Tampa, Fla. -- Fans of "Pushing Daisies" are sending flowers to ABC in hopes of persuading the network not to cancel the U.S. television series.
Rumors have been swirling the show, which stars Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Swoozie Kurtz, Ann Greene and Kristin Chenoweth, is to be canceled in the midst of its second season due to low ratings. However, ABC, the network that airs the series, has said no decision regarding the fate of "Daisies" has been made.
The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune said more than 40,000 people have signed a petition at savedaisies.com, while others are sending flowers and seeds to the network in the hopes their support will convince ABC to keep the show on the air.
Los Angeles -- Taylor Swift's "Fearless" is No. 1 on the U.S. album chart, Billboard.com reported Wednesday.
The CD is the 18-year-old country music star's second album.
Coming in at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 is David Archuleta's self-titled CD, followed by the 29th edition of "Now That's What I Call Music!" at No. 3, T-Pain's "Thr33 Ringz" at No. 4 and the soundtrack from the upcoming movie "Twilight" at No. 5.
Rounding out the top tier are AC/DC's "Black Ice" at No. 6, the soundtrack to "High School Musical 3" at No. 7, Enya's first holiday album "And Winter Came" at No. 8, Christina Aguilera's "Keeps Gettin' Better" at No. 9 and T.I.'s "Paper Trail" at No. 10.
Las Vegas -- Hip-hop icon Suge Knight has been charged with battery in an alleged incident involving his girlfriend in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal said the Clark County district attorney's office has filed against Knight one count of battery and two counts of possession of a controlled substance for allegedly possessing Ecstasy and hydrocodone. The charges stem from Knight's Aug. 27 arrest for allegedly beating Melissa Isaac while brandishing a knife in a parking lot.
Las Vegas police have said they witnessed the episode.
Knight and his representatives were unavailable for comment regarding the charges, the Review-Journal said.
The co-founder of Death Row Records was convicted of assault in 1992 and placed on probation, then jailed twice for violating the terms of his probation.
Singpore -- The Walt Disney Studios said Wednesday it has begun re-rendering its animated classic "Beauty and the Beast" for its Disney Digital 3-D debut in 2010.
The announcement was made by Mark Zoradi, president of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group, in Singapore at the 3DX: 3D Film and Entertainment Technology Festival, the industry's first conference and exhibition devoted to the latest advances in 3-D technology.
"Disney is proud to be a pioneer in creating spectacular 3-D motion-picture experiences, and we have a great lineup of animated and live-action features to satisfy moviegoers of all ages," Zoradi said. "The re-rendering of our animated classic 'Beauty and the Beast' into Disney Digital 3-D is another exciting step for this medium and further proof of our commitment to the art and technology of 3-D filmmaking. With our animated feature 'Bolt' set to hit 3-D theaters later this month and 11 more 3-D features on the schedule over the next two years, our studio is taking the lead position in bringing quality 3-D entertainment to moviegoers all over the world. Disney has created some fantastic new proprietary software to make the 3-D imagery better than ever, and we think audiences are going to love experiencing these films in a whole new dimension."
Toronto -- The CTV television network is the second Canadian media group in a week to announce job layoffs, a hiring freeze and expense cuts.
In a memo to employees Tuesday, CTV Chief Executive Officer Ivan Fecan said he would give details Wednesday at a "town hall" meeting at a Toronto newsroom.
Fecan said the measures aren't all doom and gloom, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
"Each situation will be judged by its own circumstances … where there is strong revenue or competitive reasons, we may choose to add, not cut, resources," his statement said.
The memo refers only to the private broadcaster's operations at CTV Inc., which includes the CTV television network of 27 television stations, along with some specialty cable channels such as The Sports Network and the Business News Network, the Financial Post said. It also maintains news bureaus in Washington, London and Beijing. CTV's owner is CTVglobemedia, which also owns the Globe and Mail newspaper.
New York -- U.S. pop star Britney Spears says her life is devoid of passion and excitement since a court gave her father and a lawyer control over her interests.
The judge's decision followed Spears's hospitalization for psychiatric treatment and her failed bid to regain custody of her two sons with her ex-husband Kevin Federline, who has legal and physical custody of the boys.
"(My life has) no excitement, there's no passion. I think it's too in-control. If I wasn't under the restraints I'm under, I'd feel so liberated. When I tell them the way I feel, it's like they hear, but they're really not listening," the New York Daily News quoted Spears as saying in "Britney: For The Record," a 90-minute documentary set to air Nov. 30 on MTV.
"I have really good days, and then I have bad days," she added. "Even when you go to jail, you know, there's the time when you're gonna get out. But in this situation, it's never-ending. It's just like 'Groundhog Day' every day."
London -- British comedian and actor Ricky Gervais says he is working on a one-hour special continuing his recently wrapped show-biz series "Extras."
The TV comedy, which Gervais co-created and starred in with Stephen Merchant, ended after two seasons with a Christmas special last year.
Gervais and Merchant previously collaborated on the iconic British TV series "The Office."
Gervais said during an appearance on ITV1's "This Morning" that he has written a "rough storyline" for an "Extras" special, the BBC reported.
The writer-actor admitted he "has a lot to beat" since David Bowie, Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Orlando Bloom, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Kate Winslet and Daniel Radcliffe all made guest appearances on the show.
Universal City, Calif. -- Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has signed on to appear on Rosie O'Donnell's upcoming variety special "Rosie Live," NBC announced.
The program is to be broadcast Nov. 26, live from New York's Little Shubert Theatre.
Baldwin joins previously announced guest stars including Liza Minnelli, recording artists Ne-Yo and Alanis Morissette, and actress and comedienne Kathy Griffin.
Baldwin's "30 Rock" co-star Jane Krakowski is also set to appear on the special.
Las Vegas -- Former "Dancing with the Stars" contestants Mel B. and Kelly Monaco have agreed to headline a modern burlesque show in Las Vegas, Base Entertainment said.
Preview performances of "Peepshow" -- which was conceived, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and produced by Base -- are to begin March 30 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
"Peepshow" is described in a synopsis as "a highly stylized, full-throttle production show that combines sexy striptease and celebrity with high-level production values and a dash of passion."
"'Peepshow' has been a dream of mine for a long time and now that dream is coming true," Mitchell said in a statement. "We have gathered 20 of the sexiest dancers from film, video, and Broadway to bring a truly American form of entertainment back to the strip. The art of the tease, mixed with humor, razzle-dazzle, and today's sexy music, with 'Peepshow' these stunning dancers will use their bodies to tell a story."
London -- British comedian and actor Ricky Gervais says he is working on a one-hour special continuing his recently wrapped show-biz series "Extras."
The TV comedy, which Gervais co-created and starred in with Stephen Merchant, ended after two seasons with a Christmas special last year.
Gervais and Merchant previously collaborated on the iconic British TV series "The Office."
Gervais said during an appearance on ITV1's "This Morning" that he has written a "rough storyline" for an "Extras" special, the BBC reported.
The writer-actor admitted he "has a lot to beat" since David Bowie, Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Orlando Bloom, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Kate Winslet and Daniel Radcliffe all made guest appearances on the show.
