). Especially when it was dark, I lost depth-perception and balance," Cruise told reporters in New York recently. "And, also, from visual cinematic story-telling, it was a challenge I think for (director Bryan Singer). I really respect Bryan's staging, and his composition, and his storytelling. ... And with the eye patch, he also understood it's a different story depending on where that camera is on my face. ... It was a challenge always going into a room."

New York -- U.S. actress Marisa Tomei says it took her a little while to decide she wanted the role in "The Wrestler" that director Darren Aronofsky offered her.

In the film, Tomei portrays an aging stripper and the love interest of the title character played by Mickey Rourke.

Asked if she found the role irresistible, Tomei told United Press International in New York recently: "Irresistible? Hardly!

"I was like, 'I've got to be nuts!'" she added with a laugh. "No. I really thought long and hard and was kind of not so sure about it. I had just done 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' and I was like, 'I'm not really up for this again.' But I really wanted to work with Darren and I have the utmost respect for him and I didn't have that many choices. It was a good movie and that was the one that came to me and so, I did it."

Stockholm, Sweden -- The Swedish creator of a modern, glossy magazine adaptation of the Bible says some images have been removed from the U.S. version to dodge controversy.

Dag Soderberg, who released the original version of "The Book" in Sweden in spring 2007, said the recent export of the illustrated Bible to the United States involved the removal of some images, including a revealing photograph of model Victoria Silverstedt and a picture of two men passionately kissing, The Local reported Tuesday.

"It is because of cultural differences. Sex is very sensitive in the USA," Soderberg told Swedish newspaper Metro.

He said the new 286-page adaptation of the New Testament was released in the United States under the name "Bible Illuminated: The Book," and an Old Testament adaptation is being prepared for a U.S. release in spring of 2009.

Los Angeles -- U.S. pop singer and Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell says his 6-year-old son Baylee has been diagnosed with the rare illness Kawasaki syndrome.

Littrell explained on his Web site how Baylee was tested for various infections, including strep throat and hand, foot and mouth disease, before he was diagnosed with atypical Kawasaki syndrome.

The ailment causes inflammation in blood vessels throughout the body and the most serious cases are when blood vessels surrounding the heart become inflamed. Kawasaki syndrome is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in the United States, ABC News said.

"He's never been sick," said Baylee's mother, Leighanne Littrell. "(When he started exhibiting symptoms) it kind of blew us away and from then on things escalated."